Good Morning Ladies,
God is so good, and I am just so excited what He is doing on so many levels. Chapter 11 talks about trusting God with the if only's. How many times do we allow ourselves to cry in self-pity. I know I have had several pity parties this week and God has shown me that He is the only one who will never let me down. I was talking to Rita this week about a circumstance that I was dealing with and she reminded me of the story about the old man... "Do not speak too quickly, say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know the rest is judgement". (171) This statement is true on so many levels. Lets not be quick to judge, we only see the surface not the rest... We need to learn to focus on God at ALL times, did you see the all capital letters there... AT ALL TIMES WE NEED TO FOCUS ON GOD. Did you know that I knew that, but how often do I do that? Not enough. I am praying and asking God to help me seek first His Kingdom...If we don't believe God, we won't have victory in our lives. We need to choose to remember what God has done for us, what He's doing for us, and what His word says about us and how it is Finished we just need to believe, trust, put our faith, and hope in Him. How awesome is that. I choose to press on, move forward because I know our God is Greater. My prayer for each of us is that we choose to seek first the kingdom of God. I love you all, and I hope you have a blessed week.
Here are some Scriptures on overcoming difficulty.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 KJV)
(Job 22:29 KJV) When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
(Psalms 118:8 KJV) It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
(Isaiah 41:10 KJV) Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
(Revelation 3:21 KJV) To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
(Psalms 138:7 KJV) Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
(John 14:1 KJV)Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
(John 14:27 KJV)Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
(Philippians 1:6 KJV)Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
I got the scriptures off of http://www.e-sword.net/
Monday, November 7, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
Faith and Trust: Week 10 Chapters 9 & 10
Linda does a review over the previous chapters. Here are some points to remind ourselves of what we have read and studied over the past 9 weeks.
In chapter 9 we go over the foundation of Faith. Linda calls Faith "the bridge that arches above the tumultuous waters of discontent and takes us where contentment flourishes". pg 41
For me Faith is knowing God has even when we feel like it is not here yet.Faith is living beyond our worldly mindset and having an eternal perspective.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (NASB)
Read the book of Daniel chapter 10: I learned so much from this chapter. Daniel prayed and for 3 weeks he did not see (with natural eyes) his answered prayers, but God sent the answer the moment Daniel asked, but there was a fight in the spiritual realm and it took awhile for it to reach Daniel... Here is the key Daniel never gave up the faith he continued to believe God sent forth the answer and he received.
Faith is being rooted in God's character. Faith is based on Gods word and knowing it is the all truth, not based on our feelings.
Chapter 10 Trusting God with the what ifs.
This all goes back to chapter 8 Worry is like a rocking chair.
What if and if only both lack the eyes of faith. The what ifs lead to anxiety and the if only lead to anger. I can not go back and change the past, but I can start trusting in God now and have a hope for a better future.
Lord we thank you for this beautiful day. We ask you Lord to help us keep our eyes focused on You and Your Word. Thank You Lord for bringing us peace, joy. You are our strength. In Jesus Name Amen.
Ladies I hope you all have a wonderful week and don't forget to encourage one another in the Lord.
God Bless...
- Chapter 1: What we are on the inside, what we continually think about, eventually shows in our words, actions, and even our countenances (appearance, especially our facial expressions) pg.11
- Chapter 2: Most of us can categorize our lives in both positive and negative ways. What do you focus on the mud or the stars? Pgs 27-28
- Chapter 3: Are you content to be you? Are you willing to be stretched to discover your abilities and spiritual gifts.
- Chapter 4: Are you content with your role in the here and now? Pg 57
- Chapter 5: Contentment in our relationships. How often do we unintentionally hurt others? pg 71
- Chapter 6: Never enough. Keeping an attitude of gratitude. Pg. 99
- Chapter 7: Where is your focus? "Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of the things which matter least"--Goethe
- Chapter 8: Worry... God teach me to trust you in all areas of my life pg 126
In chapter 9 we go over the foundation of Faith. Linda calls Faith "the bridge that arches above the tumultuous waters of discontent and takes us where contentment flourishes". pg 41
For me Faith is knowing God has even when we feel like it is not here yet.Faith is living beyond our worldly mindset and having an eternal perspective.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (NASB)
Read the book of Daniel chapter 10: I learned so much from this chapter. Daniel prayed and for 3 weeks he did not see (with natural eyes) his answered prayers, but God sent the answer the moment Daniel asked, but there was a fight in the spiritual realm and it took awhile for it to reach Daniel... Here is the key Daniel never gave up the faith he continued to believe God sent forth the answer and he received.
Faith is being rooted in God's character. Faith is based on Gods word and knowing it is the all truth, not based on our feelings.
Chapter 10 Trusting God with the what ifs.
This all goes back to chapter 8 Worry is like a rocking chair.
What if and if only both lack the eyes of faith. The what ifs lead to anxiety and the if only lead to anger. I can not go back and change the past, but I can start trusting in God now and have a hope for a better future.
Lord we thank you for this beautiful day. We ask you Lord to help us keep our eyes focused on You and Your Word. Thank You Lord for bringing us peace, joy. You are our strength. In Jesus Name Amen.
Ladies I hope you all have a wonderful week and don't forget to encourage one another in the Lord.
God Bless...
Monday, October 17, 2011
Worry is Like a Rocking Chair Chapter 8 week 8
Good morning ladies,
I pray you all had a wonderful week. I did and I went to an amazing women's retreat this weekend. We will talk about all that in another chapter. Chapter 8 touched my heart in so many ways, worry is not something to play with. I is not just nothing if you know what I mean. Worry takes you away from faith and without faith we can't please God. Chapter 9 is about faith and we will talk about all that next week, so make sure you read the chapter.
OK, so enough rambling. I am going to go over this chapter now :) . George Muller said: " The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith. The beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety." I had to think about this allot. I know the word says "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him" (NASB), so when we worry are we limiting what we believe and know God can do in our lives. I think we do and it should not be this way. Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? Think about these things how much are we limiting God in our lives. When we worry we are shutting the door to faith and not allowing God to work in our lives. When God said He is our provider, healer, savior, He is the blessed controller of all things, but we have to allow Him to be in our own lives. Do you remember the hymn "Leave it there" If not here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSMK6UqAAPY&feature=related. Please listen I know this is not modern, but it is true and this song is perfect for leaving all your burdens with the Lord.
Ask God to teach you to trust Him in all the areas of your life. Don't let worry become your middle name. I have struggled with this for years and God told me to study all I can on faith, it is the opposite of worry. Next week we will talk more about faith. I love you all and have a wonderful day....
I pray you all had a wonderful week. I did and I went to an amazing women's retreat this weekend. We will talk about all that in another chapter. Chapter 8 touched my heart in so many ways, worry is not something to play with. I is not just nothing if you know what I mean. Worry takes you away from faith and without faith we can't please God. Chapter 9 is about faith and we will talk about all that next week, so make sure you read the chapter.
OK, so enough rambling. I am going to go over this chapter now :) . George Muller said: " The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith. The beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety." I had to think about this allot. I know the word says "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him" (NASB), so when we worry are we limiting what we believe and know God can do in our lives. I think we do and it should not be this way. Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? Think about these things how much are we limiting God in our lives. When we worry we are shutting the door to faith and not allowing God to work in our lives. When God said He is our provider, healer, savior, He is the blessed controller of all things, but we have to allow Him to be in our own lives. Do you remember the hymn "Leave it there" If not here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSMK6UqAAPY&feature=related. Please listen I know this is not modern, but it is true and this song is perfect for leaving all your burdens with the Lord.
Ask God to teach you to trust Him in all the areas of your life. Don't let worry become your middle name. I have struggled with this for years and God told me to study all I can on faith, it is the opposite of worry. Next week we will talk more about faith. I love you all and have a wonderful day....
Monday, October 10, 2011
Calm My Anxious Heart Week 7 Part 1
Good morning ladies, I hope you all had a wonderful week. I did and God is really showing me a lot about my faulty focus. I am the type of person who stays busy, but without an actual purpose. I am a list maker, but I never stick to it because I put so much on that list that it feels impossible to finish and then I run around aimlessly. This week I am making it a goal to make realistic lists and to create a plan that is feasible. I was praying and I asked God to guide me in a more peaceful direction on how I go about doing things. As I was praying God asked me how are most businesses and churches ran. He showed me they start off with a mission statement, goals, and a plan. I then created a mission statement for our family. It is not perfect and it is a work in progress. I wrote it in present tense; because it is more positive that way, so don’t go thinking that we have accomplished all of this yet. This is a guide for me and my family to stay on track on what God is showing us.
Mace Family Mission
We have an active and loving relationship with God, which allows us to have a more abundant, and peaceful life while here on earth. Joel and I have an amazing relationship. We have a wonderful relationship with our children. We have an active and healthy lifestyle. We are debt free! We have a peaceful home full of Joy and laughter. We have a successful business and are able to keep up with its demands while instilling integrity to those around us. Our things are really Gods things and we take care of them, as we should. We know what we want out of life and Christ is at the front and center of it. We are a fun, loving and Christ like family in which God is the potter and we are the clay. Not our will Lord, but Your will.It is not perfect either, but it is a start to help me stay on track of what God has shown me to strive for and I am sure that these will change as time goes on, but this is my focus for now.
Linda Dillow also asked about a personal scripture. Mine is Psalm 34:1-22 (yes the whole chapter. J )
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles. The angel[a] of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
Well that is all I have for today. I pray you all have a wonderful and blessed week.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Content in Relationships & Never Enough Weeks 5&6
Hello Ladies,
I hope you all had a wonderful couple of weeks. I am feeling much better thank you all for your prayers. As I was going over my notes for these two chapters I thought about how much God has dealt with me and Joel over the past few years in these exact areas. God continues to amaze me everyday.
Chapter 5: Content in Relationships
As I was reading chapter 5 I thought about how often do we unintentionally hurt others? I know that most of the time we don't mean to hurt someone else and they probably do not mean to hurt us, but we allow ourselves to get caught up in the moment. Think about the hurts that you have went through, was there a way we could have avoided that hurt? On that day were you actually looking to get offended? I think about this because our attitude is a choice. We can choose have a bad day and we can choose to have a wonderful day. It is a choice we have to make everyday. Sometimes it is very hard to make that choice and we have to remind ourselves over and over and over that we chose to have a good day, but it is worth it. Making the choice to have a joyful day will not only bring peace into your life, but also to those around you. Don't let a bitter root grow inside you and eat you from the inside out. Ask God to teach you, and mold you, show you how to make the right decisions every moment.
Chapter 6: Never Enough
I love this chapter. I think about how much is enough all the time. I use to do what you call shop therapy, where when I was down on myself I would just shop shop shop. I still struggle with this, but I have cut way down. At one point in time I had all of our credit cards maxed out, when I finally realized what I was doing it was almost too late there was no way I could afford the monthly minimum payments plus how was I going to shop with no money. One day a friend told me about Dave Ramsey. I told Joel and we sat down a made a budget together and followed Dave's MyTotalMoneyMakeover plan. In two years we paid off every credit card, Dr. bills, and even our second mortgage, we also learned about tithing and was giving all while paying off our debt. God has shown me that when we put God first in everything he always provides a way. That does not mean He just gives it to us, it takes work and diligence, but if we focus on Him in all our ways things will work out just fine. People love to hear other people's testimonies about what God has done or is doing through their lives, but others are rarely willing to go through what they went through to get it. She asks us: Where is your treasure? Where is your heart? Whom do you serve? Where is your focus? I think we should ask ourselves daily about these exact things, and pray to God to search our hearts daily and reveal any hurtful way in us.
That is all for today I might think of some more this week. I pray you all have a wonderful and Blessed day.
I hope you all had a wonderful couple of weeks. I am feeling much better thank you all for your prayers. As I was going over my notes for these two chapters I thought about how much God has dealt with me and Joel over the past few years in these exact areas. God continues to amaze me everyday.
Chapter 5: Content in Relationships
As I was reading chapter 5 I thought about how often do we unintentionally hurt others? I know that most of the time we don't mean to hurt someone else and they probably do not mean to hurt us, but we allow ourselves to get caught up in the moment. Think about the hurts that you have went through, was there a way we could have avoided that hurt? On that day were you actually looking to get offended? I think about this because our attitude is a choice. We can choose have a bad day and we can choose to have a wonderful day. It is a choice we have to make everyday. Sometimes it is very hard to make that choice and we have to remind ourselves over and over and over that we chose to have a good day, but it is worth it. Making the choice to have a joyful day will not only bring peace into your life, but also to those around you. Don't let a bitter root grow inside you and eat you from the inside out. Ask God to teach you, and mold you, show you how to make the right decisions every moment.
Chapter 6: Never Enough
I love this chapter. I think about how much is enough all the time. I use to do what you call shop therapy, where when I was down on myself I would just shop shop shop. I still struggle with this, but I have cut way down. At one point in time I had all of our credit cards maxed out, when I finally realized what I was doing it was almost too late there was no way I could afford the monthly minimum payments plus how was I going to shop with no money. One day a friend told me about Dave Ramsey. I told Joel and we sat down a made a budget together and followed Dave's MyTotalMoneyMakeover plan. In two years we paid off every credit card, Dr. bills, and even our second mortgage, we also learned about tithing and was giving all while paying off our debt. God has shown me that when we put God first in everything he always provides a way. That does not mean He just gives it to us, it takes work and diligence, but if we focus on Him in all our ways things will work out just fine. People love to hear other people's testimonies about what God has done or is doing through their lives, but others are rarely willing to go through what they went through to get it. She asks us: Where is your treasure? Where is your heart? Whom do you serve? Where is your focus? I think we should ask ourselves daily about these exact things, and pray to God to search our hearts daily and reveal any hurtful way in us.
That is all for today I might think of some more this week. I pray you all have a wonderful and Blessed day.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Sorry for the delay
Ladies, I hope you all are doing good on your journey's to becomming the women God has called us to be, and anxious free. I am sorry I havn't been able to post much these past two weeks. I have been a bit sick and I am better now praise God, so I am getting caught up on some things and will have a few new posts shortly.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Calm My Anxious Heart Week 3 Part 1
Good morning Ladies,
I pray that you had a wonderful 2 weeks. I had a great couple of weeks and I needed them to get through this chapter :). God has really been dealing with me on some things and I'm proud to say I am finally listening. What took me so long? I don't really know probably my flesh and my mind. I have been praying Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try Me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. I thought it was so wonderful to start reading chapter 3 in Calm My Anxious Heart and she starts with Psalm 139. I think about how each and every one of us are made with a purpose, a plan, because God loves us so much. Then Linda goes over 2 Corinthians 10:12 "For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding." I have really been thinking about this verse and how it really is unwise to compare ourselves with anyone, we are all unique in an amazing way. God created us to be unique, for His purpose and His will, so why do we rely so much on anothers opinion when all we really need to do is ask God, and make sure we listen!
I like when she states, "No one can fulfill your purpose but you." This is so true. Do you know what your purpose is? Have you been postponing God's purpose in your life because you have other things to do first? Are you letting someone or something hinder you from fulfilling Gods call on your life? I know what my excuses are the list goes on and on. I need to lose weight, I need to be nicer, I need to quit doing this or that. Well God showed me that if I step out in faith, he will help me with those other things. Let me tell you He has helped me in ways I could never imagine. I had an addiction to nicotine since I was 12 years old, I will be 30 next month. Cigarettes were a huge part of my life and they were also the one bad bad habit I held on to. I gave up tons of other things, but I couldn't give up my smokes. Most people don't understand this and I don't expect them to, but I will tell you all anyways. Imagine breathing that is what smoking was like to me. Everything I did, everywhere I went I scheduled it around my smokes. I didn't hang out with people who didn't smoke, it was a huge part of my life and I didn't realize it. Two years ago God really started dealing with me on smoking, and I started thinking about quitting. Every time I thought about it the excuses came, and it stressed me out and I smoked more. Joel and I decided to quit together and he succeeded and I didn't. I went through this processes over and over. What is wrong with me why can't I quit. Joel made it look so easy, and that would just make me mad. I can't tell you how mant times I would throw them in the trash, and wake up the next morning to dig through the can to get them out. I realized I put way too much confidense in my smokes to calm me down, and start my day. Well this went on for a long time and God has been working on me I could go long periods without one , and finially God has helped me overcome this addiction. My frame is no longer tarnished and being wore down by smoke. God showed me that if I make one choice at a time instead of planning ahead and stressing myself over it, He would help me get through the rest. He is always right and I should have listened a long time ago instead of worrying about it. I stepped out and started doing what God told me to do and He helped me finish. How great is our God!!!!
We all have a frame that God created, and He created you on purpose. I love how she says that we need to be comfortable with our frames, and not try to cary one that doesn't fit. That will wear you out. I am taking better care of my frame, so that God can use me to glorify His kingdom and be a better witness to those around me. I pray you ladies have a wonderful day.
I pray that you had a wonderful 2 weeks. I had a great couple of weeks and I needed them to get through this chapter :). God has really been dealing with me on some things and I'm proud to say I am finally listening. What took me so long? I don't really know probably my flesh and my mind. I have been praying Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try Me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. I thought it was so wonderful to start reading chapter 3 in Calm My Anxious Heart and she starts with Psalm 139. I think about how each and every one of us are made with a purpose, a plan, because God loves us so much. Then Linda goes over 2 Corinthians 10:12 "For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding." I have really been thinking about this verse and how it really is unwise to compare ourselves with anyone, we are all unique in an amazing way. God created us to be unique, for His purpose and His will, so why do we rely so much on anothers opinion when all we really need to do is ask God, and make sure we listen!
I like when she states, "No one can fulfill your purpose but you." This is so true. Do you know what your purpose is? Have you been postponing God's purpose in your life because you have other things to do first? Are you letting someone or something hinder you from fulfilling Gods call on your life? I know what my excuses are the list goes on and on. I need to lose weight, I need to be nicer, I need to quit doing this or that. Well God showed me that if I step out in faith, he will help me with those other things. Let me tell you He has helped me in ways I could never imagine. I had an addiction to nicotine since I was 12 years old, I will be 30 next month. Cigarettes were a huge part of my life and they were also the one bad bad habit I held on to. I gave up tons of other things, but I couldn't give up my smokes. Most people don't understand this and I don't expect them to, but I will tell you all anyways. Imagine breathing that is what smoking was like to me. Everything I did, everywhere I went I scheduled it around my smokes. I didn't hang out with people who didn't smoke, it was a huge part of my life and I didn't realize it. Two years ago God really started dealing with me on smoking, and I started thinking about quitting. Every time I thought about it the excuses came, and it stressed me out and I smoked more. Joel and I decided to quit together and he succeeded and I didn't. I went through this processes over and over. What is wrong with me why can't I quit. Joel made it look so easy, and that would just make me mad. I can't tell you how mant times I would throw them in the trash, and wake up the next morning to dig through the can to get them out. I realized I put way too much confidense in my smokes to calm me down, and start my day. Well this went on for a long time and God has been working on me I could go long periods without one , and finially God has helped me overcome this addiction. My frame is no longer tarnished and being wore down by smoke. God showed me that if I make one choice at a time instead of planning ahead and stressing myself over it, He would help me get through the rest. He is always right and I should have listened a long time ago instead of worrying about it. I stepped out and started doing what God told me to do and He helped me finish. How great is our God!!!!
We all have a frame that God created, and He created you on purpose. I love how she says that we need to be comfortable with our frames, and not try to cary one that doesn't fit. That will wear you out. I am taking better care of my frame, so that God can use me to glorify His kingdom and be a better witness to those around me. I pray you ladies have a wonderful day.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Calm My Anxious Heart Week 2 Part 2
Good Morning Ladies,
I hope everyone had a fantastic week. This morning I was going over my notes from the book, and I thought I would share with you some of the things that really hit home for me. The stuff in quotations will be from Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow and I will also have a page number in parenthesis.
"Two women looked through prison bars, One saw mud, the other saw stars" (29).
I have always considered myself a pretty optimistic person, but this past week I have caught myself looking at the mud a lot more than I thought I did. I have to ask myself why would I do that? I did it because it was my choice to look at my situation instead of looking at God and knowing that He is the blessed controller and my source for peace. I think this will be a lifelong journey, but as long as I continue to realize that my peace really does come from God, and not from me trying to control my circumstances.
On page 32 she quotes Proverbs 23:7, " As he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (KJV).
She states "our thought life determines our contentment!" (32).
This statement is so true in every way. Joel and I have had this conversation a lot. The things of this world and the people in your life are not responsible for making you or I happy. It is our choice to let our circumstances take over our thought life or to let Gods truth reign in our hearts and minds. A few years back Joel said to me "when we said our vowes we made a commitment and a promise to God not each other that we would love one another in sickness and in health till death do us part.... If we break this commitment we are breaking our commitment to God. If we continue our commitment it is our own responsibility to God, so I (Joel) am going to do my 100% whether or not you do 100% is up to you (me). His statement was a wake-up call to me, and he was sooo right. We decided that day that no matter how we felt (weather or not we thought the other person was doing 25, 50,or 100%) we were going to continue to do our part, and I can honestly say our marriage is 100% better. I praise God every day for that.
Well I hope you ladies have a wonderful day. I know that this book is opening my eyes in a whole new way, and I am so excited to see what God is going to show me next. Don't forget to comment on the pages and encourage one another in Christ Jesus. I love y'all....
I hope everyone had a fantastic week. This morning I was going over my notes from the book, and I thought I would share with you some of the things that really hit home for me. The stuff in quotations will be from Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow and I will also have a page number in parenthesis.
"Two women looked through prison bars, One saw mud, the other saw stars" (29).
I have always considered myself a pretty optimistic person, but this past week I have caught myself looking at the mud a lot more than I thought I did. I have to ask myself why would I do that? I did it because it was my choice to look at my situation instead of looking at God and knowing that He is the blessed controller and my source for peace. I think this will be a lifelong journey, but as long as I continue to realize that my peace really does come from God, and not from me trying to control my circumstances.
On page 32 she quotes Proverbs 23:7, " As he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (KJV).
She states "our thought life determines our contentment!" (32).
This statement is so true in every way. Joel and I have had this conversation a lot. The things of this world and the people in your life are not responsible for making you or I happy. It is our choice to let our circumstances take over our thought life or to let Gods truth reign in our hearts and minds. A few years back Joel said to me "when we said our vowes we made a commitment and a promise to God not each other that we would love one another in sickness and in health till death do us part.... If we break this commitment we are breaking our commitment to God. If we continue our commitment it is our own responsibility to God, so I (Joel) am going to do my 100% whether or not you do 100% is up to you (me). His statement was a wake-up call to me, and he was sooo right. We decided that day that no matter how we felt (weather or not we thought the other person was doing 25, 50,or 100%) we were going to continue to do our part, and I can honestly say our marriage is 100% better. I praise God every day for that.
Well I hope you ladies have a wonderful day. I know that this book is opening my eyes in a whole new way, and I am so excited to see what God is going to show me next. Don't forget to comment on the pages and encourage one another in Christ Jesus. I love y'all....
Monday, August 22, 2011
Calm My Anxious Heart Week 2 Part 1
Hello Ladies,
This week we are going to read Chapter 2 in our book. Don't forget to do the questions in the back for week two. Before reading chapter 2 go over any notes you have taken for chapter 1. Reflect on what God is showing you and Thank God for the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2). I know that reading the first chapter God has really opened my heart on how I go about doing things and how He wants us to let Him be in control. Remember He is made perfect in our weaknesses. I pray you all have a blessed day, and there will be more updates during the day and the week, so please make sure to check back. Feel free to post comments about what you have learned, and for encouragement towards one another. I thank God every day for You ladies. Have a blessed day
This week we are going to read Chapter 2 in our book. Don't forget to do the questions in the back for week two. Before reading chapter 2 go over any notes you have taken for chapter 1. Reflect on what God is showing you and Thank God for the renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2). I know that reading the first chapter God has really opened my heart on how I go about doing things and how He wants us to let Him be in control. Remember He is made perfect in our weaknesses. I pray you all have a blessed day, and there will be more updates during the day and the week, so please make sure to check back. Feel free to post comments about what you have learned, and for encouragement towards one another. I thank God every day for You ladies. Have a blessed day
Monday, August 15, 2011
Calm My Anxious Heart Week 1 Part 2
Hello Ladies,
This is the first week of our bible study. This week we will read chapter 1. We also had our first meeting at the church today and here is what we talked about.
How to paraphrase a prayer out of scripture.
1. make it personal to you.
here is an example:
Bible Verses Colosians 1:9-12 This is the original verse out of the NASB
"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."
Here is the paraphrased version:
We ask you Lord, that we may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that we may walk worthy of You Lord, fully pleasing You, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You Lord; strengthened with all might, according to Your glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with joy; giving thanks to You Lord who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."
We also talked about our prayer closets, I personally do not have a special prayer place yet, so I have a basket that I can tote to the cleanest area of my house during prayer time so that I can be free from distractions. This is what the Word says about having a prayer closet:
Matthew 6:6 NKJV
"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
If you would like to make a prayer basket here are a few handy tips: Have a Bible and a devotional or book you are studying about Gods word, some Kleenex, a few cough drops, a journal to keep notes, a few pens, a highlighter, tabs or a bookmark to keep your place or mark a spot in your Bible, I like to keep some lotion, and a bottle of water near by. I also heard someone say that they use to do prayer walks because they felt more peaceful outside of the home.
I was listening to a worship video the other day and I heard the singer say when you worship the Lord, Sing your own songs, pray your own prayers, and read the Word for yourself, so you can know Gods truth yourself. I found this to be so true. Each and everyone one of us have a purpose and we are all called according to His will.
I pray you all have a fantastic week and don't forget to post comments on the pages. We are here to encourage one another in Christ Jesus.
Here is a link to a free bible software program. http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
This is the first week of our bible study. This week we will read chapter 1. We also had our first meeting at the church today and here is what we talked about.
How to paraphrase a prayer out of scripture.
1. make it personal to you.
here is an example:
Bible Verses Colosians 1:9-12 This is the original verse out of the NASB
"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."
Here is the paraphrased version:
We ask you Lord, that we may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that we may walk worthy of You Lord, fully pleasing You, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You Lord; strengthened with all might, according to Your glorious power, for all patience and long suffering with joy; giving thanks to You Lord who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."
We also talked about our prayer closets, I personally do not have a special prayer place yet, so I have a basket that I can tote to the cleanest area of my house during prayer time so that I can be free from distractions. This is what the Word says about having a prayer closet:
Matthew 6:6 NKJV
"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."
If you would like to make a prayer basket here are a few handy tips: Have a Bible and a devotional or book you are studying about Gods word, some Kleenex, a few cough drops, a journal to keep notes, a few pens, a highlighter, tabs or a bookmark to keep your place or mark a spot in your Bible, I like to keep some lotion, and a bottle of water near by. I also heard someone say that they use to do prayer walks because they felt more peaceful outside of the home.
I was listening to a worship video the other day and I heard the singer say when you worship the Lord, Sing your own songs, pray your own prayers, and read the Word for yourself, so you can know Gods truth yourself. I found this to be so true. Each and everyone one of us have a purpose and we are all called according to His will.
I pray you all have a fantastic week and don't forget to post comments on the pages. We are here to encourage one another in Christ Jesus.
Here is a link to a free bible software program. http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html
Week 1 Part 1 of Calm my Anxious Heart
Hello Ladies,
This is our first week of calm my anxious heart. I will have another post later on what we are going over, but now we are going to read chapter 1 and in the back of the book you will see a bible study section fill out this portion. I encourage each and everyone one of us to comment on how this chapter has opened our eyes and / or pulled on our heart strings. I expect that we will learn a great deal in this book not only to help ourselves but others around us. I am going to post some scriptures on this post at the end. Do not forget to check out our face book page here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/InHim2011/
There might be other posts here due to some people do not know how to use blogger and visa-versa. Everything we post here will be linked to the face book page. Don't forget to add InHim2011@live.com to your contact list also. I know that this is going to be an exciting journey for each and everyone of us as we encourage one another in Christ Jesus.
This is our first week of calm my anxious heart. I will have another post later on what we are going over, but now we are going to read chapter 1 and in the back of the book you will see a bible study section fill out this portion. I encourage each and everyone one of us to comment on how this chapter has opened our eyes and / or pulled on our heart strings. I expect that we will learn a great deal in this book not only to help ourselves but others around us. I am going to post some scriptures on this post at the end. Do not forget to check out our face book page here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/InHim2011/
There might be other posts here due to some people do not know how to use blogger and visa-versa. Everything we post here will be linked to the face book page. Don't forget to add InHim2011@live.com to your contact list also. I know that this is going to be an exciting journey for each and everyone of us as we encourage one another in Christ Jesus.
Bitterness
Hebrews 12: 15 ESV See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
Acts 8:23 ESV for I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity."
Ephesians 4: 31 ESV Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Proverbs 14:10 ESV the heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy.
Speak
Psalms 15:2 ESV He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart;
Psalms 49:3 ESV my mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
2nd Corinthians 8:7 ESV But as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you -- see that you excel in this act of grace also.
Psalm 37:30 ESV the mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice.
Matthew 12: 36 ESV But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give an account of it in the Day of Judgment.
Ephesians 4:29 ESV Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Luke 6: 45 ESV A good man out of the good of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Matthew 8:8 NKJV
"The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed."Mark 5:25-28 NKJV
"Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”"Mark 11:23 NKJV
"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says."Saturday, August 6, 2011
We are starting soon!!!!!!
OK ladies only one more week till we start this amazing new adventure together. This is want I want everyone to do, write down, and post to any of the pages we have. Write about the goals we hope to accomplish as we live our lives for Christ. Things you really want to learn more about. Personal testimonies about what God has or is doing in your lives. Start thinking and remember God has given us all blessings everyday and sometimes we can share those blessing to encourage one another in our own journeys. Thank you and have a blessed day
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Calm My Anxious Heart
Here is the first book we will use for our bible study. Calm My Anxious Heart by linda Dillow. The link below is to amazon.com. If you can not get a book please dont let that stop you. We have a few extras.
http://www.amazon.com/Calm-My-Anxious-Heart-Contentment/dp/1600061419/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312165879&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Calm-My-Anxious-Heart-Contentment/dp/1600061419/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312165879&sr=8-1
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Welcome
Hello ladies,
This blog has been created to help us come together to encourage one another while living our lives for Christ. This blog will also keep us up to date on upcomming events and progress in our Study to become the women God has called us to be.
This blog has been created to help us come together to encourage one another while living our lives for Christ. This blog will also keep us up to date on upcomming events and progress in our Study to become the women God has called us to be.
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