Week 12: Days 78 - 84

This week, our devotional study covered several thought provoking subjects: Satan's attack, salvation, obedience, what it means to follow Christ, redemption, and forgiveness. Whew! Quite a lot to process!

Processing the horrific nature of Christ's torture and death on the cross is a tall order and I'm not sure that I will ever be able to grasp the magnitude of His sacrifice while I live here on earth. I try, but it is just so big! But, I have seen evidence of His obedience, sacrifice and forgiveness in my own life.

As I continue to study Scripture and grow in my faith, the more I find that when we focus on what Jesus did for us, the more equipped we are to handle the challenges that we encounter. What if He had walked on past the cross? Where would we be?

For many years I was under the influence of the enemy – I was living the so-called “good life” and enjoying myself – but I now realize that Jesus was always there waiting for me to lead the true good life with Him. He forgave me over and over and over again – still does. During this week's study, I imagined each time that He forgave me as another blow of the hammer against the nail piercing His flesh. “Thank you, Jesus” seems hardly adequate to express my gratitude.

On page 407 of the devotional, Beth writes, “If the cross is about anything at all, it is about forgiveness. Forgiveness of the most incorrigible and least deserving.” She was referring to Jesus' request to His Father to forgive those who tortured him, nailed him to the cross, and hoisted it upright where Jesus would die. But, remember it applies to us as well. When we are influenced by the world and sin, are we not incorrigible and undeserving? Beth continues by reminding us that “the cross has no power” nor is it “meant to be an idol.” But it represents a place where we can crucify our old selves (Gal. 2:20), our sinful nature (Gal. 5:24), and our worldly interests (Gal. 6:14).

I'm nailing my “uglies” to the cross so that I can live trusting Jesus, who lives in me and “who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)

Ladies, I pray for you to live trusting Jesus to forgive because He loves you and gave himself for you. Thank you, Jesus!

Week 11: Days 71 - 77

I realize that it has been a few weeks since I've given y'all my “don't worry if you're behind, pick up where you left off, it doesn't matter if you take 365 days” spiel! A few ladies mentioned to me that they aren't “journalers” and that's okay. There are many days that I don't journal, but take notes or just soak in the lesson.

Days 71 through 77 cover signs of Jesus' return, the Passover meal Jesus shared with the disciples right before His death, and Judas' betrayal.

Jesus' return will be unmistakable and impossible to miss! Based on the gospel of Luke, Beth highlighted several things that would increase at the end of the age. There will be an increase in:

• Christian's longing for His return,
• the number of false-Messiah's,
• depravity,
• violence and cataclysmic events,
• worldwide witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and
• activity of the Holy Spirit. (p.347-349)

With all the horrible things going on in our world (9/11, wars, tornadoes, floods, tsunamis, etc.) I can't help but wonder how close Jesus' return might be. Then, I realize that there are so many people in the world who have yet to hear the gospel. There is much more work to be done to bring the Word of God to the lost.

So many important lessons occurred during Jesus' final Passover meal with the disciples. Jesus was to fulfill the gospel preached to Abraham and become our substitute offering for our sins. Jesus became our Passover lamb. But, while Jesus was preparing himself for the sacrifice that He knew was coming, his disciples got in a squabble over who was greatest. If it were me, I would have been really tempted to give them a swift kick in the pants! However, Jesus patiently reinforced a lesson on humility that would eventually turn the status-seeking disciples into humble servants. (p.371)

It is so easy to get all caught up in our accomplishments; to feel good about ourselves and what we're doing, but Jesus tells us to take our eyes off ourselves to become humble servants.

Jesus chose Judas as one of his disciples, but Judas' own ambition left him wide open for Satan to take control of his life. He followed Jesus for years, but never gave his heart to Him. Instead, Judas made the choice to betray Jesus for his own gain. In the end, he gained nothing even though he tried to right his wrongs. How sad that he took his own life without experiencing God's gift of grace that could have been his through Jesus Christ. (p.357)

Ladies, I can't believe how fast the summer has flown by...I know I've said that before, but it is seriously shocking to me! I'm really looking forward to sharing brunch with you on August 30^th. It's going to be fun, fun, fun!

I thank God for giving me this blessed opportunity to share in God's Word with you. I pray that you are all staying well and safe in the heat.

Week 10: Days 64 - 70

Hello, Ladies!

First, I hope to see you at the Fall Women's Brunch on Tuesday, August 30^th from 9:30 AM until 11:30 AM. We are going to have a fabulous time of "sistership" sharing delicious food, conversation, inspiration and prizes! Please let me know if you will attend.

Also, the Fall Women's Bible Study will begin on Tuesday, September 13^th. We will be studying Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted with Priscilla Shirer. She is a fabulous Bible teacher and I am so excited to get into this study!

This week, I'm sharing my favorite Beth Moore quotes from Days 64 through 70 of Jesus: 90 Days with the One and Only. Enjoy!

“Let's state a serious fact based on Matthew 18: events or situations can actually cause people to sin.” p.309

“A critical part of my own personal freedom in Christ has been asking God to help me search my heart, soul, and mind for vulnerabilities to foolish decisions.” p.309

“...let's be on our guard never to cause another person to sin. The Word is clear we have that potential.” p.311

“Few things cause people to sin like unforgiveness. Difficult-to-forgive circumstances can set a trap. And Satan is very adept at using unforgiveness as bait to entrap us in sin (2 Cor. 2:10-11) p.315

“...Psalm 34:18, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”” p.319

“When we judge a brother's or sister's sin as so much worse than our own, we are like lepers counting spots.” p.320

“May I never boast in anything except the cross of Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal. 6:14)” p.326

“Sometimes when our possessions have us, we have to get rid of them to be free.” p.329

“Jesus said something like: “Yes, an eternal inheritance involves sacrifice here on earth, but whatever you lay down here for My sake, you will receive a hundred times as much in eternity.”” p.329

“Don't you think Christ delights in our glad responses, when we rejoice to obey Him? Let me be clear that God honors obedience even when we're kicking and screaming. But can you imagine how blessed He is when we're eager to do His will?” p.334

“...change is not only possible, it's also gloriously inevitable, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you [and in me] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).” p.339

“God isn't looking to take away our possessions. He is looking to make His Son our greatest possession.” p.339

Wow! There are some pretty convicting statements there that have given me much to think about this week.

Week 9: Days 57 - 63

I have experienced a bout of writer's block today. I had been looking over my notes from Days 57 through 63 and rereading sections of the book, but I couldn't seem to formulate a simple thought let alone something that might be vaguely inspirational, informational or ... Nothing. I've got nothing! Since the left side of my brain appeared to be malfunctioning when I was ready to write, I turned to a right-brain project that I started last week. And, I finished it!

I hope my digital art piece inspired by The Apostles Creed makes up for my lack of words this week!

Mark Your Calendars!

August 30, 2011 at 9:30 am – St. Philip's Women's Brunch

September 13, 2011 – Fall Semester Women's Bible Study Begins

There will be more details coming on both very soon!

I'm praying that you all are well and have been enjoying the summer.

{Credits} Art from the Heart, a collaborative kit by the Digiridoo Scraps Design Team; Morning Bloom by Dana's Footprint Designs and Mad Genius Designs; Art Journal Elements by Sarah Barber Designs; Amethyst Charm by Lou Cee Creations; Things Girls Like by Chocolate Geranium Designs; Tranquility, a collaborative kit by the Digiridoo Scraps Design Team; Circle of Friends, a collaborative kit by the Digiridoo Scraps Design Team; Hopes and Dreams, Twitterpated and Creative Motives by Dee Bee Designs; Monday's Child by Fiddlette Designs; Amazing Life and Alpha Mess by Kristen; Serene by Just Jaimee; Joy of Mary by artgeek707; Fragile Globe by kayaksailor

{Fonts} Artistamp Medium, Angelina, Pea Paula Pepin, Berylium, Orial and MTF Chubb

Week 8: Days 50 - 56

When I sit down to write for the blog, I go back through my notes from the week and usually something pops into my mind that starts my writing process. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to formulate and other times it just comes to me and I begin to type. This afternoon, I started going through my notes and soon started typing away...

Lord Jesus, we love you with all our heart, all our soul and all our strength. Please help us to be discerning, humble and obedient. Give us the courage to be totally honest about getting rid of our “stuff” so that we can take up our cross daily and follow You. You are worth it! Lord, help us manage our thoughts. Keep us from boasting our greatness and judging others' attitudes and behavior. Only You are great! And, you are the final judge. We pray that the non-believers around the world are moved by the Holy Spirit to repent and receive Your mercy. We long for them to be forgiven and to enjoy an eternal relationship with You. Jesus, thank you for taking any rejection or unfairness aimed at us as your own. And, thank you for this group of women. We are at all different stages of life, yet we come together as sisters through You. Please continue to provide us with companionship to do the work you call us to do. Fill us with the desire to take a chance when called to something that may seem unreasonable. We long to base our joy not on our own accomplishments, but on who we are – children of God who have our names written in heaven! Thank you for the power given to us through the Holy Spirit. Help us to exercise that power to avoid defeat at the hand of the enemy. Lord, you command us to love our neighbors. Give us the compassion to feel it and not just do it because it's right. Guide us to overcome any thoughts or feelings or “justifications” that keep us from loving those in need regardless of who they are or where they live. Jesus, we invite you into our homes and we give you our hearts. We know that many things in our lives are important, but only You are essential. Jesus, we can rest easy knowing that You are stronger than Satan, that you have promised to take back everything he has stolen from us, and that our Father will continue to give more than the enemy can take. With agalliao*-joy, Amen!

*Refer to Jesus: 90 Days with the One and Only, page 254 for definition.

Manipulated photograph by breakerr

Week 7: Days 43 - 49

So right here and now I am all in

‘Cause I’m letting go of everything I am

And I’m holding on to everything You are

I’m letting go of everything I once was

I’m all in

I thought of the above lyrics from Toby Mac's song “All In (Letting Go)” when I sat down to summarize Days 43 through 49. Jesus wants us to be all in. All in. All the time.

I wasn't familiar with the passage that we read on Day 46 from Colossians. In fact, I haven't done much study in the book of Colossians at all, so I decided to dig a bit.

Paul was imprisoned in Rome when he wrote this letter to the Colossians. He had never visited Colosse, but the church there was founded by those he converted while on his travels. He learned that the church in Colosse and nearby Laodicea had been tainted by some believers combining elements of paganism and secular philosophy with Christianity. They were twisting Christianity to fit their own needs. These are people who accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior, but they eventually fell for false teachings. Accepting Christ as our Lord is just the beginning of our life and relationship with Him.

Beth did a detailed study of verses 2 and 3 in the study beginning on page 219. She summarizes that we have both security and mystery in Christ - He meets our emotional and mental needs.

In verses 6 and 7, Paul reminds the Colossians, Laodicians and us that after we have accepted Jesus as our Lord, we must continue to follow Him – deny ourselves and pick up our cross daily (Luke 9:23) and build our lives on Him and His truth. When we are “all in”, our faith will grow stronger and we will be filled to overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:7)

From our study during Days 43 through 49, we can let go and be all in by:

  - Keeping in mind the things of God rather than the things of man,
  - Denying ourselves (specifically reliance on our own authority) and surrendering to Jesus daily,
  - Being ready and willing to receive what Jesus reveals when we cry out, “Lord, I want to know You!”,
  - Accepting that our emotional and mental needs are met by Jesus,
  - Building our lives on Christ, who we have accepted as Lord,
  - Opening ourselves to seeing His glory and power when He takes us out of our element,
  - Putting our confidence in Jesus rather than ourselves to act in faith, and
  - Boldly asking God for the bold faith we lack.

Right here and right now, I am all in!

I hope you enjoyed the Fall Bible Study sneak peek on Tuesday. I'm really excited about this study and believe that it will be an outstanding follow up to our summer of discovering what a movement looks like in each of us.

Fall Bible Study Sneak Peek

That's right, ladies! Here is a sneak peek at our Fall Women's Bible Study, Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer!


Jonah: LifeWay Women Bible Study, Priscilla Shirer from LifeWay Women on Vimeo.

Details and registration will be coming soon, but I just could not wait to give you a little peek!

I am on vacation this week, so I set this up to automatically post on the blog. I may have something else to post from the One and Only study or I may not have something for Week 7 until I return.

Have a blessed week!

Week 7: Days 36 - 42

As you know, last week was Vacation Bible School at St. Philip's. What an amazing, hot, fun-filled, exhausting and totally awesome week! Throughout the week, the children learned how much they are like Jesus when he was a boy in Nazareth. Jesus had a family, a name, a home, went to church and served others...and they do too.

As I talked with my girls about the lessons they learned at VBS, it struck me how much I want them to have a solid relationship and friendship with Jesus throughout their whole life. Not waiting until they're forty-something to fully embrace Jesus as their friend! The idea of being friends with Jesus is a big idea for a six- and eight-year old to grasp...it's a big idea for a forty-something year old to grasp! But, oh how sweet it is once we start to drink in all He has to share with us.

This week's study devotions where so special to me. You know when you have those weeks when you feel like the lessons were created just for you? This week was for me! Here are a few highlights that I jotted down this week...

Day 36 – Satan is just looking for those who isolate themselves from the support of others and when he finds them, he will have a field day.

Day 37 – Throughout his ministry on earth, Jesus displayed his compassion for the weak who honestly and humbly admit how desperately they need Him.

Day 38 – There is no limit the Christ's power. When we act in faith, even our smallest concern does not go unnoticed by Christ.

Day 39 – Our calling is to surrender to God!

Day 40 – Give as freely as you have received! Matthew 10:8b (NLT)

Day 41 – Am I thinking in “faith-mode” or practicing “fragmented-faith”? Christ does not plan to meet some of our needs, He can meet all our needs. See Day 38!

Day 42 – We won't experience divine approval unless we step out of our comfort zone and say, “Yes!” When we are willing to say, “Yes!” we won't leave empty-handed.

There was so much awesome content to study and ponder over this week! Was there anything that made you think, “Wow! I needed to read that today!”

We are nearly half way through the summer and our study. I'm looking forward to beginning a new study with you in August! It will be here before we know it...did you see that the stores are already stocking shelves with school supplies?! Have a wonderful week, ladies!

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Week 5: Days 29 - 35

I cannot believe that we're nearing the end of June. It feels like the girls just got out of school yesterday... and then, there are the days that it seems like they've been out for six months!

I pray that you are enjoying the summer and your time in God's Word as you draw closer to Jesus. I've run into several of you in the past few weeks and I just want to hug you when you feel obliged to confess that you're behind. Don't worry about getting “behind”,  but don't completely give up on your 90 days with Jesus either. It may take you 180 or 365 days to complete the devotional, but please don't put the book and your Bible on the bookshelf because you think you're behind. You are exactly where you need to be right now!

I'd like to share a few words of encouragement that touched me this week. They come from a fictional book and a magazine article. God really does speak to us in all sorts of ways!

“It's always easier to hold our your arm and say, 'Don't get near me, Jesus,' and then just criticize all the bad things around us. It is scary...to get to know Jesus the way you know your best friend. But if you want to change, that's what has got to happen. There's no other religion that has a personal God... No other religion where their god came down to earth and sacrificed himself out of love. If you want to be a Christian, you've got to realize that it's all about knowing God, knowing Jesus. Not a religion. Not just going to church.”¹

It's all about knowing God, knowing Jesus.

Candace embraced the idea of living in relationship with Christ and allowed the Holy Spirit to move into her life. “I had to let the Spirit really move in – unpack His bags and even rearrange the furniture in my life,” she says.²

Let the Holy Spirit move in, unpack His bags and rearrange some of the furniture.

Have a blessed week!

¹ The Swan House by Elizabeth Musser, p. 189

² Life Beautiful Magazine, “Finding Her Balance” by Julie Martens, Summer 2011

Week 4: Days 22 - 28

Last week, I mentioned that The Reverend Greg Methvin's topic for his sermon on Sunday, June 19th was Movement: Focused on Jesus. What an awesome sermon! Reverend Methvin's message was a wonderful complement to our devotional study. If you didn't get to hear his sermon on Sunday, listen to it online here.

 

One of my favorite questions from this week's study was when Beth asked us to think about the subtle differences between working “for” Jesus and working “with” Him. I pondered this for quite awhile and looked up “for” and “with” on Merriam-Webster online (Yes, I'm a word nerd!). After my research and pondering, I think that working “for” Jesus implies that we are working on our own, but on behalf of Jesus. He tells us what He wants done and we go out and do it. Working “with” Jesus implies a side-by-side activity. He tells us what He wants done and works alongside us to get it done. Working “with” Jesus sounds a lot less stressful and a lot more fun to me! What do you think?

Jesus told his disciples, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15)

 

Reverend Methvin reminded us that as disciples of Christ, we are not His servant, but His friend. Jesus wants to be in a dynamic, give and take relationship with us. He wants to work alongside us to fulfill His purpose for our lives here on this earth.

Over the next several weeks, many in our St. Philip's family will be working alongside Jesus as they serve near and far...a team of volunteers is making lunches for Bright Zone kids this week and reading with them throughout the summer, a group of families will travel to Nocona this week, a team will travel to Belize later in the week, the VBS team will be staying in Frisco next week but taking more than 160 children on a journey to Jesus' hometown, and the youth group will travel to Tahlequah, OK in July. Keep these friends of Jesus in your prayers!

Week 3: Days 15 - 21

Several years ago, I was in marketing at a large software company. My team focused on the portion of a suite of products that the company intended to be it's big money maker. Our team's motto for marketing and advertising was, “Make Noise”. We wanted the industry to take notice and more importantly, we wanted potential customers to take notice and believe that we had the best product.

This week, we saw how the enemy made noise as Jesus' ministry was beginning. Satan's intent was to tempt Jesus and to distract others from His message. Satan is still in the business of making noise. He wants us to take notice and believe what he is selling. Don't buy it! Even if he is offering 50% off! Instead, invite Jesus into your home. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Ps. 100:1), and fight the enemy's noisy temptations with the power of Scripture.

How does the enemy distract or tempt you with noise? Satan knows me well and knows that I can be totally distracted by my own musings. He fills my head with all sorts of thoughts, scenarios and imaginary conversations that cause me to live inside my head all too often. I can get all worked up over something without leaving my chair or interacting with anyone!

In Luke 4, Jesus came face to face with Satan's noise when he was hungry and, very likely, quite tired. How do you quiet the noise? Jesus beat the enemy's temptations with Scripture! When we are overcome with noise that disrupts our life or tempts us to the edge, you can be sure that it is Satan at work and he isn't going to try just once. I usually turn to Christian music to beat the enemy's noise. There isn't any room for his noisy nonsense when I'm belting out (admittedly off key) a song giving praise to my Creator! How about you?

Do you have a “life passage”? Scripture that has special meaning for you or is your “go to scripture” when you need to quiet the enemy? You may think that there isn't one for you or that you don't know the Bible well enough to figure out what it is for you. Beth Moore mentions Isaiah 61:1-2 as one of her dearest life passages (pg. 83) and it is certainly a passage that should be dear to all of us. This is why Jesus came!

Jesus came to...
Fill us with the good news,
Heal and restore us when we are broken,
Offer us freedom,
Clear our spiritual vision, and
Release us from Satan's oppression...
Now!

There is a big difference between believing in Jesus and having a relationship with Him. He came long ago so that we could have an abundant life right now. A life filled with joy because He is our best friend! We don't need to seek fulfillment from things or people when we have a relationship with the One and Only. Let Him fill your cup and then, shout to the Lord because nothing compares to the promises we have in Him!

Father, thank you for the promises You made and You keep. Thank you for filling us and healing us and carrying us when we can't even think about putting one foot in front of the other. Lord, guide and protect us as we navigate this world full of noise. Amen!

Week 2: Days 8 - 14

You may have noticed that I jumped ahead to the content included in Day 8 last week when I asked you to imagine Mary's thoughts and feelings upon the birth of Jesus. I intended for you to paint your own picture before Beth gave us her imagined account of that first night that Mary held her son. I get that feeling – you know that feeling deep inside you that goes beyond description – every time I think about young Mary holding her newborn son!

We covered a lot of ground this week! We went from the first night of Jesus' birth, to his circumcision 8 days after his birth, followed by his presentation at the temple 33 days later, to his three days with the teachers in the temple when he was 12, and finally his baptism performed by his cousin John in the Jordan River.

Not only did our study cover several years of Jesus' life, we also covered a lot of really important subjects related to our relationship with Jesus. I've tried to summarize the highlights with a few sentences below, but if you have something else that jumped out at you, please share it in the comments.

Prayer Jesus loves to hear from us even though He knows everything; He wants us to talk him and to ask questions. And, when we talk to Him, He will answer us! We may not like His answer, or we may not understand it, or we may have to wait for it and that wait may take us to eternity, but have no doubt that there will always be an answer. From my own experience, I know that God answers us in all sorts of ways. Just last week I read a random blog post on a site that I had never visited until that day and there was wisdom straight from scripture for a very confusing situation that I had been praying about for months...seriously!

Being About God The more precise translation of Luke 2:49 that Beth gives – “Didn't you know that I had to be about my Father?” (pg. 53) – really got me thinking. What does it mean to be about God? The word about can mean “to be near” or it can mean “in the make up of” and it can also mean “fundamentally concerned with.” Is being about God related to Father Clay's question to us, “What does a movement look like in me?” Is being about God where your movement starts?

Ordinary Folks I had to laugh when I read, “I simply cannot IMAGINE Christ not being BEAUTIFUL...”(p. 57 – emphasis mine) because as I read it I heard Beth's voice in my head saying it and when she got to the word beautiful, saying it in that nearly breathless whisper of hers. I tried to convey that with my typed emphasis! Her point though is to remind us that Jesus came to to earth as an ordinary baby and grew into an ordinary looking man to teach and serve ordinary folks. He isn't way above our heads or out of our reach.

Repentance Talking about confessing our sins is an uncomfortable subject, isn't it? But, after finishing day 13, I had a different feeling about confession and repentance. I liked being reminded that we have already received salvation through Christ and that the confession of our sins is refreshment for our soul. It shouldn't be painful. When we turn to God to confess our sins and seek repentance, it should feel like a tall glass of cold lemonade for our soul. We are ready to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be about our Father!

Meeting Christ My favorite sentence from Beth's fictional account of John baptizing Jesus is, “He [Jesus] walked out of those waters and into our lives, interrupting a fallen world with grace and truth.” (p. 68) He walked into my life and your life! Beth gave us plenty of room to recapture that moment when we first met Christ. I hope that you filled that space and maybe more with your memories of that moment when He walked into your life!

Discussion Questions

What does being about God mean to you?

Day 9 (Luke 2:21 – 24) covered the typical rituals followed by devout Jewish parents of a newborn. Which religious customs and disciplines carry the most meaning for you – not just in their warm feelings of nostalgia but in their true spiritual significance?

How has God answered your questions or spoke to you? Was it through scripture? With a random thought? With a recurring thought? Through a friend? During your quiet time? While you were sitting in the car pool line? In an email?

I hope that you'll share some or all of your answers to these questions in the comment section. Also, feel free to share anything else that touched you during this week. If you're unsure about how to leave a comment on the blog, click HERE for instructions.

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Your One and Only to walk into our lives and for the refreshment we receive through your Word. Thank you for blessing Beth Moore with her unique gifts that guide and encourage us to draw closer to You. We long to be women about You! Guide us to be the women You intend for us to be, using our unique gifts to serve others and glorify You. Amen!

Week 1: Days 1 - 7

How did your first week go? If you're "behind", no worries! Just pick up where you left off and visit the blog every 14 days to check in with the rest of the group. Let's recap and discuss the first seven days...

How many times have we heard the Christmas story? We know the details. We know God chose Mary to be the mother of his only son. We know that Joseph didn't run for the hills when he got the news. We know that the baby was born in a stable in Bethlehem. We know he was named Jesus.

I don't in any way want to diminish the beauty and power and awe of the story of Christ's birth. I get all teary-eyed every time I think about it!

But, there are details that we don't know and I love that Beth encouraged us to let our imagination fill in the blanks -- imagine the emotion and the uncertainty of being a new mother compounded by the knowledge that this baby is the Messiah! Did you sit back for a moment and let that just wash over you?


Discussion Questions...

1. What question would you want to ask Mary if you get the chance in heaven?

2. When have you been stunned by something God did for you and wondered, "Who am I that You would even look upon me?"

3. What has God shown you in your own life about His timing...His perfect timing? This question is from page 28 in your book.

I hope that you'll share some or all of your answers to these questions in the comment section. Also, feel free to share anything else that touched you during this first week. If you're unsure about how to leave a comment on the blog, click here for instructions.

Father, we are common women who long to know and strenghthen our relationship with you and your son. Help us to encourage each other and others as we ask you to work in us. Thank You for your Word that teaches us and nourishes us. Thank You for our sisters in Christ here and around the world who strive to glorify You and bring your Word to the lost. And, thank You for sending your son for our freedom. Amen.

Image: Oil on canvas by artist, Mark Sanislo

Let's Get Started!

The right focus of our faith will bring Jesus into clear view. To focus on Jesus means to be taken up with Him, to put Him at the center, to listen to what He says, and to see life from His perspective. Faith looks in the wrong direction when it focuses on us, on our problems, on others, on the world, or on the enemy.


We need to turn the eyes of our faith away from everything, anything, or anyone that distracts us from seeing Jesus. As we see Jesus, our faith will not be focused on our sins, but on the Savior; not on our failures, but on the Victor; not on our hurts, but on the Healer; not on our weaknesses, but on the Almighty One; not on our ages, but on the Lord of the Ages; not on our needs, but on the Provider; not on our anxieties, but on the Prince of Peace; not on our circumstances, but on the Shepherd; not on our problems, but on the All Sufficient One who is with you always.
-Roy Lessin, DaySpring Co-Founder, Meet Me in the Meadow blog post, May 16, 2011

Over the next 90 days we will focus on the life of Jesus, The One and Only. We will be taken up by Him, put Him at the center, listen to what He says and take a look at His life to put our lives in perspective.

Take time each day to learn more and grow closer to Jesus. This study isn't about learning the facts of Jesus' life; it's about growing your personal relationship with Him. Each day there are two questions following the scripture reading and before Beth's "take" on the scripture. There are no right or wrong answers for these questions; no answer key in the back of the book. This is for you to jot down your personal thoughts, feelings and reactions related to the scripture. At the conclusion of each day, there is a whole page for prayer. Don't get caught up in the praying scripture title on the page...that is not how I pray either! Read Beth's scriptural prayer and write to God, our Loving Father about what is on your heart.

Tip: Date each day in your book. I did this study several years ago and as I recently looked back over some of my entries, I wish that I would have dated them.

Ladies, I am so excited to take this journey with you! Below is the schedule that I will follow for emails and blog posts. Don't worry if you get behind a day or two or ten! Just pick up where you left off and use the schedule to follow along when you complete another week. You'll notice that the schedule is conveniently broken into 7 day chunks...I thought the whole 7 day thing that God came up with is quite good, so that's what I went with for our study! I will post every Tuesday...hopefully, in the morning, but I won't make any promises. I'll just do my best!

Please email me at kprahl@me.com or call me at 214.663.6150 if you have any questions or would like to let us know about a small group gathering. I also hope that you'll use the comment feature on the blog to interact and stay connected. Click HERE for a short tutorial about posting comments if you aren't familiar. The same link is also over there in the right column at the top if you need a refresher!

Grab your Devotional Book and your Bible along with your favorite pen/pencil and a highlighter, and let's get started!

The "Schedule"
Please don't stress out at the thought of a schedule! This is more of an outline that will help me stay on track and help you get caught up if you should miss a few days, but still want to participate in the discussion. The weeks will run from Wednesday through Tuesday, with new posts on Tuesdays.

May 25 - May 31: Introduction and Days 1 - 7
June 1 - 7: Days 8 - 14
June 8 - 14: Days 15 - 21
June 15 - 21: Days 22 - 28
June 22 - 28: Days 29 - 35
June 29 - July 5: Days 36 - 42
July 6 - July 12: Days 43 - 49
July 13 - 19: Days 50 - 56
July 20 - July 26: Days 57 - 63
July 27 - August 2: Days 64 - 70
August 3 - August 9: Days 71 - 77
August 10 - 16: Days 78 - 84
August 17 - 22: Days 85 - 90
August 23 - 29: Get caught up or review some of you favorite days or more challenging days.

August 30th, 9:30 - 11:30 Get Together in the Narthex 

Welcome!

Just for this summer, in place of our weekly meetings, we will offer a self-led Women's Book Study and meet once at the end of the summer. During this self-led study you will take a personal daily walk with Jesus while reading Jesus: 90 Days with the One and Only by Beth Moore. We will meet on Tuesday, August 30 to reflect on our journey and get a chance to discuss where your journey took you! The book is available in the narthex for $18.50 and is also available at Mardel, Family Christian Book Store and on the Christian Book (http://www.christianbook.com/) website. To sign-up or for more information please contact Britt Lange at brittlange@stphilipsfrisco.org or Kelley Prahl at kprahl@me.com.

Please make sure you sign-up so that we can keep you in the loop via email. Each week I (Kelley) will send out an email with information, thoughts and questions to further your journey. That information will also be posted on this blog, so you can comment or ask questions and get involved in a discussion.

Since many of us can't imagine a summer without seeing each other, several ladies have also expressed a desire to coordinate small groups who will meet at various times and places throughout the summer. Watch here for more information about small groups or contact Kelley Prahl at kprahl@me.com if you would like to host a group or if you are looking for a group.

I am looking forward to sharing this journey with you!
Blessings,
Kelley