This (Saturday) morning I woke up at 6:30 am! Ugh... but the Lord was gracious to me and gave me quiet time listening to Eric's peaceful breathing and being thankful for a day off from the weekly grind. I left Eric to sleep soundly (he didn't wake up until 8!) and I went into the family room, settled on the couch with a book. That is where the title of this entry comes from. I strive to be a godly woman and I am definitely not disciplined so this book, Disciplines of a Godly Woman, by Barbara Hughes is truly convicting to me.
I thought I would share a few things I learned this morning that have given me extra spring in my step and made me so grateful for the Lord's forgiveness of my sins and graciousness to welcome me into eternal fellowship with Him!
- The Gospel Motivates Us! It gives us purpose in life -- "Whatever you do, whether in word or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through him." Colossians 3:17. My favorite verse was the first thing I read this morning feeling convicted that my daily words and deeds have not been fully for the Lord. How easy it is to live for ourselves being consumed by how we feel, what we need to accomplish or how what others are doing is effecting us. How selfish! Focusing on how the Lord feels about me, what He has accomplished for me and how what I do effects Him or my testimony for Him, that is what my daily life should be about. WOW!
- Never Lose the Wonder of the GOSPEL! Barbara Hughes writes that the "Gospel is a woman's first and most important discipline, for it the source of godliness." This should be the center of all parts of our lives in the way it defines and motivates us. She wrote of a story of a new believer who told her bible study group of women she had found a wonderful verse "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life" John 3:16. It was brand new to this woman as it should be to us every time we hear it. God loved us so much that he gave His only Son... for me, for you! I think about my own child that I don't even know yet and how much I love them already. God fully knew Jesus and He sent him to die on a cross so that we may feel His love as Jesus did. Again WOW!!
- Submission - the Posture of Godliness - "At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."Phillipians 2:10-11 Submission is such a touchy word right? So misdirected by the feminist movement, but anyway what I was encouraged by in reading about submission this morning is knowing that we are all called to "willingly and cheerfully submit to what we know and trust about God - that He wants us to live a life of blessing." Not always easy to submit to what is in store for us, but ultimately submitting to his sovereign authority is the path to blessing and joy.
Thank you for being a willing participant in my little study this morning. I hope that it has brought you some joy in your heart as well. If you don't know Jesus Christ intimately I urge you to take to heart the Gospel, ask for His forgiveness of your sins and live your life in complete obedience and submission to His will. Eric and I pray this for our child as we do for many of you :). If you are a child of God, renew your love for the Gospel and what it means to your life. Rejoice!
Final thoughts, another quote from the book, which is a prayer from John Wesley's Garden of Prayer, " Take Thou the full possession of my heart. Rise there Thy throne, and command there as Thou dost in heaven. Being created by Thee, let me live to Thee. Being created for Thee, let me ever act for Thy glory. Being redeemed by Thee, let me render unto Thee what is Thine, and let my spirit ever cleave to Thee alone." AMEN!
xo, Melissa
thank u so much for sharing my friend! That was just what I needed to hear this morning! God is so good! I am going to willingly and cheerfully submit to what I know is true about Him today! Love ya
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