Dangerous Women

At my friend Lois's celebration of life ceremony (see post below), they read the following "Dangerous Women Creed" that she carried in her Bible. It is too good not to share:

Dangerous Women Creed

Dear God,
please make us dangerous women.
May we be women who acknowledge our power
to change, and grow, and be radically alive for God.
May we be healers of wounds and righters of wrongs.
May we weep with those who weep and
speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
May we cherish children, embrace the elderly,
and empower the poor.
May we pray deeply and teach wisely.
May we be strong and gentle leaders.
May we sing songs of joy and talk down fear.
May we never hesitate to let passion push us,
conviction compel us, and righteous anger energize us.
May we strike fear into all that is unjust
and evil in the world.
May we dismantle abusive systems and
silence lies with truth.
May we shine like stars in a darkened generation.
May we overflow with goodness in the name of God
and by the power of Jesus.
And in that name and by that power,
may we change the world.
Dear God, please make us dangerous women.
Amen.

http://www.lynnehybels.com/
Excerpted from Lynne Hybels’ book
Nice Girls Don’t Change the World

Be a dangerous women friend!

Celebration of Life for Lois

Yesterday a group of us traveled to Iowa to celebrate the life of a friend. She won her battle with cancer and found eternal healing. She left a legacy that we all should admire and strive for. I only saw her about twice a year. I wasn't a close friend, just a ministry partner for our Tri-state Camp. Yet yesterdays ceremony will no doubt be a monumental, transformational moment in my life. Here is what I have gained from Lois...

Lois loved God with a passion. She was meek. She was spiritually lovely in that she radiated God's love. Listening to others comment on her life and service, she was a women who never complained, who gave unselfishly and gave, gave, gave. She started every morning with her God in scripture reading and prayer. He was first in her life.

I love God but I need to love Him more passionately. I open my mornings in the scripture but prayer is often short and fleeting. Forgive me God for not giving you more time. I spend more time getting ready for the day...it seems so selfish now...

Lois complimented her husband. She care for him and was foundational for his success and his comforter when life threw a few bad punches. He called her "blessed" and love her purely, unconditionally.

I have always wanted to compliment Joe. That's hard coming from our "rough start". I am more driven in this. I have been selfish in this area as I think back to how much Joe has loved me...purely, unconditionally. Forgive my selfishness Lord.

Lois loved her children unconditionally. She was their encourager and protector. Not a day slipped by without her bathing them in prayer or teaching them His way, His truths.

Again, I have been selfish. I have not loved unconditionally. I have not always been the encourager that I should have been. I have allowed their attitudes to close me up to them. I have been judgemental. I have been unkind. I have been selfish...yet again...forgive me Lord.

Above everything else, she and her husband have demonstrated that God is all they need. They have lived a life totally trusting Him in everything. That is the testament I want to be remembered for. Therefore, more of Him and less of me (Jn 3:30) has become my memory verse and my goal.

This morning in Sunday school I was teaching and was able to stand in front of the youth and reference Lois's life into our lesson. In open apparency and in tears, I admitted to my husband and three teenagers my selfishness and my desire to be different.

Yesterday, through the celebration of a life lost here on earth, I was humbled. Yesterday, through the celebrations of a life now eternal, I was convicted. Yesterday, through the celebration of a life lived I was inspired.

Thank you sweet Lois for modeling what God has called us to be as women.

GOLD NUGGETS

One of the best things I have done this year is joining the Siesta Scripture Memory Team. Though I struggle to retain these verses in my head, over and over they have come back to me during just the right moment. My new verse for the first part of this month is a GOLD NUGGET hidden deep within the Old Testament. I came across it a few months ago when stressed with one of my girls and have used it to pray for her and the situation. I have found my mind referring back to this promise of God so many times this past month so I share this GOLD NUGGET with you, my blog friends who happen to wander over...

"I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" ~ Jeremiah 32:27

Is that just the most precious verse to carry around with you in this life? What a promise!!

My ministry partner and I have been studying together this concept of "holiness" and have been in a most amazing book by Jerry Bridges titled "The Pursuit of Holiness". It was in this study that I found the verse above. It has been one of those studies that when we are convicted of a stronghold or sin from one weeks chapter, we find the topic addressed in the next weeks chapter. It's like the book was written just for us!

There have been an abundance of "God-things" and an abundance of convictions. Last night was all about meditating and equipping your mind, a necessary step to authentic holiness. It was a confirmation of what I have been doing and a conviction I need to do it more-this meditating and memorizing scripture!

"As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever," says the LORD. ~ Isaiah 59:21

Ahhh....the eternal rewards of meditating and memorizing scripture! Focusing on the eternal significance of what life deals me and my actions towards it has been a move towards holiness, an imagine I still can't image for this sinful soul of mine.

"It is by willing, prayerful and persistent obedience to the requirements of the scripture that godly patterns are developed and come to be a part of us." ~ Jay Adams

What better way to correct, train, or mold our moral character than the act of meditating and memorizing scripture.

I know for me, this has only come about because I have a set time to spend with God each morning reading and studying His Word, and planned time of reviewing my siesta scripture memory cards as I drive to and from work (the silence in the car is so sweet). This walk towards holiness has developed my desire to hear the Word more fully and I am in the process of training myself to meditate on the Word. It has required discipline in this crazy, busy schedule, BUT meditation leads to obedience which leads to a change in patterns of living. YES! That change is worth the daily battles. So needless to say here, perseverance plays a huge part in this holy living.

Jerry Bridges in this chapter "The Place of Personal Disciple" encouraged us to ask three questions as we study scripture and I want to share them with you:

1. What does the passage teach concerning God's will for a holy life?
2. How does my life measure up to that Scripture; specifically how and where do I fall short (be specific and don't generalized)
3. What definite steps of action do I need to take to obey?

I think I will apply this to my journaling each morning...kind of like the S.O.A.P method of studying Scripture I had shared here. I hope this is a GOLD NUGGET for you!! I hope you too are spurred towards holy living. Blessings!

His Maidservant~Pamela