Here's our assignment from Beth for this week:
"OK, so let's get to our discussions for Week Two. Read or thoroughly review CHAPTERS THREE and FOUR then answer the questions that follow this paragraph. Remember to add your basic bio information every time you comment: First name, age decade, married or single, city, state. If at any time, your answer is too vulnerable for you to want to identify yourself, just go with age decade and married or single status. Those facts themselves bring insight to your answers.
1. Based on Chapter Three, what tends to be your own "Prominent False Positive"?
2. What is the challenge stated at the very end of Chapter Three? (I want us to see this restated in our comments hundreds of times so it breaks into our belief systems. It is critical to our journey. SO, I don't care how many times you've seen it written on this post, write it again for yourself. That's your mama talking.)
3. Based on Chapter Four, what Biblical figure (or statement about him/her) resonated with you most and why?
That's it for this week! I can't wait to see your answers. Remember, you have until next Thursday morning to answer your questions.
I care so much, Ladies. You are a tremendous inspiration to me. May Christ meet you in your tasks and concerns today. He loves you lavishly."
Hi Siestas,
ReplyDeleteI would like to suggest that if you haven't already, please click on the "Subscribe to Posts" link at the bottom of this page. That way, whenever there is a new post, you'll be notified.
Also, if you like, whenever you comment, there is a "subscribe by email" link below the comment box at the right. If you click on that, you'll be notified any time someone comments to the post. I find it really helpful to have the comments come to me as an email, just in case I get to pre-occupied to go to the Blog to see who has commented.
Hi everyone, just stopping by to say I will post my answers over the weekend. Thanks for the info above Judi, I am subscribed and looking forward to hearing from all of you!
ReplyDeleteDurant, OK
ReplyDelete40's
Married
1. My most prominent false positives are if I could be a better communicator, especially verbally,. . . have a better personality. . .but also to get published.
2. Our CHALLENGE:
"To let the healthy, utterly whole, and completely secure part of us increasingly overtake our earthen vessels until it drives our every emotion, reaction, and relationship. When we allow God's truth to eclipse every false positive and let our eyes spring open to the treasure we have, there in His glorious reflection we'll also see the treasure we are. AND THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD OUR GOD WILL BE UPON US!!" (Psalm 90:17)
3. I listened to Chapter 4, then read over it, then listened to it again, then my son read it to me. . . looking to find which Biblical character I identified with. I didn't think I identified with any of them. . .then I thought I identified with all of them!
Then, I finally am choosing both
Rachel and Moses. I kept trying to talk myself out of admitting to identifying with Rachel, because my husband is totally devoted to me, but I know that I do sometimes show that I am envious if I think another woman is prettier than me or cooks better than me.
I relate to Moses, because I wish I could be better at public speaking and conversation, and also have the fear of rejection when trying to write.
Once again, if you spend any time alone in the car, I highly recommend purchasing the audio set read by Beth, even if you did already invest in the book! It is worth it!
Kerry/Ohio/30s/married
ReplyDelete1. It took a while for me to pinpoint one Prominent False Positive, but I think I have it -popularity/acceptance. If I can be popular, have a better personality, my insecurities will magically disappear. I don't want to be the center of attention, but I want people to like and accept me, and I tend to think I can get this through success.
2. Our challenge is to let the healthy, utterly whole, and completely secure part of us increasingly overtake our earthen vessels until it drives our every emotion, reaction, and relationship.
3. I identify most with Moses. In my heart I know God has a plan for me, but I can't seem to get that into my head. I like what Beth said on page 52, "Heaven knows how many people never fulfill their destinies simply because of their own insecurities." I have big dreams and ideas (many of which I'm sure are God-inspired) but I talk myself out of them saying they're silly, too hard, not what I'm meant to do. If I can overcome my insecurity issue, just think of what I can accomplish!
On a sidenote to Sandy: one of my dreams to be published too!
Kerry, I relate to every word of your post. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I need to tell you all that I relate so much and in so many ways to all that you've written so far (that includes last week's discussion). It really broke my heart to hear you admit what your insecurities and prominent false positives are. Most of them surprise me. I wish I could come through the computer screen to give a (((HUG)))!! If we were all sitting around in someone's living room chatting about these things, I'm sure we would all be cheering one another on, and telling each other all the good things we see in each other that we could be secure about!!
ReplyDeleteIt just goes to show that what Beth said on p.31 is true "Making assumptions about who struggles with insecurity and who doesn't based on whats they appear to hae going for them suggests how little we understand the nature of insecurity and what feeds it."
Okay, for this week:
1. My Prominent False Positive would have to be beauty and youthfulness. I'm embarassed to admit it. But it is one of the things that I obsess over. I can't count how many times I've spent 2 hours getting ready to go out, and thinking that I look great, only to look at myself in the car mirror and fall into despair because in the natural light I have so many more wrinkles, or my face is blotchy!
Thinness would have to come close 2nd. When I look at other women who are thin according to my standards, I see them as beautiful and youthful, so I think all 3 are tied together.
2. The challenge is to let the healthy, utterly whole, and completely secure part of us increasingly overtake our earthen vessels until it drives our every emotion, reaction, and relationship. When we allow God's truth to eclipse every false positive and let our eyes spring open to the treasure we HAVE, there in His glorious reflection we'll also see the treasure we ARE. And the beauty o the LORD our God will be upon us. (Ps. 90:17)
3. I would have to say that Moses is the one that resonates with me the most. I know that God has called and gifted me to teach, and yet I am scared to death of speaking in front of people (even a small group). If I have the attention of other people on me when I'm talking, all I hear myself saying is "blah blah blah". (Kind of like the teacher in Charlie Brown's classroom).
I've been reading through the Old Testament and I'm in Deuteronomy right now, and I've been so impressed at the number of times God told Moses that He would go before the Israelites, He would speak through Moses, He would give them victory over armies bigger and stronger than they were.......God was trying to beat it into Moses head that it wouldn't be him (Moses) doing any of it, but instead it would be God working in and through him. Moses comes across as having a thick skull at times, and yet, I'm also slow to believe that God could use someone like me!
Okay, I have to ask a question: Did any of you participate in Beth's survey that she did on the blog when she was researching for the book? I just finished chapter 7 and I wonder if any of the comments are from any of you!!! Ha ha ha.
Judi, thank you again for doing this for us!
ReplyDeleteNo, I did not participate in the survey. Probably too insecure! I think I have probably participated and commented on everything else on their blog!
Judi, just like you said, it is surprising to hear other people voice their prominent false positives and insecurites. YOU are beautiful and young looking!
I used to get told that I looked a lot younger than I was. . .back when I wanted to look older! Now, I don't get told that any more. I am showing my age.
I hope to hear from all of the others soon!
1. Like Kerry, it took me awhile to pick ONE false positive. I think that image covers the two that circle around most often. The beauty portion of it has been especially difficult for me. As I age, thinness and body proportions and muscle tone haunt me at times. I realized a month or two ago that I have never thought of it as an issue that I needed to bring to God. I had deceived myself into thinking I was handling it just fine and that it was just part of staying healthy and socially acceptable.
ReplyDelete2. To let the healthy, utterly whole, and completely secure part of us increasingly overtake our earthen vessels until it drives our every emotion, reaction, and relationship. When we allow God's truth to eclipse every false positive and let our eyes spring open to the treasure we have, there in His glorious reflection we'll also see the treasure we are. And the beauty of the Lord our God will be upon us. Psalm 90:17
3. I think Sarai because she didn't have what she wanted. She wasn't able to see or wait for the plan of God. She wanted it done a certain way. I believe she acted because she felt that God had forgotten her. In our recent move to a new city I am without a job in the workforce. It has taken every ounce of obedience that I have to wait and not make my own plans. I have always worked part time - partly because of financial need but it also filled a greater need of contribution and personal satisfaction. I believe this time is here for a reason and definitely feel it is God's doing and I don't want to miss one single blessing of this building up time. I've wrestled with the fact that I may not be going back to "work" the way I thought and that I strongly I associate my self worth with a paying job. My pride is taking a needed hit and I pray I am obedient in the daily "jobs" that God places before me.
I too had a hard time to decide on one prominent false positive. I have to admit that now at almost 60 yrs old I don't feel that insecurity defines me like it did when I was younger. Part of that has come from how God has taught me in the really hard times of my life to trust Him. Some of my greatest fears have actually happened - my husband's brain tumor which resulted in a change in personality and an affair. So my fear of losing him did happen but it wasn't the end of me like I feared it would be. I am being very honest when I tell you I thought I would die if that ever happened to me. BUT GOD! The whole process of being separated for 8 years and my return to take care of him until his death taught me huge things about who God really is and He changed me incredibly during that time. It brought me healing that was totally unexpected. I would never say that I am never insecure but it doesn't shape me like it did when I was younger. All that to say I think that recapturing youthfulness and possibly prestige; wanting others to see who I am in Christ would be the two. I think because I know how much God has changed me I want others to see that too and give me some of the credit. Yikes, that sounds terrible because I know I didn't change me, God did!! I certainly see my youthful years disappearing and even though I wouldn't want to go back there I look in the mirror some days and wonder what is happening to my face! I used to be told often how young I looked but I don't hear that anymore. Some days I can laugh about it but others it is not funny at all. There is a balance I need to find between keeping healthy and wanting to be the shape I was when I was young.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Judi, if we were sitting around together talking about this we would be encouraging one another and cheering each other on. I am so thankful to each of you for being so honest about this subject. It would be easy to stay away from any depth of sharing and just look good on the outside because we don't know each other well enough to see anything different. I am blessed by your willingness to share from your hearts.
Now to #2 "To let the healthy, utterly whole and completely secure part of us increasingly overtake our earthen vessels until it drives our every emotion, reaction, and relationship." Amen!
I think I am most like Sarai in that I take things into my own hands and don't wait for the Lord to work out His plan. I am a doer and I need to learn to just be! Two of my memory verses last year spoke to this Ex.14:14 "The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still." and the other one was Ps. 27:14 in the ESV "Wait for the Lord; be strong & let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" I memorized those intentionally because I am not good at waiting.
Judi we are all looking forward to hearing about the tea with the women you have invited to see the Revelation dvd. I think you are stepping out and doing what God called you to do. Let us know how it works out and remember it's not necessarily about the number of women but how eagerly they want to hear from God and make changes in their lives, even if it's only a handful of you God is at work.
Lynn, that is awesome that you returned to your husband to care for him in his dying. Thank you for sharing! I know you must be a very awesome person. I do know that is God that changes us.
ReplyDeleteHi Siestas,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for praying for me today & for my "Ladies Tea". It really went well and I think all the women left encouraged and interested in doing it again.
I had asked God to give me 15 women, and 14 showed up! The weather was perfect, so nobody could cancel because of a storm or anything.
The only downside was that 2 hrs was not enough time!! We started off by going around the table, introducing ourselves and saying what womens ministry we are involved with, and who our target audience is.
Then we were served tea, coffee, scones with butter, teeny tiny sandwiches and itsy bitsy squares and cakes. There was no need for an icebreaker - these women were all very chatty with one another!
After we ate, I asked them to pair off with someone who isn't in womens ministry with them, and go through the S.W.O.T. analysis (strenghs, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) re: their particular ministry.
I had to cut them off in order to show them a 30 minute segment from session 2 of the Revelation study, where Beth talks about what God is looking for in a man or woman who wants a fresh revelation from God. It really struck a chord, because one of the points she made was that John called himself "companion", and the greek word really means someone who sticks with someone else, which led her to talk about how we need to cast aside denominational barriers and work shoulder to shoulder.
After the DVD I had them get back into their pairs and pray for one another, not just for the needs that they may have shared earlier, but also for each other to have a renewed hunger for more of Christ and for a fresh revelation from God.
That was pretty much it. After I prayed a blessing on them, I also just happened to have flyers to give them telling about the Revelation study which will be starting on March 9th, but I did make it clear that this is not to take away from any of the Bible studies that are already running (there aren't many), but to supplement what is already being done.
All in all, the women were very receptive and appreciative and it was really exciting to hear all the women praying for one another. I could picture it as a fragrant offering going up to God!!
So thanks for your prayers - I really felt God helping me focus on giving Him glory and allowing Him to lead.
Judi
Judi, I am so excited for you. It looks like God has led you to meet a need with the women you invited. Who could resist tea and all the trimmings in an old mansion! I also bought that dvd series and when I watched the second one I thought immediately of what you had shared and I so agreed with you. The thought of being prepared for a fresh revelation from God really resonated with me as well. I so agree with the need to forget about denominational barriers and just work together to serve the Lord. I didn't grow up in the church so I don't have denominational connections and maybe that makes it easier for me to say that but I think it is going to become more and more important as we live out counter-cultural lives to bring glory to God that we are united as followers of Jesus. Thanks for sharing with us, I'll continue praying for the start of your study on March 9. Keep us up to date with prayer requests.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lynn!
ReplyDeleteLadies, I just have to share this devotional with you that was sent to me today from Purpose Driven Life, because it relates to our insecurities in relating to others!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Connect by taking the initiative
by Rick Warren
"For the Holy Spirit, God's gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them." 2 Timothy 1:7 (LB)
The first principle for connecting with people is this: Be courageous and take the initiative!
Don't wait on somebody else to connect with you. You must take the initiative to connect with them. This often takes courage. Why? Because when we're full of fear and anxiety, we don't get close to each other. In fact, we back off from each other. We're afraid of being rejected, manipulated, hurt, or used.
This fear is as old as mankind. When Adam and Eve sinned and God came looking for Adam, Adam said, "I was afraid ... and I hid" (Genesis 3:10 ESV). We hide our true selves. We don't let people know what we're really like. Why? Because we think, "If I tell you who I am and you don't like me, I'm have no alternative." So we wear masks and we pretend.
Fear does three terrible things to relationships:
• Our fears make us defensive. We're afraid to reveal ourselves. When people point out weaknesses we retaliate and defend ourselves.
• Our fears keep us distant. We don't let people get close to us. We want to withdraw and hide our emotions. We don't want to be open and honest.
• Our fears make us demanding. The more insecure we are the more we try to control or dominate things. We try to have the last word in a relationship. It's always a symptom of fear and insecurity.
Where do you get the courage for taking the first step in connecting with someone? You get it from God's Spirit in your life: "For the Holy Spirit, God's gift, does not want you to be afraid of people but to be wise and strong [courageous] and to love them and enjoy being with them" (2 Timothy 1:7 LB).
How do you know when you're filled with God's Spirit? You're more courageous in your relationships. You love people. You enjoy being with them. You're not afraid of them because God's Spirit is in your life. The Bible says "God is love" (1 John 4:16 NLT) and "Love casts out all fear" (1 John 4:18 NASB). The more of God you have in your life the less fear you'll have.
So the starting point in connecting with anybody is to pause and pray and say, "God, give me the courage to take the first step."
Judi,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting that devotional! It points directly to a comment Beth wrote in Chapter 3 - "We all fear that we aren't who we are pretending to be." This statement has been haunting me. I don't let others see the real me, and in fact I'm not sure I even know who the real me is. It is almost a relief to think that others do this too. However it makes me question - Do I really know anyone? If everyone is, in some way, pretending, how do we truely get to know others? How do we know what is 'normal' if no one is being their true selves? I've been mulling over these questions for several days now, and I don't think I'm any closer to an answer.
Kerry, you're right, it relates to what Beth said there.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't help but think, as I read everyone's answers this week, that there are 4 "me's"(or "you's"):
1. How I perceive myself to be
2. How I think others see me
3. How others really see me
4. How God sees me (which is the real me)
Well Ladies, I just spent over a half hour typing my response to all these posts and this weeks questions just to have it all vanish when I tried to post, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'll try again tomorrow, I can't retype it all tonight, oh,well I tried.
ahhh, Sandi, I am sorry to read that you lost what you typed. Will check back tonight. Thank you all!
ReplyDeleteJudi, I'm so excited to hear how the tea went. It sounds beautiful, God-directed.
ReplyDeleteKerry, your questions? I've had a lot lately too...something about working out our salvation...!
I believe God keeps reminding me that growing in the faith is a journey. Most things don't happen instantly, and to get to know ourselves and other people takes a lot of time and determination and a work of the Holy Spirit.
During our last ministry, which lasted 8.5 years, God answered my prayer for a friend. We became and are very close friends but it was a slow process - which was good for both of us. We are careful people. I know I got to love the real her mostly because of the time we spent together and the type of things we did together.
I am believing that God will give discernment to know people and situations better and if I miss it or don't get it that He will help me to deal with the situation.
With regards to the "real me". This has been a brief snippet of my journey so far with that question. I am on a quest right now to discover who God created me to be. I think I have gotten so confused with keeping up with what "others" think it means to be successful and have just added "Christian" to that. Really, I believe my desire was to follow God but pride got in the way and it ended up being that I wanted God to bless what I was already pursuing. I feel like I have been spending the last few years stripping away idols - pride being one of the big ones - as they just never satisfy. As a result I am finding that how God created us to be feels right, so much more than anything else that I have sought after.
God is the reason I am even here. He created me in His own image. God gave me a personality, physical characteristics and a mentality that is unique to me but is not meant solely for me. It is to be used to build others up and bring others to Him.
The neat thing about knowing my purpose better is that more understanding has been revealed to me through some of my memory verses that say "my determined purpose is that I may know Him!" Phil 3:10 and "He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30. The more I know Him, the better I will know (or know to ask Him to fill) the desires or longings of my heart because He is my creator. I will know the Truth and the Truth will set me free. This is very exciting for me to know that He will continue to reveal these things to me. The hard part for me is that it is not instant! Maybe if it were, I would convince myself I don't need God anymore.
There are the ramblings of a person on a journey!
Judi, Congratulations on your success with the Tea! How neat that you took a risk and a step of faith and saw God come through.
ReplyDeleteI also loved the Rick Warren Devotional, how apt for us as we go through this book.
I am loving hearing you ladies share your hearts, what an encouragement!
1. My first false positive is thinking that if I had a happy marriage that I would be more secure. I see others with this blessing and think that God must love them more that me to give them that. In my head I know that this is a lie from Satan, but my heart still aches.
2. "To let the healthy, utterly whole, and completely secure part of us increasingly overtake our earthen vessels until it drives our every emotion, reaction, and relationship. When we allow God's truth to eclipse every false positive and let our eyes spring open to the treasure we have, there in His glorious reflection we'll also see the treasure we are. AND THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD OUR GOD WILL BE UPON US!!" (Psalm 90:17) I think I better memorize this!
3. I guess I relate to Leah the most. I love seeing the progression as she has more and more sons from naming the first Rueben "The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me" to her 4th son Judah which meant "now I will praise the Lord". But then she was sucked back into longing for her husbands approval and her last son was named Zebulun "God has given me good gifts for my husband. Now he will honor me, for I have given him six sons." I hope I can just get to the "Praise the Lord" no matter what and stay there.
I also have to say I relate to Moses in that when he was young he was full of himself and tried to rescue the Egyptians on his own strength, (by killing the Egyptian). God couldn't use him until he'd been in the sheep fields for 40 years and broken to the point where he didn't feel like he was any use to God. This gives me hope, because I have been full of myself in the past and now I am to the point where I know that I am no use to God in my own strength.
1. It would have to be weight. Somehow, I think that would change everything else.
ReplyDelete2. "To let the healthy, utterly whole, and completely secure part of us increasingly overtake our earthen vessels until it drives our every emotion, reaction, and relationship. When we allow God's truth to eclipse every false positive and let our eyes spring open to the treasure we have, there in His glorious reflection we'll also see the treasure we are. AND THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD OUR GOD WILL BE UPON US!!" (Psalm 90:17)
3. Eve: "not many women are secure enough to walk around for long w/o some kind of leaf." I have a group of friends that I travel with and multiple girlfriends are willing to walk around "semi-leafed," getting dressed in front of one another while I carry my clothes with me into the bathroom and do not emerge until completely dressed (well, I will come out with naked feet, but that's it!!) When that happens, it's such a stark reminder of my insecurity about my body!
I really love how Beth encourages us today to make the blog an "intimidation free" zone. Amen!!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading everyone's comments this week and I'm especially looking forward to hearing from you all this coming week!
Hey Ladies,
ReplyDeleteThis has been a long week, is tomorrow really Friday? :) This will be short and quick after my failed attempt the other night, I was so frustrated, I had commented to others posts, answered the questions with deep reflection and then poof it was all gone when I tried to post, so none of that tonight....
1. Having money, or maybe just a job and a "normal" life what ever that is. This economy and joblessness stinks and we're so ready for ti to end. Honestly last week I walked through a natural arch in the woods made from a tree hoping, just hoping it was a gateway to Narnia :) one always has to wonder huh? The more I get to know Jesus the less content I become here. But that's how it's supposed to be, but no one talks about that, this world is not our home....so don't settle in too deep.
2. To let the healthy, utterly whole, and completely secure part of us increasingly overtake our earthen vessels until it drives our every emotion, reaction, and relationship. When we allow God's truth to eclipse every false positive and let our eyes spring open to the treasure we have, there in His glorious reflection we'll also see the treasure we are. And the beauty of the Lord our God will be upon us. Psalm 90:17
3. Moses, trying to do things on my own and then falling apart, getting mad, then running to His arms. Now waiting, in this desert, for something He told us a few years ago, and yet to see come to fruition. I don't feel capable or adequate enough most days, then sometimes I see His Holy Spirit move in power through me and am reminded AGAIN, that it's so not about me, it's about Him doing it through me. When will I ever get this?
Round three for me to try to post. I am so, so bad at the computer!!!!
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Ladies,
I just read my second post and instead of publishing it I signed out. All those words in Never Never Land. I thought I posted my first comments yesterday but realized they weren't here. Maybe God is trying to tell me something. Here's my insights AGAIN.
1)My prominent false positive is really not popularity but acceptance from dominant friends seem to give me security. These may be godly women but some are unhealthy as I make decisions based on how they will perceive my actions rather than truly seeking God's guidance and being convinced by the Holy Spirit.
2)I should have this memorized by now!! "To let the healthy, utterly whole, and completely secure part of us increasingly overtake our earthen vessels until it drives our every emotion, reaction, and relationship. When we allow God's truth to eclipse every false positive and let our eyes spring open to the treasure we have, there in His glorious reflection we'll slso see the treasure we are. And the beauty of the Lord our God will be upon us. (Psa. 90:17)
3)I identify with Moses as I often make excuses so I don't have to lead ie size of family, season of life, inability to pronounce words correctly, my computer skills, freedom to say no, etc. I always seem to believe if I don't do it then someone else will surely step up(Aaron) and do it.
Danelle