Desperate

Today I miss our little group something fierce. I miss the fellowship, sharing what we've learned. Sharing how God has spoken to us through the week. Lifting each other in prayer.

This week I have been using The Runner's Devotional...the lesson has been on choosing the right gear.  How important it is to put on the armor of God each day.

Finally, receive your power from the Lord and from his mighty strength. Put on all the armor that God supplies. In this way you can take a stand against the devil’s strategies. 

(Ephesians 6:10, 11 GW)

 I am praying for you today. I miss you.  What have you been studying this week? How has God been speaking to you?

B-L-E-S-S: A guide to praying for yourself or others
BODY – Lord, thank you for my health. Please strengthen me physically today. Ease the tension in my shoulders and head. Give me wisdom to take care of myself wisely. Help me to be disciplined in what I eat and give me determination to exercise today. Protect me as I go about my day. Thank you that You are a shield around me. I need Your help today especially with __________________.
LABOR – Father God, I give You all my efforts today. You know where I work hard and You know where I slack off and procrastinate. Help me focus today. Help my mind to retain what I study. Bless my efforts today. Help me to prioritize the important things in my life. Multiply my efforts and may my accomplishments be fruitful. Thank you that my weak points are the very entry point for Your strength. Fill me with Your Spirit and help me today to _____________________.
EMOTIONS – Lord, You alone know how I can so easily be dragged by my emotions instead of being led by Your Spirit. Today I bring to You the areas within my heart that feel unstable and shaky. Thank you that You are my Rock today. You give me a firm place to stand. Give me self-confidence that is rooted in You. Help me to feel encased in Your peace today and to trust You completely with __________________.
SOCIAL – Father God, bless my friendships and lead me into purposeful friendships with others who seek You. Give me strength to distance myself from social situations that could draw my heart away from You. Fill my lonely places with the assurance of Your presence. Be with the woman You have chosen for me and bless and protect her today. Help her with whatever she is facing and draw her close to You. Bring me a friend to encourage and one who will encourage me. Today I pray a blessing on ________________.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH – Lord, help me to trust You and to depend on You. It’s so easy to try to lean on my own understanding. Help me to sense Your presence with me today. Give me a strong desire to read Your Word. Help me to understand what You are saying to me. Show me what needs to be cleansed in my heart and life today. I ask Your forgiveness for ____________________. Give me a deep desire to draw near to You and to make time to quiet myself so I can hear You speak.
{from: PowertoChange.com}

Worship Wednesday

Week 2

Here is week two's verse. For more information look here

Another advent study option I have been doing and enjoying is the Good Morning Girls Advent Study. :)

a heart like Mary's

• Greet~ Thank you Father for Christmas.  For your Word.  That it is alive and still speaks to us today. 
  
• Read~
   “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” 
  Then the angel left her.
  Luke 1:38
• Observe~
  
  • Mary was willing to do whatever it was God asked
  • Those simple words changed her life drastically and forever
• Write~
  What an amazing step of faith this was for Mary.  I can not even imagine how greatly this changed her life.  I am sure she had her own hope and dreams.  She was about to be married.  But she choose to leave her path and walk the unknown road God had for her.
  
  I hope my heart is as open and willing as Mary's.  That I will be willing to follow His leading no matter where His road takes me.

Advent Study

I stumbled upon this online group. Now I can't even remember how. But it intrigued me and seemed simple enough...

G R O W in His Word

• Greet- prayer to God, inviting Him into your study
• Read the verses over to yourself, a few times
• Observe- what speaks to you in this verse
• Write out observations and prayer for this verse.

You can get more info here at Faith, Fun & the Fergusons.  They also have a facebookgroup, which I have joined.

I just thought maybe this would be a nice way to reconnect as a group this holiday season.  Or if you were not part of our previous Bible Study feel free to join in. :)  If you have a blog you could post there, or on our WoG Facebook group, or join the GROW in His Word Facebook group :)  If you would like to post here, let me know.  Perhaps I can add you as an author on this blog.

I am sorry its a bit late in the week.  This has been one crazy week, and this kind of got pushed to the back burner.  If you see this and are interested, could you leave a comment and let me know. :)

Also thinking about forming some kind of fitness/accountability group after the New Year.  Let me know your thoughts or interest on that subject as well.

Summer Schedule

Here is the tentative dates of when we will be meeting for the rest off the summer:

• July 15, 7:30 pm- My house
  Chapter 10- Is It Ever Too Late To Start Again?
• July 22, off (taking teens to camp)
• July 29, 7:30 pm My house
  Chapter 11- Trusting god When You Have a Lot to Loose
• Aug 5, off (Wesleyan Women Picnic)
• Aug 12, off (VBS)
• Aug 19, 7:30 My House
  Chapter 12- Trusting God with your Journey

And that's it! :D We will take the rest of August off and maybe the first couple weeks of Sept.  We will hopefully come back strong in the fall.  Maybe switching it up.  Do Monday nights seem to work? Would another night or place be better?

Looking at Stormie Omartian's new book for our first fall study.  Check it out, let me know what you think :)

He IS with You

Our DD Bible Study was wildly successful.  With exception of the wicked loud background music that left us straining to hear one another. ;P  But the evening meeting turned out to be a great time.  We even were able to pick up to "former" members of our group who had been unable to attend lately during the day.  A definite plus!

Chapter 8: Trusting God with Your Fear

A couple quotes that popped out at me in this chapter:

"...whatever God calls me to do, he has already equipped me to do it."

"When Jesus looks into the heart of a man or woman he sees all of who were are and all of who we will become in him by trusting and taking the next step."

Read Judges 6:7-10

• God reminded the Israelites of his goodness to them.  If that passage were written to you, what are some things God has done that he would have called for you to remember?
  We all can name so many things God has done for us.  From simple every day things, just seeing us through each day.  To big things like for me personally, our house and reviving our marriage.

Read Proverbs 3:5-7

• Rewrite these verses in your own words and then commit these verses to memory.
• You are going about your daily routine and you are greeted by an angel saying, "God is with your mighty warrior?" How would that make you feel? 
  We kinda laughed at this question but honestly wouldn't that make you feel empowered?  Like you could do anything?!?
• We don't have experiences like that very often, so how do you know God is with you?
  This kinda lead us back into the whole 1000 Gifts discussion.  How just looking for the "gifts" all around us lead us to be more joyful.  More secure.  To see God's hand all around us.  I urged everyone to start making a list if they were not already.  To count at least three things everyday and to write them down.  It is such a joy to the posting on Facebook of their gifts.  It is so easy to get caught in the negative downward spiral.  But if you just stop and look.  And think about what you are thinking... there are so many gifts, all around.  Big and Small.  It is hard to change the way you are thinking/feeling sometimes.  But it can be done.  With God nothing is impossible.  He is with you.

Next Week: Monday night 7:30 pm MY house...chapter 9- Trusting God with Your Dreams