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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~



22 comments:

Paula V said...

Sweet Lelia, you mean you didn't consider framing this momentum. If you use a spatula like I do, the duct tape would not hold up to my rough scraping, scrapping, and whatever else. You and your family are so precious.

I am so far behind on everything. I just finished typing my piece. I'm going to post it and publish it. Period. I hope it makes sense. I read and wrote in three different settings.
Love ya,
PP

pam said...

I LOVE that he did that to your spatula---that is TOO FUNNY.

Joy Junktion said...

So happy to be back studying with all of you wonderful bloggy friends.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Do you ever have people who have trouble keeping up? I have never participated in an online Bible study, but have trouble in general keeping up reading all the blogs I like to read. This would be a good study for me, though.

Hey, I live a block off of Vine Street, about 2 miles from the stadium. I am one of the few Nebraskans who does not follow football or any sport too closely, but will watch or listen to a game once in awhile.

I didn't catch where you live now.

Sue

Jill Beran said...

Good words! I too am looking forward to the study and moving from the neutral side of things to speaking the truth. Seems I find it easier to do with others than I do myself!! Like you say some days are tough.

As you talk about Gene and Nebraska, did he ever have contact with Ron Brown? Then or now? I enjoy listening to him and reading his articles through FCA. Just wondering. It is amazing how God works and whenever you mention his injury I can relate as I suffered one playing college ball too. More than difficult at the time, but now almost 15 years later I see how God work thru that in amazing ways. We just have to constantly trust. Anyway a bit of a sidetrack there. Can't wait to see what this study holds for all of us and again I'm thinking the timing is all God's! So that is great!!
Blessings,
jill

Stacy said...

Lelia, thank you so much for your willingness to host this study. I am a school teacher and over the holiday season, I took the time to read your previous blogs. THANK YOU for allowing God to use in such a way to bless my soul and encourage my heart. You will never realize what a positive impact you have had on my outlook towards life, insights about God, and hopes of my growing in my relationship with Christ. Chapter 1 in this book echoed so many of my own thoughts. I also went out and bought Lysa Terkhurst's Say Yes to God---LIFE CHANGING!! Thank you, again. God bless!

Stacy

Anonymous said...

Lelia,
To answer your question, I would have to say that I am in neutral territory right now. I answered that question somewhat in my post.

I am in neutral now only because I have come through so much this past year. I want to get on the positive side.

Beth Moore has been encouraging us to do some scripture memory, and to commit to it for the full year. Yeah. Well I am attempting it! :) That is going to be part of my transforming my closets! :)

Thanks for hosting this again!
Love you loads!
Heather

Heather of Swallowing A Moose said...

L~ Your too awesome a chick! Thanks for having this study for us to join. I am already enjoying it and we've only just begun. I'll be your PR lady. "Smile" Women need to hear this stuff. Actually men do to but from a man. It'll mean more too them I think. Self talk can be such a nasty habit we take up. I'm thankful for the lesson of Soul Talk. I'm ready to make it well with my soul.... FOREVER! Love ya girl! xo
Hugs,
Heather of Swallowing A Moose

Paula said...

This is a great study choice Lelia! Well done, and thank you, once again! In answer to what does my soundtrack sound like, I wrote the following -

"My soundtrack is a combination of all three. When I feel threatened, intimidated or scared, I will often speak condemning self talk as I feel that I am at fault or to blame. I have trained myself to speaking encouraging self talk, especially if I feel fearful, so that in itself has really helped me to curb the condemning self talk. I'm not sure about neutral self talk. I guess that if I glean that a situation won't affect me, or isn't my concern (or fault) then my thoughts would be neutral."

I am like you and have scribbles all through the book, as I did with Behind Those Eyes also. It's the only way to imprint things in my mind! I wish it were that easy for this self talk thing!

So again, thank you for hosting an already great study. And I do hope that you keep the spatula, hehe. A reminder of a man's creativity perhaps?

Lova ya, P :-) xo

Pamela (His maidservant) said...

No matter what is in my thought closet-I counteract it with the TRUTH of who I am in God (which came from our last Bible study!!).

Lelia, you are such a great host. I have already done this study and am currently in another (In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day which you recommended) plus the Esther study with Beth Moore. I will follow as much as I can.
You know I love you and continue to pray for you friend!!

In His Graces~Pamela

Heather said...

Ok, my inner self talk is beginning to act up by saying, "You're starting this study off on the wrong foot Heather - late!" :) Well, better late that never. It's funny, I bought the book when you first advertised it, but I've been so out of it blog-wise that I've read the book, but haven't gotten around to posting yet.

I'll write today and link in (late), but I want you to know this book has already made a huge impact on me and my thinking. Thanks for recommending it. I'm really going to try to be involved in this study this time instead of just being on the sidelines.

Last year I was teaching a study, involved in a Sunday school, writing devotions and blogging daily so I was crazy busy in the Word. Now, I'm teaching and I haven't been doing any studies or blogging at all, so I need something to keep me on track.

I'm excited to join you guys! :)

Leaon Mary said...

Awwww he fixed your spatula... and did it SO PRETTY! ;) I can't believe he did it to match. True LOVE.
I'm so excited we're beginning a new study. I really liked it this week, and I'm gonna work hard to stop speaking garbage to self and others.

Love your open-ness Lelia.. and happy you and your buddy Kelley were able to spend some time together.
Have a great day and thanks for leading us again!
Lea

TeriAnnElizabeth said...

LELIA!!!!!!

I can't believe what just happened!! I was getting ready to tell you that I wasn't going to be doing this Bible Study with you because of one hundred reasons and committments...

HOWEVER, as I sat here to type that all out, I remember that while I was in Northern VA to take care of my sister (in law) before Christmas...in the middle of her CVS (drugstore chain)...outside Washington D.C....there was a book rack...with this book on it!! This very book! It was staring me in the face as I got ready to get my sis in law's meds for pain from a surgery at 9:00 at night!
This is an all night open pharmacy!

I bought the book thinking GOD must want me to participate.

Then, I lost the book! I lost it and my Esther book for another bible study and my prayer journal! I searched everywhere and knew I would have to purchase another one!!

As I sat here to type out this more articulately...GOD (I know it was HIM!) said quietly to me,.."look under your desk in the little backpack"...
I kid you not!!!! I started peeking under the desk...there was a little backpack I had bought before going to San Diego and inside the backpack ....SELF TALK SOUL TALK AND ESTHER AND THE PRAYER JOURNALS!!!!

Ok..I'm catching up and doing this study! I must need it...HE has given it to me in very miraculous ways!

Love you guys and Oh so in love with HIM!
Teri

The Dementia Nurse said...

Hi Lelia!
I hopped over here from Sita's Sanctum and started drooling when I saw you are doing a study of Jennifer Rothchild's new book - I started reading it last week and was thinking it would be an awesome book for a women's study group! I raised my two daughters as a single mom. Nothing in my life has demonstrated God's faithfulness to me in quite the way motherhood has. Ladies, God is with you every fun, boring, painful, surprising step of the way! It CAN be done in a godly way((HUGS)).

Anonymous said...

Hi Lelia! It's been good catching up on your posts, after losing touch with blogland due to a malfunction with my 'puter!!! I'll be 'silently' doing the study, and have enjoyed the first part, even without the book... yet...

I loved the photos of Alivia and Amiyah! So precious! The one of Alivia with the pups could be Elijah! I have photos with same pose, same grin, a heap of puppies... Nothing makes a 7 year old happier, I don't think...

Hope you're having a lovely day...

Anonymous said...

O.M.Gness! I swear I need glasses. I was just showing Eli the photo of Alivia, and he says "Mum, they're kittens with the Mother cat!" So it is.........;)

Anonymous said...

Lelia is the hostess with the mostess!! So glad to be back to book study!! I had no idea that I was so mean to myself with my self talk...this book has already opened my eyes...can't wait to read/study more!

LOVE what Mr Gene did with the spatula!! You've got yourself a good man!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I plan on picking the book up tomorrow, and hopefully, putting a post up for the second lesson. Thanks for explaining how relaxed you are about the level of participation from people. Some weeks, I may be led to say a lot, other weeks, I may barely check in.

How cool to have met someone who lives near by!

Laura said...

I'm excited, girl! I am loving Jennifer--what an inspiration. And visiting you more often is always a blessing. Thank you so much for going out of your way to make this happen, friend. what a special lady you are. I'm giving you some good soul talk!

Love you,
Laura

Stonefox said...

Lelia, you are such a blessing. I am not able to join this study by posting my own entries, but I will be coming every week to see what you are saying. This topic is something that I am working on (and have been for a while).

I have been battling a very powerful issue of anger and bitterness in my life and for the past several months have just felt overwhelmed and like I am doomed to never get over it. It has taken alot of concentrated effort the last 3 weeks, but I am fighting for the truth about what the Lord can do in my heart and that I can do all things, I can bear fruit to righteousness, through Christ who strenthens me.

This self talk is so important. It is really the battle ground of faith and I look forward to joining the journey here.

KelliGirl said...

Lelia,
I ordered my book and hope to hop into the conversation next week. What a wonderful group of women you've brought together. Isn't it amazing the ways we can connect as women of faith!

BTW, the story about the single moms is wonderful! Sometimes God's timing is perfect, isn't it?

Blessings,
kelli

MrsProverbs31 said...

You are such an encouragement to me, my friend. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. I'm glad I stopped by. This may be the reminder I need for the day. Thank you. And God bless you.