LGG ~ 1st & 2nd Peter Study - Week 1 - Monday

Good morning~

Welcome to day one of our new study.  I am so excited to share this journey with each of you.  Be ready to hear what God has to say to you.  Be ready to share.  Be ready to be changed.  God is so good!

Our weekly Challenge:

Reading: 1Peter 1:1-5

S.O.A.P. : 1Peter 1:3-4

S:  All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.  Now we live with great expectation and we have a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

O:  Pure, undefiled inheritance in heaven.

A:  Oh my!  This makes my so excited for what is to come and also reminds me this world is not my home.  I need to be living in the moment and for the moment.  I am given opportunities beyond my imagination.  I need to stop living a ho-hum kind of life and be living for the now.  This isn't ever going to be heaven.  What He has for me in eternity is beyond what I can possibly imagine.  Jesus bought it for me.  My faith gives me HOPE for my future.  My inheritance in heaven will be waiting for me fresh, new and pure on the day of my arrival.  So I have no need to think the suffering here on earth will prevail.  It is only temporary.

P:  Father, the inheritance you have prepared for me is beyond anything I can imagine.  Forgive me for not living this temporary precious life to the fullest.  I should be serving you so much better than I am.  Prod me forward, Lord.  Let my hope never falter.  Thank you for the faith you have instilled in me.  Be with us as we begin this new study.  Open our hearts and minds to better learn your word and path for our lives.  Let us always put you above everything in our lives.  Let us serve others in your name to bring all glory, honor and praise to You and you alone.  In Jesus' precious name.  ~Amen

Be blessed and a blessing.

LGG ~ Made for Community - Week 8 - Friday

Good morning Girls~

Happy Friday and our last day of this study.  I hope you all learned and grew in this study whether you posted every day, sometimes and even not at all.  I love each of you and have learned much from this study.  I honestly think in all the studies I have done with LGG, this was my favorite and one that has opened my eyes the most.  I pray each of you has had a similar experience.   

Today's reading is Mark 9:30-37.

S.O.A.P.

S:  He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, "Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else."

O:  Serve others.

A:  This week has been a very clear week for me.

• Action
• Be eager and ready to do good
• Be open to all
• Confess and pray
• Serve others

What a simple plan.  I make it hard.  I am so thankful to have these reminders.  God's word is so valuable to us.  It is always available for us to turn to when we need direction or help.  I need to be ready to do all of the above at any time I am called to for his people and for his glory. 

P:  Father thank you for giving me your direction.  Thank you for picking me up when I stumble and putting me back on track.  Thank you for your mercy every morning.  Thank you for this group of women.  Thank you for giving me the desire to keep going when I wanted to quit.  Thank you for letting them share their hearts with each other.  Bind us together in a friendship to last for years to come.  Hold each in your arms and give comfort, peace, love, mercy, forgiveness and grace where it is needed.  Let us always look to you first.  Let us bring all we have to you in prayer.  Give us eagerness to be ready to serve others when we are called.  Give us the confidence to step out of our comfort zone and be about your work and for your honor and glory only.  I ask this in Jesus' name.  ~Amen.

In His Love,

LGG ~ Made for Community - Week 8 - Thursday

Good morning Girls~

Thankful Thursday.  What are you thankful for?  I am thankful for my mom.  She graciously came here, on her birthday no less, knowing I would be working.  She has cooked, hemmed pants, taken care of the pups, been lonely, been cold and enjoyed some sunshine. I have enjoyed just being together and I am thankful for every moment we have had this week. 

Our reading today is James 5:13-20

S.O.A.P.

S:  Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

O: Confess.  Pray.

A:  I have to really confess that my prayer life is lacking.  I do pray, but not constantly and in all situations and not first before talking about my concern with someone.  What I read today in the LGG plan from You Version today really made sense to me.  Sometimes I tend to make prayer harder than it is.  I need to realize it is conversation with my Friend who hears and knows what I am going to ask even before I go to Him.  It doesn't need to be eloquent.  Just conversation.  I also need to be sure to take time to listen.  I need to slow down.

This is what I read today in You Version today.  I hope it will help if you are struggling with prayer like I do:

Prayers are the honest thoughts and desires of the heart and mind converted into a form of communication directed towards God. Prayer isn’t just words, but power. The power comes from God Almighty who hears and answers all prayers. Prayer doesn’t rely on any special words we say, any particular ritual, any particular time, nor does it rely on the amount of faith we have when we speak to God. Prayer flows from the awareness that God is involved and engaged in every aspect of our lives.

P:  Father, thank you for for giving me direct access to you.  Thank you for making this simple.  Thank you for being my Friend.  I need only come and ask and let you take care of everything from there.  Let me always remember to come to you first and in all things.  In your Son's precious name I pray.  ~Amen

LGG ~ Made for Community - Week 8 - Wednesday

Good morning Girls~

Last night I had the privilege of video chatting with some woman from another LGG group.  It was so wonderful to see the women I have prayed for, prayed with and who have prayed for me.  It was a wonderful time of fellowship.  We were able to gather through Google.  

I would love for our group to be able to do this sometime.  I am not sure how it works, but would be up for the challenge if any of you would be interested in doing this.  It is nice if you have sound and video on your device, but if not, we had one woman who typed along with us.  It was pretty amazing and 'seemed' simple enough.  If any of you have some time to check it out and report back to the group, let us know.  

Our reading today is Hebrews 13:1-3

S.O.A.P.

S:  Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

O:  Be open to all.

A:  I know I am lacking in this.  It is easy to stay in my little comfort zone.  Quite frankly, I like it in my comfort zone.  A LOT!!  But this is not what God calls us to do.  And the thought of entertaining angels is a great thought.  Have you ever encountered someone who gave you that peaceful, calming feeling?  One you felt drawn to?  That feeling always makes me wonder if I had just encountered an angel. 

P:  Father, give me confidence to step out.  I want to care for your people.  I want to care for those who don't know you.  I want to do your work.  I know I fail you.  I ask forgiveness.  Be with me today.  Give me the signs I need to know where you need me to go.  In Jesus' precious name.  ~Amen

Be blessed and a blessing.

LGG ~ Made for Community - Week 8 - Tuesday

Good morning Girls~

Our reading today is Romans 12:9-21

S.O.A.P.

S:  When God's people are in need, be ready to help them.  Always be eager to practice hospitality.  Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

O:  Ready and eager.  Do good.

A:  How often am I ready and eager to good to someone who has wronged me?  When someone is not so nice or is just plain ugly and mean to me, it leaves a bitterness and feeling of revenge inside me.  I need to work on this in my life.  I need to always be ready to turn the other cheek and swallow it.  That doesn't mean I need to like it.  I can still dislike the nasty but I need to leave the punishment and payback to God.  That is his and his alone.  (another thing in my life I need to let go of)

P:  Father, praise your holy name that you are in control.  Forgive me for getting in your way (again).  Help me to be always ready to do good and be eager about it.  It is not easy especially with vindictive, nasty people, especially those who do not know you.  ~Amen

Have a great day girls.

LGG ~ Made for Community - Week 8 - Monday

Good morning~

Our reading today is 1John 3:16-24.

S.O.A.P.

S:  Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

O: Action.

A:  So many things came to mind this morning as I read this.  Gave me flashbacks of being a cheerleader.  ACT   -   ION.  Action.  Action.  WE WANT ACTION!!  Isn't that what God is asking us to do?  We have talked and learned and read.  It is time to move.  I was really struck by what I read this morning in the You Version app.  

The true indicator of a Christian’s faith is not in what she says, but in how she lives her life. If people were to watch a silent movie of a random day in your life, would they see a reflection of Jesus through your actions? 

What would others see in my silent movie?  I need to keep this in my mind at all times.  Am I being a ambassador for The Lord with my actions?

P:  Father, thank you for giving us your Holy Spirit.  Thank you for giving us the still small voice that leads us and directs us.  Forgive us when we ignore it.  Give us the nudge, even the swift kick in the pants we need to move and be about your work.  Let us love one another in ways we never even dreamed of.  This is a dark and hurting world.  People need you.  Just like Juan.  Let us be a community of women who don't get hung up on the particulars or the rules and just move for You.  In Jesus precious name.  ~Amen.

Be about God's business in all you do today, Girls.

LGG ~ Made for Community - Week 7 - Friday

Happy Friday and Happy Birthday Mom~

Can't wait for a hug from my mom and some of my mom's cooking, too. Please pray for safe travels for my uncle, aunt and mom as they are about to head down the road this morning.

From today's LGG blog: (I love this)

Let’s be women who are not ashamed of the gospel but who are so in love with our Saviour that we cannot keep his beautiful message to ourselves.

Looking to Jesus,

Reading Matthew 28:16-20

S:  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

O:  Go.  Teach.  Always with me.

A:  There are so many ways to share Jesus with others around us.  We don't need to use words.  We can serve in so many ways.  But we need to be in his Word and placing it on our hearts so that when we are in a situation to need to witness to others who have questions, we are able to answer intelligently and with HIS words.  It can be difficult and put us in uncomfortable places, but we only need to trust that He will be by our side.  He never leaves us.  He will direct our words in a way to bring honor and glory to Him.

P:  Father, as I do each and every morning, I come.  I ask.  Give me opportunities to serve in this dark world.  And when words are necessary, give me your words.  Words that will direct people to you.  My hope and prayer is that everyone I meet knows I am your child and that they would want to know you, too.  Forgive me when I fail.  Help me to learn and be better for you.  Place your word on my heart in mind in a way that I would be able to use them wisely in situations where words are needed to help someone on their way.  I ask these things in Jesus name.  ~Amen.

Have a wonderful weekend ladies.

~Darla

So excited for the next study. Please let me know if you plan to participate. I mean REALLY DIG into God's word with us. Remember this takes commitment. I look forward to studying this. One of my favorite books.