Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

July 24, 2013
Stress Management 101
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need. And when you pray, always give thanks. And God's peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The peace that God gives is so great that we cannot understand it (Philippians 4:6-7, ICB).

Friend to Friend

Stress management is a spiritual discipline that begins with diligent preparation in every area of life – mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. We must be ready to deal with stress before we are required to deal with stress. Dealing with stress is an ongoing, daily battle that will not end - this side of Heaven. In order to win that battle, we must be prepared.

While there is no single secret to handling stress, God's Word is filled with many truths that can enable and empower us to deal with stress in a healthy, productive and God-honoring way.

Sometimes the most familiar passages of scripture are also the most overlooked. Psalm 23 is one of those passages. I often find myself rushing to this psalm for peace and comfort in the aftermath of a stressful situation or for guidance and shelter from the storm that I see barreling straight for the unprepared shores of my life. However, I have also discovered that Psalm 23 is also a powerful tool for dealing with stress on an everyday basis.

If you are like me, I tend to handle the major calamities in life better than the mundane, ordinary but definitely stress-inducing minutia of daily living. A study of Psalm 23 has led me to believe that it is often the small pebble in my shoe, rather than the massive boulder on my path, that causes the greatest stress in my life. Life is so daily! Fortunately, so is God.

God promises to be my shepherd, to lead and guide me, to provide my every need, to protect me from my enemies, to fill my heart with peace, and to stand between my greatest fears and me.

God delivered a profound message when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live among us each and every day.  Jesus could have come to us in many ways, but He chose to interrupt the ordinary with the extraordinary!

Jesus could rightfully have been born in a palace. He was, after all, a King. Yet His life on earth began in a manger - a smelly, dusty, dirty and definitely common barn. The simplicity of His birth is one of His most precious gifts to us and is a constant reminder that He really does care about everything that touches our lives. If it is important to us, it is important to Him. God wants to be involved in the simple, ordinary happenings of each day.

While I cannot imagine my world without the presence and power of Jesus Christ, I am often guilty of living as if He does not exist. The result is a stress-filled life. A trial comes and I try to handle it on my own. Loneliness empties my heart and instead of reaching out to Him, I withdraw into the darkness where stress is waiting to fill that emptiness with anxiety and fear. Still, God is faithful. His peace is a soothing balm that leads me once again to the manger and away from stress. Emmanuel, God with me!  He steps into my life and changes everything. When He comes, stress is stripped away, tranquility given in its place.

When I find myself wishing I could have been there that holy night when Jesus was born, He gently reminds me that I had my own manger experience, when God became a personal reality in my life. I have my own holy moments each and every day as I reach out to Him and He is there, right in the middle of my common, ordinary and often smelly circumstance.

Stress has no place in a heart that kneels before the manger. Stress is powerless in a life that continually seeks God and chooses to surrender to His love and care – like the sheep surrender to the love and care of their Shepherd. Psalm 23 describes the intimate, personal and trusting relationship between sheep and shepherd, between child and father, and is not only a beautiful portrait of God's complete and faithful provision, but an arsenal of stress-busting truths and principles that, when embraced and applied, will empower and equip us to live a life of peace and victory.

Let's Pray

Father, I want to thank You for your unconditional love and forgiveness. Please help me focus on You and Your presence in my life each day. I pray that any stress in my heart will be swallowed up in the reality that You are faithful and are in control. I know You are not surprised by anything that comes my way and will transform the good into better, the unthinkable into the unstoppable and the unbelievable into fact. I praise You for the amazing way You guide me and lift me up when I fall. I want to focus on You today, and thank You that in doing so, I will experience true peace.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Think about the way you begin each day. Are you afraid of what the day holds? Do you dread facing whatever comes your way? Or do you focus on God and His promises? Let's encourage one another to walk in faith, peace and victory.

More from the Girlfriends

Stress is one of the enemy's favorite weapons to use against me. Stress has caused physical pain, emotional darkness and spiritual bankruptcy in my life. I constantly have to bring my heart and mind back to God. I know how hard it is to stay balanced and at peace.

Need help? Check out Mary's E-Bible Study, God's Answer to Stress, for a message that will help you learn to experience God's peace. And be sure to check out Mary's new weekly Online Bible Study, From a Mess to a Miracle. Enroll now and have access to all 2013 lessons. Connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

[Judy Harder]

July 25, 2013
God, Where are You?
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

"In all their distress he too was distressed," (Isaiah 63:9 NIV).

Friend to Friend

When bad things happen we may never understand the why. God tells us, ''For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Dr. James Dobson said: "Trying to analyze His [God's] omnipotence is like an amoeba attempting to comprehend the behavior of man."  It's simply not possible. But there is one thing we can be sure of. "All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful," (Psalm 25:10) whether we understand them or not.

When we encounter difficulties, it is easy to jump to conclusions. We may think God is mad at us or He is punishing us. We wonder if God is not blessing us because we've disappointed Him in some way. But all through the Bible we see that some of God's closest friends experienced the darkest nights.

Joseph suffered. David suffered. The disciples suffered. Elizabeth suffered. Mary suffered. Martha suffered. Mary (Jesus' mother) suffered. Paul suffered. Jesus suffered. And each one of these men and women were smack dab in the middle of God's will. The ordinary pabulum of popular religion, of health and prosperity, just doesn't line up with the suffering we see among some of the most godly men and women in Scripture. The abundant life that Jesus came to give does not come without struggle any more than a butterfly can soar without a struggle from its cocoon. We would never slice open a cocoon and expect to find a butterfly ready to fly. Without the struggle, the butterfly could not grow strong enough to take flight.

Jesus warned us that we would have struggles in this life, and yet struggles always seem to catch me by surprise. "Consider it all joy," James said, "when you encounter various trials..." (James 1:2, NASB). Notice James said when and not if. Honestly, I wish there were some other way.

Come to think of it, Jesus wished the same. "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will," (Matthew 26:39). The cross. There was no other way.

Take a look at the names given to the Holy Spirit: Intercessor, Helper, Counselor, and Comforter. The very nature of those names lets us know that we are going to have difficulties this side of heaven, and thankfully God did not leave us to struggle alone. Jesus wept. The Holy Spirit groans. And God's heart aches. In one beautiful sentence, we catch a glimpse into the heart of God as we go through tough times: "In all their distress he too was distressed," (Isaiah 63:9). We may not see God's face during the difficult days of pain, but you can be sure He is there, and many times His face is streaked with tears.

Sometimes life is tough. As we practice Acts 17:28, In Him we live and move and have our being, it does not mean that we will walk down a path void of treacherous twists and turns. It does mean that no matter where the road may lead, we are not alone.

So many times I've cried out with King David, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" only to discover that He was right there with me all the time. None of us knows what the future holds. Sometimes we just need to put our hand in God's and walk around the next corner with Him—even when we don't understand. In that journey of the unknown, we're apt to experience moments of sudden glory in well-placed nuggets of gold.

Let's Pray

Father, even if I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, which is about the scariest place I could ever walk, I will fear no evil...because You are with me.  I am placing my hand in Yours and walking around the next corner with You. I don't know what is around that corner, but You do, and that's enough for me.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read Isaiah 43:1-7. What does God say about His presence when you go through difficult times?

Describe or think of a time when you passed through an emotional fire or river of difficulties.

In light of Isaiah 43:1-7, where was God during that experience? Say it out loud. Click over to my blog and share your answer. It will do your heart good.

More from the Girlfriends

Sometimes the brightest moments of Sudden Glory, moments when God makes his presence known, are seen on the black backdrop of difficult circumstances. We simply need to look for them, expect them, discover them. If you long for more in your relationship with God, if you long to experience His presence on a daily basis, then check out my book A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More. Click here to read the first chapter.

[Judy Harder]

July 26, 2013
Trusting God With Tomorrow
Gwen Smith

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

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

Once a noble prince of Egypt with the world at his feet, he had become a lowly shepherd with dust on his sandals. His crown had been traded in for a staff. The palace days were far behind Moses now. He fled them because of what he had done. Glancing to his left and right to be sure that no one would know what he was about to do, Moses took a horrible situation into his own hands and killed a man. He murdered an Egyptian and covered the death with sand.
           
Fear and shame bombarded his heart so he fled – away from his dream-filled, royal future to a desert place of humble hiding. The door to his yesterdays was closed. Moses had moved on to a new place. His past was his past and he had no intentions of returning to it. His life was different now. Normal, not noble.
           
Then God interrupted Moses' new normal. He made it undeniably clear that His plans for Moses were different. Bigger. God's intentions were for freedom – the freedom of His people, the Israelites, who were captives – slaves to Egypt. God called Moses to face the pains of his past so that the Israelites could face a future of freedom. His plans of emancipation required that Moses obey Him, listen to His voice, follow His instructions and trust Him.
           
Moses quivered and doubted. He made excuses about why he couldn't do it. He felt completely unfit and unqualified for such a task. It was risky. But God met Moses at his doubts. He called him to courage and went on to use Moses as an instrument of deliverance, truth, power and freedom. Yes – Moses made mistakes along the way, but God was powerful in, through and in spite of each one. Through it all, God led as only God can. He led with power. He led with purpose. He led with love. And through Moses, God led His people to a new place of promise and freedom.
           
On the far side of Charlotte, North Carolina, high upon a mountain in a retreat center, a voice called out to me from within a curious and fiery story. I had been tending to my husband and children, to the laundry and the dishes – writing songs and leading worship at women's events – minding my own business – going about my normal day-in-day-out tasks on the day that God spoke to my heart from the testimony of another woman. On the day that God called me to a fresh and fiery mission. A mission of deliverance.
           
Once a sold-out, dream-filled God-girl, I had become a grace-embracing, yet disqualified-for-anything-big-because-of-what-I-had-done God-girl. My use-me-in-a-big-way-Lord prayers had been traded in for average, can't-have-a-dream-anymore faith-living. My God-dream days were far behind me. I had fled them because of what I had done in my junior year of college. Glancing to my left and right to be sure that no one would know what I was about to do, I took a horrible situation – an unplanned pregnancy – into my own hands and killed a baby. I robbed my baby of life when I had an abortion and covered the death of my precious child with sands of compartmentalizing and reason.
           
Fear and shame bombarded my heart, so I fled – away from God – away from my dream-filled, royal future to a desert place of heart-hiding. After a season of brokenness, God brought me to a place of beauty, forgiveness and healing. I was restored and redeemed by scandalous, merciful grace. But then the door to my yesterdays was closed. I moved on to a new place in Christ. My past was my past and I had no intentions of returning to it – or to the God-dreams that swelled my heart as a young, sold-out Jesus lover. My life was different now. Normal, not dream-worthy.
           
Then God interrupted my new normal. He made it undeniably clear that His plans for me were different. Bigger. God's intentions were for freedom – the freedom of His people, the women, who were captives – slaves to their life-wounds. God called me to face the pains of my past so that my Girlfriends in God might face a future of freedom when they hear my testimony. His plans of emancipation required that I obey Him, listen to His voice, follow His instructions and trust Him.
           
I quivered and doubted. I made excuses about why I couldn't do it. I felt completely unfit and unqualified for such a task. It was risky. But God met me at my doubts. He called me to courage and is using my broken-into-beautiful story as an instrument of deliverance, truth, power and freedom. Yes – I make mistakes along the way, but God is powerful in, through, and in spite of each one. Through each surrendered day, God is leading as only He can. With power – with purpose – with love. And I pray right now that this story – my story – will bring you to a new place of promise and freedom through the grace of Jesus Christ.
           
What fresh and fiery mission is God calling you to trust Him with, friend? Let me encourage you to stop with the excuses. I'm living proof that God will free anyone from her shame and can use anyone for His purpose. Step up to the burning bush – into God's presence. Listen to His voice. Obey. Follow. Take courage. Trust Him with your past and with your tomorrows. Allow His grace and love to decide what your mission should look like.

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

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

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

Some of you may feel this devotion was written specifically for you. Don't ignore that. Explore it. Let's take the conversation deeper on the wall of my blog or my facebook page. It's time to trust God with your yesterdays, your todays and your tomorrows. Amen?

More From The Girlfriends
30 Day Summer Psalm Adventure:How would you like to join your girlfriends and thousands of other women in a FREE interactive Bible study? If you are ready to go deeper with God by searching and savoring His Word, click over to the 30 Day Summer Psalm Adventure sign up page on Gwen's website and register today!

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

[Judy Harder]

July 29, 2013
Taming the Tongue
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare (Proverbs 15:1, NLT).

Friend to Friend

It had been one of "those" mornings and I was behind schedule in preparing to teach the women's Tuesday morning Bible study at our church. I am fairly certain I did not exude peace and joy as I rushed around – as my Mama would say - like a chicken with its head cut off. The auditorium was set up correctly. The soundman had my power point ready to go and was waiting to do a sound check. The coffee pot was plugged in and doing its thing. Smiling ladies gathered to greet the Bible study members as they arrived. I paused and breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like everything was ready – everything except my heart.

I knew I needed to spend some time alone with God before standing to teach His Word, so I found a quiet room where I could escape for a few minutes of solitude. As I began to pray, the door flew open and crashed against the wall behind it as the husband of one of our group leaders burst into the room. I could tell by the look on his face that he was not happy and that whatever was wrong was definitely my fault. In a very loud and very angry voice, the man began to explain the problem, ending his tirade with the question, "And just what are you going to do about it?"

Sidebar: Guess what lesson I was teaching that particular morning. Remember, God definitely has a sense of humor. The lesson title was "How to Tame Your Tongue."

I knew what I wanted to say to the man. I also knew God didn't want me to say it. In a rare moment of wisdom, I faced my accuser with a smile and whispered, "I'll tell you exactly what I am going to do. I am going to do whatever it takes to make you happy."

I was completely unprepared for the man's reaction. His mouth fell open, his eyes widened in surprise - no, make that shock - and he stumbled backwards as if I had hit him. The silence was deafening. We stared at each other for what seemed like an hour before he finally whispered back, "Thank you!" Without another word, the man turned and literally ran out of the room. The most amazing part of this story is that from that day on, he has been one of my strongest encouragers.

The Bible works, girlfriend! When God says that a gentle answer "deflects" anger, He really means it. In this verse, "deflect" means "to change course" or "to force the alteration of plans." When anger is met with love, it is forced to change its destructive course. The plans of the enemy are altered when they are forced to comply with God's truth. A sweet response yanks the fuse right out of an emotional time bomb that is set and ready to explode. We need to choose our responses instead of allowing our reactions to dictate the words we speak.

Godly responses begin in the mind. I believe that our thought life is the front line of battle for the control of our entire life. Psalm 34:13 warns, "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies." The word "keep" indicates action on our part. We decide. We choose what is allowed to take up room in our minds. It is literally the idea of a guard standing at the gate of the city, stationed there to keep watch. He is there by invitation only. If we want to live right and speak right – we must think right.

Godly responses come from the heart. If there is something wrong with our words, then there is something wrong with our heart. The truth of Proverbs 16:23 is profound in its simplicity, "A wise man's heart guides his mouth."

A judge utters a few words and a guilty man is taken to death row.

A friend speaks a word of encouragement and a desperate heart finds hope.

A mother lashes out with angry words and the light in her child's eyes is gone.

A wife offers a word of forgiveness and a marriage is restored.

A gossip makes a phone call and a reputation is destroyed.

A teenager says "no" and changes the course of her life.

Words are powerful. Words can destroy or build. We need to make the choice today – to respond in the right way to those angry words that are surely headed our way tomorrow.

Let's Pray

Father, I want to please You and encourage others with the words I speak. Clean my heart, God. Transform my mind and fill my mouth with words that honor and please You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Examine the words you have spoken today in light of the following verses:

Psalm 141:3 "LORD, help me control my tongue; help me be careful about what I say."

Psalm 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."

How did you do? I encourage you to memorize these two verses. Ask God to let each verse take root in your heart and work its way out in the words you speak.

More from the Girlfriends

I read the following post on Facebook this week: "Lord, please keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth." I really do want to be the kind of woman who pleases God and blesses others with her words. Imagine what your world would look like if your words were filled with encouragement and love.

Need help with the tough relationships in your life? Mary's book, Sandpaper People, offers practical steps you can take that will help you deal with difficult people. This book can revolutionize your relationships.

Join women from across the world in Mary's Online Bible Study, From a Mess to a Miracle. If you enroll now, you will also have access to all of the 2013 lessons from Proverbs. Check it out!

[Judy Harder]

July 30, 2013
Something Beautiful
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth

"Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me" (Matthew 26:10, NIV).

Friend to Friend

I am completely crazy about cool jewelry, so when the Lord prompted me to take off my favorite necklace and give it to the woman who had just admired it, I tried to pretend I did not hear Him.

"It's mine, God!" I reasoned. "It isn't replaceable! Why would ask me to do that?"

My self-plan did not like the God-plan laid out before me. God was asking me to give up something that meant a lot to me so that another woman could be blessed. It seemed crazy. Unnecessary. However, in this instance, through the strength of Christ, I chose to obey even though I did not want too. It hurt. It cost me big. I felt the loss.

God softened my childish heart, however, as the woman wept at the Lord's blessing. As I silently confessed my selfish thoughts, God poured a deep joy into my soul. He showed me that my sacrifice was an act of worship to Him. Blessings boomeranged right back to my heart as I humbly thanked Him for allowing me to participate in His moment with her. It was a beautiful thing.

There are just times when I would rather give gifts that don't cost me too much. That is probably something that only I wrestle with, right? (Wink! Wink!) It is hard to be open handed with things that we hold dear, isn't it? Some of us struggle with an unwillingness to give away material things or money. Others hold tightly to our schedules, our affections, or our availability while still others try to keep a tight reign on our children, grandchildren, spouses, parents or other people in our life.

God must have known we would struggle with this because His Word addresses this issue and shows us a beautiful picture of surrendered devotion in Mary of Bethany. The offering she poured out onto the feet of Jesus was worth a year's wages. She lavished her costly perfume, her attention, her affection, her time and her worship on Jesus because she loved Him. He was her Savior. Her Friend. Her Hope. The Healer who had miraculously brought life back to the stench of death that had fallen on her brother Lazarus.

"While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor."

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."(Matthew 26:6-13, NIV)

The Message version says it this way:"She has just done something wonderfully significant for me." (Matthew 26:10)

When I read this story, I am compelled to wonder if God sees a beautiful thing when He looks at my life.  Does He see me do anything that is wonderfully significant for Him?

What do you think He sees when he looks at your life?

Does He see a beautiful thing?

The more time we spend with God and reading His Word, the more beautiful our life will become. Therefore, here is my challenge to you: I challenge you to commit 15 minutes a day to God for one week. Just one week. Can you do that? Read a chapter in the Psalms and spend time in prayer each day for seven days. Make the sacrifice. If you already have a disciplined quiet time, I challenge you to add 15 minutes of prayer time. It will be a beautiful thing to both you and God.

When we open the hands of our lives to His presence, to His service and for His glory, rest assured God will see a beautiful thing. When we obey His promptings and listen to His voice that whispers to our soul, He will fill us to overflowing with joy, peace, satisfaction and His beauty.

CLICK HERE to LISTEN to the song, Something Beautiful, that Gwen co-wrote when wrestling with and praying through this passage of Scripture. Let her song be the springboard for your time in prayer today...

Let's Pray

Dear God, You are worth far more praise than I could ever give. Please help me to rest in Your presence and trust in Your plan. Fill me with Your perspective until I joyfully lay down my will for Yours. Lord, when You look at my life, I want You to see beautiful.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Consider what you are holding back from God. Spend time in prayer returning it to Him.

Read Psalm 96  Read through it a second time, but pause after each verse with a personal and prayerful response to God. Journal any verses that you want to remember.

More From The Girlfriends
30 Day Summer Psalm Adventure: How would you like to join your girlfriends and thousands of other women in a FREE interactive Bible study? If you are ready to go deeper with God by searching and savoring His Word, click over to the 30 Day Summer Psalm Adventure sign up page on Gwen's website and register today!

Every beautiful act of worship begins with the heart. If you would like to learn more about how your brokenness can be transformed into a picture of God's beauty, order Gwen's book Broken Into Beautiful. This resource will help you experience the power of hope, healing and restoration!

[Judy Harder]

July 31, 2013
The Gideon Complex
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Know that the Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep he tends (Psalm 100:3, NCV).

Friend to Friend

Situational ethics is now being taught in many of our public schools. One teacher, wanting to illustrate that human reasoning is many times wrong, gave the following situation to a class of high school students:

"How would you advise a mother who was pregnant with her fifth child based on the following facts: Her husband had syphilis and she had tuberculosis. Their first child was born blind, the second child died. A third child was born deaf while their fourth child had tuberculosis. The mother is considering an abortion. Would you advise her to have one?"

In view of these facts, most of the students agreed that the mother should have an abortion. The teacher then announced, "If you said 'yes,' you would have just killed the great composer, Ludwig von Beethoven."

You and I were created as a living, fleshed out depiction of God's love. We can celebrate the precious truth of Psalm 139:14-16 (NCV), "I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What you have done is wonderful. I know this very well. You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my mother's body. When I was put together there, you saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old."

Just think of it! God Himself supervised our formation. We were created in love – for love and with a specific and holy purpose in mind. We can rejoice with the Psalmist who wrote, "Know that the Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to him; we are his people, the sheep he tends" (Psalm 100:3, NCV).

Many women buy into the lie that we are little more than puppets in the hands of God; that He created us as tools for His personal use or slaves to do His bidding and carry out His plan. In this verse, "Lord" literally means "Father" or "dearest Daddy," indicating an intimate relationship between a loving Father and His child.

God undoubtedly has plans for us, but we misunderstand the character and heart of God when we assume those plans serve as a punishment or penalty for not being good enough. Jeremiah understood the heart of God toward His children when he wrote, "I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord. "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future" (Jeremiah 29:11, NCV). The best plan, the highest plan for our lives rests in the hands of the One who created us.

In the early days of the automobile, a man's Model - T Ford stalled in the middle of the road. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get the care started. A chauffeured limousine pulled up behind the stalled car and a wiry, energetic man stepped from the back seat to offer his assistance. After tinkering with the engine for a few moments, the stranger said, "Now try it!" The engine immediately leaped to life. The well-dressed man then identified himself as Henry Ford. "I designed and built these cars," he said, "So I know what to do when something goes wrong."

When our lives are broken, when the plan falls apart and everything goes wrong, we need to wait on God, knowing He created us and knows us best and loves us most.  We are chosen, just like Gideon.

The Bible is filled with men and women who were unlikely servants. Weak, fearful and unwilling, they fought against the call of God, offering excuses and pleading for exemption – just like we do. Gideon was such a man.

Judges 6:11-16 (NIV) "The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior."  "But sir," Gideon replied, "If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian." The Lord turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?" "But Lord, "Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." The Lord answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."

Like Gideon, we listen to the wrong voices, bow to the wrong audience, and diligently catalog flimsy excuses in hopes of escaping whatever step of faith God asks us to take.  In doing so, we miss the highest blessings He has to offer.

I want it all! I want everything God has for me! I don't want to miss a single step on my journey to the heart of God. I want to be the woman God created and now calls me to be. How?

Gideon was a farmer, a family man just trying to earn a living and put food on the table.  Like us, he felt inadequate and unworthy of God's choice. But God saw what Gideon would become, not just what he was. The angel called Gideon a "mighty warrior," a title that is almost laughable because Gideon certainly didn't look like a mighty warrior nor did he act like one. Therefore, the only explanation or reason he could possibly become a mighty warrior was because the "Lord would be with him." Gideon surrendered to God. He didn't understand God's plan, but he trusted God and chose to step out in faith.

Just as God chose Gideon, He has chosen you. Just as God equipped and empowered Gideon, he will equip and empower you. Just surrender.

Let's Pray

Father, I now surrender to Your plan for my life. I am afraid and feel unworthy and unprepared. But I trust You to provide the strength and power I need to obey You. In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read James 2:14. Examine your life in light of the faith James describes in this verse.   Record your thoughts, identifying the area(s) in your life that are most plagued with doubt. Spend time this week, submitting those areas, in faith, to the power of God.

[Judy Harder]

August 1, 2013
The Velveteen Woman
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Most of us have read or heard of the childhood classic, The Velveteen Rabbit. Perhaps you first heard the story snuggled in your mother's lap or like me, as an adult with a child snuggled in your lap. Like many children's books, the message carries a profound truth that resonates more with adults than with kids.

The story begins...

"There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid. He was fat and bunchy, as a rabbit should be; his coat was spotted brown and white, he had real thread whiskers, and his ears were lined with pink sateen. On Christmas morning, when he sat wedged in the top of the Boy's stocking, with a spring of holly between his paws, the effect was charming.

"The boy loved the rabbit...for at least two hours, but then he was put on the nursery shelf with all the other toys. Because he was velveteen, some of the more expensive toys snubbed him.  Some of the toys boasted about being fashioned as smaller models of real things, such as boats and soldiers. But the rabbit didn't even know that there was such a thing as a real rabbit. He thought all were just as he was, stuffed with sawdust. But one night, the rabbit made a fascinating discovery.

"The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else...

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you.  When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse  "You become real. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

The Velveteen Rabbit wasn't even sure what a rabbit was supposed to do. He just knew there had to be more to life than being filled with sawdust and sitting on a shelf.

Being real. That's what really matters. I don't want to wait until most of my hair has fallen out and I've lost my stuffing. I want to be real right now. So what if I don't look as shiny as the other toys in the nursery.

Yes, sometimes it is painful to become real. It takes courage. But until we do, we'll find that our existence sitting on the shelves is just a dim reflection of the abundant life that Jesus came to give.

Let's chat. Click over to my Facebook page and tell me the name of one of the most real people you know.

Let's Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I know that You want me to be real and honest with those around me.  Jesus was. He never pretended to be something that He wasn't and He didn't pretend not to be something that He was. I am Your child with many faults, failures, and foibles. I made mistakes in my past and will make mistakes in my future. I pray that I will always have the courage to be real with those around me and never participate in religious pretending because of concern over what others may think. I'm just me: saved, sealed, and delivered! In Jesus's name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Let's get into Scripture and see what we can learn about being real.

Read Genesis 25:23-34. Who was Jacob?

How did he trick his brother? (Genesis 25:29-34)

How did he trick his father? (Genesis 27)

Jacob was pretending to be someone he was not. In the end, it caused much heartache.

Read Genesis 32:22-30  What question did God ask Jacob? How did he answer God differently than he answered his dad in Genesis 27?

What did God do once Jacob became real and stopped pretending to be someone he wasn't?

More from the Girlfriends

Being real is one of the themes of my book, Your Scars of Beautiful to God: Finding peace and purpose in the hurts of your past. God doesn't want us to hide our scars. He wants us to be real and use the scars of our past to impact those in our present! That's what makes them beautiful! Click here to learn more about this life-changing book.

Beginning August 1, the content of my blog will be completely different from the Girlfriends in God devotions. So if you are not signed up for my blog at www.sharonjaynes.com, please do it today...and invite all your friends. I'm going to have more give-a-ways, more personal interaction, and more inspiration than ever before!

[Judy Harder]

August 2, 2013

Don't Scratch That Itch
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth

When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed (James 1:13-14, NIV).

Friend to Friend

I once woke up with a spider bite that was the size of a quarter. It may as well have been the size of North Carolina for as much as it itched! I was half-tempted to scratch off my arm. That nasty bite was just begging to be scratched. However, I have learned a thing or two in my forty-plus years, and one thing I know for sure: it is best not to scratch this type of itch.

It would be like opening a bag of chips with the naive intention of eating only one.Yeah, right! I knew that if I started scratching my bug bite, it would be nearly impossible to stop. I would regret having ever started.

Super-itchy bug bites are a lot like temptations. Temptations are itchy! The call to us with urgent voices that scream, "Scratch me!  Scratch me!"  Yet, in all reality, a little scratch will not satisfy temptation's itch at all... it will just make matters worse. When we scratch the itch of temptation, the itch does not diminish. To the contrary, it increases.

The Bible teaches us that when we resist temptation, our faith is mobilized and our character is strengthened. Joseph is a great example of this. (For the full account, pause here and read Genesis 39.)

Joseph was a man of integrity who did right in the eyes of the Lord. Even so, he faced some serious temptations. His boss's wife, Mrs. Potiphar, seduced him. Yowsa! You see, Mrs. Potiphar wanted her husband's right-hand man to sleep with her, and she pursued him with aggression. Her temptation was a hand-delivered invitation for Joseph to sin that had itchy written all over it.  But he flat-out refused. His heart was determined to honor God.

"My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife.  How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" Though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her (Genesis 39:9-10).

Temptation chased Joseph relentlessly. Day after day. Oh, how he must have longed for the itching to stop! To give in would be sinful. To give in was simply not an option for this young man of character. So on the day that Potiphar's wife caught him by the cloak and begged again for Joseph to sleep with her, Joseph ran out of the house. He ran from that tempting situation as fast as his legs would carry him.

God was honored in Joseph's response.

He ran from temptation.

We would be wise to do the same.

What do you need to run from today? Have you determined in your heart to honor God in everything? Temptation comes in all shapes and sizes.  It might be calling your name from your pantry – or from your computer – or in a sale ad – or from a bottle – or from another cubicle in your office.  What temptations do you face today?  Name them and run the other way! Don't scratch that itch! Determine in your heart that you will choose the path that brings honor to God, and call on Him for strength.

Dealing with temptation is not easy. When that nasty spider bit my arm, I struggled not to scratch the bite. I had to re-direct my thinking to persevere through the temptation. When we come face to face with temptations, God's strength is always available to us. We need God's strength. Ours will fail us. Friend, when you resist temptation: you position yourself in the peace and protection of God, your faith is mobilized and your character is strengthened.

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, I need You so much. I constantly find myself being dragged away and enticed by temptation. Please strengthen me to run the other way, and give me the wisdom to run to Your arms. I want to be a woman of godly character. Help me be that woman! In Jesus's name,
amen.

Now It's Your Turn

I wish my temptations were always as simple as the itch of a pesky little bug bite!  But, of course, they are not.  Each of us will encounter some real whoppers in our lives. James chapter one tells us that when we persevere through trials and temptations, one rewards is maturity. That really encourages me!  I hope it encourages you as well.

What have you been dragged away and enticed by in the past? How did you respond? How have you grown from those experiences? Tell me about it on my blog or my Facebook page.

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. To orderBroken Into Beautiful, grab one from Amazon or, for a signed copy, visit Gwen's website.

It's finally here! Sharon, Gwen and Mary's new book, Knowing God by Name, is now available. This is the perfect book for individual study or for gathering a group of friends in what we call GiG Groups. With impactful devotions, study questions, journal pages, free on-line video intros, and more ... this book is a resource you'll refer to time-and-time again.

[Judy Harder]

August 5, 2013
Giving Up Control
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

But he [God] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong, (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, NIV).

Friend to Friend

The angels were hovering low in our church on this particular Sunday morning. It was a special day for a group of ten "kids" known as the King's Kids. They were leading worship by singing a special song – only many of the kids couldn't carry a tune, walk on their own, or even control their limbs.

We sat in silence as the unlikely band of worship leaders stumbled onto the stage.  Each of these children of God had a disability and visible handicap. The King's Kids lined up on the stage, many with adults standing behind them to support them, both physically and emotionally. Kristen, a young lady with Down syndrome appeared to be the leader. She stood out in front of the others with confidence, strength, and passion.

The sound track began and the King's Kids began to "sing" with their hands in sign language. "Press on," their hands proclaimed. With wide sweeping motions and uninhibited praise, Kristen sang with arms and hands to the One who loved her most.

There was one girl in particular who caught my eye. She was not able to do the signs by herself.  Her limbs were much too weak and uncontrolled. I watched as this gal leaned into a woman standing behind her and surrendered her arms and hands. While the others signed the words to the song, the woman moved her young charge's hands in tandem with the others. Beth simply leaned into her helper and relinquished control.

Then God spoke to my heart: That is what I want you to do. Lean into Me, relinquish control, and allow Me to move your life in a symphony of worship.

We all have disabilities. While the handicaps vary, God longs for each one of us to do as Beth did on that Sunday morning. Lean into Him.  Relinquish control. Allow God to move us to His song.

There was not a dry eye in the 2000-seat sanctuary that morning. These precious Kids had many wounds and scars in their young lives, but they encouraged each of us to "press on" through our own struggles and hardships. Their disabilities were visible, yet those of us who sat in the pews had disabilities that were not visible to the naked eye but just as real.

I wonder what God wants to accomplish through you. I wonder how long He's been waiting for you to lean into Him and let Him take control.

If you are ready to give up control and lean into the Master, click over to my Facebookpage and say, "I'm giving up control and leaning into God today!"

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, thank You that when I am weak, You are strong. Take my hands and feet and move them to Your rhythm of life. I yield myself totally to You. In Jesus's name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn

How would you describe your willingness to give up control of your life to God? Stubborn as a grease stain, or submissive as a chalk mark?

What are some areas that you tend to hang onto and take control?

What do you think would happen if you gave control of your life totally to God?

If God does not have total control of your life, what's stopping you from turning over the reins?

More from the Girlfriends
Today's devotion was taken from my book, Your Scars are Beautiful to God: Finding Peace and Purpose from the Hurts of Your Past. To learn how turn your greatest struggles into your most bodacious victories, check it out! You can download a free sample chapter as well!

Beginning August 1, the content of my blog will be completely different from the Girlfriends in God devotions. So if you are not signed up for my blog at www.sharonjaynes.com, please do it today...and invite all your friends. I'm going to have more give-a-ways, more personal interaction, and more inspiration than ever before!

[Judy Harder]

August 6, 2013
Let Peace Rule
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts (Colossians 3:15a, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Peace seems to be on everyone's mind, which is nothing new. It seems to me that we have been chasing peace since time began. We want a peaceful world, a peaceful home, and a peaceful workplace – a peaceful life. I know people who would give everything they have for a few minutes of peace. Peace cannot be found in a treaty or negotiation or political party. Peace is an inside job and can only be found in one place – a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. When we know Him, we can experience and know peace.

Peace is the condition of wholeness and the sense of well - being that comes from knowing God and being made right in His eyes. Peace is completely dependent upon His presence in us and upon His gift of eternal life. We come into this world with an ache in our soul, a longing in our heart and a deep sense of being lost.  When we find God, we find home. Peace immediately takes up residence in our hearts, and we are eternally "found."

When our son, Jered, was a little boy, he and his dad often went for a walk after dinner while I put Danna to bed. One night, Dan decided to test Jered's sense of direction. "How far are we from home, son?" Dan asked. Jered answered, "Dad, I don't know." Dan then asked, "Well, where are you?" Again, Jered answered, "I don't know." Dan laughed, "Sounds to me like you are lost." Jered looked up at his father, grinned and said, "Nope, I can't be lost. I'm with you." With God, we experience peace.

However, understanding peace does not always guarantee the presence of peace. I am often guilty of filling my days with so many appointments, tasks, meetings, and activities that peace disintegrates before noon.  Paul encourages us to "let the peace of Christ rule" in our hearts. The word "rule" is an athletic term meaning "to preside at the games and distribute the prizes." Sounds like a day at the office to me!

In the Greek games, there were judges who rejected the contestants that were not qualified, and disqualified those who broke the rules. Today, we would call them "umpires" and the playing field of peace would be our hearts. "Heart" refers to "the center of one's being." Peace begins its reign in the center of our being; it then works its way out into every nook and cranny of life - if we allow peace to rule. 

Admittedly, there are times when an umpire seems like a good idea because many of us relish a good fight.  We say we want peace but not at the price of giving up control or surrendering personal agendas. We must stand firm in our resolve to pursue harmony and peace, even if it means giving up rights and yielding control.

Relationships must be committed to peace. It is difficult to wage war with someone who has laid down his or her weapons in an act of surrender. Ah, there's that dreaded word again - surrender.

Surrender is the heartbeat of peace. The choice to surrender initiates the process of allowing peace to rule. I guess you could say that the peace of God is our "umpire" and always stands ready to make the calls that will lead us to rest in and trust Him. But first comes the choice to "let" peace rule. The work of peace is always unleashed by our choice, our invitation.

How is the peace level in your life? I know that we live in uncertain times and can often fall prey to worry, doubt and fear. We don't understand what is happening or why. Solutions seem scarce while problems multiply.  What should we do? Stop! Take a deep breath and remember who you are - and whose you are. You are a child of the King, girlfriend. He is fully aware of your circumstances. Where you are is no surprise to Him. God often allows His children to be cast into a fiery furnace, but His hand is always on the thermostat. Stand firm in your faith and choose peace.

Let's Pray

Father, I praise You today because You are my peace. Your presence in my life ushers in true peace and lets my soul rest. Forgive me when I cram my days with urgent things that are not always the important things. Help me discern Your plan for my life each day so that I can walk in peace. In Jesus's name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn

How would you define the concept of peace in your life? Is your heart and mind filled with chaos and stress instead of peace? Identify the source of stress in your life and make any adjustments necessary to bring that area under control. Write out your own "Peace Treaty" with God and share it with a friend. When you feel as if your life is spinning out of control, remember to rest in Him.