Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

November 11, 2011
Image vs. Integrity
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity(Proverbs 11:3, NIV).

Friend to Friend
On a recent flight, I was thumbing through a magazine someone left behind when the title of an article caught my eye. "Image is everything" the author declared. For a few seconds, I found myself mentally agreeing with the author's statement until I recognized the subtle lie hidden in the seemingly benign words.

As followers of Christ, we sometimes focus on developing and presenting the right image while neglecting the spiritual discipline of integrity. Our public lives are only as authentic as our private lives. Image is who and what people think we are while integrity is who and what we really are. Billy Graham once said, "Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, something is lost. When character is lost, all is lost."

Bobby Jones was one of the greatest golfers to ever compete, having won all four major tournaments in the U.S. and Britain in a single year. Early in his career, Jones made it to the final playoff in the U.S. Open. While setting up a fairly difficult shot, his golf club accidentally touched the ball. Jones immediately became angry, turned to the marshals, and called a penalty on himself. Since the marshals had not seen the ball move, they left the decision to Jones. It was a two-stroke penalty – which Bobby immediately called on himself, not knowing he would later lose the tournament by a single stroke.

Bobby dismissed praise for his honesty by replying, "You may as well praise a man for not robbing a bank!" Jones may have lost the tournament, but his character was legendary and today the United States Golf Association's award for sportsmanship is known as the "Bobby Jones Award."

I have often heard it said that integrity is what you do when no one is watching or that character is best illustrated by how you treat people who can do absolutely nothing for you. Integrity is a heart issue and a spiritual habit that decides beforehand to do the right thing. Character counts. Integrity matters to God. 

Matthew 5:8 (NIV) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

1 Chronicles 28:9b "For the Lord searches every heart, and understands every desire and every thought."

The word for "pure" means "ready for sacrifice." In other words, the decisions and choices we make should be living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable to God as acts of worship. To have integrity means to live an integrated life. That integration occurs when what we believe, what we think, what we say and what we do are all consistent. In reality, image really is nothing without integrity and character to back it up.

Let's Pray
Father, I come to You right now, asking You to examine my heart and show me every impurity hidden there. Search my desires and thoughts and show me the disobedience that breaks your heart and hinders my walk with You. I want to please You with every choice and decision I make, Lord. Forgive me for the hypocrisy in my life. I lay down my pride and my agenda and choose instead to seek and follow You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Memorize Psalm 51:10 that says, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." As this verse becomes the consistent prayer of your heart, each choice and decision you make will begin to line up with God's will. He will be honored, and you will experience a new power and purpose in your life. Continually ask yourself, "Will my choice make God smile?"

More from the Girlfriends
Already feeling the stress of the approaching holidays? You need Mary's book, Escaping the Stress Trap, for practical steps to dealing with and managing stress. Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebook- or through email. Need help learning how to study the Bible? Join women across the world in Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey, and find out."I am flat broke and Christmas is just around the corner!" Do those words sound familiar? Don't let gift-giving become a chore instead of a joy. Get Mary's MP3 download - Giving the Perfect Gift-and discover how to give ten wonderful and inexpensive gifts.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

November 14, 2011
Breaking the Will but Not the Spirit
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
Submit yourselves, then, to God ... (James 4:7, NIV).

Friend to Friend
Of all of the activities ten-year-old Miriam enjoyed, she loved riding her horse, Charlie, the best. He had a sleek chestnut mane, well-defined muscular legs, and a fierce strong will to match. Miriam felt powerful and self-assured when controlling this massive animal—except when he caught a glimpse of the barn. Whenever Miriam and Charlie returned from a jaunt in the woods, as soon as they got close enough for him to see the barn, he bolted homeward, forcing Miriam to hang on to the reins for dear life.

One day Miriam's riding instructor witnessed this strong-willed animal taking control of his master.

"Miriam!" she called out. "You cannot let that animal control you in that manner! Bring that horse back out of the barn this instant."

Dutifully, Miriam mounted Charlie and led him a distance away from the stalls.

"Now, when you turn around and Charlie sees the barn and begins to run toward it," the wiser, older woman instructed, "pull the reins all the way to the right. Do not let him go forward."

On cue, Miriam steered her horse toward the stalls. On cue, he bolted.

"Turn him! Turn him!" the instructor shouted.

Young Miriam pulled the reins to the right as hard as she could until the horse's head was inches away from touching his right shoulder. Charlie fought her with the force of a war horse. Round and round the horse and rider circled.

"Don't let go," the instructor shouted. "You must break his will!"

After ten long minutes, Charlie stopped circling, and Miriam stopped pulling him to the right. Miriam gently tapped his flanks, and he slowly walked toward the stable. She had broken his will, and he now obeyed his master's touch.

Have you ever felt that you are going in circles? Perhaps God is trying to break some old habit patterns in your life to help you become more adept at sensing His gentle nudges and tender tugging. Perhaps He is trying to steer you in the different direction other than bolting to the familiar. It's an amazing ride when you yield your will to the Master and travel the path He leads.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, so many times I see myself in Miriam's horse. I bolt to what is familiar rather than submit to You. Help me to follow Your lead, submit to Your guidance, and walk at the pace You set.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.                                                                                           

Now It's Your Turn
Additional Scripture Reading:James 4:1-12

Is there an old habit that God is trying to break in your life?  Are you running for the stalls out of habit or obeying your Master's lead?

How will we keep going in circles if we do not heed the Master's lead? (Think Israelites in the wilderness)

How do you keep from going in circles and repeating the same mistakes?  Let's share ideas at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes.  Your idea might be just what someone needs to hear!

More from the Girlfriends
Do you find yourself longing to hear God's voice – not as a once-in-a-lifetime experience but on a daily basis?  If so, Sharon's new 15-Minute Devotional book, Listening to God Day-by-Day,will help you do just that. It is an expanded version of the smaller book, Extraordinary Moments with God. In it you will find 100 devotions to help you become a woman who detects God's still small voice in all of life. This is a warm, fun, tender look at recognizing some of the wonderful and unexpected ways God reaches out to us in the middle of our busy day. For more on today's topic of getting rid of old habit patterns, see Sharon's book Becoming Spiritually Beautiful.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

Girlfriends in God
     
November 15, 2011
Plan for Peace
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.(Proverbs 16:7, ESV).

Friend to Friend
I recently read the story of a young reporter who approached an older gentleman on his 100th birthday.

"I want to wish you a happy birthday, Sir. I have just one question for you. What would you say is your greatest accomplishment in life?" the young reporter asked.

"Well," said the man, "I don't have a single enemy in the world."

"Really? That's incredible!" responded the reporter. "What is your secret?"

The centenarian smiled and proudly replied, "I have outlived every single one of them."

Let's be honest. Some people are harder to get along with than others. I call them "sandpaper people" because they are irritating and rub me the wrong way. Tough relationships are a certainty in life. When it comes to handling those difficult relationships, God does not want or expect us to declare war. We are to control our emotions instead of allowing them to control us. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:18, "As much as is possible, live peaceably with all men." In other words, we need to set our mind on peace – not winning.     

God's desire is for us to wage peace in every relationship. What is even more amazing to me is the fact that God calls us to wage peace with even the roughest, most abrasive sandpaper people who come our way. Now that is a formidable task, since sandpaper people seem to come with a set agenda that targets emotional eruptions and creates constant relationship upheavals. They love a good fight, live to evoke angry reactions and are fierce warriors determined to win every battle initiated by their downright irritating personalities. However, combat is impossible when the enemy has laid down his weapons and chosen peace.

Unresolved conflict is the enemy of peace, and peace is often the casualty of unresolved conflict in relationships. I love this little poem about relationship problems:

     "To dwell above with saints we love, that will be grace and glory.
      To live below with saints we know; that's another story!" (Author unknown)

The world has its own system for working out conflict. That system is retaliation. God has a different plan for working out conflict. That plan is restoration. The apostle Paul was a master at conflict resolution and in 1 Thessalonians 5:13, he offers a simple but powerful command to "live in peace with each other." In Colossians 3:12-14, he paints a clear picture of what living in peace should look like in our lives: 

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." Sounds like an impossible task, doesn't it? It is ... unless we choose to rely on and surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us. When Paul says that we are to "clothe" ourselves with certain characteristics so we will always be prepared for peace, he means we must plan ahead and make deliberate choices before the choice is actually necessary.

For example, the holidays are coming up. (I know. I can't believe it either.) Let's say that your least favorite relatives are coming for a week and you are already dreading their visit. Make the decision right now to practice patience, love and self-control during their stay. Choose today to please God by how you treat them and welcome them into your home. Why?

Proverbs 16:7 (ESV) "When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."

"He" is the operating word in the verse above. Did you catch that? Our obedience to God invites Him to promote peace in our relationships – even the most difficult ones. All we have to focus on is making sure our ways are pleasing to the Lord and He will do the rest. Now that is a great plan for peace!

Let's Pray
Father, I want to live a life of obedience to You. Make me an instrument of Your peace. Teach me to love even my enemies. Give me the strength to wage peace when what I really want to do is wage war. Today, I choose to surrender my stubborn will to You. I lay down my emotional weapons and choose peace. Be glorified in my relationships, Father.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
When our daughter, Danna, was a little girl, she loved to shop ... for any reason. One day, when I picked her up from school, she hopped in the car and exclaimed, "Mom, it is going to snow tonight!" I started laughing because I had already checked the weather and snow was nowhere in the forecast. "Danna, it is going to be in the 50s tonight. I hardly think we need to prepare for snow." Danna's immediate response was, "But don't you think we should go shopping - just in case?"

We need to plan for peace. The characteristics that we wear or "bring" to relationships will determine the level of peace in those relationships. Peace makes the decision to resolve conflict before conflict comes. Paul lists the characteristics we need to cultivate personally in order to have right relationships filled with peace. On a scale of one to five, how are you doing in each area when it comes to dealing with the difficult people in your life?

1 = Awful
5 = Awesome

___ Compassionate
___ Kind
___ Humble
___ Gentle
___ Patient
___ Merciful
___ Loving
___ Forgiving


What one change are you willing to make today to promote peace in your relationships? Record your answer in your journal along with a prayer of commitment. Feeling brave? Share your commitment with a girlfriend who will hold you accountable.

More from the Girlfriends
Already feeling the stress of the approaching holidays? You need Mary's book, Escaping the Stress Trap, for practical steps to dealing with and managing stress. Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebook- or through email. Need help learning how to study the Bible? Join women across the world in Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey, and find out.

"I am flat broke and Christmas is just around the corner!" Do those words sound familiar? Don't let gift-giving become a chore instead of a joy. Get Mary's MP3 download - Giving the Perfect Gift-and discover how to give ten wonderful and inexpensive gifts.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

November 16, 2011
A Courageous Beauty Queen
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God ... (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV).

Friend to Friend
Katie was born in Wichita, Kansas, a petite blond-headed pride and joy to the Signaigo family. In the following years, two more baby girls were born, and the Signaigo quiver was full. Katie grew up enjoying all the frills and thrills of childhood. She loved school and church activities, swimming and running, and most of all, she loved her friends.

Katie was only nine years old when she noticed a lump by her left ankle that wouldn't go away. The soreness would come and go, but the lump remained. For more than a year she and her mom were in and out of doctors' offices trying to figure out what this mysterious lump was all about. Two years later, eleven-year-old Katie was diagnosed with cancer, and her leg was removed just below the knee. She felt as though her life was over.

"No one will ever love me or want to marry me!" young Katie cried to her mom. "My life will never be the same. What am I going to do? People will laugh at me and make fun of me. I'll never be able to walk or run again. I'm going to have to live the rest of my life in a wheelchair!"

"Oh, precious," her mother spoke in assuring tones. "You will get married one day. You are a beautiful girl. You will run and swim and do all the things you've always loved doing. You are not going to be in a wheelchair, but have a prosthetic leg that will allow you to do all the things you did before. No, your life will not be the same, but it will be great. You'll see. We'll get through this together."

As a precaution, Katie went through chemotherapy for one year. Besides losing her leg, Katie also lost all of her beautiful blond hair. "When is this ever going to end?" she cried.

Eventually, Katie's hair grew back, she learned to walk with a prosthesis, and life returned to a new kind of normal. However, no one—absolutely no one but her immediate family—saw Katie's leg. She kept her prosthesis hidden from the world.

But then God began nudging Katie to return to the hospital where she had her surgery to talk to other children facing similar ordeals. She put her fears aside and visited the cancer ward and showed her leg to a girl named Amanda.

"Here, go ahead and touch it," Katie said. "It's okay." And Katie saw something flicker in Amada's eyes. It was hope.

Since that time Katie and her mom have made many visits to the hospital, telling children and their parents about what to expect and sharing hope. Together they are taking their scars, both physical and emotional, and investing in others.

Katie graduated from high school and attended the University of Central Arkansas. While there, she watched an Oprah program that featured Aimee Mullins, a double amputee who had become an athlete and a model. This amputee even showed various prostheses she used for different occasions.

So Katie decided it was time to stop hiding her leg from the world, and she did it in a big way. She entered the Miss University of Central Arkansas pageant! She participated in the talent, evening gown, and interview competitions. But Katie won the hearts of the crowd when she proudly walked down the catwalk in the bathing suit competition. There have been many tearful moments as pageant sponsors have placed the crowns on a winner's head, but I dare say there was never a more precious moment than when Katie Signaigo was crowned Miss UCA.

"We are all cracked pots in some way or other," Katie told a group of ladies at a women's gathering. "We all have our unique flaws. Don't be afraid of your flaws. Look for the positive things in life. Don't let yourself dwell in the bad things. This has been the greatest blessing in my life."

Like with Katie, often God uses our biggest struggles as a springboard for ministry. Listen closely. Is God calling you to use what you've gone through to encourage others with the hope and healing of Jesus Christ?

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, sometimes I get stuck when life doesn't turn out the way I thought it would. Help me to be a woman who refuses to say, "Why me?" but rejoices in saying "What now?" Show me how to turn my pain into purpose and my miseries into ministry.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
What does 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 tell you about how God wants you use what you have gone through to help other people.  Are you willing to do that? I hope so!

Today, pray that God will show you what He wants you to do with what you've learned in difficult times.  If you feel God calling you to minister to others, but aren't sure how to begin, Your Scars are Beautiful to Godwill walk you through the steps to begin.

I'd love to hear how God has taken a painful situation in your life and turned it into a ministry to help others.  Let's share at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes.

More from the Girlfriends
Do you find yourself longing to hear God's voice – not as a once-in-a-lifetime experience but on a daily basis?  If so, Sharon's new 15-Minute Devotional book, Listening to God Day-by-Day,will help you do just that. It is an expanded version of the smaller book, Extraordinary Moments with God. In it you will find 100 devotions to help you become a woman who detects God's still small voice in all of life. This is a warm, fun, tender look at recognizing some of the wonderful and unexpected ways God reaches out to us in the middle of busy days..

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

November 17, 2011
To Forgive or Not Forgive
Mary Southerland

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

Friend to Friend
Music has always been an important part of my life. In fact, I attended college on a music scholarship. The piano was my main instrument, but I also wanted to be a guitarist. Since I had played the piano for so many years, the musical challenge of playing the guitar was not my problem. It was my fingers. After two guitar lessons from a very patient friend and several hours of practicing, my fingertips were sore and raw to the point of bleeding. When I asked my friend what I was doing wrong, he just laughed and held out his hands, showing me the rough calluses on his own fingers. "When I began playing the guitar, my fingers were just as sore and raw as yours are now. Just keep playing, and your fingers will eventually develop calluses and it won't hurt to play," he explained.

Sin works the same way. The first time we commit a sin it really bothers us. We feel guilty and mourn the fact that we have grieved the heart of God. However, if we allow sin to settle into our lives by refusing to confess it, that sin hardens our heart and builds spiritual calluses in our soul. When we become comfortable with our sin, we are walking in enemy territory and setting ourselves up for spiritual discouragement and failure.

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

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

1.    We must confess sin continually. "Confess" means to agree with. It is a present tense verb meaning we must confess sin frequently - without stopping. Doing so makes us more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and creates a hunger and thirst for righteousness.

2.   We must confess sin completely.We commit individual sins. We need to confess them one-by-one and learn to be authentic and transparent when dealing with the sin in our lives.

3.    We must confess sin confidently.Once we confess our sins, we can put them behind us. God is just and fair -- seeking only one payment for sin. Jesus has already made that full and complete payment with His death on the cross. If we refuse to forgive ourselves, we are saying that what Jesus did on the cross was not enough. I love the story of a little boy standing in front of the Washington Monument. "I want to buy it, and I have a quarter," he told the guard. "That's not enough," the guard said.  The little boy replied, "I thought you would say that," pulling nine more cents out of his pocket. The guard looked down at the small boy and said, "Son, you need to understand three things. First, thirty-four cents is not enough. Second, the Washington Monument is not for sale. And third, if you are an American citizen, the Washington Monument already belongs to you." We need to understand three things about God's forgiveness. We will never be good enough to deserve it. It is not for sale and we cannot earn it. But if we have a personal relationship with God, His forgiveness already belongs to us.

One of Satan's favorite tactics is to resurrect buried sin. Wrapping that confessed transgression in his vain taunts and useless accusations, the enemy hauls it back into focus, hoping guilt will paralyze and imprison a soul set free.

How often do we believe Satan's empty lies and choose to remain a prisoner of false guilt and condemnation? To break the hold of sin, we must stand against the enemy, choose to trust the Word of God and embrace the promise that when we confess sin, God forgives it.

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

Now It's Your Turn
Read and meditate on the following verses:

Matthew 5:23-24 (NLT) "So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you ... leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God."

Colossians 1:13-14 (NIV) "For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Make a list of the sins in your life that need the forgiveness of God.  Ask God to forgive you for each one. If you have sinned against someone else, take the first step of reconciliation.  If someone has sinned against you, forgive them and go to them in love, seeking restoration.

What are the rewards of forgiveness?
What are the barriers to forgiveness in my heart?
What are the things for which I cannot forgive myself?
What does that indicate about my understanding of true forgiveness?
Celebrate right now the power of forgiveness in your life.

More from the Girlfriends
Already feeling the stress of the approaching holidays? Get Mary's book, Escaping the Stress Trap, for practical steps to dealing with and managing stress and check out her MP3, The Secret of a Merry Christmas. Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebook- or through email. Need help learning how to study the Bible? Join women across the world in Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey.

"I am flat broke and Christmas is just around the corner!" Do those words sound familiar? Don't let gift-giving become a chore instead of a joy. Get Mary's MP3 download - Giving the Perfect Gift-and discover how to give ten wonderful and inexpensive gifts.

[Judy Harder]

November 18, 2011
Measuring Up
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31:30).

Friend to Friend
My girlfriend Denise is a knockout. She's got the whole beauty package going on. She's tall, slender, athletic, bright, and funny. To know her is to love her. But she is so pretty that if you didn't know her, you might love to hate her. Kind of like the supermodels.

Denise is a former model and gymnast who lived much of her life in the shadow of perfection's impossible measuring stick. She grew up in a small town just outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and made a decision for Christ as a child. Though she was a believer, Denise still struggled with common issues of measuring up.

"It was very important to me to be well-liked and to be very successful in every aspect of my life," she said. "My family strived to be the ideal, all-American family. I worked hard to have great grades, be a great athlete, and wear the right clothes; to overachieve. As a model and gymnast, body type and strength were very important to winning, as well as to my identity."

By nature, Denise is competitive. Most would refer to her personality as type-A. A go-getter. A perfectionist. She's the kind of girl you want on your team: determined, focused, and disciplined. Her quest to be the best, however, left Denise feeling helpless and unsuccessful. Even though she was a fierce competitor as a gymnast, she never felt she was good enough. For years, Denise tried to control the circumstances and the people in her life in an attempt to make things perfect. Eventually, her pursuit of perfection got Denise into a heap of trouble. As Edwin Bliss has said, "The pursuit of excellence is gratifying and healthy. The pursuit of perfection is frustrating, neurotic, and a terrible waste of time."

As a high school gymnast, Denise dealt with the pressures to measure up in a destructive way. She became bulimic. She wanted to be in control of her body and manage her weight but she became enslaved to an addictive and damaging behavior. She was a Christian girl who knew that God loved her. She had been told that she was beautiful to Him, but for a season of her life, Denise didn't consider that enough. At first, to her delight, Denise's bulimia resulted in weight loss. Keeping extra weight off allowed her to be competitive in the gym and to look good. She wasn't alone. Most of her teammates had eating disorders too.

"What I thought was just a phase became my way of life," Denise remembers.

Her destructive behavior followed her to college. Denise thought she was in control of the bulimia, but eventually realized that bulimia was in control of her. It consumed her thoughts. It swung the gates of deception wide open for the enemy to stroll right through. He laughed all the way, because he had her right where he wanted her.

Negative self-talk filled her head. A thought as simple as, "I'm a little bit nervous about teaching this fitness class," would snowball into, "You are so fat. You should never have eaten all that food this afternoon. You're such an idiot! You won't even be able to get through this class." The voice in her head constantly told her she didn't measure up.

"If I heard ninety nine positive comments about myself and one negative comment, I couldn't let the one negative comment go," she said. "I illuminated my failures and shortcomings instead of celebrating my successes."

During that time, she constantly talked about her body...about how awful it was. Denise says it was as if a ticker tape was filling her mind with a steady stream of negative thoughts and beating her down.

She prayed, "Lord, help me find a way to cut that ticker tape. I need a reprieve." God eventually did cut it with truth, but it took a while for Denise to learn to recognize Satan's lies for what they were.

The Lord placed many Christian friends in Denise's path who encouraged her to see a counselor. She went, though she still wanted her way more than God's way. The counselor told her that she must want to be healed of her eating disorder. She needed motivation to change. Denise lacked the motivation until she went home for fall break and finally hit rock bottom.

A Time for Change
Denise was consumed with being fit. Each day of break was another opportunity to strive for physical perfection, and she trained hard. . She had been fasting for a few days—something she relished because of the dramatic physical results, not for the spiritual benefits the Bible speaks of—and then ate something. The ticker in her mind told her that she should feel terrible about eating, so Denise went upstairs and made herself throw up. Her body had grown so weak that she fell to the floor before making it to her bed.

Her brother found her on the floor crying and completely out of it.

Denise's brother, who suffers from a mild form of cerebral palsy and has struggled to overcome the challenges of his disability, was alarmed and angry. Once Denise was able to get up from the floor, her brother confronted her with strong words that became a catalyst of change in her life.

"I have worked all my life to overcome my physical deformity," he said. "And here you are intentionally destroying yourself."

It was true and she knew it.

In that moment, Denise felt the weight of truth, and finally crumbled. Her previous casual attempts to allow God to intervene were now replaced with sincere cries for help. She needed to change and she needed God's help for the change to happen. She needed Him to consume her thoughts and transform her mind. She needed Him desperately.

Denise had known the truth from the beginning. She just resisted it. She knew that bulimia was destructive, but the pressures of the world had a greater hold on her.

When she turned to Jesus for help, He began to transform her from the inside out. As a child, Denise gave her heart to Jesus. As an adult, she surrenderedher life to Him. There's a big difference. In the surrendering, Denise found healing for the bulimia and emotional freedom from the need to measure up to the world's standard of perfection.

Her healing took time. It progressed slowly. God used His Word, Christian counseling, and friends to replace lies with His truth. Denise has experienced full healing through the strength of the Lord and now regularly shares her story with women and young girls.

Healing begins when we hold tightly to the truth of God and allow the truth of God to hold tightly to us. God gives each of us the freedom to accept or reject His way. When we lean into His truth, we are less likely to conform to the world. His truth, His Word can be the light for each step we take. It illuminates the path that leads to His heart. God's Word transforms. The apostle Paul said, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2a).

We live in a competitive world. The pressures to be thin, beautiful, fit, smart, sexy, funny, rich, and popular trap us in a relentless vise-grip. Denise's story isn't much different from yours or mine. You don't need to be a model or a gymnast to get trapped in a disorder or an addictive lifestyle. You could be a college student, a businesswoman, a nurse, a mom, a dance instructor, a retail clerk, or a Sunday school teacher. No one is exempt. Feelings of inadequacy and inferiority ravage hearts of Christians and non-Christians alike.

Our attempts to measure up are all-consuming traps. They focus our attention inward verses upward, just as they did with Denise. When we get caught in the trap of striving to measure up, we focus on ourselves. That was never God's plan. We were designed to focus on Him. Shifting our attention from ourselves to God will change our perspective. God longs for our obsession to be Him.

"I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols" (Isaiah 42:.

Let's Pray
Dear God, please renew and transform me from the inside out! When feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and self-doubt creep into my heart, help me to see myself the way you do. I want to be held tightly by your truth.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
There's a line in the song "Broken into Beautiful" that says: "We live with accusations, sometimes heavy expectations that tell us we can never measure up. And yet You repeat with mercy that in Your eyes we are worthy, 'til at last we see how much we're loved."

How does this speak to you today? Do you really know how much you're loved? Pray about it and journal if you're the journaling type... then let's meet on my Facebook page to talk about it and pray through it together. www.Facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic.

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

LOVE MUSIC? Check out Gwen's new CD, Uncluttered. Now available oniTunes! The songs of Uncluttered are purposed to sweep you away from life-noise and to focus your heart and mind on the one thing that matters: your relationship with Jesus Christ.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim Hansel, Eating Problems for Breakfast, (Word Publishing, 1988) page 39.

[ii] Featured on Unsearchable, and also on the Because CD by Gwen Smith (www.GwenSmith.net) © Sunday Best Music/ (ASCAP) Newspring, a division of Zomba Enterprises, Inc. (ASCAP)/ CCTB Music (ASCAP). All right OBO CCTB. Music administered by New Spring. Used by permission.



Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

November 21, 2011
Grandma's Inheritance
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
Older women...encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home ...  (Titus 2:3-5, NASB).

Friend to Friend
As far as I can remember, my Grandma Edwards was always old. She didn't have many material possessions, but she had a sharp mind, a determined spirit, and buckets full of love. She was a small-framed woman who raised a family of five children during the depression by running a country general store and harvesting produce from her garden. Her waist-long, tightly braided hair wound around her head like a crown, and her teeth came out at night.

Another thing that always amazed me as a little girl was Grandma's undergarments. She wore knit baggy underwear that hung down to her knees and an equally attractive T-shirt to match. I never saw these undergarments anywhere except on Grandma's clothesline, so I decided there must be a special "Grandma store" that sold baggy underwear just for grandparents.

Grandma never drove a car, but she would ring up the grocery store and a box of supplies would magically appear on her back stoop. Grandma's house was filled with the aroma of strong coffee and fresh-baked biscuits. There was also the scent of salve, which was the cure-all for any ailment, and of snuff, which she would sneak between her cheek and gum when she thought I wasn't looking.

Each summer I would spend a week at Grandma's house. The highlight of our day was watching Perry Mason on her big black-and-white television. We drank Coca-Cola from cold glass bottles and ate peanut butter crackers. Grandma had a standing date with Perry each day. If someone "came a'callin' " during that time, they knew to pull up a chair, grab a Coke, and wait until the verdict was in before conversation could commence.

During my weeks with Grandma, there were no trips to fast-food restaurants or shopping sprees at the mall. That's just not what grandmas were for. So what did I do for seven days? I did what Grandma did (except dip snuff). I made biscuits, shelled lima beans, canned vegetables for the following winter, and learned how to sew.

When I was six years old, Grandma taught me how to turn a square piece of daisy-covered fabric into a gathered apron with a big bow in the back. At seven, we transformed a rectangular piece of floral cloth into a jumper with big ball buttons on the straps. At eight, we conquered the zipper.         

Without realizing it, my grandmother was being a Titus 2 woman. "Older women...encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home." It was her inheritance to me.

Grandma didn't leave me a sum of money when she passed away, but she left something much more valuable. God used her to show me that leaving an inheritance to our children is so much more than money in the bank, well-invested mutual funds, and valuable heirlooms. It is leaving them memories of simple times together, showing them on how to become men and women of God, and leaving a legacy that causes them to "rise up and call you blessed."

What sort of legacy will you leave behind? The more we become women who listen to God, the more likely we will leave a yearning in others to do the same.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, help me to leave a godly heritage and invest love today that will multiply tomorrow. Help me to always remember what is important—not money in the bank, but God in the heart. Help me to be the type of woman that we read about in Titus 2 who exemplifies what You desire.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Can you think of an older woman who has invested in you?  Consider writing her a note and telling her how she has blessed you.

How are you investing in the younger generation?

If you are reading this devotion, there is someone younger than youJ

Here is a way to honor someone who has been a Titus 2 woman for you.  Log onto www.facebook.com/sharonjaynesand share how she has helped you understand what a godly woman looks like.

More from the Girlfriends
Do you find yourself longing to hear God's voice – not as a once-in-a-lifetime experience but on a daily basis?  If so, Sharon's new 15-Minute Devotional book, Listening to God Day-by-Day,will help you do just that. It is an expanded version of the smaller book, Extraordinary Moments with God. In it you will find 100 devotions to help you become a woman who detects God's still small voice in all of life. This is a warm, fun, tender look at recognizing some of the wonderful and unexpected ways God reaches out to us in the middle of our busy day.

[Judy Harder]

November 22, 2011
The Secret of Discipline
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit (Proverbs 25:28, NAS)

Friend to Friend
Discipline is obedience, a lifetime process that brings us to a state of order by training and controlling our behavior. Discipline is focusing and eliminating, zeroing in on what is important in every area of life. Discipline not only leads to right thinking, pleasing behavior and balanced emotions, but also produces a purpose driven life based on right goals and priorities.

And that brings us to the discipline of our time - a dreaded and often ignored spiritual discipline for many of us. We have either forgotten or failed to realize the truth that our minutes, hours and days are precious commodities - gifts from God that can be unwrapped only once. Time is wasted unless it is invested in goals and priorities that are rooted in God's plan.

A busy life is not necessarily a productive life, girlfriends. Oh, I can hear it now! "Mary, it's true that I am very busy, but I am busy doing good things." Those words were the cry of my heart just before I crashed and burned and landed in a pit of clinical depression. The problem with my list of "good things" was that it was just that – my list - the wrong list for my life. The result was exhaustion, burnout and disobedience.

One of the most important lessons of my "pit experience" was that my perspective of time was skewed. I had poured years into making my plan successful only to discover that God resources and empowers His plan alone. Outlook determines outcome. It was painfully obvious I needed an outlook adjustment, an eternal perspective. I needed to understand the truth that my time is not really mine to do with as I please. It is a resource on loan to me from God. As a result, every plan, priority and goal should 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.

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

Learning how to discipline time is a challenge for us all. I am, by no means, an expert in this area, but I do want to share some simple ideas that have worked for me.

Tithe your time. Just as we tithe our money, we should tithe our time. God blesses and multiplies the time we set aside to spend in Bible study, prayer and service.

Get organized.  In 1 Corinthians 14:40, we are challenged to "do all in a fitting and orderly way." In other words, being organized is a spiritual discipline, freeing us from the tyranny of the urgent while making room for the eternal things that matter. Here are some organizational tips:

·         Buy and keep a calendar. Writing down things keeps me from wasting time and "bunching up" activities. It takes the pressure off of me to remember everything and allows me to see, at a glance, what is important.My weeks and months are more evenly scheduled and I am forced to prioritize, doing the important things first.

·         Choose one day a week to plan. Every Sunday afternoon, I plan the week ahead, recording the main tasks I need to complete and scheduling the appointments I need to make and keep.  Pray over your week, asking the Holy Spirit to make clear those things ordained for each day.

·         Simplify and eliminate.Experts advise us to approach spring cleaning by dealing with one closet at a time. Break jobs up into manageable steps so that the large tasks seem doable.

·         Tackle the dreaded task first.I have discovered that tackling the job I dread the most energizes me for the rest of the tasks.  I have also learned to use my best time, the time of the day when my energy is highest for the most important and the most difficult tasks.

·         Stop activity when it becomes unproductive. Sometimes, a 10 minute break will boost energy, refocus attention and get those creative juices flowing.

·         Begin a task, even if you won't have time to complete it. I hate doing laundry and frequently long for the day of disposable clothing. As a result, I do the laundry in pieces.  For example, I will start the wash and answer email.  I then toss the wet clothing into the dryer and work on a writing assignment.  You get the idea!

·         Delegate.When we delegate work to our children, we are teaching them godly discipline. The church is filled with people waiting to be pushed out of their comfort zones in service. Look for those potential leaders and delegate.

·         Leave margins in your schedule.I tend to fill every time slot during the day. Therefore, when the "unexpected" comes along, I am overwhelmed and unprepared. Building margins of time into our schedules is a step of faith, trusting God to fill them in any way He chooses.

·         Yield to the seasons of life.When my children were small, I did not travel and speak like I do now. Do not sacrifice your family on the altar of any church or any ministry. Our greatest mission field is our home, our marriage and our children. It does not matter how much we do or how successful we are, if home and family get the leftovers of our time, energy, emotions and spiritual service we are walking in sin and disobedience.

Discipline builds upon discipline, each success encouraging another. Make the commitment to cultivate the disciplines of a godly woman, then pick a corner of your life and begin. Discipline does not come naturally or easily. We will fail. But we can always begin again. Join me today in a new commitment to godly discipline.

Let's Pray
Father, I want to thank You for your unconditional love and forgiveness. Please help me focus on You and Your presence in my life each day. I pray that any stress in my heart will be swallowed up in the reality that You are faithful and that You are in control. I know You are not surprised by anything that comes my way and will transform the good into better, the unthinkable into the unstoppable and the unbelievable into fact. I praise You for the amazing way You guide me and lift me up when I fall.  Today, I choose to focus on You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

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

More from the Girlfriends
Already feeling the stress of the approaching holidays? Get Mary's book, Escaping the Stress Trap, for practical steps to dealing with and managing stress and check out her Christmas MP3 downloads, The Secret of a Merry Christmasand Giving the Perfect Gift.

Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebook- or through email. Need help learning how to study the Bible? Join women across the world in Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey, and find out.

[Judy Harder]

November 23, 2011
Put a Lid on It
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
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.

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 that I had forgotten 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 to change clothes, take out the curlers and run a brush through my hair, swipe mascara through my lashes, and place 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 off the stove!"

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 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 sound the fire made. It made me think 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.

As we listen to God day by day, I pray we will sense His leading to put a lid on our destructive words. Let's pray we will be quick to listen, slow to speak, and quick to obey when God warns us to keep fire-sparking words from slipping past our lips.

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 James 3:1-18 and note what you learn about our words.

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

Today, sit 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.

If you'll agree to leave a pot lid out on your kitchen counter for a few days, let me know at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes.  I'd love to know if it made a difference.

More from the Girlfriends
Do you find yourself longing to hear God's voice – not as a once-in-a-lifetime experience but on a daily basis?  If so, Sharon's new 15-Minute Devotional book, Listening to God Day-by-Day,will help you do just that. It is an expanded version of the smaller book, Extraordinary Moments with God. In it you will find 100 devotions to help you become a woman who detects God's still small voice in all of life. This is a warm, fun, tender look at recognizing some of the wonderful and unexpected ways God reaches out to us in the middle of our busy days.  And if you would like to learn more about how to control your words, then see Sharon's best-selling book and Bible study, The Power of a Woman's Words.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

November 24, 2011
Remember ... and Give Thanks
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Psalm 106:1 (NIV) "Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."

Friend to Friend
In homes across America, friends and family will gather around beautifully decorated tables filled with warm, scrumptious food to give thanks. It's Thanksgiving Day. But today will be nothing like holidays of the past for many people.   

Lonely but committed soldiers covered in the dust of battle will patrol foreign borders, fighting for our freedom while their families back home long for word of their safety. The homeless will make their way to the nearest soup kitchen, hoping for a warm meal and a smiling face as so many celebrate this day of abundance. An empty place at the table will be a painful reminder of the loved one lost not long ago. A worried husband and dad will sit at the head of the table, wondering how he is going to tell his family that he just lost his job. The list of wounded hearts and unmet needs is endless.

We convince ourselves that life will be better when we have more money, when we find the right mate, when we get the kids raised or build the perfect house. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we can afford a nicer car, when we get that promotion, when we are able to go on our dream vacation or when we retire. We keep trying to find joy, contentment and peace in lifeless places and things.

Jesus Christ is life. He is Joy and Love and He took our place on the cross. That's why we can give thanks when it seems as if there is nothing for which to be thankful.

One day, a man went to visit a church. He arrived early, parked his car, and got out.  Another car pulled up near him, and the driver told him, "I always park there. You took my place." The visitor went inside for Sunday school, found an empty seat, and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat. You took my place." The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.

After Sunday school, the visitor went into the church sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit. You took my place." The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still said nothing.

Later, as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?" The visitor replied, "I took your place."

Yes, we live in a broken world and life is filled with pain, challenges, dark times and trials, but today can still be a day of thanksgiving and praise because praise and thanksgiving have little to do with the Thanksgiving holiday and everything to do with our inner attitude toward God. It really doesn't matter how much we lose here, girlfriend.  I have read the Book and we win ... for all of eternity! We just need to take the time to remember ... and give thanks.

Let's Pray
Father, we come to You today, praising You for meeting our needs this year in ways that we may or may not have understood at the time. Looking back, we see Your hand of mercy and love.  We recognize Your presence and Your power and we choose to celebrate You ...we celebrate life.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

More from the Girlfriends
Already feeling the stress of the approaching holidays? Get Mary's book, Escaping the Stress Trap, for practical steps to dealing with and managing stress and check out her MP3, The Secret of a Merry Christmas. Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebook - or through email. Need help learning how to study the Bible? Join women across the world in Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey, and find out.

"I am flat broke and Christmas is just around the corner!" Do those words sound familiar? Don't let gift-giving become a chore instead of a joy. Check out Mary's MP3 download - Giving the Perfect Gift- and discover how to give ten wonderful and inexpensive gifts.

Sharon, Gwen and I want to wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving Day, a day of remembering all that God is, all that God has and all that He wants to be in your life.

We praise Him for allowing us to do life together and want you to know that we are with you ... Girlfriends in God.



November 25, 2011
The Trumpet Game
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, NIV)

Friend to Friend
My friend Brad has a little girl named Elizabeth. When Elizabeth was one year old, Brad and his wife taught her some sign language. For the word please, they chose to have her rub her chest. So, as Brad and Jamie taught Elizabeth to say please, they rubbed their own chests and said "please." Simple enough.

Elizabeth had a favorite toy. It's a plastic knobby toy that holds colorful rings. You know the one with the yellow pole and white base that, without the rings, loosely resembles a trumpet. (C'mon, use your imagination!) So, being the fun, creative parents that Brad and Jamie are, they would dump off the rings and playfully hold up Elizabeth's toy and make a trumpet sound. Elizabeth loved her parent's silliness. She laughed and clapped with delight. It became a favorite game in their household.

One day, when Brad and Elizabeth were playing the trumpet game, Elizabeth excitedly grabbed the toy and handed it back to him to do it again. Brad encouraged her to say "please" and reinforced the instruction by rubbing his chest. To his surprise, Elizabeth made her way over to him and started to rub his chest instead of her own.

Did this please her daddy? You bet it did!

Even though Elizabeth mixed up the signals, she communicated with her daddy. Brad was filled with love and joy by her effort. He was pleased that she came to him. Not because she did or didn't do something right, but just because she is his daughter and he loves her. He adores her.

God adores you too. Just because you are His child. His sweet daughter. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" (1 John 3:1a).

Have you considered that perhaps God isn't longing for you to come to Him with perfect, polished prayers that have fifty-cent words and flowery language? Have you thought about the pleasure God experiences when you simply approach him just as you are, warts and all, because He loves you? He delights in your attention. He takes pleasure when you go to Him simply because you are His.

I love how the psalmist responded to God's love:

Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—

who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

(Psalm 103:1-5)

Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, Thanks for this reminder of Your love for me.  Thanks for seeing me as precious and special.  I'm amazed by Your love.  I'm overwhelmed with thankfulness that You made a way for me to know You through Jesus Christ.   Help me to come to You as I am each day...without pretenses, pride, or perfection, but simply with Your permission to just be me...because You love me.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Read Zephaniah 3:17 again silently
Now read it again aloud
Now read it aloud three more times and insert your name after each 'you' –
"The LORD your God is with you (insert name here), He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you (name), He will quiet you (name) with His love, He will rejoice over you (name) with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17(NIV)

More from the Girlfriends
When Brad shared this story with me, it melted my heart and blessed my soul.  I hope you were moved, too.  That's really what being a GiG is all about...sharing things that move us and spur us on toward our extravagant Lord!  Glad we are doing life together!  I'd love to hear what has moved you lately...come to my facebook page and let me know!

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