A Baby Shower in May

Our dear friend Lauren (and her husband Colin) are expecting their first baby in June. We were happy to bless her with a baby shower at our last meeting. Here is Lauren and her mother.

We had a special cake and some other little treats.

Decorations for a baby girl!!

Opening gifts for the baby!

playing some fun games 

We love you, sweet girls! 

Thank you for blessing Lauren with your meaningful verses of Scripture at the shower.

Pray with us for a safe and smooth delivery for this precious new life!

notes from our April gathering

Hearing God's voice in your journey of life! 

This was the topic of our April meeting. How do we hear God's voice? Through the Holy Spirit. God is a Spirit! He speaks to our spirits through His Spirit. John 4:23-24, "a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." John 16:13, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what He hears...” Romans 8:16, “the Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

Even though you have three parts (1 Thess. 5:23), the real "you" is your spirit! You are a spirit in a body with a soul. When you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, He places His Spirit within you. Every day, we should ask that God fill us afresh with His Spirit and give us ears to hear Him. Luke 11:13 - “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

Romans 12:11 tells us to be fervent in spirit. The word fervent means enthusiastic (en - in and theo- God). Since you are in Christ, you should be enthusiastic! Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant (The Message). Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord (Amplified). Pray that others are drawn to Jesus Christ Who is in you!

FAITH is essential to hearing God’s voice! - Hebrews 11:6. What is faith? You may not be able to fully understand or reason with your mind. Faith is something that your spirit does - believing! When God talks to us, He expects action. "Faith without works is dead... for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also," James 2:20, 26.

Pray Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.” Look for verses that stand out to you with special significance (does it convict you, challenge, warn, encourage? this is a rhema!). This is hearing the voice of God! Write it down, engraft it into your soul (pray it, memorize it, etc), and it becomes a part of your heart’s belief system. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 that man doesn't live by bread alone but by every word (rhema) that comes from the mouth of God. Ask God for a daily rhema!

Write down GodStops!

Savoring the Observable Presence
It is explained in the introduction of the 'Believing God' Bible study Beth Moore wrote. Here is an excerpt:
"... In essence, God's glory is any way in which He makes Himself recognizable. When I see a brilliant sunset I know no artist could paint, I recognize God through His masterpiece. Likewise, when something happens in my day that I know is more than a coincidence, I am learning to recognize God in it. Part of our faith-walk experience will be learning to recognize God in our midst by noticing visible prints of His invisible hands. We don't want to miss God when He makes Himself observable! I am convinced that the more we learn to recognize and appreciate His interventions and revelations, the more we are likely to receive them!... The stop in GodStop comes from the acronym God gave me: Savoring the Observable Presence. When God makes Himself observable, we want to stop and take notice. I want to learn to say to myself, That's God! Stop and savor the moment! A GodStop is any means by which God seems to go out of His way during your day to make Himself known to you........ I even consider a GodStop a time when God suddenly catches me in a sin of action or attitude that I didn't know anyone noticed. One way I know I am cherished is because God loves whom He disciplines (see Heb. 12:6). A sudden disciplinary action is a GodStop reminding me that He is ever present and loves me too much to let me get away with something that is displeasing to Him......" - Beth Moore, Excerpt from "Believing God"

Ask God for a hearing heart. This is what King Solomon did. Listen for Him to speak to you through His Word, His Spirit, through your parents, through circumstances. Remove the things that distract you from hearing (have that prayer closet! Matthew 13:22 - don't let the cares of this world choke out the growth that God wants to do in you).

Regularly and diligently feed yourself the Word of God. It’s daily fellowship with our loving heavenly Father. When we develop good communication with God, He promises to bless us in unimaginable ways! 1 Corinthians 2:9

Practical Application
Ask Questions: (about the truths that God has written)
Who, What, Where, When, Why, How

How can I delight myself in the Lord? (Psalm 37:4)
Pray Scripture. God speaks through His Word. It is alive and living!

Read Psalm 119 (one or two sections). Write down one rhema for each morning. What questions did you ask? How can you apply it?

March GRL notes

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing 

Christ Jesus my Lord! Philippians 3:8

This past month, we talked about the importance of seeking God early... now, before we're older... and early as in early in the day! In celebrating holy days and feasts, the Jewish culture actually begin at sundown on the day before. Genesis 1:5 tells us that the evening and the morning were the first day. So, start your day right by seeking God as your head touches the pillow at night!

At night, three parts of our body need to be strengthened: our body, our soul and our spirit.

Think of your bed as an altar to the Lord. In the Bible, altars were God's special meeting places with man. Put away distractions before going to bed! - other people, email, noises, an interesting book, phone.

Remind yourself and tell God that your body belongs to Him and that you desire for it to be used to glorify Him. Make sure there are no hidden sins in your life that would grieve the Lord and quench the power of His Holy Spirit- “if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” Ps.66:18.

Yield every member of your body to God. Romans 6 tells us - But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Offer sacrifices of praise to Jesus. It’s natural to dwell on our own thoughts as we go to bed - concerns, hurtful wounds, lustful desires, future plans - God wants us to take all of these thoughts and sacrifice them to Him! Replace them with thoughts about Him and His Word. David did this: Psalm 63:5-6 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. When the people of God approached the altar at the Temple, they were to come with a grateful heart- Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise, Psalm 100:4a. The Temple is the place where God’s presence dwelled.

Share a rhema of Scripture with the Lord. A Rhema is a verse of Scripture that stands out with special meaning. Keep a journal of rhemas. Hebrews 4:12 says His word is living and powerful! It is the light we need to conquer the darkness of sin. A key passage of Scripture overcomes spiritual darkness and opens the way for intimate fellowship with God. He will reveal deeper understanding of His Word as we meditate on it. The people of God placed animals on their altars- we can bring the food of God’s Word to our altar-bed. Jesus will be right there to enjoy a meal with us! Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door [of your heart], I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me- Rev. 3:20. His Word is essential for life! Luke 4:4 “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Word - rhema - a precise scriptural command that God gives us to apply in our lives. Select a passage and memorize it. It’s letting His Word abide in us. If ye abide in me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you- John 15:7. Let them not depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion... When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet- Pr. 3:21, 24.

Give all your expectations to God. At the root of every bitter feeling, broken relationship, etc. there are personal expectations that were unfulfilled or violated. It is not wrong to have expectations. However, it is wrong to put them on people, events, or things rather than on God. David told his soul, “my soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him” Psalm 62:5. As we place our expectations on the altar, we are then free to love others! We will not be expecting anything from them.

Other ideas in enjoying the presence of God:
Make it a habit of putting new thoughts in... use Hymns:
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Beneath the Cross of Jesus
To God be the Glory

Use Scripture cards - like a shot of vitamin D!

Praise God for His many names. Baptist minister Adrian Rogers would say to his congregation: “go home and lay your head upon your pillow, and pillow your soul on the Word of God, and go to sleep and sleep well, for He Who watches Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” It’s not magical or a ritual to perform. It’s truly claiming by faith who God is to you - represented in His names. He’s the God of comfort, the God of peace, the God of all I need, etc.

Pictures from the February Tea Talk!

Girls Really Living gathered together for a very special Tea Party this month! 

We dressed up, picked out fun hats and gloves to wear, and were treated to a Tea Talk by our friend, Mrs. Sheryl.

Mrs. Sheryl shared how each tea cup is shaped differently and yet is still so beautiful. God has created us in a unique way and each of us are precious in His eyes!



enjoying scones and fruit
tea sandwiches and cheese
posing for a picture while enjoying tea with our dessert... cheesecake and fudge brownies!

Mrs. Sheryl taught us about the history of tea, gave us instruction on tea etiquette, and reminded us how special we are to God. He has placed us here "for such a time as this."

Lauren and Jaimee
We are so thankful to the Lord for blessing us with such a lovely afternoon!

June Journey to the Heart

We have been given the amazing opportunity to lead a girls Journey to the Heart in June. The Journey to the Heart is a 10-day experience in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In the midst of 3,000 acres of woods and lakes you will enjoy Bible study with your team of other girls, have sweet fellowship, worship and prayer, and rich, personal time with God.

Out of all the retreats and Bible conferences we have ever attended, the Journey has had the greatest spiritual impact on our lives! We would love to see every single Christian young person go on a Journey. Prayerfully consider sending your older daughter(s) with us. This journey will help them learn how to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength! 

To sign up, click here.

Should you have questions, feel free to email us or leave a comment.

Being an Example - notes from the January meeting

1 Timothy 4:12, Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.

Setting an Example in Your Youth
God calls us, no matter how young we are, to live a life that is an example to other believers! Realize that God has positioned us where we are for a purpose. He is equipping you and giving you the power to follow Him now, right where you are. My obedience to God will encourage my generation to follow Him. I’m here for people! My life is to bless others. Do others see God’s love reflected in me? In some way, you’re impacting, shaping and causing others to become like you. Paul said, Pattern yourselves after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah), 1 Corinthians 11:1 (Amplified).
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loves us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God, Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV).

The time and day to love and follow Jesus is NOW! Who are you modeling your life after? Jesus should be the first one! Take time to read biographies and stories of men and women who lived their lives for Christ. Do you influence others, or are you easily influenced? Ask yourself: TODAY, does my heart belong to Jesus?
other verses: Ecclesiastes 12:1, Psalm 90:14

Speech
Your words reflect what’s in your heart: Out of the abundance (fullness or overflow) of the heart that mouth speaks, Matthew 12:34. Honor God in what you say. Do you speak the truth in love? - Ephesians 4:15. Are you loud or gentle in your speech? When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly - Proverbs 31:26 (The Message).

Life/Conduct
Today’s choices will influence the direction of your entire life. So now is the time to seek with all your heart what is best! Choose to live now for what counts for tomorrow and all eternity. It’s the springtime of your life! What seeds are you sowing in this season of youth? Your conduct/behavior/how you live- does it reveal Jesus to those around you? You shall know them by their fruit, Matthew 7:16.

Love
Eighty percent of Americans claim to be Christians... why don’t we act like it? What if Christians really were Christ-like? God Himself is love (read 1 John 4:7-21). By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another, John 13:35. We can love others well only when we are rightly related to the Lord and living according to His principles. Have I opened my heart to receive God’s love? Have I asked God to make me more aware of His presence? Have I taken out “the garbage” in my life? Mother Teresa, “We are all pencils in the hand of a writing God, who is sending love letters to the world.”

Faith
“Above all,” you and I need to learn to take up our shield of faith. We also desperately need to know the Word of God so as to answer the enemy when he comes to us with doubts and deception. Where do I sense the enemy sending his fiery darts? Is my shield of faith up? What lies am I believing about God? What Scriptures should I use to resist the devil?
verses: Ephesians 6:10-18, Psalm 119:11, 1 Peter 5:6-9

Purity
The word purity here means sinlessness of life. This can only come through Jesus. He creates in us a clean heart. He gives us the desire to stay true to Him. Seek to please Him in all you do. Purity also means unmixed, not contaminated. We need to keep a check on what worldly things are influencing our thoughts and motives (movies, magazines, books, friends, etc.). Examine your heart and your motive every day. Purity also includes how you treat others - with respect, honor, and genuine love. Keep Philippians 4:8 in your mind! Is ____ true, honest, just, pure, lovely, etc.??
Have I examined my heart and my motives? What is influencing me?
verses: Psalm 51:10, Philippians 4:8

Matthew 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. NASB


Many now are watching the footsteps that we take,
Many soon will follow in the choices that we make.
So let us then be faithful, to be what we should be,
And leave a good example that they can clearly see.

Be an example of the believers in word and in conduct,
Be steadfast, in love, in faith, in purity of life;
For those behind us, let us stand within the gap
And make a difference in their lives.
Be an example to follow Christ.

Let us then be watching the weary, day by day,
Looking to encourage and to lead them in the way.
To run the race with patience, on Jesus fix their eyes
And challenge them with excellence, that they might win the prize.
~Mac and Beth Lynch


You tell on yourself by the friends you seek,
By the very manner in which you speak,
By the way you employ your leisure time,
By the use you make of dollar and dime.
 
You tell on yourself by the things you wear,
By the spirit in which your burdens you bear,
By the type of things at which you laugh,
By the records you play on your phonograph.
 
You tell what you are by the way you walk,
By the things of which you delight to talk,
By the manner in which you can bear defeat,
By so simple a thing as how you eat.
 
By the books you choose from the library shelf,
By these things and more, you tell on yourself.
- Author Unknown

Book Recommendation!

Each girl was challenged to spend seven days working on developing gratefulness in her life! Each day's assignment came from this great little booklet by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, The Attitude of Gratitude: Developing a Grateful Heart.

Have you written any letters of gratefulness recently? Let this quote inspire you!

"A handwritten note is like dining by candlelight instead of flicking on the lights, like making a gift instead of ordering a product, like taking a walk instead of driving. Handwritten notes will add a lot to your life. You can still use the telephone or the Web for the daily chores of staying in touch, but for the words that matter, it's courteous, classy, caring, and civilized to pick up a pen."
-Margaret Shepherd

...so get writing!