Hi Girlfriends,
I'm so sorry for my unexplained absence the past several days.
Have you ever found yourself in God's Waiting Room before? That's where I find myself now.... it can at times be very unsettling. However, that does not take away from the truth that God is God and that He never leaves us.
While God has me in this Waiting Room, I believe there are other things He is calling me to do right now. Things outside of this site.
I am not abandoning this site; however, I am putting it on "Pause" until God gives me the green light to start it back up.
It will give me time to write more in-depth devotionals, ones that are perhaps more challenging and inspiring to both me and you.
It will give me time to reconfigure this site to be a place where women truly congregate and interact with one another.
So for now I say Thank You. And I look forward to being back here.... in God's timing.
Love,
Becky
Monday, March 3, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Forgiving Friendships
Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with his four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah and Rachel and the two maidservants. He put the maidservants out in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. He led the way and, as he approached his brother, bowed seven times, honoring his brother. But Esau ran up and embraced him, held him tight and kissed him. And they both wept. (Genesis 33:1-4, MSG))
We have one Starbucks in town. OK, two if you count the one in Safeway. But as far as a for real, walk in and sit down Starbucks, there's one. I think the reason we women gravitate toward coffee houses is just as much for the chance to meet a friend and socialize as it is for the energy-boosting, get-you-through-the-day benefits of the caffeine itself.
Today was one such day for me. A very dear friend and I met. We talked, we laughed and we caught up on each other's lives. We also shed some tears as we talked through some hurts, offered forgiveness and restored the closeness in our friendship. It wasn't the first time for me; I had a very similar experience two years ago in that very same Starbucks. Different friend, different table, different set of circumstances, same coffee house, same kind of latte.
God created us women as emotional beings. For that reason, we love deeply, we invest deeply, we share deeply and we care deeply. However, we also hurt and get hurt easily. That's just us; we're emotional. When we hurt someone, or are hurt by someone, it's easy for us to avoid the relationship rather than correcting it. We don't always find it easy to be vulnerable and honest, and we don't find it easy to confront. We instead find it easy to run away or to harbor resentment. Then, as time goes by, we find ourselves missing the friendship that has been severed or altered.
The Bible is full of examples of how the power of forgiveness is able to restore close relationships. Jacob was so afraid of how Esau would react to his apology that he came up with a game plan for protecting his family, if necessary. However, it was not needed. As soon as Esau saw Jacob, he came running toward him with arms open wide and a heart full of forgiveness and joy. There are similar stories with Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 45), with Moses and his siblings (Numbers 12), and on and on and on.
I am so grateful that God has blessed me with friendships that have been through the wringer and back. We have a solid foundation because we've been able to be human, forgive each other, and move on.
Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32, MSG)
Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming with his four hundred men. He divided the children between Leah and Rachel and the two maidservants. He put the maidservants out in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. He led the way and, as he approached his brother, bowed seven times, honoring his brother. But Esau ran up and embraced him, held him tight and kissed him. And they both wept. (Genesis 33:1-4, MSG))
We have one Starbucks in town. OK, two if you count the one in Safeway. But as far as a for real, walk in and sit down Starbucks, there's one. I think the reason we women gravitate toward coffee houses is just as much for the chance to meet a friend and socialize as it is for the energy-boosting, get-you-through-the-day benefits of the caffeine itself.
Today was one such day for me. A very dear friend and I met. We talked, we laughed and we caught up on each other's lives. We also shed some tears as we talked through some hurts, offered forgiveness and restored the closeness in our friendship. It wasn't the first time for me; I had a very similar experience two years ago in that very same Starbucks. Different friend, different table, different set of circumstances, same coffee house, same kind of latte.
God created us women as emotional beings. For that reason, we love deeply, we invest deeply, we share deeply and we care deeply. However, we also hurt and get hurt easily. That's just us; we're emotional. When we hurt someone, or are hurt by someone, it's easy for us to avoid the relationship rather than correcting it. We don't always find it easy to be vulnerable and honest, and we don't find it easy to confront. We instead find it easy to run away or to harbor resentment. Then, as time goes by, we find ourselves missing the friendship that has been severed or altered.
The Bible is full of examples of how the power of forgiveness is able to restore close relationships. Jacob was so afraid of how Esau would react to his apology that he came up with a game plan for protecting his family, if necessary. However, it was not needed. As soon as Esau saw Jacob, he came running toward him with arms open wide and a heart full of forgiveness and joy. There are similar stories with Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 45), with Moses and his siblings (Numbers 12), and on and on and on.
I am so grateful that God has blessed me with friendships that have been through the wringer and back. We have a solid foundation because we've been able to be human, forgive each other, and move on.
Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32, MSG)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Talking with God
In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; (Romans 8:26, NASB)
I don't know about you, but there are times in my prayer life where I simply am at a loss. I feel overwhelmed by a situation and don't even know what to pray for, or I am going through something in my life that I don't know how to put into words, or I am wanting God's will and am not sure what it is or how to pray for it, or I am overwhelmed by God's goodness and don't know how to put what I am feeling into words that will do it any kind of justice.
That's when this verse in Romans just stands out. Is this not one of the coolest verses in the Bible on prayer??! Too often I feel like the responsibility of communicating adequately with God is all on my shoulders when in fact I have an unseen advocate who is taking what is in my heart and interceding on my behalf, on a level that goes far deeper than what I could ever experience or utter.
That is amazing. Truly amazing.
In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; (Romans 8:26, NASB)
I don't know about you, but there are times in my prayer life where I simply am at a loss. I feel overwhelmed by a situation and don't even know what to pray for, or I am going through something in my life that I don't know how to put into words, or I am wanting God's will and am not sure what it is or how to pray for it, or I am overwhelmed by God's goodness and don't know how to put what I am feeling into words that will do it any kind of justice.
That's when this verse in Romans just stands out. Is this not one of the coolest verses in the Bible on prayer??! Too often I feel like the responsibility of communicating adequately with God is all on my shoulders when in fact I have an unseen advocate who is taking what is in my heart and interceding on my behalf, on a level that goes far deeper than what I could ever experience or utter.
That is amazing. Truly amazing.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Importance of Friendship
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25, NLT)
On Friday night eleven girlfriends and myself got together for a night of Bunco. You could tell it had been way too long since we had been able to get together by the fact that we couldn't quit gabbing. One friend even drove an hour and a half each way just to be there. We spent the next couple of hours talking, laughing, eating, playing, and enjoying each other's company. We now have plans to make it a monthly event.
I know what you're thinking already: Where in the world is she going with this, and how does it constitute something spiritual?
So here's my answer: God created us for relationships, plain and simple. And for some reason He hard-wired us women to need those relationships with other women even more than men do with other men. (*Note: For scientific back-up of this fact, read the 2002 groundbreaking UCLA study that was done on women and stress.... www.anapsid.org/cnd/gender/tendfend.html).
I know that most of the time we hear the above verses being quoted in the context of not forsaking our involvement in the fellowship of the local church. And most of us have no problem with that one. Where we do fall short is in our meetings with each other. It's in those personal one-on-one (or one-on-eleven) times that we are truly able to connect with each other, to encourage each other, to support each other and to help each other grow. It's where we get our energy and where we are able to let go of the rest of the world for a while.
Life is busy; I know that. I also know that there are certain seasons of our lives where our priorities need to be focused on other people and things (namely, our families). However, we still need those friendships with the women in our lives, even if the friendships look different or are scaled back for a while.
Find a way to connect with the one, two or three women who are most important to you. Take the time, no matter how small, to "motivate one another to acts of love and good works". God created us to need one another. Who are we to question our Creator, right?.....
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25, NLT)
On Friday night eleven girlfriends and myself got together for a night of Bunco. You could tell it had been way too long since we had been able to get together by the fact that we couldn't quit gabbing. One friend even drove an hour and a half each way just to be there. We spent the next couple of hours talking, laughing, eating, playing, and enjoying each other's company. We now have plans to make it a monthly event.
I know what you're thinking already: Where in the world is she going with this, and how does it constitute something spiritual?
So here's my answer: God created us for relationships, plain and simple. And for some reason He hard-wired us women to need those relationships with other women even more than men do with other men. (*Note: For scientific back-up of this fact, read the 2002 groundbreaking UCLA study that was done on women and stress.... www.anapsid.org/cnd/gender/tendfend.html).
I know that most of the time we hear the above verses being quoted in the context of not forsaking our involvement in the fellowship of the local church. And most of us have no problem with that one. Where we do fall short is in our meetings with each other. It's in those personal one-on-one (or one-on-eleven) times that we are truly able to connect with each other, to encourage each other, to support each other and to help each other grow. It's where we get our energy and where we are able to let go of the rest of the world for a while.
Life is busy; I know that. I also know that there are certain seasons of our lives where our priorities need to be focused on other people and things (namely, our families). However, we still need those friendships with the women in our lives, even if the friendships look different or are scaled back for a while.
Find a way to connect with the one, two or three women who are most important to you. Take the time, no matter how small, to "motivate one another to acts of love and good works". God created us to need one another. Who are we to question our Creator, right?.....
Friday, February 22, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Intimately Known
God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand.
I'm an open book to you;
even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
I'm never out of your sight.
You know everything I'm going to say
before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you're there,
then up ahead and you're there, too—
your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
I can't take it all in!
(Psalm 139:1-6, MSG)
I love this passage in the Bible; not just these few verses, but the entirety of the Psalm. As women we all long to be known intimately by someone. We long for someone who is so close to us that they know what we're thinking before we say it, they can finish our sentences for us, they share inside jokes with us, they know every single tiny detail of our strengths and our weaknesses and they love us for exactly who we are. No hiding, no pretending. Just total freedom to be ourselves.
Well, guess what? God is that "someone"! It's so amazing to me. Right now God knows every single word I'm going to type before my fingers even hit the keys. He knows what brings me joy and what makes me sad. He knows what my favorite things are. He knows what makes me laugh and what makes me cry. He knows every single minute of the life I've lived and every single minute of the life I have yet to live. He knows my temptations and when I fall. He knows when I will feel regret and seek forgiveness. He knows who I love and how much I love them. He knows what time I will go to bed tonight and what dreams I will dream. He knows EVERYTHING! And He doesn't just know it... He cares about it. All of it. Every last detail.
I am loved. You are loved. It's amazing.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Hello Girlfriends!
Sorry this post is a little late.... life intervened this morning. Specifically the life of a mother. Someone showed up unexpectedly at the door (with me still in my pj's!), then I had a longer-than-usual morning phone conversation with someone special to me, and then my 2 yr. old who happens to have a butter fetish got into the butter while I was upstairs doing my hair. Cleaning it out of his hair and off his hands, face and clothes was quite the chore. At least this time it wasn't all over the furniture or the floor!
But I digress.
I hope that you are able to enjoy this day and bask in God's love for you.
-Becky
Radiant Rainbow
Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of My covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed My rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of My covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember My covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16, NLT)
I have spring fever. Bad. It's only February, I know. But there were a couple of days this week when we had a wonderful preview of spring. The sun was shining, the weather was warm, and sitting outside was oh so nice!
Later today the rain is supposed to return. Not bad, just a few showers here and there. I'm actually looking forward to the next couple of months as the rain continues to become more intermittent and warmer, as the sun makes more and more appearances, as the leaves begin to sprout and the flowers begin to bloom.
But you know what I love the most about spring rain? The fact that I'm likely to see rainbows. I love rainbows. When we lived on Maui, the rainbows were brilliant. Brilliant and double. That's right... it was more common than not to see double rainbows. They were absolutely beautiful. I even saw a night rainbow once. That was an incredible sight.
Rainbows intrigue me, not just because they are beautiful, but also because they are a symbol from God that He will never again destroy the earth with a flood. Growing up I always believed that the symbol of the rainbow was for our benefit... that it was God's reminder to us of His promise. Not so.
When I was in my late 20's, I was involved in a small Bible study group where we spent a year and a half doing our own study of Genesis. I will never forget how much I learned during that time, and how many of my preconceived ideas were challenged. It was the first time I ever noticed the words, "the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember My covenant". The rainbow wasn't put there for us to remember; it was put there for God to remember His promise to all mankind. It was an unconditional covenant. It provided immediate hope and grace to Noah... he never had to worry that there was anything he could do or not do that would cause God to wipe he and his family off the earth with another flood (a definite anxiety-reliever for the next time it rained since the Flood had been their first experience with rain!). And it was a promise of grace to the rest of mankind as well.
It was no coincidence that the rainbow was in the shape of a bow.... God was done battling with the earth and so He hung up His bow in the sky. What an amazing symbol. I also don't believe it was any coincidence that the naked eye sees seven colors in every rainbow.... red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Seven. God's perfect number.
God later provided an even better and more meaningful symbol in the Cross. The perfect symbol of sacrifice and love.
God's symbols of love are everywhere. Look for them.
P.S.
If you're interested in a copy of the Bible study method we used, let me know and I can email it to you. It can be used with any Books of the Bible that are in "story" form. You'll learn some amazing things with this tool.
Sorry this post is a little late.... life intervened this morning. Specifically the life of a mother. Someone showed up unexpectedly at the door (with me still in my pj's!), then I had a longer-than-usual morning phone conversation with someone special to me, and then my 2 yr. old who happens to have a butter fetish got into the butter while I was upstairs doing my hair. Cleaning it out of his hair and off his hands, face and clothes was quite the chore. At least this time it wasn't all over the furniture or the floor!
But I digress.
I hope that you are able to enjoy this day and bask in God's love for you.
-Becky
Radiant RainbowThen God said, “I am giving you a sign of My covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed My rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of My covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember My covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” (Genesis 9:12-16, NLT)
I have spring fever. Bad. It's only February, I know. But there were a couple of days this week when we had a wonderful preview of spring. The sun was shining, the weather was warm, and sitting outside was oh so nice!
Later today the rain is supposed to return. Not bad, just a few showers here and there. I'm actually looking forward to the next couple of months as the rain continues to become more intermittent and warmer, as the sun makes more and more appearances, as the leaves begin to sprout and the flowers begin to bloom.
But you know what I love the most about spring rain? The fact that I'm likely to see rainbows. I love rainbows. When we lived on Maui, the rainbows were brilliant. Brilliant and double. That's right... it was more common than not to see double rainbows. They were absolutely beautiful. I even saw a night rainbow once. That was an incredible sight.
Rainbows intrigue me, not just because they are beautiful, but also because they are a symbol from God that He will never again destroy the earth with a flood. Growing up I always believed that the symbol of the rainbow was for our benefit... that it was God's reminder to us of His promise. Not so.
When I was in my late 20's, I was involved in a small Bible study group where we spent a year and a half doing our own study of Genesis. I will never forget how much I learned during that time, and how many of my preconceived ideas were challenged. It was the first time I ever noticed the words, "the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember My covenant". The rainbow wasn't put there for us to remember; it was put there for God to remember His promise to all mankind. It was an unconditional covenant. It provided immediate hope and grace to Noah... he never had to worry that there was anything he could do or not do that would cause God to wipe he and his family off the earth with another flood (a definite anxiety-reliever for the next time it rained since the Flood had been their first experience with rain!). And it was a promise of grace to the rest of mankind as well.
It was no coincidence that the rainbow was in the shape of a bow.... God was done battling with the earth and so He hung up His bow in the sky. What an amazing symbol. I also don't believe it was any coincidence that the naked eye sees seven colors in every rainbow.... red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Seven. God's perfect number.
God later provided an even better and more meaningful symbol in the Cross. The perfect symbol of sacrifice and love.
God's symbols of love are everywhere. Look for them.
P.S.
If you're interested in a copy of the Bible study method we used, let me know and I can email it to you. It can be used with any Books of the Bible that are in "story" form. You'll learn some amazing things with this tool.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Comfort in Honesty
All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, He brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, MSG)
I decided that I don't ever want to forget what it feels like to be in my current difficult situation. I have been pondering the "why's" of God allowing me to remain in this situation for such a long period of time. Perhaps it will be years and years before I understand the full extent of His reasons. Or perhaps it's as simple as Him needing me to live through this so that I am better able to help others in the future. He knows my heart, my goals, my dreams in regards to being in a place where I am able to help other single moms. If nothing else, this experience is shaping me and giving me a first-hand look into the tangible needs, emotions, and fears of single parents.
God never wastes any of our experiences; however, I think that we sometimes do. We as women like to come across to the rest of the world as having everything together in our perfect little worlds. We are so afraid of anyone seeing or knowing those parts of our lives that are painful or embarrassing or shameful or less-than-perfect. But when we allow our fear of what others think to rule our lives, we lose our ability to be there for each other in the ways God has intended. When we work so hard to come across as perfect, those around us feel that we cannot relate to them. It's when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and honest that we find that God can use us.
One of the links on the Sidebar is for Lysa TerKeurst's blog from Proverbs 31 Ministries. Last Tuesday she shared a little bit of her story. I was so drawn to her honesty and begin to think of the stories in my own life that God could use if I were to be bold enough to share them. Sometimes that might mean a group or public setting, but more often than not God seeks to use us in simple one-on-one situations.
Honesty is hard, but it is through honesty and sharing that God best uses us in each other's lives. He brings us through difficult and painful situations so that we can turn around and help others going through something similar.
Nothing in your life is wasted. Ask God how He can use you in a new way in someone's life.
P.S.
If you want to read Lysa's post that I referred to, click on the Proverbs 31 Ministries link in this sidebar, then click on "My Story" in Lysa's sidebar under Previous Posts.
All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, He brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, MSG)
I decided that I don't ever want to forget what it feels like to be in my current difficult situation. I have been pondering the "why's" of God allowing me to remain in this situation for such a long period of time. Perhaps it will be years and years before I understand the full extent of His reasons. Or perhaps it's as simple as Him needing me to live through this so that I am better able to help others in the future. He knows my heart, my goals, my dreams in regards to being in a place where I am able to help other single moms. If nothing else, this experience is shaping me and giving me a first-hand look into the tangible needs, emotions, and fears of single parents.
God never wastes any of our experiences; however, I think that we sometimes do. We as women like to come across to the rest of the world as having everything together in our perfect little worlds. We are so afraid of anyone seeing or knowing those parts of our lives that are painful or embarrassing or shameful or less-than-perfect. But when we allow our fear of what others think to rule our lives, we lose our ability to be there for each other in the ways God has intended. When we work so hard to come across as perfect, those around us feel that we cannot relate to them. It's when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and honest that we find that God can use us.
One of the links on the Sidebar is for Lysa TerKeurst's blog from Proverbs 31 Ministries. Last Tuesday she shared a little bit of her story. I was so drawn to her honesty and begin to think of the stories in my own life that God could use if I were to be bold enough to share them. Sometimes that might mean a group or public setting, but more often than not God seeks to use us in simple one-on-one situations.
Honesty is hard, but it is through honesty and sharing that God best uses us in each other's lives. He brings us through difficult and painful situations so that we can turn around and help others going through something similar.
Nothing in your life is wasted. Ask God how He can use you in a new way in someone's life.
P.S.
If you want to read Lysa's post that I referred to, click on the Proverbs 31 Ministries link in this sidebar, then click on "My Story" in Lysa's sidebar under Previous Posts.
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