UNFADING BEAUTY—Walk Your Talk, Peter Study❤️

“Rather, it [beauty} should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet Spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”

—1 Peter 3:4

As I watch my beloved grandmother slow down my heart is drawn to this verse in ways that might not have been as significant a few years ago.  Her human life is fading, but her eternal life is looming.  It puts into perspective so many things.  I think of all the incredible accomplishments my grandmother has had...putting herself through college in her 40’s, going back and getting her masters in her 50’s, dancing with Dean Martin in her 20’s.  But it is the things that cannot be measured with human eyes that mean the most.  She was my constant encourager and believed in me when I didn’t see what she did.  She was my loyal friend that always made time to sit and listen to anything I needed to say.  Even in her weakened state she shows her love through her smiles, hugs, and kisses.  

My human heart grieves as I consider a world without her in it.  But my Spirit rejoices when I think that she is about to be made whole again. In this late and last season of life I am drawn, not to what she did, but the unfading beauty of who she is❤️

Choosing The Imperishable Things!

Week One Memory Verse

What a powerful night we had launching our first evening of our Fall S&L Series...Walk Your Talk!  We are super excited to read through the books of 1 & 2 Peter.  My heart is eager to get my hands dirty this morning digging into the Word and I pray yours is too!

Such an amazing time of Worship❤️

Salmon, Chicken, & shrimp, Oh my!  Thank you to Faith Covenant for a yummy dinner❤️

And through your FAITH, God is protecting you by His Power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.—1 Peter 1:5

Faith is the confidence of what we hope for and the assurance of what we do not see.—Hebrews 11:1


Look at that line...and look at those conversations taking place and friendships being formed. 

For Prophecy never had it’s origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 

—2 Peter 1:21

❤️TIME TO MEET OUR PRECIOUS S&L LEAD GROUPS❤️

Cindy & Camille’s S&L Lead Group

Melanie & Michelle’s S&L Lead Group

Mary & Erika’s S&L Lead Group

Gail’s S&L Lead Group

Holliday & Laurel’s S&L Lead Group

Lynn & JoEtta’s S&L Lead Group

We ended our first evening with Living Hope.  It was such a God moment because the Lord placed that song on Christa’s heart and we never made the connection that it comes directly from our day one reading assignment from Peter...

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In HIS great mercy He has given us new birth into a LIVING HOPE through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

—1 Peter 1:3

Behave With The END In Mind....Walk Your Talk Peter Study Week THREE❤️

You Are A Temporary Resident

This place is not your home.  You are a temporary resident.  When situations come along that wreck your peace, that feel unfair or unjust, hang onto  ME.  Be still and “I” WILL FIGHT FOR YOU.  Patiently endure Holy Bootcamps through my power that lives within you and I will do a miracle and change the way you THINK, the way you ACT, and the way you BEHAVE!  (In that order)

I warn you as TEMPORARY RESIDENTS—Keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your souls. — 1 Peter 2:11

How do I not get caught up in the crazy going on in the world around me?

1-ENTRUST MYSELF TO HIM:  He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. —1 Peter 2:23

2-STAY STILL:  The Lord will fight for you, YOU ONLY NEED BE STILL.— Exodus 14:14

3-PATIENTLY ENDURE:  God is pleased when, conscious of His will, He patiently endured unfair treatment.  1 Peter 2:19

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways.  As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than than your thoughts.—Isaiah 55:8-9

BEHAVE WITH THE END IN MIND, Mary😊❤️

Giving Birth To SINCERE LOVE—Walk Your Talk Peter Study Week TWO❤️

THIS WEEKS WRAP-UP:  

“So now you MUST SHOW SINCERE LOVE to one another as brothers and sisters—Love each other deeply with all your heart.”  1 Peter 1:22

OBSERVATION:  Sincere love is born through time spent with Jesus, Holy Bootcamps, and Obedience. 

Each morning as I sit at the feet of Jesus HE begins to do something supernatural in my heart and mind.  He knits together holiness through HIS Word, just like He knits together a baby and it’s entire being during pregnancy.  

As Christ speaks to me (through HIS Word) I gain direction, but I can’t stop there, I must walk through the labor process and all that entails in Holy Bootcamps to gain understanding. This understanding then leads to Eternal Transformation.

The whole purpose of Holy Bootcamps (aka: labor) are to get the mind ready to give birth to the FRUIT of transformation.

Bootcamps are where I get to imperfectly practice these transformed ideas and thoughts that come from being in HIS Word.  

My hope is in Christ and HIS power to give birth to fully formed fruit that displays HIS GLORY!  

When I try to walk through Bootcamps in my own strength I fail and fall.  I am hopelessly lost apart from Him and His Word.  

PERSONALIZATION:  Right now I am in labor.  I know that God is at work and He is knitting together the beautiful fruit of sincere love through caring for my grandmother in a very difficult season.  My grandmother is one of the most precious gifts to my heart.  She spent her whole life pouring into me, loving me, and being my biggest cheerleader.  

Dementia has come in fast and hard and it has taken the fullness of who she has always been away.  It must be so scary when she wakes and forgets where she’s at, or who we are, or why she’s in an ALF.  In her confused state she can lash out.  When she can’t remember she can accuse.  In some ways I feel like labor has been swift because she’s going down so quickly, but on the other side I feel like I’ve been in labor forever. 

I’m asking the Lord to show me HOW TO WALK OUT SINCERE LOVE, AUTHENTICALLY...Not because of law...but because of LOVE!  God loves me and my grandmother.  He has not forsaken or forgotten us in this hard season.  He is walking with her even in her confusion.  He is walking with me even when I forget to remember and become exasperated or discouraged. 

The goal on the other side of this labor is total FREEDOM.  What a gift to love others not based on what they do but who HE is!

The Power And Importance Of Feeding Our Faith—Walk Our Talk Peter Study Week ONE❤️

OBSERVATION:

And through your FAITH, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.   So be truly glad.  There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.  These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.  So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 

 1 Peter 1:5-7 

PERSONALIZATION:

This week we found out that my mom has lung cancer.  It was a shock to us.  I’m thankful that I can rest in the fact that it was NOT a shock to God and that I can trust Him no matter how hard or difficult the situation might be.  HE IS FAITHFUL!  As I read through 1 Peter 1:5-7 here are some things God showed me this week:

1-Through my faith God is protecting me.

Q: What is faith?

A: Faith is the confidence of what I hope for and the assurance of what I DO NOT see. Heb 11:1

Q: How do I acquire faith?

A: Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the Word. Romans 10:17

2-God is protecting me (and you)

Q:  How does God protect us?

A:  By HIS POWER (It has nothing to do with us). 1 Peter 1:3

“Not by might, nor by power, but by HIS Spirit” Zech 4:20

3-There is wonderful Joy Ahead

Q: How can we know that there is wonderful Joy ahead?

A: Because we focus not on what is seen (This life) and instead focus on what is not seen with human eyes. (Eternal Life) 2 Corinthians 4:18

4-You must endure trials for a little while. 1 Peter 1:4

Q:  Why do we have to walk through trials?

A:  These trials will show you that your faith is genuine 1 Peter 1:4

I have to constantly remember that this world is not my home.  This earth is temporary...just the blink of an eye.  Trials remind me to keep my focus on my real life...ETERNITY.  If I have asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life, and I believe what His Word says, I can rest in the promise of what’s to come and find JOY in even the hard things that must be endured for a little while here on earth.  

So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 

He’s Building Beautiful Buildings

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone.  IN HIM the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord, and IN HIM you too are BEING BUILT together to become a dwelling in which God Himself lives by His Spirit.” —Ephesians 2:19-22

This morning as I was lingering over these verses and reading through my Jon Courson commentary.   My heart was overwhelmed and intrigued with idea that through Christ I am immediately a new person, but my entire life will be spent being built into become a dwelling place for God.  There is beauty in the building process.  There is grace in understanding that my house won’t be fully done until I take my last breath.

My memory verse last week was Ephesians 3:20:  “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is AT WORK within us.”  

Today’s scriptures continue this same message...In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord, and In Him you too are BEING BUILT together to become a dwelling in which God Himself lives by His Spirit

At Work + Being Built = IN PROCESS

My life is a construction site where He is AT WORK building me into His masterpiece. I am in process.  I have not arrived.  I am being refined and sculpted through Holy Bootcamps that get me to HIM.  His strength and majesty shines in my weaknesses.

He is chiseling, reshaping, and molding me to become His beautiful building.  

The building process is long, it’s a lifetime project because I have resistant clay and brick called sin.  But praise the Lord, He never tires!  He is steadfast to stay the course until my house is exactly as He designed and deemed it to be before I ever took my first breath! 

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” — 1 Peter 2:5

“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.” — 1 Peter 2:6

Whole30-Reintroduction-HE EQUIPS

For those who did not catch my update this week on FB.  Scott and I completed 30 DAYS of being 100% complaint on Whole30.  

• Scott lost SIXTEEN POUNDS!!!
• I lost FIFTEEN!!!

God revealed himself as my mighty warrior through every single step.  Especially, when I had to travel out of town for three days and stay in a hotel.  I did not have control of my food or how it was prepared.  

The Lord actually moved on our caterers heart to prepare meals for me that allowed me to stay compliant and to live in LIFE and PEACE!  I didn’t ask even have to ask.  This precious Jesus-loving woman heard I was doing Whole30 and then was moved by the Lord to prepare my meats and veggies separately.  

She will never know how much God used her during that trip to make Himself known.  He is gracious and good and FULL OF MERCY!

RE-INTRODUCTION WEEK

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along th3e path of EVERLASTING life!” — Psalm 139:23-24

God is busy and at work in my life, in my heart, AND especially in my weaknesses.  I truly believe that doing Whole30 felt easier than allowing foods back in.  I found for me, that in a fast it’s easier because I don’t have to think about what I’m doing as much.  I can’t have (fill in the blank) and so it’s not even on my radar.  

This week I’ve begun the reintroduction phase.  I have been allowing certain foods back in to test them and to see how my body reacts.  This is truly one of the biggest reasons we do Whole30.  It’s a way to discover if we have food sensitivities.  Some people can have dairy and others cannot.  Some can have grains and gluten and this would be foolish for others.  

How Whole30 reintroduces foods is that you try one group (Without mixing it up with anything else) on one day and then go back to Whole30 strictly for two days and then introduce the next food (by itself) and then go back to Whole30.  

You are supposed to take note of how you feel right away and then also the next day.  Here is what I’ve discovered:

I did fine immediately with shredded cheese 

“All things are permissable, but not all things are profitable”

—I Corinthians 10:23

I did NOT do well with butter.  For lunch I had chicken and green beans and added a couple of pats of real butter to cook it.  I had an immediate (within 15 mins) reaction to butter.  I will save you the details, but trust me on this😳😉🤭  It was SO obvious.  

For dinner I made a Trim Healthy Mama “S” meal. Which means it was grain, gluten, and sugar free.  But packed with dairy!  It looked so good and I thought there was no better way to test my reaction😊😉😘. 

It used 1 C of heavy cream and 1 C of Parmesan cheese.  I was so nervous, but WOO HOO it was awesome and I had NO immediate reaction.

LONG TERM OBSERVATIONS?

I noticed the next day I had just a smidge of congestion.  Prior to beginning Whole30 I had struggled with sinus issues horribly for a couple of years.  I had been on prednisone packs ELEVEN TIMES because of the inflammation and swelling.  It was one of my biggest improvements on Whole30.  

So...when I tell you it was just a smidge, it was enough to cause me to caution dairy back into my life on a regular basis.  As a matter of fact, that MORE than the tummy issues caused me to be cautious with dairy.  

On a positive note, dairy did not appear to cause any inflammation in my joints.  

SO, WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?  WHAT HAVE I LEARNED?   

WHAT’S NEXT? 

Truthfully, I’m still figuring it out myself.  But here is what I do know for sure:

• I will continue to eat most Whole30
• My caveats will be allowing Splenda, Erthrytol, and Xyitol back into my diet. (My body does fine with these natural sweeteners)
• I will continue the reintroduction phase this week with trying out grains and take note
• Long term I think I will stay pretty close to Whole30 except on weekends.  
• On weekends I will continue to eat sugar free, but make recipes from Trim Healthy Mama that might allow dairy or possibly good grains.
• I will continually pray and evaluate
• This is a journey and I love that I don’t have to have all the answers.  I just have to know the ONE who does!

“Seek me with all your heart and you will find me”

—Jeremiah 29:13