Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

January 22, 2013
Think Right ... Live Right
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected (Philippians 4:8, NCV).

Friend to Friend

I was absolutely pathetic as I moaned and groaned my way up the stairs. My back was killing me! I had just spent four long hours taking down Christmas decorations, packing them in boxes, hauling each box down three flights of stairs to the basement and hoisting every one of those heavy, packed-to-the-brim boxes up on shelves that are taller than I am. Do you get the painful picture?

I was working up a stellar case of self-pity when my husband came home from work and asked what I had been doing all day. "I did two loads of laundry, wrote two devotions, took care of Justus (our grandson), answered email and then it took me four hours to take down all of the Christmas decorations," I declared in my best "poor me" voice. Dan did not seem impressed. "It really took you that long? I didn't think you had that many decorations out this year. Why didn't you wait until I got home so I could help you? " he asked. I didn't want to wait. I was not happy ... and more than a little upset with him for not being more sympathetic. But my sweet husband was not done.

"Your problem is not in your back, honey. Your problem is in your mind," he patiently explained. I could see the conversation going down the tube fast but managed to muster up just enough self-control that kept me from saying what I really wanted to say. Instead, I sweetly asked, "What do you mean?"

Sidebar: Several months ago, I was in a car wreck that caused some fierce muscle spasms in my back and resulted in several visits to the chiropractor. Two months ago I had a stomach virus that lasted a week followed by the Thanksgiving holidays during which we had our kids and grandkids for a week ... which was incredibly wonderful and deliciously chaotic. The day they left, I went to the doctor with a respiratory infection that turned into bronchitis that soon blossomed into walking pneumonia from which I am still recovering. Do you feel my pain?

"Honey, you have been so sick – not to mention being rear-ended by a car going 70 miles an hour. Why did you feel like you had to decorate the entire house in the first place?" Dan asked. I know. I could not believe it either! "It was Christmas!" I sputtered in frustration. And then I saw it. The problem really is in my mind. I had allowed wrong thinking to dictate wrong priorities.

The mind is a great battlefield. The Bible tells us that we have the mind of Christ because we have a personal relationship with Him, but we still have to allow or choose to "let" the mind of Christ be in control. Every day we are at war for the control of the mind. Who wins that war is up to us and the choices that we make. 

Proverbs 23:7 tells us, "For as he thinks within himself, so he is" (NASB). In other words, what we think about powerfully influences who and what we will become. Our actions, our attitudes and habits are born in the mind, an offspring of the thought life we entertain.

We can literally change our life by changing how we think – but we cannot do it alone. God's standard and guideline for our thought life is very clear and demanding. In fact, it's completely impossible without God's power at work in our life.

"Think about the things that are good and worthy of praise; think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected" (Philippians 4:8, NCV).

We choose what we watch and read, the conversations we have and the time we spend in the Word. If the mind is not filled with good, trust me, the enemy will fill it with bad. The human mind will always set itself on something. Paul is challenging us to wisely choose that setting, taking charge of our thoughts by inviting the Holy Spirit to empower God's standard for the mind.

My husband often says, "You can't keep a bird from flying over your head but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair." Now stay with me. Impure and wrong thoughts will come but we do not have to entertain them and invite them to "come on in and stay awhile." When we choose to surrender the control of our mind to God, He will honor that choice and give us the strength and power to think right. And when we think right – we will live right.

Let's Pray

Lord, I confess to You that I often struggle with the way I think. I desperately need Your help. Please make me aware of the influences that draw my mind away from You and show me how to avoid each one. Teach me how to fix my thoughts on You and give me a hunger and thirst for Your Word. Today, I surrender the control of my mind to You, Father. 

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

The mind is the control center of your life. How have your thoughts affected your decisions or actions this week? I challenge you to fill your mind with God's Word and watch God work in your life. Read the following questions and record your answers in your journal.

What specific steps do I need to take in order to put more of God's word into my mind?

To honor God with my thought life, what changes do I need to make in the following areas?

Movies ___________________________________________

Television_________________________________________

Music ____________________________________________

Books____________________________________________

Magazines ________________________________________

Internet___________________________________________

Conversations______________________________________

More from the Girlfriends

Start the New Year right! 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. The first study of 2013 is Power Up With Proverbs and begins January 14.

Need help dealing with depression?Get Mary's book, Hope in the Midst of Depression, and learn how to find freedom from the darkness. You can also connect with Mary on Facebookor through email.

[Judy Harder]

January 23, 2013
Go From Grumbling to Gratitude in the Blink of an Eye
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

Do everything without grumbling and arguing, (Philippians 2:14 NIV)

Friend to Friend

Gratitude can change your perspective on the simplest of mundane tasks and transform them into moments of sudden glory where you experience God's presence in an intimate way. One day I was mopping the kitchen floor and my mood was anything but grateful. I grumbled with each push of the mop. Complained with each dip in the bucket. Here I am mopping this floor again and no one even appreciates it. I feel like this housework is never finished. Clean today. Dirty tomorrow. Why do I even bother?

Then right in the middle of the kitchen, God showed up. Actually, He was there all along, but my grumbling blinded the eyes of my heart to recognize His presence. New thoughts began to emerge as I pushed the mop across the linoleum floor. I believe God put them there.

Suppose you were blind and you couldn't see the beautiful patterns on the linoleum floor or the spilled juice by the refrigerator door. Suppose you were deaf and you couldn't hear the soothing sound of the soap bubbles dissolving in the bucket or the rhythmic sound of the mop being pushed back and forth across the floor's hard surface. Suppose you were in a wheel chair and you weren't strong enough to stand upright and grasp the wooden handle in your nimble hands to erase the muddy footprints and make the floor shiny and clean again. Suppose you didn't have a home or a family to clean up after.

Suddenly, my grumbling turned into a song of praise and gratitude. "Thank You, Lord, for the privilege of mopping this dirty floor. Thank You for the health and strength to hold this mop in my strong hands and to wrap my agile fingers around its handle. Thank You for the sight to see the crumbs, the dirt, and the spilled juice. Thank You for the sense of smell to enjoy the clean, fresh scent of the soap in my bucket. Thank You for the many precious feet that will walk through this room and dirty it all up again. And Lord, thank You for the privilege of having a floor to mop and a family to clean up after.

A sudden glory.

Let's Pray

Lord, I thank You for dirty clothes, muddy shoes, messy rooms, a dusty house, tired legs, aching knees, and taxes. I thank You that I have clothes, shoes, a room to make a mess in, a house to get dirty, legs that work, knees that bend and a free country in which I can pay taxes.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Check out the Amplified Bible's translation of Philippians 2:14: "Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves]...

Why do you think the Amplified included [against God]?

What did Moses say to the Israelites about who they were grumbling against? Exodus 16:8

If you are a Pinterest pinner, check out my pin on my Facebook page today. Consider printing it out and making a warning sign for your home!

More from the Girlfriends

Seeing God through the lens of gratitude and grace is one of the themes of my book, A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More. It's a great book to help you experience God's presence on a daily basis. But if you have trouble with grumbling, complaining, and controlling your tongue, I'd suggest delving into my book, The Power of a Woman's Words.What a great New Year's Resolution: CONTROL MY TONGUE!  You can find them both on my website at www.sharonjaynes.com

[Judy Harder]

January 24, 2013
What is Normal?
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

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

Friend to Friend

I pray that your New Year is off to a great start. 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 my life or me. 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.

As I was putting the Christmas decorations away for another year, 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. The first study of 2013 is Power Up With Proverbs and begins January 14.

FREE MP3s on 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. And be sure to connect with Mary 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]

January 25, 2013
Waiting and Hoping
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior,and my hope is in you all day long (Psalm 25:5, NIV)

Friend to Friend

My girlfriend is caught between faith and a hard place. Even as a committed Christ-follower she struggles to believe God's promises and feels helpless. She prays, but wonders if God hears her. She looks for a light at the end of the trial-tunnel, yet sees nothing but shadows.           

I think we've all been there at one time or another. I sure have. Are you, or is someone you love, there now? Without a doubt, God's ways and timing are mysterious, at times even frustrating. And the things He allows into our lives can be painful. Our hurting hearts cry out, Are You even up there? Can You hear me? Do You care? Even in our darkest days, we know that God is still good, but waiting on Him can be such a difficult spiritual discipline.         

The Bible features beautiful pictures of God's faithfulness to those who wait on Him. For example, the snapshots of God's might as displayed in the life of Elijah are simply fascinating. (Got a moment? Pause to read chapters 17 and 18 of 1 Kings now.) Elijah was the most dramatic and famous of all Israel's prophets. God worked through him powerfully and miraculously, but Elijah sure did go through some serious seasons of waiting and wondering—just like my girlfriend. Just like each of us.         

For years, Ahab (king of Israel) and his wife, Jezebel, had done evil in the eyes of the Lord. They worshiped Baal, an idol, instead of the one true God, which provoked the Lord to anger. God. Was. Mad! So He summoned Elijah to the scene. Elijah told Ahab, "As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word" (1 Kings 17:1). As you can imagine, Ahab wasn't happy about the situation, and in his fury, he wanted Elijah dead. Yikes! But God had other plans. He spoke hope to Elijah's heart as He directed, protected, and provided for him throughout the time of the drought.

Oh, yeah. Did I mention that the drought was three years long?

Three years.

This was not a simple and short situation, y'all.

In the third year, the Lord sent Elijah back to king Ahab, and a showdown of showdowns began on Mount Carmel. A celestial boxing match took place, with Baal and his false prophets in one corner, God and Elijah in the other. The bell rang and the battle began. The prophets of Baal took the first swing. They made a sacrifice to their god and cried out to him for hours, begging him to consume their offering with fire. Baal was silent and unresponsive, because he was not real. Duh.           

Elijah knew he served a powerful, living, and responsive God, so he advanced to the center of the ring and took his swings with confidence. He repaired the altar of God, prepared the sacrifice, and then prayed for God to reveal His power. God flexed His divine muscles and answered Elijah's prayers instantly with an all-consuming fire. Knock out!           

After the showdown was over, God told Elijah to deliver a new message to King Ahab. "And Elijah said to Ahab, 'Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain'" (1 Kings 18:41). So Ahab went to eat, and Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel to look for evidence of God's rain-miracle.     

            "Go and look toward the sea," he told his servant. And he went up and looked.

            "There is nothing there," he said.

            Seven times Elijah said, "Go back."

            The seventh time the servant reported, "A cloud as small as a man's hand is          rising from the sea." (1 Kings 18:43-44)           

What struck me as I studied this passage is that Elijah did not get his miracle right away this time. He had to wait and hope on the Lord. Could God have opened up the sky and poured out a storm immediately? You bet. Did He? No. Elijah had to wait. His servant had to look for the miracle...and look...and look...and look..     

Seven times.       

No disrespect to Elijah, but doesn't that perk your heart up?         

Even God's superstar prophet had to wait on God's timing.         

You and I are not the only ones who have to wait and hope, friend! God's will is God's will. It bends for no man. Yet ours can bend to His. When we submit to His perfect plan, we will find the hope we are looking for, even in the waiting—or perhaps especially in the waiting. "Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on..." (1 Kings 18:45a)         

God moved. Once again, He was faithful. His character requires it.           

Now consider this: God used Elijah in really big ways. Elijah spoke on God's behalf, was God's front-line man in raising a dead child back to life in order to bless a widowed mother, and he was the lead character in a miraculous God-show that brought fire from heaven, consuming an offering and connecting the hearts of wandering people back to the heart of God. We're talking big God-stuff! Yet even Elijah experienced difficult situations and was forced to wait on God.       

Looking back, I now realize that God has strengthened my hope muscles most in the seasons when I've had to wait on Him. God is the hope of all who trust Him, all who belong to Him.         

Do you hope in Him? If you sometimes struggle to nurture hope, you are in good company. In his hard time, the author of Psalm 42 had to remind himself where to place his hope. He had to choose to praise.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.(Psalm 42:5)           

Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that God is our hope. Like the psalmist, we might need to throw down some stubborn and choose to praise. I don't like waiting. I imagine you don't either. I take solace that Jesus gives us hope in the midst of it: "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33b). His promises bring hope.

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.(Hebrews 6:18-20, NLT)         

Jesus is our Hope.         

When discouragement sets in and you feel unheard, when you are forced to wait on God, when you find yourself caught between faith and a hard place, when there is nothing there—no evidence of God's miracle on the horizon—remember that God is faithful, powerful, and responsive. He has seen you through trials in the past, and He will see you through trials in the future. Even in the challenges you face now, you are seen, you are heard. Choose today to trust the God of your Hope.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.(Romans 15:13)

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, my Hope, I worship You, the One, true God! You are mighty and powerful, full of never-ending compassion and love. Please help me to see You when I face trials and to trust Your heart when circumstances discourage me. In Jesus's name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Girlfriend – God placed a burden on my heart to encourage you today. I know this was very personal and timely for some of you. Did you connect with this message? Swing by my Facebook pageand declare it publicly. Leave this comment, "God is my Hope."

Write this verse out: "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek His face always." (Psalm 105:4) Keep it handy. Read it out loud. Memorize it.

More from the Girlfriends

If this devotion resonated with you and if you would like to learn more about how your brokenness can be reworked into a picture of God's beauty, don't miss Gwen's book Broken into Beautiful. Every step of transformation begins with the heart of God. Broken into Beautiful will take you there. To order the book, go to Amazonor, for a signed copy, visit Gwen's website: www.gwensmith.net.

[Judy Harder]

January 28, 2013
Practicing Gratitude
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

God inhabits the praises of His people(Psalm 22:3 KJV).

Friend to Friend

Gratitude is the most effective way to deepen your consciousness to the fact that you are the object of God's affection and love. Giving thanks awakens your senses to see God, to hear God, to taste and see that He is good. When you feel far from God, praise will bring you back. When you have strayed from acknowledging God's presence, when you have forgotten in him we live and move and have our being, praise and gratitude will be the ramp to get you back on the right road.

I shudder at the words of Romans chapter one. "They neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened," (Romans 1:21). They did not glorify Him. They did not give thanks to Him. "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts..." (Romans 1:24). The light of their eyes went dark.

Praise keeps you alert to the glimpses of glory all around. The more you glorify God with praise and thanksgiving, the more your eyes will be opened to the deep well of His love that is but a bowshot away (Genesis 21:19). God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3 KJV). He feels right at home in a heart that praises Him. He enjoys being there!

I believe gratitude grows with practice. When you thank God, regardless of your feelings, it primes the pump of your heart until gratitude begins to flow freely.

If this is a language you have not spoken often, you can become fluent...with practice. Paul wrote, "I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything" (Philippians 4:11-12 NLT, emphasis mine). "I have learned."

As with any foreign language we attempt to learn, the more we use it, the more fluent we become. Is it too strong to say that the language of gratitude is a "foreign" tongue? I don't think so. We come into the world screaming with our very first breath, "It's all about me and my needs!" With tightly closed fists and squeezed shut eyes we demand attention. A newborn babe can think of nothing more than his wants and his needs: feed me, hold me, change me, nurse me...and do it right now! I would like to think we eventually grow out of that infantile attitude, but I'm sorry to say, many never do.

But we don't have to live like self-centered, self-absorbed ingrates. We can learn God's love language of gratitude that opens our eyes and unfurls the fingers. We can speak words of gratitude that remove the blinders to see glimpses of His glory every day. As we discover and practice the beautiful language of gratitude, our native tongue of self-focused dissatisfaction begins to fade.

And we practice. And we practice. And we practice.

I often ask my Spanish-speaking friends who are also fluent in English, "When you dream, do you dream in Spanish or in English?"

Most of the time they say Spanish. A few say both. But only the ones totally immersed in English, who have lived in the States for a long period of time, actually dream in their learned language rather than their native tongue.

Oh how I long for the tongue of gratitude to become the language of my dreams - my heart language. But that will not happen by putting my Bible under my pillow. It is a result of practice as I live and move and have my being in Him with a grateful heart.

Let's Pray

Lord, my desire is to be a grateful person in 2013. Please convict me when I am ungrateful. Help me to stop the grumbling and start the words of gratitude. Help me make gratitude my native tongue.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

I'm grateful that you have taken the time to read these three devotions on gratitude this week. I'm grateful that you've allowed me to speak into your life.

Go back and review Today's Truth. Where does God live? Where does He feel at home?

Do you want to sense God's presence in your life and experience moments of sudden glory? Gratitude could very well be the ticket to get you there.

Now, let's practice some gratitude. Find three people today and tell them why you appreciate them or why you are thankful for them. It could be as simple as telling someone "thank you" for a small or large way they have helped you or encouraged you.                     

More from the Girlfriends

Seeing God through the lens of gratitude and grace is one of the themes of my book, A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More. It's a great book to help you experience God's presence on a daily basis. But if you have trouble with grumbling, complaining, and controlling your tongue, I'd suggest delving into my book, The Power of a Woman's Words.What a great New Year's Resolution: CONTROL MY TONGUE!  You can find them both on my website at www.sharonjaynes.com

[Judy Harder]

January 29, 2013
Created by God ... for God
Part 1
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10, NIV).

Friend to Friend

My mother may not have had a degree in psychology, but she certainly could read me like a book. I often wondered if she was secretly going to night school or something because the older

I got, the smarter she got. For the life of me, I could not figure it out.

Oh, Mama was a clever one, hiding all of that steely wisdom and motherhood cunning beneath

her honest-to-goodness kind and gentle exterior. No doubt about it – my Mama was the first

velvet-covered brick in my life. She had to be where I was concerned.

I can be a little stubborn. Okay – I can be a lot stubborn – but I usually have what I consider to be stellar reasons to back up that stubbornness.

I do know stubbornness can be a good thing when it is attached to an important issue. However, my stubbornness was usually attached to nothing more than the issue of who was in control. And I like to be in control, a fact that was highly evident to everyone in my life during my high school and college years.

I wanted my way – period. When my mind was set on something, it would take a boatload of dynamite to loosen my grip on what I perceived to be the perfect plan – my plan. You can see how this attitude might set the stage for fireworks between mother and daughter. But Mama was not big on fireworks. She was, however, big on prayer and quietly watching and patiently waiting, desperately counting on God to help her deal with me.

Yes, my mother knew me all too well. When she saw me headed in the wrong direction, she wisely kept silent, lulling me into a false sense of security and the foolish belief that I had once again outsmarted her. At the same time, I am certain she was on her knees, crying out to God, waiting for just the right moment to say the words that often derailed whatever foolishness I was determined to carry out.

I believe wisdom is knowing what is right and then saying the right thing at the right time

for the right reason. By that definition, my mother was a very wise woman, especially when it

came to the boys and men I dated.

As a sophomore in college, I was in love and had my future planned. Yep! Every detail was covered. I had not really consulted God because I was certain He would agree with me. After all, it was a great plan that was practically handed to me on a silver platter. How could it possibly be the wrong plan?

We belonged to a small country church where my mother made sure we attended every single time the doors were open – and I do mean every single time. Bill Crews, a great man who truly loved God and our family, was our pastor. My mother was a widow raising three children, working the day shift as a nurse and often cleaning houses and babysitting on the side to earn extra money. Bill and his wife, Joanne, took a special interest in our family – and in me – and seemed to think God had created me for some kind of special work. I was clueless and certainly couldn't see it – but they did – and they always encouraged me to seek and serve God.

Good grief! I basically lived at the church. What more could I do? Like Mama, God knew how to handle me.

After graduating from high school, I was devastated to learn that the Crews were leaving. Pastor Bill explained that God was calling him to serve another church in the Pacific Northwest. I didn't really get, like or necessarily agree with that whole "God calling" deal, but my devastation was short-lived when the Crews offered me an opportunity that would ultimately change the direction of my life.

I could live with them and work as a summer missionary for the Pacific Northwest Mission Board. I had never even been outside the state of Texas where I was born and raised. We were as poor as dirt and were often thankful for enough gas to get Mama to work and my brother, sister and I to school. The prospect of travelling anywhere was both exciting and frightening. I also had the feeling that God was up to something. A red flag to my self-centered self! My mother thought it was a great idea. Another red flag to my control-freak self, but the whole thing sounded exciting - so off I went. 

Because I sang and played the piano, I was assigned to a team of students who went from town-to-town, leading worship services at night and conducting vacation Bible schools and doing door-to-door witnessing during the day. It was a lot of hard work – but I loved it. And I especially loved getting to hang out with some really awesome guys, one of whom was beyond awesome. In my opinion, Robert (no, it is not his real name) was one tall, lean God machine. With coal-black hair, sparkling blue eyes, colossal dimples and a smile that melted your heart, Robert could preach the stars down. Every girl on the team had a crush on Robert and I was no exception. But I knew I needed to make some changes if I was going to have any kind of chance with Robert. I needed to change the way I wore my hair and find a way to buy better clothes. And I needed to lose weight. Guys like Robert did not date fat girls. It seemed the more weight I lost, the better friends Robert and I became. Yes, indeed, we became good friends and promised to keep in touch after the summer ended.

I came home, ranting and raving about the love of my life – Robert, the man I was going to marry. He would preach. I would sing and play the piano, and we would win the world to Christ. Now I ask you, how could that not be God's plan? Mama just smiled and said, "That's nice." Nice? My plan took nice to the cliff and shoved it right over the edge. My plan was totally and unbelievably awesome! She would see.

Robert and I did indeed keep in touch. I flew to his hometown where I met his parents and friends and immediately fell in love with them all. The following year, he began attending seminary in Fort Worth, Texas where my sister and brother-in-law just happened to live. See? Another sign from God! Mama just smiled when I laid that bit of wisdom on her. I can remember thinking she must be deaf, dumb and blind if she could not see the oh-so obvious plan of God playing out before all of our eyes.

I am sure Mama was on her knees again, praying like crazy, while Robert and I dated and dreamed and planned our future together. When Mama met Robert for the first time, she looked him dead in the eyes and seemed to weigh and measure every inch of his gorgeous self.

Finally, she could see what I was talking about. Robert was perfect! I was certain she had fallen in love with him on the spot.

I could not have been more wrong.

Join me tomorrow for the rest of the story.

Let's Pray

Thank You, Lord, for the people in my life who are not afraid to confront me when I am wrong. Forgive me for the arrogance that makes me think I know what is best plan for my life. I don't pretend to understand the height and depth of Your love for me, but I choose to accept it and revel in it today. Help me learn to see myself through Your eyes.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Do you really believe God loves you unconditionally? 
What proof of that belief is evident in your life?
Do you consider yourself worthy in the eyes of God? Why or why not?
Read John 3:16. Memorize it and record it in your journal. Then write the verse in your own words. Ask God to make it a reality in your daily life.
More from the Girlfriends

A daily time alone with God in prayer and Bible study will strengthen you to face whatever life throws at you. Check out Mary's weekly online Bible study, Light for the Journey, for practical ways to tap into the power of God's Word. The first study of 2013 is Power Up With Proverbsand begins January 14.

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. And be sure to connect with Mary on Facebookor through email.

[Judy Harder]

January 30, 2013
Created by God ... for God
Part 2
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:14-15, NIV).

Friend to Friend

But Mama did not say a word. And the look in her eyes told me that she was not happy. Evidently, Robert had not measured up to whatever obsolete standard she had in mind. When I asked her what she thought of him, she smiled and said nothing. Nothing? Nothing! How could she not see what was so very obvious to me – that Robert was absolutely flawless and we were going to be so happy. Together we would change the world!

I would show her.

I would pray about it and let God deal with Mama.

I started praying about my relationship with Robert and off-handedly tossed out a prayer asking God to close the door if Robert was not the right one for me. Never in a million years did I expect God to do that. But He did. With a resounding crash, God slammed that door shut, locked it and totally obliterated my perfect life plan. What in the world was going on? It made no sense – to me.

Before that summer mission trip when Robert and I met, he dated a girl for several years. He assured me their relationship was over and I believed him – until she came to town and I never saw him again. No, I am not kidding. Have not laid eyes on the boy since that day.

I was crushed. I had been so sure. I poured out my heart to Mama who listened quietly until I ran out of words and tears. She then took my face in her precious hands and simply said, "The first time I met Robert I knew he was all wrong for you." What in the world was she talking about? I could not believe my ears. I stared at her in stunned silence.

Sensing and seizing a rare teachable moment in her not-so-teachable daughter's heart, she went on. "The truth is that he is not good enough for you." I chalked those words up to one of those things a mama is supposed to say to her daughter who has just been dumped by the most amazing catch of the century. Mama saw the doubt in my eyes and said, "Honey, if I could buy that boy for what he's really worth, and sell him for what he thinks he's worth, I would be a millionaire!"

I can count on both hands – with fingers left over – the number of times I ever heard Mama say an unkind word. But she evidently felt the occasion warranted her brutally honest opinion. With the proficiency of a seasoned lawyer, Mama began to skillfully and accurately lay out her case against Robert. I was in the presence of greatness.

"Honey, he had a spirit of pride about him. He led you on while keeping in touch with an old girlfriend. He lied to you. He took you to a movie that was so raunchy that you got up and walked out while he stayed and watched it (Sad, but true.) And then had the nerve to stand in a pulpit the very next day and preach the Word of God. Yes, he is handsome and charming, but inside – he is not a true man of God right now. He may be some day, but he surely isn't yet. And you deserve better." She was right. I did. I just didn't believe it.

I worked hard at presenting the right image. I wanted people to see me as a confident, spiritually have-it-all-together kind of person, but the truth was that I had spent my whole life struggling to believe God really loved me – just like I was. I could not see myself like He saw me – chosen, loved, planned and wanted. I could not grasp the truth that I was created by God – for God. To think that God wanted an intimate relationship with me outside of my good works was totally beyond my comprehension. So when someone like Robert came into my life, he immediately became the living proof I so desperately craved - proof that I was worth something. Guys like him didn't look at girls like me. I was certainly not beautiful. I was overweight and insecure. I was simply not good enough. I had allowed the sin of inferiority to rule my life.

Pride and inferiority are the opposite sides of the same coin of preoccupation with self. And both are sin. I have spent so many years, so much time and bucket loads of energy trying to be good enough. I followed all of the rules, hoping to please the Ruler. I said and did all he right things in front of all the right people in a desperate attempt to persuade them that I was right. I spent a lot of years accumulating the perfect mask for every situation.

And talk about irons in the fire – had 'em by the dozen - all shapes, sizes and colors. If I did good things, I must be good. Right?

The bottom line is that I was running the race of life for the wrong audience until God shut the door, turned off the lights and said, "Daughter, that is enough." And then I spent two years in a deep, dark pit of clinical depression where I learned what it really means to rest in the Lord. I learned how to simply be instead of frantically doing.

For the first time in my life, I came completely clean with God. I abandoned myself to Him – and He was there – never condemning me - and always loving me. For the first time in my life, I was set free from my own human and very confining expectancies as well as the lifeless expectations of others. They were not my audience. God was. And His heart was for me. I swear I could almost see Him grab those heavenly pom-poms when I quietly turned to Him, leaving a world of hurt behind. And His smile – His smile dried every tear and healed every hurt. I no longer needed a relationship with any human to prove my worth. The only relationship that mattered was with the One who made me worthy – my Father- my God.

I think Mama learned a lot of these truths through the many difficult years of her life. She knew. And she also knew I would have to come to those truths the same way she had – the hard way. It was worth it.

I learned that God loves me – period - just as I am – warts and all.

I learned that absolutely no one could take my place in the Father's heart.

I learned that I am indispensable to no one but God.

I learned that I am not an accident – even though I was not planned by human heart or mind.

I learned that I was created in response to God's special and unique plan for my life.

I learned that God is crazy about me – no matter what I do or don't do.

For so long, I had looked for worth in the eyes of people the world deemed worthy instead of finding my worth in God alone. No more. Mama saw me – just as I was – precious in her eyes and in the eyes of God. And she loved me.

Psalm 139:14-15  (NIV) "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

There was not an ounce of pride in my Mama's heart and life. I never saw her put her own needs above the needs of others - not once. She was a humble and precious woman who loved God, cherished her family and knew how to be a true friend until the day she died. Maybe that's why she could so easily spot pride. It was a foreign language that she simply could not and would not speak. I want to live my life the same way.

By the way, the first time Mama met my husband, Dan Southerland, she looked him dead in the eyes and measured every inch of his gorgeous self. Mama then smiled and softly said, "Take good care of my daughter."

Let's Pray

Father, I praise You because I am made in Your image. Please help me live my life on the basis of that truth and not on the lies of the world. Thank You for a mother who loved me in such a beautiful way and modeled the very definition of humility. Help me to honor You like she did.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Here is your assignment for the week. Read Psalm 139 at least one time every day. In your journal, write each verse in your own words. At the end of the week, set aside time to celebrate who you are in Christ. Have a praise party – just you and God – or invite a few girlfriends to join you in celebrating how special you are to Him.   

More from the Girlfriends

A daily time alone with God in prayer and Bible study will strengthen you to face whatever life throws at you. Check out Mary's weekly online Bible study, Light for the Journey, for practical ways to tap into the power of God's Word. The first study of 2013 is Power Up With Proverbsand begins January 14.

FREE MP3s on 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. And be sure to connect with Mary on Facebookor through email.

[Judy Harder]

January 31, 2013

Releasing Secrets, Restoring Hope

Gwen Smith

Today's Truth

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.(Psalm 34:5, NIV)

Friend to Friend

For years my abortion story went untold. It was a secret held tightly by a locked heart - my worst nightmare and darkest memory. Not something I wanted to talk about. Certainly not a story that I thought could be used for good.

Conversationally, it was unapproachable... simply impossible to discuss. On the rare occasion when I allowed my mind to go there, I wished I had a different story: one of life, not death – of joy, not pain. A story of a time when I'd made the best choice, not the worst choice.

But that's not my story.

And because it's not, for years I was convinced that my mistakes demanded silence. That because of what I'd done and where I'd been, I was bound to be quiet whenever the sacred topic of life arose. Certainly, I had no right to speak... or so I believed. Shame buttoned my lips.

Then I came to know a deeper grace. A grace found in the testimony of redemption. God's grace. A grace that testifies of hope, healing and restoration. A grace found in the sharing and releasing of my broken heart-places. Amazing grace that boasts in the truth that all things can work together for good to those who love God and who are bound to His will and purpose (Romans 8:28).

By the grace of Jesus Christ, I now understand that – knowing what I know and having been where I've been – I am actually uniquely qualified to speak and encourage others toward life... forgiveness... and hope.

A few years ago, the Lord led me to participate in a post-abortive Bible study and a weekend retreat that allowed my heart to experience healing in places that I didn't even know were wounded. I was given the opportunity to sift through my grief, to name my child, and to honor her tragic, unlived life in a beautiful memorial service. My story is now one of healing – and I will tell it until I take my last breath and meet my precious baby in heaven.

HEALING

For those of you who share my broken story, I encourage you toward this sacred healing – toward deeper grace. Death's grip is suffocating and scary... but it's not more powerful than the forgiveness and love found in Jesus. Don't allow fear and shame to keep you from the restoration that God longs for you to experience. Call your local pregnancy care center and ask about their post-abortive Bible studies and retreats.

COURAGE

For those of you who are pregnant and afraid, I encourage you to choose life. I know the fears you are facing and the doubts that are screaming relentlessly to your heart. Silence them with the hope found in the center of grace. Whatever this looks like for you – whether it's parenting or adoption – I implore you, from the deepest recesses of my heart, to allow your baby a chance to breathe, love, laugh and live. It will be one of the best choices you will ever make.

SUPPORT

For those of you who don't share my story, but who support the efforts of life-affirming ministries on the front lines of this battle, I encourage you toward generous giving. I applaud you for your participation. Because of you, lives are being saved... and diapers are being changed... and dreams are being dreamed... and God is being honored. Because of your support, sacred hearts are beating. Thank you. A thousand times: thank you.

But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:20b-21)

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, to forgive and to accept forgiveness. May my brokenness be restored for the beauty of Your glory. Please help me to trust your plan and grace. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Okay ... take a deep breath with me! Some of you may feel disturbed that a locked door in your heart has been nudged open. I also know that 30-40% of you that are reading this devotion share my experience of abortion. There is healing and forgiveness for you, too. Through the help of my local Pregnancy Care Center, I went through a post-abortive Bible study that helped me to know complete healing. If you have not taken that step toward healing, I encourage you to contact the Abortion Recovery CARE line at 1-866-4-My-Recovery (1-866-469-7326) visit www.AbortionRecovery.org - or call your local Pregnancy Care Center today to sign up for a post-abortive Bible study or retreat.

Is there someone you know who needs to read this message? Forward this email. Post it on your social media sites. Share the hope of healing.

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 to listen to a song that I co-wrote and recorded called Broken into Beautiful, and leave a comment sharing your heart with me. www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic. We will pray over each of you!

My full testimony is featured the 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 Amazonor, for a signed copy, visit my website: www.gwensmith.net.

[Judy Harder]

February 1, 2013
What will the Future Hold for Your Marriage?
Sharon Jaynes

(My devotions will focus on marriage for the month of February. If you're not married, I encourage you to read them anyway! And while you're reading, pray for your friends that are married.  Believe me, they will appreciate it. Also, give a special blessing by passing these devotions along to them! Here we go...)

Today's Truth

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things,

(1 Corinthians 13:7 NASB).

Friend to Friend

Bruce and Mary Ellen grew up in the mountains of North Carolina in the sleepy little hollow of Waynesville. From Bruce's first remembrance, he recalls the petite beauty with Chestnut hair, coke bottle figure and "plenty of book smarts." Back in the 1940's high school only went through eleventh grade, with an optional twelfth for those who wanted to continue in their studies. Since Mary Ellen was one grade behind, Bruce made the decision to stay one more year...to continue his studies, of course.

Bruce and Mary Ellen were a stunning couple. His muscular build with 32" waist, and 6'4 stature towered over Mary Ellen's 5'3" with curves in all the right places. No one was surprised when Bruce asked Mary Ellen to be his bride just a few days after her graduation. On a beautiful November afternoon in 1943, they became man and wife. When they said those words, "till death do us part," they meant it. It was a vow made to one another and to God, and the thought of anything other than a lifelong commitment to each other was inconceivable...no matter what.

It was war time when Bruce and Mary Ellen tied the knot, and eleven months after they were married, Bruce was shipped off to the Aleutian Islands. For the next eighteen months, the newlyweds corresponded through the US mail. There were no telephones, emails, or texts. The communication of two hearts depended on prayer, pen, and paper. In one of his many letters, Bruce asked Mary Ellen to send him a photograph of her legs...which she did.

Ner' was a man so happy as when Bruce got off the bus, walked to Mary Ellen's grandparents' house, and saw his bride come bounding down the steps in her nightgown to rush into his hungry arms. Never again were they apart for an extended period of time.

Bruce went right to work when he arrived back in the United States, but had a dream to go to college.

Three years later, even though they now had a two-year-old baby girl in tow, Mary Ellen encouraged him to follow his dream. Bruce graduated from college with a Masters in education and then for the next 39 years served as a teacher, a coach, a high school assistant principal and a junior high principal. Through the years, Mary Ellen had various jobs, but retired after being with one company for twenty-five years.  Together they raised four wonderful children...one of which became my husband on a beautiful summer day in August of 1980.

In November of 2003, we celebrated Bruce and Mary Ellen Jaynes' 60th wedding anniversary. I was in the throes of writing my book, Becoming the Woman of His Dreams, and was hit with the realization of the living example of what I hope this book will help others accomplish. Mary Ellen was and is the woman of her man's dreams – and she has been for sixty years. Faces lined with years embrace cheek to cheek, weathered hands and arthritic fingers intertwine, and slow but steady gaits serve as a picture of enduring love in the winter of their lives. Like a rare treasure, their legacy of commitment and enduring love is the inheritance they leave to four grown children and five grown grandchildren. Oh, and that picture of her legs that Mary Ellen mailed Bruce in 1944 when he was off at war?  He still carried that photo in his wallet until the day he died just a few years ago.

Imagine with me for a moment. Think ahead 20, 40, 60 years. What do you see? Your marriage is becoming what it is going to be – and so much depends on you. No, building a wonderful marriage cannot be achieved by one party alone. It takes two. I take that back. It takes three:  a woman who's committed to becoming the woman of her man's dreams, God Who longs to give her the power and creativity to do so, and a man who clings tightly to both.

I pray that your and your husband's lives will be so intertwined that you will not be able to see where one ends and the other begins, and that your hearts will beat in tandem with each other to the metronome of God's rhythm. And then one day, as your husband reflects on the years you've invested he will say... "Many women do noble things, but you, my dear, surpass them all."

Let's Pray

Lord, I know my marriage is becoming what it is going to be. I pray I will be the wife my husband needs. Help me be the wife he needs to be. I pray the word divorce would not be in our marriage vocabulary, and that we will press through every struggle, endure every trial, and overcome every hurdle through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us and through us.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

I'd like you to look ahead for a moment. Write down a description of what you want your marriage to be like 10 years from now. 20 years from now.

Now make a note of what you think YOU need to do to help it get there.

Click over to my blog and tell me the name of one couple that has the kind of marriage you want to have. What makes them worth emulating?

More from the Girlfriends

14-Day Romancing Your Husband Challenge: How would you like to join your girlfriends in a 14-day Romancing Your Husband Challenge? Click over to www.sharonjaynes.com, click on the challenge sign-up button in the right column of the home page, and your 14-day challenge emails will begin. Come on girlfriend, February is the love month - it's time to spice up your marriage.

If you have been married for more than a week, then you know a great marriage takes a lot of hard work! If your marriage could use a boost, then check out my book Becoming the Woman of His Dreams. I interviewed hundreds of men to discover seven qualities every man longs for in a wife. Many of their comments are in the book! They were honest. They were vulnerable. They were eye-opening.

[Judy Harder]

February 4, 2013
Get Serious About Sin
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

"But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done" (1 John 1:9, NCV).

Friend To Friend

As a little girl, I always looked forward to the first day of summer vacation because it meant two things. First, I did not have to sit in a classroom all day wasting precious brain power trying to comprehend and learn what I considered to be useless information. Second, I did not have to wear shoes except when I went to church or when my mother handed down the decree, "If you are going with me, you have to wear shoes." It had to be a really important errand for me to don even a pair of sandals or flip-flops.

Those first few days of my shoeless adventures were always a painful shock to my tender feet since my "playground" was actually nothing more than a gravel road running beside our house on the edge of town. I played for hours, climbing trees and racing friends up and down that rocky street. At the end of each day, my feet were grimy and filthy, often bruised and sometimes slightly bloody. Even now, I can remember the stinging discomfort inflicted by those razor-sharp rocks during the first few weeks of summer. My pain management was firmly rooted in the knowledge that my feet would soon grow callused and tough. I took comfort in the fact that I would soon be running down that gravel road with little or no pain.   

Sin works the same way. The first time we commit a sin it is painful. We are filled with remorse and mourn the fact that we have grieved the heart of God, but regret is not enough when it comes to dealing with sin. Unless we confess and turn away from that sin, we are likely to commit it again. If we allow sin to settle into our life and refuse to confess it, that sin eventually hardens our heart and builds spiritual calluses in our soul. When we become comfortable with our sin, we are walking in enemy territory and setting ourselves up for spiritual failure and discouragement.

The good news is that Jesus understands human frailty. He is well acquainted with temptation and the tactics of Satan. Jesus gave His life as a ransom for yours and mine. He paid our sin debt in full.

1 John 1:9 "But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right.  He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done" (NCV).

This verse was written to believers as an encouragement to deal with sin and a promise that when we do so, God will be faithful to forgive us and clean up the mess that sin has caused. We are not perfect – just forgiven.  To experience that forgiveness fully we need to keep short books on sin. That means being sensitive to sin and immediately choosing to do something about it. God is serious about sin. We need to be as well.

1.     We must confess sin continually. "Confess" means to agree with and is a present tense verb meaning that we must confess sin frequently and continually.

2.     We must confess sin completely.We commit sins one at a time. We need to confess them one-by-one as well.

3.     We must confess our sin confidently.Once we confess and repent of our sin, we can put it behind us. God is just and fair – seeking only one payment for sin. Jesus has already made full and complete payment with His death on the cross.

One of Satan's favorite tactics is to resurrect buried sin. Wrapping that confessed transgression in his vain taunts and useless accusations, the enemy hauls it back into focus, hoping that guilt will paralyze and imprison a soul set free. Satan can hold us prisoner if we let him. But how often do we believe his empty lies – and by doing so, grant him access to that which he has no right? To break the hold of sin, we can and must stand against the enemy, trusting not in our feelings but in the facts of God's word. And those facts are unchanging and crystal clear – when we confess sin, God forgives it.

Let's Pray

Father, do not let me ever forget the price You paid for my sin. Thank You for the forgiveness and freedom You purchased with Your death on the cross. Bring swift awareness and conviction when I sin. Give me the strength and power to deal with and turn from the sin in my life. For Your glory and in Your name I pray, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Set aside time each day to pray and study His Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of every sin that stands between you and God. Confess that sin. Choose against it and walk on in His power and forgiveness. Ask yourself the following questions:

What sin do I need to confess right now?

Why have I held on to this sin?

What effect has this sin had on my life?

What changes do I need to make in order to "turn" from my sin?

Do I really believe that God can and will forgive this sin? Why? Why not?

More from the Girlfriends

The life of Eve is an encouragement to me. Maybe it's because I can relate to a woman who has really made a mess of things. I love the fact that her story is part of Scripture. I believe God uses the life of Eve to remind us that we all make mistakes and are broken and wounded people. But God takes the broken pieces, the wounded hearts and troubled souls, and makes something beautiful out of it all.

Need help? Winning the War with Temptation is one of Mary's E-Download Bible Studies that examines the life of Eve to discover five steps she could have and should have taken to win the war with temptation. The central message of this study is grace, God's unmerited favor, His unconditional love and the complete forgiveness only He can give. Temptation is a certainty of life, but God has a plan that will enable us to stand firm in His strength and through the power of His Word.

A daily time alone with God in prayer and Bible study will strengthen you to face whatever life throws at you. Check out Mary's weekly online Bible study, Light for the Journey, for practical ways to tap into the power of God's Word. The first study of 2013 is Power Up With Proverbs and it's not too late to join!

FREE MP3s on 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. And be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.