Blessed is she who believed. ~Luke 1:45

Happy Monday! How is your Monday? Currently, I hear squabbles between two siblings all stemming from one little girl's "rights" to her toys. The other sibling held his head up and walked away calmly from the situation. Now I hear, "Mom, I think you need to give her a consequence!" He has equipped me to handle this. Lord, give me Your words and wisdom today!

This weekend, Brittany and I attended Beth Moore's live simulcast. Living Proof Live estimated 190,000 women attended this event. "What if we did womanhood well?"

The Lord certainly revealed Himself to me in a specific way and now calls me to respond in obedience to Him. In case you weren't able to attend, I want to share with you the 7 main points of Beth's firecracker teaching. She is a hoot!

1. "We are one gathering of many women yearning for God to speak."

2. "Jesus changes the story of every woman He meets."
        Acts 1:24--Jesus is the heart knower.
        Jere. 7:24--Give attention to it. I either move forward with Jesus or go backward.
        Lean in and respond.

3. "Jesus wants a woman to know who she is and what she is not." Beth gave us an identity declaration to memorize. What if 190,000 women believed this? What kind of change would happen? (You can find this on her blog along with 2 other pieces from the Simulcast. I encourage you to read them. This woman is such a gift to us.)

4. "Sometimes a woman needs a clean sweep to find what she's missing."
        Luke 15:1-10 vs. 8 "her friends" She immediately shares her joy with her friends.
        "tas philas" Greek for girlfriends (If you've heard Beth teach, you know she loves this word!)

5. "A woman's joy is not the same without girlfriends to share it."
        Every reference of "make my joy complete" in the NT, is always in the context of sharing it
        with someone.
        There is a direct correlation between our joy deficit and our girlfriend deficit.
        "Rejoice with me" We need friends who will rejoice with us.
        Many women need healed from relationships with other women.
        Get rid of "mompetition". Comparing and competing with one another comes from a place of
        insecurity.
        3 characteristics of unhealthy bonds in a friendship:
            1. exclusivity: cannot be friends with more than one person.
            2. possessiveness: if a friend is doing this, she needs to move back.
            3. jealousy: if you have to hide going to dinner with another friend, then that's a problem!
        Hypersensitivity: If I'm a "walking wound", I need wounded up. Shift hypersensitivity
        toward other women to sensitivity to the Spirit.
        Fight FOR one another, NOT with one another. (Phil. 1:27) Strive for the faith, side by side.

* Beth spent much time on this point. "You can cut competition and comparison in your relationships with other women by 50% if you quit doing it!" Women must stop hurting women. We are His. He calls us to unity through the bond of peace. We are on the same team, ladies, and are called to live separately from the world system. Stay as far away from that line as possible. I've hurt others, and I've been hurt. And nothing hurts us more than when it comes from someone in the Body. Let us be women who quickly repent and seek forgiveness from one another. Freedom comes through confession. Healing takes place when we humbly confess our sins and ask for restoration. Satan's tactic is to keep women in a constant state of comparison and jealousy. This leads to bitterness and resentment. It is not of the Lord and not fitting for any of us who have placed our faith in Christ. Let us be one another's biggest cheerleaders. I want to be that in your life. Will you be that in mine? I will clap my hands for you and rejoice over all the goodness He displays to you--in all your success, triumph, and joy. I will root for you, sweet sister. I will ask for His blessing to pour out abundantly on your life, your marriage, your children, your interactions with others, your everything. He has a deep, abiding, faithful love for each of us. Let's remind one another of that when we feel less than anything He has for us. We have no condemnation. His blood paid the price, and we are sisters through Him. That is worth rejoicing!

6. "All of heaven rejoices over a lost woman found."

7. "Every woman is well able to share how Jesus is changing her story."

To conclude the conference, we spoke these words to one another:

My Beloved Sister,
Jesus drew you to this day
To call you to respond.
What will you do
With what He has said?
God chose you and gifted you
For this very generation.
You are the exact woman
Jesus came looking for today.
Stop telling yourself
This is about someone else
You are the one He wants.
You’re not too young.
You’re not too old.
You haven’t strayed too far
Or waited too long.
Let Jesus step fully into your story
And write a narrative for your life
That does the world good
And gives God glory.
People out there need what you have to offer.
Quit listening to your fears and insecurities.
Stand up and step out and meet some needs.
You are my sister.
I’ll cheer you on.
I will support you and love you
I’ll stop competing and comparing.
I want to be a woman women can trust.
Let’s do this thing side by side.
We’re so much stronger together.
Sister, stay in His Word
Fight for love and keep your faith.
Follow hard after Jesus
All the rest of your days.
He will never do you wrong.
He will never reject or betray you.
He will make something beautiful
Out of all your pain.
In every loss
He will be your gain.
A lost world is waiting out there.
The darkness is aching for light.
Get out there and serve with all your might.
Because, my beloved sister.
You
Are
A woman
Of God.
Go show somebody what she looks like.

I hope you each have a wonderful Monday knowing how deeply loved you are by our perfect and faithful Heavenly Father.  May He equip you for all that you need this very day. I love you.

 

We thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.

 

~Colossians 1:3~