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.

[contact-form][contact-field label='Name' type='name' required='1'/][contact-field label='Email' type='email' required='1'/][contact-field label='Website' type='url'/][contact-field label='Comment' type='textarea' required='1'/][/contact-form]