YES to GOD study chapter 3

Welcome to Yes to God Tuesday!

If you haven't joined this study yet, please buy the book, "What Happens When Women Walk in Faith" by Lysa TerKeurst and join us. Catching up won't be a problem as I feel Lysa writes with the busy woman in mind. Easy reading chapters and a few Bible study questions at the end of each chapter will leave you feeling longing for a faith-filled life.

The more the merrier so join us today!

Last week I took a poll about this study asking if you'd like to do 2 chapters a week since there are 20 chapters in the book or just stay at one a week. (The results are still posted in the upper right corner.) Thanks for your votes. Starting next week, Tuesday the 22nd we will be discussing chapters two chapters each week. I pray this doesn't burden the ladies who voted to stay the same. So beginning next Tuesday, July 22nd we will be discussing chapters 4 and 5. Okay...let's begin today's study.



CHAPTER 3: God has a plan.

Remember anything in blue is a quote from the book.

This book is getting tougher to put down and we're only on the first part of it! I had to run some errands with the older kids last Friday and as I waited in the car I was reading this chapter. Yesterday at the pool I was reading this book as I got a tan. It is just one of those books that is too good to let dust collect on it. It's a book that is not only drawing me closer to God, but I'm learning what He requires from one to walk in faith. I want to be like Abraham and just go!!

God brings me to a stronger faith than I had before. That's God's plan, you know. His ultimate goal is to grow us to be more and more like His Son, who had incredible faith.

I loved this so much. Abraham~father of faith. Noah~2 by 2 the animals filled his boat of faith. I've always thought of these guys as the faithful ones, but strangely, I've never thought of Jesus as having incredible faith until now, and yet He did. One thing that struck me this Sunday that our pastor said was, "The more I try to be like Jesus the more I realize I'm nothing like Him." Jesus went when He was told to "go". To earth, to gather His disciples, to the cross. His father told Him to go and without any hesitation in His bones, He went. Left.

I want that kind of faith. I want the heart of obedience that pounds within the chest of my Savior.

God doesn't seem to want to do things my way, or in a time frame that I would choose. So to leave some things behind, we need to learn that God has a plan and to trust His plan.

Uggh! How often I have taken things into my own hands only to create a mess! I know God has a plan for me, one of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord..." What blows my mind is how quick I am when the heat is on to turn my back on obedience and walk hand in hand with pride. I mean who am I to think I know best? And yet, I take charge of my life over and over again only to have a head on collision with regret.

I've heard there are no tears in heaven so I think that means God won't be sitting me aside and making me watch the movie "Plans Interrupted" starring Lelia in the role of the prideful idiot.

Writing being a passion of mine, I loved how Lysa shared her own story of wanting to write a book. I loved how she admitted to us that God did have a plan for me. But His plan started much smaller than mine.

This really made me think about if I have really surrendered my writing to Him or am I just saying that I have while looking in the mirror giving myself a thumbs up when I think God's not looking? I want to follow Lysa's example she has set when she made the CHOICE to embrace the leaving phase and trust God.

God's plan was perfect, and when I left my plans behind, God let me participate in His.

Did you not love how God showed Lysa His faithfulness when she trusted God and He traded the plans for her life with His own and gave her more than she ever dreamed of?

Only God knew that His ministry of Proverbs 31 Ministries would be entrusted to a woman who felt so unworthy but yet was able to choose to leave her plans behind and completely trust in Him.

I don't know what dreams God has given you, but let's really let Him have them completely. At She Speaks I was listening to a speaker and for the first time I realized that God is using me right where I am at. Not long ago I committed my past to Him. Just gave it to Him, ugliness and all. I still can't believe He took it but instead of feeling shame like I did before I have felt so loved by Him.

For the first time while at the conference I realized that blogging can be a ministry. Blog land is a part of my promised land from Him that He's given me. I'm amazed at what He is doing with Write from the Heart and it's nothing that I have done. His plans, not mine. I'm no where near where Lysa is when it comes to complete abandonment, but I want to learn to give Jesus my all. I want my faith to be reason enough for the Master Architect to unroll the blue prints He has designed specifically for me.

Yesterday my youngest daughter turned 7 years old. She is still my Alivia. Beautiful, funny, confident and so outgoing, but when asked how old she is she won't be saying 6 anymore. Ever. She has left 6 behind and is now onto new beginnings.

Let's leave yesterday behind us and move forward with God ladies. Whatever ugliness lies in your past, let it lie there alone. Take the hand of God today and allow His to use your past for His glory. Let's move forward with new beginnings.

On Mari's blog last week I loved how excited she was for Tuesday's to arrive! I feel the same way. Sunday night Alivia couldn't wait for Monday to get here. As a matter of fact she made her little 8:30 bed time self stay up and at midnight we sang Happy Birthday to her. She was just so excited for her day. I feel that way every Monday night. I can't wait to join you all and see what God is doing in your lives!

Here is prayer request from author Lysa TerKeurst.

Hi Sweet Friend,

I am so touched that you are doing my other book as your Bible Study.Please ask all the ladies to pray for the book that I am writing now. Specifically I want my words to be Inspired by God, Fresh, Life Changing and Memorable.

Thank you sweet friend.

Please join me in lifting Lysa up to the One that is giving her the words to write. The One she has chosen to leave her own plans for her life behind and live out His. God's greatness is shining bright in Lysa's life through P31 and her books because she has made the choice to let Him be in complete charge.

Click here to visit Lysa and leave her an encouraging word.

Don't forget to sign up under Mr. Linky if you have more to share on your blog. I didn't share anything from the Bible study, so if something touched you there please share it with us!

Also remember that next week we'll discuss chapters 4 and 5.

Have a blessed week!

Love you.

~Many Blessings~

Lelia