[Faith-talk] Fwd: Girlfriends in God - October 07, 2015

Tue Nov 10 16:35:52 UTC 2015

Another good devotion from October. I encourage lots of you to get on Bible Gateway and check out what they have. I drove a lot of strength from these.

Ericka Short
"Friends are like flowers in the garden of life"

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Bible Gateway <BibleGateway at e.BibleGateway.com>
> Date: October 7, 2015 at 3:03:35 AM CDT
> To: ejshort3 at gmail.com
> Subject: Girlfriends in God - October 07, 2015
> Reply-To: Support at e.BibleGateway.com
> 
> 
> Girlfriends in God
> 
> October 7, 2015 /
> Love Shows Up /
> Mary Southerland ( http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=19&ms=NDk3MTY0OTAS1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=NzgwOTM1MzA2S0&mt=1&rt=0 
> 
> Today’s Truth / /
> For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only son, that whoever
> believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16
> ( http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=28&ms=NDk3MTY0OTAS1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=NzgwOTM1MzA2S0&mt=1&rt=0 
> , NIV).
> 
> Friend to Friend / /
> It was one of those days. You know what I mean. The minute I opened my eyes, I
> could feel the weight of the darkness. All I wanted to do was pull the covers
> over my head and pray that the world would go away and leave me alone.
> 
> But it won’t. I know that.
> 
> I have responsibilities – deadlines to meet, people who are counting on me,
> and things I need to get done.
> 
> So I do what I always do on those days. I take a deep breath, cry out to God
> for the strength to get out of bed, and literally make myself get up. That is
> the first victory of the day. Yes! I then get dressed – another victory – and
> even though each step feels like I am walking through quicksand, I keep
> walking, thanking God for each small battle won.
> 
> I have a sweet friend, Sara, who has more days like this than I can imagine. I
> really don’t know how she lives her life. Well, I do. Her faith in God is
> unshakable.
> 
> Sara has enormous health mountains to climb … I am talking serious,
> life-hindering physical diseases. Sara is a wonderful wife, the mother of four
> beautiful children, and does it all with a smile on her face and a sense of
> humor second to none. Sara is also a relentless encourager. I love her. Her
> faith challenges me and calls me up higher.
> 
> Sara always seems to know when I am having a bad day. I will invariably get a
> text or a message on Facebook from her asking what I am doing and how I am
> doing. And I cannot lie to the girl. She will know.
> 
> So last week, when I was having a pretty bad day, Sara sent me a message. She
> was having a good day. I was so glad. That girl deserves every good day she
> can get! And then she asked how I was. When I told her it was one of those
> days and that I was working on my lesson for my weekly online Bible Study, she
> encouraged me and said she would be praying for me.
> 
> I got back to work, trudging through every word, desperately trying to put
> together sentences and truths that would somehow minister to the women who are
> enrolled in my study. I prayed like crazy for God’s help, but felt like my
> prayers were bouncing off of the ceiling.
> 
> I heard the “bing” on my computer telling me I had a message on Facebook. I
> had forgotten to turn it off like I normally do when I am working on a writing
> assignment. The message was from Sara.
> 
> “I left you a little treat on the chair by your front door. Happy writing!”
> the message said. Unbelievable! The woman is unbelievable!
> 
> I literally ran to the front door and flung it open. Sitting on the chair was
> a large chocolate candy bar wrapped in bright cellophane paper covered in
> smiley faces. And it was not just any old chocolate bar. It was a Ghirardelli
> Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt bar … my favorite! I hugged it to my heart like the
> treasure it was – love wrapped in cellophane and chocolate.
> 
> Love showed up. I knew the effort behind that gift. I knew how much it had
> cost Sara. Not the money … but the sheer energy.
> 
> I sat down and relished every delicious bite of that candy bar. I ate the
> whole thing and finished my whole lesson … because love showed up. God’s love
> showed up through Sara.
> 
> I know. I know God’s love does so many big things in our lives. God’s love
> transforms the ugliness of life into a beautiful trophy of grace. Love covers
> the scars of sin. Love heals wounds and eases pain. Jesus was and is the
> living illustration and certain fulfillment of His Father’s love. The love of
> God is unconditional and unfailing and will stubbornly pursue us no matter
> where we go, no matter what we do or don’t do. God’s love satisfies the
> deepest longings of our soul, enables us to love ourselves, and frees us to
> love others.
> 
> God’s love shows up in big ways … but sometimes it is when God’s love shows up
> in little ways that He really gets to me. I am reminded that God is real …
> that He is faithfully present, and that He really does care about every minute
> detail of my life.
> 
> How about you? Is there somebody in your life that needs God’s love to show up
> through you today?
> 
> Let’s pray / /
> Thank You for loving me, God. Honestly, I don’t understand that kind of love;
> a love that sent Jesus Christ to the cross so that I can live. But today, I
> celebrate Your love. Father. Please help me learn how to freely share that
> love with the people in my world. /
> In Jesus’ Name, /
> Amen.
> 
> Now It’s Your Turn / /
> Look around. Someone in your world needs to know that Jesus loves them. What
> can you do to help them experience the love of God? Make a plan … and then do
> it!
> 
> More from the Girlfriends / /
> True love doesn't collapse under pressure or fall apart in the hard times. In
> her MP3 download, Love That Never Fails
> ( http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=37&ms=NDk3MTY0OTAS1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=NzgwOTM1MzA2S0&mt=1&rt=0 Mary
> shares her story and explains how to define, discover, and experience
> unconditional love. Check it out!
> 
> Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s
> ( http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=34&ms=NDk3MTY0OTAS1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=NzgwOTM1MzA2S0&mt=1&rt=0 on Mary’s website and
> connect with Mary through email
> ( http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=22&ms=NDk3MTY0OTAS1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=NzgwOTM1MzA2S0&mt=1&rt=0 or on Facebook
> ( http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=31&ms=NDk3MTY0OTAS1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=NzgwOTM1MzA2S0&mt=1&rt=0.
> 
> Seeking God? /
> Click here ( http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=27&ms=NDk3MTY0OTAS1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=NzgwOTM1MzA2S0&mt=1&rt=0 to find out more
> about /
> how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
> 
> Girlfriends in God /
> P.O. Box 1311 /
> Huntersville, NC  28070 /
> /
> info at girlfriendsingod.com
> ( http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=24&ms=NDk3MTY0OTAS1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=NzgwOTM1MzA2S0&mt=1&rt=0 
> otion%20Response) /
> http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=38&ms=NDk3MTY0OTAS1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=NzgwOTM1MzA2S0&mt=1&rt=0 ( http://links.biblegateway.mkt4731.com/ctt?kn=29&ms=NDk3MTY0OTAS1&r=MjgwMDY3ODM3NjYS1&b=2&j=NzgwOTM1MzA2S0&mt=1&rt=0        
> 
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