Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

March 18, 2014
The Aroma of Christ
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? (2 Corinthians 2:14-16, NIV).

Friend to Friend

I tend to be a creature of habit in many ways – a fact that impacts all areas of my life – even when it comes to smells. I know. A little strange but let me explain.

While teaching third grade at an elementary school in Texas, I habitually took the same route to work every morning. The elementary school was only a fifteen-minute drive from our home, and there were several different and even shorter routes I could have taken. However, the one I normally took went by a bakery at the precise time they were gearing up for the day. The aroma of fresh bread was like a magnet that lured me in to grab a hot cinnamon roll or blueberry muffin to eat on my way to school. Scrumptious! In fact, I eagerly volunteered to provide goodies for the teacher break room because it gave me an excuse to stop at the bakery. And all the other teachers just thought I was being nice. Interestingly enough, if I was dieting, I took a different route in order to avoid that tempting smell.

I am also a creature of habit when it comes to candles. I love candles. In fact, everyone who knows me can testify to the fact I have a "thing" for candles. I burn them continually for any or no reason other than the fact I enjoy their aroma. When I walk in my front door, the fragrance of a burning candle often triggers wonderful memories and instantly draws me in. And the aroma of just-baked cookies or a pot of coffee brewing just makes me feel good. I have to say that fragrances are important to me.

Unfortunately, life is filled with both pleasant and not-so-pleasant fragrances. One of my least favorite smells comes from a litter box. We have had cats on and off for many years. Never just one cat, mind you. Oh no. At one point, we had two adult cats that both had kittens within a month of each other for a grand total of nine cats. And did I mention the fact that I hate litter boxes? When I walked in the front door of our home, and was greeted by that toxic litter box odor, I flew into high gear - lighting candles, emptying the litter box and ... well, you get the idea. An aroma can be appealing and inviting or it can be offensive and unpleasant. That same principle can be applied to our life in Christ.

A life without Jesus Christ is filled with the aroma of death but the fragrance of Jesus Christ at work in a life is pleasing and winsome. The knowledge of Christ is a compelling and magnetic fragrance that draws the broken heart and wounded soul to a place of restoration. When God looks at one of His children, I am convinced His heart beats with love, giving off the beautiful aroma of grace and hope.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NIV) "But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?"

How about your life? Do you live in such a way that people are drawn to you, to the pleasant aroma of Jesus Christ and His truth at work in you? Does His transforming knowledge compel others to take a second look at your life and want what you have? I so want my life to be one that is winsome like Jesus was. I want others to see Him in me and be drawn to the fragrance of His love and mercy that save me and give my life purpose. I want to be the aroma of Jesus Christ to the broken and wounded people who cross my path every day.

Let's Pray

Father, I want others to see You in my life. I want to live out Your truth and knowledge in such a way that the lost and broken are drawn to Your love and mercy in me. Teach me how to saturate my life with Your truth and then share that truth with those around me. Let me be the sweet aroma of You to my family, friends, and neighbors ... everyone You send my way.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Make a list of your five favorite fragrances.

How do these fragrances make you feel?

Are you saturating your life with the fragrance of God's truth?

Who are the people in your life who need to know Christ?

What step(s) do you need to take to be the aroma of Jesus Christ to the people in your life?

[Judy Harder]

March 19, 2014
Big Assignments begin with Tiny "Yeses"
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

His master replied, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. (Matthew 5:21, NIV)

Friend to Friend

When people ask me how I got started in ministry, I tell them I started by writing for free publications for free for ten years. This is not what most people want to hear.

When I tell them I started by folding newsletters in the den of my home for several years, they seem crestfallen.

When I tell them I started out by cleaning the bathrooms in our first little ministry office, they seem confused.

"No, I mean how did you get started writing and speaking?" they ask.

"I'm telling you," I reply. "This is how I got started. Being faithful in the little things. By doing what God led me to do on any particular day."

I never had a big ol' dream to be a speaker and a writer, but that's what God had planned for me. I just put one obedient foot in front of the other and that is where the path led.

We don't obey God in the seemingly small assignments in order to get the bigger ones. However, God will never entrust someone with a big assignment who has not proved herself trustworthy in the small.

When God invites you to join Him in His work, what you do next reveals what you truly believe. If you trust Him completely and follow His lead in the great dance of obedience, then you will experience the spins, twirls, and lifts of the glory life Jesus came to give. If you decide to sit this one out because of fear, then the chairs along the wall are positioned just for you to sit and watch the less fearful wow the crowd. But know this: The band is playing your song.

When God extends His invitation to join Him in the divine dance of obedience, the time to accept is at that very moment. We have about ten to thirty seconds before common sense talks us out of obeying God's promptings. The time to act is as soon as you sense the Spirit calling you to move.

When my husband and I took ballroom dance classes (We called it Dancing with the Scars), I remember complaining to the dance instructor, "How many times are we going to have to go over the one-two-three-four of the foxtrot? I'm tired of making these little boxes. I want to move around the room! I want to dip and swirl!"

"As soon as you learn to follow your husband's lead and master the basic steps," she replied. Only then will we move on to fancier moves."

As you live and move and have your being in Him, the places He will lead you will become more and more glorious as you learn to relinquish control and trust Him. Big assignments begin with a thousand tiny "yeses." Small steps of obedience become beautiful sweeping moves of faith.

But first...you have to take the little steps.

Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, forgive me for wanting the big assignments and not being faithful to do the seemingly smaller ones. Help me to remember that every time I obey You, even when the tasks seem insignificant, You smile and say, "Well done, My good and faithful servant."

I love You,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read 1 Samuel 16 and note when David was anointed as king.

What did he do between 1 Samuel 16 and 1 Samuel 17? (Hint: Baa Baa)

What did David do between 1 Samuel 17 and 2 Samuel 2? Just scan the headings.

And as they say, "the rest is history."

[Judy Harder]

March 20, 2014
Can we really trust God?
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28, NIV).

Friend to Friend

A daughter was telling her mother how everything was going wrong. "I am failing Algebra. My boyfriend just broke up with me, and my best friend is moving away," she wailed. Her mom listened patiently, and then asked, "I made a cake for dinner. Would you like a snack?" The girl grinned and said, "Sure, Mom. I love your cake." The mom smiled and asked, "How about some cooking oil?" The daughter looked surprised at the offer and responded with a loud "Yuk!" The mom tried again, "How about a couple of raw eggs?" With a look of confusion, the daughter said, "Gross, Mom!" With a smile, the mother offered, "Would you like some flour or maybe a cup of baking soda?" The daughter responded, "Mom, all of those things are gross!" The mother cut a piece of cake and placed it on a plate with a fork. As she handed the delicious snack to her daughter, she explained, "Honey, all of those things seem bad when you think about eating them alone, but when they are put together in the right way, they make a delicious cake."

God often works the same way. We sometimes wonder why He allows us to go through such difficult times, but when God puts those hard times together as only He can, they work out for our good. We just have to trust Him to do so.

I will never forget the day I learned how God really can turn tragedy into triumph.

I was sitting at my desk, working on an assignment from the counselor I had been seeing. For months, I had been wrestling with my past - slowly, methodically working through painful issues and buried memories that seemed to be feeding the clinical depression I was battling. As page after page filled with harsh realities, a memory slammed into my heart and mind.

The pain was overwhelming as a vile scene from my childhood slowly took shape. I could hardly breathe as I frantically tried to escape the certainty that I had been molested. The perpetrator had been our family doctor and a trusted friend. He had even provided free medical treatment when we couldn't pay for it. I trusted him, counted on him. As a nurse, my mother worked beside this man every day and often babysat his children to earn extra money.

Anger unlike any I had ever known fueled violent thoughts of revenge and retaliation. I was angry with this man – and angry with God. How could He have let this happen? Where was the light in this dark place?

For months, I worked through painful memories and raging emotions until I saw the first glimmer of light. It was wrapped in chosen forgiveness. I began to see that if I had never been wounded so badly, I would never have been able to forgive so freely – and in doing so, discover a depth of healing and freedom only the greatest pain can produce. Today, I can honestly thank God for all He has accomplished in me through the sin of that man.

There are no accidents with God, nor is He surprised by anything or anyone in the life of His child. God uses even the most horrendous circumstances for our good. Every circumstance comes to us for a purpose, bound by God's love and plan, and faithfully delivered with His permission. While we cannot go back and change our past, we can change the way we respond to our past, and determine how much power it has in our lives today.

Only God can take the broken pieces of your life and make something beautiful out of each one. He is waiting for you to let go of your pain and trust Him. And you really can. No one loves you like He does. You may not always understand or even like His process, but you can always trust His heart of love for you.

Let's Pray

Father, I choose to believe You are faithful and will do what You promise to do in Your Word. I believe that when I lay the pain and hurt of my past at Your feet, You can and will transform it all into something beautiful. I choose to believe You will turn the broken places of my life into living illustrations of Your sufficiency and healing power.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read the following verses about the good God can bring out of the difficult times in life.

Isaiah 45:3 (NLT) "And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name."

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV) "Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Psalm 103:12 (NLT) "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west."

What one new truth has God given you in each verse? Record those truths in your journal.

More from the Girlfriends

Need help learning how to study the Bible?Check out one of Mary's E-Bible Studies for practical steps you can take to strengthen your faith and find answers to the problems you face every day. Titles include Strength for the Storm, God's Answer to Stress, Getting a Grip on Fear and more.

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

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

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Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
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[Judy Harder]

March 21, 2014
Eyes on the Prize
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth

...Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith... (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Friend to Friend

When my daughter Kennedy was four years old she played on a pee-wee soccer team. We signed her up in hopes that she would have a fun outlet for her overflowing, youthful energy.

On the afternoon of her first practice, I saw great promise! She was all business as she fearlessly ran after the ball and fixed her eyes and efforts on getting the soccer ball into the goal.

I was stoked! A competitive athlete myself, I began to envision Kennedy as Mia Hamm junior. In my mind, she was about to take pee-wee soccer to a whole new level. Surely the Olympic team would be sending me emails about their need for her in just a few short years!

When we got home, she was elated and exhausted, fully in love with her new sporty endeavor. Pride swelled in my mama heart as I gave my husband the run down on practice and assured him that we had a very serious four-year-old competitor on our hands. For a week, I bragged to family and friends about my little soccer girl and told them of her "eye of the tiger" mentality.

Thrilled to see his future-Olympian-soccer-playing daughter in action, my husband Brad took Kennedy to her second practice. As they drove off, I waved like a prom queen swollen with promise – eagerly anticipating an exciting report of her skills and focus upon their return.

When they got home, however, Brad surprised me with his recount of what had gone down on and off the field that day. It seems that during this second practice Kennedy did not have a competitive eye of the tiger. Instead, she had a playful desire to catch the eye of her father. All throughout practice – even in the middle of drills – she continually ran to the sidelines where Brad was watching to get a drink from her water bottle or simply a kiss or a hug from her daddy.

Clearly, her eyes were on the prize of another kind! A better kind.

What a beautiful picture. Kennedy was delighting in the love of her father – constantly running to him with arms open wide. She ran to be refreshed in him. She ran to have her thirst quenched in his presence.

Oh, the lessons we can learn from children! This is how we should run to God and be loved by Him! Jesus taught that we are to approach and accept the kingdom of God as a little child does: simply.

Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." (Luke 18:15-17, ESV)

This causes me to wonder, do I really have a child-like faith? Do I run to God all throughout my days and approach Him with confidence as one who is greatly loved? Do I trust that His gaze is fixed on me or do I believe the lie that He is distant, unseeing and uncaring? Do I focus on the mountains before me or on the Mountain Maker who is able to do exceedingly above and beyond what I can ask or imagine?

It is so easy for us to fix our eyes on the mundane instead of the majestic. So easy to focus on our jobs, our challenges, our failures, our disappointments, our relationships, and our goals! The prize of a better kind awaits each of us who recognizes that the true reward of life is found in Jesus Christ.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; 
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him (Psalm 34:.

God is your reward.

Trust that when you look to Him, He's looking right back at you. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry... (Psalm 34:15).

Trust that when you run to Him, He's running right back to you. Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep...How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! (Psalm 36:5-7)

Today, ...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith... (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Eyes on the Prize, friend.

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your love and compassion. Forgive me to for the times I run straight ahead in life without so much as glancing your way or considering your ways. Today I run to your wide-open arms and give thanks for the redemption, rest and restoration I find in you.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Complete this sentence and post it as a comment on my blog for the world to see: "Lord, today I will stop fixing my eyes on ______________ and will instead fix my eyes on You."

Read Psalm 34 and note all of the active and responsive ways of God. Journal about them and reflect on the blessings of walking closely with Him.

[Judy Harder]

March 24, 2014
De-compartmentalize Your Quiet Time
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long (Psalm 119:97, NIV).

Friend to Friend

I love, absolutely love, studying God's Word. From the time I first said "yes" to Jesus, I have devoured the Scriptures. And yet, I'll admit, extended times of prayer have been a struggle for me. Perhaps that is one reason it is called a discipline. I have to discipline myself to set the time apart—to "be still and know."

But then I began to realize just how compartmentalized my time with God had become. My spiritual life was more like an outlined lesson plan with sub-headings A, B, C, and 1, 2, 3 than a love relationship with Jesus. So I made a change. It was God's suggestion really. Why not pray and read at the same time?

When I read the Bible, I pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal what the words say, what they mean, and how I can apply them to my life. For example, one day while reading Ephesians 1:8, I felt compelled to pray this verse for several people. So I stopped reading and began communing with God in prayer.

Dear Lord, I pray for Steven today. I pray that You will open the eyes of his heart so that he may see the hope to which You have called him and the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints...  I prayed that Scripture for several people, until I felt the promptings from the Holy Spirit cease. Then God and I got back to reading again.

Another day, I was reading Matthew 6:9, what we've come to know as The Lord's Prayer. "Our Father," Jesus began. Stop right there and think about that, the Holy Spirit seemed to say. Our Father. As I ruminated and marinated in the words "our" and "father" God spoke to my heart about the sort of father I'd always longed for and the sort of Father I already had in Him. If I had stuck to a schedule for my Bible reading that week, I would have fallen terribly behind. But the continual conversation I had with God about that one little word, "father," was priceless.

Consider the word meditate. This word often conjures up images of Eastern religious practices. But it is a wonderful word that we should not be afraid to use. Meditation simply means to think deeply and continuously about something. For a Christian, meditation and constant communication go hand in hand. As we think deeply and continuously about God's Word, He opens our eyes to see, our ears to hear, and our minds to understand.  When you meditate on Scripture, you mull over God's words in your mind until they move from your head to your heart.

So here's my suggestion...pray and read...at the same time. I've decided that when I read God's Word, I'm going to keep the lines of communication open. After all, this is the only book you will ever read where the Author is right there with you every time you open the pages!

Let's Pray

Good morning Lord! I can't wait to experience this day with You. I'm so glad that Jesus is in me and I am in Him. We're in this thing called life together. Help me practice Acts 17:28 today...In him we live and move and have our being – in him we exist.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read Ephesians Chapter 1 and pray various Scriptures over the people God brings to mind. Don't stop until God's promptings stop.

If you accepted this challenge, let's celebrate together. Simply leave a comment on my Facebook page, that says," I accepted your challenge and prayed through Ephesians 1 today." And if you have time, tell me a little bit about what you experienced as you prayed.

[Judy Harder]

March 25, 2014
I Can Sleep When the Wind Blows
Part 1

Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Stress is a familiar and faithful companion. It doesn't matter where life takes us, we will encounter stress. Unless we learn to manage and deal with that stress – God's way – we will find ourselves trapped, an easy target for the enemy.

I heard the story of a farmer who, as the owner of a large piece of land along the Atlantic seacoast, constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic because of terrible storms known to plague the area. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin middle-aged man applied for the job. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the desperate farmer hired him.

The slight man worked hard, to the delight of the farmer. One night, the howling wind blew in from offshore, signaling the approach of a monstrous storm. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. "Get up! A storm is coming!" he yelled. The man rolled over in bed and firmly responded, "No sir. I told you. I can sleep when the wind blows." Furious, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm only to discover that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarps. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in their coops, the doors were barred, and the shutters were tightly secured. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand had meant. He, too, returned to his bed to sleep while the wind blew.

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 have to deal with stress.

Know whose you are. I grew up in a Christian home, attending church every time the doors were open. I sang all the right songs, spoke all the right words, and did all the right things in front of all the right people. I fervently prayed that my works would validate my faith, and desperately hoped that by following the rules, I would please the Ruler. It wasn't until middle school that the authentic life of a dynamic youth pastor made me hunger and thirst for something more. I wanted to know God intimately.

During an evening church service, I sat in my usual spot, clutching the back of the pew in front of me while wrestling with God over the condition of my soul and my eternal security. I argued that I knew all about God, and then the deeper truth of that argument hit me. Yes, I knew about Him but I didn't know Him. That night we met. While the course of my life was changed forever, I quickly discovered that I still have to face and deal with stressful circumstances every day. The difference is that I don't have to face and deal with those tough situations alone.

God is with me. His power strengthens me, and His love surrounds me, saturating even the most desperate circumstances with hope. Knowing that we belong to God is the very foundation for a life of peace and the first step in dealing with stress. Join me in my next devotion as we examine four more ways to deal with stress.

Let's Pray

Father, I praise You for being my Peace in the midst of a stressful day. I can't always see Your hand at work or even understand or like Your process. But I do know that I can fully trust Your heart of love for me, Lord. When the stress of life tempts me to worry, help me to trust You instead. When it seems like my life is spinning out of control, give me Your strength to stop and remember that You are God and that heaven is not in a panic! Right now, I choose against the tyranny of stress in my life, and I choose to trust You instead. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Go back to the time when you first met God and surrendered your life to Him.

What changes has that decision made in your life?

How did you feel when you first realized that you belong to God?

What did you do?

Who did you tell?

Now think about your relationship with God today and compare your circumstances, attitudes and habits with those first days of knowing Him.

Read and memorize Jeremiah 29:11. Celebrate God's perfect and unique plan for your life. And when stress shows up in your life today, remember whose you are.

More from the Girlfriends

Whew! Just talking about stress wears me out. It's so daily! At one point in my life, stress literally made me sick. And I know your life is just like mine, friend. But God ... don't you just love those words? But God can give you peace and take away the anxiety of stress-filled circumstances. My book, Escaping the Stress Trap, is my journey from a stress-managed life to a life in which, through God's power, I am learning to manage stress. Check it out!

[Judy Harder]

March 26, 2014
How to Astonish a Crowd
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

When they saw the courage of Peter and John, and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13 NIV, emphasis mine)

Friend to Friends

The religious leaders were listening to Peter and John preach. They were perplexed, astonished really. They wondered where Peter and John acquired such knowledge and wisdom. "When they saw the courage of Peter and John, and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."

Ah, they had been with Jesus. That explained everything.

We tend to look at folks who are talented or who have great resources and think, "If we could win that soul for the Lord, then think of all he or she could accomplish for the kingdom!"

How silly. As if God needs our meager resources to accomplish anything.

When you say "yes" to God, despite your inabilities, then you become a living, breathing, walking display of His glory as you live and move and have your being in Him.

Listen to this: "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him" (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

You are always one step of obedience away from the next great adventure and moments of sudden glory that follow. Are you willing to abandon that which makes you comfortable to embrace that which makes you fulfilled? Are you ready for the fancy footwork of faith?

As you consider joining Jesus on the dance floor of obedience, remember this: The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it" (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Don't worry that you don't know all the right moves. He does. You simply need to follow His lead.

In Him we live and move and have our being...the dance of obedience is breathtakingly beautiful.

Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, I pray that others will see You in me. Help me to represent You well today. Help me to be a reflection of You today. I pray others will know that anything good in me is because of You in me.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Go back and read the verses mentioned in today's devotion. Consider committing one of them to memory.

Acts 4:13

1 Corinthians 1:27-29

1 Thessalonians 5:24

[Judy Harder]

March 27, 2014
I Can Sleep When the Wind Blows
Part 2
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Storms are a reality of life. That's the bad news. The good news is that God is bigger than any storm we will ever face.

When our daughter, Danna, was a toddler, she and her daddy had a favorite game. Dan would place her in some high spot. He would then hold up his arms, and say, "Jump to Daddy!" I hated that game, but Danna loved it. She would always jump into his arms, laughing and giggling. One day, Dan picked a spot that seemed just a little too high for Danna's taste. She did what I do when I get scared. She closed her eyes. When her dad said, "Jump!" she said, "I can't! I can't see you, Daddy!" Dan said, "It doesn't matter, baby. I can see you!" With a smile on her scrunched up face, my daughter bailed off into the strong arms of her Father, secure in the knowledge that he would catch her just as he always had. Talk about a major stress buster! Knowing that we belong to God and that He will always be there to catch us when we fall is the foundation for a life of peace. Today, let's look at four more ways to deal with stress.

Recognize your source. I believe a large part of our stress is the result of misplaced expectations, requiring the people and circumstances in our lives to meet needs that only God can meet. Most people who know me well would describe me as a strong woman. It took a complete physical, emotional, and spiritual breakdown for me to realize I was only as strong as my human personality and abilities would allow me to be. I was, in short, looking in all the wrong places for the deepest needs of my heart to be met. When all was stripped away by a two-year battle with clinical depression, I was left with nothing but broken dreams and unanswered questions. There, in that dark pit, surrounded by the meager remains of a shattered life, I discovered that God is enough. "The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want." Just as the shepherd meets every need of his sheep, God meets our every need. Just as the sheep totally depend upon their shepherd's care, we must depend totally upon God for our care. He is our Source, and in light of that reality, stress flees, leaving only peace.

Learn to rest. I am terrible at this "rest" thing, forever walking the thin line between being productive and my life spiraling out of control. I have repeatedly tried to defy my God-given need for rest, thinking that I'm somehow "above" both the occurrence and consequences of exhaustion. Stress shouts: "Get busy! There's so much to do!" Stress applauds and dances with delight as I keep on "doing" instead of "being." I've discovered that when I'm tired, it's much harder to handle stress. Just as ninety percent of income goes farther when we tithe ten percent of it, so does our energy when we tithe it in rest.

Manage your fears. It's not God's plan for us to dwell in fear. He has already set in motion the fall of every giant we will ever face. Our responsibility is to step through our fear, confronting those giants in God's power instead of our own, while counting on the promise that God really is the same yesterday, today and forever. We have nothing to fear, not because we are clever or self-sufficient, but because we are His sheep. We can learn to manage fear and stress instead of allowing fear and stress to manage us.

Take the long look. We must be very careful to choose the right backdrop against which we live. Our backdrop is eternity – not the daily tyranny of urgent demands. Our backdrop is an old rugged cross - not the condemnation of our own heart or the judgments of others. Our backdrop is an empty tomb – not the stress filled prison of despair. When stress threatens and it seems like you can't go on, rest in God's truth. Take the long look at life, knowing that He will provide your every need and fill your heart with peace.

Stress is tenacious in its quest to derail and destroy us. Marriages and homes teeter on the brink of disaster because we're too busy. Personal and family needs are consigned to the bottom of our priority list. Distractions are rampant because our lives are not rightly focused - and the enemy laughs in the shadows, applauding our foolishness. Stop. Get off of the merry-go-round. Come into God's presence and rest there until stress has gone and peace has come.

Let's Pray

Father, I refuse to surrender my peace to the stress of life. Help me learn how to truly rest in You, knowing that You will never leave me or forsake me. Today, I submit my will to Your plan for my life. You are my Shepherd and my God. I put my trust in You and praise You for Your perfect provision in my life.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read Psalm 23 every day for one week. Beside each phrase below, write you own thoughts about how God is at work in your life:

He makes me to lie down in green pastures___________________________.
He leads me beside the still waters__________________________________.
He restores my soul _____________________________________________.
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me_____________________________.
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake ___________.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life _________.

[Judy Harder]

March 28, 2014
Living The Dream
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

Friend to Friend

As I walked into the pink and purple bedroom to tuck in my little rosebud, she sat up in bed and began braiding her hair. She had been waiting for me. News was bubbling in her heart that she simply had to share.

Through twists of hair, she began, "Mom! I know what I want to be when I grow up!"

"Well, tell me, Kennedy!" I replied, completely smitten with her 8-year-old enthusiasm.

"I want to be a beautritionist!" She gushed.

"A beautritionist?" I questioned, both amused and enamored.

"Yes, mom! I want to be a beautritionist!"

"That completely rocks, girlfriend! I'm so excited for you! Do you mean that you want to do hair and makeup and help ladies look beautiful?"

"Yes!" She confirmed excitedly.

"Excellent!" I replied. "I think the word you meant to use was beautician, but I love the word you made up! The reason I love it is this: you combined two words, beautician and nutritionist. A beautician helps people to look beautiful on the outside by fixing hair and make up. A nutritionist helps people to be healthy and well on the inside. So, your new word is incredible because a beautritionist would help others to be healthy on the inside and beautiful on the outside! Yay! Fun! I want to be a beautritionist too, Kennedy!"

We giggled as I tucked her in – snug as a bug in a rug – and prayed for the Lord to help us be the women He created us to be... inside and outside.

Later that evening I journaled the exchange so I wouldn't forget it. As I was writing, it occurred to me that what Kennedy was really telling me upstairs was that she had big dreams in her little heart. She was telling me that she wanted to make a positive impact on others and have a life filled with beauty.

She wanted what we all want.

We all want a great life.

And guess what? That's God's plan for us too.

God wants us to have an amazing, beautiful life – in Him, through Him, and for Him. Truly. The Bible tells us so. He offers us joy – but not the world's joy; peace – but not the world's peace; power – but not the world's power; love – but not the world's love. His plan is a good plan... for us, not against us... a plan that is filled with hope and a future.

Just like God spoke hope to the prophet Jeremiah thousands of years ago, His Word speaks hope to us today, and every day, reminding us of the beauty available to all in Christ. A beauty that ultimately brings Him glory.

In Christ, you are saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

In Christ, you are forgiven and made righteous. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

In Christ, you are a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

In Christ, there is no condemnation. (Romans 8:1)

In Christ, you are justified and have peace with God. (Romans 5:1)

In Christ, you are his workmanship - created to do good works. (Ephesians 2:10)

In Christ, you are chosen and made holy to proclaim his excellency. (1 Peter 2:9)

In Christ, you are a child of God. (John 1:12)

In Christ, you are a fruit bearer. (John 15:5)

In Christ, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 1:22)

In Christ, you are to be his witness to the world. (Acts 1:

In Christ, you are given a spirit of power, of love and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

In Christ, you are equipped to live out his Word. (James 1:22)

In Christ, you can choose peace over anxiety. (Philippians 4:6)

In Christ, you can boldly approach God in prayer knowing He hears. (1 John 5:14-15)

In Christ, you can be content in every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether in plenty or in want – and do all things. (Philippians 4:12-14)

In Christ, you are an overcomer. (1 John 4:4)

Hear me, friend: this isn't some fluffy, rah-rah Christian pep rally. I know many of you are going through difficult and painful challenges. Life throws curve balls that can leave us gasping for breath on any given day – at any given moment. I'm right there with you in the trenches of reality. God's ways do not always make sense, but one thing is always true: the great life He intends for us to live begins and ends with Jesus. And though we remain broken and impacted by an imperfect world, we can rise above and get through anything in the power and hope of God, for His glory. (Yes. I'm talking to you.)

Ready to be a beautritionist?

Ready to live the dream?

Walk today in close communion with Christ. Seek Him. Savor Him. Confess when you transgress. Align your heart to His will. Obey Him. Love Him... then, no matter what you are going through, watch the LORD do a beautiful thing in and through you.

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, I really want to get this! Help me to trust Your ways even when I don't understand them. Help me to believe that Your words of hope are for me, so that You can be glorified in my life. Help me to be radiant and well on both the inside and outside. I'm ready to live the dream.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Journal! Think about and write down your dreams/hopes. Do you even have any? How would your life look differently if you moved in the direction of becoming a beautricianist?

What could you do today to impact the life of a friend with beauty, wellness and hope? (Get on that!)

Finally, are you ready to live the dream? Determine in your heart, pray it through and then tell me all about it on my blog or my Facebook page. I really, really, really love hearing from you! If you don't want to go into details, simply leave a comment saying, "I'm ready to live the dream!"

More from the Girlfriends

Are you struggling to trust that God's love can bring beauty to your life?Learn how God wants to bring you beyond your past heart-wounds and your present challenges to His wholeness, strength and beauty. Broken into Beautiful is a book filled with stories – real stories ... gritty and honest, not cleaned up and phony. It's also filled with Scripture that will inspire you toward the life-changing grace of Jesus. To order the book, go to Amazon or, for a signed copy, visit our webstore.

Gwen's website is filled with videos, posts, songs and resources that will be a deep well of encouragement to you. Visit: www.GwenSmith.net. (Get a FREE song download when you sign up for her newsletter!)

[Judy Harder]

March 31, 2014
A Shameless Audacity
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever (Psalm 136:2, NIV).

Friend to Friend

I often settle for so much less than God's very best for my life. I tend to invest time in good things and miss the highest things God has planned for me.

You may have heard the story of the man who died and went to Heaven. He was met at the Pearly Gates by Saint Peter who welcomed the man and then said, "Let's take a look around Heaven and then I will show you to your new home." The man was stunned by the beauty and grandeur of Heaven and could hardly wait to see what his house looked like. Peter finally stopped in front of a beautiful mansion and said, "Here you are. This is your home in Heaven. How do you like it?" The man stared in awe at the place where he would spend eternity. "I can't wait to see what it looks like on the inside," the man exclaimed. Saint Peter took the man by the arm and said, "Let's take a look."

When Saint Peter opened the front door, the man gasped at the sight before him. Beautiful boxes of all shapes and sizes were stacked from the ceiling to the floor in every room. "I don't understand. What are all of these boxes doing here?" Saint Peter sadly smiled and said, "We will have them removed as soon as possible. These are all of the blessings we had waiting for you on earth – but you never asked for them. Now it's too late."

God longs to pour out His blessings on His children. We have somehow bought into the lie that we will receive good things from God by working harder, trying to be better, or doing more good things. Girlfriend, that is a lie from the pit and smells like smoke.

We are saved by God's grace and nothing we do or don't do will ever be good enough to earn the favor of God. In Ephesians the apostle Paul tells us that salvation is a gift – period.

Ephesians 2:8 (NIV) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God ... "

If we could earn salvation, it would simply be a salary for works we have done. We are saved through faith in God alone. Salvation and the blessings of God are His gifts to us. We just receive them. Sounds too simple, doesn't it? God is just waiting for us to seek Him ... to listen for His voice ... and then to follow Him.

Just imagine that today is your child's birthday. You have a wonderful party planned and have spent a lot of time picking out the perfect birthday gift. Do you expect your child to earn that gift by cleaning the house, doing the laundry, taking out the trash, and completing every job on a very long list of chores you have prepared? Of course not! You simply want to delight in the joy on your child's face when he or she receives and opens that special gift.

I have received the gift of salvation as have many of you. We have surrendered our lives to Him and are seeking to follow Him. But I want every good gift He has planned for me – don't you? The good news is that God wants us to come to Him with "shameless audacity" and ask for His blessings.

Luke 11:5-10 Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Did you catch the mind-blowing truth in this passage of Scripture? The words "shameless audacity" recently jumped out at me for the first time. Don't miss this truth, girlfriend! God wants us to pray and live and breathe with the mindset that we want everything He has planned for us now and eternally! And we can come to Him with that shameless audacity – not because of anything we have done – but because of who He is and what He has done.

He is God!

He is our Lord and Savior and our Father who is just waiting to pour out His amazing blessings on His daughters.

Why? Because He loves us! He adores us! We were created by God for God. As Max Lucado says, "If God had a refrigerator our pictures would be on it!"

Today, grab hold of the truth that in the eyes of God you are somebody special. You are planned and wanted. You belong. You are chosen. Come before Him and tell Him you want it all! Yes, you want everything He has planned for you! Now hold out your hands, girlfriend. God's highest and richest blessings for your life are on their way!

Let's Pray

Father, I am tired of settling for the meager leftovers this world has to offer. Forgive me for not being willing to step out in faith to seek You and the plan You have for my life. Lord, I really do want everything You have in store for me. Right now, I come to You in shameless audacity and ask that You pour those blessings into my life. I receive them from Your hand of mercy and grace and thank You in advance for what You are going to do in my life as I seek and follow You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.