Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

June 13, 2014
Finding Perfect Love
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).

Friend to Friend

My kidsare both sweet and sour on a regular basis... as are all of us. Depends on the minute. Depends on the day. Every once in a happy while, however, one of my children surprises me with an unexpectedly sweet moment that becomes a heart treasure.         

I had one of those special conversations moons ago with my middle child, Hunter, when he was just nine years old. It was bedtime. Teeth were brushed. Jammies were on. Prayers had been prayed. The smell of shampoo lingered from his freshly showered head. As I brushed a stray hair from his eye, the sweet conversation began with an innocent question...

"Mommy, do you know what I love?"

"What do you love, Hunter?" I whispered.

"I love being loved," he said thoughtfully. "Yep. I really love being loved."

Lying beside him in the dark room, I could scarcely process the vastness of his statement. It was the simplest of thoughts, delightfully honest, yet one of the most profound and insightful statements I'd ever heard come from his lips – from his heart.

When he spoke those four little words, "I love being loved," I heard several things:

He had a deep longing to be loved.
He knew he was loved.
His love tank was being re-filled as I tucked him in.
His greatest need is love.
Like Hunter, our greatest longing and need is also to be loved... to feel safe, adored, and content in love.

I don't know where this devotion finds you today, but I sense God nudging me to tell you that He loves you. Completely. Perfectly. Eternally. (Yes, I'm talking to you!) He knows your name, He knows your heart, He knows your circumstances, and He hears your prayers. He loves you and desires for you to rest in His love. God's Word says so.

You. Are. Perfectly. Loved.

God's love is not based on performance or beauty. It's not based on your position or abilities. Many times we mistakenly think that if we could just do this or that better – that God would love us more. That if we just hadn't done this or that – God could love us more. The truth is this: God will never love you more or less...no matter what. His love is complete and you are the object of His heart's affection.

But don't take my word for it – take His! The Bible tells us that God's love for us is unstoppable, unsearchable and unbreakable: ...that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

No matter what you've believed in the past, choose by faith to believe this now: you are valued, priceless, and adored by God. "Take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:18–19, MSG).

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

Let those words sink in. Savor the special sweetness of God's love for you today. Take it very personally. Linger long on thoughts of His affection for you. Let them find and fill your heart in wounded places.

When you embrace the deep love of Christ as a personal reality, you will gain traction for powerful, meaningful living that begins with forgiveness and continues on in truth and grace. Go in His love today. Be assured of it. Share it. Be changed by it. Change others with it.

Let's Pray

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3:16-21).

In Jesus' name,
Amen!

Now It's Your Turn

God loves you and takes pleasure when you go to Him in prayer. Why? Because you are His – made by Him for Him – treasured by and restored to His heart through Jesus Christ. Allow Him to quiet you with His love today. Spend a few moments in prayer right now. Thank Him for His love. Worship at His feet. Be still before Him.

More From the Girlfriends

Most of you know that I'm a worship-songwriter chick from the word go, right? Well, I think that the perfect ending to our time together today would be to worship. CLICK OVER to my blog or my Facebook page to listen to a new worship song I've written and recorded about the love of God called Unbroken.

You can listen to and download the songs from my new worship project My Strength, My Song on iTunesor Amazon– or order CDs on www.GwenSmith.net.

God's love is perfect. He has seen our biggest failures, our greatest places of shame and hurt – and yet, He beckons us to His love, forgiveness, healing, and grace. He has a plan for each life that is far beyond the shattered matters we deal with. Every step of transformation begins with our surrender to the heart of God. If you would like to learn more about how your brokenness can be reworked into a picture of God's beauty, order Gwen's book Broken into Beautiful on Amazon– or for a signed copy, order from Gwen's website. This resource will help you experience the power of hope, healing and restoration!

[Judy Harder]

August 5, 2014
I Just Don't Have the Time
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time (Colossians 4:5, NRSV).

Friend to Friend

Time management is a dreaded and often ignored spiritual discipline. We choose where to invest our time, carefully planning everything from work-related meetings and lunch appointments to play dates and trips to the grocery store - but fail to schedule the most important activity of all, spending time with God. Discipline carves out time to sit at His feet.

Sin thrives in an out-of-control life, a life without godly discipline. Temptation happily dances across overcrowded schedules. Our minutes, hours, and days are precious commodities, gifts from God that can be unwrapped only once. We can become so busy meeting the needs of others that we destroy ourselves in the process. I cannot tell you how many women I know who have given themselves away for so long that there is nothing left to give. Marriages fail, children rebel, and homes crumble because flawed priorities dictate wrong living.

I know what it is like to rush headlong through pointless days, trying to prove my worth. For many years, I was busy doing good things ... some might even say great things ... but they were not the highest things for my life. I crashed and burned, landing in a pit of clinical depression, a monument to my insecurity.

From the bottom of that pit, it was easy to see just how skewed my perspective of time really was. I had poured years into making my plans successful only to discover that God resources and empowers His plan alone. It was painfully obvious that I needed an attitude adjustment, an eternal perspective kindled by godly discipline. I needed to understand that my time does not belong to me, but is a treasure on loan to me from God. He wanted me to understand that He was calling me to work from His love and acceptance – not to it!

Every plan, priority, and goal must be held against the backdrop of eternity because it is from that backdrop that our priorities are validated, our calling confirmed, and our time best invested.

Godly priorities embrace God's plan.

I am convinced that much of our frustration in life comes from doing things we were never intended to do. We create the plan as we go instead of resting in God's plan. Discipline guides each step and establishes a basis for obedience and success in our walk with God.

I am certainly no expert in the area of discipline, but I do want to share some simple ideas that work for me.

Prepare         

Just as we budget our money, we must budget our time. Every day, we are presented with twenty-four hours, and every day we must choose to either spend those hours or invest them. Every Sunday afternoon, I do three things – write devotions, finish my online Bible study, and plan the week ahead. I assign tasks to each day and prioritize those tasks in order of importance. That's the easy part. The hard part is sticking to the plan, but getting a head start offers a greater chance for success. Schedule one day a week to plan. The preparation will pay off.

Prioritize

If we don't set priorities - others will. Time thieves will steal the hours and days as we allow them to impose their plans and demands on us. While it is true that different women have different priorities in different seasons of life, it is also true that one priority remains steadfast. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33, NIV). Once that priority is firmly established, the rest of life will fall into place.

Eliminate

Learn to leave the "lesser" things undone. This lesson is especially hard for me because I actually believe I can do it all. The key to godly discipline and right priorities is learning what my "all" is, and then doing all of that. My trusty "Superwoman" cape is never far away. It is a constant battle for me to ignore the presence of that cape. Choosing to embrace and employ God's priorities instead of mine is a battle definitely worth fighting. Godly discipline brings a holy scrutiny to priorities and perspectives.

Delegate

Include every family member in the work and include every family member in the play. The concept of "team" is essential to every successful family. A chore is not just a random assignment. It says, "You are an important part of this team. We need you."

Simplify

Give up on perfection. It is meant for heaven ... not earth. I love the Amish saying, "The further we get from simple things, the further we get from God." Jesus was born in sparse simplicity, a manger instead of a mansion. His teachings were simple enough for a child to understand. We often overlook profound simplicity in search of hollow complexity, foolishly thinking that bigger is always better. When it comes to investing time, we need to employ simple godly discipline.

Yield

My greatest mission field is my home, my marriage, and my children and grandchildren - easy words to write, but a hard truth to apply. It does not matter how much I do or how successful I am in ministry. If home and family are left with only the scraps of my time, energy, and emotions, I am walking in sin and disobedience.

Discipline does not come naturally or easily. We will surely fail, but we can always begin again. Join me today in a new commitment to cultivate, apply, and relish godly discipline.

Let's Pray

Father, I want my life to be under Your control – not mine. Help me learn how to wisely invest my time in a way that pleases and honors You. Teach me how to set boundaries and establish priorities that will encourage my obedience to You. Empower me to live for You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read the following statements and check the ones that are true in your life.

___I often feel confused and scattered.

___I have too much to do and too little time in which to do it.

___I think of myself as contented.

___I enjoy my family.

___I have a daily quiet time.

___I sometimes take a nap.

___I enjoy regular exercise.

___I spend most of my time on urgent things instead of the important things.

___I often feel guilty for taking time to relax.

___I have prayerfully set life goals.

Evaluate your answers in light of today's devotion. Identify one change you need to make in order to invest your time wisely.

[Judy Harder]

August 6, 2014
You are a Powerful Force
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

Life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21, NIV 1982 ed.).

Friend to Friend

I've always been amazed at the power restrained in a tiny atom too small to be seen by the naked eye. Fission, (splitting the tiny nucleus of an atom), or fusion, (joining nuclei together), have the potential to generate enough power to provide energy for an entire city or enough destructive potential to level an entire town. It all depends on how and when the joining together or splitting apart takes place.

So it is with our words. Bound in one small group of muscles called the tongue lies an instrument with magnanimous potential for good or evil, to build up or to tear down, to empower or devour, to heal or to hurt. t all depends on how and when the joining together and splitting apart takes place.

Our words can make or break a marriage, paralyze or propel a friend, seam together or tear apart a relationship, build up or bury a dream, curse God or confess Christ. With our tongues we defend or destroy, heal or kill, cheer or churn. And we, as women, seem to be most talented at deciding when and where to wield this tiny sword.

Just as God used words to create physical life, our words can be the spark to generate spiritual life. Paul taught, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Romans 10:9-10 emphasis added).

Wow! It is with your mouth that you confess and are saved! That is radical responsibility. That is potently powerful.

On average, 4.3 million acres of forests are destroyed by wildfires each year in the United States. In 2000, nearly 123,000 separate fires destroyed 8.5 million acres of forest. About half are destroyed by natural causes such as lightening strikes, and the rest are caused by the carelessness of mankind.

While forest fires leave naked trees and barren hillsides that take years to revive, lives singed by fiery words can be laid bare forever. We would never carelessly fling a lit match out of a car window while passing a national forest, and yet, many times we carelessly toss fiery words about as we pass through life. We are often loose-lipped with criticism and tight-lipped with praise.

The writer of Proverbs notes, "Life and death are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21 NIV 1982 ed.). Of all the spiritual disciplines, I believe that bringing our tongues under the submission of the Holy Spirit is one of the greatest. Why? Because through our words we bring life and through our words we bring destruction. They lead us into tranquil waters or take us out to the stormy seas.

There is a story told about Xanthus the philosopher. He once told his servant he was going to have some friends for dinner the following evening and instructed him get the best thing he could find in the market.

When the philosopher and his guests sat down the next day at the table, they had nothing but tongue—four or five courses of tongue cooked in various ways. The philosopher finally lost his patience and said to his servant, "Didn't I tell you to get the best thing in the market?

The servant said, "I did get the best thing in the market. Isn't the tongue the organ of sociability, the organ of eloquence, the organ of kindness, the organ of worship?"

Then Xanthus said, "Tomorrow I want you to get the worst thing in the market."

The next day when the philosopher sat at the table, there was nothing but tongue—four or five courses of tongue in various shapes and sizes. The philosopher lost his patience again and said, "Didn't I tell you to get the worst thing in the market?"

The servant replied, "I did; for isn't the tongue the organ of blasphemy, the organ of defamation, the organ of lying?"

I have never eaten tongue before, but I have certainly had to eat my words. I bet you have too.

How are you doing on our memory verse from my last devotion? It's worth mentioning again: "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psalms 141:3 NIV).

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, help me choose my words wisely, for tomorrow I may have to eat them. Help me speak life into those around me today—to be a source of encouragement rather than discouragement, of hope rather than hurt, and of love rather than pain.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Make it your goal to use your words to encourage at least one person today.

Note his or her reaction to your words.

How did it make you feel about yourself when you encouraged someone else with your words?

[Judy Harder]

August 7, 2014
You're Just Like Your Father
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver (Malachi 3:3, NIV).

Friend to Friend

The story is told of a group of women who met each week to study the Bible, hoping to learn more about the nature and character of God and how He works in our lives. The women were puzzled and even a little troubled by the description of God they found in Malachi 3:3, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." One of the women offered to do a little research on the subject and report back to the group at their next meeting. The woman found a local silversmith and made an appointment to observe him at work, explaining that she was particularly interested in the process of refining silver. She watched as the craftsman carefully selected a piece of silver for his demonstration. She thought the piece of silver was already beautiful, but the silversmith evidently saw something she could not see. As he held the silver over the furnace, the craftsman explained that in refining silver, the silver had to be placed in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so all of the impurities would be burned away.

The woman was silent for a moment as her thoughts drifted to the fiery trials she was facing in her own life. Honestly, she did not get it. Why would a loving God allow His children to suffer when He could so easily deliver them? In fact, why does God even allow bad things to happen to people who are seeking Him and really trying to live for Him?

The woman asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. "Oh, yes!" he replied. "I cannot take my eyes off the silver. If it is left in the furnace even a moment too long, it will be destroyed." The woman suddenly understood the beauty and comfort of Malachi 3:3, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

Yes, there are times when it seems as if we will be swallowed whole by the fires of Hell itself. The pain seems too hard to bear. The fear is paralyzing. The doubt is overwhelming and questions flood our hearts and minds.

Is God really who He says He is?

Will He really do what He says He will do?

Will He really keep His promises?

Our trials are not random persecutions. Heaven is not in a panic, and where we are and what we are going through is no surprise to God. We may be knocked down and kicked around by life, but if we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we will not be destroyed.

Our lives are filled with excess baggage and waste - a cherished sin we refuse to relinquish or an addiction to which we are enslaved. What about the emotional garbage that weighs us down? How do we deal with the past that holds us prisoner? Fiery trials come to burn away the guilt of sin and then purify our hearts. From those ashes of freedom, the Father then creates a work of beauty.

I believe the words I just wrote. I know and accept the truth that trials and hard times make me stronger and strengthen my faith, but there are times when I want it all to stop. I find myself asking, "How much is enough, Lord? How many trials do I have to endure? When will the pain and trouble end?"

"How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" the woman asked. The silversmith smiled and answered, "Oh, that's easy. The refining process is complete when I can see my image reflected in the silver."

God is not committed to our comfort. He is committed to our character and to making us more like Jesus. Only God can exchange the ashes of our sin for the beauty of His forgiveness and grace. God alone can replace our despair with His peace that passes all understanding. Hope can only be found in Him. Our purpose in life is to know and become more like Jesus ... and act just like our Father.

Let's Pray

Father, I want to be more like You. Give me the strength to withstand the trials in my life. Help me love the people who are hard to love and forgive the people who have hurt and even abused me. Burn away the sin in my life, and empower me to live for You. Create a clean heart in me, Lord, and teach me how to live for You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Journaling is a powerful spiritual discipline and habit that I encourage you to cultivate this year. A journal can be a spiral notebook or leather bound book. You may write in your journal every day or once a week. Your entry can fill an entire page or one line. How you journal is not nearly as important as the fact that you journal.

Record new truths and insights God gives you as you read and study the Bible. Write your prayers and thoughts. Create a section in your journal where you can record the promises God gives you. Below are two entries from my journal.

God will direct my steps. Isaiah 48:10 "See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction" (NIV).

God will never leave me. Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze" (NIV).

More from the Girlfriends

I know many of you are facing fiery trials. You may be wondering how you can make it through the day or find the strength to face tomorrow. God is with you. He is working in your life. Choose right now to believe Him and walk by faith ... not by sight.

Need help? Mary has two NEW E-Book Bible Studies: The Secret of Contentment and The Power of Forgiveness. Each one includes a study guide that you can download for your personal use or for a small group study.

Be sure to check out Mary's weekly Online Bible Study beginning August 11: A Glimpse of Heaven. Enroll now and have access to all 2014 lessons. Connect with Mary on Facebook or through email. FREE MP3s available on Mary's website in the Freebies Section!

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

[Judy Harder]

August 8, 2014
Buddy Straps
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, NLT).

Friend to Friend

Every family has one... that certain individual who gets injured and banged up more than their fair share. That person who spends the majority of your family's health care budget on their co-pay needs because, for whatever reason, accidents mysteriously, regularly, and relentlessly hunt them down and throw a good bit of hurt on them. In our family, this person is my teenaged basketball-playing son, Preston.

We've been up, down, and all around when it comes to Preston's breaks, bandages, and bruises. So it was a bit old-hat to be sitting in a small examining room a few winters ago, waiting to see the doctor about yet another injury. This one happened in gym class at school. Preston climbed up a rope, made it to the top, and then had the bright idea to let go of the rope instead of scaling down safely. Brilliant. He broke his big toe... in the middle of basketball season.

The doctor looked over the x-rays and, in spite of the break, had good news for us: Preston only had a hairline fracture in his toe. It would heal quickly. He would be immobilized in a funky shoe for a week or two, and then he would be able to play basketball again as soon as the pain subsided.

As the appointment ended, the doctor told Preston that once he was able to put weight on his foot, he would need to use a "buddy strap." The strap would hold his broken toe snugly to the healthy toe right beside it for support. A nurse then handed my son a few black Velcro strips and explained that he should wear them to play basketball as soon as his pain was manageable. The support of the buddy straps would help him get back in the game quickly.

My eyebrows raised and my mind reeled as I considered the similarities between buddy straps and friendships. There are a million times when my heart or circumstances are fractured. Each wound and challenge threatens to keep me immobilized both emotionally and spiritually. In those times, it always benefits me to first seek refuge in the stable arms of God and to then buddy-strap my heart to a few godly girlfriends. As the psalmist cried out, so I cry out:

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken (Psalm 62:5-6, ESV).

Then, after seeking God, as I ready myself to put one foot in front of another, my girlfriends rally as my buddy straps and provide prayer support, wisdom and encouragement. When one friend is weak because of life-fractures, it is a blessing for a strong and healthy friend to come along side to help her.

We need each other as Christian women. That's what Girlfriends in God is all about: women encouraging other women in faith and in life. When Sharon, Mary and I co-founded GiG, it was purposed to spur you toward the heart of God through devotions and conferences. In real life, we are buddy straps for each other. Our lives are filled with as many life-fractures as the next person... so we often rally to speak words of encouragement, truth, and hope to one another. At times, we even have to speak hard, honest words. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17).

Where does this find you today? Do you have some life-fractures and challenges? Are you the buddy strap to any of your friends who are struggling? Perhaps you've got both going on. If so, then praise God. Praise Him for trials – which can grow you in perseverance, character and hope (Romans 5:4) and for His provision of friends in your life that love you, challenge you, and cheer you on through the hard times. And praise Him for the opportunity to be a buddy strap in return.

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, NLT).

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, Thank You for giving me access to unending grace and strength through Your Son, Jesus Christ. You are my Strong Tower, my Refuge, my Shelter, my Help, and my Hope. I am so grateful that when my days are filled with hurt and struggles that You are right beside me – and that You have blessed me with some buddy straps. Please help me encourage my friends toward your grace, hope and truth today.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Are you a buddy strap to anyone? Are you sensitive to the needs around you or do you not "have the time" to worry about other people's problems?

Think of three girlfriends in your life who have been your buddy straps, then pause to pray for each of them. Bless them today. Send a card or an email. Forward this devotion to them! Text them or post on their wall. Connect to say thanks.

BUDDY STRAP SHOUT OUT: Swing by my blog or Facebook page today and tell me who yours are! I posted some fun pictures of a few of my buddy straps!! As always, you are also welcome to leave a prayer request. (I really, really love to hear from you!)

More from the Girlfriends

I love my girlfriends. They are total wild flowers in the bouquet of my life. When my children were young, Brad and I moved several times in just a few years. That made it hard for me to connect with other women. If you find yourself in a place where you need some women friends, I encourage you to contact the Women's Ministry Director at your church and let her know your need. Sharon, Mary and I truly love doing life with you and are blessed to encourage you through these devotions and at the conferences where we speak. We'd love to meet you and hug your neck in person! Check our website to see when one of the GiGs might be coming to an event near you.

[Judy Harder]

August 11, 2014
What Women Want
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

She (Hagar) gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: 'You are the God who sees me,' for she said, 'I have now seen the One who sees me' (Genesis 16:13, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Everyone wants to be noticed, to be cared for, to be loved. How my heart breaks with David's words, "No one cares for my soul" (Psalm 142:4). He is cried out during one of the darkest times in his life and felt all alone in his struggle to survive.

We might expect to hear those words from the crowded city streets as men and women scurry about in their power suits off to make the next deal. We wouldn't be surprised to hear those words from a vagrant huddled under a bridge with all his worldly possessions stuffed in a plastic grocery bag. But would we expect it from the person sitting beside us in the church pew, the co-worker in the next cubicle, or the mother of three next door?

While flying from the east coast to the west coast, I watched an in flight movie—a cleaned-up version of What Women Want starring Mel Gibson. Mr. Marshal (Mel Gibson) worked at an advertising firm with a host of busy men and women bustling about in their own little self-absorbed worlds.

In a strange twist of events, Mr. Marshal is "electrically altered" when he slips in the bathroom and falls into the bathtub, along with a hair dryer. When he regains consciousness after his shocking experience, he has the ability to read women's minds and hear their thoughts. With his new perceptive powers, he lands a huge Nike advertising account and wins the heart of the leading lady...of course. But there is one poignant sideline of the movie that grabbed my heart.

In the movie, Marshal heard the thoughts of one young nondescript woman in his office. What if I just jumped out the window? Would anyone notice? I could be gone for days and no one would notice...until the files started piling up. Then they'd say, "Where's the geek with the glasses who carries the files?"

No one did notice the errand girl who refused to make eye contact with her fellow employees, except Marshal, who could hear her thoughts.

One day, the young woman (who we learn is named Erin), doesn't show up for work.

"Where's Erin?" Marshal asked as he notices a pile of files sitting on her desk.

"I don't know," someone replies. "She didn't show up for work today."

Fearing the worst, Marshal finds Erin's address, rushes to her apartment to stop her from ending her life.

Bursting into her apartment Marshal sees a suicide letter lying on the table, and his heart sinks.

Then a startled Erin walks into the room.

"Mr. Marshal, what are you doing here?"

"I'm glad I got here before you hurt yourself." he replied.

"What makes you think I was going to hurt myself?"

"I just sensed it," he answered.

"Really? You sensed it? That's not good."

Then Marshal brilliantly changes course. "The real reason I'm here is to offer you a job. You know we got the Nike account and we were wondering who would be a real spitfire to work on this project..."

Marshal offers Erin a job and rescues her from the despair of feeling unwanted, unloved, and unimportant.

I'm not suggesting that you watch the movie. After all, it was a cleaned up airline version. However, I am suggesting that you ponder the situation. I believe that men and women walk past us every day, just like Erin in this movie, who feel that they have no significant purpose in this world. People who feel that their sudden disappearance would cause little fanfare or concern. It might be the woman who passes you in the hall at work, the rebellious looking teen who shuffles by you at the mall, or the businessman dashing to his next appointment.

It takes so little to let someone know that they are significant—that you see them—that they matter. You have the ability to give someone hope by offering a simple word of acknowledgement or encouragement. You have the capacity, with the words you speak, to change the course of someone's day...to change the course of someone's life.

Let's Pray

Heavenly Father, help me to be aware of those around me today. Help me to see others through Your eyes. Give me the courage to give a word of encouragement to one of Your children who needs it today. Thank You for always seeing me, loving me, and caring for me.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Let's go back up to today's truth. Hagar was a woman who felt ignored and all alone. But then God showed up.

Go back and read her amazing story in Genesis 16.

What do you learn about God from this story?

Hagar was not one of God's chosen people, the Israelites, and yet, He cared for her. The Hebrew name she called God was El Roi, the God who Sees. Remember today that God sees you!

[Judy Harder]

August 13, 2014
Put a Lid on It
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark (James 3:5, NIV).

Friend to Friend

From the time I could hold a crayon in my chubby little hand, I've enjoyed creating various works of art. For my family and friends, my annual endeavors usually found their way under the Christmas tree and into their hands. One year it was macramé hanging plant holders woven with wooden beads. Another it was a menagerie of decoupage wooden boxes. Then there were the years of framed cross-stitch, ceramic Nativity sets, and quilted pig and chicken pillows. (Can I apologize now to any of my friends who received a stuffed pig or chicken pillow?)

When I was 17, it was the year of the candle. Everyone from Grandma Edwards to my best girlfriends received praying hands candles. For weeks I slaved over a hot stove, stirring melted wax, meticulously centering the ten-inch wicks, and then slowly pouring the red, green, or yellow molten material into an inverted mold in the shape of praying hands. When the wax hardened, I burped the rubber mold and plopped the hands onto the counter. My kitchen looked like a prostheses laboratory with hands littering the counters.

I was just cooking up my last batch of wax when the doorbell rang. I was having so much fun in my laboratory, that I forgot the time. I had a date at 7:30, and here I was in pink curlers and a paraffin-covered sweatshirt. I rushed through the kitchen, leaped over my dad, who had fallen asleep on the den floor in front of the television, and threw open the door.

"Hi, Jim. Come on in," I said, out of breath. "I'm not ready."

"So I noticed," he said with a grin.

"I was cooking candles and lost track of time."

"You were what?"

"Oh, never mind. Just come on in and have a seat on the couch. I'll be ready in a minute."

I dashed to my room, change clothes, took the curlers our of my hair, ran a brush through the tangles, swiped mascara through my lashes, and placed a hint of gloss on my lips. Jim sat uncomfortably on the sofa, listening to my dad snore and Jackie Gleason yell at Ralph Kramden. After about 15 minutes Jim smelled something burning from the kitchen. He didn't want to call me for fear of waking up my dad. (Teenage boys don't like to wake up their date's dad if they can help it.) Instead, he tiptoed into the kitchen and discovered a pot on the stove with flames shooting up about 18 inches in the air.

Sleeping dad or no sleeping dad, Jim yelled, "Sharon! Whatever you were cooking is on fire!"

"Oh my goodness!" I exclaimed. "I forgot to turn the stove off!"

Just as I burst into the kitchen, Jim threw a cup of water into the flaming wax. Rather than extinguish the flames, the fire exploded upward. The flames shot up the wall, across the ceiling, and down the other side of the room. Our screams alerted my father, who woke to see his baby girl standing in a room surrounded by flames. With the agility of Superman, Dad sprang to his feet, ran to the kitchen faster than a speeding bullet, grabbed the lid of the pot, and clamped it down on the source of the flames. Just as quickly as the fire had erupted, it seemed to recede back into the pot like a genie returning to his bottle.

This all happened in a matter of seconds. We stood in the middle of the room like three stunned deer. I never did tell my dad that it was Jim who threw the water on the burning wax. Teenage boys already have two strikes against them just by walking through the doors to pick up a man's baby girl.

After the shock of the incident wore off, I had time to reflect on the speed at which the flames blazed around the room, the feeling of fire licking against my skin, the terrifying swooshing sound the fire made. I thought about my words and how easily they can explode and singe those around me. I saw and understood the destructive power of our words and the speed at which that destruction can spread.

But you know what else I learned? I learned just how easy it is to stop the blaze...put a lid on it. As soon as my father placed a lid on the pot and removed the flames' source of oxygen, the fire went out.

Job had the right idea when he said, "I will put my hand over my mouth" (Job 40:4). It is interesting that my hand fits perfectly over my mouth. Give it a try. I bet yours does too. Perhaps God made it that way on purpose.

Here's what I do know: Some of the most powerful words are the ones we don't speak. Sometimes we just need to keep a lid on it.

Let's Pray

Dear Lord, set a guard over my mouth. Keep watch over the door of my lips. May nothing escape my mouth today that is not pleasing to You.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read Proverbs 26:20. What do you learn about how to stop gossip? How does this relate to today's devotion?

Has there been a time you wish you had "put a lid on it." (I know that is a silly question. Who hasn't?)

Today, set a pot lid out on your kitchen counter as a reminder to put a lid on your words. You might want to leave it out for more than a few days.

Click on my Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes page and leave a comment if you are willing to leave a pot lid on your kitchen counter as a reminder to watch your words. Also, you can send me a picture of your pot lid at Sharon@sharonjaynes.com and I'll post that as well!

More from the Girlfriends

You have a powerful force, right under your nose. To learn more about how to use your words wisely and control your tongue, see my nook, The Power of a Woman's Words. One way you can use your words well is to pray for your husband. Come visit us over at The Praying Wives Club and pay for your man.

On September 8, 2014, I'll begin my on-line fall Bible Study on The Power of a Woman's Words. I have the book and Bible study guide specially priced for the months of August and September. Those who sign up will receive access to free video lessons and a free video viewing guide. Click here to view a sample video lesson. This is perfect for church groups, small groups, or individual study. Click here to sign up and learn more. We're going to learn about the power we possess, the people we impact, and the potential to change. Hope to see you there!

Seeking God

[Judy Harder]

August 14, 2014
Chair Time
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms with Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6).

Friend to Friend

We live crowded lives. It is easy to forget what is really important. We tend to relinquish control of our lives to unworthy demands dictated by a world that operates in "urgent" gear. The important rarely barges in while the urgent is always an offensive intruder. The important waits patiently while the urgent demands its own way, creating bedlam and imbalance. Certainly, there are times when the important is also urgent – but we must learn to discern between the two. We wrongly conclude that a busy life is automatically a productive life and think that a full schedule will surely produce a full heart. It won't.

It's easy to relegate our spirituality to religious activity when all God really wants is to spend time with us. When the tears fall, He wants to wipe them away, collecting each one so that He can pour them back into our lives as a refreshing rain of restoration. God longs for us to forever run into His arms, sharing every hurt and rejoicing in every victory. The Father yearns to wrap His strong arms around us, bringing the peace and balance we so desperately need. We just need to stop ... be still ... and listen for His voice.

We need to embrace and understand the truth that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God ... and so are we! My husband recently wrote an E-Book that beautifully explains the powerful truth in Ephesians 2:6 that says, "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms with Christ Jesus."

Who is the "us" in this verse? The "us" in Ephesians 2:6 refers to all believers. All who have bowed the knee in surrender to Christ. All who are Christ followers. Past, present and future – everyone that has ever and will ever follow Jesus is included.

What does the verse say we (all the believers) are doing? We are sitting. Sitting! What do you have to possess to be sitting? A chair! You got it! Every believer has a chair.

Now let's get practical. Where are all these believers? The verse says that we are seated with Christ in heaven. Hmmm, if I am still here on earth, serving Jesus on this side of heaven, how can I also be seated with Christ in heaven?

Now it gets fun. Picture this. Picture heaven as having an enormous throne. Picture that throne as 100 miles wide by 100 miles deep by 100 miles high. God the Father sits on that throne, and He faces out in every direction from that throne. Jesus the Son stands beside the throne, praying and interceding for us. Got the picture? Stop reading for a moment, close your eyes, and try to picture this enormous throne in the center of heaven.

Now add an element to the picture. Around that huge throne, start adding a row of chairs. There is one row around that throne. Then add a row above it and below it – but still just one row deep around the throne. Now step back and picture that throne with all of those chairs from a short distance away. Wow! What a picture - this huge throne of God, with a front row chair for every believer that has ever lived.

Now let's get personal. Center your focus on one chair. Zoom in to that one chair. Notice anything? Look on the back of the chair. Yep – you got it! Your name is on that chair. There is a chair in heaven in the front row at the throne of God. It is your chair. It has your name on it. It fits you. No one can sit in that chair except you. And you can go to that chair any time you want.

Why would you go to that chair? To talk to God? No! I may not know much, but I can guarantee you this. When you are seated in the front row before the throne of God, you will not be talking! You may fall on your knees! You may gasp in amazement! You may raise your hands in worship! But you won't be talking! You will be listening to what God has to say to you.

Is your mind running ahead of me? Are you getting the picture? Does that phrase "chair time" now make sense?

The premise is simple. The God of this universe wants to talk with you so much that He has reserved a front row seat for you at His throne in Heaven. You can go there anytime you want. You can sit at His feet, feel His embrace, and hear His voice any time you want. All you need to do is sit in the chair. Wow!

I have great news, girlfriend! He loves who you are more than He loves what you do. Seek Him today. Make room for Him. He is waiting.

Let's Pray

Thank You, Lord, for arranging the circumstances of my life so that I must stop and rest and sit at Your feet in quiet solitude. Thank You for the healing I find there. Thank You for the new truth and redefined purpose for my life. Help me apply the truths I find when sitting at Your feet.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Do you long for times of silence or avoid them whenever possible? Why? I encourage you to find a few minutes each day this week to spend in silence before God. Establish the habit of a silent retreat when possible. Read the Psalms daily and keep your gaze on God.

More from the Girlfriends

If you want to learn how to hear from God, I encourage you to get Dan's book, Chair Time.Chair Time is the story of learning to listen to God. It is a simple story of a simple man learning a life changing truth. God wants to speak to us! He will, if we get in the chair!

Be sure to check out Mary's weekly Online Bible Study, A Glimpse of Heaven. Enroll now and have access to all 2014 lessons. Connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

[Judy Harder]

August 15, 2014
Take a Step Back
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes (Psalm 119:59).

Friend to Friend
I gave her instructions for the job. "Clear the furniture from the room, vacuum thoroughly, and then I will show you how to mop the wood floor." Once my daughter got through the first two of three steps, I joined the cleaning party to teach the age-old-mom-class, "Mopping 101."

Awesome.

Class began with a few mopping fundamentals. "Shake the bottle of the polish before you use it. Do one small section at a time. Mop along the grain of the wood. Put some muscle into it and always - always take a step back to see if you missed any spots." I gave a quick demonstration then Kennedy took the mop and got busy on her weekend wood-floor polishing project.

As I walked away, it hit me.

The lesson.

In order to see where the polish had been applied on the floor - in order to see if there were any mistakes or overlooked places - a mopper needs to step back and look at things from a different angle. From a fresh perspective.

To gain perspective in life, we often need to step back too: away from our emotions, our plans and our expectations - in order to consider the big picture. The God-picture.

It is so easy to get lost in the drama-filled challenges of life and become overwhelmed by our circumstances. Can I hear an Amen? I do this all the time! I get sucked into the drama of a moment and see only what my emotions allow me to see: a dim, slim and flesh-led view.

Let's be honest, we all have some level of drama and expectations. And that's not a bad thing. But when our emotions lead our responses, it can be difficult to see beyond our moments and mountains. When our hearts are consumed by the emotions of a moment, we can lose sight of what honors God and what really matters.

So what's a woman to do?

Take a step back. Pray. Ask God for vision and perspective. Consider His Word. Remember His power, provision, and plan. Move beyond self-led reactions to Spirit-led responses. The late pastor and theologian A.W. Tozer wrote, "Sometimes when we get overwhelmed we forget how big God is."

So true.

Our perspectives change in God's presence. We gain clarity and peace when we adapt God's perspective instead of our own. His sight is pure, full of grace and eternal – while our sight is often imperfect, narrow and worried about the now. Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans."

David stepped back in awe of God's love. "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" (Psalm 8:3-4)

He reflected on his own ways verses God's ways. "I meditate on your precept and consider your ways." (Psalm 119:15) "I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes." (Psalm 119:59)

Jesus also encourages us to step back from worries and fears. ""Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?" (Luke 12:24-26) When we consider the ways that God has provided in the past, it helps us to trust Him in the present.

Kennedy rocked the mop that day in our kitchen because she heeded my directions and consistently drew back to gain perspective on her polishing. Step back today and position yourself in His grace. Consider the big picture. Lay your day, your plans, your thankfulness, your people, your problems, your wins and your losses before God. Trust His ability to work in and through it all. Relish the perspective and peace that rises and then be prepared for those around you to be drawn to the able, faithful God who is at work within you.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, I know I need to step away from my emotions, expectations, and plans. I want Your perspective and to respond in ways that please You. Please cover me again with grace, order my steps, and equip me fresh with Your Spirit.

In Jesus' Name I pray,

Amen.

[Judy Harder]

August 18, 2014
Slugs, Gossip, and Slimy Trails
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth:

Without wood the fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down (Proverbs 26:20, NIV).

Friend to Friend:

A monster was sneaking into my yard in the dark of night and devouring my prize plants. I never saw his beady eyes or heard his pounding footsteps—just the aftermath of his destruction. He left a trail of slime as he moved from plant to plant, leaving large gaping holes in broad leaf gerbera daisies, gnawing entire velvety trumpet-shaped blossoms on purple petunias, and reducing bushy begonias to naked stalks.

I asked a neighbor about my flowerbed's demise, and she said, "You've got slugs."

"Slugs!" I exclaimed. "The yard monster is a tiny little slug?"

"You can put out slug bait to catch them and see for yourself," my confident neighbor continued.

I sprinkled slug bait all around the yard and then waited. The next morning I viewed the "monsters" remains. The beasts were about a quarter-inch long—about the size of my little toe nail.

How could something so small cause so much damage in such a short amount of time? I mused. Then my mind thought of something else very small that can cause enormous damage in a short amount of time... gossip. King Solomon wrote, "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts"(Proverbs 18:. Just as one tiny slug can destroy an entire flowerbed, so can one tiny morsel of gossip destroy a person's reputation, mar one's character, and devour a friendship. And they both leave slimy trails.

In the South we have this knack for making gossips sound...almost nice. All you have to do is add "bless her heart" to the end of the sentence. It goes like this: "Susie gained fifty pounds with that last pregnancy, bless her heart." "Marcy's husband ran off with his secretary, bless her heart." "I heard Clair yelling at the postman yesterday, bless her heart." But all the "bless her hearts" don't make mask what it really is...gossip.

Solomon wrote, "Whoever repeats the matter separates close friends" (Proverbs 17:9). Charles Allen, the author of Gods' Psychiatry observed: "Those of great minds discuss ideas, people of mediocre minds discuss events, and those of small minds discuss other people." Maybe if we are spending our time talking about people, we need to fill our minds with better material such as good books, The Bible, or other reading material (and I don't mean People Magazine).

What exactly is gossip? Webster defines gossip as "easy, fluent, trivial talk, talk about people behind their backs." It is repeating information about another person's private affairs. If you have to look around to make sure that no one can hear what you are saying, you are probably gossiping. If you would not say what you're saying in front of the person you are talking about, then you're probably gossiping.

I've often heard the phrase, "knowledge is power." Perhaps that is why gossip is so appealing. It suggests a certain amount of power because "I have the inside scoop." But gossip is not power. On the contrary it shows a lack of power...lack of self-control.

But it takes two to tango the gossip dance. "Without wood the fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down" (Proverbs 26:20). The Bible tells us to make every effort to avoid gossipers (Proverbs 20:19). A good rule of thumb is if you are not part of the problem or part of the solution, then keep the information to yourself.

One day a woman felt overwhelmed with guilt over her years of malicious gossip. She went to the local priest and confessed her sin. The priest was all too aware of her wagging tongue and had experienced the sting of her words first hand...or rather second hand.

"What can I do to rectify all the damage I have caused with my gossip?" she asked.

"Gather a bag of feathers," he began. "Then go around to each house and place a feather at their door."

That seemed like a simple enough request, so the woman did just as the priest had instructed. After the task was complete, she returned. "I have done what you requested," she said. "Now what am I to do?"

"Now go back and retrieve each of the feathers," he replied.         

"That is impossible," the woman argued. "The wind will have blown them all around town by now."

"Exactly," replied the wise priest. "Once you have spoken an ill word, it drifts through the air on wings of gossip, never to be retrieved. God has forgiven you, as you have asked. But I cannot remove the consequences of your hurtful words or gather them from the places they have landed."

Here's an idea. If a friend approaches you with some "news" or a "concern" about another person, stop and ask, "May I quote you on what you're about to tell me?" That will usually "put a lid" on the conversation before it even begins.

Let's Pray

Dear LORD, please give me the self-control I need not to gossip. Please forgive me for the times I have repeated a matter that was none of my business. Help me to not be lose-lipped when it comes to talking about other people. Give me courage not to engage in conversation when someone begins to gossip about another person. I make a commitment today to refrain from gossip and not add wood to the fire.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read 2 Corinthians 12:20 

What does Paul warn us to stay away from? Are you surprised that gossip is in the list?

1Timothy 5:13 says: "Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to."

What comes to mind when you think of a busybody?

Can you think of a time when you were hurt by gossip?

Can you think of a time when you hurt someone with gossip?

My toes are hurting. How about yours?

More from the Girlfriends

You have a powerful force, right under your nose. To learn more about how to use your words wisely and control your tongue, see my nook, The Power of a Woman's Words. One way you can use your words well is to pray for your husband. Come visit us over at The Praying Wives Club and pray for your man.

On September 8, 2014, I'll begin my on-line fall Bible Study on The Power of a Woman's Words. I have the book and Bible study guide specially priced for the months of August and September. Those who sign up will receive access to free video lessons and a free video viewing guide. Click here to view a sample video lesson. This is perfect for church groups, small groups, or individual study. Click here to sign up and learn more. We're going to learn about the power we possess, the people we impact, and the potential to change. Hope to see you there!