How did your challenge go last week? Did you look around at your area of influence and take notice of a woman whose younger or newer in faith than you-
One of my younger sisters was heavy on my heart as she struggles through some life changing situations. Actually she isn't struggling,
I am trying to stay in better contact with her lately to be a support plus be open to the challenge for this week, funny how it turns out when we think "We are going to HELP someone" most times we walk away 10x's better and wonder if we helped them at all??
Recently one of my younger sisters and I had a chance to talk, we are 16 years apart and though our parents are no longer married I remain close to the 3 siblings and their mom and grams, we were talking about some tough issues we were both facing.
Anna has always amazed me with her grasp of biblical concepts and how she says them in way that is so applicable, the simplicity of it is genius and the ingenuousness of it is in it's simplicity.
She became steel to sharpen myself against, with just a simple 75 minute phone call- my outlook has changed on how I respond to stressful situations. Her 2 sentences have been freeing in so many scenarios. She encouraged me and is such a sparkly gem in my crown, I am so happy to call her sister and even more thrilled to call her a friend.
Anna encouraged me so much- funny because that I had hoped to encouraged her I feel like new woman today because of that conversation...
Today we are going to look at the verses:
Matthew 5:4& 6, 13-16
Romans 12:15
Matthew 5:4 & Romans 5:4 have to do with mourning, when you read those verses you see God's plan:
That is the TOUGHEST for me,
I see this being a freeing verse, we don't have to have "DEEP THOUGHTS" by Jack Handy or go Dr. Phil on those in mourning, simply grief with them. There is a season and there might be a time to help them to the next step...
I challenge you to simply mourn with those who mourn, give a friend a shoulder to cry on, don't try to fix it, this season is for simply carrying a burden for your friend.
Then, rejoice with those who rejoice...YAY!!! The best part! Don't forget mourning may last for the night but JOY COMES IN THE MORNING!
I see this as peanut butter and jelly, you need both, a friend who only is a fun friend is a shallow friendship, yet one that you only see when you are mourning is not a complete friendship either. You need both to get that perfect balance of salty and sweet!
In Matthew 5:6, 13-16- we read about salt and light.
"Each of the following actions helps a friend be her saltiness and brightest self. In each case, look up the passage and answer these 2 questions:"
This week's Challenge:
Watch for an opportunity this week to be a friend to someone. Look for a chance to
Next weeks KEY #3: Holding One another Accountable..
Remember Princess Ball is May 4th, time to get TICKETS is starting to come to a close, don't miss this chance to dance, be blessed by speakers, eat delicious food, laugh, and enjoy being a GIRL!!!
- Were you available to be present for her
- To encourage her
- to be "WHATEVER" God would like you to be in her life for this season?
One of my younger sisters was heavy on my heart as she struggles through some life changing situations. Actually she isn't struggling,
the rest of the family is, and right, wrong or indifferent she is my sister and
we all love her and support her.
I am trying to stay in better contact with her lately to be a support plus be open to the challenge for this week, funny how it turns out when we think "We are going to HELP someone" most times we walk away 10x's better and wonder if we helped them at all??
Since I can remember I would ask God for more siblings,
little did I know He would grow that
number significantly in today's standards as
I have 6 sisters and 2 brothers.
I have a typically blended family so not all of us grew up
in the same household and my oldest sibling is a foster brother, nonetheless the numbers kept growing and most importantly to me, I have great friends in this additional family.
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| pic credit |
Anna has always amazed me with her grasp of biblical concepts and how she says them in way that is so applicable, the simplicity of it is genius and the ingenuousness of it is in it's simplicity.
She became steel to sharpen myself against, with just a simple 75 minute phone call- my outlook has changed on how I respond to stressful situations. Her 2 sentences have been freeing in so many scenarios. She encouraged me and is such a sparkly gem in my crown, I am so happy to call her sister and even more thrilled to call her a friend.
Anna encouraged me so much- funny because that I had hoped to encouraged her I feel like new woman today because of that conversation...
- HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCE A TIME WHEN SOMEONE ENCOURAGED YOU?
- HOW DID IT FEEL TO HAVE SOMEONE BELIEVE IN YOU LIKE THAT?
Today we are going to look at the verses:
Matthew 5:4& 6, 13-16
Romans 12:15
Matthew 5:4 & Romans 5:4 have to do with mourning, when you read those verses you see God's plan:
- There is blessing in the mourning,
- He will use that heartache to draw you closer,
- enfold you in His feathers, when you allow Him
- and in the shadow in His wing you CAN FIND BLESSINGS EVEN when you are mourning
That is the TOUGHEST for me,
- how do you comfort someone when there is no quick fix nothing to make it all better?
Sometimes all people in mourning
need is someone to mourn with them,
NOT FIX THEM!
That is God's job, when we attempt that
we ruin it and cause issues.
I see this being a freeing verse, we don't have to have "DEEP THOUGHTS" by Jack Handy or go Dr. Phil on those in mourning, simply grief with them. There is a season and there might be a time to help them to the next step...
I challenge you to simply mourn with those who mourn, give a friend a shoulder to cry on, don't try to fix it, this season is for simply carrying a burden for your friend.
Then, rejoice with those who rejoice...YAY!!! The best part! Don't forget mourning may last for the night but JOY COMES IN THE MORNING!
I see this as peanut butter and jelly, you need both, a friend who only is a fun friend is a shallow friendship, yet one that you only see when you are mourning is not a complete friendship either. You need both to get that perfect balance of salty and sweet!
- Can you think of friends who have come along side and just cried with you, held you while you sobbed?
- Have you trusted anyone to be that vulnerable to?
- Are you a safe place for others to be so vulnerable to as share a deep hurt and cry with you?
In Matthew 5:6, 13-16- we read about salt and light.
"Each of the following actions helps a friend be her saltiness and brightest self. In each case, look up the passage and answer these 2 questions:"
- What does this mean in practice?
- How does it bring out the best in a friend?
- Helping to carry her burden (Galations 6:1-2)
- Restoring her gently from sin (Galations 6: 1-2)
- Encouraging and building her up (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13)
- Spurring her onto love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24)
- Meeting consistently w/other friends who hunger & thirst for righteousness
This week's Challenge:
Watch for an opportunity this week to be a friend to someone. Look for a chance to
- carry her burden, encourage her, build her up, or spur her on to love and good deeds.
- Think about the unique person she is & ask your self,
- "What would feel encouraging to her?
- What would motivate her to love, not just make her feel guilty or overwhelmed?"
Pick someone from this study if you feel comfortable to share a prayer request with and someone to prayer for.
Think about what that person might need from a friend this week. What can you do to be BE a friend to her?
Consider sending a funny card, perhaps once you have made yourself?
Copied from SIX KEYS TO LASTING FRIENDSHIP by Carol Kent and Karen Lee-Thorp, copyright 2000 The Navigators –
www.navpress.com. All rights reserved Next weeks KEY #3: Holding One another Accountable..
Remember Princess Ball is May 4th, time to get TICKETS is starting to come to a close, don't miss this chance to dance, be blessed by speakers, eat delicious food, laugh, and enjoy being a GIRL!!!
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