Psalms....Oh Yeah

Doing my study tonight on spending time in God's word. Every word rang true. I love reading about David, a man after God's own heart right? I feel like I can just relate to so many of his struggles. I just wanted to leave you with this video link. Its psalm 131 performed by Waterdeep, if you haven't heard of them get connected..Especially if you like to hide away and just worship. I needed to hear this tonight especially after the day I had today. I just want calm and quiet in my soul. Love you gals..

Check it out..

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eWyxY5xz7gQ&feature=related


Misty

Psalm 139

Misty's post is wonderful- make sure and read it. I had this scripture on my mind.

Psalm 139 (I will only write bits, but please go and read the whole chapter)

"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me....you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.... I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Doubt your Doubts...

I hope everyone is continuing to learn from our 40 days transformation. Can you believe we'are already half way there. That correct! You should be on day 20 today, with 20 days left until Romania. If your a little behind that's OK, we didn't get our books exactly at day 40 so try to get caught up without missing any good stuff in your books. I was really encouraged by the Grace transformation and now I am concluding the Groups Transformation exercise. I am so glad all you guys have my back. Today I want to just add a little excerpt from my daily devotion:


Faith is...
Doubting your doubts

"God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Mathew 22:32
Doubt can be a positive force when we learn to doubt our doubts and have faith in our faith!
It is quite apparent that the believer in God and the Bible has as strong a foundation for a rational system of belief as any doubter has for the philosophy of irreligion he has fabricated.

Faith in God will
increase your moral strength,
increase your days of joy,
reduce your days of despair.

I've never seen a person who has been more respected as a leader in the philosophy and faith of religion than Jesus Christ.

Jesus believed in God. He believed in prayer.
He believed in heaven and hell and eternal life.
He believed in salvation.
He believed in every single human being!
He believed in possibility-thinking and He believed in faith.
If your doubts collide and clash with the viewpoint of Jesus Christ, it is the better part of wisdom to believe the believer and doubt the doubter. Then you are on your way to a great life!

Grace: Transformation Exercise

What is Grace?

Grace is the Glory of God revealed and manifest to man.

Grace is the present of His presence.

Grace is the power of God within us.

Grace is what Christ has already done through the cross.

Grace is receiving the things you don't deserve.

Grace is having Christ present you as righteous before the Father-Can I get an amen on this one!

Grace is "I can't but he can."

Grace is sufficient.

Thank God for his Grace.

Misty

Mary/Martha

Thanks Beth for the wonderful words of encouragement! Let's not lose focus!! I pray everyone is enjoying the study.

Friday's thoughts
Luke 10:41-42 -- I do not want to be worried and troubled about many things; only one thing is needed. Like Mary, I want to choose the good part, which will not be taken away from me.

Lord, Your love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy spirit. I will not be anxious like Martha, but will choose the good part as Mary did and focus my attention on You. Teach me to sit at the feet of Jesus so that I may develop a deeper relationship with Him.

Dearest Ladies-

Big thanks to Jamie for organizing this “ladies only” trip to Romania. Now that school is over, I feel I can finally focus on this trip. I LOVE the transformation booklet. I hope you are all keeping up with the daily readings.

Last night was very productive (and delicious too!) but it was apparent that there were tensions among us. I know it is only natural that there is going to be some stress. I mean look what we are doing!!!! But, let us remember our goal, why we are going:

….. A group of Christians ladies to help, teach, fellowship, establish and strengthen friendships, and work with the church. We are a team. Some of us have never been before! Let’s pray that we are unified in mind and spirit. Let’s support one another’s special talents. Let’s remember to pray daily for this trip. I love you all so much.

Beth

Julio

Visit http://www.julioiglesias.com/. From Wikipedia: Julio Iglesias (born September 23, 1943 in Madrid) is a Spanish singer who has sold over 250 million albums in 14 languages and released 77 albums. While Iglesias rose to international prominence in the 1970s and 1980s as a performer of romantic ballads and as an iconically suave Latin gentleman, his success has continued as he crossed musical and linguistic barriers. Thus far, he has performed approximately 5,000 concerts.

Awesome

This is my first visit to the blog because I've been very busy. I think everything is great. Jamie I'm not sure is everyone has each others emails so we can contact our sisters in Constanta. I'm sorry if I wasn't suppose to post any information. I have been praying for each of us going to Romania. Jamie you are doing an awesome job keeping us challenged and encouraged.
LIC,
Karita

Julio, Prayer and Sleep

Ladies, I've heard from the General and our arrangements are definitely firming up. The e-mail addresses listed are for ladies that we have been paired with for prayer and devotionals. Please start communicating now and share the devotionals that we are doing.

Julio Iglesias will be on Constanta on July 19. This is Luma's favorite performer and we are invited to attend. The tickets are $75.00 each and as Ady stated are for the best seats on the Black Sea. Tickets are on sale now and Ady would like to purchase ASAP. So please let me know if you would like to attend this concert. Please do not feel obligated.

"'Andrei Aurora'" , "'Teutza'" , "'mihaela corina'" , "'irina oprea'" , Mimi, "'cornelia iacob'" , "'Nicoleta Stanescu'" , "'andreea bulgaru'" , "'florian cosmin rusu'" , Mioara


As for sleeping accommodation here they are:
Nellie, Regina and Linda at Sica
Misty, Helen and Michelle at Cornelia
Jamie, Beth and Karita at Luma

As for praying pairs, these are the General's suggestions :
Jamie – Aurora
Beth – Nicole
Helen – Irina
Karita – Anca
Regina - Michaela
Michelle – Roxana
Nellie – Maria
Linda – Mioara
Misty – Andreea

Have a great weekend and let me know about the concert.

Jamie

A Prayer for Friday

Lord, my lips are filled with praise for Your awesome deeds of righteousness. I thank You for Your wonderful acts, and I ask that You would increase my eargerness to respond to Your Word. Teach me to be more thankful for all Your blessings, especially the blessing of being a woman. Amen ---Jamie

Transformation Exercise

I hope everyone found day Six to be challenging when listing specific areas in our life that needed to be transformed. Hopefully we all listed honestly what our thoughts are so that during these next 30 or so days we can begin to peel back the layers and open our minds to let God transform us. This morning while doing this exercise I went to Ephesians. I found something in scripture to back up everyone of these areas. I found it encouraging in my own way. What do you think?

Physical Health: Eph. 5:28-29 "In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own flesh, but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church."

Finances: Eph. 6-8 "knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord."

Family Relationships: Eph. 6:4 " [Mothers] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Non-Family Relationships: Eph. 4:1-4 "I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love, 3 diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds [us]."

Time Management: Eph. 6:15-16 "Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil."

Attitude: Eph. 6:20 "giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,"

Discipline: Eph. 5:1-2 "Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. 2 And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God."

Spiritual Health: Eph. 6:18 "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

I pray that you guys are transformed in all of these areas. I think Paul knew what he was talking about!! Praise God!

FROG-IT!

How great is it to know that in about 4 weeks, God is going to transplant us from our most cushy, most routine environments to one in which we need need to fully rely on him. You know, FROG-it! Fully Relying On God. But remember God knows when you Bull-FROG it!
I know were only on day 2 of the Transformation Journal but man is it awesome! It's encouraging me to be in Gods word which I so need right now. I am feeling a little transformed already. I pray you all are finding it interesting and helpful. I just cant wait! Thinking of all of you in this journey...

Misty

God Moments

Ladies, I pray that you are enjoying the study that was put together for the next forty days. I pray that each of us can relay a God moment somewhere along the way. Remember to pray the Constanta and NScofC prayer list daily. I pray we will all be transformed in some form or fashion by this study. I look forward to hearing from you.

I'm still in Florida with my Mom, her surgery went well and she's expected to make a full recovery. I would like to meet one evening next week to discuss VBS. I'm thinking we could meet on Wednesday before or during Wednesday evening services.

Have a great day!

Jamie

Names and prayers

Friends,
I am so fortunate to know most of you. At times you have inspired and motivated me. Some even made me smile or even laugh!
I am looking forward to rejoice with you again!
Right now I submit to you a list of names of your counterparts here, in Constanta. Pray for them, write them, pray with them, prepare your arrival so you will be already old and good friends.
They are, in no particular order, Michaela, Corina, Teo, Andreea, Roxana, Nicole, Maria, Luma, Gabi, Aurora, Anca, Ana, Sica, Irina, Mioara, and Cornelia.

Some of them will meet today at Luma for a tea, fellowship and just for having a good time together.

"God Moments"

I am so excited about this trip. I believe God has brought each of us together for a special reason.

Last night I was reading in a book and it mentioned that "we need to be watchful for those God moments"..... I believe Romania will be one of those "God moments".



Psalm 143:8-10

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in you.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground."



What "God moments" have you noticed lately?


A picture from my balcony a couple days ago....definitely a "God moment"

Welcome to Women of Faith 2008

Hopefully this blog will help those of us plan, reflect, prepare and pray together for our upcoming trip. I hope we can use it to encourage each other.

Traveling to Constanta

Who is going to Romania this summer from NSCofC? Well, only the most amazing women that can be found, of course,

- Misty
- Michelle
- Regina
- Jamie
- Beth
- Helen
- Linda
- Nellie
- Karita