Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

April 5, 2012
Knock. Knock. Is Anybody There? Part 3
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you,' (Jeremiah 7:23 NASB).

Friend to Friend
Yesterday I wrote about my little neighbor who had a tendency to walk into our house whenever he wanted to. After teaching him to knock first, if no one answered, he'd walk in anyway. It was a fun story. If you missed it, you can read it on my blog at www.sharonjaynes.com.

So what do we do when we knock on God's door and we don't hear an answer right away? We looked at various options, but one thing is for certain, silence from God cannot be interpreted as a "yes." "Well, God didn't tell me 'no,' so I went on ahead." That's not going to work. It could be that God is waiting for us to obey what He already HAS told us, before He gives further direction.

Let me share a story about a time when God was silent in my life. After my sophomore year in college, I decided to take a break and work for a year or so. After the first year, I felt an urge to go back to college, but my prayer for direction was met with silence. So I continued in my job.

When the next spring came around, my desire to return to school resurfaced. The confusion about what to do and where to go resurfaced as well.

I went to visit a man who had been a spiritual mentor to me during my teenage years. I told him about my confusion about college. Mr. Thorp decided that we should read some Scripture about prayer before we prayed for God's direction.

First he turned to Matthew 6:8-15.

"For your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray: `Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

Then he turned to Matthew 18:19.

"'Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.' Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

Each time Mr. Thorp turned to a passage about God answering prayer, there was one about forgiveness either before or after it.

"Sharon," he said, "I sense that God is telling you that you have unforgiveness toward your father. Is that true?"

I wanted to say, "Wait a minute. I came here to ask for prayer about my future, not about my past." But God was showing me that unforgiveness in my past was blocking His work in my future.

I had a very tumultuous childhood. My father had become a Christian when I was twenty, but I had yet to forgive him for all the pain he had caused. I knew God had instructed me to forgive, but I had not obeyed.

So that night, I forgave my father for everything he had ever done. Really. When I did, God set me free, and my life moved to a new and deeper level with Him. (That is what God really wants from us most of all.)

Interestingly, the next day, the cloud of confusion lifted. I knew exactly what to do. I applied to college, was accepted a few months later, resigned from my job, and began classes in the fall. I met my husband four weeks later, and soon became his wife. 

I am not saying that obedience in one area will make you'll strike it rich, find the man of your dreams, or live happily ever after. However, I do believe that sometimes God's silence is due to the fact that He is waiting for us to obey what we do know before He gives us more direction. 

So go ahead and knock! Ask! Pray! But make sure that you are doing what you do know has told you to do first.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, I pray that You will show me any areas of my life where I have not obeyed or am not obeying You. I'll admit, there are some areas You don't even need to tell me about. I know I haven't obeyed. There are things in my life that You've told me to let go of and I've held onto them. There are people that You have told me to reach out to whom I've ignored. There are steps of faith that You've called me to take and I've hung back. Show me, Lord. And give me the courage to live in obedience to what I DO KNOW, before asking for direction in areas that I DON"T.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Some of you are mad at me right now. I don't blame you. This is a hard lesson. Philip didn't like it and honestly, sometimes I don't like it either. But I love you too much to tickle your ears with fluff rather than give you meat to chew.

So here we go: Is there any area of your life where you know that you are living in disobedience to God. Are you willing to make a change? If so, log onto my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes or my blog at www.sharonjaynes.com and write "yes" in the comment box.

More for the Girlfriends
Today's devotion was taken from Sharon's book, Becoming Spiritually Beautiful. To learn more about the keys to living fully and free found in this book, visit www.sharonjaynes.com. While you're there, check out all the free resources!

[Judy Harder]

April 6, 2012
A Willing Heart
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, 'Come back to God!'" (2 Corinthians 5:20, NLT)

Friend to Friend
My husband Brad went on a missions trip to Guatemala a few years ago. What he saw and experienced changed his life and increased his faith in a dramatic way. He was an eyewitness to the healing power of God. On that trip he prayed harder, believed more, and expected more from God each passing day—and as a result, God used their medical missions team as a conduit for miracles.

Do you ever find yourself doubting that God wants to move in and through your life? Have you ever felt like you've needed a faith-lift? Are there circumstances in your life that have left you feeling "unqualified" to be the voice of life to others? Do you want to experience God's strength and power in your average, ordinary days?

If so, then lean in, girlfriend, because what I'm about to share with you is a key to increasing the power of God in your life!

Hector, the founder of that Guatemalan ministry that Brad teamed up with on the missions trip, visited North Carolina, and my family and I went to hear him speak. When I heard him testify of the provision and power of God, my heart was stirred and my faith was boosted. But what moved me most was the story of the lesson he learned about his call after God led him to be a medical missionary.

Before he began the medical ministry that he devotes his life to now, Hector's main goal in life was to make lots of money. Back then he didn't even apologize for it. He was a Christian and figured that God could use his money to help others.

What happened to change the course of his life? Back in the late eighties, Hector and his wife joined a medical team on a trip to a mountain village. The team was blown away by what God did through them while they were there. On the four-hour drive back to the city, they worshipped and sang praises to God. As he worshipped and drove, Hector heard the Lord speak to his soul. This is what I've made you for: to medically treat my people, to pray for their healing, and to share the hope of Jesus with the hopeless and the lost.

Hector felt so overwhelmed that he pulled the truck over and told the team of his call from God to be a missionary doctor. They prayed over him, whooped it up in celebration, and then continued down the mountain with an even greater sense of purpose and excitement. Hector thought that God had called him to be a missionary because of his skills as a doctor. Later, he would think otherwise.

A few years into his work, while visiting a remote village, a woman with a large mass on her side came into their makeshift clinic. Her terrible pain was curbed only by her excitement that the medical team had come to help her. One glance at her tumor and Hector had a strong suspicion that it was malignant. Upon examining her further, Hector was convinced that she was terminal. He became very frustrated with God, to the extent that he didn't even want to share the gospel with her because he couldn't do anything to help her physically.

Hector sent up a few prayers of frustration, but felt God nudging him to share the gospel with this woman. So he reluctantly shared the good news of Jesus with her; and, to Hector's surprise, she wanted to be forgiven and place her faith in Jesus Christ! And as they sat on the floor of that makeshift med-center, this sweet woman trusted Jesus as her Savior. When they finished praying, the woman had a radiant smile and tears in her eyes. He hugged her and she began to cry.

"What happened?" Hector asked. "Why are you crying?"

"As we were praying," she said, "I felt a warmth that started on my head and spread to the tips of my toes." As she said this, she realized something had changed, and she screamed with delight, "My mass is gone! My pain is gone!"

Hector had her lie back down on his examining table. The tumor that had been there just minutes ago was gone. God had intervened. She was healed, both spiritually and physically!

In the amazing celebration that followed, God spoke clearly to Hector's heart. God told him that He had all the power needed for the work He had called Hector to, and it had nothing to do with his medical training. God impressed on his heart that He didn't need Hector's skills or his knowledge; He had all of that covered. He just wanted him to go in His name.

You and I have that same opportunity every day. We have a chance to be a witness of God's healing love to a world of wounded hearts. Did God need my husband and the other volunteers to heal Guatemalan villagers, treat their physical wounds, and share the hope of Jesus with them? No. Did God move in the lives of the villagers because of their willingness to go in His name? You bet!

One of my favorite sayings is, "God doesn't call the equipped. He equips the called." If you are His, then you are called. Not because of who you are or what you can do, but because God can and will do His work through you.

Did God tell Jonah to go to Nineveh because Jonah was a great leader with amazing vision? No! Jonah proved to be quite wimpy. When Jonah finally made it to Nineveh, did God bring a great wave of repentance and restoration because of Jonah's rhetorical gifts? No! God stirred the hearts and changed the lives of hundreds of Ninevites because Jonah finally had the courage to speak God's words.

God wants to do something similar through you. He wants you to stop fighting Him on this and be willing to speak for Him so others can know the same healing and hope that you know. He wants to bring beauty up from the ashes of brokenness all around you.

Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, I'm so humbled that You would call me to anything. You have all the power needed for every job, yet you ask me to join you. Thank you, Lord. Please make my heart willing to say yes to everything you want me to do.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Do you have a willing heart? What is God calling you to do for Him? Spend a few moments in prayer and ask God to guide you and strengthen you for the task.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21.

More from the Girlfriends
Hey girlfriend! I'm a woman who has hesitated to say yes to God in the past. It took many months of resistance before I conceded to release my testimony into His hands. I just didn't think anything good could come of it. Boy was I wrong! God doesn't waste a hurt, and He has a big plan for your life. Trust His heart... no matter where He's leading you!

GOT BEAUTY? Today's devotion is an excerpt from Gwen Smith's book, Broken into Beautiful.God delights to heal and transform lives ... including your own. In her book, Broken Into Beautiful, Gwen Smith invites you to experience how the unconditional love of Jesus can change your life and bring strength and healing to your heart.  He can transform your life into something beautiful. To order the book, go to Amazon or, for a signed copy, order from Gwen's website: www.gwensmith.net.

Connect with Gwen on Facebook here: www.Facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic.

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]

April 9, 2012
Check the Radar
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver" (Proverbs 25:11).

Friend to Friend
Fruit is one of my favorite foods. When I go grocery shopping, it always takes me longer to get through the fruit section than any other area of the store. I spend what some might consider a ridiculously long time picking out what I hope will be the juiciest apples, the plumpest grapes and sweetest bananas. Experience has taught me to quickly discard any piece of fruit that is bruised, mushy or discolored. I shake cantaloupe and thump watermelons. Ripe strawberries have a unique sweet scent and only the reddest cherries will do. Plums and tomatoes must be firm to the touch, bright in color and wrinkle-free while the more wrinkles the better when it comes to choosing passion fruit.

On a recent trip to the grocery store, I was carefully making my fruit selections when the thought occurred to me that I spend more time choosing fruit than I spend choosing my words.

Words are power tools that can build and encourage. Words can also destroy and cause confusion. We have all been hurt and even defeated by words spoken in anger or words rising out of a wounded and bitter heart. I have been guilty of speaking damaging words with the ulterior motive of flaunting power or demonstrating control. It is so easy for my mouth to be in motion before my mind is in gear and the result is rarely good or godly.

The words we speak can clarify or complicate a situation. I have watched my husband diffuse an emotional bomb and avoid a potentially explosive situation with a few carefully chosen and quietly spoken words of wisdom. I have also observed him in the art of confrontation – and with Dan, it really is an art. In fact, one person told me that he was halfway home before he realized that Dan had just confronted and corrected him.

Solomon offers great wisdom concerning the use of words, "Whoever controls his mouth protects his own life. Whoever has a big mouth comes to ruin" (Proverbs 13:3 GWT). If we do not learn to use and control our tongue, it will use and control us. While it is true that we need to choose our words carefully, it is just as true that the tongue is a spiritual thermometer which reflects the condition of the heart.

I am not a good patient and tend to think that most medical rules apply to everyone else in my life – but not to me. After all, I am a woman and I am a Southerland. According to my husband, it doesn't get much tougher than that. Several years ago, I was slammed with a high fever and blinding headache that sent me to bed for days, something highly unusual for me. I called my doctor. When he heard my symptoms, he told me to come in immediately and even though his waiting room was full, he would make room for me in his already crowded schedule. His urgency was not encouraging.

The minute I walked in his office, the receptionist waved me back to the patient area where a nurse promptly escorted me to an examination room, hurriedly recorded my symptoms, took my temperature, glanced briefly at my throat and quickly left the room. Minutes later, the doctor and a nurse walked in and stood on the opposite side of the room, almost smiling at me. At this point, I realized that whatever I had was evidently highly contagious and probably fatal. I felt so awful that the latter was definitely appealing.

"Mary, I am almost certain you have viral meningitis," the doctor said. Seeing the blank look on my face, he explained, "Your abnormally high fever of 104 and severe headache are classic symptoms of meningitis, but we need to run some tests to verify my suspicions. Oh, and by the way, how long have you had the solid white coating on your tongue?" I was stunned. What coating? Why is the color of my tongue even important in determining my illness? The doctor continued, "The health of the tongue is a very strong indicator of the health of the entire body."

The same is true when it comes to the words we speak. "The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart. Good people have good things in their hearts, and so they say good things. But evil people have evil in their hearts, so they say evil things" (Matthew 12:34-35, NCV). If my words are boastful, my heart is insecure. If my words are filthy, my heart is impure and if my words are critical, my heart is filled with pride and anger. In other words, the problem is not really my mouth, it's my heart. The words I speak reflect the true condition of my heart.

Careless words can cause such grief. Unless strained through discipline and holiness, words can convey false perspectives and untruths. However, the right word, spoken at the right time and in the right way can bring order in the midst of confusion and light on a very dark path. I believe God gives us spiritual "radar" so we can assess a situation and speak the right word for that circumstance. We just need to check the "radar screen" before we speak.

Let's Pray
Father, I can be so careless with the words I speak. Forgive me. Please help me learn how to control my tongue. Create in me a clean heart, God, so that I can speak words filled with grace and love.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Read Colossians 4:6. "Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone."

How would you describe words that are "gracious?"
How can our words be "effective" in the lives of others?
What do you think Paul means when he says that we can have the "right answer for everyone?"

More from the Girlfriends
The subject of taming the tongue is a hard one. Since communication is a gift from God, He has a plan for the right way to use it. My problem is that I tend to think my plan is better. I know. I can be arrogant ... and stubborn. Someone recently sent me this prayer: "Lord, keep Your arm around my shoulder and Your hand over my mouth." Amen!

Check out Mary's new E-Bible Study, How to Get Past Your Past, and learn how to face and deal with your past.

Need help studying the Bible? Enroll in Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journeyand learn how to understand and apply God's truth in your daily life.

Need a friend?Connect with Mary on Facebookor through email.

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]

April 10, 2012
You'll Meet An Old Lady One Day
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control," (Galatians 5:22 NIV).

Friend to Friend
One of my favorite books I have written is The Power of a Woman's Words. One of my favorite sentences in this favorite book is, "Our words become the mirrors in which other people see themselves." That is a huge responsibility and a powerful privilege.

At the very end of the book, I included a piece that someone passed along to me, and I want to pass it along to you today. I think about it often and pray about it frequently. Let me know what you think.

You are going to meet an old lady someday. Down the road, ten, twenty, thirty years; she's waiting for you.  You will catch up to her. What kind of old lady are you going to meet?

She may be a seasoned, soft and gracious lady. A lady who has gown old gracefully, surrounded by a host of friends – friends who call her blessed because of what her life has meant to them. She may be a bitter, disillusioned, dried-up cynical old buzzard, without a good word for anyone or anything – soured, friendless, alone. The kind of old lady you will meet will depend entirely upon you.

She will be exactly what you make of her, nothing more, nothing less. It is up to you.  You will have no one else to credit or blame. Every day, in every way, you are becoming more and more like that old lady. You are getting to look more like her, think more like her and talk more like her. You are becoming her. If you live only in terms of what you are getting out of life, the old lady gets smaller, drier, harder, crabbier, more self-centered. Open your life to others. Think in terms of what you can give and you contribution to life, and the old lady grows larger, softer, kinder, greater.

These little things, seemingly so unimportant now – attitudes, goals, ambitions, desires – are adding up inside where you cannot see them, crystallizing in your heart and mind.  The point is these things don't always show up immediately. But they will – sooner than you think. Some day they will harden into that old lady; nothing will be able to soften or change them then.

The time to take care of that old lady is right now, today. Examine your motives, attitudes, goals. Check up on her. Work her over now while she is still pliable, still in a formative condition. Then you will be much more likely to meet a lovely, gracious old lady at the proper time.

So, tell me what you think.

Let's Pray
Father, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight today. Help me to be the woman that You created me to be.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Go back and look at today's truth. Which one of the fruits of the Spirit do you need to fertilize with prayer to make it grow in your life?

More from the Girlfriends
I wouldn't call it a "spoiler," but you did get to read the very end of Sharon's book, The Power of a Woman's Words. If you'd like to learn more about how to be a woman who speaks life into those around her, and "work over" that woman that you will one day become, then check it out on her website, www.sharonjaynes.com. You can also download a free chapter and watch an introductory video. And don't forget to check out all the free resources!

[Judy Harder]

April 11, 2012
Strength for the Storm
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth.
Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. Endurance then develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation."

Friend to Friend
Life is filled with storms of one kind or another. In the midst of those storms, we tend to respond as if God has somehow been caught off guard. The storm makes no sense. We can't explain why terminal illness strikes godly people. We don't understand how our strongest friends can become our fiercest critics. The anguish of a broken marriage or the overwhelming heartbreak of a prodigal child drives us to doubt God's purpose, plan and provision. The fear of financial ruin paralyzes us. God understands.

The Bible is filled with men and women who were storm survivors – people of God who endured great pain and weathered intense life storms because they chose to follow Him. The Apostle Paul, known for persecuting and murdering Christians, was forever changed when he met Jesus Christ. While God gave him a life of great power and eternal impact, it was also a life filled with great storms. Paul learned to "patiently" endure the troubles, hardships and calamities that came his way. (2 Corinthians 6:4 NLT)

Because grain was a precious food source to the Romans, threshing grain was a natural part of every day in ancient Rome. In pictures of early Rome, one man is always seen stirring up the sheaves while another rides over them in a crude cart equipped with rollers instead of wheels. Sharp stones and rough bits of iron were attached to these wheels to help separate the husks from the grain. This simple cart was called a "tribulum" from which we get our word "tribulation."

No Roman ever used his tribulum as a tool of destruction - only refinement. God uses our trials and storms as tools of refinement to build in us endurance. The word "endure" comes from two Greek words that when combined, give the meaning "to remain under." It is the capacity to stay under the load, to remain in the circumstances without running away or looking for the easy way out.

The purpose of every storm is to purify and cultivate endurance. Like Paul, we may sometimes feel as if we are being torn to pieces under the pressure of circumstances. But his challenge to the Romans compels us to re-examine our perspective and response to each storm we face. "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. Endurance then develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation" (Romans 5:3-5 NLT).

Endurance is never passive. It is the picture of a soldier staying in the heat of the battle under terrible opposition but still pressing forward to gain the victory.

There are few things that we can count on in this unpredictable life - but we can count on storms to come. We can also count on God's continual and unfailing strength for those storms. When the hard times come and when bad things happen, we do not have to wonder where God is. Instead we can hold on to the promise that is found in Jeremiah 16:19, "Lord, you are my strength, and my protection. You are a safe place for me to run in times of trouble" (NLT).

An old seaman once said, "In fierce storms we can do but one thing. There is only one way to survive. We must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there." Richard Fuller commented on the old seaman's words:

"This, Christian, is what you must do. Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither    sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you. Reason cannot help you. Past experiences give you no light. Only a single course is left. You must stay upon the Lord; and come what may -- winds, waves, cross seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers -- no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm and hold fast your confidence in God's faithfulness and his everlasting love in Christ Jesus."

No matter what storm rages in your life today – no matter how fierce the winds or how high the waves may be – where you are is no surprise to God. Heaven is not in a panic. Keep your gaze on Him and your glance on the raging waters. "Lash yourself" to Him and He will supply everything you need to stand firm in the storm.

Let's Pray
Father, I am so tired of trying to weather the storms of life on my own. I need Your power and strength to face each one. Please teach me to turn to you first. Help me learn to patiently endure the hard times and honor You in the midst of them as I walk by faith.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Look back at the storms you have come through. Have you learned more about endurance? Are you stronger now than you were then?

Memorize Romans 5:3-5. Examine the storms you are facing today. Choose to rejoice in the midst of each one, knowing it is an opportunity to trust God.

More from the Girlfriends
We lived in South Florida for many years. As hurricane season approached each year, residents of South Florida raced to the grocery stores and nearest lumber yards to stockpile supplies. Batteries, flashlights, canned food, bread, peanut butter and bottled water were the first to go. Weathermen issued constant warnings to get ready and stay ready for a storm. We must do the same. Make no mistake – a storm is on the horizon. Stand firm, knowing God is Lord of every storm you will ever face. 

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

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

[Judy Harder]

April 12, 2012
Choose Joy
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
James 1:2-3 Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow (NLT).

Friend to Friend
When golf balls were first manufactured, their covers were smooth. Golfers soon discovered that after the balls had been roughed up a bit, they were able to get more distance out of them.  Manufacturers then began producing golf balls with dimpled covers.

Life is a lot like that. It takes some rough spots to make us go our farthest. It takes some storms to teach us that God is faithful and will provide the strength to stand firm.

The Apostle Paul knew all about storms. As a fully devoted follower of Christ, Paul was despised, slandered, mistreated, abused and poor. He had every right to be angry and distressed but instead chose joy. "We own nothing, and yet we have everything" (2 Corinthians 6:8-10 NLT).

I never fully understood the amazing truth behind Paul's words because I had never really lived their truth – until 1995 – when I found myself sitting at the bottom of a deep, dark pit. Clinical depression, the psychologist called it. The name was irrelevant to me. All I knew was that it was the most hellish place I had ever been and I had absolutely no idea how to escape. I was paralyzed and totally helpless – the perfect setting for a miracle. Sitting at the feet of Jesus, stripped of my human efforts and impotent plans, I discovered the life changing truth that He did not come to eliminate the storms in my life. No - He came to fill those storms with His presence.  I was not delivered from that pit until I was delivered in that pit.

Because joy is a deeply-rooted confidence that God is in control, it only stands to reason that the highest joy will come through the greatest pain. The greater the pain, the more we are forced to search for and cling to the hand of God. But that only happens when we choose the right attitude toward pain.

James 1:2-3 Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.  For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  (NLT)

When was the last time you threw a party to celebrate the trials and storms in life? God's ways are higher than our ways and most human reactions are in direct opposition to the paradoxical ways of God. Honestly, there are times when what He has asked me to do simply does not make sense – to me. And there we find the problem. Faith is a matter of blind obedience, not human logic. 

At the heart of every storm is victory – waiting to be claimed. The words of James offer the perfect backdrop for every life storm.

My son, Jered, was a beautiful baby. One Easter I took him to Sears for their "Get a million pictures for $2.99" deal. Expecting the studio to be crowed, I was met by one bored photographer thrilled to see his first customers. Jered always loved having his picture made and put on quite a show. After the advertised special pictures were taken, the photographer asked, "Listen, I don't have any appointments today and really need some new pictures for wall displays. Would you mind if I took more pictures of Jered?" What mother is going to say, "I don't want my child's face plastered on every wall of this studio?" Not this proud mama. We went to work.

The photographer handed me a box of clothes, asking me to choose several different outfits for Jered. First was a tuxedo. No, I am not kidding you. The photographer pulled down a silver backdrop, making Jered's curly, black hair stand out and his blue eyes dance. Next was the blue snow suit against a red backdrop. With every backdrop, Jered's appearance changed and an eternal truth lodged in my heart.

We have a different backdrop for every life experience. It is a manger – a cruel cross – an empty tomb – and eternity itself. That backdrop changes everything. It makes our hearts sing and our souls dance with the truth that we can always count on His joy in us to face the storms around us.

Let's Pray
Father, I come to You, asking for the strength to withstand the storm in my life. Forgive me for giving in to the fear and doubt instead of turning to you in faith. I now turn to You, Lord. I choose to lean on You. Show me the way.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
What storm is raging in your life today? What step do you need to take in order to experience His strength for that storm? Your Father stands ready to meet you in your darkest hour. He longs to wrap His arms around you until the winds die down and the waves are stilled. Right now – surrender. Yield to His presence and power. Celebrate the storm that dashed your battered life on the shores of His unyielding love.

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

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

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

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]

April 13, 2012
Constant Cravings
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days"(Psalm 90:14, NIV).

Friend to Friend
A friend of mine is hypoglycemic. Before he was diagnosed, he had one compelling symptom. He was constantly thirsty. Now the crazy thing was, the more water he drank, the thirstier he became. It defies logic. As you live out your faith, you will have a similar insatiable thirst and hunger for God. The more you ask for His daily help, the more you will want it. But know this, friend, you will not be fully satisfied or quenched until you are in His presence.

In his book, Come Thirsty, Max Lucado writes:

            You're acquainted with physical thirst. Stop drinking and see what happens. Coherent thoughts vanish, skin grows clammy, and vital organs shut down. Deprive your body of necessary fluid, and it will tell you.

            Deprive your soul of spiritual water, and it will tell you. Dehydrated hearts send desperate messages. Snarling tempers. Waves of worry. Growing guilt and fear. Hopelessness. Resentment. Loneliness. Insecurity.

            But you don't have to live with a dehydrated heart. God invites you to treat your thirsty soul as you would treat your physical thirst. Just visit the WELL and drink deeply.

Here on earth, hunger and thirst never end. Just because you ate breakfast this morning doesn't mean you won't have a grumbly tummy at lunchtime. And when you eat lunch, that doesn't cover you for the next three days. You need to eat again and again.

The spiritual parallels here are as rich as a piece of Ghirardelli cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. (Great restaurant, by the way!) A three-course meal of worship, prayer, and a sermon on Sunday morning doesn't nourish your body with the spiritual calories you need for an entire week. Not by a long stretch. We were designed in the image of God, for God. We were made to worship. To respond to the glory of God. To know Him. Continually. Daily. Without ceasing.

I don't know about you, but hunger affects my judgment. If I dare go to the grocery store while I'm hungry, my cart will usually contain extra food items I wouldn't normally purchase. Are you smellin' what I'm cookin' here? If I'm hungry when I arrive at a dinner party, I'll more than likely eat the mother lode of appetizers (especially if there is dip involved).           

When we are spiritually hungry, the same truth applies. We have a tendency to compromise our judgment and set aside our convictions. We grumble and complain about our lives. We look to other people and other stuff to meet our needs. Yadda, yadda...

BEING SPIRITUALLY THIN IS SO NOT IN!

Look around! Spiritually hungry people are everywhere. Just turn on your television, pick up a magazine, or go to an online chat-room. People are desperately trying to fill their hunger hole...trying to find happiness and satisfaction in things, status, and people.

Now, if you dare, look even closer to home. Look at your PTA meetings, boardrooms, Little League fields, and malls. And, if you're really brave, look in the mirror. Each one of us sees a hungry woman staring us in the face.

It is really important to turn to the Bread of Life at the first inkling of hunger pains. Go to Him with your needs and give Him your burdens. Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). He wants to meet you at the point of your need.

God gave you an open invitation to come to Him when He said through the prophet Isaiah,

"Come, all who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!"
(Isaiah 55:1a, NIV).

Each time we connect with God throughout the day, our souls are nourished. Sometimes we just need a small spiritual meal. Sometimes our needs are greater. In those moments, we are invited by our compassionate God to sit down to a great big dinner.  How are you handling your constant cravings?

Let's Pray
Dear God, Thank You for the invitation to come, eat, drink, and be satisfied in You. You are all that I need, and more than enough. I pray that You will bear the weight of the burdens on my heart today, and ask that You would fill my soul with Your rest.  Finally, please increase my cravings for You, Lord – so that you can be glorified in and through my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Spending time with the Lord through His Word is one great way to feed your soul.  Read and meditate on Psalm 63:1-8. 
Read it silently the first time, then read it again out loud. 
When have you witnessed God's power in your life?  Thank Him!
More from the Girlfriends
Although your physical cravings might include dark chocolate, coffee, and warm, fresh bread  - your soul constantly craves intimacy with God.  Spend some time worshiping Him today.  Sing to Him!

Today's devotion is an excerpt from Gwen Smith's book, Broken into Beautiful. In Broken into Beautiful, Smith invites you to hear the stories of women with shattered dreams, shameful secrets, and damaged souls...and of the loving, holy God who restores their wounded hearts and makes them beautiful in Him. To order the book, go to Amazon or, for a signed copy, order from Gwen's website: www.gwensmith.net.

GO DEEPER with Gwen on Facebook here: www.Facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic.

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]

April 16, 2012
Feeling Empty?
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, poured into your lap. For the measure you use, it will be measured to you," (Luke 6:38 NIV).

Friend to Friend
A sign was posted on a telephone pole by the grocery store:  LOST DOG with three legs, blind in left eye, missing right ear, tail broken and recently castrated.  Answers to the name of "Lucky!"

Perhaps as you've had times in your life when you've felt about that lucky! You've wondered how you can help someone else or encourage someone else when you feel so empty.

There was a woman in the Bible who knows just how you feel. She also felt that she had nothing left to give, but God showed her how to get filled up. The story is found in 1 Kings Chapter 17.

Elijah was a good prophet who gave some bad news to a king named Ahab: "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word." God knew that news would not go over very well with the King, so He told Elijah to flee eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine east of the Jordan. For several months, Elijah drank from the brook and ate bread and meat delivered by ravens that God miraculously provided. (Talk about fast food!)  Only Kings could afford to eat meat every day, and God provided the very best for his servant.

Sometime later, the brook dried up. Now if God could supply meat and bread every day, He could have easily provided water. But God had a different idea. He sent Elijah to Zarepath to a Gentile widow who needed a miracle in her life.

Elijah did as the LORD said and traveled to this widow's home. But he didn't find a woman with abundance ready to provide sustenance. No, what he found was a widow who had given up on life and felt as though she had nothing left to give. When he arrived, she was stooping to the ground picking up sticks and placing them in a bundle.

"Excuse me," Elijah called, "could you please bring me a cup of water?"

As she turned to get the traveler a cup to quench his thirst, he continued. "Oh, and can you bring me a piece of bread?"

With this request, I imagine the woman sarcastically grumbled. And would you like a lamb chop to go along with it?

"I don't have any bread – only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug," she said. "I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it – and die" (1 Kings 17:12).

Now that was a discouraged woman! But Elijah had good news for her.

"Don't be afraid," Elijah said. "Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.'"

She went away and did what Elijah had told her.

Can't you just see this woman taking the last bit of flour and oil to make Elijah a meal?  What difference does it make? I'm going to die anyway? So what if it's one day early?

She took the last bit of flour and oil, made and delivered Elijah a little cake, and returned home.  As she goes to wash the dirty dishes, she picks up the jar and the jug and her senses are jostled!  The jar is full of flour and the jug is to the brim with oil. She was an empty woman, but as she took what little she had to offer encouragement to another, God filled her up.

Jesus said, "Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, poured into your lap. For the measure you use, it will be measured to you," (Luke 6:38). When you give to others, reach out to others, pour into the lives of others, God is standing by ready to fill you up.

So if you are feeling empty today, here's a suggestion: give to someone else. Encourage a co-worker. Help a struggling friend. Minister to a homeless person. Open the door for a stranger.

What happened to the woman from Zarephath? "For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah" (1 Kings 17:16).

Let's Pray
LORD, I feel pretty empty today. But I'm going to get my focus off of myself and onto someone else. Show me someone who needs a helping hand or an encouraging word today. Help me to use a big measuring cup as I pour out Your love on others today.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
I encourage you to go back and read 1 Kings 17 today. It is a great story!

Then make a list of 5 ways you can bless someone else today.

I'd love to hear how God filled you up after you poured out. Please visit my blog page at www.sharonjaynes.com, look for this blog entry, and tell me what happened!

More from the Girlfriends
One way to get filled up when you're feeling empty is by reading inspiration devotions. That's why we're here. I've compiled a book titled Listening to God Day-by-Daywith 100 of my favorite devotions. You can check it out at www.sharonjaynes.com. Read a sample chapter or watch the introductory video while you're there!

[Judy Harder]

April 17, 2012
He has risen!
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
He is not here; he has risen! (Luke 24:6, NIV).

Friend to Friend
The boys and girls in Mrs. Stephens' fourth grade Sunday school class entered the room and quickly found their seats. The girls were dressed in frills and lace and chatting excitedly about the candy-filled baskets they had received that morning. The boys pulled at the unfamiliar ties around their necks and quickly discarded the sports coats they had obviously been forced to wear. The room was filled with excitement – for good reason. It was Easter Sunday.

Mrs. Stephens wanted to help her students understand that there is so much more to the Easter holiday than new clothes, chocolate bunnies and egg hunts. It is more than family gatherings and tables filled with luscious food. Easter is about life. Easter celebrates the certainty of Jesus' death on the cross, the fact that He was buried, and the reality that He came out of that burial tomb to conquer death – so that we can have life - eternal life with Jesus in Heaven and abundant life with Him here and now.

Mrs. Stephens came up with a plan. After sharing the Bible story of Jesus' resurrection, she gave each one of her students an empty plastic egg and said, "We are going to take a walk outside and I want each one of you to find one sign of life and put it in your plastic egg." As the children filed out of the room, Mrs. Stephens noticed Danny, a little Down syndrome boy who had been coming to her class for some time. His bright smile and sunny disposition had immediately won her heart. In fact, when it came to Danny, she often thought he had taught her so much more about the unconditional love of God and the joy of simply being a child of God than she could ever teach him. When she heard the other children make fun of him, it broke her heart. She always corrected the children and tried to help them see just how special Danny was, but Danny seemed oblivious to their hurtful words and thought of each child as his "buddy."

The children soon returned from their walk, depositing their eggs on the teacher's desk as they made their way to their seats. Inside one student's egg was a butterfly. In another was an ant. Others had collected flowers, twigs, blades of grass and leaves to fill their eggs. But one egg had nothing in it. Everyone knew whose egg it was. Mrs. Stephens silenced the giggles with a look of warning. When she asked Danny why he had not put anything inside his egg to show signs of life, his face broke into a huge grin as he responded, "Because the tomb was empty."

Danny understood the profound truth of Easter. The empty tomb is the ultimate sign of life and a miracle like none other.

Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. The women knew Jesus was dead. Some of them had seen Him die. And they were sure His body was in the tomb; it had been there since Friday. But when they went to anoint the body on that Sunday morning, the tomb was empty! The body could not have been stolen. Nobody was playing tricks on them. They were not merely fooling themselves. The miracle was real! They could see the empty tomb with their own eyes. Jesus Christ really had risen from the dead!

On this Easter weekend, spend some time thanking God for the miracle of life. And then share the good news with someone else: He is risen! He is risen indeed! 

Let's Pray
Father, Thank You for the miracle of life – abundant life here and eternal life with You in Heaven. Help me to celebrate that life every day as I seek You and follow Your plan for my life. Today, I say with the Apostle Paul, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Consider this truth: Satan has no answer for the empty tomb. What does the resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to you?

Set aside time today to remember what Christ has done for you through His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Read Luke 24 and celebrate the life only He can give.

More from the Girlfriends
I would love to have been there that morning when the women went to the tomb – expecting to deal with death and instead found life, wouldn't you? You may be dealing with death in your own life – the loss of a loved one – the death of a dream – the pain of a broken body. Just as Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He can breathe new life into your heart and mind. Right now, quietly turn to Jesus. He is waiting for you – healing and restoration and new life are in His hands.

Need help studying the Bible?Enroll in Mary's weekly online Bible Study and join women across the world who are learning how to tame their tongues. Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebookor through email.

[Judy Harder]

April 18, 2012
Praise Refreshes the Soul
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name," (Psalm 100:4 NIV).

Friend to Friend
One day I was mopping the kitchen floor and my words were anything but cheerful. I grumbled to myself...no one even appreciates all that I do around here. All I ever do is clean, clean, clean.  Then suddenly, God began to whisper a new thought to my heart. Suppose you were blind and couldn't see the beautiful patterns on the linoleum floor, or the spilled juice by the refrigerator, or the crumbs under the baby's chair? If you were deaf, you couldn't hear the soothing sound of the soap bubbles dissolving in the scrub bucket. You couldn't hear the rhythmic sound of the mop being pushed back and forth across the floor's hard surface. Suppose you were confined to a wheelchair and not strong enough to stand upright and grasp the wooden handle to erase the muddy footprints and make the floor shiny and clean again? Suppose you didn't have a home or a family to clean up after?

These thoughts brought a new perspective to this mundane task and my grumblings turned into a prayer of thanksgiving. I stood up straight, proudly grasped the mop, and began to pray. Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of mopping this dirty floor. Thank you for the health and strength to hold this mop, for the ability to wrap my agile fingers around its handle and feel the wood in my hands. Thank you for the sight to see the crumbs and the dirt, for the sense of smell to enjoy the clean scent of the soap in my bucket. Thank you for the many precious feet that will walk through this room and dirty it again. Those feet are the reason I do this job.  And Lord, thank you for the privilege of having a floor to mop and a family to clean up after.

Oh yes, how a Godly perspective can change our attitudes and the words that reflect them.  When we begin to praise God in the middle of the mundane, He refreshes us with a new outlook on life!  The book of Psalms is a powerful collection of praises to God, and interestingly, many of the beautiful prose were written when David was struggling with depression, desperation, or devastation. Let's take a look at a few.

"O Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
God will not deliver him.'
But you are a shield around me, O LORD;
You bestow glory on me and lift up my head."  Psalm 3:1-3

Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
Be merciful to me and hear my prayer...
You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.
I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:1,7,8

When you are discouraged try praising God. There is an old hymn that says "Count your many blessings, count them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done."

Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, thank You for all the many blessings in my life. I come to You today repenting for my complaining and grumbling. Please forgive me. Today I come into Your presence with thanksgiving and into Your courts with praise.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Can you  guess what I'm going to ask you to do today? Yes! You're right!
Make a list of 10 blessings in your life, and thank God for them.
Then visit me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynesand tell me one of your blessings. Oh, why not. You can tell me all 10!

More from the Girlfriends
Today's devotion was adapted from Sharon's book, The Power of a Woman's Words. If you'd like to learn more about how to change a grumbling tongue into a grateful tongue, then this is the book for you. Learn how the answer to many of your problems is right under your nose...the words you speak. While you're on her website, check out all the FREE resources just for you!