Women's Small Group

God had been prompting me to start a Women's Small Group for the ladies on the Communitas team for quite sometime. I was trying to avoid it. I had a long list of reasons why I shouldn't. I'm not a leader. I've never led a group before. The Pastor and his wife will eventually start small groups. It's not my place to. I'm moving soon. I don't have a home to offer to host it. And the list goes on.

Finally, about one month ago, I gave in and listened. I spoke to a few ladies that I thought might be interested in doing it with me. I suggested a few ideas that I thought would be interesting and doable. They were open to what ever I choose. I asked for suggestions on where to meet. I asked Superstar if she would do the actually leading of the group gatherings. And we were off! We kind of had a bit of confusion in the first week but we ended up having 2 different small groups form. This allowed women to have an option as to what day/time worked best for their schedule. I think this worked out great for everyone that wanted to do it.

I have to admit that it has been a tremendous blessing to me! Why did I not listen sooner?! I've been in a women's small group for almost 2 years now. When summer came and I thought I'd be moving soon, I didn't pursue my current group any longer. I desperately missed that weekly accountability group! I missed sharing the word of Jesus! We chose a short study - only 6 weeks - just enough to get our feet wet. It's been fun to learn more about prayer. We have been doing When God's People Pray by Jim Cymbala The Brooklyn Tabernacle has been a huge inspiration to me in my prayer life! I'm so looking forward to the Fall when we will do a more in-depth bible study. I sure hope it's Beth Moore! I'm such a Beth Moore junkie!

More Reading AGAIN!

Either skip this because it is more of the same theme “WAIT” or continue if you still need more encouragement like I obviously do.

Todays Reading:
WORK THE WAIT
How I Make the Most of God’s Delays
Excerpted from July/Aug 2008 Today’s Christian Woman

I couldn’t help but wonder, How much longer, God?
As I contemplated my life’s many delays, I realized I don’t like waiting - and I’m not very good at it. But I wanted to grow during my waiting seasons rather than become bitter or lose faith. So I asked God to show me how he’s working through these divine delays.

Sometimes, a wait seems to have no apparent reason. The delay is simply the product of a sin - ravaged world.

God meets us through the waiting journey in ways beyond those originally asked or imagined. And he lovingly reminds us He can redeem any situation.

Strangely, it’s in the bleakest waiting moments that God’s intervention manifests itself most clearly. Sometimes, those miracles are glamorous. We received the perfect job, the physical healing, the necessary funds - and the wait is over.

But other times, God does the miracle in us. Waiting seasons are painful. But know that God is at work, and he won’t waste your heartaches. Even if He doesn’t make your situation any better, He’ll make you better through them.

Often a wait seems long when life doesn’t unfold according to our agendas. But sometimes God has amazing reasons for a delay. Recall the story of Lazarus’s resurrection from John 11. God sometimes doesn’t give us what we request so He can give us something better. Jesus said the death of Lazarus “4happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory for this.” “35Jesus wept”. He hurt because he saw Mary and Martha’s pain. He aches and walks with us to help us navigate our fractured world. And when we feel alone in our wait, he promises “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’ Hebrews 13:5

I wait, I’m careful not merely to mark time, so preoccupied with what’s next that I miss out on what’s now. I’m striving to wait well. And part of waiting well, I’ve learned, is being open to God’s lessons about redemption, trust, compassion, and his higher purposes along the way.

Allow the Holy Spirit into your personal waiting room. God is still God no matter what the outcome of your current situation is.

Today’s Reading

“You may be praying and waiting for something: a baby, a job, a husband, a ministry. Keep praying. Day and Night. He will answer in the way that he sees fit. The answer may not look like what you were imagining, but it will be for your good.” Paraphrased from Luke 18:7

Ask, Seek, Knock
Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

God Answers Prayers
Jeremiah 33:3 “ Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unreachable things you do not know.”

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