Ginny - Day 5 Hope

Karlyn!!!  I am praying, praying, praying, praying for your race!!!  I am SO excited for you!!!  You're gonna do awesome!!!  So excited!  So excited!  So excited!  I am praying for every mile!!!

Jenifer I have heard such good things about that study.  So glad to know you like it too!  I will definitely be praying for your anxiety about the "what ifs."  I will pray that Satan flees and that the peace of Christ rules your heart and mind. 

Cindy and Amber praying for you girls too!  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!

S - Romans 15:12-13 
Again Isaiah says,
“There shall come the root of Jesse,
And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles,
In Him shall the Gentiles hope.”

¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

O - God is full of hope and as His children we get to abound in that hope.

A - Why is it that I never tire of hearing about the hope we have in Christ?  Maybe because everything else will fail.  At one point or another it will end, mess up, fade, disappoint, or just not last, but I can put my hope in Jesus Christ everyday and He will never fail me.  I am so thankful for the fulfillment that is found in our Savior.

P - Lord thank You for meeting my every need, even those I don't even know about yet.  Thank You for the never ending hope we can find in You.

Hope Day 4

Hey ladies. I just finished the other Bible Study I was doing and will now join ya'll. If ya'll haven't ever done One in A Million, I highly recommend it. Its probably ranks in my top 5 for studies I've done. The videos are a must to this study. Hope ya'll are well. I'm recovering from a massive migraine. Today I feel weak and have a dull headache. Also ya'll please life up me up. I've been dealing with major anixety lately. Its starting to keep from doing things because I keep thinking of the what ifs. I know Satan uses my fear against me and it always happens when am getting closer to God and putting myself out there. I don't want fear to hold me back from living in complete freedom, enjoying my family, and doing the things He's called me to do. Karlyn- good luck on your race tomorrow. Praying no one else gets sick. Grant's teacher has been out all week due to the bug. S- Romans 15:12-13 And again in Isaiah says, The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles, in him will the Gentiles hope. May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. O- He is the one who wants and will fill us up. Not anything that I try to do or say can make me have peace or Joy. It comes from Him. A- I need to believe this more in my heart and not just my head. I need to put into action. I'm such a worrier and control freak ;) P- Lord, thank you having control of my life and giving me Hope. It's only because of you that am able to get through each day.

Karlyn: Hope day 5

Well what a Friday it's already been.  Thea got sick with the stomach bug last night, Knox has it this morning, and tomorrow is my 1/2 marathon!!!!  Please pray no one else gets sick!  I really want to be able to race tomorrow.  The stomach bug really likes me.  Have a great weekend everyone!!!!

S - Romans 15:12-13  And in another place Isaiah said, " The heir to David's throne will come and he will rule over the Gentiles.  They will place their hope on him."  I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him.  Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

O - This is such a powerful verse "Source of hope" "Fill you completely" "overflow with confident hope" "power of the Holy Spirit".  With these words why would or should I ever fret or worry.  Such a powerful God I serve.  I can't provide any of these things for myself on my own power.

A - I need to fully live out this verse so that people know I have no power in my life and God truly is my only hope, confident hope.

P - Lord thank you that you fulfill your promises and thank you that I don't have to rely on my abilities to get through this life.  There's no way I could.  I praise you for the confident hope I have in you and that I can overflow hope through the Holy Spirit's power!!!!

Cindy: Hope Day 4

S - The sun will no longer be the light by day, and the brightness of the moon will not shine on you; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor.  Your sun will no longer set, and your moon will not fade; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your sorrow will be over. - Isaiah 60:19-20
O - The Lord will be my everlasting light.  The days of sorrow will be over.
A -  The light of the Lord never fades, never goes dim, it doesn't set and go away.  The light of the Lord is always there, always shining brightly. When the Lord returns and He is the ONLY light there won't be any more sorrow. The Lord is constant. I can always put my faith, my trust, my hope in Him.
P - Lord thank you for being my light, my guide, my hope.  Help me to always be drawn to Your light and not be distracted by the things around me. 

Karlyn: Hope day 4

Good Thursday Morning!

S - Isaiah 60:19-20  No longer will you need the sun to shine by day nor the moon to give it's light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.  Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down.  For the Lord will be your everlasting light.  Your days of mourning will come to an end.

O - It's hard to imagine living in a world where the sun and the moon aren't needed for light.  It's also hard to imagine life without mourning of some type.  I can't imagine it but I'm very much so looking forward to an eternity like this.

A - I need to be intentional about sharing God's light with those I know aren't believers.  There are so many.  More than ever my heart, words and actions have got to reflect his light and hope that so many live without!

P - Again Lord I'm so thankful that I live in the hope of your return.  Please kepp me aware of those around me that I need to be ministering to and sharing hope with.

Karlyn: Hope day 2-3

Chapel went great thanks for praying.  It was a lot of fun!  I really love Sawyer's school.

Anyone doing exciting fun things this next month?  We really need to get serious about seeing each other!!!  Let's make a plan!

S - John 1:9-12 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him.  He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.  But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God

Jeremiah 33:14-15 The day will come, says the Lord, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them.  "In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David's line.  He will do what is just and right throughout the land.

O - John: We are given the right to be God's children - I don't want to take this for granted.  This also reminds me that even when he was here people rejected him so that means that people will reject me to.  Sometimes I just want to be liked by everyone.

Jeremiah: Our God is just and righteous and he will continue to take care of Israel, Judah, and us as believers.  I'm so grateful for this protection especially in the days we live in.

P - God I praise you for the hope you sent us in Jesus.  THank you that we can remember this at Christmas and all year!  Please help me to radiate Jesus to give others HOPE!

Ginny - Day 3 Hope

Karlyn!  How did chapel go?  I was praying, praying this morning!  Hope it went really well!

S - Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. Jeremiah 33:14-15

O - God can handle it.

A - When I first went and looked up the scripture today I accidently went to Jeremiah 13 instead of 33.  this is what it says...

I will dash them against each other, both the fathers and the sons together,” declares the Lord. “I will not show pity nor be sorry nor have compassion so as not to destroy them.” Listen and give heed, do not be haughty, for the Lord has spoken. Jeremiah 13:14-15

After reading it, I thought to myself how I needed to hear that verse because it talked about begin haughty and I'm having some struggles with some co-workers here at the bank.  But I also thought how it really didn't have much to do with Advent.  That's when I realized I was in the wrong chapter.  So I go to chapter 33 and it was just as needed.  There are some ladies that I work with that are very sweet, but they are busy bodies and they like to get together and talk and talk and talk.  I don't join in the talking because I don't want to and I've got work to do, but it has seperated us to the point that they aren't filling me in on things that I need to know.  If we need to bring food for work one day, etc...I'm left out of the loop.  I know I need to still exude love and be happy around them and I want to, but it would also be nice to be able to just cut them off and go about my own business and not include them in on things...the haughty approach...the taking things into my own hands approach.  Jeremiah 33 tells us God will execute justice.  I know in this context he meant a lot more than office drama, but I still claim HE will take care of this situation.  

P - Lord I pray that I would humble myself and serve these women with love.  Let them see Your love and mercy in me. 

Ginny - Hope Day 2

Good Morning Girlz!!!

S - There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,  John 1:9-12

O - The world needs the true Light.

A - "the true Light."  That really stuck out to me.  The TRUE Light.  Oh how I want to follow the TRUE Light and not get wrapped up in all the false stuff.  This Christmas season I don't want to be drawn away from the TRUE Light because of my shopping list, or parties, or travel plans, or food to fix, or gifts to make.  This world can crowd in and before I know it the TRUE Light is covered up.

P - Lord may all the lists and things to do take back burner to worshipping You this Christmas season.

Ginny - Day 1 Hope

Praying for chapel Karlyn!

S - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. John 1:1-4

O - We serve a living God!  Our God is alive and His Word is alive.  There is nothing about His being and His power that is dead.  That brings HOPE!  We can put our trust in a living God.

A - The Christmas story always brings me to awe.  It really happened!  A normal girl, who was nothing special - just average, was chosen to be his mom.  He was born.  He really came.  There is so much hope found in the birth of Christ.  I can chase after temporal things of this world, trying to satisfy a want, but all that chasing is useless compared to the salvation found in Jesus Christ.

P - Lord, I pray for this study.  I pray that it would be a tool to keep us focussed on the true meaning of Christmas.  I pray that this Christmas our hearts experience Your hope in a new and fresh way.

Karlyn: Day 1 Hope

Happy Advent!!!  Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  I'm really excited about this study!  Pray for me on Wednesday.  I'm speaking in chapel at Sawyer's school.

S - John 1:1-4 In the beginning the Word already existed.  The Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He existed in the beginning with God.  God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through him.  The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought life to everyone.

O - "the Word gave life to everything that was created and his life brought life to everyone"  I can't even imagine what the scene of creation looked like.  God creating through Jesus and Jesus giving life to all creation.

A - I hate to admit this but there are so many times that I forget that I was created by an all powerful God full of hope for my future.  Today I will remember who created me and the hope I have to share with others.

P - God I praise you for your creation.  Jesus I praise you for life.  Thank you for the hope salvation brings and the hope for eternity with you!

Advent anyone???

I can't believe I'm saying this but Advent is just around the corner!!!!  I would love for us to find a devotional or study that follows advent this year?  Do you know of any we can do?

Hope things were good with Jon this weekend.  The cabin was great.  We were there just one night but it was so nice to be away with nothing to do but be together and play outside!

Ginny - TWM Day 30

Good Morning Girlz!!!  I can not believe another 30 days has passed.  This study flew by!  I'm already excited for what we come up with for the next study.

Karlyn, y'all have so much fun at the cabin!  I will pray it is a restful getaway that does everyone a lot of good.  Y'all can remember me this weekend too.  Jon is coming back down.  He has an interview in Dalhart (about 80 miles northwest of Amarillo) and then will come on down to Lubbock for the weekend.  I'm excited!  After his last visit, I was very unsettled in my heart what to do or what to think.  I asked y'all and a few other friends to pray.  I sought some advice from a good friend that was in a similar situation before, and constantly stayed in His Word and prayed and listened for His voice.  The Lord calmed my spirit and I decided to give it some more time.  So, he's coming and I am super excited!  It's gonna be a great, fun weekend!  I'll be sure and give updates on Monday.  Love y'all tons!  Have a great weekend!!!

S - Titus 2:1-5

O - God has given us set instructions for being a True Woman.  I need to read them constantly and live them out that the world may see Him in me.

A - What I have learned through all this is that it's a heart issue.  Whether we are talking about the way we interact with our husbands/boyfriend, or the way we take care of our house, or the way we spend our time, or how well we minister to needs of those less fortunate, or how we dress, or how we act...it all is rooted in my heart.  Is my heart doing all these things because Jesus first loved me and I want to bring Him glory and love His creation, or am I doing it out of obligation or praise for myself or sheer pride?

Another point Nancy made today that has come up before in some examples of her's is that instead of complaining we should pray.  I need to say this to myself everyday.  Instead of grimping or having a pity party or just plain worrying about something; I should stop and pray.  Just like the lady and the Mexican food.  Instead of whining to her husband that she didn't like Mexican food and she wasn't going to make it because she didn't like it, she asked the Lord to change her heart.  She started making Mexican food once a week out of love for her husband, and eventually found herself liking it herself. 

Something else that has been reconfirmed to me is that these principles of being a True Women definitely need to be taught and we need to be teaching them too.  As Nancy says, everyone has someone younger than them that they can influence.  The chain of teaching from one generation to the next is needed.

P - Lord thank You for this study and for Nancy's insight.  I pray that the truths and principles we learned over these past 30 days would take root in our hearts.  I pray for Karlyn, Cindy, Jenifer, Amber, and myself that we would be True Women, and influence those around us to be True Woman.  That out of our love and obedience to Your Kingship, we would follow Your Word and make it priority in our homes.  Bless each one of these girls and thank You so much for them.

Karlyn: TWM Day 30

Good Friday Morning!  I did not want to hear this message this morning but it was exactly what my heart needed.

Going to Dan's cabin this weekend.  Harvest is FINALLY over and Ryan, the kids, and I are getting away for 1 day.  It's been a LONG time coming.

S - Titus 2:4-5 Older women are “to train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled [to think with a sound mind], [to be] pure [to have pure hearts], [to be] working at home, [and then to be] kind" (verses 4-5). Some of your translations say, “To be good.”

Acts 9:36 “She was full of good works and acts of charity.”

Luke 6
I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (verse 36)

O - the points that stuck out to me...

This word is active goodness. You have a good or kind heart but you don’t just keep it in your heart. You do something about it. It comes out.

Goodness is kindness in action, words, and deeds.”

But I find so many women serving the Lord without heart, serving their families without joy.

We can start to get resentful. We can start to have self-pity. We can start to compare ourselves to somebody else’s life or wish for somebody else’s life and just be knocking out the tasks without the heart. But the Scripture here is talking about a motivation for serving, a motivation for homemaking that is goodness and kindness in action.

is a call to be selfless women, not selfish, not self-centered, but Christ-centered and other-centered. This is a word—this kindness, this goodness—that speaks of abundance. It speaks of the joy and the heart with which we fulfill our calling as women.

disciple of Christ and that she was full of good works and acts of charity.

It’s the call to proactively look for opportunities to be a blessing to others, to show the kindness of God to others, to take initiative.

When we as God’s children are kind to those who don’t deserve it, we show people what God is like.

A - I need to be in prayer today for making these changes in my heart.

P - Lord I'm not being very kind today and I need lots of grace and mercy to get this sin out of my heart.  Help me to serve others joyfully with active kindness because of your active kindness in my life!

Karlyn: Day 29 makeup day TWM

Good Evening Girls!  FOr some reason I don't have day 29 so I'm gonna day a makeup day that I missed!

S - Titus 2:4  So that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children

O - encourage them to love - sometimes love doesn't just overflow naturally.

A - I know how much it encourages me when someone tells me they love me so I know that it's important to my kids, the kids I work with that don't have good families, and to my extended family of kids.

P - Father help me to love my kids with your love and give me the energy to enjoy their life instead of fretting over the things that need to be done!

Karlyn: TWM day 28

We've been in revival since Saturday night and it's been crazy busy!  Tonight was the last night.  Good services with a OBU alumni Eric Ramsey.  He's older than us.  He has an awesome missions ministry.

S - Titus 2:3  “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women…”

O -  These points relate to my struggles...

A woman who is not sophron may be impetuous or impulsive

You see it; you have to have it. You act now; you regret it later.

great intentions, but she’s slow on follow-through.

overly concerned about what other people think,

procrastinate,

A woman who is not sophron will tend to be easily distracted, flitting from one thing to another. An inability to focus or concentrate or finish a task is an evidence of not being sophron.

A - these are how I can overcome the struggles

exercises restraint and self-government in every area of her life—her thoughts. She brings every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 

A woman who is sophron exercises restraint in her eating. She’s temperate. She’s moderate. She eats to live versus living to eat. She’s temperate in her spending. She doesn’t spend money she doesn’t have. When she does spend money, she thinks in terms of eternal values.

Her confidence is in the Lord.

She’s mentally disciplined. She’s able to resist temptation. She’s able to delay gratification.

Spirit of God controls her flesh 

P - Lord I want you to control my flesh and this week my flesh has been in control and out of control.  God please take over and help me to be disciplined and put my confidence in you not myself.

Ginny - TWM Day 28

S - Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women…” Titus 2:3

O - train = sophron = sound thinking

A - Ooh, I did not like today.  It stepped on my toes!  There are MANY more qualities in the non-sophron category I relate to than are in the sophron category.  Yuck!   

P - Heavenly Father, thank You for these words from Nancy.  I pray that I will begin to show more sound thinking and leave the ways of non-sophron behind.

Ginny - TWM Day 26

Good Morning Girlz!!!

S - Titus 2

O - It's not my job to shape those I have relationships with, it is my job to love them.

A - One point that stuck out to me was that we just can't think encouraging words or what we like about someone, we need to tell them.  Sometimes it is hard for me to get those words to come out of my mouth.  I need to be better at voicing what I like and the things I am thankful for in the other person.

P - Lord thank You for loving me.  Help me as I verbally love & encourage others.

Karlyn: TWM Day 26

Good Monday Morning!  Good weekend just too fast!  Starting to run again today!  Praying I can get back on track.  The race is December 1st!

S - Titus 2:1-5

O - For me these are the standout points from this session...

"you need to realize that you are both sinners in need of God’s grace".

"I want to tell you, the best marriage is nothing more than two sinners continually humbling themselves and knowing how to get to the cross and find the grace of God. The best marriage does not come easily and does not happen apart from the cross."

Sturgeon

"He does not expect perfection in the creature, and, therefore, he is not disappointed when he does not find it"

^{"your husband’s strengths and weaknesses are exactly what God knew you needed for you to become the woman God wanted you to be. That’s true vice versa as well. Your strengths and weaknesses are what God knew your husband needed for him to become the man he needs to be"}

^{"Regardless of what his sins or failures may be, it’s no less a sin on your part to respond to those failures in a critical or harsh or unloving way."}

^{"It’s so easy to point out his failures, his flaws, his shortcomings. The question is not, “Does your husband have failures, flaws, and shortcomings?” He does. The question is, “Are you loving him anyway?”}

^{A - So how do I apply all of this?  First I have to be loving God and my relationship with him more than anything else in my life.  Second I have to remember my role as a wife and apply what God's Word teaches me.  Humility and confession of sin go a long way!!!!}

^{P - Lord you know I struggle with selfishness and pride.  Help me to pray for Ryan, verbally encourage him, and practice being a woman after your heart.}

Ginny - TWM Day 25

Happy Friday!!!  Running, football and church is all my weekend holds.  Should be a lot of fun!  Hope you all have some fun plans!  Have a great weekend!!!

S -  “are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children"  Titus 2:3-4

O - After our relationship with Christ, should be our relationship with our husbands and then children.  Nancy gives a lot of good instruction on how loving our husbands really does need to be taught to young women.

A - I would think that loving your husband and encouraging him and meeting his needs would be a lot easier when he is doing the same for you, but as we all know people are going to let us down; they aren't perfect and they won't fulfill our every need all of the time.  This is where I would think it would get very hard and very easy to get frustrated. 

P - Lord I pray for all my married friends and family.  I pray that You bless and strengthen their marriages and that Your Word would be very real and lived out each day in their marriages.

Karlyn: TWM Day 25

S- Titus 2 “are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children (verses 3-4).

O- "Invest in him. Invest in the relationship. I’ve seen this over and over and over again: “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). The problem is that you start to take your mate for granted, and then you expect him to take care of you and please you. You stop being kind, thoughtful, and courteous, and then you find there are barriers and coldness in the relationship."

A - This is one of the hardest aspects of marriage for me. I want more engaged and single women praying for marriage to learn beforehand that marriage isn't going to fill a gap in your life or fill a void or be all about you.  Marriage is about you investing all the time in someone else!  So pray for a godly man who seeks to do the same.  No one on this earth can always please you, bring you happiness, make you feel important, or read your mind.  God is the only one that needs to fill those expectations. 

P - Lord thank you for the grace and mercy you give us every day.  Please help me to extend grace and mercy in my marriage and to invest in Ryan more than anything else after you.

Ginny - TWM Day 24

Good afternoon girlz!!!  Thanks for praying for Jay!  He is doing much better today!

S - and so train the young women   Titus 2:4a

O - From generation to generation we as women need to be investing in others and learning from others.

A - I love the line where Nancy said to model the beauty of the Christian life.  There is such beauty found in living a godly life and most people don't see that.  They think of a Christian life as a whole bunch of things you can't do - basically being a stick in the mud.  But a life under the authority of Christ is beautiful and it is something our world needs to see more of.

P - Lord I ask that you open my eyes to those younger than me that I can help and invest in.  Thank you for those older women that I know I can call on and learn from.  I pray for more and more opportunities to be around them.

Karlyn: TWM Day 24

Good Morning!  Ginny I'm so sorry your boss has shingles.  I will pray it goes away fast!!!!!  If you've had the chicken pox you should consider going and getting the Shingles vaccine.  It's expensive but it will keep you from going thru what he is!!!  Rachel has had really low B12 also.  So low she could hardly get the energy to move.  She's taking a B12 shot every week.  She's had to be very proactive with her doctor in making sure they understand when she needs an increased dose of B12.  They told her it could be a long process in getting it back to normal.  I will keep praying for Amy.

Doctor gave me stretches to do on my foot several times a day, he said wear only running shoes for a very long time:(, and I can continue to run.

 Happy November 1st!

S - Titus 2:3-5

O - As Christian women we have a responsibility to train those who are younger than us and be trainable by those who are older than us.

A - Those of us my age at our church have been praying about this for about 7 years.  We were desperate for the older women in our church to want to help us and do things with us, but they didn't want to.  Finally in these last 2 years we've had a break through.  The break through didn't come until we decided that we were going to invest ourselves in the women and girls younger than us whether or not the older women did anything with us.  It's still a work in progress but we do have some older women we can go to now when we need to!  It taught me that when there is a personal need that I'm praying for sometimes I just need to provide that for someone else and in giving of myself God will provide what I need!

P - God thank you fo rhte women in my life that help me get through every day.  Please help me to continue to keep my eyes open to the women and girls that I can encourage and pray for!