Olympic LOVE!!

I don't know about you girls, but I have had a hard time this weekend devoting time to my study!  I have been so engaged with Team USA!  I have enjoyed cheering with my family and crying tears of joy and defeat as those amazing athletes WOW me over and over!

BIG NEWS..... 

We are meeting this Wednesday, August 1st 

at my house instead of Barb's.  

My address is:

100 Fairmont Drive

Franklin, TN 37064

615-496-8143

***park in the driveway and come in the back door...you are all back door friends!

As a reminder, our homework for this week is to mark Ephesians 6, read chapters 9 & 10 in "Lies" and do weeks 6 & 7 in the companion guide.  Don't lose heart at the work.  Your diligence will pay off and your heart and mind will be wiser and ready for battle, young warrior princesses!

I am going multi-colored for our snack colors in support of the Olympics.  I am also opening up the table to you girls... if you are feeling creative and colorful, go ahead and bring something fun to share!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the whole armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  Ephesians 6:10-11

Love you,
Jessica

Greater love has no one...

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:13-15


This week we are going to talk about relationships......friendships!   We have spent time talking about how important our friends are to us, and what it means to be a good friend. 
Are you Jesus' friend?  Read the verse about again and see what you must "do" to be His friend.  "Do what I command" = "obey." There's that word again. It keeps popping up. It must be important.   I am looking forward to shedding light on the Truth of what our relationships should look like with each other and with Jesus! 


The homework for this week is to read and mark Ephesians 5. 
Also, read Chapter 8 in your book and work through week 5 in the Companion Guide. 


Can't wait to see you! 


Love, 
barb

"Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak Truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another." Ephesians 4:25

As I was working through Ephesians 4 this morning and marking the text, this verse stood out to me. I thought of our group and how we have grown to Trust each other. We no longer need to be guarded and withhold our hearts, because we have learned to Trust each other. Truth and Trust go together. Because we Trust God with our hearts we can be Truthful with each other. In fact, we must be Truthful. I also love that this verse says we are members of one another. That is a beautiful thing. We belong because of Christ. He makes sure we are never alone in His promise to us. On top of that He has given us each other. A bonus group of like-minded hearts to share and grow with. We are blessed to have such a loving God and a beautiful group of friends to walk with.

This week we are marking Ephesians 4. Be sure and mark every reference to God, Jesus, Spirit, redemption and walk.

In LYWB we are reading Chapter 7 in the book and doing week four in the Companion Guide.

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday at my place.

Love,
barb

2 truths and a lie...

This past week I was given an opportunity to speak TRUTH to an old friend of mine.  I wasn't that excited to be given that opportunity because I knew that I was walking into a minefield.  But out of a deep love for Jesus and His Truth, I knew that He would give me the words and wisdom to share His Gospel Truth again with my friend.  It was messy.  It was hard.  I don't think she heard...but I was obedient.

20 years ago this past March I met my friend.  We met here in Nashville and instantly had a special heart connection.  We decided to become roommates the following semester at Belmont University.  From then on we were inseparable.  She was like a sister to me.  We both loved Jesus.  We laughed a lot.  We talked into the night more than I can count.  We knew each other so well...we could almost guess what each other was gonna say next.  Years went by and our friendship had it's ups and downs.  Through any conflict we had the common bond of Jesus.  We prayed with each other throughout our college years and continued to pursue Christ together for the next 15 years.  I was in her wedding.  I was in the room when her second baby was delivered.  She stayed with me in the hospital when I was so sick after my 5th baby, Isaiah, was born.  We did life together.

7 years ago she and her family moved to Texas to be closer to her extended family.  Her family was/is far away from the Lord and live a very worldly lifestyle.  She and her husband wanted to move closer to them so they could minister and show them the love of Jesus.  Slowly, the worldly influence of her family and friends drew her heart and mind away from the Lord.  Several years ago she started asking lots of questions about her faith and along with questioning, she started to really doubt the existence of Jesus Christ.  At first, she would bring her questions and doubts to me.  We would talk and pray and sometimes fight and almost always cry over these changes in her heart.  Over time, however, she stopped talking to me about her struggles.

We have hardly spoken these past 2 years.  Last week she came into town and we had dinner together.  Over dinner she started telling me about her 'spiritual' journey.  She told me about how she had figured out that there is more than one pathway to God.  She had been on one pathway in the early years of our friendship, but now she has much more freedom in this new 'spiritual' pathway.  I couldn't keep quiet.  I told her that she was believing a lie.  I reminded her of the TRUTH of the Gospel and that God's Word says that "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."(John 14:6)  There is one pathway.  His name is Jesus.  He died on the cross for you and me.  His death and His blood payed the penalty of our sin.

Her heart was closed to my words.  She was not interested in hearing any of it.

She left town and went back to Texas.  I have no idea what the future holds for her or our friendship.  I do know that I listened to the Lord and spoke His Truth over her.  He is one who is the heart changer...not me.  He is relentless in His pursuit of us!  I just need to be willing to listen and to obey.  Even when it is hard.  Even when I didn't think I could stand it a second longer.  Even when I knew my words were hitting the brick wall in front of me.

Are you willing to stand up and speak against the lies of the enemy?  What if it costs you a friendship?

Girls, it doesn't get easier as you get older... I almost caved several times in my conversation.  Only by the grace and mercy of Jesus was I able to keep breathing and talking in those hard moments.  To Him be the glory forever and ever!

I look forward to seeing your lovely faces on Wednesday afternoon at 4:00pm!

Jessica