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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

YES to GOD: Ch. 4: Speaking Truth to Your Issues

Hello friends...
Since I've been leading YES to GOD studies I've never done this before, but I am not going to post on this chapter this week.
A very close family friend of ours met Jesus face to face today.
My heart is filled with a mixture of joy and deep sadness as I know he is right where Jesus wants him to be but too far away to hug on. I will post later about my friend as his name will forever be etched on my heart. A heart that aches to give him one more hug and kiss even though last night at this time I was doing just that and a heart that rejoices that he knew and loved Jesus Christ.
I love you Freddie Bill and if you can pry yourself away from Jesus, tell your brother Bruce hello for us...xoxo.


Thanks for your understanding and can't wait to read what God has shown you in this chapter.
On a lighter note...this morning my teen son Aaron walked up to me in the kitchen, stuck his neck to my nose and asked me if he smelled good. I took a whiff of the Sean John Unforgivable cologne he got for Christmas and said, "Mmmmm yes."
With much confidence he smiled and said,
"Of course I do, cuz it's me. Even my B.O. smells good."
Oh Lord thank you for this family that gives me daily blog material.
If you have something on this chapter that you have posted on your own blog, please sign up under Mr. Linky so we can visit you. Thank you!
Next week: Chapter 5 "Awake My Soul".

~Many Blessings~

Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Path I never thought I'd take...

Sharing parts of my past has only been done when I am nudged by God. I am very careful to not go into too much detail as I don't think it's necessary or helpful. The thing I'm learning is that the closer I grow to God the more He wants me to share. There are things I am hoping He will keep just between the two of us, but who knows what He has up His holy sleeve.


In the YES to GOD Tuesday post I mentioned that I had something to share that has been on my heart. Well, this isn't it. I will share that either this weekend or next week. God had different plans for my post after I was talking via e-mail yesterday with my friend Missy that I had the pleasure of her company at She Speaks this past summer. Missy is the author of a blog that is funny and real all in the same paragraph.


Missy has passion and on one particular subject I told her I would be her guest blogger on the subject anytime. Okay she said...how about Thursday? So I emailed her my story last night and told her to edit it as needed. She left every word alone and posted it on her blog today.


I want you to go read it if you have a minute, but first let me share this that I have learned of our Savior. The One who is the giver of grace. The One who can look at this mess of a life and find beauty in the midst of filth. No matter what we have done in our lives it is never too much for Jesus Christ to handle. Never.
The path to His throne is not a red carpet. Instead, it is a mud trail. My muddy footprints are embedded on the path to grace and mercy and because He welcomed me as is with open arms I am forever changed. Not perfect, only He is worthy of that title, but changed.


So...click here to read my story as well as Missy's beautiful testimony on her blog, "It's Almost Nap Time" and may God use your story as well.
He wants to, He just needs you to cooperate.
So come as is to the throne and let your King lift your chin off your chest and look in your eyes and say "Daughter....I am enthralled by your beauty".
Sin and all.
Junk and all.
Filth and all.
When we come before Him He is taken with us and He washes us white as snow so our trail from the throne looks nothing like the one to it.

Love you much...

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

YES to GOD study~ch. 3: Choosing Wise Words

I am honored to be your host of YES to GOD Tuesday's where we are currently discussing the book Self Talk, Soul Talk by Jennifer Rothschild.

Join in anytime and know that the level of participation is up to you. See the FAQ's on the sidebar if you are interested.


I have some things that have been on my heart to share with you and was going to do so today, but instead I will post about it later this week. I didn't want to make this post too long and I really want to get right to discussing this awesome chapter. I think so far Jennifer's 3 for 3 in writing chapters that make you think, desire to change and are just plain awesome. Thank you Ms. Rothschild!

Okay...let's get to it.


CHAPTER 3: CHOOSING WISE WORDS

Remember, anything in blue is a quote from the book.

We live by our assumptions, our beliefs about the way things are.

Our thoughts and our actions flow from our assumptions. Simply put, our assumptions are the root, and our thoughts are the fruit.

Oh, let's read that last part again. Out loud.

...our assumptions are the root, and our thoughts are the fruit.

Jennifer goes on to tell us that wrong thinking comes from from faulty assumptions and right thinking is birthed from truth.


My poor honey...he would be the victim of being hit by my bad fruit when I've thrown it at him due to my faulty assumptions. I loved how she said changing the fruit is impossible without changing the root.

If I had a orange tree in my yard, but I wanted an apple tree and all I did was wish the difference, would anything change during harvest time? No, I'd still have oranges growing off the branches. I'd have to actually uproot the orange tree and replant the apple tree to produce different fruit, or like Jennifer said, cut them off at the root.

You begin to experience freedom when you discover your own root. You learn to choose your own fruit more wisely.


Jennifer is one that has walked this path in front of us. She shares with us the battles that have gone on in her own self talk/soul talk and teaches us how to change our direction and let God speak to us. She tells us to:

1. ) Ask God for wisdom.

2. ) Revere God. To fear the Lord means we reverence Him.

3.) Receive counsel-when we walk with wisdom, it will wear off on us.

4.) Be patient with yourself. Roots are strong, but with wisdom, you are stronger.

Jennifer also shared a conversation she had with Patsy Clairmont from Women of Faith who gave us this wise advice:

Refuse things that are inaccurate, unkind, or unedifying

Replace them with what is good, pure and just

Repeat that process for as long as it takes to bring my thoughts under control.


Now we need to apply what we are learning. This summer I wrote a post called Down to the Roots on this very subject, just click here if you want to read it. God is up to something in each one of us...don't think for a moment you are unusable to your King. He just needs your cooperation.

Have a blessed week my dear friends. I will do my best to come by and visit each of you for the blessings you are to me are more than you know.

Next week...chapter 4: Speaking Truth to Your Issues.

Oh boy...all in favor of skipping this chapter say "I". God never said change would be easy.

Refuse...Replace...Repeat...Refuse...Replace...Repeat...

~Many Blessings~



Tuesday, January 13, 2009

YES to GOD study: ch. 2-Renewing Your Thought Closet

Hello ladies...this week's chapter was great, but before I get to my thoughts on it, let me share with you this e-mail I received last Tuesday.
********************
This is Jennifer's Dr. Phil and we're following your Bible study at your blogspot. Tried to comment in your blog spot but the image verification wasn't working. Anyway, let your Yes to God girlfriends know that Jennifer and the team of women here at Jennifer Rothschild Ministries are following your Bible study and discussions. Just wanted you wonderful women to know we love and appreciate what you are doing.

Just wanted you all to know how much we love to see women allowing God to do a work through them through his Word.
Blessings,
Jennifer's Dr. Phil and Jennifer!
*******************
I just thought that was pretty neat and wanted to share that with you. I hope it encourages your heart like it did mine.
Also, if you are interested, in February there will be available a video-based Bible study on the book. Click here for more info.
Thank you Jennifer and Dr. Phil for the encouragement and Jennifer thank you for your obedience to write this book. It is so needed by many.
CHAPTER 2: RENEWING YOUR THOUGHT CLOSET
Remember...anything in blue is a quote from the book.
This chapter was so good. Here are just a few of the things that really popped out at me.
We have borrowed unbecoming beliefs from other people and hung them in our thought closets.
We should refuse to let untruths and destructive words and thoughts occupy prime space in our minds' closets.
I think of some of the stuff I have hung up in my clothes closet. May not be age appropriate anymore, too tight or even too big and yet I hold on to them. I let useless clothing take up space in my closet instead of getting rid of them. Same thing with my mind. I tend to keep hold of things that don't line up with what God's Word says about me or says to do. Useless thoughts just cluttering my mind.
I really loved and felt much conviction over the section titled Keeping Watch at the Closet Door. You and I must take some control of our thoughts. We must train them to match up with the truth. If we don't keep a hold on them, they will soon gain a hold on us.
Until you choose to bring that out-of-place label into the light and make it line up with truth, it will control you. Instead of wearing it as a label, choose now to label it with truth.
I have this sign in my house that says:
Thoughts become Words
Words become Actions
Actions becomes Character
Character becomes Everything.
Oh, how I painfully know the truth of both Jennifer's statements and that signs. I am one that has to ignore advice and see if there is truth behind the warning and I always have to learn the hard way...the painful way...the way that causes the Savior to grieve. That is where the conviction pierced my heart in what Jennifer said when she used the word "choose". It is all about choice and often I decide on the wrong thing.
Out of everything in this chapter, what Jennifer said here got it underlined, highlighted and starred...
We probably never completely erase old memories, forget old thoughts, or wipe away former self talk. Those things are simply there, and depending on what we do with them, they add or subtract to the quality of our lives.
You can't remove those hurtful thoughts, words, and memories, but by the power of God, you can drain them of their potential control over you.
Wow! Isn't that awesome? Jennifer also lays it out for us how we train ourselves to recognize truth and teaches us how we can teach ourselves how to speak truth to our souls. Now ladies...if we don't apply what Ms. Jennifer takes the time to teach us, by the end of this book or rather chapter, we will remain the same. Re-read the chapter if you need to and ask for God's help in this. If you are like me at all then this is a battle the enemy will not go down easy on, but when we ask for God's help we are reassured that in fact, going down is what he will do. So, let's keep reading then applying what we are taught.
Words spoken over us, to us and about us have much power, but with God's help we can diffuse their explosion and power in our lives and it can be life changing.
In listening to a Beth Moore teaching this week she shared about one of her girls when they were little. She said that one of them didn't like the way she looked. Beth asked her..."Have you looked in the mirror? Are you seeing what I'm seeing? You are beautiful."
Her young one then said, "So and so said I look like a turtle and I do."
Beth's response..."Honey...take me to so-and-so."
Isn't that the truth though...we believe the spoken and written word?
So why not believe the spoken and written word of God instead?
May we allow Jennifer's labor of love to do just what God intends it to do in our minds and souls. He had her write this book for a reason and it wasn't just so she'd have another book to add to her resume, it was to change our lives.
May this journey with Him continue.
Love you much.
If you have something to share on your own blog, please sign up under Mr. Linky so those with a computer ~sigh~ can read your thoughts. If you don't have a blog, please feel free to share your thoughts here in the comments.
Also..thank you for your sweet comments left for Alivia on the last post. She was so excited and has such a true heart for our Lord. I only pray it continues to beat faster and faster with passion for Jesus the older she gets as life happens. Seems when life changes from driving a Barbie car to driving a car with payments our focus can get shifted off of Him. Please Lord, I pray her love for You only magnifies.
~Many Blessings~
Next week: Chapter 3~Choosing Wise Words.

Friday, January 9, 2009

From the Lips of a Babe....

So happy it's Friday! Today we have a very special guest blogger with us. To let you know, what you read is written word for word as told to me while cleaning up her bedroom. Let me introduce you to...

Alivia
7 years old
Loves Jesus, singing (especially to Mandisa) and trying to beat my Grandma and Mom in Connect 4!
I love my niece Amiyah!


Okay, for 2 years I asked my Mom and Daddy for a Barbie car. Not the one that Barbie doll ride in, but the big one that I can ride in. "No" is all they would say on my birthday and Christmas. But in 2008 right before Christmas I was at the mall with my Mom and my brother Aaron. Then we saw our church family, the Williams. Ms. Angela, Miss Lauren and my friend Lindseay were there. Miss Lauren asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said a Barbie car.

Then on Christmas Eve day we went to the Williams' house because they said they had a surprise for me. I had no idea what was happening. I had to close my eyes and when they opened the door the first thing I laid my eyes on was a snow blower. I was SO excited. "YES!" I thought. "I get to blow snow on my big brother Aaron when he comes home from school!"

Then someone said "You have a Barbie car!"



Alicia and I were so excited!When we were at the mall Lindsey secretly took me away so that Miss Lauren and Ms. Angela could tell my Mom that they had Lindsey's Barbie Jeep just sitting in their garage. So, they surprised me and gave it to me!!!!!!!! This is me hugging my friend Lindsey.

Looking at my Barbie Jeep.


Alicia, Lindsey and Me sitting in the Jeep.


I told my Daddy that I would follow him home, but he wouldn't let me.


Thank you Lindsey and Williams' family for blessing me!


Then two days ago my Mom took me to the post office and I got a box from a lady named Kelly. She is one of my Mom's blogging friends. She made my Mom this really pretty scarf and I loved it. Here is my Mom wearing her pretty scarf. Ms. Kelly makes these scarfs all by herself.
The stamp on the box said Handmade with Love.


She wrote me a note with a puppy on it. ...

She said Jesus wanted her to give me a scarf!



It's so pretty and soooooo soft!! There are little colored dots all in it.

I LOVE IT!She also sent me lots of other cute things. Thank you Ms. Kelly!!

Okay. What God showed me is that when we obey Him and love Him that if it is good for us then He says "yes" to the desires of our heart. Sometimes He says "no" or "not yet". He didn't give me a Barbie car when I first asked Him for it, but He used my church family to give me one in two years.

I just wanted to tell this to you.

Oh, and my brother Aaron has to walk with me around the block while I ride in my Barbie Jeep. I hope his teenage friends see him!

Thank You Jesus!

Love,

Alivia E'Lise

I hope you enjoyed this. Have a blessed weekend. This is the verse I shared with Alivia as we were driving to the Williams' home on Christmas Eve day without telling her what was awaiting her.

I think she got it...

Psalm 37:4

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

~Many Blessings~

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

YES to GOD study: Ch. 1: Not So Well With My Soul


IF YOU HAVE ALREADY VISITED...SCROLL DOWN FOR THE NEW PART.


Okay ladies, today is the day.

The day for our new YES to GOD study to start. I am soooooo excited!!

God has directed us to do Jennifer Rothschild's book

Self Talk, Soul Talk.

I am believing Him to just show Himself off to us in this study. To take us to a new level with Him. The Bible tells us that when we draw near to Him...He draws near to us.

Oh how we need to be closer to Him don't we? If you want to join us, get the book and join in anytime. The depth of your involvement is up to you!





Last night I received an e-mail from a leader of a group of 11 single mom's that started meeting together last October. She shared how they decided to also do this study and guess what? Today is also the day they begin their study!! They will be silently participating with us so if God ever lays anything on your heart to share specifically for them please do so. I have a special place in my heart for single Mom's as I was once one and my teenage daughter is one so I am blessed at the thought of you. Please join me in praying that they will allow God to do what He wants to do in their group and that when we close this book that not one of us will be the same woman that opened the book.

Hallelujah!





This past weekend I took Alivia and my granddaughter Amiyah to Kansas City to visit my dear friend Kelley and her family. It was so much fun and we laughed so much. I'll share some pictures with you this weekend. For now though I have to show you what I discovered when I returned home on Sunday.

My husband Gene was left alone for 48 hours and I'm not so sure if next time I leave I should take him with me or take my kitchen utensils. Before I took off on my Girls' weekend getaway he had broken the scraper while making scrambled eggs and I told him to just throw it away.

Driving down the highway to see my friend I never dreamed I left behind a self-proclaimed handyman who decided to fix it instead of tossing it.

Sunday night I opened the utensil drawer to grab a spatula to find the broken scraper duck taped.

I was quite surprised to say the least. I must admit that I momentarily thought of keeping the salvaged scraper because my guy used purple duck tape instead of the blah gray tape and the purple matched the pink rubber part. Awww so pretty...

I quickly came back to my senses, snapped a picture, held it up and said..."Honey, you know I'm blogging on this" and then threw it in the garbage where it should have been all weekend. He laughed and asked "what?".

Oh my, at least he didn't break the microwave or something.






Let's get started...anything in blue is a quote from the book.

CHAPTER 1: NOT SO WELL WITH MY SOUL





This is the first book I've read by Jennifer Rothschild and I love her style of writing out what God lays on and in her heart. I'm an under liner and highlighter when something speaks to me in a book so chapter one is very colorful as I could relate to much of what she said. Like this...

By the time I'd traveled through the decades of my twenties and thirties, I was swimming in a virtual ocean of accumulated self talk.

and this...

A battle was being waged in my mind, and I never even realized its impact at the time.

The truth is, our self talk actually begins to shape the life we live, affecting our very destiny. What you think and say to yourself will impact the texture, color, and music of your life.






Words spoken over someone can change the way they see themselves. When I was in my young twenties, I lived a life so far from God that looking back on it just scares me from my boldness. I lived a life of "looking for love in all the wrong places" and it was very empty. I would go out to the bars with my girlfriends and we'd just have the "best" of times. To me, I was young and just having a good time. Then I was called a name. The behaviors I was acting out deserved to be called this name but hearing it come out of the mouth of someone I love changed the way I saw myself in the mirror. The self-talk became worse. I was called a "slut" and I believed in every letter of that word. That is a name I would call myself for years.





I am a strong believer too that our self-talk shapes our lives. I believed that a "slut" was who I was and I lived out that very lifestyle to the fullest. Now hear me here....the person that called me this was frustrated and my disrespect was at its highest and in no way is this person responsible for my choices. Truth was spoken to me and instead of allowing it to be a wake-up call, it became part of the daily dialogue in my head.






Knowing what to say to your soul is one of the most reliable ways to make sure it remains well. Words are extremely powerful---even the ones you speak to yourself.



Oh yes...the words we speak and the words we hear hold much power in them.






I really loved the section titled My Thought Closet. I've never thought of my mind having a closet where I store all the stuff that isn't good. Jennifer says its the shelves and racks and bins full of hidden thoughts, secret insecurities, lies, illusions, and reminders of former failures.





My husband was recruited to play football at Nebraska back in the early 80's and awarded a full scholarship. After finishing a successful high school career, high hopes followed him from Florida to the Midwest until he was injured and had to be put on a medical scholarship. For many years Gene would cringe when asked how he got to Nebraska from Orlando. He would reach into his thought closet and remind himself of his buddies that made it to the NFL or are known still for what they accomplished as a Husker. It was years before he accepted the fact that God never intended him to be this big name Husker or get drafted to the NFL. Football is what God used to get him here. Now, instead of being ashamed of not having success in Big Red Country, he lets God use football to open doors and give his testimony. It was a matter of him allowing God to clean his thought closet out and stock the shelves with different thoughts and words.







Here are a few other things I have underlined in my book from Jennifer:

The thoughts that run through our minds become the inventory we store away in our closets.


Our words are powerful. Especially the words we say to ourselves.


We must speak truth to our souls because we seldom forget what we have stored away.


You are a reflection of what you think.


What you hang in your closet is what you will clothe yourself with.


Your self talk will affect who you are.


When you speak truth to your soul, you'll live out the truth.








WOW! I am so excited about this study.

Ladies...we have a King that is crazy about for us and it's time we believe what HE says about us.





If you'd like to answer this question from the end of the chapter in the comments section below:


What does the soundtrack of your self talk most often sound like---

condemning, encouraging, or neutral?

Mine used to be only condemning, but now is neutral. I'm trying hard to believe what my Savior thinks of me over what my enemy calls me, but some days are just tougher than others.

It's time to change my Soul Talk for good!






Okay...if you have more to share on your own blog please sign up under Mr. Linky so we can visit you. Thanks again for your patience today.

Next Tuesday: Chapter 2: Renewing Your Thought Closet.









Oh, and if you're in the neighborhood, stop back by on Friday to read an awesome story by a special "guest blogger" named Alivia to see what God did in her life over Christmas!





~Many Blessings~