Week Seven ~ Authentic Lives

As I worked on my homework from Day 1 of Week 7, I once again recognized how God directs our thoughts even as he prepares us for the lessons of His Word. One of my study buddies left a comment on my week 4 post and talked about God's destiny for her life and how she desires for her life story to impact others for His glory. God had also led me, just yesterday, to share with two new ministry wifes the importance of being authentic and honest when we minister to others.

So when I read this I just needed to share it with you again and ask, "How open and honest are you with those God places in your life?"

Pg. 158 ..."I started thinking how imprisoned we are by our unwillingness to tell the truth about ourselves. To just be honest. Authentic. I'm not talking about making shocking confessions that make us feel better but may devastate someone else. I'm talking about simply being truthful about where we come from...and where we hope we're going.... Why can't we be truthful? The answer may be what it could cost us... Sometimes you simply decide that people are worth telling on yourself."

And of course I can't resist an opening like this to encourage you to join us March 20-21st for the "Get Real" Retreat. What an impact we could have in our world if we would stop self protecting and boldly say "If I perish, I perish".

Esther Workbooks

Some of you are discovering missing pages from your Esther study workbooks. Apparently there was a printing/binding error on that press run. We have contacted Lifeway about the problem... but in the meantime, this Thursday I will have copies of the missing pages, and hopefully Lifeway will ship corrected copies of the books for those of you who want to get a whole new copy.

Sorry for the problem, I know it is a bummer to have a bad copy when you have already poured hours of work, thought and insights into the homework days in the first half of the book.

Rejoicing (anyhow), Becky

Week 4 - Day 4 'For such a Time As This"

Do you really believe that "your current location is part of the set-up for your kingdom destiny"? My dear friends we need to stop looking for our destiny and open our eyes to discover that God has placed us right smack in the middle of it. I know that if I truely believed that to be true, I would be making more careful choices about every action in every day of my life. I would stop looking and longing for another day or another place or a different person to fulfil the longing of that empty place in my soul. God is waiting and willing to fill that place up - right now, right here - He has made each of us for such a day as this and I don't want to miss the action.

Our right here and right now will be gone in a flash and I find myself increasingly longing for "that which is but is yet to come" - the kingdom of God. I love the quote in todays homework: " For now the kingdom of God on this earth resides within you, but one day your eyes will spring open to the most brilliant reality sight can behold. The kingdom of God will surround you, complete with palace, mansions, streets, and horses. In some way incomprehensible now, you will reign there with Him. All that we now call 'reality' will be a mere shadow of the vivid world we have coming." (BM)