On the Trail

A true woman says "yes, Lord"

She believes that God's purposes for creating male and female are good and wise.

• Genesis 1:26-28a "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and creeping thing that creeps on the earth.  And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; man and female He created them.  And God blessed them;"

I enjoying going hiking.  I love being out in nature and seeing creation.  Because of where I live, Northern California, I am afforded this treat almost year round. (Mid-westerners- Don't be haters!) When Tim & I go on vacation, we pick a place we can hike. I often will stop in a middle of the trail to observe a slug slowly crossing in front of me, or a lizard doing push ups on a rock in the morning sun.  It is so interesting to see all the diversity in creation.  I marvel at the shapes, colors, and sizes.  I wonder what was in God's mind when He created so many insects, or all the different shades of green or the details on just one type of fish.    

God never does anything by accident or "just because".  He always has a reason and a purpose. He is all good.  He is all wise.  He has a special purpose when He created woman; when He created You. We will explore that together for the next few weeks.   

Today, stop in your tracks.  Thank God for creation;  for making you a woman; for Him being good and wise.  

Happy trails to you!

He Cares for You

A true woman trusts God.

She resists the temptation to worry and manipulate, because she has relinquished control to Him.

• 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."

Today's verse tells me what to do- Cast all my anxiety, cares, worries on Him. This verse tells me why to do that- Because He cares for me.

When we are under pressure, in a tough situation or faced with bad news, we are not quick to cast all our problems on the Lord.  Often times, we are quick to think that we are all alone.  We will believe the lie that God doesn't love us.  We start to think that He doesn't really care, or why would we be in this mess in the first place.

Peter reminds us of the Truth- God cares for You!  Believe the Truth not your feelings.  Because He cares for you, He wants your pressures, your tough situation, your bad news. Lay them all on Him. You can trust Him completely- He cares for you!

Know Peace or No Peace

A true woman trusts God.

She resists the temptation to worry and manipulate, because she has relinquished control to Him.

• Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

  Why do you think it is so easy to worry?  Why does the evil one trip us up so fast with worry?  Paul lets us know that we miss out on the peace of God when we are worrying.  To be "anxious" is to be pulled in different directions. Isn't that what worry does?  It is hard to think straight because our mind is going in different directions.  Our mind is fast to run down a wrong road when we worry. Worry is counterproductive.  Warren Wiesbe said that in a "worry study" it was reported 92% of what we worry about never is true or comes about in our lives.   Anxiety and prayer are two great opposing forces in our Christian walk.  What does Paul say is the antidote to worry?  Thanksgiving and prayer. 

• Instruction: Prayer, petition, thanksgiving.
• Result:  Peace of God will guard your heart and mind.

  If I want the results, I must obey the instructions.

  "Why pray if you are going to worry?  Why worry if you are going to pray?"

Father in Heaven, Forgive us for worrying.  We say that we trust You, yet we are quick to let our hearts and minds become anxious.  We thank you that you are a loving, forgiving, gracious God.  You are supreme in all your ways.  We thank you that we are able to come to you with every need in our lives and that you hear us.  We thank you that there is nothing too difficult for you.  We thank you that we are blessed by you and every good thing comes from you. You are all wise and all knowing.  You are sovereign and rule over all the earth, yet you care for the smallest details in our lives.  We thank you for the peace that you bring into our lives...

  Continue in prayer and allow God's peace to guard your heart and mind

No Worries!

A true woman trusts God.

She resisted the temptation to worry and manipulate, because she has relinquished control to Him.

• Isaiah 26:3 " You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."

  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have used and tested this verse.  I am for the most part not a worrier. A manipulator - Yes; a worrier- No- As I confessed yesterday. Part of the reason that I can say this is directly because of this verse.
  When I feel worry starting to take over my mind I put this verse into action.  Here is how;

1.  I begin by staying this verse aloud. "God will keep me in perfect peace when my mind is stayed on Him."
2.  I think about God.  I make my brain list everything I know about God.
3.  To keep my mind stayed on God, I recite the alphabet and attach an attribute of God to each letter.  A-Almighty, B-Banner, C-Comforter, D-Deliver, etc.
4.  My mind is worry-free and full of God.

  I know that my situation probably has not changed, but neither has the Truth about God.  My mind is steadfast and confident in Him.
Personalize this verse.  "God will keep her (your name) in perfect peace whose mind is steadfast, because she (your name) trusts in God."
  Take the challenge.  God will keep His promise.  And the results- No Worries!

Our Little Secret

A true woman trusts God.

She resists the temptation to worry and manipulate, because she has relinquished control to Him.

• Psalm 16:8  "I have set the LORD always before me.  Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." 

When looking back on my life, I can't always say this verse has been my reality.  I have not always set the LORD before me.  As a young child, I learned how to try to get my way.  You know what I am talking about; crying at the right moment or being extra nice and helpful.  Then in High School, manipulating situations with really cute boys- like I "just happened" to be walking down the hallway as his class was getting out, or "just happened" to show up at the same pizza parlor.  Then in my marriage,  I know how to get my husband to say "yes" to my way.  (Let's keep that our little secret!)  I don't think I am alone.  I am sure you have had your manipulating moments as well.  So now, I am faced with the challenge to change years (for me 50+) of living one way to living God's way.  In trusting Him, I surrender to Him.  I abandon my ways to watch Him work in my behalf.  I rely and have confidence on God's character, abilities and strength.    And that way of living, need not be a secret!


Let me hear your little manipulating secret.

Finagle

A true woman trusts God.

She resists the temptation to worry and manipulate, because she has relinquished control to Him.

• Psalm 145:14 "The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down."

Even as I typed the words "she resists the temptation to worry and manipulate" my mind raced to remind me of all the times that was not the reality in my own life.    This woman is quick to manipulate and try to finagle the situation.  While looking up the spelling of "finagle" the definition popped up.   

fi·na·gle/fəˈnāgəl/Verb

1. Obtain (something) by devious or dishonest means.

2. Act in a devious or dishonest manner: "they finagled over the fine points" 

Manipulate, finagle, devious, and dishonest are all words with a negative connotation.  All words that I don't want to associate with.  So what is the answer to this dilemma?

• Psalm 145:14 "The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down."

The Word tells me how to live in an upright manner- by bowing down.  When I bow before the LORD and trust Him in every situation, He upholds me.  No finagling needed!

In the Middle

A true woman trusts God.

She leans on Him and depends on Him in times of joy, pain, hardship, uncertainty, and confusion.  

• Psalm 118:8 "It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man." 

Someone recently told me that they love Psalm 118:8 because it is the very center, from a verse perspective, of HIS book.  Trust in God Not in Man!  He said, "It gives me the opportunity to review the two great commandments, and that God loves us and expects us to love Him first and foremost. That is why its in the center of HIS book.  What would you expect to be in the center of HIS book?"

Are you trusting God today?  Are you finding refuge by running to Him?  Are you depending on Him?  Are you staying right in the middle of HIS book?  In this case it is good to be in the middle. 

p.s.  Invite others on this journey.  Pass on the blog site information to someone who could also use this information. They may be glad you did!