Living Beyond Yourself - Session 1

Free at Last!

During the first week of our study together, we began with an overview of the Book of Galatians.  "Galatians makes an astonishing statement about Christian freedom:  It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  The goal of our trip is genuine freedom - the freedom that comes only through a life filled with the Holy Spirit.  Such a life displays the character traits the Bible calls the fruit of the spirit."

Galatians 2:20 says "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."  What does it really mean to be "crucified with Christ?"  The term means identifying with Him in His death in such a way as to allow Him to live through you.  Although every believer has been "crucified with Christ" in the ultimate sense of victory over sin and the grave, we must make certain choices to be crucified with Christ for victory in our daily battle with sin.

In Day 3, we looked at ten characteristics of the crucified life.

1.  Few will understand
- If you seriously decide to live a life crucified to self and alive in Christ, you will discover that few will understand.  More importantly, those who misunderstood will most likely be the ones you have to relate to the most.  Galatians 2:20 describes a radical change that many find confrontational.

2.  You must abandon your own will and your own agenda
- As long as you cleave to a personal agenda and continue to nurse your own will, the personalized daily will of God will be thwarted in you.

3.  Your intimate spiritual companions will be few
4.  Intense times of aloneness with God are required
5.  You will be constantly on the witness stand

- There will never be a time when we are not subject to the observation of others.

6.  You must  go "outside the camp"

- Do not be surprised when God continually forces you outside your comfort zone.
7.  There will be times when your dignity is forfeited
8.  You must forego your rights
9.  You must accept that death is painful

- We love our flesh and it hurts to have its desires crucified!  Never misunderstand pain as permission to forego the will of God.

10.  Because He was forsaken, you never will be

"Perhaps you continually struggle with the fear that if God had known some of the mistakes you were going to make and the sins you were going to commit, He never would have chosen you.  Scripture is clear - God foreknew you from birth to death, yet He predestined you for His very own.  It's called grace.  I don't understand it either, but I praise the name of the One who offers it!"

So what does this all mean for you and me?  To be totally free and live a life filled with the Holy Spirit we must be prepared to step out of our comfort zone and it may be painful at times because we struggle with our flesh.

Some questions to ponder - please go ahead and post any comments to any or all questions.  I would love to hear from you.

1.  Can you think of a time when seeking someone's approval ultimately proved to be a very negative influence in your life?

"Galatians 1:10 says "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."  So you might say, what does seeking the approval of man and servanthood have to do with one another.  Approval and servanthood are connected because we become immediate slaves to the person(s) from whom we seek approval."

2.  For you, what would it mean to seek only God's approval?

3.  Read Matthew 27"32-44.  Put yourself in Jesus' place.  How difficult would it be to surrender your rights and not "come down from the cross and save yourself"?

4.  Can you describe an instance in which you were challenge to "believe" God and He showed himself faithful?

5.  In what way did the Father show His great love for you, and what does His demonstration suggest about His willingness to meet your needs?

Living Beyond Yourself - Intro

Our MOPS group is starting a self-paced online bible study called "Living Beyond Yourself - Exploring the Fruit of The Spirit" by Beth Moore.  This study is based on Galations 5:22-23.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

This is a great option for those busy moms out there but is open to everyone (men and women alike)!  This online bible study allows you to watch the videos from any internet browser at your own convenience. 

Some women might hesitate to join this online study because they are familiar with Beth Moore and know that her studies have quite a bit of homework.  In trying to be sensitive to that (especially with those busy moms out there) we are going to watch one weekly session and do 5 days of homework but we are going to extend the timeline to every two weeks (instead of one).  Take 15 minutes every day.
  
In order to purchase, please go to www.lifeway.com/lby

The cost is $23.95 and includes streaming video/audio, downloadable homework, session notes, online Bible study tools and an interactive community.

The member book is $14.95 and is optional.

We will start our study on Monday, December 12th (please note that you can go as fast or as slow as you want).  Also, please note that this Bible study is not meant to replace anything else but I know there are many of you out there that may be struggling with your devotional time as I do at times (especially with young kids) and I think this would be a great way to get in to the Word and share with one another.

So you are asking what do I do next?  Purchase the online study.  Logon starting on Monday, December 12th and start watching the Introduction Session Video and then download Week One's Homework and finish by Friday, December 23rd. 

On Friday, December 23rd, log on to our blog and you will find a blog post with discussion questions.  Join in the discussion and post your comments.  I am looking forward to this journey as we study God's Word together and learn how to apply the Fruit of the Spirit to our daily lives.

Remembrance

When you woke up today, did you think that today might be a day that changes your life or someone you are close to forever?  If you truly realize this, how do you live your life differently?  Will you cherish every moment?  Will you make every day count?

15 years ago today, September 22, 1996, my life was changed forever.  I had no idea that it was going to be changed so drastically when I woke up that morning.  All my dreams of what I hoped for my life were totally not reflected in the life I was living at that time.  In fact all of my dreams had recently crashed around me.

But God!

I had been dating a guy for 6 1/2 years and I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with them.  I had gone through a tumultous relationship and had split from this guy and spent 6 months in San Diego, CA when I went through a very difficult time which in turn brought me back to NJ.

I am sharing this story so that people can remember God's hand being on their lives because his hand was surely on my life and the man that would eventually become my husband.

I moved back to NJ and had been introduced to a mutual friend.  We became fast friends but totally had no inkling that we would eventually be together.  We talked about our relationships with other people but it became increasingly evident that we had become best friends and were not complete unless we were together.

So back to 15 years ago today, I went out with friends that night and this guy was there and we had both been talking to our family and friends about our feelings for one another but both of us were scared because we didn't want to ruin our friendship which had become very important to both of us.  We were afraid that if the other did not feel the same way that what we had would have been destroyed.

So long story short, we told each other how we were feeling that night on the way home and as they say the rest is history.

We started dating exactly 15 years ago today and are married for 13 years with three beautiful children and both serving God and walking with him.  Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!!!!

So here it is, I had no idea what was around the bend in my life.  I had no idea what was going to happen the day after, the week after, the year after or 15 years later.  For many of those years, I was not even walking with God or serving God.  However he had my life in the palm of his hand and he was totally in control.  I could never have imagined my life turning out the way that it has and I just want to give all glory to God for his hand upon my life and my husband, Corey.

Let me encourage you, if you are in a tough spot and you are feeling overwhelmed by life and you wonder if God is really out there and if he cares for you, let me tell you that he does.  Life may not be what you had hoped for or dreamed about but know that God is in control and he loves us so much.  Look what the Lord has done.....remember!

Trust

My mom shared the following verses with me recently and I wanted to share with all of you during this time.  You are all in my thoughts and prayers!  Trust in the Lord.

Nahum 1:7 - The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in him.

Psalm 13:5 - But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

Psalm 52:8 - But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.

Psalm 115:9-11 - All you Israelites, trust in the LORD - he is their help and shield.  House of Aaron, trust in the LORD - he is their help and shield.  You who fear him, trust in the LORD - he is their help and shield.

Psalm 119:42 - then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word.

Psalm 20:7 - Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

Psalm 62:8 - Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Isaiah 26:4 - Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.

Isaiah 30:15 - This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

Isaiah 12:2 - Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.  The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense, he has become my salvation.

Psalm 56:3 - When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

Psalm 56:4 - In God, whose word I praise - in God I trust and am not afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?

Psalm 56:11 - In God I trust and am not afraid.  What can man do to me?

Psalm 26:1 - Vindicate me, LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD and have not faltered.

Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Romans 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 28:7 - The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 125:1 - Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.

Do you trust Jesus?

Blaming God

Back on Feb. 18th, 2011, God had placed Numbers 11 on my heart to share with the MOPS ladies.  Then today as I studied Session 5 - Day Two of "No Other Gods" for Tues. Bible Study" I realized that it was all from the same passage of scripture.  I want to share some thoughts from that discussion back in February and see how it all ties right in to today's discussion.  God is so good!

NOTES:

List blessings or areas of our lives that we want God to change?  Are we really thankful?

What if your husband or someone you loved romantically was diagnosed with cancer and had six months to live?  What if it was you?  What if it was your child?

Why do we blame God?

What if he answered all our prayer requests the way we wanted?  Like the Israelites and the quail.  In the midst of God performing a miracle & sending manna from heaven, they are complaining.

What if we gave our children everything they asked for whenever they wanted?

Good things do happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people.

Sign of maturity in walk with God - accepting whatever God's plan is.

Are you going through a test or trial right now?  Is God testing you to see if you will follow him and trust him?

When we focus on what we do not have rather than on what we do have, we tend to forget the hardships from which God already has delivered us.  Israel remembered the food, but forgot the slavery.  Grass is greener on the other side mentality.....not.

Prayer Journal - once a day or once a week, write down what God has done for you and your family.

Just as God blesses an obedient spirit, so he always judges a complaining spirit (1 Cor. 10:10).  No one can grumble & honor God at the same time.

Worshipping God - have you ever REALLY stopped to understand exactly what the words are to various worship songs.  I have a recommendation for you, next time just listen instead of singing and ask yourself do I really believe the words that I am singing.

Think of songs like "I Surrender All" - do you really?  (funny because God put that song on my heart before this past Tuesday's discussion and I played the song for the ladies in our discussion group but it had been on my heart back when I originally shared this word too)

How about the song "How can I keep from Singing" by Chris Tomlin?

I pray that you will be blessed and encouraged to stop blaming God when things don't go the way we might think it should go and remember all the good things that God has done in our lives.  I know that I have been in the situation that the Israelites found themselves in when they asked God for meat and he gave it to them but it became rotten in their mouths.  I have experienced where God has answered a prayer that I asked for but it became rotten and caused leanness in my soul.

God is in control and we need to put our faith and trust in him no matter what!!!!

I SURRENDER ALL

I am an Adulteress

Shocking?  Not really.  I have NOT been unfaithful to my husband but I have been unfaithful to God.

I have never been an adulteress or been called one but that is what the following scripture says that I am.

James 4:4 (NKJV) says "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

So, I was reading once again in the book, "No Other Gods" for Tuesday Morning Bible Study and then I got to Week 4 - Day 1 and this passage of scripture hit me like a ton of bricks.

What, me an adulteress?  Never!!!!!  Then as I read further I realized that what the scripture is saying is so true.  Once we give our lives to God and we are the bride of Christ and we place people or things before God that we are adulterers or adulteress' because we are being unfaithful to God.

Now I need to take some time and really let this soak in......more thoughts to come later!  Are you an adulterer or adulteress?  I know that I have been but I am working on not putting other people or other things before God.....one day and one hour at a time.  I do not want to be unfaithful to my God who loves me so much!  He has really been getting my attention, what about you?

Confidence

Yesterday my husband, Corey shared a verse with me that had really spoken to him and we decided to make that a memory verse for both of us.  The verse is Jeremiah 17:7.  Below is that verse in several different versions of the Bible.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him." (NIV)

“ Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD."  (NKJV)
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence." (NLT)

Then this morning I was studying, Session 3 - Day 4 of NOGS (No Other Gods) for Tuesday Morning Bible Study and the author was asking "What do you put your confidence in?".  How appropriate for what we were already meditating on!  God wants us to put our confidence in him, not in everything else.

So I decided to look up the word "confidence".  What does it mean?

a: a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances <had perfect confidence in her ability to succeed> <met the risk with brash confidence>   

b: faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way <have confidence in a leader>

 

I know that putting our confidence solely in God instead of those things (false gods) that we are used to can be scary.  Also, in this section of the book "No Other Gods", we are reading 2 Chronicles 31 & 32.  I will admit that I am definitely feeling like King Hezekiah right now.  At the end of Chapter 31 in verse 20 & 21, Hezekiah is following God and then in the absolute next verse the scriptures talk about how a rival king is planning to attack and looking to take over.  Here is verse 20 & 21.

 

2 Chronicles 31:20-21 - This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.  In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

 

I know that because we have made up our minds to totally surrender areas of our lives that have been controlling us and put our total confidence in the Lord that we are going to be attacked.  Here is the next verse.

 

2 Chronicles 32:1 - After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. 

 

We are going to continue to put our trust and confidence in our Lord because we know that he is on our side and he is watching out for us and we must surrender every area of our lives to him.  Another scripture that really speaks to me and I have been meditating on recently is Daniel 3:16-18 which is below.

 

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

 

What faith and trust in God!!!!  My prayer is that we will have faith like this.  These men of God believed that God could save them from the fiery furnace but even if he didn't save them, they stood on the fact that he could have saved them.  How many of us believe that God can save us from our circumstances and give us victory but even if he doesn't, we know that he can!  Stand on that promise, we are!!!!!

Circle of Influence

A few weeks ago I had watched the final episode of Oprah.  I hadn't really watched her show in years but I thought it would be cool to watch the final one.  If you watched it, you know she talked about a circle of influence and how we all have one and maybe ours isn't a stage and an audience like hers but that we can all make a difference where we are.

More recently, I started thinking about this as I heard that the new Miss USA used to live in Manalapan.  I started thinking about whether or not she was a believer and if maybe someone from our church family could have been someone in her circle of influence while living amongst us.  What if we had worked with her, lived in her neighborhood, went to the same grocery store, worked out at same gym, etc.?  What if we had been given the opportunity to plant a seed in her life or water a seed that had already been planted?  What if she had given her life to the Lord (not saying that she hasn't as I have no idea)?  Her circle of influence is now HUGE.

Another thought that hit me as I was thinking about this is the saying about Six Degrees of Separation.  Could this be true and if so, is our life making an impact for God's kingdom much further than we could ever imagine?  My parents are in full-time ministry in Princeton and have been for almost 35 years.  They work with mostly international students that have come to Princeton for a graduate program at Princeton University or other schools in the area.  These students were basically a nobody studying here but many were shown the love of Christ and many have given their lives to the Lord.  Many have returned to their own countries (some to take leadership roles in their own country) and now the circle of influence is getting bigger.

Right now, my parents have taken probably their first ever trip to the Far East to visit former students that they had met while they were studying here in Princeton.  They are visiting countries like Taiwan, Japan & China.  Some of these countries where it is very difficult for missionaries to go but they heard about Jesus here in the US.  I think that is amazing!

My question is are we making a difference in the lives of those around us?  Are we showing people the love of God?  We have no idea how this could impact their lives or the lives of many that we may never met.

On another note, I have recently started the "No Other Gods" bible study with the women of Tuesday Morning Bible Study.  It has really been convicting me to look at my own life and see if the God that I worship is really, truly the God that I am serving.  I have found areas of my own life that I really need to examine and work on because they have become my god.  I know that God has something special in store for all of us ladies that are on this journey together.  I can't believe that I am already on to the second week of homework.....I wanted to make sure that first I would get through the homework in the time allotted but I really wanted to take my time as well to let the words really sink in.  I can't wait to hear what God has been speaking to each of the ladies about during this study. 

So, I have two words for all of you - MAKE ROOM!!!!!!  For God that is!  I know that I need to do that for myself.  I understand that life can get crazy and out of control especially with babies and toddlers but we have got to make room for God in our lives and we need to set our hearts and minds on him instead of the many things of this world that tend to distract us.

Be encouraged!

Men Want Respect

Do you agree or disagree?

If you were in church today, you know that Pastor Ken preached a message on "Men Want Respect".  The message was taken from two passages in the scripture, Eph. 5:33 and 1 Peter 3:1-2.

Ephesian 5:33 - However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

1 Peter 3:1-2 -  Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,  when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.

As the service was over, I ran in to a friend who asked a question about what is the definition of respect.  I took it upon myself to look it up this evening and have included some definitions of respect from an online dictionary below:

Respect:

- esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability

 

- deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment

 

- the condition of being esteemed or honored

 

- favor or partiality.

 

- to show regard or consideration for

 

So ladies, the question I have for you is does respect have to be earned or should we respect the men in our lives no matter what?  Biblically, there is no question that we must respect men (especially our husbands) no matter what.  I realize that for some this can be easier said than done.  However, if we do not than we are being disobedient to what the Bible says.

 

Some of you attended the marriage seminar at church recently or have read the book "Love and Respect".  Are you applying these principles to your daily walk with God and in relationships with all men in your life?

 

Some of the ways that Pastor Ken mentioned that we can show men respect are as follows:

 

1.  Tell them you respect them and why

2.  Ask for their opinions

3.  Honor and support them publicly, disagree privately

4.  Thank them for working to support the family

5.  If married, let them lead

6.  Don't nag

7.  Listen

8.  Cheer their successes and good decisions

9.  Minimize their bad decisions

10.  Do activities together

11.  If married, be physically intimate

12.  If you want a solution, let a man fix the problem

13.  Respect God

 

The one thing that I would add to this is pray for the men in your life (especially your husband).  This is very important.  It is not enough to love them and respect them but pray for them!

 

For some of you ladies hurting out there and not feeling loved especially from the men in your life or maybe they have betrayed you in some way, I am sure that it will be difficult to show them respect but I am praying for you!  We cannot change our husbands, only God can!  However, we can change ourselves and be obedient to what God is telling us and I would encourage you ladies to evaluate your own life as hard as it may be.  God will give you the strength!

Great Website for Women

http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/spiritled-woman/

Doers, Not Hearers Only

MOPS Retreat - Friday, 6/3/11
"Doers, Not Hearers Only"

My prayer is that you come away from this weekend forever changed.  It is great to have a retreat and we are glad to be here but if we leave here the same as when we arrived, then we might as well go home right now.  The Lord wants to meet each one of us but we have to come to meet him.  He is waiting on us!

The verses that God gave me for tonight but really for the whole weekend is James 1:21-25 and speaks to being a doer, not a hearer only.  The scripture talks about looking at ourselves in the mirror and walking away and forgetting what we look like.  The question is, whose reflection do you see in the mirror?  Better yet, whose reflection do people see when they look at you.

I heard a message recently called "Living Inside Out".  The question is, are we truly living inside out.  Think of a shirt inside out, you see the tag.  You see the manufacturer's name.  You see if it is 60% polyester or 100% pure.  You see the seams.  When people look at us do they see our natural resemblance or our spiritual resemblance.

My prayer is that you fall more and more in love with Jesus each day!  My prayer is that people will see Jesus in you and that you are living inside out.  My prayer is that you be a doer of his Word, not just a hearer!

Our Retreat

Thank you ladies for an awesome time this past weekend!  It was great to learn about God together, chat, hang out at the beach or walk the boardwalk and LAUGH!!!!!!  I was truly blessed to be a part of such an awesome group of women!  Thanks also to Pastor Grace for all of her wonderful cooking....I had fun learning how to make empanadas.....the secret is out now!

One of the songs that God had put on my heart for this weekend was a favorite of Pastor Joe McCain and it is called "Falling in Love with Jesus".  My hope and prayer is that each woman fell more in love with Jesus this weekend!

More thoughts to come later!  Feel free to comment what this weekend meant to you.



Beautiful Day

This morning as I drove to a client site in Princeton, I felt a strong urge to not worry about my radio that was not playing music for some reason and just enjoy the quiet. It is very rare that I take that time in the car to just be quiet...that solitutude time! It is hard to find quiet time with three kids so I took advantage of this time. As I drove, I began to look around and really notice my surroundings and even though there was a lot of traffic that isn't what I was noticing. I was looking up in the sky and saw that the sky was a beautiful blue and I couldn't see a cloud in the sky. It was a beautiful morning and a big change from last evening's storm clouds! I had to take some time to just breathe it all in and stand in awe of God's creation! He is so awesome and is a great painter and artist! If I had the radio on, I don't think I would have taken the time to really soak in his presence. The other day, I was at Women's Bible Study at church and we watched a video called "Measureless Love" by Beth Moore. She spoke about the fullness of God spoke about in Eph. 3. Beth mentioned that the annointing is the measure and the overflowing of the fullness of God. How many times have tears come to our eyes and we don't even know why we are crying? I really believe it is like the measuring cup that Beth spoke about that has been filled by the presence of God and now it was overflowing as I drove! I am so looking forward to going away with a bunch of mommy friends this weekend for our MOPS Retreat....Ocean Grove hear we come! I am looking forward to being in God's creation and soaking in his presence and partaking in the fullness of God! Thanks to my wonderful husband for taking care of all three kids! I am truly blessed beyond words!!!!!

Great Devotional from Thriving Family Magazine

Family Devotions: The Spiritual Discipline of Meditation

Talking to God

Thank God for the power of His Word. Ask Him to help you stay focused on His Word throughout the day so you can become more like Jesus.

Diving In 

Put out a plate of snacks. Give everyone permission to dive in, provided they follow one important rule: Each bite of food must be chewed at least 20 times. After each person finishes one bite, invite him or her to describe in detail the different tastes and textures experienced.

Going Deeper

Sometimes people say, "I need to chew on that," meaning, "I need to think about that for a while." When we meditate on Scripture, we're taking time to think about it and "chew on it." If we ate our food without chewing it, we'd hardly be able to taste it. The more we chew, the more we enjoy the taste and gain strength.
It's the same with God's Word. When we take time to think about what it means and how we can use it in our lives, we benefit much more than if we just read it and never think about it again. Romans 12:2 says that we change our lives by renewing our mind, or changing the way we think about things. We can learn to think like God by meditating on His Word.

Talking to Each Other

• What things do you spend most of your time thinking about?
• How might your life change if you spent more time thinking about God's Word?
• What's one passage of Scripture you would like to begin meditating on? 

Finishing Well

"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." (Joshua 1:8)

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Copyright © 2011 by Renee Gray-Wilburn. Used by permission. ThrivingFamily.com.

MOPS Retreat

So ladies our retreat is only about a week away.....excited?  What are you looking for God to do in your life?  Come expecting to meet him!!!!  We are getting together for prayer tomorrow morning at 10 am.  Hope you can join us!

Grace

Pastor Grace shared about God's grace at our last meeting.  This is the song that she shared, "Grace" by Michael W. Smith.  What does God's grace mean to you?  I will look to post her message soon.

Gyroscope

At our last meeting, we talked about Gyroscopes and we watched this video.  A gyroscope is defined by Encyclopedia Brittanica as "a spinning wheel mounted in such a way that it is free to turn about any of three possible axes."  It's like a supertop.  Once you set it in motion, it just keeps on going, and it's very hard to knock over.  In fact, if you try to push it over, it stubbornly holds it original position, continuing to spin in the same direction.

Gyroscopes are more than scientific spin toys; they have numerous practical applications as well.  They stabilize our planes in turbulent weather, steady our ships as they sail through raging seas, and guide them automatically by their compasses.

What a picture of the life we are to have in Christ!  As we surrender to the Lord Jesus, as we center ourselves in him, something wonderful happens.  He turns the spinning circles of our chaotic lives into a steady, stable gyroscope mounted and held up by him alone.

He stablizes us in the turbulence of life.  He steadies us in the midst of raging seas, and he guides us by the compass of his eternal love.

Quotes from "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanna Weaver

Great Quote

Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow - it empties today of strength. - Corrie ten Boom

God is a Jealous God - May 6, 2011

Listen to audio from meeting:
http://www.zshare.net/audio/90132176dcd6b774/

So I thought it was about time that we created our own blog for MWC MOPS. I hope that this will be great way for us to communicate with one another in a more informal way. I would love to hear feedback from all of you on things you love about MOPS or what we can do to make things better for everyone!!!! Check back soon for more content.