True Woman in 2011....

What will I do in 2011 to strive to be the True Woman God has called me to do?  I know the facts, I've gone to the conference, I have read the book and followed the Bible Study.....now what???

I plan to "press on" and to live out Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since I am surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let me throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let me run with perseverance the race marked out for me".

Beth Moore has placed a challenge on her blog to memorize 24 scripture verses in 2011 and to post it on her blog on the 1^st and 15^th of each month.  How about you, are you up to the challenge? Mine is posted above.  You can go to her blog and join the 1,000’s of women across the world getting excited about knowing God’s Word and post your verse if you like.  If you want something more simple then I would love for you to post it here and share what is happening in your life as a result of hiding His Word in your heart.  However, may we all remember to hide it in our heart but to allow it to be seen as we live it out in our lives.

What are you going to do?

Pursuing Our Joy - Life Action Revival Ministries

"I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy" (Psalm 43:4)
Go to the link below.

Pursuing Our Joy - Life Action Revival Ministries

God's True Woman Theme Song

True Woman | LIVE From Ft. Worth: Consider Who's Watching

True Woman LIVE From Ft. Worth: Consider Who's Watching

Striving to be "unhindered"

This year our theme for the State wMu (Baptist Women's Missionary Union) group is "unhindered" from Hebrews 12:1-2.  I have been so touched by this one word that I felt that God was leading us in our W.O.W women's ministry to follow this same theme.  When we really start examining our life in all area's to let God show us where we have become entangled with those things that hinder us from fulfilling all that God has planned for us - day by day and moment by moment...I am amazed at what "little things" cause me to slip.  How about you?  Will you join us on this journey as we continue to strive to become the TRUE WOMAN God has planned for us and seeking to live "unhindered" so that we can bring Him glory in all things? 

With the help of a very special young woman who is growing daily in her walk with the Shepherd we are going to be posting weekly the prayer calendar to help us focus on praying daily for our missionaries who are serving in the mission field.  We encourage you to check this daily and read the list and ask the Lord to put one or two names on your heart to pray for that day as He brings them to your remembrance.  These missionaries depend upon our prayers.

Blessings to you all today!
Donna

If My People......

I missed my post a couple of weeks ago so I want to share this video and a special movement promoted by the National Religious Broadcasters association to pray for our country for 40 days which began Sept 1st - but it is never too late so I encourage you to watch the video and go to the link if you are interested.  I will have info for Saundra at her next meeting also.
Blessings,
Donna



For more info you can go to Revive our Hearts to the "40 Days of Prayer" or directly to http://www.ifmypeopleprayusa.org/

Yeilding Control

I have learned life is all about choices. Each day we make so many choices. What we eat, say, think, buy, just to name a few. In some situations the choices we make determine the outcomes, but in other situations we are faced with having to choose how we will react; aka, our attitude.

In Psalm 25:4-5 David cries, "Make me know Your ways O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of salvation; For You I wait all the day."

This past week I faced some circumstances that were out of my control and I had to turn them over to God and choose to be positive and not let myself get discouraged and down. A co-worker and I attended a conference near Pittsburgh. On Thursday we left Pittsburgh at 1:00, landed in DC at 2:00, and were to fly out to Greenville at 3:40. At 3:30 we still had not boarded the plane due to a storm moving in to the city. This storm caused major havoc to say the least-power outages, flight cancellations, medical emergencies, you name it. To make a long story short, my friend and I had to spend the night in a hotel in Old Town Virginia without power until 1:00 Friday morning. Then, Friday instead of flying to Phil. from DC we had to fly to New York, switch airlines to fly in to Greenville at 8:30pm. Through these unfortunate mishaps I realized God was trying to teach me to have patience and trust Him. He is in control of all the details of our lives. We could have easily gotten mad, depressed and frustrated, but we both knew God was in control and tried to see it as an opportunity to glorify Him. I know that He protected us during several situations and He has a purpose for everything that happens to us. It's all in how we view it. I praise God for returning me safely to my family and home, but I also praise Him for His protection!! Yeilding control of life's daily events to God is part of becoming TRUE Women of God!! A positive attitude can make a big differnce, so can a laugh or two!!

Question for your husband...

Good morning Ladies, It is a beautiful Saturday morning,a few rain showers and alot of clouds. A nice change from the "HOT" weather. I am doing something I have never done before today about 12 noon. We are helping to give out draws for the Braylon Poker Run @ Old Hundred Store. The bikers are helping raise monies for Down Syndrome Family Alliance of Greenville and for the SC Autism Society. You know why I am doing this,I truly love kids with any special needs and our family is doing it for Colby our baby. OK, back to the True woman,we had a great meeting on July 19th,we had about 13 ladies at the meeting. Our next meeting is Tuesday August 24th @7:00pm. We will be having a baby shower for Leigh Beasley at that meeting. It is a diaper shower. Come if you can we would love to have you join us. The assignment from last week intrigued the ladies so alot of them could not wait to come to the meeting. I asked the ladies for their husbands phone numbers to ask them a question and I ask the ladies to please not quiz their husbands. I did this because I wanted us to hear real answers from the men in our lives. So here is the question I asked the husbands and here are their responses..I don't feel respected when my wife______________________

When she ignores me when I say something to her

When she rejects my advances

she tries to control me

when she micro manages my every move

speaks negative toward me in front of others

lets what I tell her go in one ear and out the other

My wife shows me alot of respect and I am blessed I really should show her more



Now I want you to think about it do you know how your husband would answer. It would be nice if they could all answer like the last one. This was very eye opening for alot of us ladies. Some even knew what answer went with their husband even though I did not tell them. God had already started convicting us. Ladies on this journey to become God's True Woman He is opening up our eyes in alot of areas that we fall short and one is how we treat our husbands.Think about the question and if you dare ask it to him but you can't get mad at his answer let it help you grow. Ask God to help you be the best wife possible. So that your marriage can lead others to Christ. Love you,Saundra

Oh, the Depth of God's Riches...Pressing Deeper still

Romans 11:33-35 "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things, To Him be the glory forever, Amen.

I would love to be able to travel and see the wonders of this world that God has created outside of my surroundings.  Not that I cannot experience them just outside my door as I watch the birds, the hopy hopy's (EraBoyd's bunnies that frequent our back yard), the wildflowers, and all the things of nature as Randy and I ride through the woods with our grandgirls .,... God's hand is definitely in the small things as well as the big.  But I would love to look at the wonders of the Grand Canyon and just reflect at how God's hand "formed" this great wonder and all we can do is breathe in the majesty of His wonderful handiwork.  I have this feeling when I look at the vast ocean and how every detail is designed to operate simply at the Word of God!  It is overwhelming and all I can think is "Lord God, HOW?" It is absolutely too deep for my finite mind to comprehend. 

Let me share the above scripture from Romans as written in the Message with you:

   Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God,  this deep, deep wisdom? It's way over our heads.  We'll never figure it out. 

Is there anyone around who can explain God?

Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do?

Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask His advice?

Everything comes from him,

Everything happens through him;

Everything ends up in him,

Always glory! Always praise!

Yes.  Yes.  Yes.

Nancy Leigh DeMoss uses this passage as the framework and context for our lives as women who are striving to become True Women of God - to display God's Glory in our womanhood.  She explains that it gives us a fixed reference point for our hearts which directs us to God's ultimate and eternal purposes.  It gives us a perspective for responding to His sovereign choices in our lives, especially those that we cannot understand or explain.

I am going to share with you some of the truths and reflections Nancy uses in her book "Voices of the True Woman" :

It starts with "Oh, the depth...

The Greek word translated "depth" is similar to our English word "bath".  The way we sink down into hot water in a bathtub from neck to toe - the depths of God's "riches and wisdom and knowledge" overwhelm us.  They rise above us.  They roll beneath us.  They float all around us - we just want to bathe in them.

Nancy tells the story of a Navy lieutenant, and a Swiss scientist that took a deep-diving, submersible vessel known as a bathyscaphe down to the deepest spot on earth - the Marianas Trench, a chasm in the Pacific near the island of Guam. 7 miles straight down under the ocean's surface, 35,800 feet, a massive, record setting human feat. It took them nearly 5 hours but they were finally able to locate the bottom of the ocean floor. Once they arrived - they could go NO FURTHER.  This is not the case with the depths of God. We could never get our mind around all of the depts of His riches, wisdom, and knowledge.  He is inexhaustible, limitless, and immeasurable!

Now to bring this down a little where I think we can all at one time or another truly relate, she goes on to explain. Even though we can never reach the bottom of God's unfathomable ways, we do know what it is like to reach the bottom of our own strength - down where life drags the floor of all human abilities, where everything feels hopeless and pointless and impossible to handle.  This is where many women give up and call it quits, or slink away into a pit of bitterness, or turn their frustrations on those nearest them - anything to cope with life at the bottom. But the true woman knows that deeper than her own limitations and problems is the bedrock of God's riches, wisdom and knowledge. His unseen yet sovereign eternal purposes are underneath it all, holding it all together.  Corrie ten Boom's sister, Betsie, wasting away and dying in the Nazi concentration camp urged Corrie to "tell people what we have learned here...that there is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still."  They understood the depts of the riches and wisdom and knowledge and love of God - they had been in the "pit" and used this as their ministry sharing what they knew - people listened to them because they had lived it out. 

Many of you today may have problems deeper than ever before. The issues of your life may have reached depths that perhaps you have never experienced before.  No matter how low you have been taken we must remember that there is something - SOMEONE - who is DEEPER STILL.  Deut. 33:27a "The eternal God is a dwelling place, And underneath are the everlasting arms;" Pastor John Piper says "When you get to the bottom of everything in your life you find the bedrock (granite) - the bedrock of our lives and our faith are the riches, wisdom, and knowledge of God.  That is what is underneath holding it all together.

I love the book of Ephesians.  A few years ago I was drawn to Chapter 3 for weeks.  Verses 14-23 became my prayer - and God seems to bring me back here from time to time. 

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,

that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory,

to be strengthend with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;

and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

may be able to comprehend with all the saints

what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge

that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,

according to the power that works within us,

to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus

 to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

To that I close with YES.  YES.   YES.  Will you join me in pressing on through whatever the depth of life you are in today and reach DEEPER STILL?

Blessings,

Donna

Choosing Faith Over Fear

In reading the book, Voices of the True Woman Movement, I was reminded of how Satan, the enemy, can use fear to keep us from being the true women God has called us to be. I want to share what I gleaned from Karen Loritts, one of the authors. She writes about being crippled by fear when her last child goes off to college and the empty nest syndrome sets in. I could relate so well to that as I am about to have Lauren, our oldest daughter leave for college in August.

Loritts describes her emotional meltdown as not something a woman who has been in ministry for 30 years should be experiencing. She confesses to having a hard time admitting to family and friends. Sound familar to anyone? Despite pressing ahead with her schedule and being faithful to prayer and bible study she hard a hard time shaking off the fear!! She gained some valuable insight that I want to share with you all. It helped me and I pray that that the next time fear tries to sneak up on you, you will arm yourself with these strategies.

Before I share the strategies I want to make sure we understand how powerful fear can be. Do you realize that fear does not travel alone? Fear packs some evil enemies when planning its attack. The following is a list of 10 evil companions of fear.
1. Fear distorts reality.
2. Fear victimizes.
3. Fear adds stress.
4. Fear creates doubt.
5. Fear cripples us.
6. Fear replaces faith.
7. Fear disappoints us.
8. Fear makes us doubtful of success.
9. Fear fills our heart with despair.
10. Fear steals and destroys.

Now, I know after reading this, you're probably not very uplifted, but we you must fear, becasue fear has met its match!! There is HOPE in Christ Jesus. Now for the Good stuff!! Lorrits writes that she realized she needed to turn to the Bible and read some things she has known all along. She read Exodus 14:14 "The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent." When the children of Israel were trapped by mountains and sea with the Egyptian army pursuing them from behind, Moses encouraged them. In other words, "Be still, be quiet and see the power of God working for you!! Loritts resolved to not let fear rob her of joy and blessing. We must do this also ladies!! Don't let Satan steal your joy. We are going to have troubles, hardships and difficult situations living day to day, it's part of our refining process. So we must be prepared and recognize fear when it starts to creep in.

Finally, here are the strategies found in James 4:7-10.

1. Submit to God. Or another word for submit is surrender. We are learning this is crucial as we study the True Woman manifesto. It's not a one time surrender either. I find myself having to surrender throughout the day. Sometimes, I fail to surrender and have to ask for fogiveness.

2. Resist the Devil. I'm sure you all realize the DEVIL is real, he's not a little make believe character dressed in red, carrying a pitch fork. Here's my favorite part of this verse-Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Did you hear that? God assures us that if we resist, he will flee. It doesn't say the he might flee, or he will probably flee, or he will think about fleeing it says, he will flee. It takes action on our part though-we must first resist him, then he will flee.

3. Draw near to God. We do this through prayer and spending time in God's Word. We also need to ask others to pray for us. Break down the wall of pride. Don't listen to the voice of the enemey.

4. Cleanse your hands. Repent of any sin and experience the freedom found in a right fellowship with God. His love is unconditional and bounds in grace.

5. Purify your heart. Get rid of any anger or bitterness you may have built up inside and not even realize it. Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way." These verses can be so helpful to us if we will just apply them. We must pray them daily.

6. Humble yourself. We must be willingly to let down our guard with those we trust and admit we are struggling. I have found when I do this I am always supported and usually learn that my friend, who I thought had it all together, is struggling with something also. Let's face it. We were created for relationships with other women. Fulfilling our day to day responsibilities consumes a lot of time, but we must be intentional with making time for other Christian women.

I know this was a long post, but I shared what God laid on my heart!! Enjoying the journey to becoming a TRUE Woman of God with you all!!

In His Love,
Renee :)

Happy July 4th

Hello Ladies, I hope each of you have a Happy July 4th with your family and friends. Wow, what a great service at WBC this morning. I don't know about you all but for me this summer season is flying by. I am excited about the True Woman Journey that many of us or on. My group has already had our second meeting and I was so blessed to hear how God spoke to some of the ladies through the foundation. I believe God is speaking to many ladies about taking back our homes, our children and our marriages. But like I told my group in our meeting in June if you are doing what God wants, you better watch out for satan's attack because it will come. But if you are walking with God and being a True woman of God then you are going to have victory believe me when I tell you all of this. The day before my June meeting I had an attack from satan and I did not believe that the next day I would be able to lead my group time. So I called Donna and a few other ladies and asked them to pray for me because I felt defeated. But within a few hours of these calls I had such peace and God spoke to me and said are you going to be a true woman or not? I texted Donna back and told her if Job could make it so could I. I want you all to believe in the power of prayer like that. I knew I had friends lifting me up and God showed me that even in the valley I can still be a true woman of God, my problem is still here but I choose to trust God and not myself with it. If you are not in a True Woman group please contact Donna,Kay,Renee or myself we would love to help you get plugged in to a group. Ladies, most of you should be reading through the affirmation part of the manifesto. Looking forward to seeing my group July 20th at 7:00pm. Love you all and I am enjoying being on this journey with you. Saundra

What a True Woman Looks Like...

This week as I sit and look out over the vast ocean and listen to the waves roll into shore, I sit and enjoy God's peace as I reflect on His goodness and my blessings.  I've been reading Nancy Leigh DeMoss, "Voices of the True Woman Movement."  Ladies, I want so MUCH to be a true woman of God! I want to know Him, to know His ways.  I want my life to be a reflection of His love.  As we continue our journey at WBC to be True Women of God, I encourage you to purchase this book for yourself. It has been such an inspiration for me! I'll share just a few truths I've grasped hold of.

• A True Woman of God doesn't give into fear, but smiles on the future. 
• She knows God has the whole world in His hands.
• She knows that the one in charge of "all things" can be trusted to know what He is doing.
• She knows it is God who defines good, so she leans on Him. 
• She depends on Him even in times of prosperity, joy and  plenty. 
• But she also maintains her trustful gratitude in times of pain and hardships, of lack and want, of loneliness, uncertainty, and confusion. 
• A true woman is more than a good wife, mother, loyal friend, daughter. More than anything else, Jesus Christ is the center of her universe and her life revolves around Him and therefore, she has hope - real genuine hope --- in the midst of a world filled with pain, loss, and uncertainty. 

A true woman is a God-centered woman.

God bless you on your journey to becoming a true woman of God!
Kay

Are You Displaying God's Glory?

We should all be working through the Foundations of the True Woman Manifesto by now and I am excited to hear what you have learned and what truths have perhaps pricked your heart for your times of reflection this month. I am going to share my notes in regards to the opening statement and why we need a "manifesto". I invite you to share your comments as well. This is a blog for us to initiate conversation and thoughts but we want to hear from you also.

Opening Statement: "a personal and corporate declaration of belief, consecration, and prayerful intent".
Are You Displaying God's Glory?

1) The world says
"You can believe whatever you want as a believer as long as you do not "declare" it to others"

True Woman:
We believe strongly; We declare; We are not afraid to declare what we believe

2) We have a need for boldness today:
as women of God we want others to know where we stand - we need to declare graciously and winsomely.

3) It is a Personal Declaration
Each point of the manifesto applies personally

• it is a call to: affirm each point in my heart and to live each one out in my life

4) It is a Corporate Declaration

• linking arms with other women - to be like-minded and like hearted
• to move forth - on our knees to achieve God's Purposes for His Kingdom Not our own purposes of this world

5) The Manifesto states things we hold to be absolute truth

• it is a contrast to post-modernism which implies everyone has his own truth - there is no such thing as absolute truth (world)
• What we believe is vital - we want to be clear because it determines HOW WE LIVE
• We want to be sure we have the RIGHT CREED - the right beliefs so that we base our lives on the Firm Foundation of the Truth of God's Word

6) A declaration of our consecration and prayerful intent

• requires a response - it is not enough to "affirm:
• it is intended to affect the way I live
• it calls for personal commitment and consecration of my life to the truths I say I believe

7) Challenge

• Read it and agree with it
• Prayerfully act upon it
• Let it change others through me

It will lead others to know the gospel and to be drawn to Christ through my life

8) Ultimate Purpose / goal of the declaration

• Christ be exalted
• Redeeming love of Christ displayed through-out the earth
• It is not about me
• It is not about women
• IT IS about Christ being exalted to His rightful place as LORD in our hearts, our churches, and our world

Are we displaying God's Glory?

• We have to display the Gospel - not keeping to our self
• we have been blessed with Christ & His Glory - His redeeming love

SO THAT:
we can be a blessing to others
SO THAT:
the glory and redeeming love of God can be displayed, felt, realized, experienced throughout the world!

I had not thought about the fact that "everyone has a creed" and that we are all living by one. "The Need for a Creed: Reflections on Creeds, Confessions and Manifestos" by Mary Kassian stated:

History demonstrates that creeds are profoundly important. They are documents that challenge people to change, counter, or correct a current trend of thought - or at the very least, to reconsider it. Creeds clarify beliefs. Creeds set direction. Creeds create movements. Creeds are like signposts at a junction. They require travelers to choose and commit to one path or another. Ultimately, this choice determines whether the traveler and those who follow will arrive at one destination, or at a different one, miles apart from the first.

The True Woman Manifesto is merely a signpost highlighting some major points about what we believe the Bible says to women, and declaring our conviction that even if its teachings are unpopular in this day and age, the Bible provides the best (and wholly authoritative) instruction with regards to what we believe and how we live as women.
Today many women are unwittingly living by creeds set forth by the secular woman's movement

My prayer and challenge to all of us is to strive to swim upstream against the culture - to re-evaluate how we are living - does it reflect what we SAY we believe and more importantly, according to what God's Word calls us to? We are not perfect, and we have all gotten off tract in many ways, but together we can link arms in this journey and help each other to get on and stay on the path in this journey of Becoming God's True Woman. Let's all strive to Display God's Glory as True Woman and radiate that Glory to others as we travel!

Now, one last thing before I close...if you have a daughter or granddaughter this is very important! Go to the "Secret Keeper" below(June 7th post) link and check out what Miley Cyrus is up to and how we as True Women can stand against the ungodly influences that come into our girls lives. Remember, we will have to go against the culture and stand firm - even when i is not popular!


Donna

Busy Days....

Ladies, I know we are all about to get into the busy days of summer. I myself just got back from a week at the beach with my great family. What a blessing to be able to get away and enjoy fellowship with the ones you love. But for all you ladies on the journey of Becoming God's True Woman please take time to study your your manifesto the foundation which is "We Believe". I look forward to my group meeting on Tuesday June 22nd @ 7:00pm. What a blessing to know that you ladies are out telling others. We have already had a few join our study. You are all in my prayers and I hope you each have a great summer. May we all continue on this journey of Becoming God's True Women. Love you, Saundra

STANDING FIRM as True Women for our Daughters & Granddaughters!

Dannah Gresh was one of the speakers at the "True Woman" conference who led a group of teen girls. Her passion is for tweens and teens and she encourages purity with stands against immodest clothing and influences of the media upon our children. I received an email concerning the new Miley Cyrus video "Can't Tame Me". Moms, I believe we must take a stand against the influence's we allow for our daughters and granddaughters. Go to the link "SECRET KEEPER" (May 11th & 12th blog post) and be informed and prepare to stand firm! This is a great resource for you and your daughters to keep informed and to find creative ways to help your daughters become True Women of God!

Donna

Secret Keeper Girl

Secret Keeper Girl

The Home Experience

At the True Woman Conference, the speaker that spoke to my heart was Devi Titus as she spoke about "The Home Experience" and "The Table Experience".

I had the privilege of growing up in a loving, peaceful home. A home where we would sit down together as a family around the supper table and share what went on in our day. In our culture today, coming together at the table for a meal has become extinct. Bars, counters, islands, sitting in front of the TV or computer to eat has taken the place of coming together as a family around the table. Familes are stressed because of hectic schedules, going in different direcions (one parent going to an activity and the other going in the opposite direction with another child); healthy meals are substituted with fast foodd; schedules make it impossible to keep a tidy and clean environment; fatique has replaced intimacy with our spouses.

We know that our families are the most important thing to us, yet when it comes to finding a solution to these ever-incresing problems in our lives, we are often unequipped and just completely overwhelmed.

I'm very excited that we are going to be offering a chance for our laddies to be involved in a Bible Study directed in searching out God's Word and finding His diection for our Homes and Families. The materials we will be using are "The Home Experience" and "The Table Experience" by Devi Titus.

I want to be a True Woman of God and I am sure that you want the same thing for your life as well. We will be providing you with more information regarding this opportunity to be in God's Word and seek His direction for your Home and Family!

Kay

So Long Insecurity

Ladies, WOW....What a day. We went to Brookwood today for the Beth Moore Simulcast. Beth led us in a study of her book "So Long Insecurity", which is a must read. We studied 6 statements to describe a secure woman. Scripture reference: Ephesians 4:17- 5:2.
SECURE
1.Saved from herself
2.Entitled to truth
3.Clothed with intention
4.Upended by grace
5.Rebounded by love
6.Exceptional in life

I am sure that when we become secure women we will also be on the journey of becoming God's true woman.

Ladies, don't forget that April 29th @ 6:30pm that we will be having our "Recipe for Friendship" event. Bring a covered dish & dessert. The meat & tea will be provided. This is our kickoff for becoming God's true woman "The Journey". I truly believe that God has us here for such a time as this. Please come and be a part of what God is doing, I don't know about all of you but I am sick of Satan stealing my joy. Let's come together and take back our homes, families, and marriages. God bless you all....See you all on Thursday.

Love in Christ,

Saundra

To Do List…

Saturday: “Post on Blog”….
OH MY!!!! I knew this was coming – I looked at it several times on my “to do” list this week. I have been thinking about doing it…now it is here…WHAT TO DO?????

Do you ever feel this way about your “to do list”? Does your “to do” list, like mine just absolutely overwhelm you? You watch it, think about it, plan to do it – then all of a sudden it is here and guess what…It’s NOT done!!!

In this call to enter the journey to “become God’s true woman” I have to ask myself “Is the above scenario part of this journey?” I must also answer myself and say “I think NOT!!” (ok, yes, I do talk to myself and yes, I do answer myself)! So, what has happened to get me to this place in my life? A place of living from one “to do” to the “next to do” and feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, frazzled, frustrated, emotionally unstable, insecure, burned out, discouraged, depressed, ashamed, defeated and even in bondage to the list itself… .the list can go on and on. Why? Because I have failed to “get it all done” and in the process let people down and projects not completed or just done enough to get by. I am convinced that what has happened to me and perhaps too many of you is that “we have been HAD” (as Beth Moore puts it in “When godly people do ungodly things”). We have believed a lie.

What is that “lie” we have believed? Consider Eve….as we begin this journey together let’s take a walk through the first garden…the Garden of Eden, the first home of Adam and Eve which was perfect. This is the starting place of the “lie of all lies” that began with the very first woman. And yes, it has affected each and every one of us today. Eve listened to a lie, she believed the lie, and then she acted upon the lie. Results: every problem, hurt, heartbreak, etc goes back to this simple lie. And from this one lie – more lies evolved. What we must remember, like the lie Eve was confronted with, most lies that we are confronted with today are “lies that LOOK like truth”. These can be simple things in our culture that have influenced our thinking through media, magazines, education, just life in general. We can start by looking back at the beginnng of the “women’s movement” years ago and how it has taken us to the place of feeling as if we have to be great women, who does it all and leaves us exhausted and unbalanced. Personally, I am on a journey to find the path that God wants me to travel – one of peace, joy, and balance! One in which at the end of the day I can mark off my “to do list” and hear my Lord say “Well done, my good and faithful servant”!

This journey is not going to be a smooth, pleasure ride but rather one that is going to take me to cross roads where I am going to have to STOP, LOOK at the map of God’s Word, and LISTEN to His direction in order to get to my destination. As we have studied for the last 6 weeks with Pastor Stan in our “Purpose Driven Communities” we are reminded that we are better together and as women traveling on this journey together we offer encouragement and hope to take back the “truth” the enemy has stolen from us as women and fulfill the purpose to bring God Glory in our Womanhood.

Travel with me my friends, we can do it and yes “I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR” but not what the world says…what the WORD SAYS!

Donna

A TRUE Woman of God

The first step in becoming God's true woman begins with knowing you belong to Christ. Although I had accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, there were times when I lived in emotional and spiritual bondage because I listened to the enemy or let the world influence my decision making. A few years ago was a turning point in my life. My fellowship with the Lord was restored and my marriage and family relationships are better than ever!! I am forever grateful for what God has done for me!!

At the True Woman Conference I was challenged to declare my desire and intent to be a "true woman" of God. I consecrated myself to fulfill His calling and purpose for my life. Below is a reflection of what I think a TRUE woman of God might look like.

A TRUE Woman of God...
Trusts God, not herself. Prov. 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.

Relies on the Holy Spirit as fuel for the journey. John 14:16-17 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you foever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you."

Understands that God created her for a specific purpose. Matt. 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Embraces the plan He has for her life. Jer. 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not calamity to give you a future and a hope."

I hope you'll come long with us on this journey in becoming true women of God. NOW is the time!! Travel in His Power!!

Seeking Him,
Renee :)

True Woman | Explore the Manifesto

True Woman Explore the Manifesto



Monthly Scripture Memory Verses with Revive Our Hearts
http://www.reviveourhearts.com/topics/topic.php?topic_name=Scripture%20Memory

Let the Journey Begin

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This weekend I attended the True Woman Conference hosted by Nancy Leigh DeMoss of Revive our Hearts and True Woman Ministry. We heard women such as Jennifer Rothchild, Mary Kaissin, Kay Arthur, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, and many others....all leading us to examine our lives as women to see if we are fulfilling the ultimate purpose of bringing God glory in our womanhood. This applies to both married and single women. We were inspired as we heard facts of how the culture has brought us so far from God's perfect plan.

Our prayer and hope is that by bringing this message back to our friends, family, church, ministries and community that we can begin to take back what the enemy has stolen and begin to be all that God has called us to be in our womanhood....to bring Him glory!

We want to invite you to join us on our journey!

Donna (Women's Ministry Director)