January 19, 2010 at 7:33 pm · Filed under Books, Testimonies
On impulse a few weeks ago I picked up this 145 page book after Sunday service. I attend a Calvary Chapel, and my interested was piqued by the tag line on the cover; “Gang members, drug addicts, mental patients, society’s rejects…Chuck Smith’s amazing story of Calvary Chapel and the unlikely leaders that God Called.”
I have a basic knowledge of how Calvary Chapels got started, but I didn’t know much, and this book was good in that it provided a cursory look at how God has used some very unlikely men to bring people to Jesus.
When I say cursory, though, it is just that. Chuck shares the stories of nine men whose lives were transformed by the awesome power of God. I read with great interest and was left wanting more of their stories. He does provide names of books that give you more of the story for many of these pastors
The last chapter focuses on Chuck’s own lessons and principles for ministry that I believe are exceptional. If you’ve ever thought of starting a Bible study or church, then these principles are some that you would want to get your hands on. He provides a basic overview, but this overview is simple – exactly what Smith wants them to be. He believes in simply teaching the Bible simply, so that people can understand!
There were a few things that distracted me while I was reading; namely, the presence of more than a few typographical errors. Granted The Word for Today is not a huge publishing house, I was still slightly disappointed considering this was not a first printing. I was also distracted by an aside that Smith took during one of the stories to speak his mind on a particular issue. It wasn’t that I disagreed with the point he was making, it just didn’t seem to fit.
Overall, it was a quick and interesting read. It gives you a glimpse of the great things God has done through the weak and wounded He calls. I learned a lot about the 1960’s hippie and drug culture that I knew nothing about. If you’ve never listened to Chuck Smith, or have heard about Calvary Chapels you might just enjoy and learn something new from this book!
January 17, 2010 at 5:42 pm · Filed under Announcements, Podcast, Testimonies
On Tuesday, January 26, 2010 we will be discussing the topic of anxiety from a Christian perspective. If you have suffered from anxiety or panic attacks or have overcome them, AND if you’re willing to share your testimony, please email Jolene at jolene@godlygals.com. We would like to share some of these testimonies on the podcast, and will welcome call ins for that show as well.
The Godly Gals Podcast – Overcoming Anxiety
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
7pm EST/6 Central
@ http://www.godlygals.com
Email Jolene at jolene@godlygals.com by Sunday Jan. 24th to share your testimony on the podcast
Call into the show by calling GodlyGals on Skype
January 17, 2010 at 9:03 am · Filed under Books, Devotionals
I was pleasantly surprised to find this cute book in the mail the other day. Being in a ministry that targets women of all ages, I like to keep informed about what’s out there for the youngest of our sisters. For Girls Only! Devotions, written by Carolyn Larsen and illustrated by Leah Sutherland, is right on target.
I give this one my stamp of approval. They succeed in using language that is relevant to pre-teens (Wait, you call them “tweens” now, right? I’m old. Forgive me.) with images that are just cutesy enough to appeal to those on the younger end of the spectrum they are aiming for, without making it feel too young for the older girls. I enjoyed this and I’m 25.
The subject matter is definitely age appropriate and focuses on key Biblical concepts that are important to grasp early on. Devotions are labeled by topic, all of which were things that girls of this age deal with (friends, relationships with parents, and one topic I found that accurately describes the opinion of many a middle school girl — “It’s Not My Fault!”).
For Girls Only! Devotions would make a great gift for any pre-teen girl and is the perfect starter to get our younger ladies in the habit of doing devotions.
A complimentary copy of this title was provided to me by the Tyndale Blog Network for the purpose of reviewing.
Originally posted at MissWisabus.com
January 12, 2010 at 7:45 pm · Filed under Life Stories
by Jolene
January in Western New York is, by its nature, SNOWY. I know this. I have lived here all my 27.8 years. I know what the roads are like. I know to give myself extra time on my daily commute. It usually results in long, tiring days, but I manage.
There are some people, who are unfamiliar with lake snows because they are from out of town. And then there are those who, though they have lived here all their lives, refuse to accept that it is winter.
Do you mind listening to my story?
This morning was snowy, as is obvious by my title. I was on my way to work, and stuck three cars behind a large, slow-moving, salt truck/snow plow. I was on a single-lane-each-direction road and following me was the most impatient person I have yet to encounter this season. He or she would not leave the two-car lengths distance my dad taught me about. I couldn’t go any faster, and yet this individual insisted on sitting in my back seat. I focused my attention on the Bible teaching on the radio and prayed for safety. It seemed the logical thing to do, because I wasn’t going to go any faster.
I made my customary turn south, much to the chagrin of my follower. He/she was turning the same way. I was promptly passed on this unplowed portion of road. Wouldn’t you know it, but a few miles down the road, I caught up with this individual tailing another snow plow – this one only going 20mph. I watched as they attempted to pass – no luck – a car was coming. I prayed again. This one more of a demand of God to make that person stop…
He attempted again to pass the plow. On a blind curve. BRILLIANT! What a wonderful idea!
Alright, I’ll cut my sarcasm, because here was the scary part.
Another car was coming in the opposite direction – she was in her lane going slow enough for the road conditions. I watched it all happen as Mr. Speedy swerved back behind the plow and the other car swerved out of the way and promptly into a ditch. The other car, and the car behind him did not stop. All I could hear myself say was “OH LORD!”
I made a split decision. I am not usually one to stop in these instances, but this car was off to the side of the road, and everyone else had gone by. I couldn’t in good conscience just drive off, leaving the woman there in the middle of nowhere, without having checked.
Since I had already slowed down, I parked in the road (brilliant on my part as well), and ran over to make sure the person was ok. She was. I mean, she was shaken up. I told her I understood – I watched it all happen. She had a cell phone, and I stood there with her for a bit as she made a call. I had to get to work, and so I eventually left. But at least I stopped and made sure she wasn’t injured.
My point in sharing this on the GodlyGals blog?
Well, I think there are some lessons to be learned.
1. Please don’t rush. Being so hurried by things today – we sometimes forget to take our time, be careful, and consider how our actions may hurt others.
2. Follow the rules of the road and don’t try to pass a plow on a blind curve. There are rules for a reason – it’s just stupid to take a risk like that.
3. If someone may be injured, being late to work is not important in comparison to the lives of others. Stop and help.
It all comes down to THINKING - about others, and yourself; about VALUING LIFE, and acting with precaution when the situation warrants it. God created each of us, and we should not be so reckless with His creation.
January 3, 2010 at 8:05 pm · Filed under Podcast
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The ladies get together to talk about thankfulness and upcoming holidays.
January 2, 2010 at 11:28 am · Filed under Scripture, Verse of the Day
So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. – Psalm 90:12
December 29, 2009 at 1:51 pm · Filed under Podcast
Please join us for our New Years Eve podcast! We will be taking a look back at the past year and reflecting. Maybe we’ll talk about how we plan to start the new year on the right foot with the Lord. It will be a call in show, so if you’re going to be home for New Years Eve – why not stop on by!
The GodlyGals New Years Eve Podcast
December 31, 2009
11:00pm EST/ 10:00pm Central
We use Skype, so if you want to join us on-air you’ll need to call GodlyGals on Skype!
Hope to see you there!
December 24, 2009 at 9:50 pm · Filed under Announcements
From all of the ladies here at GodlyGals we wish you a joyous holiday. We pray that you will embrace the true meaning of the season – Jesus. And remember it is not just His birth – but His death too – that allows us to enter into everlasting life in Heaven!
O Come Let Us Adore Him!
Blessings,
Jolene & Elizabeth for all
December 15, 2009 at 7:01 am · Filed under Books
by Elizabeth
If there is one thing I’ve learned in my first six months of marriage it’s that communication is key. I know, you hear it everywhere, but if you’re married you know that it’s true. It’s the application of this fact that can be tricky. In his book, The Language of Love & Respect: Cracking the Communication Code with Your Mate, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs continues to bring light to truths about core values essential to a joyful marriage.
This isn’t an easy read. Eggerichs quickly dives into some serious issues that couples deal with in their relationships, bringing up topics that aren’t always the most pleasant to discuss. But I think that’s the point. Talking about things and learning our different styles of communication can help us to overcome so many obstacles.
I can’t say that I learned a lot of new things in this book. There were a few books we read in our pre-marital counseling that covered the same topics and did it in a few chapters rather than a book. Honestly, I feel I got more out of those chapters than this whole book. It’s not a throwaway though. If you feel like you could stand to learn more about the importance of communication in marriage and how women and men really do speak different languages, this book is a great pick. If you’re already familiar with the topic you won’t find much new information here.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided for me by Thomas Nelson.
Cross-posted at MissWisabus.com
December 12, 2009 at 5:10 pm · Filed under Doctrine, Faith, Prayer, Scripture
I am learning. And learning is always better than sitting still and stagnating, right?
When I was little I was raised in a (Christian) belief system that taught some things that might not have actually been the most biblical. I mean, most of the time they were spot on, but there was some stuff I found out later that was pretty questionable.
One of those things was that, “When you ask God for something, He will provide it right then and there.” There was a caveat though. You had to have enough faith and righteousness for your request to be honored. I can’t tell you how many of the most righteous little old ladies that I knew who were told that they just need to “press in and press on” because they didn’t have enough faith to get what it was they were needing.
That’s what I grew up believing. That if I was in need of something and petitioned God for it and it didn’t come to me right away it was my fault. That my faith was “small.” Let me tell you what, that is a great foundation for building guilt and causing doubt in your security as a child of the living God.
Here’s what I know about faith:
Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
“Because of your little faith,” He told them. “For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. [However, this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.] ” – Matthew 17:19-21 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
We need faith. Jesus told his disciples that if they merely had “faith the size of a mustard seed” that nothing would be impossible for them. A mustard seed is really, really small. I’m not exactly sure how you quantify the amount of faith a person has, but I’m pretty what the Lord is telling is here is that all we need is just a little. He’s going to take care of the rest. All we have to do is believe.
Tough sometimes? I know. What I am learning through some painful lessons and some things that maybe aren’t lessons so much as just life is that things take time. We can’t always get what we want or think we need whenever it is that we ask for it. Should we stop asking God? Probably not. An open dialogue with our Heavenly Father is the best thing we can keep going so I’d suggest you keep on talking. He’s listening.
Right now I have some wants. Maybe they’re needs. I’m not really sure how to tell that and I don’t think that I am a neutral enough figure in the situation to even begin to decide that. They are good wants. God-approved and full of blessing. In my heart I sometimes ache. There is nothing wrong with what I want, but that doesn’t mean that now is a good time. Or God’s time. And I am learning (slowly and with a lot of feet-dragging, kicking and stomping fits) that no matter how “good” the thing is that I want, that God has a plan and a time for everything. And sometimes what you want, again, no matter how “good,” isn’t in the plan at all. That’s not something I want to entertain at the moment so I’m just going to skip it. But I’m learning it and accepting it and finding that with every passing day it gets a little easier to accept the Lord’s timing. What I’ve also picked up is that my godly longings are not going unfulfilled as punishment for my lack of faith. Sometimes, what we may hear in our heads as a resounding slam of a door may be something as quiet and hopeful as a whispered, “Wait. Not yet.”
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