Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

March 22, 2012
Running to Win
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.(Philippians 3:12)

Friend To Friend
The year was 2008. The race started out like any other race: runners at the starting line, fans in the stands, excitement and anticipation thick in the air. But this race was a big one. An indoor track and field conference championship for the collegiate women's 600 meter run.

At the sound of the gun, the runners took off – each with a heart longing to win the race – each competing fiercely for the prize. Just three quick laps stood between the four athletes and their destinies. It was clear from the beginning, this race would be tight.

My family and I watched on an internet video as the long and lean runners vied for the lead. In unison, we gasped with horror when, as they began the final lap, one of the competitors caught the slightest edge of another runner's shoe and went crashing down onto the track. My heart sunk when she fell. I didn't know this fallen woman, but I do know what it feels like to fall and to have your hopes dissolve in a split second. I felt the despair of the crash with her.

The fans in the crowd all stood to their feet and rallied cries of encouragement to this young runner. The seconds that followed will be etched into my heart and mind forever. She could've walked off the track and everyone would've understood. She could've thrown in the towel and quit the race in humiliation. But she didn't quit. She got up and kept running. Now a full quarter-lap behind the other runners, this athlete fixed her eyes on the track before her and ran like the wind.

With just half a lap to go, this determined young woman overtook third place. Unbelievable. The crowd swelled with amazement. Then, just a hundred yards before the finish line, she inched up to the other two runners and – at the tape – leaned forward to win the race! No. Stinkin'. Way. The crowd went wild. My family went wild. What a race! What a fall! What a recovery! What a victory!

The next day, as I took my teenaged son to school, he and I had trouble connecting. I was frustrated with him; he was frustrated with me, and what I'd hoped would be a warm send off to a great day became an icy goodbye as he got out of the car. I felt like a loser-mom and lamented to God about it on the drive home. As I poured out my frustrations in prayer, the Lord reminded me of the race.

Like the young runner, I got tripped up on the shoes of another runner and fell down mid-race. Now, I had a choice. I could stew and lick my mama-wounds, allowing my disappointments to keep me from running, or I could call on the grace of the Lord, put one foot in front of another, and get back in the race. The writer of Hebrews talks about a cloud of witnesses that encourages others in faith, and as I prayed I could almost hear them cheering me on.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Game. On.

I got back up. I chose to run again by asking the Lord for the grace and strength to finish the day strong in Him. By the time my son got home from school we had both cooled down. Grace ran before us. I asked him to forgive me for frustrating him and he did the same.

We all run. We all fall. Each day presents us with fresh opportunities to allow the mercy, strength and grace of God to intervene in our lives. When writing to the church of Philippi about the discipline of perseverance, the apostle Paul said this:

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. (Philippians 3:10-16)

So whatever you face today, friend, run. Run to win the prize. Run like the wind. And when you fall; don't throw in the towel, don't point fingers, don't stew, and don't quit. Get right back up and run again... in the mercy, strength and grace of God.

Let's Pray

Dear Lord,
Thanks for being a God of second chances and eternal grace! Please help me to run in your mercy and strength today.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Grab your Bible and read the book of Philippians today. It's only four chapters long. You can do it! It will bless your socks off! If you don't have time to read the whole thing right now, then read a chapter a day for the next four days.

Look up Isaiah 40:28-31 and fill in the following blank spaces:

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the ­­­­______________ ______, the _______________ of the ends of the earth. He will not grow ________ or ___________, and his __________________ no one can fathom. He gives ________________ to the _______________and increases the ____________ of the ____________. Even youths grow _____________ and ____________, and young men _____________ and _____; but those who _________ in the LORD will ___________ their _____________. They will _________ on wings like eagles; they will _______ and not grow weary, they will ___________ and not be ______________."

More from the Girlfriends
Are you running to win? I encourage you to fix your eyes on Jesus and run hard in His grace today. Music often helps set my heart and affections on Him. My latest CD, Uncluttered, offers songs that are purposed to center your heart and mind on Christ. You can order a copy from my website or download songs from Unclutteredon iTunes.

Love changes everything. In her book, Broken Into Beautiful, Gwen Smith invites you to experience how God's love can change your life and bring strength and healing to your heart.  He really can transform your life into something beautiful. To order the book, go to Amazonor, for a signed copy, order from Gwen's website: www.gwensmith.net.

Got Facebook? Connect with Gwen at www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic.

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]

March 23, 2012
What if Jesus were in the Boat with You?
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"I will never leave you nor forsake you," (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV).

Friend to Friend
She was among an eager group of four-year-old children crowded around my feet as I taught their Sunday school lesson. I was the teacher and they were the students – or at least that's how it started out. The pint-sized audience listened intently as I tried to create a mental image of Jesus and His disciples trapped in a thunderstorm on the Sea of Galilee.

"The winds bleeeeeeew and rocked the little boat back and forth, back and forth.  The waves were soooooo big; they splashed over the wooden sides and got the men all wet. Then water started filling up the boat - and do you know what happens when a boat gets full of water?"

"It sinks," they chimed together.

"That's right." I continued with a wrinkled brow and concerned look on my face.

"That's not all. The lightening was sooooo bright; it looked like fire in the sky. And the claps of thunder were sooooo loud; they could feel it vibrate in their chests."

After painting this picture of impending doom and thinking I would have my "congregation" just a little worried about the fate of these men trapped in a storm, I asked the question. "Now if you were in a tiny boat like this, caught in a terrible storm like this, would you be afraid?"

Then one precious little girl, confident and unshaken by the entire scenario, shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Not if Jesus was in the boat with me."

I will never forget that answer. As her words have echoed in my mind, I've come to realize that this is the answer that calms all our worries and fears. Just as the disciples had the storm raging all around them, many times the storms of life rage around us. A friend discovers she has cancer, a husband loses his job, and a child is born with birth defects.

These are storms with waves of emotions so high that our lifeboat fills with tears and appears that it could sink at any moment. Waves of fear rock our boat and threaten to spill us into the depths of despair without even a life jacket to keep us afloat.

"Tell me, would you be afraid?"

"Not if Jesus was in the boat with me."

And guess what? He is. God said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you," (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV). Jesus said, "Surely I am with you always, to the end of the age," (Matthew 26:20).  Although the storm may be fierce, you don't need to be afraid, because Jesus is in the boat with you. His power can calm the storm you're in and calm the storm in you. So hang on to Him and He'll pull you through.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, I am so glad that You are always in the boat with me. When I feel like I'm sinking – You're in the boat with me. When the sail is full and I'm gliding along peaceful seas – You are with me. No matter what, no matter where, You are there by my side...and I praise You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Think back on the most difficult situation in your life.  Now close your eyes and picture Jesus standing right beside you. He was, you know.

Is there someone in your life who is experiencing a terrifying storm in her life?

Perhaps today would be a great day to write her a note of encouragement. You might even want to consider sending this devotion to her as a way of reminding her that Jesus is going through this storm with her. She is not alone.

What is your favorite verse that reminds you of God's promises during the storms of life? Let's share at www.facebook.com/SharonJaynes. Your verse might be what someone needs to hang onto today!

More from the Girlfriend
Do you feel like your faith is sagging? If so, you might need a "faith lift!" Learn more about how to strengthen your faith in Sharon Jaynes' book, Becoming Spiritually Beautiful. Do you love devotions? Sharon has a book titled, Listening to  God Day-by-Day with 100 of her favorite devotions filled with stories just like the one you read today! Check it out!

[Judy Harder]

March 26, 2012
Learning to Abide
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
John 15:4-5 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing." (NASB)

Friend to Friend
Every year, when September rolls around, schools begin recruiting parents for classroom duties, sports teams start looking for team moms, and the women's ministry is begging for help ... and the list really does go on and on. How do you react when an opportunity for service presents itself? Yes, God has called us to serve Him. He has a specific plan in mind for each one of us, but we often miss His plan because we are so busy with our own plan or the plan of others.

Do you feel guilty saying "no" and end up saying "yes" for the wrong reasons? Why do women feel as if they have to do it all? Oh, I am certain a woman can do just about anything she sets her mind to do. I'm just not sure she can do it all at the same time.

For years, I tried to earn the love and approval of God by doing everything I could find to do. If a position needed filling, I filled it. If a job needed doing, I did it. If volunteers were called for, mine was the first hand raised. After all, if I was doing all these important things, then I must be important – right? The result was two dark years spent at the bottom of a deep, ugly pit called clinical depression. It was as if God allowed me to run to the end of myself and then shut the door and turned out the lights. I heard Him loud and clear, "That is enough!  It is time for you to abide in me." I knew very little about "abiding" but a whole lot about "doing." I soon learned that to abide in God and to rest in Him requires a balanced life with right priorities.

One of the main factors in my battle with clinical depression was that I didn't understand how to live a balanced life. I found it difficult to set boundaries, failed to establish margins of time for the unplanned or unexpected, and unwittingly surrendered my God-ordained priorities to the empty and vain addiction of just "doing the next thing" or pleasing the loudest voice. Balance can easily become a casualty of this ongoing battle. While sitting in the darkness, waiting on God, I discovered that the pit of despair is a common destination for those who refuse to measure and balance the sometimes overwhelming demands of home, family, friends, work and personal growth. I had been running the race for the wrong audience and relying on my own power instead of God's power.

I wish I could tell you that I now lead a perfectly balanced life, but the truth is that I constantly have to evaluate my priorities and goals in order to find the holy balance God intends. Many of you tell me that you have the same struggle. Just like you, I constantly have to make difficult choices between the good things and the best things. When I make the wrong choices, I can sense myself sliding toward the dangerous edge of darkness. I don't want to go there again – so the battle continues. The good news is that I don't have to fight the battle alone and neither do you. God is with us, urging us toward the light and His restoration power that comes from a heart and life that rests and abides in Him.

Let's Pray
Father, I desperately need Your guidance in setting the priorities and goals in my life. I want to please You and do what You alone have created me to do. Please help me see and do Your plan.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Set aside 30 minutes this week to spend alone with God.
Examine your life for areas that are out of balance.
Record each area in your journal.
Surrender that imbalance to God and ask Him to show you how to abide in Him instead of relying upon yourself and your own strength.
Set aside one day this month for a silent retreat.  Go to the beach – a park – your back yard! Just get alone with God and take a spiritual inventory of your priorities, time management and goals. The results may surprise you. 
More from the Girlfriends
I have decided that a perfectly balanced life was lived only once on this earth – by Jesus Christ. My chances of doing so are slim. It would be so easy to just throw my hands in the air or dive back under the covers and pray that the world will just go away and leave me alone. Been there? You are not alone, girlfriend. Gwen, Sharon and I fight the same fight. We are all in different seasons of life, but the struggle is the same – learning to put God first and then allowing Him to set the agenda for each day.

Need help?  Check out Mary's MP3, Getting Good at Being You and learn how to manage emotions, instead of allowing them to manage you.

Join other women across the worldin Mary's Online Bible Study, Light for the Journey. When I Am Afraid is the current series and will help you learn how to face and deal with your fears.

Need a friend?  Connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.  She loves hearing what God is doing in your life!

And if you don't have our new book, Trusting God, get it today and start a new faith adventure in your life.

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]

March 27, 2012
It's Not Over Till It's Over
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ," (1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV).

Friend to Friend
It's called "The Final Four" and in the Jaynes' home, it is important...at least to some of us.

It was Friday night and my son, Steven, and husband, Steve, were watching the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels basketball team take on Southern Cal. All three of us had graduated from UNC and we were pulling for the Tar Heels, but it wasn't looking too good for the home team. Part way through the game, we decided to play a game of Scrabble to augment the excitement. By the end of the first half, we were down by 16 points and the Scrabble game was over. (I won, by the way. A rare occurrence.)

"We're going to lose," we agreed.

"It's not worth staying up for," Steve said. "It's late. I'm tired, and they look tired too. I don't want to watch them get creamed. They'll never come back from 16 points."

So we turned off the television and said our goodnights. You can imagine our surprise Saturday morning when we opened the newspaper to read the headlines..."It's a Tar Heel Blitz!" (I'm losing some of you ladies here, but stay with me!)

The coach must have had a powerful pep talk at the half, because the Tar Heels came back "crashing to the offensive boards" coupled with a "suffocating defense." Southern Cal's 16 point lead became 10, became 6, became 3 and suddenly UNC had the lead. Once they had it, they wouldn't let it go. They scored 18 straight points and eventually won, 74 to 64. What an exciting game! And we missed it.

I don't usually get excited about basketball, but I do get excited when God teaches me a life lesson or gives me a practical example of a Biblical principle.  See, sometimes we quit too soon. Perhaps we're struggling in the game of life and it appears that we're going to lose. So we quit – turn off the game and go to bed. But here's the thing...just because it looks like we're losing, doesn't mean we are. The game is not over! God is still at work. The celestial team is still on the court.

Many times I give up too soon on a situation that looks bleak. And when I do, I miss the thrill of victory. I miss watching God turn a seemingly hopeless situation into a miraculous win for the home team.

In the Bible, Paul wrote that we are "more than conquerors" in Christ Jesus. Conquerors don't give up when things get tough. They don't quit.

I imagine when Jesus died on the cross and was buried in the tomb, the disciples thought the "game" was over. Imagine if they had newspapers back then.  Imagine Peter, John, or Thomas opening the front page and reading the headlines..."The Tomb is Empty! Jesus is Alive!" They gave up too soon.

Are you going through a struggle in your life right now? Do you feel the situation is hopeless? I want to encourage you...do not give up! God is always at work and I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss one second of the miraculous win. I don't want to hear about miracles second hand, but watch them take place before my very eyes.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, forgive me for giving up too soon. I pray that my faith will remain strong in all situations. Even if I can't see You at work, I know You are.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Imagine how you would have felt if you had been one of the disciples hiding after Jesus' death. Do you think you would have bemoaned the fact that you didn't expect a miracle? That you gave up too soon?

Make a commitment to God that you will not give up or walk away from a difficult situation. Keep playing the game of life! It's not over until it's over!

What are you believing God for today? Let's share so we can pray for each other! Log onto www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes  and complete this sentence. Today, I'm believing God for...

More from the Girlfriends
Sometimes life just doesn't turn out like we thought it would. However, it can be even better than we expected. Do you have a shattered dream in your life? Then you might want to read 5 Dreams of Every Woman and How God Wants to Fulfill Them. Here you will learn how to give the broken pieces of your dreams to God so He can make them into something more amazing than you ever imagined. Be prepared 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]

March 28, 2012
Service With a Smile
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Romans 12:10 "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."

Friend to Friend
The last thing I usually want to do is serve someone who is hard to get along with and rubs me the wrong way. In fact, the way I figure it, they should be the one serving me in order to make up for all of the grief they have caused. Sandpaper people are hard to serve and hard to help because they rarely, if ever, think of themselves as someone in need. The needs of others are not high on their priority list. Control and power are at the top. To manipulate is to succeed. Sandpaper people honestly believe that the world does or should revolve around them. It doesn't seem to matter if the audience is applauding or jeering. Either way, they win.     

When we dare to serve a sandpaper person, it rocks their world. They are so accustomed to scratching and clawing their way to a false and shallow acceptance and find it almost impossible to believe that anyone would ever be willing to serve them in any way. That kind of chosen love is foreign to them but it certainly grabs their attention.  It is after we have loved and served the sandpaper people in our lives that we begin to see them with different eyes.

"Devotion" indicates commitment and duty and carries the idea of a constant faithfulness that deliberately chooses repeatedly to serve. To "honor" someone means to "prefer" him or her or regard them as more important than ourselves. Most sandpaper people are used to people preferring that they disappear. I am convinced if we learned to look past the irritating antics of sandpaper people and simply love them or "prefer" them, a transformation would begin.

In the book of Philippians, Paul explains when we are serving others we are doing what Jesus did.

Philippians 2:1-5 "Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose. Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too and what they are doing. Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had."

Paul is telling us that when we choose to love and serve others, especially those who are unlovable and difficult, we choose to have the same attitude that Jesus had. I believe the greatest hindrance to serving others is pride.

Someone once told me, "He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals." I once heard a missionary tell how he was trying to do translation work in a particular tribe. He was finding it very difficult to translate the word "pride" or at least the concept. Finally, he came up with the idea to use their words for the ears being too far apart. In other words, he conveyed the idea of an "inflated head" which is probably hard to improve on when we talk about the problem of pride.

When our head is filled with thoughts of self, when our hearts are determined to love ourselves before others or when we serve only for the applause of men, we will become arrogant and our service becomes an offense to God. Micah 6:8 outlines the good things God wants to see in us, "The Lord has told you what is good. He has told you what he wants from you: Do what is right to other people. Love being kind to others and live humbly, trusting your God."  Peter Marshall, the great Bible teacher, once prayed, "Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change and when we are right, make us easy to live with."

Corrie Ten Boom, a dynamic Christian and survivor of German prison camps, loved to tell the story about a proud woodpecker who was tapping away at a dead tree when the sky unexpectedly turned black and the thunder began to roll. Undaunted, he went right on working. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck the old tree, splintering it into hundreds of pieces. Startled but unhurt, the haughty bird flew off, screeching to his feathered friends, "Hey, everyone, look what I did! Look what I did!"

That old woodpecker reminds me of people who think more highly of themselves than they should. Usually they are so busy bragging about their achievements and their greatness that they fail to recognize God as the source of all their abilities or the needs of others. They are suffering from spiritual delusions of grandeur, and I am often right there with them. Without the Lord, no one amounts to anything, and in our own strength, we cannot please Him. "So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you." (1 Peter 5:6) We are never more like our Father than when we lay aside our pride to love the unlovable by serving them.

Let's Pray
Father, when I let pride take up residence in my heart, I can be so blind to the needs of others, especially those who are more difficult to love. I am so thankful that You did not feel that way toward me, one of the most difficult people of all to love. I praise You for the grace and love You have given me. Help me to be an instrument of that love and grace in the lives of those around me.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Take a few minutes to think about the people in your life – family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc.

List two people who are easy to love and serve.
Name one way you can serve these people in the name of Jesus.
Determine how and when you can serve them.  Be specific.

List two people who are difficult to love and serve.
Name one way you can serve these people in the name of Jesus.
Determine how and when you can serve the.  Be specific.

Compare the two experiences.
From which one did you learn the most?
Which one forced you to rely upon God's power the most?
What one truth did you gain through these two experiences?

More from the Girlfriends
If I am not careful, I automatically gravitate to those who are easy to love and easy to serve.  I have to remind myself that Jesus Christ came for broken people like me.  I am not always easy to love and am prone to reject service because "I can do it myself."  Sound familiar?  Today, choose to love and serve those difficult people in your path.  When someone loves and wants to serve you, accept that love and service in Jesus' name, as a gift from God's hand.  Be blessed.

[Judy Harder]

March 29, 2012
The Slippery Slope of Comparison
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together," (Colossians 1:17 NIV).

Friend to Friend
OK girls, it's time for a little fun today. I hope you can get this picture in your mind. Let me paint it for you.

I am not, and never have been, a very athletic person. If it's round and moves, I can't hit it, catch it or kick it. My husband, on the other hand, is very athletic. He played sports in high school, and even had a partial baseball scholarship to Clemson University.

The one thing I can do athletically, besides walk, is snow ski. For some reason, that just came naturally to me, probably because there is no ball involved. When Steve and I started dating, I offered to teach him how to maneuver down the slippery slopes. He was aware of my athletic deficiencies and decided that if I could do it, he could do it.

We went to Sugar Mountain, N.C. for his first lesson. The key survival skills to learn when skiing are how to slow down, how to stop, and how to get up once you fall. The first thing Steve learned was how to get up, because the first thing he did was fall.           

To slow down, I taught Steve to ski across the mountain, weaving back and forth, as he made his way down. He quickly learned to slow down by turning his skis to the left or to the right. However, he had a tendency to turn too far which left him with his skis pointing up the mountain. When this happened, he began sliding downhill backwards. Not good.           

Finally, he figured out if he turned too much to the side, he could just continue the turn, making a complete circle. This slowed him down and prevented him from sliding downhill backwards. So here was this big guy making big circles all the way down the mountain like a human slinky on ice. It was a sight to behold, but it worked.           

Near the end of the day, a lady skied up beside Steve and said, "I have been admiring your acrobatics all day long. Can you teach me how to make those beautiful circles?"             

We burst out laughing! She thought he was an expert skier, but in reality, he was simply going in circles to survive.             

Isn't that the way life is sometimes? You may look at someone and think she has it all together. You may want to be organized like her, have a neat home like hers, or have well behaved children like her. But the truth is that whoever you are comparing yourself to is probably going in circles, just like you are and they are doing whatever it takes not to go downhill backwards.           

As you move through life today, don't look around to see who appears to be "doing life" better than you. Just keep your eyes on Jesus. He's the only one that has it all together...and I mean ALL.                                           

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, I am so glad I don't have to be anyone today except who You created me to be. Help me to avoid comparing myself to other women who seem to "have it all together."  Help me live my life for an audience of One – You!
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Is there someone to whom you tend to compare yourself?

If so, why do you compare yourself to her?

What do you think God would say to you about comparing yourself to someone else rather than being exactly who He has created you to be?

If you are willing to commit to not comparing yourself to anyone else, at least for one week, then click on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes  and say... "I'm in!"

More from the Girlfriends
This story is just one of the devotions from my book Listening to God Day by Day. In it I've included 100 of my favorite devotions from the past 15 years. To watch a video about the book, click here and check it out.

[Judy Harder]

March 30, 2012
What is Normal?
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
1 Peter 4:12-13 "Do not be surprised at the painful things you are now suffering. These things are testing your faith" (ICB).

Friend to Friend
The holidays are wonderful but I am always ready for them to be over so life can get back to normal. Hmmm...that word "normal" can definitely mean different things to different people. I have to admit that "normal" is not a word people commonly use to describe me or my life. I have heard more than one person say, "Mary, you are not a normal pastor's wife!" I smile and thank them for the compliment. Ignorance can definitely be bliss. Several of my closest friends are convinced that I could make millions by doing my own television reality show. "Nobody could make this stuff up!" they proclaim.   

Author and speaker, Patsy Clairmont says that "normal" is just a setting on the dryer. I am inclined to agree with her. At birth, the world silently hands us a list of do's and don'ts that we must follow in order to "fit in" and qualify as "normal." I believe God's definition of normal is quite different from the one offered by the world.

As I look back over the lives of those who made the biggest difference in the early Kingdom days, they were anything but normal. A bag of mixed nuts is more like it – quirky men and broken women from all walks of life who were radical in their devotion to God to the point of placing their lives on the line every day for the cause of Christ. They were normal in that they celebrated their "sameness" with the pagans who were shunned by religious zealots but stubbornly loved by the Father. Yet, they were profoundly abnormal in the love they showed and the depth of their commitment to God and to His cause.

Last year, as I was putting the Christmas decorations away, I ended up in the study where we have a collection of gifts and souvenirs from the various countries where Dan and I have visited on mission trips. Each one brought back memories of precious people we met – people who are persecuted each day because of their faith in Jesus Christ. As far as material possessions are concerned, these saints have very little, but when it comes to joy, contentment and peace ... they are filthy rich! These men and women have chosen to follow Christ in a radical obedience that may very well cost them their lives one day. Is that normal? It should be.

When an ordinary woman meets an extraordinary God, normal life takes on a whole new meaning. Knowing God changes everything. We cannot encounter the living God and be the same. A personal relationship with Him produces a holy discontent with the status quo and compels us to live in such a way that miracles are a daily occurrence.

Miracles come in all shapes and sizes. A woman chooses not to have an abortion. A pastor in Peru lives another day even though his name is first on a list of Christian pastors to be executed. An alcoholic makes it through one more day without a drink. An underground church in Cuba meets to worship God. A husband who has been unemployed for over a year gets a job. Bibles are smuggled into Mexico and distributed to remote mountain tribes. A couple seeks counseling instead of a divorce. Cancer goes into remission. The sun rises and sets. We have food to eat and water to drink. A life is changed in response to what God has done in ours.

People are desperately looking for ordinary women like you and me whose lives have been changed by an extraordinary God – the One who is calling us to be "God with skin on" to those who don't even believe He exists. I want to love every excuse and doubt right out of their minds. I want them to see a power in me that they cannot explain in human terms and a message that shouts of God's mercy and forgiveness. I want to be hungry and thirsty for God as never before. I want my normal life to be abnormally extraordinary because God is alive and well and at work in and around me.

How about you? Are you ready to step out in faith? Are you willing to live a normal life filled with people and circumstances that can only be explained by the extraordinary power and presence of God? Let's do it, girlfriend!

Let's Pray
Father, I am so tired of playing it safe, of bowing to the wrong crowd and listening to the wrong voices. I lay down my pride and surrender to You and Your plan for my life in this New Year. Stretch my faith. Give me Your eyes to see those in need. Fill me with Your power and strength so that others will be drawn to You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
In what way have you played it safe when it comes to your faith in God?
Are you willing to be a radical follower of Jesus Christ – no matter the cost?
Read Proverbs 3:5-6. How do these verses apply to an abnormal walk with God?
What first step do you need to take in order to walk by faith - not by sight?

More from the Girlfriends
The first time my husband, Dan and I visited Cuba, my eyes were opened to a whole new level of faith I had never seen or experienced. I watched believers live under the scrutiny of a godless government. Pastors and their families lived in poverty because they chose to worship God alone. Yet, there was no fear – only faith. They celebrated what they had instead of complaining about what they didn't have. We were humbled to be in their presence and challenged to live as they lived – in radical obedience to God.  That same challenge is before us all today. Are you ready?

A daily time alone with God in prayer and Bible study will strengthen you to face whatever life throws at you. Check out my weekly online Bible study, Light for the Journey, for practical ways to tap into the power of God's Word.

FREE MP3son Mary's website in the Freebies Section!

Do you or someone you love struggle with depression? Mary's book, Hope in the Midst of Depression, offers practical steps you can take to get out and stay out of that pit.

Need a friend?Connect with me on Facebook or through email.

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

[Judy Harder]

April 2, 2012
Just Listen!
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
James 4:17 (NIV) "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them."

Friend to Friend
I was in a hurry. It was Wednesday and I had several errands to run before heading to the church where I teach a monthly Bible study for women. My last stop was the grocery store. I wanted to pick up snacks and drinks for many of the women who came straight from work to the study. It didn't take long to fill my cart with drinks, chips, fruit and a few bags of the oh-so-necessary chocolate treats. Mission accomplished, I headed to the checkout lane.

I suddenly had the thought that I should check out the Christmas decorations. Huh? Where had that thought come from? True, it was only a few weeks until Christmas, but I didn't even know if the grocery store had Christmas decorations. It did. And they just happened to be at the end of the aisle I was on. "Well, why not?" I thought. I had a few minutes to spare.

I selected a few wooden ornaments that would work well on my Christmas tree and tossed them in the cart. And then my eye caught the display just below the rack of tree ornaments. It was a collection of gift books containing inspirational quotes and Scriptures. I spotted one that looked particularly good and, without even checking the price (which is something I always do), added it to my cart and checked out. As I loaded the snacks and drinks into my car, I wondered what had possessed me to buy that book since I already had several similar books at home. I tucked the book in my purse and headed to the church.

The Bible study went well. I was cleaning up and getting ready to head home when a tearful and obviously upset young woman came rushing in. "Did I miss it?" she asked. When I told her we had just finished, she dropped in a chair and burst into tears. "I tried so hard to get here but had a flat tire. It took them an hour to fix it and then the traffic was awful ... and I needed to be here so much!" she wailed. I sat down beside her and said, "I have time. Let's talk."

For an hour, this precious young woman poured out her heart and life story of pain along with her desire to get back in church and find God. We talked and prayed. When I encouraged her to start reading the Bible, her eyes filled with tears as she said, "I don't even have a Bible. I lost mine." And then I heard His voice, "That's why I wanted you to buy the book." I hugged the young woman and said, "I want to show you how much God loves you. He knew you would come here tonight and told me to buy something He wanted you to have." When I handed her the inspirational book and explained why I had bought it, a smile of wonder and relief spread across her lovely face. "He really does love you and has a plan for your life," I explained. That young woman made a profession of faith in Christ and has been attending our church ever since that night. 

I really do try to live a life of obedience to Christ. I often fail ... but I wonder what would have happened if I had not listened to His voice that day in the grocery store. How many times do I miss the opportunity to serve Him by serving others because I am too busy or just don't care enough? Oh, I know God is God and certainly big enough to accomplish His perfect will in many ways. But I want to be part of His process. I want my life to matter. I have made a new commitment to be ready and available to be used by God whenever and wherever He wants to use me. I have asked God to help me listen for His voice above all others. I am praying that I will become more sensitive to hurting people around me. I want to be "God with skin on" to the people He puts in my path. How about you?

Let's Pray
Father, please forgive me when I am too busy to see the hurting people in my world. Help me slow down and look for ways to share You and Your love. Use me, Lord. Right now, I make myself available to be your instrument of love and mercy.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Think back over your day. Was there someone who looked like they could use an encouraging word? Would a smile from you have blessed that young woman in the drive through lane? Did the thought occur to you to pay for the groceries of the young couple in front of you at the grocery store? Look for ways to share Jesus with the people who cross your path today.

More from the Girlfriends
I often wonder how different our world would be if we listened for and acted on the instructions God gives us through the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. Today, listen for His voice and look for ways to share His love.

Freebies! Mary has free resources including FREE MP3 downloadson her site.

Need help? Check out one of Mary's E-Bible Studiesfor practical steps you can take to strengthen your faith and find answers to the problems you face every day.

Join other women across the worldin Mary's Online Bible Study, Light for the Journey. How to Tame the Tongueis the current series. Check it out!

Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebookor through email. She loves hearing what God is doing in your life!

[Judy Harder]

April 3, 2012
Knock.  Knock. Is Anybody There? Part 1
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;" (Psalm 25:3).

Friend to Friend
Little feet. I heard them clomping across the linoleum kitchen floor and padding up the carpeted stairs...and I knew they were not my son's. I poked my head out of my sewing room and there he stood. Three-and-a-half feet of pure mischief – my neighbor Philip.

"Philip," I scolded, "you can't just walk into our house like that."

"Why not?" he asked with balled fists on his determined hips.

"Because this isn't your house. You have to knock on the door first."

"OK," he said. "But is Steven home?"

Philip lived across the street from us in a bustling family of 7 homeschooled kids and 2 dogs. He was a stocky fellow with close cropped blond hair and a gruff voice that belonged more on a seasoned smoker than a four-year-old kid.  He often wandered over to our house to ask my son, Steven, to come out and play. Steven was eight years older than Philip, but occasionally "shot hoops" with his pint-sized admirer.

I adored Philip, but he had to learn not to walk into other people's houses at will. We had our little chat about knocking first, and then I sent him on his way.

The next day, I was working in my sewing room again when I heard a small but determined knock at the backdoor. I was in the middle of a seam and didn't answer it. I knew who it was. Ah, I thought. He learned his lesson well.

No sooner had that thought entered my mind, I heard the door open and close, followed by the familiar squeak of little-boy tennis shoes moving through the kitchen and up the stairs.

"Philip," I called, "I thought I told you to knock."

"I did," he yelled back. "You didn't come so I came on in."

Philip and I had another chat.

Thinking back on this incident with my tow-headed, pint-sized friend reminds me of how some people approach prayer. They knock. It seems we don't have a problem with that part. It is what comes after the knock that trips us up.

God tells us to pray. He tells us to knock. "Ask, and it will be given to you;" Jesus said. "Seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened," (Matthew 7:7-8 NASB). But what comes after the knock?

God also tells us to wait for Him to answer the door...to answer the prayer... before moving forward. Unfortunately, many don't want to wait. If God doesn't answer right way, many take His silence as a "yes," and plow right on ahead.

"Lord, should I date this man?" "Lord, should I marry this man?" "Lord, should I buy this house?" "Lord, should I look for another job?"  Knock. Knock.

If God doesn't answer the door right away, is that license to open the door, walk right through it and do what we want? Absolutely not.

David wrote: "Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed," (Psalm 25:3). Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You," (Psalm 25:21 NASB). Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD," (Psalm 27:14 NIV).

We'll look more at this subject of next time, but you'll just have to waitJ

Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, I wait patiently for You. Please show me any area of my life where I have not obeyed You fully. Then give me the courage and strength to do so.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Have you ever prayed about a decision, not waited on God for the answer, and plowed ahead even though you felt unrest in your spirit?

What were the results?

Have you ever prayed about a decision, waited on God for the answer, and moved forward in total peace?

What were the results?

Regardless of the results of obedience, you can be assured that obedience always pleases God. He is more concerned with the process than the product.

More from the Girlfriends
Do you want to be a woman who listens to God? If you'd like to learn how to tune your ears to the timbre of God's still small voice, then check out Sharon's book Becoming a Woman who Listens to God.While you're on her webpage, stop by the homepage and leave a message in the comment box!

[Judy Harder]

April 4, 2012
Knock. Knock. Is Anybody There? Part 2
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;" (Psalm 25:3).

Friend to Friend
Yesterday I told you about my little neighbor, Philip, who had a tendency to walk in our house whenever he wanted. I told him that he couldn't walk right in, but had to knock first. So the next day he knocked, and then when I didn't answer the door, he walked right in.

"Philip," I scolded, "I thought I told you to knock."

"I did," he said, "But you didn't come. So I came on in."

Mercy! We looked at how quickly we knock (ask God for direction in prayer), but how reluctant we are to wait for the answer before plowing ahead. Let's look at that again today.

Many problems and messes in our lives come from not waiting on God's answer before we move forward and forge ahead with our own desires without hearing clear direction from God.

Silence from God does not mean "go ahead, do what you want to do." God not saying "no" cannot be interpreted as God saying "yes."  I'm not sure if that sentence is even grammatically correct, but it is scripturally accurate.

"God didn't stop me from buying that house, so I did it."  "God didn't stop me from marrying that man, so I did it." "God didn't stop me from sleeping with that boy, so I did it." Oh my. "I knocked and you didn't answer, so I came on in."

If you aren't hearing from God in a particular area of your life, here are a few questions to consider.

1.    Are you obeying what He already has told you to do?
2.    Are you living your life according to the principles He already has mapped out for you?
3.    Are you asking for direction in one area of your life, and yet knowingly disobeying Him in another?

Perhaps God is waiting for you to do something He already has told you to do, before He tells you the next thing or gives you further direction.

Now let's go back to Philip. He knocked and I didn't come to the door. So what should he have done? Knock again? Sat by the door and waited for me to come? Come back another day? Ring the doorbell a hundred times until I got tired of hearing it and opened the door? There are many other options, but walking through the door was not one of them. Are you tracking with me here?

I put my arms around this lump of love and tried to explain. "Philip, I just don't want you to get hurt. You might walk into someone's home and scare them? They might think you are a robber? It could be very dangerous. You have to knock and then wait for someone to open the door and invite you in."

"OK," he moaned with a singsongy huff of frustration.

I'm not sure he really understood, but after that day, Philip restrained his urge to walk into our house whenever he wanted.

Join me tomorrow when I share about a time when I knocked, but was met with God's silence.

Let's Pray
LORD, I'm knocking. Help me to wait until you answer to move ahead.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
What do you tend to do when you don't know what to do?

What do you tend to do when you don't hear God's answer or direction right away?

Look up the following passage and note how long Moses waited until God spoke to him on the mountain. Exodus 24:15-18

What happened in the valley below when the people got tired of waiting for God to give them direction through Moses? Exodus 32

Have you been knocking and waiting for God to answer? Click over to my blog page and tell me what I can be praying about for you today www.sharonjaynes.com. Just look for the comment box under today's devotion and enter your request.

More from the Girlfriends
Trusting God. It is something we all need to do. And when life doesn't turn out the way we had hoped, we need to trust that God has a better plan in mind. If you'd like to learn more about trusting God, check out our new GiG book by the same title...Trusting God.  You can find it on my website at www.sharonjaynes.comor the GiG website at www.girlfriendsingod.com.  While you're there, download a free chapter and watch an intro video!