Dear Sisters,
Merry Christmas! I wish I could give door-to-door hugs to each of you, meet your families, and visit the girls in your club. That day will come! If not now, it will certainly happen when Jesus comes again. I look forward with you to the day of His final return to earth! Come, Lord Jesus, come!
WIND & ROOTS
Blessed are those who trust in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8, TNIV
A friend of mine was given the assignment to purchase groceries for an extra-curricular school party. “Don’t lose the receipt,” the superintendent told her. “We’ll reimburse you.”
She purchased the needed supplies, rolled the cart to her van, opened the front door of her vehicle, and placed her purse on the seat. With the driver’s door still open, she turned to unload the bags from the cart to her trunk when a strong prairie wind snatched her receipt from the side purse pocket and tossed it across the parking lot. She ran and ran and ran. She needed that receipt!
Eventually, she nabbed it! Success! Except when she looked at the receipt she discovered it was months old. Breathless, she returned to the van and discovered that the prairie wind also blew the driver’s door shut, safely locking her purse, the correct receipt, and her keys inside the van. Ugh!
Have you ever tried to catch a receipt or another important piece of paper in the wind? It can be an exasperating experience. I wonder if that’s what a life of worry looks like to God. Worry tosses us back and forth in restless sleep, around and around with churning stomachs, and here and there in our thoughts. Anxiety leaves us breathless, robbing us of clearly seeing and resting in His promises and providence.
God says through Jeremiah that blessings come when we trust and put our confidence in God. Instead of being receipts blowing in the wind, our life will look like a tree that’s planted by water.
It sends out its roots by the stream. Be deep rooted in a relationship to Jesus who provides life-giving water that wells up to eternal life (John 4:13-14). He is the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16).
It doesn’t fear heat or worry about drought. Don’t fear in times of trouble or worry when a crisis hits. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
It never fails to bear fruit. When you remain in Jesus you will bear much fruit! Jesus said, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8).
Prayer Step: If worries are tossing you around like the wind, look to the Root of David in prayer.
Just as the roots of a tree provide stability, nourishment, and a firm foundation for growth, our Messiah, the Root of David, provides all this and more in our lives.
Elizabeth L. Vander Meulen & Barbara D. Malda
Grace and peace,
Lenae
A connecting place for British Columbia GEMS counselors and club coordinators. . .
Monday, December 21, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
God Who Sees
Dear Sisters,
Good morning! How are you? I pray yours days are filled with reflection and expectation as we near the celebration of His birth and the anticipation of His second coming! Jan posted a wonderful blog about Advent on December 1.
Check it out here: http://www.gemsgc.org/blog/?p=309
Have a blessed week!
GOD WHO SEES
The eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. Psalm 34:18
Growing up I spent countless hours with Pa, Ma, Mary, Laura, and Carrie Ingalls. I read all the Little House on the Prairie books, watched the TV series, and my folks even brought our family to Walnut Grove, Minnesota to touch and see the place that Laura used to call home.
It’s through the Little House TV series that I learned about peripheral vision. Laura, a teacher at the time, was writing on the chalkboard with her back toward the class. One of the boys did something wrong and if I remember correctly he blamed Willie for it. But Laura knew Willie didn’t do it because she saw the culprit through her peripheral vision.
Pe•riph•er•al: at or relating to the edge of something, as opposed to its center
Have you ever prayed about your marriage, your work, your church, or your health and wondered if you were in God’s peripheral vision or worse yet, out of His sight completely? Maybe you’ve prayed for the poverty in Kanyama, Zambia, the bloodshed in abortion clinics, or the abused children in suburbia and wondered if He is fully seeing the critical need for a Deliverer?
Hagar must’ve wondered the same thing. When God showed Himself to her she responded with gratitude and praise. She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).
Our prayers must not be based on wondering if God sees our needs, or feeling like He’s somehow been blinded to our situation. Instead our prayers must be rooted in Truth. We pray to El Roi – the God Who Sees!
From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth – he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. The eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love (Psalm 33:13-15, 18).
He sees everything that is happening in our lives. Not from the peripheral, squinting to try and figure out our needs. No! He’s up close and personal. The Lord is near (Philippians 4:5). He is God with us – Immanuel (Matthew 1:23).
Prayer Step: Think about the hurt nearest your heart and pray this Scripture prayer. El Roi, You look down and see _______________________; from Your dwelling place You watch __________________. Your eyes are on me, on all those whose hope is in Your unfailing love. Thank You, El Roi. I love You! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
God sees hearts as we see faces. George Herbert
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Good morning! How are you? I pray yours days are filled with reflection and expectation as we near the celebration of His birth and the anticipation of His second coming! Jan posted a wonderful blog about Advent on December 1.
Check it out here: http://www.gemsgc.org/blog/?p=309
Have a blessed week!
GOD WHO SEES
The eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. Psalm 34:18
Growing up I spent countless hours with Pa, Ma, Mary, Laura, and Carrie Ingalls. I read all the Little House on the Prairie books, watched the TV series, and my folks even brought our family to Walnut Grove, Minnesota to touch and see the place that Laura used to call home.
It’s through the Little House TV series that I learned about peripheral vision. Laura, a teacher at the time, was writing on the chalkboard with her back toward the class. One of the boys did something wrong and if I remember correctly he blamed Willie for it. But Laura knew Willie didn’t do it because she saw the culprit through her peripheral vision.
Pe•riph•er•al: at or relating to the edge of something, as opposed to its center
Have you ever prayed about your marriage, your work, your church, or your health and wondered if you were in God’s peripheral vision or worse yet, out of His sight completely? Maybe you’ve prayed for the poverty in Kanyama, Zambia, the bloodshed in abortion clinics, or the abused children in suburbia and wondered if He is fully seeing the critical need for a Deliverer?
Hagar must’ve wondered the same thing. When God showed Himself to her she responded with gratitude and praise. She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).
Our prayers must not be based on wondering if God sees our needs, or feeling like He’s somehow been blinded to our situation. Instead our prayers must be rooted in Truth. We pray to El Roi – the God Who Sees!
From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth – he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. The eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love (Psalm 33:13-15, 18).
He sees everything that is happening in our lives. Not from the peripheral, squinting to try and figure out our needs. No! He’s up close and personal. The Lord is near (Philippians 4:5). He is God with us – Immanuel (Matthew 1:23).
Prayer Step: Think about the hurt nearest your heart and pray this Scripture prayer. El Roi, You look down and see _______________________; from Your dwelling place You watch __________________. Your eyes are on me, on all those whose hope is in Your unfailing love. Thank You, El Roi. I love You! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
God sees hearts as we see faces. George Herbert
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Blanket Victory
Dear Sisters,
Hello! Recently our congregation sang the most beautiful prayer. You’ve probably sung it a time or two yourselves! Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay, close by me forever, and love me, I pray! Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care and take us to heaven, to live with Thee there. Amen? Amen!
Have a blessed week!
BLANKET VICTORY
But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Psalm 88:13
As young girls it was right about this time each year when the temperatures dip cold that my sister Lori and I started battling for larger sections of the puff quilt stuffed with mom’s discarded nylon stockings that topped our bed. Sometimes we made peace on our own. Sometimes one of us would holler from our upstairs bedroom, “Mom! She’s hogging the blankets!”
Dr. Alan Redpath, a Bible teacher from England, says that what American Christians need most is blanket victory. He’s not referring to the battle over warm quilts during frigid winters. It’s his battle cry for God’s children to win victory over the blankets in the morning so there’s more time to pray!
For more years than I’d like to confess, I fought the blankets and the blankets won. It was through His Spirit and the example of a godly woman in my life that I quit making the excuse that I’m not a morning person and made the commitment to set the alarm earlier than the rest of my family so I could meet with Him.
Talk to Him in the morning. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation (Psalm 5:3).
Receive strength for the day ahead. I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble (Psalm 59:16). O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress (Isaiah 33:2).
Obtain your day’s assignment from Him. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul (Psalm 143:8).
Follow Jesus’ example. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 15:1).
To get started may require a shrill alarm that scares you silly so you can’t possibly fall back to sleep, but given time an alarm won’t be necessary at all. You’ll wake on your own looking forward to the best time of the day – quiet, uninterrupted conversation with the Savior.
Prayer Step: If you’re not already in the habit, set your alarm at least 30 minutes before the rest of the family stirs so you can spend precious time talking and listening to God.
It’s better to be sleep deprived than God deprived. Jill Briscoe
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Hello! Recently our congregation sang the most beautiful prayer. You’ve probably sung it a time or two yourselves! Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay, close by me forever, and love me, I pray! Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care and take us to heaven, to live with Thee there. Amen? Amen!
Have a blessed week!
BLANKET VICTORY
But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
Psalm 88:13
As young girls it was right about this time each year when the temperatures dip cold that my sister Lori and I started battling for larger sections of the puff quilt stuffed with mom’s discarded nylon stockings that topped our bed. Sometimes we made peace on our own. Sometimes one of us would holler from our upstairs bedroom, “Mom! She’s hogging the blankets!”
Dr. Alan Redpath, a Bible teacher from England, says that what American Christians need most is blanket victory. He’s not referring to the battle over warm quilts during frigid winters. It’s his battle cry for God’s children to win victory over the blankets in the morning so there’s more time to pray!
For more years than I’d like to confess, I fought the blankets and the blankets won. It was through His Spirit and the example of a godly woman in my life that I quit making the excuse that I’m not a morning person and made the commitment to set the alarm earlier than the rest of my family so I could meet with Him.
Talk to Him in the morning. In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation (Psalm 5:3).
Receive strength for the day ahead. I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble (Psalm 59:16). O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress (Isaiah 33:2).
Obtain your day’s assignment from Him. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul (Psalm 143:8).
Follow Jesus’ example. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 15:1).
To get started may require a shrill alarm that scares you silly so you can’t possibly fall back to sleep, but given time an alarm won’t be necessary at all. You’ll wake on your own looking forward to the best time of the day – quiet, uninterrupted conversation with the Savior.
Prayer Step: If you’re not already in the habit, set your alarm at least 30 minutes before the rest of the family stirs so you can spend precious time talking and listening to God.
It’s better to be sleep deprived than God deprived. Jill Briscoe
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Monday, November 30, 2009
Recognizing His Voice
Dear Sisters,
Hello! How are you? I pray well. I remember a Pastor once asking our congregation if we’d lost our “Wow”. We sometimes lose our “Wow!”, don’t we? We can lose sight of His amazing grace and His generous gifts. Be prayerfully determined to journey through December (that’s tomorrow already!) and be wowed by His love and grace. Have a great week!
RECOGNIZING HIS VOICE
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:4
Admittedly, it started after I turned forty. When I’m in large groups I have an increasingly difficult time hearing. But no matter how loud the crowd, there’s a voice that I can always discern . . . my hubby’s. It’s not because he’s blaring or boisterous, I just recognize his voice. Even when he’s across the room and I can’t physically hear his words, I can interpret his body language. I’ve been accused of reading his mind and have charged him with reading mine, too.
That doesn’t just happen because you’re married. It’s attributed to time spent talking and listening, and seeking to know and love one another more and more.
Many Christians are finding it increasingly difficult to hear God’s voice. The culture has moved from whispering subliminal messages to cranking the volume on its lies. And in all the noise some of God’s children struggle to hear and recognize God’s voice.
Jesus said, “The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:2-4).
Knowing His voice doesn’t just happen because you’re a Christian. It’s attributed to time spent talking and listening, and seeking to know and love our Savior more and more!
That was the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the Philippians. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11).
When we seek to know Jesus better, we’re able to discern and recognize the voice of Truth in the midst of a persuasive world that rejects Him as Lord. For it’s in knowing His voice that we can follow wherever the Good Shepherd leads – whether quiet waters, the valley of the shadow of death, or a table prepared in the presence of our enemies. When we follow His voice, goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives, and we will dwell in His house forever (Psalm 23).
Prayer Step: How well do you recognize Jesus’ voice? Spend time in prayer and His Word to know Him more and more.
The value of prayer is not that He will hear us...but that we will finally hear Him.
William McGi
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Hello! How are you? I pray well. I remember a Pastor once asking our congregation if we’d lost our “Wow”. We sometimes lose our “Wow!”, don’t we? We can lose sight of His amazing grace and His generous gifts. Be prayerfully determined to journey through December (that’s tomorrow already!) and be wowed by His love and grace. Have a great week!
RECOGNIZING HIS VOICE
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:4
Admittedly, it started after I turned forty. When I’m in large groups I have an increasingly difficult time hearing. But no matter how loud the crowd, there’s a voice that I can always discern . . . my hubby’s. It’s not because he’s blaring or boisterous, I just recognize his voice. Even when he’s across the room and I can’t physically hear his words, I can interpret his body language. I’ve been accused of reading his mind and have charged him with reading mine, too.
That doesn’t just happen because you’re married. It’s attributed to time spent talking and listening, and seeking to know and love one another more and more.
Many Christians are finding it increasingly difficult to hear God’s voice. The culture has moved from whispering subliminal messages to cranking the volume on its lies. And in all the noise some of God’s children struggle to hear and recognize God’s voice.
Jesus said, “The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:2-4).
Knowing His voice doesn’t just happen because you’re a Christian. It’s attributed to time spent talking and listening, and seeking to know and love our Savior more and more!
That was the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the Philippians. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11).
When we seek to know Jesus better, we’re able to discern and recognize the voice of Truth in the midst of a persuasive world that rejects Him as Lord. For it’s in knowing His voice that we can follow wherever the Good Shepherd leads – whether quiet waters, the valley of the shadow of death, or a table prepared in the presence of our enemies. When we follow His voice, goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives, and we will dwell in His house forever (Psalm 23).
Prayer Step: How well do you recognize Jesus’ voice? Spend time in prayer and His Word to know Him more and more.
The value of prayer is not that He will hear us...but that we will finally hear Him.
William McGi
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Monday, November 23, 2009
One Thing
ONE THING
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4
David prayed for a great many things: he begged for mercy in times of trouble: O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony (Psalm 6:1-2). He praised the excellence of God’s name revealed in creation: O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens (Psalm 8:1). He rejoiced in God and thanked Him for His portion: LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance (Psalm 16:5-6). He committed his words and meditation to the Lord: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).
David’s prayers were many, his requests broad and deep. Yet when it came down to one thing, one request, one petition to God in prayer it focused down to this: One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple (Psalm 27:4).
David’s prayer to dwell in the house of the LORD may have been literal. He had it on his heart to build a house for the Name of his Lord and God, but God assigned the building project to Solomon, David’s son (1 Chronicles 22). It may also have been the one thing needed most – a request to daily dwell in God’s presence.
Is that your primary prayer request, too? Do you long to dwell, live, inhabit, and stay in God’s presence all the days of your life? Is being with God your one thing?
It’s a difficult thing for children to narrow Christmas gift lists down to one thing. I know firsthand the challenges of narrowing a week’s worth of clothes and seemingly essentials into a carry-on suitcase.
It can be a difficult thing for God’s children to narrow their thinking, choices, and actions to one thing, too. Even as we seek to serve our families, our churches, and the ministry of GEMS we can become distracted Martha’s missing the one thing Jesus wanted for her and for you and me – to sit at His feet (Luke 10:35-42).
Prayer Step: What is your greatest prayer desire today? Seek the one thing needed most – to daily linger in God’s presence.
So often when I’ve rushed through my prayer time, jumped up off my knees, quickly shut my Bible, closed my notebook, and hurried to take on my day, I wonder what blessings I missed because I haven’t made the time to stay in His presence?
Anne Graham Lotz
In Grace and Peace,
Lenae
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4
David prayed for a great many things: he begged for mercy in times of trouble: O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony (Psalm 6:1-2). He praised the excellence of God’s name revealed in creation: O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens (Psalm 8:1). He rejoiced in God and thanked Him for His portion: LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance (Psalm 16:5-6). He committed his words and meditation to the Lord: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).
David’s prayers were many, his requests broad and deep. Yet when it came down to one thing, one request, one petition to God in prayer it focused down to this: One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple (Psalm 27:4).
David’s prayer to dwell in the house of the LORD may have been literal. He had it on his heart to build a house for the Name of his Lord and God, but God assigned the building project to Solomon, David’s son (1 Chronicles 22). It may also have been the one thing needed most – a request to daily dwell in God’s presence.
Is that your primary prayer request, too? Do you long to dwell, live, inhabit, and stay in God’s presence all the days of your life? Is being with God your one thing?
It’s a difficult thing for children to narrow Christmas gift lists down to one thing. I know firsthand the challenges of narrowing a week’s worth of clothes and seemingly essentials into a carry-on suitcase.
It can be a difficult thing for God’s children to narrow their thinking, choices, and actions to one thing, too. Even as we seek to serve our families, our churches, and the ministry of GEMS we can become distracted Martha’s missing the one thing Jesus wanted for her and for you and me – to sit at His feet (Luke 10:35-42).
Prayer Step: What is your greatest prayer desire today? Seek the one thing needed most – to daily linger in God’s presence.
So often when I’ve rushed through my prayer time, jumped up off my knees, quickly shut my Bible, closed my notebook, and hurried to take on my day, I wonder what blessings I missed because I haven’t made the time to stay in His presence?
Anne Graham Lotz
In Grace and Peace,
Lenae
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Theme Night Olympics at Duncan New Life Church
We are having fun at our New Life club in Duncan. Our meetings are going great, our registrations were up again this year and we are in the midst of planning a camp out on November 21st and 22nd.
Our theme to go with having a "fit" prayer life is the silly Olympics. We thought we would tie in with the Olympic buzz. It also ties in with praying for all the continents, because there are athletes from all over the world coming to the real Olympics. We have a guest speaker coming to talk about prayer and prayer boot camp/ personal training just like the athletes train hard for their sport we can do spiritual boot camp. We will have an opening and closing ceremony with the GEMS showcasing their talents, Olympic torch replicas and silly games like cotton ball shot put. We will tie dye their Olympic uniforms and we have so many other things planned.
We have so many girls this year we are not sure we are going to fit in the facility we rented! SO EXCITED!!
Please pray for us pulling it all off in such a way that the girls are impacted for life.
Our theme to go with having a "fit" prayer life is the silly Olympics. We thought we would tie in with the Olympic buzz. It also ties in with praying for all the continents, because there are athletes from all over the world coming to the real Olympics. We have a guest speaker coming to talk about prayer and prayer boot camp/ personal training just like the athletes train hard for their sport we can do spiritual boot camp. We will have an opening and closing ceremony with the GEMS showcasing their talents, Olympic torch replicas and silly games like cotton ball shot put. We will tie dye their Olympic uniforms and we have so many other things planned.
We have so many girls this year we are not sure we are going to fit in the facility we rented! SO EXCITED!!
Please pray for us pulling it all off in such a way that the girls are impacted for life.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Prayer Motives
PRAYER MOTIVES
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:3
When the Philistine and Israelite armies drew up their battle lines across the Valley of Elah they were equipped with armor, javelins, and a mixture of motives.
Goliath’s motive was to defy the ranks of Israel and make them subjects to the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:9-10). When David delivered meals to his brothers and asked the men standing near him about this disgraceful Philistine giant, his oldest brother Eliab accused him of having motives that were driven by conceit, wickedness, and curiosity over an upcoming battle (1 Samuel 17:26-28). Saul’s motive was to win, even if it meant sending an untrained boy against a proficient Philistine giant (1 Samuel 17:33). David’s motive was that every person that was gathered in that valley would know with absolute certainty that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s (1 Samuel 17:47).
Scripture records that Goliath came forward every morning and evening for forty days to take his stand and threaten the Israelites. Saul and his army heard Goliath’s repeated intimidation and were dismayed and terrified (1 Samuel 17:11). Although specific prayers aren’t recorded within this story, we can be fairly certain that the valley was probably filled with foxhole prayers – petitions initiated by an extreme crisis and uttered in panic.
David’s prayer motives were pure. He desired to bring glory to the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom Goliath defied. Although Saul’s words to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you” (1 Samuel 17:37), sounded godly and good, his prayer motives were wicked as is seen in the post-victory party. When the women danced and sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him (1 Samuel 18:7-8).
Before a word of prayer leaves our lips or is penned in our journals, God is weighing the motives to our requests. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:3).
What is the fundamental motive to your and my prayers? Do we have underlying prayer motives to have more possessions, more money, higher status, recognition, approval, significance, comfort, or fame? Or is our pure motive to give glory to God? Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father” (John 14:13, emphasis mine).
Prayer Step: Ask the Holy Spirit to give discernment to your prayer motives today.
That the Father may be glorified in the Son: it is to this end that Jesus on His throne in glory will do all we ask in His Name. Every answer to prayer He gives will have this as its object. Andrew Murray
Grace and peace,
Lenae
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:3
When the Philistine and Israelite armies drew up their battle lines across the Valley of Elah they were equipped with armor, javelins, and a mixture of motives.
Goliath’s motive was to defy the ranks of Israel and make them subjects to the Philistines (1 Samuel 17:9-10). When David delivered meals to his brothers and asked the men standing near him about this disgraceful Philistine giant, his oldest brother Eliab accused him of having motives that were driven by conceit, wickedness, and curiosity over an upcoming battle (1 Samuel 17:26-28). Saul’s motive was to win, even if it meant sending an untrained boy against a proficient Philistine giant (1 Samuel 17:33). David’s motive was that every person that was gathered in that valley would know with absolute certainty that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s (1 Samuel 17:47).
Scripture records that Goliath came forward every morning and evening for forty days to take his stand and threaten the Israelites. Saul and his army heard Goliath’s repeated intimidation and were dismayed and terrified (1 Samuel 17:11). Although specific prayers aren’t recorded within this story, we can be fairly certain that the valley was probably filled with foxhole prayers – petitions initiated by an extreme crisis and uttered in panic.
David’s prayer motives were pure. He desired to bring glory to the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom Goliath defied. Although Saul’s words to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you” (1 Samuel 17:37), sounded godly and good, his prayer motives were wicked as is seen in the post-victory party. When the women danced and sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him (1 Samuel 18:7-8).
Before a word of prayer leaves our lips or is penned in our journals, God is weighing the motives to our requests. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:3).
What is the fundamental motive to your and my prayers? Do we have underlying prayer motives to have more possessions, more money, higher status, recognition, approval, significance, comfort, or fame? Or is our pure motive to give glory to God? Jesus said, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father” (John 14:13, emphasis mine).
Prayer Step: Ask the Holy Spirit to give discernment to your prayer motives today.
That the Father may be glorified in the Son: it is to this end that Jesus on His throne in glory will do all we ask in His Name. Every answer to prayer He gives will have this as its object. Andrew Murray
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
What Does the Lord Require of You?
WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU?
He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8, TNIV
A rich tradition has been established in GEMS Girls’ Clubs throughout the fifty plus years that clubs have been meeting. At each meeting, girls and counselors often repeat in unison an acknowledgment of the club aim based on Micah 6:8.
Counselor: GEMS and GEMS counselors, what does the Lord require of us?
All – girls and counselors: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.
How does that club aim fit with each year’s annual theme? Because God is consistent to His nature and true to His Word the aim perfectly intersects with each season’s annual theme, including this year’s theme, Prayer – No Worries!
Act justly. As we do justice – taking action to help set the wrong right – may our prayer be Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians: That God may count us worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of ours and every act [of justice!] prompted by our faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in us, and we in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).
Love mercy. As we love mercy – showing compassion at all times by loving like Jesus – may our prayer be that God’s love is truly made complete in us and that we will know we are living in Him because we walk as Jesus did (1 John 2:5-6).
Walk humbly with God. As we walk humbly with God – getting rid of our pride and stop depending on ourselves and start trusting and depending on God – may our prayer be that in all our relationships with one another, we have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant . . . he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8)!
Watchmen Nee once said, “Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails.” The same holds true of prayers for the GEMS ministry. Pray that God’s might and power will equip women and girls to do what the Lord requires of them: to live radically faithful lives – doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.
Prayer Step: Spend 15 minutes or more today praying for GEMS International, your area, and the club that you call home.
Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.
D.L. Moody
Grace and peace,
Lenae
He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8, TNIV
A rich tradition has been established in GEMS Girls’ Clubs throughout the fifty plus years that clubs have been meeting. At each meeting, girls and counselors often repeat in unison an acknowledgment of the club aim based on Micah 6:8.
Counselor: GEMS and GEMS counselors, what does the Lord require of us?
All – girls and counselors: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.
How does that club aim fit with each year’s annual theme? Because God is consistent to His nature and true to His Word the aim perfectly intersects with each season’s annual theme, including this year’s theme, Prayer – No Worries!
Act justly. As we do justice – taking action to help set the wrong right – may our prayer be Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians: That God may count us worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of ours and every act [of justice!] prompted by our faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in us, and we in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).
Love mercy. As we love mercy – showing compassion at all times by loving like Jesus – may our prayer be that God’s love is truly made complete in us and that we will know we are living in Him because we walk as Jesus did (1 John 2:5-6).
Walk humbly with God. As we walk humbly with God – getting rid of our pride and stop depending on ourselves and start trusting and depending on God – may our prayer be that in all our relationships with one another, we have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant . . . he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8)!
Watchmen Nee once said, “Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails.” The same holds true of prayers for the GEMS ministry. Pray that God’s might and power will equip women and girls to do what the Lord requires of them: to live radically faithful lives – doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.
Prayer Step: Spend 15 minutes or more today praying for GEMS International, your area, and the club that you call home.
Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.
D.L. Moody
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Theme Badge Night
Theme Badge Night!
We started our Theme Badge night with learning our theme song and a devotional with the big group and then we went to our individual classrooms for the rest of the theme badge. Because we have 65 plus girls, we thought that we needed to work in our own groups for this theme badge as it lent itself well to small group work. Some groups did the prayer walk, some made prayer rocks as shown in the picture, along with the poem that goes with it (at the bottom of this post). Other groups brought in pillows and blankets to do their badge. It was a quiet evening!
Blessings on all of the clubs as they are awed at the power of prayer to our faithful and loving Saviour!
"I'm your little prayer rock and this is what I'll do
just put me on your pillow until the day is through.
Then turn back the covers and climb into your bed
and 'whack' your little prayer rock will bump you on the head!
Then you will remember as the day is through
to kneel and say your prayers as you intended to.
Then when you are finished dump me on the floor
I'll stay there through the nighttime to give you help once more
When you get up next morning, Clunk! I stub your toe
so that you will remember your prayers before you go.
Put me back upon your pillow when your bed is made
and your clever little prayer rock will continue in your aid
Because your Heavenly Father cares and loves you so!
Monday, October 26, 2009
our Prayer Teacher
Dear Sisters,
How are you? As we step into the last week of October 2010 I pray that you are secure in the Father’s love knowing that in Him we will never be shaken. My favorite blessing in Scripture that is also part of Grace and Colleen’s beautiful song, We Receive Your Blessing, is found in Numbers 6:24-26. Within her book, Faithful Hearts – The Adventure of Spiritual Mentoring, Jan Kempe transformed these verses into a beautiful prayer. Let’s pray it for one another, our families, and our area’s clubs together:
The LORD bless you and keep you;
Today I ask God to supply everything you need for life . . . breath, food, water, shelter.
The LORD make His face to shine upon you
May you believe in your heart that God looks on you with genuine love.
And be gracious to you
May you experience the grace that has chosen you, forgiven you, accepted you just as you are.
The LORD turn his face toward you
Just as a parent takes a child’s face in his hands and looks him right in the eyes.
And give you peace.
May you return His gaze and realize that you are safe in His love.
Shalom
OUR PRAYER TEACHER
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35
Recently I started using a slim-line pedometer. It tracks steps taken, miles walked, and calories burned. At day’s end, I check the progress. Some days I’m horrified by how stationary I’ve been. Other days, seemingly active days, I’m surprised that the numbers aren’t greater than I thought they’d be.
I wonder if the same could be said of our prayer life. If a meter tracked our prayer lives, would we be horrified by how prayer-less we’ve been? On seemingly active prayer days, would we be surprised that the number of prayers weren’t greater than we thought they’d be?
Need motivation or conviction to pray more? Look to Jesus, our prayer teacher!
Follow Jesus’ prayer disciplines. One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God (Luke 6:12). Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 1:35). Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation” (Luke 22:39-40, emphasis mine).
Follow Jesus’ pattern for prayer.
Honor God’s name: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name (Matthew 6:9).
Acknowledge that He is the Sovereign King and we are His servants: Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).
Recognize that He is God our Provider and Sustainer: Give us today our daily bread (Matthew 6:11).
Forgive those who have wronged us: Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6:12).
Pray against temptation: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:13).
Anne Graham Lotz writes, Every time I reflect on the prayer life of Jesus, my mind wraps and rewraps around the question: If He felt the need to pray, how do I think I can go without it? What is my excuse for not praying?
Prayer Step: Do you have a prayer excuse(s)? Seek His forgiveness. Ask God to teach you to pray like Jesus.
When we walk in the Lord’s presence, everything we see, hear, touch, or taste reminds us of him. This is what is meant by a prayerful life. It is not a life in which we say many prayers, but a life in which nothing, absolutely nothing is done, said or understood independently of him who is the origin and purpose of our existence. Henri J. Nouwen
Grace and peace,
Lenae
How are you? As we step into the last week of October 2010 I pray that you are secure in the Father’s love knowing that in Him we will never be shaken. My favorite blessing in Scripture that is also part of Grace and Colleen’s beautiful song, We Receive Your Blessing, is found in Numbers 6:24-26. Within her book, Faithful Hearts – The Adventure of Spiritual Mentoring, Jan Kempe transformed these verses into a beautiful prayer. Let’s pray it for one another, our families, and our area’s clubs together:
The LORD bless you and keep you;
Today I ask God to supply everything you need for life . . . breath, food, water, shelter.
The LORD make His face to shine upon you
May you believe in your heart that God looks on you with genuine love.
And be gracious to you
May you experience the grace that has chosen you, forgiven you, accepted you just as you are.
The LORD turn his face toward you
Just as a parent takes a child’s face in his hands and looks him right in the eyes.
And give you peace.
May you return His gaze and realize that you are safe in His love.
Shalom
OUR PRAYER TEACHER
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35
Recently I started using a slim-line pedometer. It tracks steps taken, miles walked, and calories burned. At day’s end, I check the progress. Some days I’m horrified by how stationary I’ve been. Other days, seemingly active days, I’m surprised that the numbers aren’t greater than I thought they’d be.
I wonder if the same could be said of our prayer life. If a meter tracked our prayer lives, would we be horrified by how prayer-less we’ve been? On seemingly active prayer days, would we be surprised that the number of prayers weren’t greater than we thought they’d be?
Need motivation or conviction to pray more? Look to Jesus, our prayer teacher!
Follow Jesus’ prayer disciplines. One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God (Luke 6:12). Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 1:35). Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation” (Luke 22:39-40, emphasis mine).
Follow Jesus’ pattern for prayer.
Honor God’s name: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name (Matthew 6:9).
Acknowledge that He is the Sovereign King and we are His servants: Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).
Recognize that He is God our Provider and Sustainer: Give us today our daily bread (Matthew 6:11).
Forgive those who have wronged us: Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6:12).
Pray against temptation: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:13).
Anne Graham Lotz writes, Every time I reflect on the prayer life of Jesus, my mind wraps and rewraps around the question: If He felt the need to pray, how do I think I can go without it? What is my excuse for not praying?
Prayer Step: Do you have a prayer excuse(s)? Seek His forgiveness. Ask God to teach you to pray like Jesus.
When we walk in the Lord’s presence, everything we see, hear, touch, or taste reminds us of him. This is what is meant by a prayerful life. It is not a life in which we say many prayers, but a life in which nothing, absolutely nothing is done, said or understood independently of him who is the origin and purpose of our existence. Henri J. Nouwen
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Be Clear Minded
Dear Sisters,
Good morning! It’s my prayer that your week is off to a good start and in stride with God’s. What does that mean? In Oswald Chambers’ wise words, “Getting into God’s stride means nothing less than oneness with Him. It takes a long time to get there, but keep at it.” Together let’s persevere in prayer – encouraging one another to keep at it!
BE CLEAR MINDED
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so you can pray. 1 Peter 4:7
Many things can fog the brain. After making a mistake in her transaction, a grocery store clerk told me that her brother-in-law passed away a week ago and she’s been struggling. “I start and end projects, but keep finding myself missing key steps in the middle.” Exhaustion, parenting, and yes, even the pregnancy that preludes parenting, also impact mental function and concentration. Older friends joke how they enter a room of their home, forget what they went in there to do, and turn around, clueless. We laugh at our shared experience and blame our fogged thinking to age and overload.
If you’re feeling a bit foggy upstairs, it’s time to clear the head. Not so you can figure things out, but so you can pray! Prayer requires a clear mind. The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so you can pray (1 Peter 4:7).
The end of all things is near. Jesus Christ died, rose, and ascended. The Holy Spirit was outpoured at Pentecost. Therefore Jesus could return at any time. Maybe today. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here (Romans 13:11b-12a).
Understanding Jesus’ imminent arrival, we must be clear minded, be in a right state of mind, have sober judgment, and be self-controlled so that we can pray.
As a child when I kept replaying my thoughts aloud my mom would tell me I sounded like a broken record. Although broken records are a thing of the past, we’re all familiar with recurring thoughts – especially replaying worrisome circumstances in our minds.
King David prayed, Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind (Psalm 26:2). Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts (Psalm 139:23).
Examine us, O God! Where there is anxiety and worry, we ask for forgiveness. Where there is muddled thinking, clear the way to Your truth. Where there is fog due to grief, overload, and confusion, break it free with Your comfort, peace, and plan. Clear our minds and fix our thoughts directly on You so we can pray.
I love the thought of needing a clear mind to pray. So often people just get all wordy and religious. You don’t need a clear mind for that. But listening and putting together God’s Word in the ways He shows us – that takes some mental ability.
Jan Kempe
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Good morning! It’s my prayer that your week is off to a good start and in stride with God’s. What does that mean? In Oswald Chambers’ wise words, “Getting into God’s stride means nothing less than oneness with Him. It takes a long time to get there, but keep at it.” Together let’s persevere in prayer – encouraging one another to keep at it!
BE CLEAR MINDED
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so you can pray. 1 Peter 4:7
Many things can fog the brain. After making a mistake in her transaction, a grocery store clerk told me that her brother-in-law passed away a week ago and she’s been struggling. “I start and end projects, but keep finding myself missing key steps in the middle.” Exhaustion, parenting, and yes, even the pregnancy that preludes parenting, also impact mental function and concentration. Older friends joke how they enter a room of their home, forget what they went in there to do, and turn around, clueless. We laugh at our shared experience and blame our fogged thinking to age and overload.
If you’re feeling a bit foggy upstairs, it’s time to clear the head. Not so you can figure things out, but so you can pray! Prayer requires a clear mind. The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so you can pray (1 Peter 4:7).
The end of all things is near. Jesus Christ died, rose, and ascended. The Holy Spirit was outpoured at Pentecost. Therefore Jesus could return at any time. Maybe today. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here (Romans 13:11b-12a).
Understanding Jesus’ imminent arrival, we must be clear minded, be in a right state of mind, have sober judgment, and be self-controlled so that we can pray.
As a child when I kept replaying my thoughts aloud my mom would tell me I sounded like a broken record. Although broken records are a thing of the past, we’re all familiar with recurring thoughts – especially replaying worrisome circumstances in our minds.
King David prayed, Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind (Psalm 26:2). Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts (Psalm 139:23).
Examine us, O God! Where there is anxiety and worry, we ask for forgiveness. Where there is muddled thinking, clear the way to Your truth. Where there is fog due to grief, overload, and confusion, break it free with Your comfort, peace, and plan. Clear our minds and fix our thoughts directly on You so we can pray.
I love the thought of needing a clear mind to pray. So often people just get all wordy and religious. You don’t need a clear mind for that. But listening and putting together God’s Word in the ways He shows us – that takes some mental ability.
Jan Kempe
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Amazing Race
Living Hope CRC Abbotsford GEMS leader Marlene Kammenos shares about their first meetings in this new GEMS Season:
We have had 2 meetings so far as we meet every other week. Our kick off night was a lot of fun. We staged our own mini "Amazing Race" for the girls - having them recieve clues, and run around and complete various tasks. There were "Road blocks" and "Detours" just like the real race! After the race, I sat them down and did a quick devotional, challenging the girls to think of following Jesus as the most amazing race EVER! (I got the devotional from the website www.dare2share.com
We are also having a "GEMS & Gents" night at the beginning of November, so stay tuned to see pictures and stories about that!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Praying Specifically
Dear Sisters,
Happy Thanksgiving, dear Canadian sisters! I so love the timing of your celebration – giving ample space between Thanksgiving and Christmas, not letting one blend right into the other. Your American sisters join you in giving thanks to our generous God, the Giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17)! Have a wonderful holiday! And to all of us –may we have a thank-filled week in all circumstances!
PRAYING SPECIFICALLY
Then he prayed, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a girl, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’ – let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”
Genesis 24:12-13
Abraham’s chief servant could’ve went about the business of getting a wife for his master’s son in a number of different ways. He could’ve interviewed women as they came to draw water, he could’ve initiated a genealogy search for Abraham’s relatives, or he could’ve prayed, “Bless my search, O God!” Instead he prayed very specifically and before he finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder (Genesis 24:15)!
Does God still give specific answers to specific requests today?
Middle-daughter Stephanie called the day after I read and reflected on this servant’s prayer. Even though the hour was late, she was laying on her dorm room bunk bed wide-eyed, praying specifically. “God! I’m a sophomore in college and need to know if I’m pursuing the right major. Do you want me to be a Special Education teacher? Please make it clear that I’m doing what You want me to do!”
The next morning there was a card on her floor that someone had slid under the door overnight. It was from the quietest girl on the wing, a girl who prefers to be alone. It read, “Stephanie, thank you for being such a wonderful RA. You’re very patient and kind and I can tell you’re going to be a GREAT teacher. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Love, _____.”
He continues to give specific answers to specific requests!
Do you pray in generalities? Please bless my GEMS Club? Or do you pray by name and get specific . . . praying for counselor Yolanda who is distracted by many things, that she will better be able to focus on preparing her lessons and loving on the girls and for little Jenny who’s navigating a new way of family life after her parents’ divorce.
And how did Abraham’s servant respond to God’s specific answer? With specific praise! The man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, saying, “Praise be the LORD the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives” (Genesis 24:27).
Prayer Step: Are you looking for specific answers in prayer? Then give specific requests and specific praise!
[Abraham’s] servant teaches us by his example that when we pray for God to lead us to the person whose heart He has prepared, we need to be specific.
Anne Graham Lotz
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Happy Thanksgiving, dear Canadian sisters! I so love the timing of your celebration – giving ample space between Thanksgiving and Christmas, not letting one blend right into the other. Your American sisters join you in giving thanks to our generous God, the Giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17)! Have a wonderful holiday! And to all of us –may we have a thank-filled week in all circumstances!
PRAYING SPECIFICALLY
Then he prayed, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a girl, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’ – let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”
Genesis 24:12-13
Abraham’s chief servant could’ve went about the business of getting a wife for his master’s son in a number of different ways. He could’ve interviewed women as they came to draw water, he could’ve initiated a genealogy search for Abraham’s relatives, or he could’ve prayed, “Bless my search, O God!” Instead he prayed very specifically and before he finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder (Genesis 24:15)!
Does God still give specific answers to specific requests today?
Middle-daughter Stephanie called the day after I read and reflected on this servant’s prayer. Even though the hour was late, she was laying on her dorm room bunk bed wide-eyed, praying specifically. “God! I’m a sophomore in college and need to know if I’m pursuing the right major. Do you want me to be a Special Education teacher? Please make it clear that I’m doing what You want me to do!”
The next morning there was a card on her floor that someone had slid under the door overnight. It was from the quietest girl on the wing, a girl who prefers to be alone. It read, “Stephanie, thank you for being such a wonderful RA. You’re very patient and kind and I can tell you’re going to be a GREAT teacher. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Love, _____.”
He continues to give specific answers to specific requests!
Do you pray in generalities? Please bless my GEMS Club? Or do you pray by name and get specific . . . praying for counselor Yolanda who is distracted by many things, that she will better be able to focus on preparing her lessons and loving on the girls and for little Jenny who’s navigating a new way of family life after her parents’ divorce.
And how did Abraham’s servant respond to God’s specific answer? With specific praise! The man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, saying, “Praise be the LORD the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives” (Genesis 24:27).
Prayer Step: Are you looking for specific answers in prayer? Then give specific requests and specific praise!
[Abraham’s] servant teaches us by his example that when we pray for God to lead us to the person whose heart He has prepared, we need to be specific.
Anne Graham Lotz
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Monday, October 5, 2009
CONSIDER HOW YOU LISTEN
Dear Sisters,
Good morning and happy October! The landscape is changing for many of us – vibrant fall colors, crops being harvested, and cooler temps. Whether things feel status quo in your life or it’s filled with changes as well, we have a loving, sovereign God whose eye is on the sparrow – and on you and me, too. Have a glorious day and wonderful month getting to know Him more through His Word, Spirit, and prayer.
CONSIDER HOW YOU LISTEN
Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Luke 8:18a
How well do you and I listen to God? That’s not a random question. It’s the one Jesus poses to us within Luke’s gospel. Therefore consider carefully how you listen (Luke 8:18a).
Although listening begins with paying attention, it doesn’t end there. Within Jesus’ command to consider, the word, “listen” means to hear, to understand, and to obey.
Consider how you listen. Do you listen like King Asa? For his forty-one year reign, he listened most of the time. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land, got rid of all the idols, and even deposed his wicked grandmother as queen mother (1 Kings 15:9-13). Although he did not remove the high places [he didn’t entirely listen], Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life (1 Kings 15:14).
Consider how you listen. Do you listen like Jonah? Jonah received God’s message to preach against Nineveh and ran away from the LORD (Jonah 1:1-3). He blatantly disobeyed God. Deliberate defiance came with consequences and for Jonah that included a violent storm at sea (Jonah 1:4), and three nights and days inside a great fish (Jonah 1:17).
Consider how you listen. Do you listen like Ananias and Sapphira? They pretended to listen. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had (Acts 4:32). Ananias and his wife Sapphira pretended to be part of that group. They sold a piece of property, but kept back part of the money for themselves. The consequences of their feigned listening was deadly (Acts 5:5, 10).
Listen and hear God speak. Read your Bible every day. Moses said, “He is to read [the scriptures] all the days of his life so that he may learn how to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees” (Deuteronomy 17:19).
Listen and understand God’s Word. Call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:3-5).
Listen and obey God’s Word. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous (Romans 2:13).
Prayer Step: Consider how you listen. Pay attention to the way you hear, understand, and obey God today.
The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.
A.W. Tozer
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Good morning and happy October! The landscape is changing for many of us – vibrant fall colors, crops being harvested, and cooler temps. Whether things feel status quo in your life or it’s filled with changes as well, we have a loving, sovereign God whose eye is on the sparrow – and on you and me, too. Have a glorious day and wonderful month getting to know Him more through His Word, Spirit, and prayer.
CONSIDER HOW YOU LISTEN
Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Luke 8:18a
How well do you and I listen to God? That’s not a random question. It’s the one Jesus poses to us within Luke’s gospel. Therefore consider carefully how you listen (Luke 8:18a).
Although listening begins with paying attention, it doesn’t end there. Within Jesus’ command to consider, the word, “listen” means to hear, to understand, and to obey.
Consider how you listen. Do you listen like King Asa? For his forty-one year reign, he listened most of the time. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land, got rid of all the idols, and even deposed his wicked grandmother as queen mother (1 Kings 15:9-13). Although he did not remove the high places [he didn’t entirely listen], Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life (1 Kings 15:14).
Consider how you listen. Do you listen like Jonah? Jonah received God’s message to preach against Nineveh and ran away from the LORD (Jonah 1:1-3). He blatantly disobeyed God. Deliberate defiance came with consequences and for Jonah that included a violent storm at sea (Jonah 1:4), and three nights and days inside a great fish (Jonah 1:17).
Consider how you listen. Do you listen like Ananias and Sapphira? They pretended to listen. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had (Acts 4:32). Ananias and his wife Sapphira pretended to be part of that group. They sold a piece of property, but kept back part of the money for themselves. The consequences of their feigned listening was deadly (Acts 5:5, 10).
Listen and hear God speak. Read your Bible every day. Moses said, “He is to read [the scriptures] all the days of his life so that he may learn how to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees” (Deuteronomy 17:19).
Listen and understand God’s Word. Call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:3-5).
Listen and obey God’s Word. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous (Romans 2:13).
Prayer Step: Consider how you listen. Pay attention to the way you hear, understand, and obey God today.
The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.
A.W. Tozer
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Monday, September 28, 2009
Pray Scripture
Dear Sisters,
Happy Monday! Do you remember when we prayed scripture for eachother at the Fall Training? Today's devotional from Lenae will help us to practice that again.
Blessings to you this day,
Kathy
PRAY SCRIPTURE
I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 17:6
There are only a few pages left to fill in my small black journal. It’s the first prayer journal where the penned prayers are primarily from Scripture. Each prayer concludes with the date and the passage it’s based on. Let’s pray Daniel’s prayer together.
O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong . . . confess personal sin.
We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws . . . ask for forgiveness.
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him . . . give thanks for His forgiveness and mercy.
Now, our God, hear our prayers and petitions. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your people. Give ear, O God, and hear. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your mercy . . . lay your requests and petitions before God.
O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord hear and act! For your sake, O God, do not delay, because your people bear your Name . . . praise God for the privilege of bearing His Name and tell Him how you feel about Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture: Daniel 9. Date: 9.28.09
While Daniel was still in prayer – confessing his sin and sin of the people Israel – Gabriel came to him in swift flight. He said, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision” (Daniel 9:22-23).
Within The Truth Project videos, Dr. Del Tackett asks, “Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?”
Repeat the question. Think on the question. Apply it to prayer. Do you really believe that what you believe about prayer is really real? Do you really believe that when you pray, you enter the very throne room of God where our all-powerful and almighty God listens, hears, and answers those prayers in His perfect time? Daniel believed it. And if God’s children would really believe it today, it would turn the world upside down.
Prayer Step: Choose a passage of Scripture and pray through it today. Really believe that God will give ear, hear, and answer your prayers (Psalm 17:6).
If we then let the words of Christ abide in us, they will stir us up in prayer.
Reuben Archer Torrey
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Happy Monday! Do you remember when we prayed scripture for eachother at the Fall Training? Today's devotional from Lenae will help us to practice that again.
Blessings to you this day,
Kathy
PRAY SCRIPTURE
I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.
Psalm 17:6
There are only a few pages left to fill in my small black journal. It’s the first prayer journal where the penned prayers are primarily from Scripture. Each prayer concludes with the date and the passage it’s based on. Let’s pray Daniel’s prayer together.
O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong . . . confess personal sin.
We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws . . . ask for forgiveness.
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him . . . give thanks for His forgiveness and mercy.
Now, our God, hear our prayers and petitions. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your people. Give ear, O God, and hear. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your mercy . . . lay your requests and petitions before God.
O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord hear and act! For your sake, O God, do not delay, because your people bear your Name . . . praise God for the privilege of bearing His Name and tell Him how you feel about Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture: Daniel 9. Date: 9.28.09
While Daniel was still in prayer – confessing his sin and sin of the people Israel – Gabriel came to him in swift flight. He said, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision” (Daniel 9:22-23).
Within The Truth Project videos, Dr. Del Tackett asks, “Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?”
Repeat the question. Think on the question. Apply it to prayer. Do you really believe that what you believe about prayer is really real? Do you really believe that when you pray, you enter the very throne room of God where our all-powerful and almighty God listens, hears, and answers those prayers in His perfect time? Daniel believed it. And if God’s children would really believe it today, it would turn the world upside down.
Prayer Step: Choose a passage of Scripture and pray through it today. Really believe that God will give ear, hear, and answer your prayers (Psalm 17:6).
If we then let the words of Christ abide in us, they will stir us up in prayer.
Reuben Archer Torrey
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Your Will Be Done
Dear Counselors,
This morning I was reading the book of Esther and these words continue with me. It’s the words that Zerish spoke to her evil husband Haman. Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him – you will surely come to ruin” (Esther 6:13). In other words, if you pit yourself up against the Sovereign God of the universe – it’s not a battle that you’re going to win!
At the beginning of another beautiful week, how important it is that our feet are planted in the center of God’s will. To be anywhere else is a losing battle! Let’s turn to the Word together.
YOUR WILL BE DONE
This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9-13
The Lord’s Prayer is a beautiful prayer and pattern for our prayers. Within it there are at least four words that are much easier to recite than they are to live out. Here’s what they are for me: Your will be done.
To pray Your will be done is asking God that His perfect purpose be accomplished in this world as it is in heaven, and it comes not by doing our will but by doing God’s.
Some of the things that God wills are easy to identify – love God, love your neighbor, tell the truth, be patient, give generously, and more. Other circumstances require much discernment and prayer . . . where should I invest my time and resources? Where should I seek employment/should I seek employment? Should I serve within the GEMS ministry or is He leading me to another ministry?
Within her book, The Magnificent Obsession – Embracing the God-Filled Life, Anne Graham Lotz writes, “Since God expects you and me to live in obedience to His will, He will not hide it from us. But He does expect us to prayerfully seek it.” These are the four principles that Anne uses to help her seek the will of God. (Read pages 114-117 to learn more.)
1. Practical circumstances. God opens the door for the thing that you’ve been praying for and things practically fall into place – something that could only be orchestrated by God Himself!
2. The counsel of mature, godly people. God uses people to speak His wisdom into our life. There’s affirmation when the things we’ve been secretly praying are reiterated through their wisdom.
3. Inner conviction. God places heavy burdens in our life that seem to attach to us like crazy glue – a heart for the homeless, a restlessness within our work, a grief for lonely people within the church.
4. The confirmation of God’s Word. God uses His Word to speak His will into our lives. His invitation, His commands, and His perfect plan are revealed as we read, study, and mediate on Scripture.
Anne shared that she’s made decisions based on three out of the four principles, but one of them has always been God’s Word.
Prayer Step: Are you struggling to know God’s will? Expectantly seek it through prayer and Scripture today.
If you seek God’s guidance with an open mind, humbly willing to do whatever He says, He will teach you the right way to go and “land” you safely in the center of His will.
Anne Graham Lotz
Grace and peace,
Lenae
This morning I was reading the book of Esther and these words continue with me. It’s the words that Zerish spoke to her evil husband Haman. Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him – you will surely come to ruin” (Esther 6:13). In other words, if you pit yourself up against the Sovereign God of the universe – it’s not a battle that you’re going to win!
At the beginning of another beautiful week, how important it is that our feet are planted in the center of God’s will. To be anywhere else is a losing battle! Let’s turn to the Word together.
YOUR WILL BE DONE
This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9-13
The Lord’s Prayer is a beautiful prayer and pattern for our prayers. Within it there are at least four words that are much easier to recite than they are to live out. Here’s what they are for me: Your will be done.
To pray Your will be done is asking God that His perfect purpose be accomplished in this world as it is in heaven, and it comes not by doing our will but by doing God’s.
Some of the things that God wills are easy to identify – love God, love your neighbor, tell the truth, be patient, give generously, and more. Other circumstances require much discernment and prayer . . . where should I invest my time and resources? Where should I seek employment/should I seek employment? Should I serve within the GEMS ministry or is He leading me to another ministry?
Within her book, The Magnificent Obsession – Embracing the God-Filled Life, Anne Graham Lotz writes, “Since God expects you and me to live in obedience to His will, He will not hide it from us. But He does expect us to prayerfully seek it.” These are the four principles that Anne uses to help her seek the will of God. (Read pages 114-117 to learn more.)
1. Practical circumstances. God opens the door for the thing that you’ve been praying for and things practically fall into place – something that could only be orchestrated by God Himself!
2. The counsel of mature, godly people. God uses people to speak His wisdom into our life. There’s affirmation when the things we’ve been secretly praying are reiterated through their wisdom.
3. Inner conviction. God places heavy burdens in our life that seem to attach to us like crazy glue – a heart for the homeless, a restlessness within our work, a grief for lonely people within the church.
4. The confirmation of God’s Word. God uses His Word to speak His will into our lives. His invitation, His commands, and His perfect plan are revealed as we read, study, and mediate on Scripture.
Anne shared that she’s made decisions based on three out of the four principles, but one of them has always been God’s Word.
Prayer Step: Are you struggling to know God’s will? Expectantly seek it through prayer and Scripture today.
If you seek God’s guidance with an open mind, humbly willing to do whatever He says, He will teach you the right way to go and “land” you safely in the center of His will.
Anne Graham Lotz
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Question for your response
Hello GEMS Couselors,
I have a quick post today and it is to ask you one question that I would love to see lots of responses for! It is about training for next year. I am asking this now, while you have this years training fresh in your mind.
What would you prefer for a time format for next year?
a/ Friday evening as we did this year
b/ Friday evening with about 1/2 hour or 45 min longer so we don't feel rushed
c/ Saturday for 4 hours
d/ Friday night for 3 hours AND Saturday morning for 3 hours
e/ Thursday evening
f/ suggest something else!
Thanks for your responses!
Kathy
I have a quick post today and it is to ask you one question that I would love to see lots of responses for! It is about training for next year. I am asking this now, while you have this years training fresh in your mind.
What would you prefer for a time format for next year?
a/ Friday evening as we did this year
b/ Friday evening with about 1/2 hour or 45 min longer so we don't feel rushed
c/ Saturday for 4 hours
d/ Friday night for 3 hours AND Saturday morning for 3 hours
e/ Thursday evening
f/ suggest something else!
Thanks for your responses!
Kathy
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Training Thoughts
Hello Dear Counselors,
It was so wonderful to meet so many of you at training last week! We had a very busy night together and our hope and prayer is that you are able to look back and remember one or two things that you will be able to incorporate into your GEMS year. When you attend training with fellow club counselors, you will then have combined learning and be able to kick off your year with a bang!
For "NEW COUNSELORS" I would like to recommend that you go to the GEMS Girls Club website- gemsgc.org. Click on leaders, then counselor training video. You will get to watch Lenae go through all of the basics of being a counselor in a very engaging way to help you understand your role and its responsibilities. I highly recommend this! I realize that at the training you may not have learned 'everything you ever wanted to know about being a GEMS counselor', so hopefully this will fill in the gaps.
Thanks to all who filled out evaluation forms. These are very helpful to us. We are going to be having some questions for you in the coming weeks, asking you to give us feedback for format choices for next year. Your input is VERY valuable, so we will look forward to the responses that we receive.
If you are reading this on the actual blog- Congratulations! You found it and hopefully have it now saved to your favorites so you can check it weekly.
If you are reading this as a result of the bulk email- Great! Thanks for reading it through. I would ask that you check out the blog at http://gemsarea2.blogspot.com
I will look forward to hearing how your clubs kicked off the year!
Blessings,
Kathy Roosma
It was so wonderful to meet so many of you at training last week! We had a very busy night together and our hope and prayer is that you are able to look back and remember one or two things that you will be able to incorporate into your GEMS year. When you attend training with fellow club counselors, you will then have combined learning and be able to kick off your year with a bang!
For "NEW COUNSELORS" I would like to recommend that you go to the GEMS Girls Club website- gemsgc.org. Click on leaders, then counselor training video. You will get to watch Lenae go through all of the basics of being a counselor in a very engaging way to help you understand your role and its responsibilities. I highly recommend this! I realize that at the training you may not have learned 'everything you ever wanted to know about being a GEMS counselor', so hopefully this will fill in the gaps.
Thanks to all who filled out evaluation forms. These are very helpful to us. We are going to be having some questions for you in the coming weeks, asking you to give us feedback for format choices for next year. Your input is VERY valuable, so we will look forward to the responses that we receive.
If you are reading this on the actual blog- Congratulations! You found it and hopefully have it now saved to your favorites so you can check it weekly.
If you are reading this as a result of the bulk email- Great! Thanks for reading it through. I would ask that you check out the blog at http://gemsarea2.blogspot.com
I will look forward to hearing how your clubs kicked off the year!
Blessings,
Kathy Roosma
Friday, September 11, 2009
Lead Me To The Rock
Dear Sisters,
As we begin our new season of GEMS we start with a word of prayer:
Father God, may Your favor rest upon us; establish the work of our hands – yes, establish the work of our hands. Help us to stand firm and to let nothing move us. May we always give ourselves fully to Your work, because our labor in the Lord is not in vain. Whatever we do in this new week, equip and strengthen us to work at it with all our hearts, as working for You, and not for men. Thank You for Your Spirit and for God-breathed Scripture that thoroughly equips each one of us for every good work. Amen (Psalm 90:17, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Colossians 3:23, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
LEAD ME TO THE ROCK
From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2
At Wednesday night’s ACTS Fall Workshop before we sang this season’s theme song, Hear My Cry, O Lord, the music leader shared these insightful thoughts with our group:
“You’ll notice that the lyrics to Hear My Cry, O LORD, read, ‘When my heart is overwhelmed,’ not ‘If my heart is overwhelmed.’ Throughout our lives, we will have times when we’re overwhelmed, troubled, and sad.
“When one of my daughters gets overwhelmed, she runs to her room, shuts the door, and wants to be alone. When another one of my daughters gets overwhelmed, she cries. When I get overwhelmed, I worry and stress. As I set up this song to our club’s girls I’m going to ask what they do when they get overwhelmed and sad. Where do they go? Then I’m going to introduce Hear My Cry, O Lord. It’s a song that really is a prayer that when we get overwhelmed, we’re asking God to lead us to the Rock that is higher than I. And that Rock is God Himself.”
The Rock is faithful. He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he (Deuteronomy 32:4).
The Rock is like no other. There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God (1 Samuel 2:2, 2 Samuel 22:32)?
The Rock saves. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior (2 Samuel 22:2-3).
The Rock can be trusted forever. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal (Isaiah 24:4).
The Rock is worthy of praise! The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior! Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation (2 Samuel 22:47, Psalm 95:1).
Lead me to the Rock! Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe (Psalm 61:1-3).
Prayer Step: Feeling overwhelmed today? In prayer, shift your focus from your circumstances to your Rock.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.
Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to the cross I cling.
As we begin our new season of GEMS we start with a word of prayer:
Father God, may Your favor rest upon us; establish the work of our hands – yes, establish the work of our hands. Help us to stand firm and to let nothing move us. May we always give ourselves fully to Your work, because our labor in the Lord is not in vain. Whatever we do in this new week, equip and strengthen us to work at it with all our hearts, as working for You, and not for men. Thank You for Your Spirit and for God-breathed Scripture that thoroughly equips each one of us for every good work. Amen (Psalm 90:17, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Colossians 3:23, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
LEAD ME TO THE ROCK
From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2
At Wednesday night’s ACTS Fall Workshop before we sang this season’s theme song, Hear My Cry, O Lord, the music leader shared these insightful thoughts with our group:
“You’ll notice that the lyrics to Hear My Cry, O LORD, read, ‘When my heart is overwhelmed,’ not ‘If my heart is overwhelmed.’ Throughout our lives, we will have times when we’re overwhelmed, troubled, and sad.
“When one of my daughters gets overwhelmed, she runs to her room, shuts the door, and wants to be alone. When another one of my daughters gets overwhelmed, she cries. When I get overwhelmed, I worry and stress. As I set up this song to our club’s girls I’m going to ask what they do when they get overwhelmed and sad. Where do they go? Then I’m going to introduce Hear My Cry, O Lord. It’s a song that really is a prayer that when we get overwhelmed, we’re asking God to lead us to the Rock that is higher than I. And that Rock is God Himself.”
The Rock is faithful. He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he (Deuteronomy 32:4).
The Rock is like no other. There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God (1 Samuel 2:2, 2 Samuel 22:32)?
The Rock saves. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior (2 Samuel 22:2-3).
The Rock can be trusted forever. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal (Isaiah 24:4).
The Rock is worthy of praise! The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior! Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation (2 Samuel 22:47, Psalm 95:1).
Lead me to the Rock! Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe (Psalm 61:1-3).
Prayer Step: Feeling overwhelmed today? In prayer, shift your focus from your circumstances to your Rock.
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.
Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to the cross I cling.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Humble Surrender
Dear Sisters,
Dear GEMS Counselors,
We are gearing up for the Fall Workshops this coming week! Hopefully you are eager to join together to encourage eachother, learn together, and be equiped for the GEMS year ahead.
In the midst of Fall workshop and club preparations, this week’s prayer comes from Psalm 145 (personalized!) . . .
Great are You LORD and most worthy of praise; Your greatness no one can fathom. One generation of Titus 2 women will commend Your works to another generation of girls and women, they will tell of Your mighty acts. They will speak at Fall Workshops, at Clubs, and within their churches and homes of the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and they will meditate on Your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of Your awesome works, and will proclaim Your great deeds. They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness! For Jesus’ sake, Amen (Psalm 145:3-7).
Have a wonderful week telling others about your love for our great and wonderful God!
Let’s turn to the Word together.
HUMBLE SURRENDER
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
1 Peter 5:6
One of my favorite parts of this summer’s family vacation at a rented cabin was my quiet times on the porch facing the lake. As I was reflecting on the book of 1 Peter, I could hear my neighbors sitting on the dock shouting to one another . . .
“Look! It’s an eagle!” “Look! Another eagle, and it’s carrying a fish!”
The beautiful scene captivated our attention until the eagles squabbled over the fish directly over my back porch. Suddenly the fish went bouncing through the tree overhead like a metal ball making its way through a pinball machine.
Splat! The fish landed on my porch. The eagles soared away. And the neighbors and I replayed the beautiful, yet bizarre scene of two eagles and one “flying” fish.
“That’ll happen when pigs fly,” you may have heard a time or two. Living on a hog farm I can tell you that pigs stink and they squeal, but those heavy animals don’t fly. So “when pigs fly” refers to a time that will never come. At least that’s what the skeptics say.
How many of us are just as skeptical of God’s command to not worry as we are of flying fish and pigs? We read His commands to not be anxious and to not worry, but maybe we wonder if ridding our lives of worry can really be a reality in this stress-filled world.
When worries fly into our lives, we have a choice to make. We can let them take up paralyzing residence in our hearts and minds, or we can choose to humbly surrender them to God. Will you make the choice?
Choose to humble yourself. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time (1 Peter 5:6). Yield yourself to His authority and will, commit the situation to Him and His control, and be willing to follow Him. When we humbly surrender our plans for His, He will lift us up and provide exactly what is needed in His time.
Choose to pray. During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission (Hebrews 5:7). Follow Jesus’ example, and bow down to God’s will in prayer.
Prayer Step: What worries do you have today? Will you make the choice to humbly surrender to His will in prayer?
If you are faced with the question of whether or not to surrender, make a determination to go on through the crisis, surrendering all that you are to Him. And God will then equip you to do all that He requires of you.
Oswald Chambers
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Dear GEMS Counselors,
We are gearing up for the Fall Workshops this coming week! Hopefully you are eager to join together to encourage eachother, learn together, and be equiped for the GEMS year ahead.
In the midst of Fall workshop and club preparations, this week’s prayer comes from Psalm 145 (personalized!) . . .
Great are You LORD and most worthy of praise; Your greatness no one can fathom. One generation of Titus 2 women will commend Your works to another generation of girls and women, they will tell of Your mighty acts. They will speak at Fall Workshops, at Clubs, and within their churches and homes of the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and they will meditate on Your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of Your awesome works, and will proclaim Your great deeds. They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness! For Jesus’ sake, Amen (Psalm 145:3-7).
Have a wonderful week telling others about your love for our great and wonderful God!
Let’s turn to the Word together.
HUMBLE SURRENDER
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
1 Peter 5:6
One of my favorite parts of this summer’s family vacation at a rented cabin was my quiet times on the porch facing the lake. As I was reflecting on the book of 1 Peter, I could hear my neighbors sitting on the dock shouting to one another . . .
“Look! It’s an eagle!” “Look! Another eagle, and it’s carrying a fish!”
The beautiful scene captivated our attention until the eagles squabbled over the fish directly over my back porch. Suddenly the fish went bouncing through the tree overhead like a metal ball making its way through a pinball machine.
Splat! The fish landed on my porch. The eagles soared away. And the neighbors and I replayed the beautiful, yet bizarre scene of two eagles and one “flying” fish.
“That’ll happen when pigs fly,” you may have heard a time or two. Living on a hog farm I can tell you that pigs stink and they squeal, but those heavy animals don’t fly. So “when pigs fly” refers to a time that will never come. At least that’s what the skeptics say.
How many of us are just as skeptical of God’s command to not worry as we are of flying fish and pigs? We read His commands to not be anxious and to not worry, but maybe we wonder if ridding our lives of worry can really be a reality in this stress-filled world.
When worries fly into our lives, we have a choice to make. We can let them take up paralyzing residence in our hearts and minds, or we can choose to humbly surrender them to God. Will you make the choice?
Choose to humble yourself. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time (1 Peter 5:6). Yield yourself to His authority and will, commit the situation to Him and His control, and be willing to follow Him. When we humbly surrender our plans for His, He will lift us up and provide exactly what is needed in His time.
Choose to pray. During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission (Hebrews 5:7). Follow Jesus’ example, and bow down to God’s will in prayer.
Prayer Step: What worries do you have today? Will you make the choice to humbly surrender to His will in prayer?
If you are faced with the question of whether or not to surrender, make a determination to go on through the crisis, surrendering all that you are to Him. And God will then equip you to do all that He requires of you.
Oswald Chambers
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sleepless Nights
Dear Sisters,
Good morning! How are you? How was your weekend? Whether it was spent with family or at work, I pray it was filled with an awareness of His presence and love. If your weekend has left you weary, here’s a prayer of perseverance for us from Jude (personalized!):
Father God, please build us up in Your most holy faith and help us to preserve in prayer in the Holy Spirit. Keep us in Your love as we wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring us to eternal life. You are able to keep us from falling and to present us before Your glorious presence without fault and with great joy. To You, the only God our Savior, be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Let’s turn to the Word together.
SLEEPLESS NIGHTS
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable then they?
Matthew 6:26
I didn’t sleep well last night. Woke up at 3:30 AM, started thinking about my to-do list, and had a difficult time shutting my brain off again. The next morning over breakfast, my hubby told me to go outside and look at the birds.
Glancing out the window, I expected to see something grand . . . a beautiful hummingbird on the flowers or a number of pheasants along the gravel road. Although I could hear sparrows, I didn’t see anything special. “What do you mean, go look at the birds?” I asked.
“The birds!” he said. “They don’t worry about tomorrow, and neither should you!” (Read Matthew 6:25-34.)
Ever have Scripture hit you in the gut? It did me. I read it. I write about it. I teach it. But am I living it? I needed that humbling reminder. Do you need it, too?
Sleepless nights can be some of the loneliest and forlorn hours. Job said, “When I lay down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’ The night drags on, and I toss till dawn. Night pierces my bones; my gnawing pains never rest” (Job 7:4, 30:17). David wrote, I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears (Psalm 6:6).
The next time you’re sleepless in Seattle or the place where you’re laying your head for the night, here’s God’s Word to you and me:
God is awake. You’re not alone. He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you – the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore (Psalm 121:4-8).
Remember His care. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me (Psalm 63:8).
Pray. By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life (Psalm 42:8).
As a child when sleepless nights occasionally came, my dad would tell me, “Forget counting sheep. Talk to the Shepherd.”
Prayer Step: Are you experiencing sleepless nights? Use those precious hours to talk and listen to the Shepherd.
I am so weak that I can hardly write, I cannot read my Bible, I cannot even pray, I can only lie still in God’s arms like a little child, and trust.
Hudson Taylor
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Good morning! How are you? How was your weekend? Whether it was spent with family or at work, I pray it was filled with an awareness of His presence and love. If your weekend has left you weary, here’s a prayer of perseverance for us from Jude (personalized!):
Father God, please build us up in Your most holy faith and help us to preserve in prayer in the Holy Spirit. Keep us in Your love as we wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring us to eternal life. You are able to keep us from falling and to present us before Your glorious presence without fault and with great joy. To You, the only God our Savior, be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Let’s turn to the Word together.
SLEEPLESS NIGHTS
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable then they?
Matthew 6:26
I didn’t sleep well last night. Woke up at 3:30 AM, started thinking about my to-do list, and had a difficult time shutting my brain off again. The next morning over breakfast, my hubby told me to go outside and look at the birds.
Glancing out the window, I expected to see something grand . . . a beautiful hummingbird on the flowers or a number of pheasants along the gravel road. Although I could hear sparrows, I didn’t see anything special. “What do you mean, go look at the birds?” I asked.
“The birds!” he said. “They don’t worry about tomorrow, and neither should you!” (Read Matthew 6:25-34.)
Ever have Scripture hit you in the gut? It did me. I read it. I write about it. I teach it. But am I living it? I needed that humbling reminder. Do you need it, too?
Sleepless nights can be some of the loneliest and forlorn hours. Job said, “When I lay down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’ The night drags on, and I toss till dawn. Night pierces my bones; my gnawing pains never rest” (Job 7:4, 30:17). David wrote, I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears (Psalm 6:6).
The next time you’re sleepless in Seattle or the place where you’re laying your head for the night, here’s God’s Word to you and me:
God is awake. You’re not alone. He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you – the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore (Psalm 121:4-8).
Remember His care. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me (Psalm 63:8).
Pray. By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life (Psalm 42:8).
As a child when sleepless nights occasionally came, my dad would tell me, “Forget counting sheep. Talk to the Shepherd.”
Prayer Step: Are you experiencing sleepless nights? Use those precious hours to talk and listen to the Shepherd.
I am so weak that I can hardly write, I cannot read my Bible, I cannot even pray, I can only lie still in God’s arms like a little child, and trust.
Hudson Taylor
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Fall Training
Hello GEMS Counselors!
I trust that you are all enjoying the summer and now getting your minds back on to the regular routine of life, school, GEMS!Many of you have received the brochure in the mail for the Fall Training. This will either tell you about the training, or remind you to get your registrations in NOW!
The dates of the training are as follows:Wednesday, Sept. 9 from 6pm-9pm at the Duncan Christian Reformed Church, Duncan BC. This is at 930 Trunk Road in Duncan.
Friday, Sept. 11 from 6-9pm at the Living Hope Christian Reformed Church in Abbotsford BC
Most of you on the mainland will choose the Abbotsford location, and on the island, the Duncan location, however you are welcome to attend either training session as they are identical in content.
Registration is $30.00 per person and includes supper, theme book, resources, and prizes!
Please send your registrations in to Gladys Wikkerink4741 Bench Road, Duncan BC V9L 6L7
We need the registrations in by Sept. 2 in order to make plans for food and materials.
The training will include:Welcoming and get to know eachother time and supper
Worship time with the new theme song with actions
Workshops: Each participant will choose 2 sessions:
1. Ways to Maximize Shine Brightly Magazine
2. Equipping and motivating new counselors (good for 'seasoned' counselors as well)
3. Year end- Family Banquet- celebrations
4. Nurturing Club Coordinators to be the best
We will learn about the Hand N Hand program and sampling of soup and cookies
Experience the Theme badge- You don't want to miss out on this!
We will end with a commissioning and closing service
As you can see, it will be a full evening. We are trying it in the evening rather than a Saturday to accommodate this suggested time , so we hope to see many more of you attend this special evening.
If you have any questions about the training please do not hesitate to email me, or phone me, Kathy at 250-474-4483, or Gladys Wikkerink.
Thank you and we will look forward to seeing you in September!
I trust that you are all enjoying the summer and now getting your minds back on to the regular routine of life, school, GEMS!Many of you have received the brochure in the mail for the Fall Training. This will either tell you about the training, or remind you to get your registrations in NOW!
The dates of the training are as follows:Wednesday, Sept. 9 from 6pm-9pm at the Duncan Christian Reformed Church, Duncan BC. This is at 930 Trunk Road in Duncan.
Friday, Sept. 11 from 6-9pm at the Living Hope Christian Reformed Church in Abbotsford BC
Most of you on the mainland will choose the Abbotsford location, and on the island, the Duncan location, however you are welcome to attend either training session as they are identical in content.
Registration is $30.00 per person and includes supper, theme book, resources, and prizes!
Please send your registrations in to Gladys Wikkerink4741 Bench Road, Duncan BC V9L 6L7
We need the registrations in by Sept. 2 in order to make plans for food and materials.
The training will include:Welcoming and get to know eachother time and supper
Worship time with the new theme song with actions
Workshops: Each participant will choose 2 sessions:
1. Ways to Maximize Shine Brightly Magazine
2. Equipping and motivating new counselors (good for 'seasoned' counselors as well)
3. Year end- Family Banquet- celebrations
4. Nurturing Club Coordinators to be the best
We will learn about the Hand N Hand program and sampling of soup and cookies
Experience the Theme badge- You don't want to miss out on this!
We will end with a commissioning and closing service
As you can see, it will be a full evening. We are trying it in the evening rather than a Saturday to accommodate this suggested time , so we hope to see many more of you attend this special evening.
If you have any questions about the training please do not hesitate to email me, or phone me, Kathy at 250-474-4483, or Gladys Wikkerink.
Thank you and we will look forward to seeing you in September!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Thanksgiving!
Hello Counselors,
Fall is on its way, but it isn't quite officially Thanksgiving yet- but we can be thankful all year round. Find the devotional from Lenae below and I hope that it brings thanksgiving to your heart today.
Also- have you send in your 'reservation form' to Gladys for the Fall Training? Are you 'gathering' up the counselors in our club to all come together and enjoy this time of training, encouragement, and fun? I will post another entry later this week giving you all the details for that, in case you have forgotten. This will be a time that you don't want to miss!
Blessings on your day,
Kathy
WITH THANKSGIVING
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6
Have you ever repeatedly read a Bible verse or passage, and all of a sudden God the Holy Spirit showed you a new thing? That’s what He did for me with Philippians 4:6.
I’ve always understood it to represent two parts of prayer: petition (making our requests known to God in prayer) and thanksgiving (expressing thanks and gratitude to God in prayer). I’ve only looked at this verse as teaching prayer in separate entities – petitions and thanksgiving. Similar to how appetizers and desserts are different parts of a meal.
But there’s more to this verse, is there not? As we go to God with our petitions and requests we should do that with thankfulness! We gratefully bring God our needs and desires! Our entire prayer, not just a separate portion of it, is prayed with thanksgiving!
By nature many of our requests and petitions stem from trouble. Do we thank Him for difficulty? No! But we can gratefully bring those heartaches before Him in prayer because . . ..
He is able! Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).
He hears our cries! The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles (Psalm 34:17).
He cares for you! Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).
He will provide all that is needed. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2 Peter 1:3). And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8).
He’s working things out according to His will and our good. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:27-28).
Prayer Step: During your prayer time today thankfully give Him your petitions and requests.
Prayer can do anything that God can do.
E.M. Bounds
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Fall is on its way, but it isn't quite officially Thanksgiving yet- but we can be thankful all year round. Find the devotional from Lenae below and I hope that it brings thanksgiving to your heart today.
Also- have you send in your 'reservation form' to Gladys for the Fall Training? Are you 'gathering' up the counselors in our club to all come together and enjoy this time of training, encouragement, and fun? I will post another entry later this week giving you all the details for that, in case you have forgotten. This will be a time that you don't want to miss!
Blessings on your day,
Kathy
WITH THANKSGIVING
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6
Have you ever repeatedly read a Bible verse or passage, and all of a sudden God the Holy Spirit showed you a new thing? That’s what He did for me with Philippians 4:6.
I’ve always understood it to represent two parts of prayer: petition (making our requests known to God in prayer) and thanksgiving (expressing thanks and gratitude to God in prayer). I’ve only looked at this verse as teaching prayer in separate entities – petitions and thanksgiving. Similar to how appetizers and desserts are different parts of a meal.
But there’s more to this verse, is there not? As we go to God with our petitions and requests we should do that with thankfulness! We gratefully bring God our needs and desires! Our entire prayer, not just a separate portion of it, is prayed with thanksgiving!
By nature many of our requests and petitions stem from trouble. Do we thank Him for difficulty? No! But we can gratefully bring those heartaches before Him in prayer because . . ..
He is able! Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).
He hears our cries! The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles (Psalm 34:17).
He cares for you! Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).
He will provide all that is needed. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2 Peter 1:3). And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8).
He’s working things out according to His will and our good. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:27-28).
Prayer Step: During your prayer time today thankfully give Him your petitions and requests.
Prayer can do anything that God can do.
E.M. Bounds
Grace and peace,
Lenae
Monday, August 17, 2009
Super Hair Care
Today's entry is a devotional written by Lenae Builthuis who is on staff for GEMS and writes much of the GEMS material and devotionals. I hope that this will be of encouragement to you today.
Kathy
Dear Sisters,
Kathy
Dear Sisters,
Happy Monday! How are you? It’s my prayer that each one of you (me included) would be willing and eager to serve the counselors and girls that have been entrusted to us, and that we would be godly examples to them. And as we do, we will remember that when the Chief Shepherd appears, we will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away (1 Peter 5:2-3). What a glorious day that will be! Have an amazing week of service to the King, dear sisters!
Let’s turn to the Word together.
SUPER HAIR CARE
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:29-31
I’m having trouble with my hair. Not the ones on top of my head (although they have their moments, too!), it’s the ones that clog the shower drain, land in the sink, and fill my hairbrush. Between my teenage girls, and me the bathroom can be a hairy, scary place!
After Sunday night’s sermon, this annoying reality has become a vital reminder of the providence of God. All things are not by chance, but from God’s heavenly hand. Without His will we can neither move nor be moved – right down to our hair count!
What’s most amazing about God knowing the number of hairs on our heads is not that He can do it, but that He cares to know! I’ve lost sleep over a number of things, but never about the number of hairs that might have fallen overnight.
God doesn’t lose sleep about hair or anything else. In fact, because He doesn’t sleep (Psalm 121:3-4), we can – in perfect peace that no hair or sparrow or anything else will fall without His knowledge and will. Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows (Matthew 10:29-31).
God is a personal, caring God! Paul was so confident of God’s care for him that he wrote, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). Are you and I as convinced of God’s care as Paul was? If so, worry would be eliminated from our lives!
We joke that worry turns our hair gray, frustrations cause us to pull our hair out, and fear makes our hair stand on end. It’s time to see hair God’s way. Turn your worries into prayers and use fallen hair as a tangible reminder of His providence and everlasting love for you.
Prayer Step: Super hair care doesn’t come in shampoo bottles or expensive salons, but in God alone. Thank God for His personal care for you today!
"We cannot but admit that not even the least thing takes place unless it is ordered by God. For who have ever been so concerned and curious as to find out how much hair he has on his head? There is no one. God, however, knows the number. Indeed, nothing is too small in us or in any other creature, not to be ordered by the all-knowing and all-powerful providence of God."
Huldryrch Zwingli
Grace and peace,
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Hand 'N Hand Program
Dear GEMS friends,
After I posted about our GEMS making cookies, I thought I should post again about the upcoming opportunity we will all have to be part of something that goes beyond our North America GEMS Clubs. It is called the Hand 'N Hand program. Please read on and if you are a Club Coordinator you should have recieved a packet of information about this already. We will also go over this briefly at the fall training.
Coming this fall we have the amazing opportunity to partner with our sister clubs in Africa in an adventure called Hand 'n Hand Program. This is a fund and friend raising program providing clubs in North America AND Africa with the opportunity to work together- hand 'n hand, so that more girls will come to know Jesus Christ. Girls in GEMS Clubs in North America will sell handcrafted items made by girls and counselors in Zambia along with gourmet food items from North America. The funds raised from the sales of both items help clubs in North America operate successfully and grow, AND help clubs in Africa thrive and become self-sustaining. This will reduce dramatically African club dependence on financial aid from North American clubs. This is wonderful opportunity which we have to serve as the body of Christ working together for the overall good! Club Coordinators will be receiving a mailing soon explaining all of the details of this new program. PLEASE DO NOT THROW THIS MAILING AWAY, but read it carefully and join this marvelous joint venture. Not only will we get to help by selling items that are tasty and useful, but for every club that participates donors have generously offered to give $500 to the Esther School fund to help build this desperately needed school in Zambia!
Through the Hand 'n Hand Program GEMS Clubs in Africa will work toward becoming self-sustaining, GEMS Clubs in North America will raise needed funds for their own clubs, and The Esther School fund will grow, making it possible to begin the school building process very soon!This will all be happening from Oct. 8-23 of THIS YEAR! So, be ready to implement this into your planning for this coming Fall. Details will follow, but I just wanted to give you all a head start on thinking about this new program. You can go to the GEMS Website read more.
(just a little hint about the Fall Training- we will get to sample some of these wonderful cookies and soup- so get your taste buds going for that!)
Kathy
After I posted about our GEMS making cookies, I thought I should post again about the upcoming opportunity we will all have to be part of something that goes beyond our North America GEMS Clubs. It is called the Hand 'N Hand program. Please read on and if you are a Club Coordinator you should have recieved a packet of information about this already. We will also go over this briefly at the fall training.
Coming this fall we have the amazing opportunity to partner with our sister clubs in Africa in an adventure called Hand 'n Hand Program. This is a fund and friend raising program providing clubs in North America AND Africa with the opportunity to work together- hand 'n hand, so that more girls will come to know Jesus Christ. Girls in GEMS Clubs in North America will sell handcrafted items made by girls and counselors in Zambia along with gourmet food items from North America. The funds raised from the sales of both items help clubs in North America operate successfully and grow, AND help clubs in Africa thrive and become self-sustaining. This will reduce dramatically African club dependence on financial aid from North American clubs. This is wonderful opportunity which we have to serve as the body of Christ working together for the overall good! Club Coordinators will be receiving a mailing soon explaining all of the details of this new program. PLEASE DO NOT THROW THIS MAILING AWAY, but read it carefully and join this marvelous joint venture. Not only will we get to help by selling items that are tasty and useful, but for every club that participates donors have generously offered to give $500 to the Esther School fund to help build this desperately needed school in Zambia!
Through the Hand 'n Hand Program GEMS Clubs in Africa will work toward becoming self-sustaining, GEMS Clubs in North America will raise needed funds for their own clubs, and The Esther School fund will grow, making it possible to begin the school building process very soon!This will all be happening from Oct. 8-23 of THIS YEAR! So, be ready to implement this into your planning for this coming Fall. Details will follow, but I just wanted to give you all a head start on thinking about this new program. You can go to the GEMS Website read more.
(just a little hint about the Fall Training- we will get to sample some of these wonderful cookies and soup- so get your taste buds going for that!)
Kathy
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Cookies, Cookies, Cookies
Hello on this fine summer day!
As we anticipate beginning another season of GEMS I thought it would be fun to share with you what the Grade 7 girls at Christ Community Church in Victoria did last year for a fund raiser.
They wanted to raise money for an orphanage in Haiti. They decided to bake and sell cookies- LOTS of cookies!
Over $400 was sent to help the orphanage buy food and supplies and the girls had fun, saw how their hard work can help others, and also ate a few cookies along the way.
If your club has done something different as a fund raiser, please share it with us all. Email your idea and share a picture if you can to: kathyharv1012@hotmail.com
Friday, July 24, 2009
Spiritually Bankrupt?
Dear GEMS Counselors,
If you are finding this that means you are now on the new site! Congratulations! I hope that you will send me an email telling me what you would like in this site, some new things you might be doing in your club, and pictures of you GEMS. Thanks for contributing.Kathy Roosma
kathyharv1012@hotmail.com
SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT?
The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Romans 8:26
Last Thursday evening my three sisters and sister-in-love made a spontaneous decision to have a movie night. It was a knee jerk reaction to getting together one final time before one sister headed back to California, and another would soon return to Michigan. “Come on over,” I said. “I’ll make the popcorn.” At one o’clock in the morning we said our good-byes and when the alarm rang four and half hours later, I felt like I had been run over by a truck. Ugh.
How quickly we feel the effects of fatigue, frailty, aches and pains, and other weaknesses. Whether it’s lack of sleep or a bout with the flu, we know what it is to be physically bankrupt.
Maybe you join me in also knowing how it feels to be spiritually bankrupt. Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline – The Path to Spiritual Growth, confessed that he went through a spiritually bankrupt time three months after he was fresh out of seminary and serving his first appointment in a small congregation. He writes, “I had nothing left to give. I had no substance, no depth. The people were starving for a word from God, and I had nothing to give them. Nothing.” Foster then details within this book the spiritual disciplines that nurtured his journey of prayer and spiritual growth.
Like healthy food, exercise, and sleep to our physical bodies, is talking and listening to God for our spiritual bodies! But what if you feel too spiritually bankrupt to even know how or what to pray?
God’s Spirit helps us in our weakness. God’s Spirit has you covered! The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Romans 8:26).
God’s Son identifies with our weaknesses. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:15-16).
God the Father is strength and gives strength. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song (Psalm 28:7). The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace (Psalm 29:11).
Prayer Step: Be spiritually fit! Practice the strength-producing spiritual discipline of daily prayer.
Prayer catapults us onto the frontier of the spiritual life. Of all the Spiritual Disciplines prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father.
Richard J. Foster
Grace and peace,
Sunday, July 19, 2009
New Website
Hello GEMS Counselors,
Since you are all GEMS counselors you know how to be flexible and how to adapt to change, right? Well, that is what we have to do as the site that I had made the GEMS Area 2 blog on is closing as of August! What a surprise, so I have been working to get this new blog set up. Please go through whatever process you need to do on your end so that you can access this site easily. I am not sure at this point if you will get an email notification when a new entry is posted so make sure to check back weekly to see the updates!
On that note I would like to ask if you could respond and let me know how you like or don't like the previous postings on our site. Do you find encouragement, new ideas, information? How can this blog improve to help you in your GEMS club? in your personal walk with God?
We have not had a lot of feedback and we really do want this site to be interactive, so please offer any kind of feedback so that we can all work together on this. If you do not want to respond in such a way that all can see your comments, you can email me, Kathy Roosma, directly at hkrose@live.com and I will respond to your email.
This post is rather short to just make sure this is all working, so look for an updated post in the coming week.
Until then,
God Bless,
Kathy Roosma
Since you are all GEMS counselors you know how to be flexible and how to adapt to change, right? Well, that is what we have to do as the site that I had made the GEMS Area 2 blog on is closing as of August! What a surprise, so I have been working to get this new blog set up. Please go through whatever process you need to do on your end so that you can access this site easily. I am not sure at this point if you will get an email notification when a new entry is posted so make sure to check back weekly to see the updates!
On that note I would like to ask if you could respond and let me know how you like or don't like the previous postings on our site. Do you find encouragement, new ideas, information? How can this blog improve to help you in your GEMS club? in your personal walk with God?
We have not had a lot of feedback and we really do want this site to be interactive, so please offer any kind of feedback so that we can all work together on this. If you do not want to respond in such a way that all can see your comments, you can email me, Kathy Roosma, directly at hkrose@live.com and I will respond to your email.
This post is rather short to just make sure this is all working, so look for an updated post in the coming week.
Until then,
God Bless,
Kathy Roosma
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