I hope you found the accountability of this group during January, February, and March of 2009 to be as helpful to you as I found it to be for me! I've seen great improvement in each of our three areas of focus--money, calories, and time--because I am in a group of people who are watching, and listening...and they care! So, thank you! (Of course, the more you post, the more care and encouragement you will feel!)
Last time to pull out your journal!
Our first shared goal was to freeze debt (rate yourself today), melt fat, (rate yourself today), and conserve your time (rate yourself today)! Then we moved into the emotional phase: loving to burn, give, and plan--learning to enjoy a disciplined lifestyle. Finally, we narrowed our "focus" to practical ways to save, give, and burnfor a lifetime.
For those who read daily in the Change Your Life Daily Bible, today's Old Testament reading is from Deuteronomy 4--the whole chapter is encouraging, but verses 5-6 speak of the impression others have about those who obey the Lord's ways: "How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!"
May the Holy Spirit of the Lord pour out and over your life today and always. May your life reflect the power of God's love and favor on your life--on the easiest days and the most difficult ones. May your love for God be evident in all you do...
Be encouraged,
Becky
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9 comments:
Thank you Becky for such a rewarding quarter 1.
You work so hard to make things a real blessing for us, and the fact that you put God first in all you do (and encourage us to do) is just awesome and evident.
Greatly looking forward to the next sesssion.
Thanks and many blessings.
Becky,
I have learned so much, and encouraged to continue on this journey! Thank you for everything! Looking forward to continue with the group....
Blessings to you for all you do for us!
Questions:
#1 I can't get today's message to play. It stops after Sherry joins in. So ,I have not heard the message from Becky today, Anyone else having problems?
#2
Last week several of you encouraged me with my research paper. You all basically said, "Give it to God". Today I was having lunch with friends and when I mentioned the paper, the Christian friend , "Give it to God".
How exactly do you do that? I am not worried about the grade or it being perfect but the deadlines and details of writing the paper has been very stressful. I can pray about it and "Give it to God", but I still have to write the paper. So, can someone explain how to have it not be stressful?
Forgot to mention:
Originally I was only signed up for 1 quarter and thought it was over next Wednesday. So, today after reading Becky's newsletter the Lord prompted me to extend it for the full year because I do need the accountability and I have so many unfinished goals.Thank you Becky for your timely newsletter that convicted me and reminded me it was OK to admit I still need a lot of help!
jennygrace,
As a teacher who is now working my way through four classes of high school senior research papers, I know the stress you are feeling. My best practical advice to you is not to wait until the last minute to actually put something down on paper. What are you trying to prove? If you can just answer that question in one sentence, it will get you started. Then you might want to make a simple list of things you already know about the topic, followed by a list of things you need to research in order to prove your thesis.
I think the very hardest part is putting the first words on paper. Once you've made that step, it will get easier. Just ask God to open your mind to the insights he will give you; ask him to lead you to the right materials, and I know he will.
I got really sick last week and ended up missing a day of school and then sleeping through much of the weekend, putting me very far behind. Before I went to bed on Sunday night, I asked God to help me through this week and to help me keep my priorities straight--which included spending quality time with him in the morning, not rushing through my Bible reading and journaling. Monday went much better than I had anticipated, and then on Tuesday morning, as I opened up the CYL Bible, I found an odd little passage from Deuteronomy that simply grabbed me: Moses writes in Deut. 2:2, "Then at last the Lord said to me, 'You have been wandering around . . . long enough; turn northward." That's it, I thought. I've been muddling through the days, not feeling too well and not making much progress. When I read that little passage, I felt as if the Lord were speaking directly to me: "Don't keep plodding along in circles trying to do everything yourself. Set your sights on me; ask me, and I will help you." What a difference that has made these last two days. . . . I'll keep you in my prayers.
Becky, I haven't yet listened to today's call, but I am looking forward to it. Thank you so much for all of your encouragement in this series. I'm looking forward to the next quarter and the rest of the year.
God bless!
Wanda
Jennygrace, I just played the call so it's ok now, at least on this end.
Wanda, that was a really helpful response to Jennygrace's question.
I'm applying it too.
Becky, or anyone, on the third part of the conversation today:
Are you saying you keep your journal handy, and when you get those distractions while you pray, you jot them down at that moment or ???. My mind is an ongoing to-do list that never seems to shut off. I really need help in that area, I think....
Wanda, what great input. And thank you for Deut. 2:2. I feel God is saying those same words to me. And I truly believe he is using Becky (as well as the blogs from my sisters) to help me (us) get in touch with these areas and gain tools to help us unravel the wandering. For me, God seems to be saying "get organized" in these areas. "I want you to be clear of the clutter in your life." Whether it is time, money or calories. This "clutter" has been stealing my time, money and physical being for way too long. I want to be ready to do His will at any moment in the day. I am all too aware that I have been allowing these clutters to rob me of my ability to move forward and to do the next thing He is laying on my heart.
And Jennygrace...others probably have greater insight into the "Give it to God" statement. But for me, and I can remember struggling with this when working on my master degree, it meant to continually give over to God my anxiety and overwhelming feelings about the papers. Those emotions were draining me of my energy and ability to even write down what I was trying to say in the papers. As well as being drained all of the time. And, those type of anxieties can worm their way into any part of life... So it is a continual act of the will to give them over to the One who Cares.
Thank you all, I am not very good at blogging. I should have asked for advice a few months ago when I did need Wanda's excellent advice. Actually, the paper is due April 3 so i am just finishing it up and editing till then,
What I meant to say is, Yes, I have to "give it to God" but I am still responsible for putting in the correct time and effort to write the paper. Had I been more organized and asked for more help it would have been easier. I appreicate it that Emma has been through this and survived! THANKS
Jennygrace: May you have a blessed week and get everything done with time to spare.
And, it was my friend who is getting her master's at age 50.
I havent written a paper since 1982!
I'm a small business owner now, who doesnt have it together time wise, but thanks to this course, really trying to make some new efforts in that area.
Have a blessed week, hope to see many in the next session!
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