I exam.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Titus 2: 3-5


 

When I read the scripture above, one woman pops into my mind.   My beautiful 81 yr old friend, Diane Hassenrik.   Meet Diane: 

 

Don't let those baby blues fool you.   She has earned her nickname "Sassy Hassy."

I am so honored to have her in my inner circle of friends who speak into my life.   She truly is a Titus 2 woman.   With her life experience and heart for God  she has alot of wisdom to share.   Diane has graced my life with heaps of truth and speaks boldly into my life.   I don't know about you, but I need bold sometimes or if I'm being honest most times.

I know when I share what's going on in my life with Diane, her answer will always point me to Christ.    And even though I know it will sting a bit,  I keep going back to the well to drink because I know it's there that I will always be pointed to Christ.

Recently,  while sharing with Diane about a situation in my life -- I paused in hopes to get a little compassion, a little...you know... "awww...I'm sorry!"    I knew when she said, "You know what I'm hearing?"   I was in trouble.

"I'm hearing a whole lot of "I" and not alot of "God" from you."     Boom!  Ouch.

She was right.   In a world that serves us opportunity after opportunity to make life all about ourselves, we need to do an "I" check from time-to-time.    And  I was over do  for an "I" exam.

How about you?

• Do you find yourself complaining because life isn't going your way?


• Have you made your happiness  the sole goal of your life?  Instead of asking God what He may want from your life.  Walking in God's plan will ultimately lead to abundant joy.  (Which trumps happiness )


• Do your conversations have alot of  --  "I don't like,  I am not,  I think,  I want,  I, I , I , I, I ??????

He must become greater; I must become less."  John 3:30  (NIV)

I Didn't Know.

"I didn't know. "

As I continue to walk out my journey towards heaven, I'm learning a lot.   Mostly,  I'm learning that I have no idea what people are going through.   The quote,  " Everyone you know is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind to everyone."  needs to be sandblasted on my head and heart.

It's true.  It's so true.

Did you know that October is National Infant Loss Month?    Me neither.    "I didn't know."

Well, I'm discovering that many, many, many women DO know.    They have been asked to carry a working knowledge of a wound so deep that some days they think they may drown from it.     Chances are you have a woman in your sphere of influence that is carrying that wound.    In fact,  if I was a betting kinda gal, I'd put my money on it.

Just the other day, I was sharing with a volunteer at Connection Church about our next CG outreach:  Jack's Day The Giving Project.   She mentioned to me that many, many decades ago she gave birth to two stillborn twin daughters.   Her confession took me off guard.

"I didn't know. "  

So,  what do we do with this?   We do what we know to do and that's gather on our commonground.    God has been so gracious to bless each of our events with an outpouring of His generous spirit.  As we walk in unity with one purpose and for ONE LIVING GOD,  fantastic God-sized things happen.

CommonGround!  This is where you need to be on Friday, October 25th at 7pm.     We are going to take God's love from the pews to the pavement.   How?   We're going to bless and by bless I mean: LOAD, Emily Hughes  THE FOUNDER of Jack's Day the Giving Project UP with the following items:

• Disposable Cameras


• Journal


• Votive Holder with Votive


• Purse size Kleenex

Emily will take these items, box them up in pretty boxes and give them to local hospitals in Metro Detroit.   In the near future, those boxes will find their way into the trembling hands of  broken-hearted women.

Will you be an instrument that God can use?    This is a great way to minister to these broken-hearted women and in a real sense,  wash them from their foreheads to their feet with a cup of grace,  a cup of comfort and a cup of compassion.

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July CG event: Worship Leader Announced

CGgirl, Summer is in full swing.   We hope you are enjoying the sunshine and your hair is winning the battle against the humidity.  :)

We have some really great news... Liz Webb will be our worship leader for the next CG Event,  Friday, July 26th at 7pm!

Liz may look familiar to you ... she is a part of our CG Worship Band and has been singing for the majority of her life.

" I've been married for 6 1/2 years to Patrick. Mom of 3 mini CG girls Emma, Ellie and Clara. I have been attending Connection Church (and Tri-City) for nearly 24 years. I have serving on our worship team for 14 years!"

Need a worship night?  Yes.   Want to gather with women from 30 different area churches?  Yes.

Want to Take God's love from the pews to the pavement by bringing: Lip Gloss, Stickers, Composition Notebook, Flip-Flops, and Dove Bar Soap?  Yes, we're going to bless 146 girls currently at Vista Maria!

Let's gather together at 7pm on Friday, July 26th - - Join us!

The Voice

CGgirl,

What voice are you listening to today?

Do you need to be reminded today?

In Christ

 

Kara Spence shared the Word with us at Friday's event and many of you asked for the list of scripture that she used in her message.    This is a great dose of  Truth in a world that offers a non-stop offering of counterfeit.

Rom 3:24 – In Christ I am justified as a gift of His grace

Rom 6:3-4 – In Christ I have died to the power of sin over my life and have been raised into a newness of life

Rom 6:11 – In Christ I am alive

Rom 6:23 – In Christ I have eternal life

Rom 8:1 – In Christ I now cannot be condemned

Rom 8:2 – In Christ I am set free from the death that comes from sin

Rom 8:10 – In Christ my spirit is alive with righteousness

Rom 8:11 – In Christ the same Spirit that rose Jesus’ dead body from the grave lives powerfully inside of me!

Rom 8:39 – In Christ the love of God is in me, a love that cannot ever be separated from me

Rom 12:5 – In Christ we are all part of one body and belong together with each other in unity

Rom 15:17 – In Christ we now have a reason to boast because God is so incredible to us!

1 Cor 1:4 – In Christ I have the grace of God in me

1 Cor 1:30 – In Christ I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification (set apart as pure and holy), and redemption

1 Cor 15:22 – In Christ I will be made alive

2 Cor 2:14 – In Christ I will always be led in triumph

2 Cor 5:17 – In Christ I am a new creature, my old life is completely passed away and I live in new life

Gal 2:16 – In Christ I am saved because of faith and not the religious rituals of the old law

Gal 3:14 – In Christ all of God’s promises are fulfilled

Gal 3:26 – In Christ we all become His children

Gal 3:27 – In Christ He has clothed me with Himself, I am not exposed the Savior of the world covers me!

Gal 3:28 – In Christ no one is better than the other, we are all equally valued

Eph 1:3 – In Christ I have been blessed with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places!

Eph 1:10-11 – In Christ everything is complete and I have a massive inheritance waiting for me

Eph 2:6 – In Christ I have been given a position of honor with Him, I have been seated with Him in the heavenly places!

Eph 2:7 – In Christ I am given the riches of God’s grace and kindness

Eph 2:10 – In Christ I am created for good works that God has already prepared for me, I don’t have to do anything but just walk in them

Eph 2:13 – In Christ I am no longer distant from God but have been brought in close to Him

Eph 3:6 – In Christ even the outcasts are accepted as God’s own!

Eph 4:32 – In Christ I am forgiven

Phil 2:1 – In Christ I find encouragement, consolation by His love, fellowship with the Spirit, affection and compassion

Phil 3:9 – In Christ I don’t have a righteousness of my own, I have His righteousness instead!

Phil 4:7 – In Christ I have peace that cannot even be comprehended which protects my heart and mind

Phil 4:19 – In Christ ALL of my needs are met because of the riches of His glory

Col 1:4 – In Christ I can cultivate an atmosphere of love for others

1 Thess 5:18 – In Christ I can be thankful

1 Tim 1:14 – In Christ I find an abundance of grace and faith and love

2 Tim 1:9 – In Christ I find the grace that God has been preparing for me from the very beginning, I was prepared for!

2 Tim 2:1 – In Christ I find salvation and eternal glory

Need a reason to come to CommonGround this Friday?

Ok...well, here are some Reasons you should be at commonground this Friday...

1.  Gathering with  other Kingdom minded women to worship the Living God.

2.  Have you heard?  Kara Spence is bringing the word!

3.  We're celebrating our 15th CG with 15, yes F I F T E E N  giveaways!

4.  We're collecting shower curtains, cleaning supplies, and bed pillows for Faith Recovery Center in Lincoln Park!

5.  Baby, its cold outside!  We've got a coffee and cocoa bar with your name on it!

6.  We're announcing our April Outreach, Project 327,  you won't want to miss this launch!

7.   You'll meet lots and lots of women from 30+ area churches!

8.  We miss your sweet faces!

9.   Amazing Afterparty!

10.  Rumor has it...CG Hoodies will be on sale!

Friday, January 25th 7pm -  We can't wait!
Connection Church
3855 Sheldon Rd
Canton, MI 48188

Kara Spence, speaker for Jan 25th CG event!

Happy New Year CGgirl!

TWENTY THIRTEEN is here and we have some fantastic news to share!   Kara Spence will be sharing the Word of God with us at our next event and we couldn't be more excited.   Kara is a dynamic voice in this generation and you will be encouraged and challenged to chase harder after Christ after listening to her.   Bring ears to hear! Kara has a passion for teenagers, if you  have any in your sphere of influence this is a great opportunity to invite them.    We want to fill this place next week!   You can read more about Kara below.

We'll be collecting items ( Bed Pillows, Shower Curtains and Cleaning Supplies) for the Faith Recovery Center in Lincoln Park that evening.   Along with the CG Worship Band, we'll have 15 giveaways in celebration of our 15th CG!,  and the fantastic after party will be in full swing with coffee/cocoa bar and appetizers galore!     See you at 7pm - Connection Church - 3855 Sheldon Rd  Canton, MI 48188

[caption id="attachment_803" align="aligncenter" width="228"] CGgirls Speaker Jan 2013[/caption]

Kara Spence is a full time student currently working on her Masters of Divinity in Theology with the goal of a PhD in Apologetics.  She is passionate about teenagers and has been a youth leader and mentor to teenage girls for the past decade.  Raised in both England and the US as well as gaining a 3 year Pastoral Leadership Diploma in Australia has a passion for travel and sharing the gospel to various cultures.  She is currently developing a program for teenagers to overcome their struggle with depression and plans to write theological books for teenagers to grasp the deep truth of the Word in a simple way in the near future.