Fall Study Options

A Woman's Heart--God's Dwelling Place
3 class options @ WRCC:
Sun. 9-10:30 am, Sept. 11-Nov. 27
Wed. 9-11am & 6:30-8:30 pm, Sept. 14-Nov. 23
Cost: $25

Perhaps no Old Testament event so dramatically illustrates God's persistent desire to relate to His children as the building of the tabernacle in the wilderness. Through the tabernacle God initiated a deeper relationship with His Chosen People by bringing reconciliation and revealing His glory. And certainly, no Old Testament event so richly prefigures the coming of the true Tabernacle, Jesus Christ. You will be challenged to prepare your heart, like the holy of holies, to become a home for His love and glory — a dwelling place for the Most High God.

Precept Inductive Bible Study: Philippians, Fridays, 9-11 am, Sept. 16. Contact Pam Bloom @ 356-8129, in The Garage @ WRCC

Webber St. Christian Church in Urbana is doing Believing God.
Class options:
Tues. Sept. 6th, 6:30 pm (call Roseann Shaw at 384-5484)
Thurs. Sept. 8th, 9:30 am (call Carol Edwards at 367-4178)

What are you studying this summer?

Hi Ladies! WOW, summer is upon us, can you believe it? So, I'm curious how you are all doing with your continuing effort to break free? Anything new to share?

So, what are you studying this summer? I know a lot of gals meet with special friends and do a small group study. There are so many options. I want to encourage you to stay in the Word of God!

I felt a strong urge to do a Precept Bible Study. It's been nearly two years since I've done one. I'm going to study the book of Ephesians. I can't wait. I'm incredibly hungry for the pure word of God.

There are two options for a summer study at WRCC. Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst will be on Wed. mornings and evenings. This class will be taught by Mary Evans and is for women only. This is a great opportunity to invite a friend. The second option is on Sunday mornings. I will lead a 6 week DVD study taught by Ray Vander Laan called, That The World May Know. I am SO excited about this teaching series. Ray teaches from Sinai and in the Negev region of Israel. Talk about the Word coming to life! I guarantee you will be blessed. See WRCC website to sign up.

May the Lord God Almighty continue to bless us and teach us as we seek to know him more!
Brenda

I think this week has helped me more than any other homework we've done. I've had a difficult time with this particular studay because I hadn't been able to figure out what I needed to "break free" from! I don't have some terrible tragedy or unimaginable event in my life that I've burried deep within my heart. It was not until we hit this chapter when I discovered what I needed to break free from was me!

I am exactly that person Beth was describing. I sing words of love and confession that I don't yet feel. I am outsinging my feelings. I respect God, I am grateful to God, and I serve God, but I don't think I fully love God yet. I long to long for God, I just don't know how to love him.

This week's work is covered in pink highlighter, everything I want to remember and apply in my life. Personally, I've been making excuses for why I don't make time for God in my life. I am short on obedience and full of excuses. "Never forget that Satan persists where a stronghold exists. He supplies an endless list of rationalizations for the things we do and refuse to do" (p. 199). I sat down and listed what I did everyday in order to determine why I don't read my Bible and pray daily. I began to notice a pattern. Housework, kids, lunch, naptime, kids, dinner, baths, bedtime, time with my husband, bed. My "free time" of naptime and after the kids were in bed mostly revolved around TV. So, my husband and I discussed it and we're starting 30 days of unplugging the TV on Sunday. I want to spend time with God and spend quality time with my family. During my daughter's naptime I'll be reading the Bible and working on a prayer journal daily. In the evenings, I'll be reading the books that I've bought and not read yet or just spend hours talking with my husband. I'll be getting up an hour earlier to pray and get ready before my husband leaves for work. I rationalized what I was doing as I needed my "me time". I do so much for everyone else, so why not sit my tush in front of the TV and watch my DVR and take a break? I realized that I'm being selfish, God needs my time and I want to give it to Him more than I need to watch TV.

Then, the illustrations about the lies in our heads/hearts that we choose to believe really struck me..so I'm doing what Beth suggested. I'm in the process of listing out thoughts in my mind that I know are lies but I still allow to stay there anyway. Next to those lies I'm writing scripture that corresponds to those lies, so I can see God's truth tell me they're lies. My plan is to start memorizing those scriptures. I've discovered that the book of Romans is fantastic, a lot of my scriptures are coming from there.

This study, plus Apples of Gold are showing me ways to begin to truly love God. I've set some big goals for myself these next few months. Daily prayers, reading the Bible, showing respect to my husband every day. Making time for the everyday stuff with my children, serving God to glorify Him...I'm looking forward to it.

I'm sure I lost most of you before you got half way through! I'm kind of rambling now, but writing it out makes it clearer in my head and will keep me accountable! Thanks for all your support ladies!

Bondage to Unforgiveness.... of ourselves.

This is a little something that God is sharing with me and teaching me through this journey of Breaking Free!

Is it not true that we as woman have the ability to hold back forgiveness from ourselves more than anyone else in our lives?  We somehow feel that we don’t deserve to be forgiven but most of us are quite willing to forgive others.  Why is this so hard for us?  Why do we let Satan grab ahold of us and keep us bound to our sins as if we will never recover from them.  What would happen if we actually let God forgive us and actually forgave ourselves?  Yes, I said let God forgive us…  When we aren’t able to forgive ourselves aren’t we holding back from God's forgiveness with the thoughts that “oh no we can’t forgive this… I will never get over this… What I have done is too terrible to forgive myself for.”  We need to stop believing these lies and let God heal us!  You know what will happen when we let go of holding on to our sins and start forgiving ourselves…  We might actually heal and God will get to use us in ways we could never imagine while in our bondage.  I don’t know about you but I’m going to start forgiving myself and giving myself the same grace that I extend so readily to everyone else

Oaks of righteousness

In our class this past Wednesday, Brenda shared this passage & we talked a bit about the mighty oak tree. Later I sent this photo to Brenda since it came to mind in our discussion. Doesn't this give a great visual to the passage? Definitely this tree could "display His splendor." Tim & I went on a hunt to find this "Angel Oak" sprawling out on one of the lowland islands along Charleston, SC. (The photo is small but if you look really close, Tim is standing in the middle of the base of the tree.)

Isaiah 61:1-3

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

From someone who knows about hurts~

"Sometimes God allows what he hates...to accomplish what he loves." from "The God I Love" by Joni Eareckson Tada.

Nearly 1/2 way done....

Hi ladies....how you doing? We've been going through some difficult lessons these past few weeks. Are you holding on? What's the biggest lie you've replaced with Truth?  Have you been able to share what you're learning with anyone? Please do share....