Week Three Highlights - Unveiling the Power of Prayer

• Guiding Questions for the Week:
• Do you believe that you could be seduced?
• Do you believe that Satan will attack our areas of weakness?
• Are you being sifted?
• Do you trust God with every inch of your past, present and future?
• Do you believe that leggings are coming back into style? (Christy shared a hilarious story about a woman's experience with this fashion trend that is making a comeback! I'll try to get a copy and post it, so everyone can have a good laugh!)
• Memory Verse Challenge for the Week: "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14b
• Assignment for Week Three: Read Chapters 6-8 in your book and come ready to share and discuss.
• QUESTION OF THE WEEK: God gives us healthy boundaries and borders for our protection. In what area do you need to build yours up?

Week Three Highlights - Unveiling the Power of Prayer

• Guiding Questions for the Week:
• How can I support my husband in his work, to make things easier for him?
• Where do you want me to turn something over to you, Lord, and commit it to prayer, rather than trying to do it on my own?
• Memory Verse Challenge for the Week: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7 (We will add another verse next week, but if you are ready to move ahead, go on to verse 8.)
• Assignment for Week Three: Go over chapters 4 and 5, if you have already completed them, and really pray about this topic and where god wants you to be with it. He may want you to make a change, share from your heart next week, or seek wisdom and godly advice.
• RETREAT DATES: November 7-8, more info coming soon!
  

Week Two Highlights - Unveiling The Power of Prayer

• Guiding Questions for the Week:
• What area of your heart, or thoughts in your mind, are not clean and pure right now?
• Are you willing to submit yourself enough to say, change me Lord?
• In what ways am I looking to my husband to fulfill my needs and expectations, when I should be looking to God?
• Memory Verse Challenge: "Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Don not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:4-6
• Objectives for the study:
• Strengthen your relationship with God.
• Deepen your marriage through prayer.
• Fellowship and accountability with women
• Scripture memorization
• Try to identify one that you seem to be targeting this week as you study and pray.
• Assignment for Week Two: Read Chapters 2-5 and complete the questions in the study guide that catch your attention. You may answer all of them, but don't feel the pressure that you have to, if you are limited on time. Pick out any that you would like to discuss with the group.
  

Week Two Highlights - Unveiling Our Spiritual Eyes

• Guiding Questions for the week:
• Do you believe you are a "prime" target?
• Do you allow God to put limits around you for your protection?
• Are you willing to HOLD ON for one more day?
• Do you believe that through Christ you were made clean? Ephesians 5:25-26
• Memory Verse Challenge for the week: "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony." Revelation 12:11
• Objectives for the study:
• To shed light on Satan's massive campaign to seduce the saints.
• Remember how much our Heavenly Father loves us. We are NEVER too far that we cannot go home.
• That we, as Christians, will wise up to Satan's seductive schemes and fortify our lives before he traps us into something ungodly.
• Assignment for Week 2: Read Chapters 3-5 in your book and come ready to share and discuss.
• Challenge for the week: Please send a note or word of encouragement to someone in your life that has positively influenced you for Christ.
  

I Sought The Lord And He Answered Me!

Wow! What a night we had last night! The Spirit of God was present and moving and I am so grateful for everyones contributions to discussion time. How awesome to come together and share with each other, study God's Word and learn more about who He is, all while having a good laugh...or many as the case was last night! (Thank you, Kristine! Your quick wit always catches me off guard and has me in stitches!) I will post the "Highlights" from last night shortly for those who were absent, but received this devotional by email from Proverbs 31 Ministries and felt that it speaks so loudly about the very things we are studying together that I just had to pass it along to you. Also, for anyone not familiar with "blogging", commenting is very simple and if you're not ready to put your name in print, feel free to post anonymously. God can only begin to heal and restore when we acknowledge our needs and sometimes what we share is meant to encourage someone else and facilitate healing for them. So speak of, if you feel led, and of course feel free to give Chelle and Christy a hard time...it helps keep them in line! :-) Have a great day!!

September 18, 2008

My Secret

Lysa TerKeurst

“I sought the Lord and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant. Their faces are never covered with shame.”

Psalm 34:4-5 (NIV)

Devotion:

The young teenage girl named Sidney sat across from me with eyes full of emotion. Her voice choked out a whispered, “thank you,” as she turned and kissed the chubby-cheeked little boy sitting in the baby carrier beside her. Just one year earlier, I’d sat across from this same precious girl listening to her plans to have an abortion the next day. Panic, confusion and fear consumed her and made her feel as though she had no other choice. As soon as she spoke those words, tears fell from both of our eyes. Hers were tears of relief. Mine were tears of redemption. Both were wrapped in the hope that God truly can take even our worst mistakes and somehow bring good from them.

Yesterday, you read Luann’s beautiful devotion about her making the last minute decision to not abort her baby. Sixteen years ago I was also a young woman panicked and sitting in an abortion clinic. Only unlike Luann and Sidney, tragically, I kept my appointment. And I can honestly say, the grief that entered my life that day has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to face. For years I kept this secret buried deep within my heart. I was so ashamed, so horrified, so convinced that if anyone ever found out I’d had an abortion, I’d be rejected by all my church friends and deemed a woman unfit to serve God.

So I suffered in silence, wrapped in a cloak of shame.

Going to church was incredibly hard during those years. I was convinced I was the only Christian woman who’d ever had an abortion. I’d never heard another Christian woman share this as a part of her testimony. Never did I hear of anyone speak of the hope and grace that Jesus provides to those of us who were suffering from making that decision. I only heard well-meaning Christians debate the issue of abortion with very strong words. Their words stung, made my heart seize and my eyes feel like they’d explode into a flood of a million tears.

Don’t get me wrong, the issue of abortion is serious and we should take a strong stand against it. But we must also remember that it’s more than a topic of religious and political debate. For one in three women within the church, it is one of the most painful parts of their life story. One for which they want to find forgiveness and healing, but are too afraid of being judged to share their secret with anyone.

So they suffer in silence, wrapped in a cloak of shame.

Sweet friend, is this you? Are you in this place? Can I offer you a lifeline today? There is hope and healing that can be found. It is possible to be forgiven and to let go of the emotional pain. For me, there were three things that helped my healing more than anything. First, I sought help from my local Crisis Pregnancy Center who offered a Post Abortion Bible Study. Secondly, I named my baby and wrote a letter promising to make his life count by sharing our story to help others. And lastly, I kept my promise to my child and asked God to give me the courage to share my story with someone in order to help them.

Remember Sidney? She was one of the first people I ever told. Seeing God bring good out of what Satan meant for such evil in my life, did more to heal my heart than almost anything else.

Dear Lord, please tenderly give us the courage to face the secrets hidden in our hearts. Lord, we ask for your forgiveness. And we ask for your healing. Please help us see some kind of good come from our past mistakes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Visit Lysa TerKeurst’s blog to read the letter she wrote to her child that she referred to in today’s devotion.

Who Holds the Key To Your Heart? by Lysa TerKeurst. This book and Bible study were written specifically for people who are suffering in silence due to shame from their past.

Spend some time asking Jesus how He wants you to respond to today’s devotion.

Application:

Take time to pray for women in your community and church who are suffering from the pain of abortion.

Consider giving your time and resources to help your local Pregnancy Care Center minister to women in your community.

Power Verses:

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (NIV)

Genesis 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (NIV)

© 2008 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

Did You Hear God Speak to You Tonight? Chelle

Did anyone hear God speaking to you tonight? I know of one person that definitely did! Pretty cool. Watch for her to share in this comment section. Anyone else? Don't be shy. Bless us by sharing your story.

He speaks to us if we have ears to hear. He shows us His glory if we have eyes to see.

I cant wait to see who comments and what they say! It's exciting isn't it?!

Waiting to be blessed by your stories,

Chelle

Where Did Everyone Go?

Okay, ladies, where did everyone go? According to my count there were more than 3 people at study last Wednesday. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on the question for the week! The more we can share with one another the better we'll get to know each other and be able to stand-in-the-gap for each other as the opportunities arise. I suspect that there are "lurkers" out there checking out the blog, but remaining silent...you know who I'm talking to! :-) Go ahead and speak up, or I might have to start shooting AGAIN! lol

Jenelle

Are you ready?~ Christy

Girls, I pray you have all had a wonderful week. I am sure it was quiet and peaceful. Plenty of time to read, study, take long naps, relaxing walks and watch as your children clean your house from top to bottom. Ok, Ok, I am obviously kidding. If you have taken any walks recently with Chelle you would know that they are anything but relaxing. That girl can move! But I do pray you have had time to meet with Jesus this week.

Beth Moore states in her Stepping Up book, "If we could hear the voice of God as we sit before Him, we would never cease praying. If we realized how much the sovereign Creator esteems our passion and leans forward to hear our vows to Him our relentless search for significance would finally end."

Lets practice listening for that quite voice as we try to sit still, if only for a few minutes, before our loving Father.

See ya tomorrow :)
Christy

Reminder - Unveiling Our Spiritual Eyes

If any of you missed class last week, or have forgotten :-), here are the highlights from week one...

• Guiding Questions:
• Do you believe God can transform you and your circumstances?
• Do you believe Christ gives us the power to stand up against the enemy's arrows?
• Do you believe a strong Christian can be taken down by Satan?
• Do you believe you can be healed?
• Memory Verse Challenge for the week: "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." 1 Peter 5:8-9
• Objectives For The Study:
• To shed light on Satan's massive campaign to seduce the saints.
• To remember how much the Father loves us and that he desires complete restoration. We are never too far that we can't go home.
• That readers will wise up to Satan's seductive schemes and fortify their lives before he traps them into something ungodly.
• Assignment For Week One: Read the first TWO chapters in our book and come ready to share and discuss.
• THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Why did Christ come? Share your response on the blog!

I want to thank everyone for coming and sharing last week! We had wonderful discussion, especially considering we hadn't even started reading our books yet. Thanks to Chelle and Christy for their time spent preparing and their willingness to be used by God to lead women on this journey and to help them discover the truths about spiritual warfare from God's Word. I can't wait to see everyone this wednesday! Please continue to pray for one another, as I truly believe this is a message that Satan doesn't want us to hear, let alone believe is true!

Love in Christ,
Jenelle

PS. I will be unarmed and not dangerous this week, so you have no need to fear! :-)

Week One Highlights - Unveiling The Power of Prayer

For those of you attending Tammy's study that were unable to be there last week, here are the Highlights, so you can be prepared for Wednesday...

• Guiding Questions for the week:
• Do you believe God can transform you and your circumstances?
• Do you believe God answers prayer?
• Do you believe He hears and answers your prayers?
• Memory Verse Challenge for the week: Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you and watch over you."
• Objectives for the study (Try to identify one that you seem to be targeting for this week as you study and pray):
• Strengthen your relationship with God
• Deepen your marriage through prayer
• Fellowship and accountability with women
• Scripture memorization
• Assignment for week one: Read The Power and Chapter One in the book and complete the study guide questions. Pick out any that you would like to discuss with the group.

I'm sure it was a wonderful first week, please feel encouraged to share your thoughts on the blog. We look forward to seeing what God reveals to you as you seek to unveil the power of prayer in your lives and marriages!

Thought of the Week- Chelle

Okay girls let's get this blog thing going! When you came into When Godly People Do Ungodly Things you picked up a hand out and at the bottom of the page was a "Thought for the Week". So....I am sure that you have spent the last few days diligently pondering the thought so let's start throwing out some thoughts!

Okay, so some of you don't remember the the thought or worse than that some of you didn't read the handout or some of you were participating in other areas of study or ministry and did not receive the handout and because of that I will repeat the thought or should I say question of the week.....Why did Jesus come to earth?

Click on the comment section below and start reflecting! Use scripture to back up your answer or leave your statement and maybe someone else will know the scripture that backs your thought up. No pressure....just a fun way to stir up some blog conversation!

Let's encourage one another in the Word. So get your minds to thinking and your fingers to typing!

Chelle

Living for God ~Christy

Girls, I was so very blessed by all of you last night. My 5 year old, Sophie had so much fun she asked if Kids Club could please be every night. Thank you to all of you doing Kids Club.

We are in a battle and it is one that we cannot afford to loose. It is time that we stand firm together as sisters in Christ encouraging one another, holding each other up and pulling each other along. 1Peter 4:7 & 8 states, " The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins." I love that! Sometimes we can get, or I should say, I can get myself so busy doing things that my mind is spinning. I need to have a clear mind to pray. But above all else just love on each other.

My prayer request for this week is balancing of my time. It is hard to fit it all in and maybe there are some things that I am not supposed to be fitting in. I am so thankful for you girls.
God Bless!

Christy

Welcome to Power of the Praying Wife-Unveiling the Power of Prayer

Hello ladies,

It has taken me some time to add my welcoming thoughts because I there are so many things I wanted to say. I am just completely dumbfounded that God has chosen me to lead this study on prayer.

I echo many of the words already spoken about fall. It is my favorite season. The beauty God gives us during this time makes me feel cozy. I long for those moments when I can take my latest bible study, a cup of flavored coffee and sit on my porch to spend time with God in the crisp, morning air. (I haven’t had enough of that lately.) Fall is a time to do new things: get out the sweaters and jeans, put up a few seasonal decorations, light warm scented candles, begin cooking more “comfort foods”, and to set new goals.

As a teacher, fall is not only my favorite season, but is an important time in my life as well. I feel the call God has placed on my life to be a teacher is just as strong as the call He has given me to be a mom. I do not take either of those responsibilities lightly, so each year I look for new, innovative, effective ways to not only teach my students the necessary content, but to make new relationships with each and every student God has chosen for my classroom. It is always a time of new beginnings for me that is not only exciting and rewarding, but challenging.

This fall God put an additional call on my life to lead my first women’s bible study. He is certainly stretching me girls!!!!! Teaching middle school students is one thing, but hoping to impart wisdom from our Lord to women, many of whom I look to for spiritual guidance and help, is another thing entirely. In no way do I have marriage by the tail, and I should know God’s word much better than I do; but I do know God does not call the qualified, but he qualifies those He calls (Praise Him!!!). I am going to hold our Lord to that promise as we spend these next several weeks together. I am so excited to see what God is going to do in our midst.

So, take a moment to breathe in the crisp, fall air God has given us, watch for the beauty of his majesty in the leaves, and dive into this study expecting God to do a new thing in your midst.

Philippians1:3-6 “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Amen!!!!!

In Him,
Tammy

...As Long as it is Called Today... by Chelle

I am so glad you joined us on this adventure! Jenelle did a great job setting up this blog and I can't wait to see how God uses it.

I love God and His Word. I love to read it and study it. I love it when He shares some truth with me. But most of all, I love to see His glory in action. I get so overwhelmed with emotion when I see Him working, when He shows me that He is real and alive. And I know that if I have eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart that believes He has got some GLORY to unveil right before me! I want to be a part of it. I want to feel it. I want to touch it. Don't you?


It seemed so simple to type all of that out BUT, you and I both know that in this world there is "not a lot of simple" going on. In the paragraph above I wrote some of the things I love. As much as I want to see and live a life abundant in Christ there is something lurking out there trying to do all that he can to destroy my thoughts, my desires and ultimately my life so that I don't taste any of God's goodness and (so sadly) that God can't unveil His glory through me. There is something out there that doesn't want you or I to fulfill our plan set out by the King of all King's.

And what is that plan for each one of us? I don't know exactly, but what I do know is that the plan includes hope, prosperity and a future. I know this to be true and that's why I get so fired up 'til I just can't sit on it any longer... so bear with me as I pour out my heart to you....


I AM SICK TO DEATH. I AM ANGRY. AND I AM READY TO FIGHT. Girls, in the last year and a half my eyes have REALLY been opened to the real attacks we, as women, are under. Of course, before that I knew there was spiritual warfare. No doubt I knew it was real and had seen and felt its devastating arrows. I knew the power of prayer and the power of God's Word. I have seen and felt the power of God's healing touch. I have had personal victories and quietly(and sometimes not so quietly) suffered defeats. But especially in this last year and a half I have realized that I don't have to sit and take it.

There is power in His Word, there is power in His Name and there IS a reason why Jesus tells us to be self-controlled and alert. He tells us to resist the devil and stand firm in the faith. He tells us this because He knows first hand that satan is prowling around looking for someone to devour. I don't want to be devoured and I don't want to spend one more night hovered over the toilet sick because another friend has been seduced by satan's lies.


God is calling us to open our eyes, our ears and to believe with our hearts....He's got some glory to unveil and we must awaken to the attacks against us so that we don't miss it.



I believe that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.


It may not be simple. We may have to get out of our(or should I say satan's) comfort zone. We may have to fight and believe like never before, BUT it is worth it! Blessed are those who hear and obey the Word of God. If anyone tells you otherwise....we better assume it is satan's voice. Because our God says, "Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, "Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways. So I declared on oath in my anger 'They shall never enter my rest.'" Hebrews 3:7-11. It goes on to say, "But encourage one another daily, as long as it called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."



Please encourage me in His truth and I will try to do the same for you. I am looking for a blessing. Aren't you?



With much love-


Chelle

Girls, I am so excited to be back in study with you. Fall is my favorite time of year, getting the kids settled back in school, the air getting cool outside and pulling on my favorite warm sweater. I am looking forward to seeing all your faces!
When Godly People do Ungodly things by Beth Moore is a book on arming yourself against spiritual warfare. I know we will have wonderful discussions as we learn how to protect ourselves against the enemy of this world. Beth Moore states in the opening of her book her prayer for us as we begin:
~that God will use the pages of this book to shed light on Satan's massive campaign, in our current and future generations, to seduce the saints.
~that God will use this message to remind a battered and bruised believer how loved she is and how much the Father longs for her complete restoration. We have never gone so far that we can not come home. Oh, thank you, Lord!
~that many readers will wise up to Satan's seductive schemes and fortify their lives before he traps them into something ungodly.

Girls, God is calling us to go deeper with Him. So...whether you are doing the Beth Moore study, the Power of the Praying Wife or working with our precious children, God is there cheering us on. Lace up those running shoes and start your training. The race is not over until Jesus welcomes us home across that finish line.
~Christy

IT'S NOT TOO LATE!!

Okay, ladies, registrations have been trickling in and I, personally, can't wait to get started on a new book, but WHERE ARE THE REST OF YOU!! I just know there are many of you feeling the nudge to sign-up, but something keeps standing in the way. Well, I just want you to know that the September 1st deadline is not hard-and-fast and we'd love to have anyone come...even if you decide Wednesday, September 10th, at 6:15! Which, by-the-way, is usually how I decide to do most things in my life! :-)

Also, please be in prayer for the women coming, or that need to come...that their hearts will be prepared to hear what God has to say to them, that lives will be changed for His glory. Pray for Chelle, Christy, Tammy, and Elaina as they prepare for class each week...that God will speak loudly through them. Finally, pray for the retreat in November. It's going to be an awesome night of fun, fellowship, and unveiling our lives - hearts, minds, eyes, and power! Pray that all activities will be planned according to God's will and the message He has for each of us will be proclaimed.

If anyone reading this is sitting on the fence, trying to decide whether or not to come to Bible Study, pray and ask God if this is where He wants you to be on Wednesday nights...committing to seeking Him with all your heart! But, of course, no pressure! LOL

See you soon!
Jenelle

PS. Both studies begin on Wednesday, September 10th, and meet from 6:30 - 8:00pm. One is called Unveiling the Power of Prayer, using the use the book "The Power of a Praying Wife" by Stormie Omartian, and focusing on learning how to tap into the power of prayer. The book is $10 and the study guide is $5. The study will be led by Tammy Cox and Elaina Willhite.

The second study is called Unveiling Our Spiritual Eyes, using the book "When Godly People Do Ungodly Things" by Beth Moore, and revealing the reality of spiritual warfare and how to be fool-proof against Satan's attacks. It will be led by Chelle Knapp and Christy Pray. The book is $15

Please let me know, if you'd like to have a book reserved for you! 316-655-6493 or kortefarms@sktc.net.