Fall - Ladies Night Out

Welcome Fall! It's long awaited arrival is a worthy of a celebration! Ladies + food + door prizes + decorations + fun = the perfect components to welcome what many of us would proclaim as our "favorite season."

Sarah C, Sandra, Tim (and Ayla) did a beautiful job with the decorations. Don't you think?

We celebrated with a good old fashioned soup supper. (That's why I couldn't resist downloading these pictures in black and white.)

Lisa... almost, friend... almost. Can barely see you at all.

There were a few flies that did NOT get the memo that Fall is here.

Hence... Sanni, our fearless fly swatter.

A special thank you to Becky Patton who brought our devotion for the evening and reminded us that the beauty of our creation reveals the beauty of our Creator. The vibrancy of His love for us can be seen in every color of Autumn.

We missed all of you who were unable to join us. Make a note on your calendars for Tuesday, November 16. The WOM and Women's Ministry will host a "taste and see" of recipes from the 2010 Arkansas Children's Home cookbook.

See you soon,

Tonya

The End

Our Me, Myself, and Lies Bible study has come to it’s end. We met for our final session last night. I will be forever changed because of both this study and the bible study buddies who journeyed this way as well.

We have all asked ourselves, “Am I the only person who feels this way? Struggles in these ways? Am I the only person who doesn't have it all together?”

The truth is we are far more similar than we are different. We share many the same fears, likes, disappointments, joys, insecurities, challenges. We are fallen individuals who live in a fallen world, but in Jesus Christ, we have CONNECTION. In Jesus Christ we have HOPE.

God is enough. If that could be a theme for these past several weeks, it would be that. Wherever you mind tries to take you, cover it with the truth that in all these things... GOD IS ENOUGH!

Lamentations 3: "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

I cant wait for the next journey in God’s word we will take together!

Until then...

See you soon,

Tonya

Wear Us Well

Me Myself and Lies Ladies Bible study will meet for our last session this THURSDAY, June 10th, @ 6 pm.

I know that summer is calling out and pressing in, but try to join us if time permits. Our meeting time this week makes for short days to complete the homework, but come even if you haven't been able to get it all done.

I will be forever changed from this study...in both how I see myself and the way I think about my surroundings. And, more importantly, how I see my God. I am constantly more mindful of the trail my thoughts begin to take, and for that I am grateful.

This week we looked at 1 Cor 3:16. "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

A familiar verse, but approached in a new way, I had never thought of myself as what Christ “wears.” We are the flesh and bones that He dons every day trying to reach His world. We think so much about what we put on our bodies, but do we remember that we are what He puts on His? We are His wardrobe.

Does He wear you well?

As I contemplated this before the Lord, these are the words that came.

Not too pretty, but honest...

Wear Me Well

If I were a garment...hmmm...let me see

Hanging on the King of Kings

What kind of garment would I be?

A little tattered, a little torn

Pulled and stretched

A little worn

There’s a hole here and there

A stitch out of place

Things I meant to mend, but got too busy in the race

The hem is not quite even

The cuffs are somewhat frayed

The girdle’s tight and scratchy, but keeps things in their place.

A train stretches from the skirt

Way out from behind

It carries upon it memories and moments of indelible time

The slick outerwear

Shelters from the mud

Zippers here and there are to hide away a grudge

Shoulder pads are inserted

To look taller than I am

The belt keeps all the baggage from falling to the ground

And, many colors make up this coat

Happy yellow, melancholy blue

Incensed red and complacent chartreuse

Unfit for a King He dons me each day

Trying to reach HIS world in any possible way.

Resting on HIS shoulders

It really is a sight

Only He can come and save me from this unsightly plight

Lord, clean out every pocket

Remove every stain

Outerwear's not needed when covered in your name

Even out this hem of mine

Repair the rips and holes

Bring the bleach and oxyclean, make me white as snow

YOU put me on every single day

A place where you choose to dwell

Lord, make this garment fit for you

That YOU would wear me well.

See you soon,

Tonya

A Look in the Mirror

We will not meet for Bible study on May 30th due to it being a holiday weekend.

So, take some time to catch up on your homework if you need it.

We'll meet again on Sunday, June 6. Only 2 sessions to go.

Our study this past week encouraged us to BE ALERT! The enemy knows our weak points and loves to trigger them whenever he can. If we recognize those tendencies within ourselves that need extra helpings of reinforcement by the Holy Spirit, we are less susceptible to surprise tactics of the enemy.

I shared the following illustration in our group time. It was a real life experience that God frequently uses to remind me how short-sighted I can be when it comes to my own short-comings...

I was getting ready for bed one evening and as part of my normal routine, I pulled out a small pill. I placed the pill in the palm of my hand and "popped" it in my mouth. Only, I missed. I began searching the tile, the rug by the tub, the partially open make-up drawer, the sink, the cabinet... you get the idea. This went on for a good 5 minutes. Exasperated and frustrated I was surrendering to hopelessness when I looked straight in the mirror. There was the little pink “run-away” stuck right on the bottom of my chin! I got a good laugh at myself and understood a lesson I have not soon forgotten. We very often are the LAST person to recognize those unsightly qualities about ourselves. Had anyone else walked in to that bathroom, they could have easily seen what I could not. I was blind, until I looked into the reflection of the mirror. Likewise, I am often blind to my own "issues" until I am willing to look into the perfect reflection of God's word. It is the only gold standard through which to see ourselves.

I have loved this (Me, Myself and Lies) Bible study. Many of us have voiced God's approach of showing us ourselves. Even when we didn’t think we had need to look. Even when we didn’t want to look. He does so not to condemn us, but because He loves us too much to leave us like we are.

We need only to look in The Mirror.

See you soon,

Tonya

A Friend Indeed

Here’s a question for you...It’s of the true or false variety. (These were my favorite back in school because I knew I had at least a 50% chance of getting the answer right.)

True or false?

We each have a desire for intimate and authentic relationships, but we seldom ever find them?

In a world replete with the social net-workings of My Space, Face-book, Twitter, and text messaging it is interesting that genuine friendships elude us. Maybe, more so than ever before. While surfing these superhighways provide us a superficial connection, they do not allow heartfelt relation that comes only with innermost knowledge of another.

Past generations knew how to “do” community in a way that younger generations may miss in our techie society. As a young girl, I used to go with my grandparents regularly for homemade ice cream after Sunday night services at the home of fellow church members. Now, we barely find time to bring the Blue Bell and get together once a quarter.

We want intimacy in our relationships, but we will never find it on the run (or Face-book)! NOT with each other, and NOT with God. True relationship takes time and opportunity to grow.

What opportunities do you give God to get to know him? What opportunities do you give others to get to know you?

Another hindrance to real connection is all of that rotten fruit hanging from our trees (see the previous post). Pick any “fruit” and notice it contains some sort of relational component. It’s no wonder that when we dont allow God to deal with our “stuff” the first place our issues may surface is in our relationships. Rotten fruit is a repellant to any healthy bond.

It's also no wonder that one of the biggest issues with which women voiced they most commonly struggle is rejection. We were fashioned for relationship. (Genesis 1:27) But, we struggle with the flesh (Matt 26:41). That is why finding and maintaining friendships can be so hard!

I have learned, however, that no one usually gets in my way of a healthy connection more than I do.

In her book, So Long Insecurity, author and speaker, Beth Moore, says the following about insecurity. But, I think you could substitute any stronghold and the message would still hold true.

Insecurity can rob us of some of the richest woman to woman relationships of our lives. It turns potential friends into competitors. It can cause us to pursue associations from unwell or impure motives.

How do you view other women around you? Do you see potential friends or competitors? When she receives the promotion or the blessing that you wanted, can you still see her as a fellow journeyman with her own stories of triumph and heartache? No one walks on Earth long without a few scars. However, this we tend to forget and we start making comparisons of her life to ours.

We were designed for connection, not competition. Each individual’s journey is unique, but made to be lived out in community. There is strength in community.

Life is hard! We need each other.

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Ecc 4:12, NLT

We may also find that her story is not so different from our own.

See you soon,

Tonya

PS. This is week 4 of Me, Myself, and Lies. Half way there!

A Word for Today

I was sent a blog post by Lauren Redfern this morning, written by Marybeth Whalen. She thought it went well with some of the things we are identifying that we so often speak to our thought closets...and she is right. I have said these things to myself many, many times. I hope this encourages you as much as it did me. (Just click on the link below.)

Thanks, Lauren!

See you soon,

Tonya

Proverbs 31 Ministries

Roots and Fruits

This week in bible study we each brought an article from our closet that didn’t belong. Most of us did not really know why these items had come to find residence in our closets except for the fact that we just didn’t know what else to do with them.

The same is true in life. There are parts of us we just dont know how they got there or what to do with them.

Why do I react like I do sometimes? Why do I get so worked up? Why do I get so upset? Why do my feelings get hurt so easily? Why am I so angry? Why am I so sensitive? Why am I insecure? Why am I discontent?

Have you ever asked yourself these questions?

We probably all have at one time or another. Because we all have unwanted “fruit” on our trees.

Author, Jennifer Rothschild pointed out that the best way to understand the unseen part of a tree is to study the seen part. “Fruit reveals the nature, the life, and the root of a tree.” (Me, myself, and Lies, page 49)

Certainly good fruit is a product of a life surrendered to Jesus Christ as Savior of our souls. But, as we all know, in the battle against self, unwanted fruit can become manifest as we fight to surrender to Him as Lord of our every day lives as well.

Pettiness, insecurity, rivalry, anger, hatred, revenge, lies, depression, discontent, perfectionism, doubt, quarreling, paranoia, identity crisis, fear, isolation...to name some of the fruit that can weed its way into our daily life and relationships

We question... Why is this there? We dont like it! We dont want it! Why wont it go away? These fruits yield us nothing but TROUBLE! We ask and pray for them to no longer abide on our tree, but they linger like a sour apple.

Prayer is definitely the place to start. Recognizing and confessing is the first step, But if unwanted fruit is ever-present in your life, then a second question may be warranted...

What are you feeding your tree?

A tree can’t grow without proper food to nourish its roots. I found that my tree with unwanted fruit was often rooted in pride and nourished in the soils of unbelief.

Pride is no more than an unhealthy preoccupation with self --- be that self-exultation or self-condemnation --- both turn our thoughts away from God and on to us. If we really believed God was who he says he is and can do what he says he can do, how could we possibly be so preoccupied with ourselves (be those thoughts of high or low opinion).

Unbelief says that God is not able to change us, use us, mold us. That our circumstances are too big for Him OR that we are capable without God’s help.

Unbelief in God is food for the soils of self-worship.

The Bible is miracle grow for faith in the soul.

What are you feeding your tree?

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Rom 10:17, NIV.

God’s word penetrates the soils of our heart and aims right at the root of our fruit. Faith is that root from which all good fruit grows because its energy is focused not on our life but upon the One who gives life. The One who molds our hearts and changes our minds. The One who is bigger than any position we could ever face.

Keep feeding your tree the same old things, you will produce the same old fruit. BUT, give God the opportunity...

HE will feed your tree.

His fruit is much sweeter...

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. Gal 5:22, NIV.

See you in 2 weeks as we will not meet on Mother’s day. We will be discussing the homework and watching the video for week 3. Remember to bring one item from your closet that most identifies you.

See you soon,

Tonya