Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

April 7

Trusting God With Tomorrow

Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say" (Exodus 4:11-12, NIV).

Friend to Friend
On the far side of a desert, high upon the Mountain of God, a voice called out to Moses from within a curious, fiery bush. He had been tending the sheep of his father-in-law's flock – minding his own business – going about his normal day-in-day-out tasks on the day that God spoke to him from the flames. On the day that God called Moses to a fresh and fiery mission. A mission of deliverance.

Once a noble prince of Egypt with the world at his feet, he had become a lowly shepherd with dust on his sandals. His crown had been traded in for a staff. The palace days were far behind Moses now. He fled them because of what he had done. Glancing to his left and right to be sure that no one would know what he was about to do, Moses took a horrible situation into his own hands and killed a man. He had murdered an Egyptian and covered the death with sand.

Fear and shame bombarded his heart so he fled – away from his dream-filled, royal future to a desert place of humble hiding. The door to his yesterdays was closed. Moses had moved on to a new place. His past was his past and he had no intentions of returning to it. His life was different now. Normal, not noble.

Then God interrupted Moses' new normal. He made it undeniably clear that His plans for Moses were different. Bigger. God's intentions were for freedom – the freedom of His people, the Israelites, who were captives – slaves to Egypt. God called Moses to face the pains of his past so that the Israelites could face a future of freedom. His plans of emancipation required that Moses obey Him, listen to His voice, follow His instructions and trust Him.

Moses quivered and doubted. He made excuses about why he couldn't do it. He felt completely unfit and unqualified for such a task. It was risky. But God met Moses at his doubts. He called him to courage and went on to use Moses as an instrument of deliverance, truth, power and freedom. Yes – Moses made mistakes along the way, but God was powerful in, through and in spite of each one. Through it all, God led as only God can. He led with power. He led with purpose. He led with love. And through Moses, God led His people to a new place of promise and freedom.

On the far side of Charlotte, North Carolina, high upon a mountain in a retreat center, a voice called out to me from within a curious and fiery story. I had been tending to my husband and children, to the laundry and the dishes – writing songs and leading worship at women's events – minding my own business – going about my normal day-in-day-out tasks on the day that God spoke to my heart from the testimony of another woman. On the day that God called me to a fresh and fiery mission. A mission of deliverance.

Once a sold-out, dream-filled God-girl, I had become a grace-embracing, yet disqualified-for-anything-big-because-of-what-I-had-done God-girl. My use-me-in-a-big-way-Lord prayers had been traded in for average, can't-have-a-dream-anymore faith-living. My God-dream days were far behind me. I had fled them because of what I had done in my junior year of college. Glancing to my left and right to be sure that no one would know what I was about to do, I took a horrible situation – an unplanned pregnancy – into my own hands and killed a baby. I robbed my baby of life when I had an abortion and covered the death of my precious child with sands of compartmentalizing and reason.

Fear and shame bombarded my heart, so I fled – away from God – away from my dream-filled, royal future to a desert place of heart-hiding. After a season of brokenness, God brought me to a place of beauty, forgiveness and healing. I was restored and redeemed by scandalous, merciful grace. But then the door to my yesterdays was closed. I moved on to a new place in Christ. My past was my past and I had no intentions of returning to it – or to the God-dreams that swelled my heart as a young, sold-out Jesus lover. My life was different now. Normal, not dream-worthy.

Then God interrupted my new normal. He made it undeniably clear that His plans for me were different. Bigger. God's intentions were for freedom – the freedom of His people, the women, who were captives – slaves to their life-wounds. God called me to face the pains of my past so that my Girlfriends in God might face a future of freedom when they hear my testimony. His plans of emancipation required that I obey Him, listen to His voice, follow His instructions and trust Him.

I quivered and doubted. I made excuses about why I couldn't do it. I felt completely unfit and unqualified for such a task. It was risky. But God met me at my doubts. He called me to courage and is using my broken-into-beautiful story as an instrument of deliverance, truth, power and freedom. Yes – I make mistakes along the way, but God is powerful in, through, and in spite of each one. Through each surrendered day, God is leading as only He can. With power – with purpose – with love. And I pray right now that this story – my story – will bring you to a new place of promise and freedom through the grace of Jesus Christ.

What fresh and fiery mission is God calling you to trust Him with, friend? Let me encourage you to stop with the excuses. I'm living proof that God will free anyone from her shame and can use anyone for His purpose. Step up to the burning bush – into God's presence. Listen to His voice. Obey. Follow. Take courage. Trust Him with your past and with your tomorrows. Allow His grace and love to decide what your mission should look like.

But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
Exodus 9:16, NIV

Let's Pray
Dear God, With a trembling heart, I approach Your throne of grace today in reverence and humility – fully aware that You are holy and I am not. Speak, Lord. Show me the plans you have for me. Bind me to Your Word and to Your strength so I will have the courage to obey. May my brokenness be restored for the beauty of Your glory. Please help me to trust You with my today and tomorrows.
In Jesus' Name I pray,
Amen.

Now it's Your Turn
Take a few moments to consider where you've come from and where you feel God is leading you.

Do you trust Him? Are you concerned about not being "able" or "qualified"?

Commit your today and tomorrows to Him. Journal about what that might look like.

More from the Girlfriends
Welcome to my personal pulse. This type of transparency is always risky. My pulse races each time I expose the broken places of my past and my present – but GOD is always faithful to use it in some beautiful way. Some of you may feel this devotion was written specifically for you. Don't ignore that. Explore it. Please come to my facebook page today and share with me about the direction you feel God is nudging you toward. www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic. We will pray over each of you!

Gwen's full testimony is featured in her book, Broken into Beautiful, along with Scriptural truths and stories of how God has brought restoration the hearts of many other women who had painful life wounds. God delights to transform lives ... including your own. Experience God's healing and hope in your life today as you read Broken Into Beautiful! To order the book, go to Amazon or, for a signed copy, visit Gwen's website: www.gwensmith.net.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

April 8, 2011

Choose to Give Praise

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
"He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God" (Psalm 50:23, NIV).

Friend to Friend
My husband, Dan, grew up driving the family ski boat, pulling various family members and friends across some lake as they learned to water ski. Consequently, he is an excellent boat driver, especially for children or any novice on skis. Both our son, Jered, and our daughter, Danna, learned to ski behind a boat driven by their dad. I knew they preferred Dan to other drivers but did not realize just how important it was to them until someone else tried to take the wheel.

Several years ago, we invited some friends to join us for a few days at the lake. We had gotten to know Josh and Sarah at church and had become good friends. Our kids seemed to enjoy theirs so the idea of a combined vacation was perfect – right?

After several days of non-stop skiing, Dan was exhausted and asked the kids for a breather. "Guys, let me have one day off and I will be set for the rest of the week," he pleaded. Josh immediately volunteered to drive the boat, assuring Dan and the kids that he was an "expert." Doubt spread across the faces of Jered and Danna but since Josh was their only option, they grabbed their life jackets and skis and headed for the boat. Dan grabbed a snack, a cool drink, the novel he had been trying to read all week and headed for the nearest hammock, a gloriously unplanned day to call his own. Actually, it turned out to be a gloriously unplanned hour before we heard our boat returning to the dock. Jered and Danna scrambled out of the boat and headed straight for their dad. I could tell by the look on their faces that the boating excursion had definitely not been a success. "Seriously, Dad, Josh has no idea what he is doing!" Jered explained. "He nearly killed me!" Danna reported with her usual dose of drama. Jered summed up his thirty minute play-by-play account of the disastrous skiing incident by announcing, "Dad, from now on I will only ski when you are driving the boat!"

What Jered was really saying was that he had no confidence or peace when someone besides his father was at the wheel. How true! When God is "at the wheel," every circumstance we face is in His hand and under His control. Peace takes up residence and the power of praise is revealed.             

Praise turns trials into faith-builders as we learn to measure our problems against His limitless power, transforming the stumbling blocks of today into stepping stones for tomorrow. 
Praise frees us from having to understand our circumstances, knowing that God is in control. A heart that is filled with praise does not have to understand every detail of the circumstance. In fact, the details really don't matter. What does matter is that God is aware of every minute detail, monitors the circumstance and shapes it to fit His plan.
Praise transforms tragedy into triumph. Fanny Crosby was six-weeks-old when she lost her vision because of a doctor's error as he applied the wrong medicine to her eyes, a mistake that set the course of the infant's life. She could have easily become bitter but instead, chose to praise God. I am certain she didn't understand all of the reasons for her lot in life, but I am equally certain that she made the choice to build a monument of praise on that lot instead of resurrecting a tombstone of bitterness. Fanny Crosby wrote over 8000 hymns of praise including "All the Way My Savior Leads Me," "Blessed Assurance," and "To God Be the Glory." Praise made the difference in her life between becoming bitter or better.
I know that many of you have had a tough year. Loss, disappointment, pain, financial stress ... the list is endless. Go ahead and make that list, girlfriend. Add it all up. Then factor in the grace, mercy and love of God – and celebrate the fact that He is more than enough. Praise God!

Let's Pray
Father, I give You praise for Your hand at work in my life. At times, I have not understood what You were doing – and still don't. But it doesn't matter, Lord, because I know I can trust You. Help me remember that my inner heart attitude does not have to reflect my outer circumstances. No matter what comes my way, I can praise You, knowing it will all turn out for my good and Your glory.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now it's Your Turn

Think back over the past few months to a time when your faith was tested. How did you do? What lesson(s) did you learn through that trial? 
Write a prayer of praise to God. Tuck it in your Bible, tape it on your mirror – put it in an obvious place and refer to it often. When you are tempted to complain or doubt God, pray that prayer out loud.
Read Romans 8:28. How does this verse encourage a spirit of thanksgiving and trust?                                                                       
More from the Girls
Chuck Swindoll says, "The sovereignty of God is the Christian's security blanket." I want my attitude to reflect that truth – in the good times and in the bad. How about you, girlfriend?

Need help?Check out my CD, Laugh More – Live Better for ways to saturate your life with joy. (Also available as MP3 download)

New E- Bible Study now available:What Am I Doing in This Pit? At some point in life, we will find ourselves in some kind of pit. Instead of looking for the nearest exit or frantically trying to claw our way out of the pit, we need to rest in God, discover the purpose of the pit and trust Him to deliver us.

Need something for your pain? Enroll in Mary's weekly online Bible Study,How to Handle Hurtand learn how to face and deal with the pain in your life.

Need a friend?Connect with Mary on Facebookor through email.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

April 11, 2011

When You Praise Him

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Cast up a highway for Him who rides through the deserts; whose name is the Lord, and exult before Him (Psalm 68:4).

Friend to Friend
I love the story of the woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. "Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today. She did and she had a wonderful day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. "Hmm", she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." She did and she had a great day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. "Well," she said, "today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail." So she did and she had a fun day. The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. "Yes!" she exclaimed, "I don't have to fix my hair today!" Now that's what I call having a good attitude.

Attitude can transform anything and everything – thoughts, habits, and perspectives.  We can literally change our lives by changing the way we think. In Isaiah 26:3 (NLT), we find the promise, "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you." A mind filled with thoughts fixed on God will produce a heart filled with praise – and girlfriend, praise is a powerful tool in our spiritual arsenal.   

Praise brings healing to our spirit. When we honestly express our trust in God, then choose to give thanks, healing begins. Praise provides a highway upon which the Father conveys deliverance and blessing. Praise invites God to take up residence in the midst of our messy lives and becomes a free-flowing conduit of God's very presence and power at work in us. God funnels infinite blessings into a life that praises Him. Stress and anxiety fade as peace floods the heart that is filled with praise.

Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Cast up a highway for Him who rides through the deserts. (Psalm 68:4, ICB)

But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. (Psalm 22: 3, NKJV) 

Don't miss the life changing truth that we can enthrone God in every situation of our lives by praising Him. Praise converts our everyday surroundings into His dwelling place. It is from that throne of praise that God dispenses victory. Praise tunes us into His sovereignty and allows us to experience the reality and power of His presence.

Praise strengthens our prayer life. Prayer is not only a remarkable privilege that we often fail to recognize or understand, it is also part of our worship to God. There is the asking side of prayer when we seek forgiveness, lay needs before God and intercede on behalf of others. Then there is the appreciating side of prayer when we offer praise and thanksgiving to God for who He is and what He has done. Our relationship with God is strengthened through prayer and praise.

Now here is my favorite truth about praise. Are you ready? Praise devastates Satan and his forces. Yes! I love it! In fact, Psalm 20:5 (NIV) promises, "We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God." Satan is well aware of just how powerful praise is and I suspect he absolutely hates it ... which absolutely delights me! I can almost sense his fury when I choose to praise God instead of questioning Him. He hates it when I walk by faith, setting aside feelings and emotions while focusing on God's Word and His faithfulness in my life.

Through continual prayer, through the power of God's Word and through faithful praise, we declare our trust in God to deliver us. Praise lifts up the shield of faith in spiritual warfare.  Praise makes a frontal attack on doubt and fear. Even in the midst of Satan's best efforts, we can find victory when we praise Him.

Let's Pray
When you can't seem to find the right words to pray – go to the Word of God and pray Scripture. Join me in a prayer of praise found in Psalm 150.

Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with the strings and pipe, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

Now It's Your Turn

Are you known as a woman who praises God?
As you begin each day, take time to position your mind and heart for praise. 
Look for opportunities during the day to praise God – then voice that praise aloud. 
Begin keeping a praise journal in which you write your praises to God.
More from the Girlfriends
Nowhere in God's Word will you find the directive to praise God when you feel like it. I know. I have looked. Praise that is based on emotions is a shallow excuse for the praise that flows from a desperate heart. Don't wait until you understand it all to praise God. Simply give Him praise, knowing that He inhabits the praises of His children.

Need help?Praise is one of the most powerful ways to manage stress. Mary's book, Escaping the Stress Trap, is based on Psalm 23 and offers a step-by-step plan for stress management.

New E- Bible Study now available:What Am I Doing in This Pit? At some point in life, we will find ourselves in some kind of pit. Instead of looking for the nearest exit or frantically trying to claw our way out of the pit, we need to rest in God, discover the purpose of the pit and trust Him to deliver us. What Am I Doing in This Pit is a four-week Bible Study that will help you lead a life of victory.

Need something for your pain? Enroll in Mary's weekly online Bible Study,How to Handle Hurtand learn how to face and deal with the pain in your life.

Need a friend?Connect with Mary on Facebookor through email.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

April 12, 2011

I Want to Be a Mommy

Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made" (Psalm 145:13b NIV).

Friend to Friend
I can still remember cuddling, rocking and singing to my favorite baby dolls when I was a little girl. I'd love them until their nylon hair was matted, their single outfits were tattered, and their painted cheeks were marred. I'd bandage their knees, kiss their heads, and teach them important life lessons.

Most little girls dream of one day being a mommy. In the hundreds of surveys I collected for the book, 5 Dreams of Every Woman...and How God Wants to Fulfill Them, to be a mommy was the number one dream. And of all the dreams of a woman, this one can be the cause of the most pain. Not being able to have children, rebellion of the children we do have, or losing a child due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or untimely death can be one of the most heart wrenching experiences of a woman's life. It hits at the very core of womanhood.

After I was married, my dream to be a mother began to grow. It seemed my arms ached to have a child to nurture, love, and pour my life into. When I was twenty-six, Steve and I decided it was time to increase our family of two. We conceived on our first attempt, and nine months later, Steven Hugh Jaynes, Jr. came screaming into the world. As I nestled that baby boy with a shock of thick black hair and long Bambi-like eye lashes against my breast, I knew I was holding God's first deposit in His great plan for my life – to be a mother. I had never felt more fulfilled in my life and I was certain I was "born to bear." When Steven was about two-years-old, we began praying for baby number two.

"Steven," we explained, "God is the one who gives babies to mommies and daddies, so we are going to pray that He will send us another 'Jaynes baby' so you can have a little brother or sister."

This sounded like a good idea to him, so he added, "And God please send mommy and daddy another 'Jaynes baby'" at the end of our family prayers each night. Conception happened so easily the first time, we thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to show Steven how God answers prayer.

Six months passed, and there was no news of another Jaynes baby on the way. Then one year passed with no news. Then two years passed with no news.  During that time we began traveling down the frustrating road of doctor visits, infertility treatments and timed intimacy (which is anything but intimate.)  We also began building our dream home with bedrooms for four children and a children's bathroom with two sinks so the brood wouldn't argue about whose turn it was. When the house was near completion, I walked from room to room. "Please Lord," I prayed, "don't let us move into this house without the hope of children to fill it."  My heart felt as empty as those bedrooms that seemingly would have no children occupying them.

God did not answer my prayer as I had hoped. After many years of infertility treatment and heart-wrenching, faith-filled prayer, the children's bedrooms remained empty, the blankets unruffled, and the dream unfulfilled. It appeared there would be no more children. While Steven was everything I could have ever hoped for wrapped up in one package, my desire to have a houseful of little ones was not God's will. Was I thankful for the child I did have?  Absolutely, but that did not negate the desire in my heart to be a mother of many.

Sometimes life doesn't turn out like we had hoped, but let me assure you of this: "The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made" (Psalm 145:13 NIV). Join me tomorrow as I continue the lessons learned through my journey of infertility.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, sometimes life just doesn't turn out like I thought it would, but I am trusting You.  I know that You know what is best for me.  I know that You have great plans and dreams for my life that I could never even imagine.  Help me to see Your plan and listen to Your voice.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Now It's Your Turn
Did you play with baby dolls when you were a little girl?

Did you have a dream about having children?  What did it look like?

How is your reality different from your little girl dream? Let's share at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes.

More From the Girlfriends
Today's devotion was taken from Sharon's new book, 5 Dreams of Every Woman and How God Wants to Fulfill Them(a new revised version of her previous book, Dreams of a Woman). This book is for every woman whose life hasn't turned out like she dreamed it would...and I think that includes most of us. Can you risk the hope that God still has dreams for your life? That He hasn't forgotten you?  Place your hand firmly in His--take a deep breath and begin the exciting journey to a place you thought you'd never find: the dream God planned for you all along. Let's dare to dream again!

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

April 13, 2011

When God Says "No"

Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV).

Friend to Friend
Most of us have broken dreams, but they just happen to be different ones. Yesterday I brought you along on one of mine ... the dream to be a mommy to a houseful of children.  Thank you for joining me again as we continue. While this may not have been your particular struggle, the pain of broken dreams and the hope that God wants to give is still the same.

For years, my son Steven, continued to pray that God would give us another "Jaynes baby."  He prayed it every night.  When he was about five-years-old, I thought it was time to tell him to stop. But how do you tell a child to stop praying a prayer? This was something God was going to have to do because I did not know how.

One day, Steven and I were sitting at his miniature table eating our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches when he looked up at me and said, "Mommy, have you ever thought maybe God wants you to have only one Jaynes baby?"

You can imagine my shock at this statement coming out of the blue from a near five-year-old. Once I regained my composure I answered. "Well, yes, I have thought that maybe that is the case. If it is, I am so thankful, because He has given me all I ever hoped for in a child wrapped up in one package - YOU!"

Then he cocked his little head like a robin and continued, "Well, what I think we ought to do is to keep praying until you're too old to have one.  Then we'll know that was His answer."

What a great idea!  Steven had no idea how old "too old" was, but he did know that God could do anything. If His answer was "no," he didn't have a problem with that. I told Steven "no" many times and he knew "no" did not mean, "I don't love you." "No" meant "no" because I was his parent and knew what was best for him.  I was the one having trouble with God telling me "no."

There was a song Steven used to sing that went:

My God is so big, so strong and so mighty
There's nothing my God cannot do.
The mountains are His,
The valleys are His,
The stars are His handiwork too.
My God is so big, so strong and so mighty
There's nothing my God cannot do.

The Lord taught me a great lesson that day.  Through Steven's childlike faith, I saw an example of the attitude of trust that I should have toward my heavenly Father who loves me and knows what's best, even when the answer is "no."  After all, if God said yes to every request, then He wouldn't be God at all...we would.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, help me to accept when you say "no" with the trust that You know what is best for me. Help me to become a woman that doesn't ask "Why me," but rather "What now." Thank You for taking the pieces of my broken dreams and making them into something more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
When something seemingly bad happens in your life, do you tend to ask, "Why me?"

Here's something I want you to practice:  Try asking "What now?" Think of a broken dream in your life.  In your mind's eye, place it at Jesus' feet. Now look up at Him and ask, "What would you have me to do now?"

I can't wait to hear what He tells you!  However, it might be quite some time before He answers.  For me, it took one year from the time I asked Him the question, until He revealed His plan.  In the meantime, get ready!  The best is yet to come!

Has God taken you on a different path than you ever dreamed?  Let's share at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes.

More from the Girlfriends

Today's devotion was taken from Sharon's new book, 5 Dreams of Every Woman and How God Wants to Fulfill Them(a new revised version of her previous book, Dreams of a Woman). This book is for every woman whose life hasn't turned out like she dreamed it would...and I think that includes most of us. Can you risk the hope that God still has dreams for your life? That He hasn't forgotten you?  Place your hand firmly in His--take a deep breath, and begin the exciting journey to a place you thought you'd never find: the dream God planned for you all along. Let's dare to dream again!

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

April 14, 2011

A New Kind of Fruitful

Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthews 28:19).       

Friend to Friend
Those years of infertility were a stormy time in my life, but then, a few years later, a tidal wave hit.

"Steve can you meet me for lunch? I have a little surprise for you."

I was so excited to meet Steve and tell him this unexpected news that I called him at the office and asked him to meet me for lunch. After several years of infertility treatment, we had become content with our family of three, but now it seemed Steven was going to have a little brother or sister after all.

I handed Steve a tiny wrapped package. He gingerly pulled back the paper and opened the lid to discover a baby pillow nestled in soft white tissue paper.

"Does this mean what I think it means?"

"Yes," I replied with tears filling my eyes.

My dream was coming true! There would be more children after all. While the baby was growing well inside my womb and the nursery was being planned inside our home, the dream came to a screeching halt. The baby died. I had a miscarriage. It was not the loss of a child that was to be. It was the loss of a child that was. For months I grieved her loss.

There are still times today when I look at the portraits of our family of three and I can almost see the shadow of a fourth. But one day there will come a time when my little girl will not be a mere shadow. I will hold her in my arms. Until then, it gives me great comfort to picture her healthy and whole and playing at the feet of Jesus.

During those summer months following our loss, a friend sang me this song.

God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to b unkind.
So when you can't understand
When you don't see His plan,
When you can't trace His hand,
Trust His heart.

And as the years progressed, God began to show me what it really meant to "Be fruitful and multiply."       

Being Spiritually Fruitful
God fashioned women to be child bearers. Our wombs, breasts, hips, and hormones were uniquely designed for conceiving and giving life. There is an inborn nature to nurture, and while we may not give birth to our own flesh and blood in a delivery room, we can still – must still – be fruitful and nurture those in our sphere of influence.

When God created Adam and Eve, He commanded them to "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it;" (Genesis 1:28 NASB). In the New Testament, we see another kind of fruitfulness as Jesus sent out the disciples. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations," (Matthews 28:19). He could have said, "Be fruitful and multiply," which is exactly what they did.

Think for a moment about why little girls want to grow up and become mommies. We want to cuddle and care for, rear and raise, share and shape, teach and train. We want to pour our love into another human being in the hopes that they will give that same love in return.

God has created women with a desire to nurture, but I think it goes much deeper than just having children. Most long to invest their lives in something that matters. Most of the time, that something is other people. The Bible calls that being fruitful. Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit," (John 15:5).  He also tells us that the true sign of a Christian is that he or she will bear fruit (John 15:.

Sometimes when our dreams of motherhood are shattered, we have to let them die and allow God to birth other dreams in our lives. As Dr. Pamela Reeves wrote in Parables of the Forrest, it is as if He is saying to us, "When you are letting go, remember that I am planting seeds of new life in you. Your grief is only for a season. My end is not death. It is always life. I am the author of life." Whether it is the dream of having one child, the dream of having seven children, or the dream that a child will turn out a particular way, we must all eventually give that dream to God.

"Be fruitful and multiply." That is something every child of God can do!

Let's Pray
Dear God, I am overwhelmed with joy today! Thank You for allowing me to be a spiritual mother. Open my eyes to those whom You would have me birth into the Kingdom and those whom You would have me nurture into maturity. What an honor! What a privilege!

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Who is God leading you to nurture? I bet she's praying for a spiritual mother to come along.

Who is your spiritual mother? Who is the woman who stirred up the desire to know Christ in your heart?  I'd love to know about her. Let's share at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes. And while you're at it, why not forward this devotion along to her as a way of saying "Thanks."

More from the Girlfriends
Today's devotion was taken from Sharon's new book, 5 Dreams of Every Woman and How God Wants to Fulfill Them(a new revised version of her previous book, Dreams of a Woman). This book is for every woman whose life hasn't turned out like she dreamed it would...and I think that includes most of us. Can you risk the hope that God still has dreams for your life? That He hasn't forgotten you?  Place your hand firmly in His--take a deep breath, and begin the exciting journey to a place you thought you'd never find: the dream God planned for you all along. Let's dare to dream again!

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

April 15, 2011

Yes and Amen!

Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 1:20, NIV).

Friend to Friend
When my son, Preston, was in sixth grade he chose to plant spinach for his science fair project. He planted seeds in four plastic cups and watered each batch with a fixed daily amount of four different liquids: water, orange juice, cola, and milk. (Yes, you are correct! By day three of his fourteen-day project, the milk cup reeked to high heavens with a stinky-sour smell!) His hypothesis was that he believed that the seeds watered with water would grow faster than the seeds that were watered by orange juice, cola and milk.

Once his hypothesis was determined, he and I (his faithful mommy-research-assistant) diligently went about the task of collecting data, watering the seeds, taking pictures, and documenting his findings. The instructions on the back of the seed envelope indicated that we should see spinach sprouts within 7-10 days. Preston was looking forward to seeing the sprouts and was eager to see if his hypothesis was valid. I was too.

So we watered and we waited. We stayed the course and did the work required with hearts that were eager to witness a green, leafy harvest. Day seven came and went. No sprouts. Day eight came and went. No sprouts. Day nine. No sprouts. Day ten. No sprouts.

When all was said and done, we were disappointed that his faithful efforts did not bear spinach. In fourteen days not one green sprout shot up from any of the cups. In fact, we saw no external evidence of any growth at all ... not even on a root level. And although his data got collected, his project got completed and Preston received a good grade, we were both heart-sad that we didn't get to see any growth.

Sometimes our lives are like that science fair project. We invest in others and are eager to see the harvest. We obey God, trust His plan and walk according to His Word. We plant seeds into the soil of our marriages or dating relationships and water them with love, hope and truth. We plant seeds into the life-soil of our friends and co-workers and water them with loyalty, time and encouragement. As parents and grandparents we "grow" our children and our grandchildren. We water them with love, feed them with the Word. We water and we wait with great expectations in our hearts and a desire to see some growth. We long to see the fruit of our labor.

At times we see fruit.

At times we don't.

Jesus gave His disciples a trustworthy promise that if we stick to His side and stay tight to God's will, that our lives and our efforts will bear fruit. He said in John 15:4-5, Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. When we remain in Jesus – when we trust God by turning to the Holy Spirit for guidance and to His Word for truth – you and I will bear fruit ... whether we see it or not.     

A person of faith believes God's promises because His promises are connected to His character. God's promises aren't flippant. They're secure! The apostle Paul said it like this: Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete (2 Cor. 1:20-22, MSG).

You see, friend, the yes-and-amen promise here is that we will bear fruit, not that we will necessarily see the fruit in our own timing or even in our own lifetimes. Understanding this promise sure does help me to trust God more. And further, knowing that our faithfulness will directly impact how much fruit will be produced should challenge us to remain faithful!           

All of the promises of our Covenant God are "yes" and "amen". We can trust His Word to be true because the character of our God is unblemished. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. When we remain in Him, we will bear fruit. Sometimes we will see it. Sometimes we won't.

Our God-confidence is bolstered when we remember that He is faithful, and that our job is to listen, seek, and obey – to remain in Him – not to try to control the outcome of the seeds that He instructs us to sow. When we grow in our understanding of His character and rest in the knowledge that He is for us, not against us (Jeremiah 11:29), this helps us to trust Him. Let's strive to be women who take God at His Word and believe His "Yes" and "Amen" promise!

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, Thank You for planting a seed of faith in the soil of my heart through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Please grow my faith. Help me to trust You more and remind me to fix my eyes on You, not on the results of my life investments.
In Jesus' Name I pray,
Amen.

Now it's Your Turn

Are there promises you doubt God will fulfill?

Write a list of promises you have a hard time trusting God with. Then, write a big YES or AMEN across it and trust in God to answer!

More from the Girlfriends
Let's connect GiG to GiG today with a fun, creative challenge!! (I LOVE a good creative challenge!) In 20 words or less, post a message on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic) that sums up the story of time when you realized God's "yes-and-amen" promise personally. Be creative. Boast on God a bit. Have fun testifying!

NEED SOME SOUL REST? Check out Gwen's new CD, Uncluttered.The songs of Uncluttered are purposed to sweep you away from life-noise and to focus your heart and mind on the one thing that matters: your relationship with Jesus Christ. Uncluttered will be available on iTunes on April 12, 2011.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

April 18, 2011

Is Fatigue a Spiritual Gift?

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Then he went on alone into the desert, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree (Juniper tree) and prayed that he might die. 'I have had enough, LORD,' he said. 'Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.' Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, 'Get up and eat!' He looked around and saw some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the LORD came again and touched him and said, 'Get up and eat some more, for there is a long journey ahead of you.' So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God (1 Kings 19:4-7, NLT).

Friend to Friend
On the seventh day of creation, God rested; a fact that always amazes me. Did He need to rest? Obviously not, but when God set aside a day for rest, He made a powerful point. Our bodies were created in such a way that rest is not really an option. Rest is a physical reality and a spiritual discipline.   

Elijah is a great example of a man in need of rest. One day he was the conquering hero, the next we find him sitting under a Juniper tree, wallowing in self-pity – and begging God to let him die. The poor man was simply exhausted. True, it was an exhaustion produced by victory, but it was still exhaustion.

Elijah had called down fire from heaven, proving the existence of the only true God, destroying idols and idol worshippers. Big stuff! In fact, it is my personal opinion that he should have been celebrating. So why was he so discouraged? It was a woman, Jezebel, who was largely responsible for his discouragement.

Jezebel was the evil and influential wife of Ahab, King of Israel, and widely known as the real power behind her husband's throne. Jezebel did not worship the one true God of Israel. Instead, she was fanatical in her worship of the pagan god, Baal, and tried to impose her beliefs on the people of Israel. One man stood in her way – Elijah. When Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a showdown on Mount Carmel, God answered Elijah's prayer with a stream of fire from heaven. You would think that a miracle like that would have convinced Ahab and Jezebel to believe in God. It didn't. In fact, Jezebel was furious.  When she learned what had happened on Mt. Carmel with the fire and idols, she put a contract out on Elijah. Now stop and think about that for a moment.

Elijah had been in the presence of God. God had heard and answered Elijah's prayer, putting on an impressive fiery display for all to see. Idols had fallen. The prophets of Baal had either fled or been destroyed. And Elijah is worried about one angry woman? Elijah was tired and needed to rest – big time.

Discouragement often follows victory. Battle consumes energy and often leaves the warrior depleted and exhausted. Have you noticed that stress and exhaustion always produce skewed perspectives? Elijah lost his perspective and was ready to quit, which is where we find him ... sprawling under a Juniper tree ... the spoils of fresh victory all but forgotten. God's solution was simple. Elijah needed rest. Elijah slept and ate and then slept some more. It's interesting to note that the Juniper tree was common to the desert. So is stress. Deserts are filled with stress and exhaustion. Elijah stayed in the desert for 40 days, not because he had been disobedient or sinned, but because he was stressed out and needed time to rest, allowing God to replenish and restore him.

A visitor saw several shepherds in Nazareth bringing their flocks to water them at the well. When the sheep had drunk their fill, the shepherds called and their sheep immediately followed. The visitor asked the shepherds if the sheep always followed their own shepherds when they called. One shepherd responded, "Yes, under one condition. The sheep that do not follow the voice of their shepherd are the sick sheep. If a sheep is healthy, it will always follow the shepherd, but if there is something wrong with the sheep, it will follow anybody," the shepherd explained.

When we are sick and exhausted, we are in danger of following the wrong voice. Our defenses are down and our discernment is dulled by the stress of life. Rest heals and restores. Fatigue is definitely not one of the spiritual gifts, girlfriend. Rest in Him.

Now It's Your Turn

Define "rest" and examine your life in light of that definition.
Why do you feel guilty when you rest?
Do you think of rest as unproductive?  Why?
Does that thought line up with God's plan?
Find two ways to incorporate rest into your daily schedule this week. At the end of the week, list the benefits that rest has produced in your life.
More from the Girlfriends

I struggle with getting enough rest. I can't list all of the reasons why I struggle with this rest issue, but this I do know – every reason is a sin. Ouch!  I know!  Getting enough rest is spiritual obedience. Rest tends to be the last item on our "To Do" list when it should be the first. I have discovered that the time I need to rest is when I don't have time to rest. I invite you to join me in a new commitment to rest as we seek and follow our Good Shepherd.   

Need something for your pain? Enroll in Mary's weekly online Bible Study,How to Handle Hurtand learn how to face and deal with the pain in your life. Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebookor through email.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

April 19, 2011

God's Great Plans for You

Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him," (1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV).

Friend to Friend
Last week I shared about the broken dream of infertility and miscarriage. As you recall, I have one incredible blessing in my son Steven, but my dream to have a house full of children did not materialize as I had hoped. During one of my times with the Lord, I was studying in the Song of Solomon about being the bride of Christ. This is a very romantic book of the Bible about the courtship, engagement, and eventual marriage between a man and a woman.  Many compare it to the relationship of Jesus with His bride, the church. That's how I was reading it on this particular day.

As I read Song of Solomon 2:1, God stopped me. "I am the Rose of Sharon," the woman said to her beloved.

What was her name?God seemed to ask.

"Sharon," I answered.

What is your name? He again seemed to ask.

"Lord, my name is Sharon," I whispered aloud.

Look it up,He prompted my heart.

I went to my Bible dictionary and looked up Sharon. It meant - a fertile valley near Mount Carmel. God was telling me that while my medical chart had INFERTILE stamped across the front, He made sure that my name meant FERTILE before I was even born. No, I do not have a house full of children, but He has made me fertile in many other ways. Through writing, speaking, radio and simply obeying God when He nudges me to reach out to one of His own, God has allowed me to birth and nurture many spiritual children.

God does not always give us babies or husbands for which we've prayed. All of our dreams may not turn out the way we had hoped. But He will always give us access to everything we need to have an abundant life filled with purpose, passion, and His provision. When God says "no" we can rest assured there is a greater "yes" if we will but relinquish our shattered dreams to Him.

Someone asked me recently, "But would you rather have the house full of children, or the ministry opportunities you have today?"

"I want exactly what God wants for my life – nothing more and nothing less," I replied. "Because I know that whatever He has planned for my life is much greater than anything I could ever imagine or conceive." And girlfriend, that is true for you as well.

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, I get so excited thinking about the great plans You have for me. Help me not to get so mentally stuck on what I want, that I miss what You had planned all along. I want to grasp Your great dreams for me and move forward full steam ahead.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

More from the Girlfriends
Today's devotion was taken from Sharon's new book, 5 Dreams of Every Woman and How God Wants to Fulfill Them(a new revised version of her previous book, Dreams of a Woman). This book is for every woman whose life hasn't turned out like she dreamed it would ... and I think that includes most of us. Can you risk the hope that God still has dreams for your life? That He hasn't forgotten you?  Place your hand firmly in His--take a deep breath, and begin the exciting journey to a place you thought you'd never find: the dream God planned for you all along. Let's dare to dream again!

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

April 20, 2011

He has risen!

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
He is not here; he has risen! (Luke 24:6, NIV).

Friend to Friend
The boys and girls in Mrs. Stephens' fourth grade Sunday school class entered the room and quickly found their seats. The girls were dressed in frills and lace and chatting excitedly about the candy-filled baskets they had received that morning. The boys pulled at the unfamiliar ties around their necks and quickly discarded the sports coats they had obviously been forced to wear. The room was filled with excitement – for good reason. It was Easter Sunday.

Mrs. Stephens wanted to help her students understand that there is so much more to the Easter holiday than new clothes, chocolate bunnies and egg hunts. It is more than family gatherings and tables filled with luscious food. Easter is about life. Easter celebrates the certainty of Jesus' death on the cross, the fact that He was buried, and the reality that He came out of that burial tomb to conquer death – so that we can have life - eternal life with Jesus in Heaven and abundant life with Him here and now.

Mrs. Stephens came up with a plan. After sharing the Bible story of Jesus' resurrection, she gave each one of her students an empty plastic egg and said, "We are going to take a walk outside and I want each one of you to find one sign of life and put it in your plastic egg." As the children filed out of the room, Mrs. Stephens noticed Danny, a little Down syndrome boy who had been coming to her class for some time. His bright smile and sunny disposition had immediately won her heart. In fact, when it came to Danny, she often thought he had taught her so much more about the unconditional love of God and the joy of simply being a child of God than she could ever teach him. When she heard the other children make fun of him, it broke her heart. She always corrected the children and tried to help them see just how special Danny was, but Danny seemed oblivious to their hurtful words and thought of each child as his "buddy."

The children soon returned from their walk, depositing their eggs on the teacher's desk as they made their way to their seats. Inside one student's egg was a butterfly. In another was an ant. Others had collected flowers, twigs, blades of grass and leaves to fill their eggs. But one egg had nothing in it. Everyone knew whose egg it was. Mrs. Stephens silenced the giggles with a look of warning. When she asked Danny why he had not put anything inside his egg to show signs of life, his face broke into a huge grin as he responded, "Because the tomb was empty."

Danny understood the profound truth of Easter. The empty tomb is the ultimate sign of life and a miracle like none other.

Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. The women knew Jesus was dead. Some of them had seen Him die. And they were sure His body was in the tomb; it had been there since Friday. But when they went to anoint the body on that Sunday morning, the tomb was empty! The body could not have been stolen. Nobody was playing tricks on them. They were not merely fooling themselves. The miracle was real! They could see the empty tomb with their own eyes. Jesus Christ really had risen from the dead!

On this Easter weekend, spend some time thanking God for the miracle of life. And then share the good news with someone else: He is risen! He is risen indeed! 

Let's Pray
Father, Thank You for the miracle of life – abundant life here and eternal life with You in Heaven. Help me to celebrate that life every day as I seek You and follow Your plan for my life. Today, I say with the Apostle Paul, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Consider this truth: Satan has no answer for the empty tomb. What does the resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to you?

Set aside time today to remember what Christ has done for you through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Read Luke 24 and celebrate the life only He can give.

More from the Girlfriends
I would love to have been there that morning when the women went to the tomb – expecting to deal with death and instead found life, wouldn't you? You may be dealing with death in your own life – the loss of a loved one – the death of a dream – the pain of a broken body. Just as Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He can breathe new life into your heart and mind. Right now, quietly turn to Jesus. He is waiting for you – healing and restoration and new life are in His hands.

You can make Mary's MP3, Celebrate Life, part of your Easter celebration. Need something for your pain?Enroll in Mary's weekly online Bible Study,How to Handle Hurtand learn how to face and deal with the pain in your life. Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebookor through email.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com