Make your self available

Everyone can be used by God, it's so often we think naw, not me!

But yes my sister and brother you can be...and probably already are and don't realize it...

When we are full of Christ you are totally useable... he washes us clean!

You are valued, you are loved, you are useable, you are safe...

List of small ways you can be used in your already daily walk you might not think of:

friending the person next to you in Bible study

taking your neighbor a meal

waving at a stranger on the road

pushing the cart back to the cart station

encouraging your kids to have christ like character

speak to the cashier before they do

friending your coworker

praying for your childs teacher

leave an encouraging note on the bathroom mirror

send a hand written letter to someone

turn someone trash can over for them

pick up a piece a trash

push your chair back in at a restaurant

look to those around you young and old

Be intentional!

2 Timothy 2:20-21(NIV)

20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Serving the Lord is not an optional... Ephesians 2:10

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Bottom line is everyone must lift a finger...

Serve...

Think back to your spiritual gifts...master which your number one is and the top few your strong in. Be reminded everyone has a spiritual gift and these gifts come from our experiences in life. And can change over time.

Biblical personalities used by God:

Jacob was a cheater,

Peter had a temper,

David had an affair,

Noah got drunk.

Jonah ran from God,

Paul was a murderer,

Gideon was insecure,

Miriam was a gossiper,

Martha was a worrier,

Thomas was a doubter,

Sara was impatient,

Elijah was moody,

Moses stuttered,

Zacheus was too short,

Abraham was old and

Lazarus was dead.

It is said, "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called"!

Holiness is never seen as a human quality rather an expression of a truly unique relationship with God!

It's a two way deal...like any other relationship!

How we spend our time reveals our precious HEARTS true desire!

Our face simply reveals everything from pride to depression or it will pour forth the fruits of the spirit: peace, joy, love, patience, gentleness, goodness, self-control, faithfulness, and kindness.

Have a good day!

#inspired by chapter four in What Happens When Women say Yes to God by Lysa Terkeurst these were my notes gathered and journal for this chapter.

#beavailable #notable

After class...

Once a week for two years now I've been attending, even lead one semester, 

Bible study with precious ladies, moms at my church. 

This semester we are studying 

along with Lysa Terkeurst 

in her book What happens when woman say yes to God. 

If you've ever heard Lysa or read one of her books 

you already know she is amazing. If you haven't 

I encourage you to. 

She's real and she keeps it real!

In my time preparing before class this week 

a verse Lysa shared, Romans 12:2, in chapter 2 stood out to me. 

The more I thought about that verse the more I came to realize 

how many times that verse has come into play in several other studies I am done. 

Even on a journal page I did last semester.

I'd encourage you to read the chapter of Romans 12 from your hand held Bible, not your phone, not your iPhone etc but your Bible.

The pictures below are from my NIV Life application Bible of Roman 12. 

If you're not familiar with this Bible, 

it gives you scripture and at the bottom breaks down each verse 

in a way you can easily understand to apply towards your life. 

See the print, it's large! When I purchased this one my mother was with me 

and encourage me to get large print because in a few years I'd need it. 

Well, I have to say I am very glad I did. 

It makes studying a lot easier.

 

 

 

 

Romans 12:2 all started for me several years ago 

when I did a study by Jennifer Rothschild, Me Myself and Lies. 

On page 42, she has you fill in the blank of the verse 

and then give her take on helping you understand.

Highlighted Below:

Page 42

Let's think with the mind of Christ.

transform our thoughts 

by infusing them with the truth of Scripture 

so they will resemble the mind of Christ.

In Bold Above (middle):

When the world tells you to make your violators pay, 

the mind of Christ thinks (Ephesians 4:32: Luke 17:3-4)

When the world suggests you look out for number one, 

the mind of Christ thinks (Col. 3:12)

When the world advises you get all you can-buy now pay later-

the mind of Christ thinks (Matt. 5:41-42)

When the world tells you "just do it," 

the mind of Christ thinks (2 Peter 1:5-8)

When the world says you can pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, 

the mind of Christ thinks (Phil. 2:13)

When the world persuades "it's all about you," 

the mind of Christ thinks (1 Cor. 6:20; Rev. 4:1)

Below she goes on to share the story of the Pharisees 

in Matthew 15:1-9 and 21:33-46 and Jesus described them in Matthew 23:3-6

 

Truthful Labels

These truth labels, this study with Jennifer Rothschild taught me so much about the junk that can be trapped in our heads that just isn't even true. Carrying the truth about who we are in Christ frees us from such nonsense.

Secondly, reading Donna Partow's book Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be lead me to Romans 12:2 also.

 

Above: I wrote this at the end of the chapter!

Be free, take time to spread your wings in God's truths

about who you are!

becoming a confident woman of God's clears all worldly insecurities!

At that moment of doing that study and writing that at the end of the chapter again set me free from the outside world. I just don't care anymore what others think of me, the way I look, dress, what i drive, where I live ect... what I care about most is what really matters, my relationship with Christ!

Thirdly, last semester leading Bible study Romans 12:2 was in The Beautiful Wife by Sandy Ralya.

 

Above: at the bottom of page

Listen to the Truth

Accepting God's truth about yourself by feeding yourself daily with God's word.

Below:

Romans 12:2 appears again....

 

Above:

A list of truth that came from the Me Myself and Lies study, 

shown above, that I wrote at the back of chapter in this book.

I also created a journal page last semester about standing firm on God's word 

and Romans 12:2 was on there stating it transforms you. 

( i'll add a picture of the journal page in a bit, if it's not here come back)

Do you see the circle of how many times that verse has come back to me…

thinking we should really soak it in. I know I have!!! 

After class this week I got a text from a girl in my class that thanked me 

for the encouragement of reading the whole book of Romans 12. 

That text encouraged me to go beyond and share… 

so here you have it! 

Me sharing it with you!

Here's Lysa with a short video about her book, 

What Happens When Woman Say Yes to God.

What Happens When Woman Say Yes to God.

I want to leave you with something….

because we are called to learn new things in this life and grow, 

what better way to learn new things 

and grow knowing those things than to study the Bible.

This…wanting to get into God's word more but just not sure how 

or wanting to clarify that what you're doing is right on, 

then watch this video below by Joyce Meyer How to Study the Bible.

Mission

We should be reminded a mission field doesn't have to be out of the country! 

We are not all called to the same thing, same area, same place ect! 

(That would be wild and crazy if we all flew out of the country 

wouldn't it…say what...who would be left here in this field) 

Be reminded your mission might be just where you are standing, 

right where you are sitting, right where you lay! 

Don't miss out on your mission

…live to the fullest and know you are right where He has called you to be!!!! 

Get a clearer picture, this could be in the line at the grocery, 

smile at the cashier and ask how their day is before they ask you

-if they even do, in your marriage-stop the crazy cycle, 

raising your kids up-working moms and non working moms-it's all work, 

the soccer field, the field trip you attend, waving at the passing car on your street, 

Facebook, email, text, handwritten letter, 

a card, a meal…see the ripple my friends!!! 

#see #clearpicture #yourmissionfield #thisismyhearttothecore

Growth

Over the pass year, really going into the second year for some, alot of my friends have lost someone in their life VERY dear to them. From the loss of a parent, mother and/or father to the loss of a child, it's my hope that anyone walking through such would take this time as a time of growth. Through your healing can bring you such great measure about life...healing...spiritual growth...

Recently in an effort to help a friend who lost her father, I went to the local bookstore to search for grief books for her and I both. For me to help to know more about the process of grief, I've been there, I know what it's like first hand loosing my father when I was 20 years old, but I am not familiar with it from the other side.

One of my passions in life is to be there for others, meet them right where they are in their life, taking them by the hand as they walk through to the other side. Because we all know times come up and there is hope. We do get through things. As the hands and feet of Jesus, I want to be that friend thats there for them. Now I might not always know what that looks like or how to handle that but I know He will equip me each time.

So the book I came up with about grief is Grieving God's Way by Margaret Brownley. I usually try to go for something that my mind can understand, that I can relate to and that I can translate.

I encourage you that no matter what stage of grief your in take time for yourself to move forward each day and gain the full knowledge of grief for a true spiritual growth opportunity.... God calls us to grow right where we are, not when we get things in line or when we straighten ourselves up.

A life of spiritual growth is of a Christian life. Grow in the knowledge of God's word:

Colossians 1:10 so that you may live in a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in everyday: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

Mature: Ephesians 4:13 until we all reach unity in faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measures of the fullness of Christ.

Here's the link to Grieving God's Way on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Grieving-Gods-Way-Lasting-ebook/dp/B0078FABJU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383312575&sr=1-1&keywords=grieving+god%27s+way

It's also available on iTunes, print and also available in audio.

Raise your HAND

If you'd like to grow....

Grow Spiritually

A step towards SPIRITUAL GROWTH is keeping a prayer journal:

-don't over think it!
-include dates of entries

-include scripture that stood out to you, that speaks to your heart, your situation. This will increase your knowledge of God's word. 

-record prayer request

-record answered prayers

-include friends & family request-pour your heart out, your thoughts, your frustrations, your happiness, sadness, joy

-don't feel guilty

-it may take days or a week to finish a page, write a little a day or a lot

-don't know what to write to get started, confess that. Start by stating you've come with an open heart not understanding just where to short journaling.

-use words ONLY

-bullet list

-use color...pens, pencils, crayon, markers

-look on Pinterest-"inspiration for prayer journaling" "prayer journal"

-use pictures

-use words, color, pictures together

-combo

-mix media

-be FREE-hear encouraging words write them down

-focus in on key words of your prayer, your concerns, note verses by that key word. Google the key word for verses ( ex. joy bible verse ) but then read them in your Bible, journal verse from the actual Bible. (openbible.com is good to find verse on by word) 

-expect God to speak to you

-journaling, getting in God's word is like recharging your soul, like recharging your cell phone

-it's not an artsy thing

-write what you hear in you quiet time

-writing in your journal helps your mind stay on track when praying

-helps you become closer to God

-more discipled in your prayer life

-increases your faith

-between you & God only

-no organization, God wants your heart

-tell God how you feel about Him

-what you need

-ask Him to show you areas He needs to deal with in changing you, changing your heart…growing you!

-George Washington, first president of the U.S. kept a journal even at the young age of 20

-take notes during a sermon, paste them in your journal

-a journal reflects your walk with God

-most important is it's written from the heart

-a place you can be real with God, confess your weaknesses and sins, draw close to you're Heavenly Father

-take time to dream and receive God's infinite love

-it can also be a place to "be still" before your maker and reflect, reflect on your life

-prayer journal is about both our relationship with God and our needs, also the needs of others

-transforms you in your daily life with God

-renewal what you're learning, Bible Study, verses, lesson

-listening, turn to scripture and listen when no one else can help

-learn to hear God's voice