Oh my… life does scat right along, doesn’t it? Okay, did I just sound like an OLD WOMAN? Yes, I did, just call me MeeMaw.
Anyway, on to the point if I can find one ….. last summer I was in a Bible study with several of my local girls. I loved it! Something so laid back and casual about summer Bible study. This summer our wonderful hostess and leader, Caprice, decided to do another Bible study. (I think the nine long months of the school year made her long to have chatty, off-topic encouraging, bunch of women … oh wait, that’s just me).
This year we are doing a study I did eight years ago with some dear girlfriends. I love looking back at that old Bible study workbook and reading the words of a younger version of me. Some things are exactly the same — apparently I’ve got some issues I’m still struggling with. Other things have changed so much.
The first time I did this study my girls were 9 and 15 and now they are 17 and 23 — my word!
The first time I did this study I was struggling to figure out who I am in Christ, today I know who I am in Christ. I may not always act like it, but I do know it.
Just the other night, I sat around a table with the same girls I did that Bible study with eight years ago. We’ve all changed a little. No longer do we talk about grade school teachers and summer day camps. Most of our children are grown and we have a few grand-babies in the mix. We don’t have the innocence we once had, as we’ve walked some hard roads together. We don’t see each other as much as we once did, because we’ve scattered like a dandelion blown for good luck.
This is the first time that all six of us have been together in a long time. We get together several times a year, but it’s rare that we all make it. All six of us together is such a treat and a joy.
Even with the hard roads, some sad deception that entered our midst, and rare get togethers, when we’re together we always manage to laugh until our sides ache.
The younger me remembers the days when these friendships were nothing but goodness and fun. Today these friendships are precious and true. We’ve been through some stuff together — some good and some bad, but we’re still standing.
In this whoosh of time from eight years ago until today, I realize that the bonds of these friendships were strained but they held. Today I realize the enemy saw a group of Godly women who love Jesus and each other and he set his sights on us. This older, smarter me knows that it is only in Christ that we are still able to sit around that table and laugh. In Christ, we will continue to stand and our friendships will stand on the foundation of Christ. — and the knowledge that no one else would get the onion rings joke!
Filed under: Bible study, gIRL, girlfriends, serving God by Mary R. Snyder
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I’m so excited about speaking at Get Revived Next week!! I just clicked over to the conference site and saw an addition to the lineup – Kelly Minter! Okay, y’all have to come. Kelly is the author of No Other Gods and Ruth: Loss, Love, and Legacy and she’s a tremendously talented musician and singer! The girl is amazing!
But along with Kelly, there’s Lisa McKay, the Preacher’s Wife, Tiffany Stuart, Tea with Tiffany, Lisa Shaw….. before I forget someone, go look at the list – speakers.
Amazing speakers and incredible fun (the chat option is always hopping) AND you can do it all in the comfort of your own home! 5DAYS of speakers!! All for only $12.95!
Just looked at the schedule … I’m kicking it off Monday morning at 8:30am Central time. And I’m a little nervous! There’s such an incredible lineup of speakers and I’m the first one!
I’m going to need some support!! Y’all come on over!
Here are all the details:
March 15th-19th, 2010 - only one week left to register!
Register Today for 12.95!
This conference is all about giving you a spiritual dose of adrenaline because we all need it sometimes.
This event’s speaker line-up is phenomena (Get Revived Speakers)l. These are some great women of God, humble enough to serve and strong enough to stand up and proclaim His word to all who are in need of hearing it. This conference is for any woman in need of revival in her spirit.
What you can expect for $12.95:
* Live sessions, entirely online, with some of the Christian community’s most popular speakers and authors.
* Ability to download all of the MP3’s from all the sessions, as well as handouts, chat logs, and presentations.
* Participation in real-time question and answer sessions with all of your favorite speakers.
* Lots of downloadable swag as well as entries to win some great prizes!
* Fellowship: make some new life-long friends and experience some fun and fellowship.
Visit A Woman Inspired at: http://awirevival09.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
When I found out the theme of the event was ‘what we put on’ and they were purses as table decorations… and not just any purses, but GORGEOUS amazing PURSES!
I was so blessed to be invited to speak to this great group of women at Lakewood Baptist Church….. they were sweet, wonderful and incredible. I just adored meeting each of them.
Jackie, Lori, Me and Amy – what a sweet bunch… well, not me. I’m not calling myself sweet that would be ….. well, that would be weird.
And then Jackie tells us her story about crocheting prayer shawls…
and we all cried… alot.
And then there were the purses… oh how they blessed me so. This is the one that this sweet group blessed me with. I LOVE it.
And I loved my time with them. And I’m in the market for another new purse so if you’re looking for a speaker and you have a cute purse …. I just may be your girl.
Filed under: Speaking, girlfriends, retreats by Mary R. Snyder
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Forget about what’s happened;
don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
Isaiah 43:18-19 MSG
I love this verse and it speaks volumes over my life! VOLUMES I tell you. But before I turn this blog into a long dissertation on my ‘old history,’ let me just share a 2009 blessing and the 2010 Brand New blessing!
January 2009 also brought an incredible flood of new girlfriends. Girls I’d only know through the screen came into my life in a very real way. It seemed as if the Lord removed the book on girlfriends and replaced it with a whole slew of real life girlfriends. One of those girlfriends is Melinda Garman.
Melinda and I met through our blogs and we chatted via email, but January 2009 we met in Atlanta to attend the Travis Cottrell taping.
I knew this was more than just a passing acquaintance - what I didn’t know was how the Lord was binding our hearts together for His good purpose. In a weekend filled with laughter, incredible worship and tears of joy, God brought us together and the seeds of a ministry were planted.
Let me introduce:
gIRL: Girlfriends In Real Life
meeting God together on the other side of the screen
This is a ministry that brings the friendships we forge through blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, from one side of the screen to the other…not just for a quick lunch or a quick “meet-up” after a conference, but for extended time together with God. We believe that God is calling us to deeper relationships founded on our relationship with Him, and that He is using social media to bring people together all over the world to achieve just that. We’re excited and humbled that He would be using us for this purpose!
Let’s take our love for the Lord and the fun of social media and let’s LIVE IT!
To get this ministry off the ground we knew we needed input of girlfriends far and wide - we needed some girlfriend partners. The Lord plopped Karen Barrows into our life in Memphis through social media and a wonderful girlfriend, Fran.
Karen has graciously given us use of an incredible home in the mountains for our first strategy session. She’s a true treasure and our first gIRL ministry partner — she’s partnering with us as we plan our strategy session and possibly our first gIRL event in late 2010.
We need your prayers! We are stepping out in faith and in the planning stages of this ministry. Since we met online, connected through blogs, twitter, and facebook, we felt we should include our online friends in this process. Please pray that we follow God’s plan and not our own. Please pray that above all women are brought to a deeper relationship with Him and that He is glorified in everything we do.
Hang on - this is going to be one EXCITING ADVENTURE!
Filed under: gIRL, girlfriends, serving God by Mary R. Snyder
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She edged closer as we chattered about life, family and the upcoming women’s retreat. She stood just a few feet away as if afraid to approach us – she was tiny and a bit timid. She walked slowly, almost painfully.
As the group began to scatter she asked one of the girls how she could volunteer to help out around the church. There was some stammering and stuttering and then a suggestion to ask the pastor’s wife - -because when all else fails send them to the pastor or his wife.
I joined in the conversation and soon all the others fell away. It was the two of us, me and this timid woman extending her hand to help when she seemed more in need than most.
Her story came out in bits and sentence fragments. Open heart surgery just a few weeks ago. No longer able to work. Want to do something. Need to stay busy.
She told me “I’ve only been here a couple of times.” In the way she spoke, it’s like she expected rejection. I knew there was more to her story.
We talked about places she may want to volunteer. We talked about Wednesday night suppers and Sunday school and then I mentioned Bible study. She seemed excited, but a bit anxious. I shared the dates and showed her where we meet. We traded phone numbers.
As we walked out of the empty church building I told her I’d call next week about Bible study. Worry clouded her face, “I try to do good, but I always mess up.” I assured her that most of my life consisted of a series of mess ups.
She told me “I try to keep it straight, but then I fall back into the old ‘stuff’” and assured her I had lots of turns and curves on my path. I shared that much of my life was spent face first in a ditch of sin, but I realized that my words had little impact. I look like the church girl. I carry the bible, I lead the studies, and I seem like I have it together (which is so far from the truth).
As we parted ways, my heart was heavy. She’d had the open heart surgery, but I felt as if my heart was broken.
Does she think that she has to be living good and on the straight path before she can come to Bible study?
Does she think she has to fit the mold to come hear about God’s saving grace?
What are we doing if people think they have to fit in to come in?
What am I doing ?
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:17 (ESV)
Are my actions condemning or uplifting?
Do I make people think they have to look a certain way and live a certain way before I can connect with them?
The gift of salvation isn’t for the saints, it’s for those in need. The gift of grace and mercy is for all those who call on the name of the Lord.
“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 (NIV)
I’m doing a lot of reviewing how I interact and connect with people and what kind of message I’m sending. Doesn’t matter what I think I’m sending, it DOES matter what people on the receiving end think.
What kind of message are you sending?
What do you WANT to send?
Filed under: Uncategorized, fun stuff, girlfriends by Mary R. Snyder
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