Women's Summer Picnic Series

Look what's cookin! I hope to see you there!

On the second Wednesday of each summer month, Outlook Christian Church will come alive with the sounds of music, song, prayer, laughter, tears, and excited chatter as women gather in praise, prayer and fellowship.

A Place Where Women Can Come Together To Worship The Lord
Prayer, praise, and worship! Let's shake off the concerns of the world outside and enter into the presence of the Lord with heart, mind, and soul.

A Place To Drop-In for Summer Time Bible Study & Fellowship
No homework! Bring your bible and, if you want to, bring a snack to share.

A Place Where Women Can Learn More About Their Faith
Our summer topics are designed to inspire women to incorporate their faith into their daily lives.

June 9: Sit & Listen - A Visit To the House of Mary & Martha
Getting To Know Jesus
Speaker: Kay Squires

July 14: Hide & Seek - The Woman Who Touched the Hem of Jesus
If we seek to touch Him, He will touch us!
Speaker: Paula Hearn

August 11: Beach Party - Peter's Miraculous Catch of Fish
This beach scene is full of grace!
Speaker: Robyn Priest

A Place Where Women Can Meet Other Women
A group of greeters look forward to welcoming you, ensuring that anyone who is new or visiting is introduced to other women. This is a great night to bring your friends and neighbors! Enjoy some chit-chat. Connect with friends and meet new people!

A Place Where Women Can Be Inspired By Sisters-In Christ
Hear the personal testimonies of women as they share with us all that the LORD has done for them, and the concrete ways the LORD has changed, guided and supported them, often during the most difficult times.

A Place For You!
It is our prayer that a night of praise and worship will breathe life into each precious woman, empowering us to face whatever lies ahead. We're already praying for you!

Keep on Keeping On

Hello Bible Study Buddies! We are currently at Week 5 in our study ... and this week we are reminding ourselves to "...forget none of His benefits". This is an egg-cellent time to deliberately place GOD smack in the center of our thought closets! What with Easter eggs and spring break trying to steal our attention ... let's make a deliberate effort together, shall we?

Girlfriends, I encourage you to keep on keeping on in the bible study! Only one more week to go after this lesson. The enemy would love to have an opportunity to wiggle into your mind just enough to make you feel defeated. I pray, for the love of Jesus to keep us going strong! If you find it hard to finish your lessons during this busy season ... don't get discouraged ... come to class anyway! We'll do it together! Ladies, do not let the enemy in. Satan is the father of lies and he will do whatever he can to keep you away. I'm praying hard for you, and for the victory that we girls are going to receive through the teachings in this bible study!

Now then, in this weeks lesson I love love love the exercise on page 122 where we were asked to write statements all over the walls of our thought closets based on scriptures that describe how God values each one of us. That's SO very cool -- "art" on our very own closet walls! In case you don't have your book (or if you are visiting us here on the ole' blogaroonie) here is a list of the suggested scriptures:

Isaiah 43:1; Isaiah 43:4; Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 15:7; 1 Cor. 6:20; Eph 1:4; Eph 2:10; 1 Peter 2:9. Let's speak those truths to ourselves today! They are not "feelings" ... they are facts!

1. God calls me by name.
2. He honors and loves me.
3. He has unfailing love for me.
4. He accepts me as I am, not for who I wish I was.
5. Jesus bought me for a very high price.
6. He chose me.
7. He created me as a masterpiece!
8. He chose me as royalty.

I am so humbled when I meditate on these verses. So much so, that I've turned it into a letter written to me from God - see below. I hope you, too, will allow God to craft His letter to you during this week. Meditate on His Word, girlfriends, and spend time at His letter-writing desk. See you Thursday evening!

LETTER FROM GOD:

My Dearest Kay,

The fact that you've come to Me shows that your heart is responsive, and I love you for it. Because love is so central to who I am, it must be central to who you are as My child. I will help you live out My definition of love.

Kay, I love you so much that I could not bear to be without you for eternity. So I sent my only son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for your sins. It was a high price that was paid for your salvation ... Jesus endured the painful death of the cross and the separation from Me that came with bearing your sin. My dear child, I love you that much.

In order to tap into My incredible strength, all you must do is come near to Me. When you take just one step toward Me, just as you are, I will run to meet you with open arms and a loving heart. You are my masterpiece! I made you and all of creation!

How pleased I am that you are learning the true meaning and source of joy. As you take My Word into your heart, My teachings will always be a source of joy to you. My power and My Word are at work in you this very minute. I chose you, Kay. You are worth everything to Me, My child.

Your God of Love

A Wise Thought Closet

Where on earth would we be without God and His Word? Lord, have mercy! If you've been able to stay on schedule with the Me Myself & Lies bible study, you should be almost completed with your Week Three homework. Did you discover your track from emotions, to thoughts, to actions? I did ... and all to often I think with my feelings! And thinking with your feelings can make you fall into all manners of false conclusions! Oops - major bummer.

So off I went to find wisdom, over the river and through the woods, to God's House we go! When I face life's struggles, big or small, I truly want to be led by the Holy Spirit's guiding. But, learning to hear His voice requires effort on my part. The Holy Spirit will not shout down the noise of our busy world to counsel you. He won't try to silence all the racket in your thought closet to be heard. To hear His counsel, we have to quiet ourselves and really listen.

I'm not much on being quiet, talking is kinda my "thing" but I do dearly LOVE the Word of God and I absolutely positively treasure my quiet time with the Lord! And the best news about that is this: (it's good - so hold onto yer' hats) The Holy Spirit's guidance always lines up with the Word of God! Now that's just deserving of a real shout out -- Hallelujah!

What say you, you wise self-talking, soul-talking, women friends of mine? (insert big smile here)

Label Makers

Hello Bible Study Buddies? Lesson 2 talks about labels -- you know, those sticky little things that get slapped on a myriad of stuff? What labels are in your thought closet? Does the enemy try to tell you lies and stick his lying-labels on you? Do you allow it? Is it a FACT label ... a FATE label ... or a FAITH label?

This week I am in the re-labeling process, as part of my closet cleaning! I'm sorting out the facts from the fates that I have assigned to them, and (get this one ... listen carefully) I am saturating myself in scriptures to bolster my faith labels!

How about THIS for a super fantastic label ... 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." Now that's a label loaded with strength, and power, and victory! No matter what FACT or FATE we might start with, this verse allows us to walk away with a nice bright shiny sticky label of FAITH on our foreheads!

What labels are you dealing with this week ladies? Are they truthful? You must tell yourself the truth about who you are, no matter what anyone else says! My closet is full of yellow sticky labels this week (for real! ... my sweet man wondered why, and he actually started to ask, but then he just shook his head and allowed me to yellow stick his clothes too - now THAT's the Holy Spirit working, I'm here to tell ya!).

Your Father, God, wants to be the Label Maker for your life! Ask God to help you receive His labels and reject other labels as you go throughout your days! Ladies, let's wear our FAITH labels and fix our eyes on the unseen!

Now let's hear it from you ... leave a comment and let us know how your re-labeling process is going! Encourage one another! I'll see you Thursday night at bible study ... you'll know you are where you should be if you see a bunch of FAITH-LABELED friends! Who's in? Got label?

Welcome From the Very Start ....Commit and Rely

It's an overcast morning here in Indy, but my soul is full of sunshine from this week's bible study lesson! I understand we will NOT have 19 flakes of snow this weekend for a change, and the temps are expected to hit 50. Hmmm, bible study and signs of spring ... two very good reasons to smile! Can anyone say Amen?

All you bible study girls out there ... we loved hearing from each other's prayer partners this week! If you haven't yet made contact with your gal, there's still time! Shoot her an email or pick up the tellyphone. In the words of Lesson One, Day Two:

If one of your Bible Study Buddies calls and asks "Whats Up?" you say, "I'm committing my way to God and relying on His words, not mine!"

Don't assume it's a small task just because it's two little words. As you talk to yourself today, tell yourself to commit your way to God - one word, one thought at a time - and tell your soul to rely on God's word more than your words.

One of my favorite things that happened to me this past week was hearing from my prayer partner. I give all you prayer partners a big shout-out for coming out of the wood-work (as granny would say), because it totally made my week! That delight got me right in the spirit! Thank you for making each other feel welcome. That's so important in a group like this!

If you or your friends do not currently have a bible study in your area, come have bible study with us at Outlook Christian Church on Mount Comfort Road on Thursday evenings. Come get a word with us. Let us make you so glad you came!

I know I also speak for Laura and Marcia when I say, we are so honored to take this journey with you. Jesus is life, girlfriends! Jesus is life! Let's run after Him with every ounce of energy we have!

Today ... commit (your way to GOD) and rely (on GOD's word more than your own words)!

Honesty IS the Best Policy

Hello Bible Study Ladies!

This is Laura, and I'm guest blogging today! How wonderful and thrilling and scary ... all at the same time!

I want you to know that I'm praying for ALL of you as you are in the process of cleaning out your "thought closets"! Have you been honest with what you need to get rid of? Boy! I am 65 years old (shhhh, it's a secret) and I've had some real revelations about what thoughts have had control in my life. I'm being honest because I really did not think I was so down on myself! How about you?

A precious verse to dwell on (it's for you and me!) is Philippians 4:8. Honestly, I believe it will change your way of thinking ... and your day! I encourage you to take a minute and see for yourself.

Your fellow closet cleaner,

Laura

Run the Race and Finish Well

It's been three weeks since my momma's Home-Going. Three long or short weeks, depending on how I feel at the time. Not sure I could adequately describe how I've felt at any given time throughout these past weeks ... but one thing I know that I know that I know ... Heavenly Father has been faithful to this humble and weak servant!

My chosen 2010 word is TRUST. Little did I know I would be asked to TRUST so much right out of the box! I suppose the test of whether to TRUST God wholly, or carry myself with hurt and worry was yet another opportunity for me to see and feel His love and care for every detail of my life.

We've just finished a very looong weekend of cleaning, sorting, and moving things from mom's house. Today I'm headed back to work ... back to reality. Mom's "stuff" is moved - gone - disposed of - the place is empty - empty like a whole in my heart. But there are some beautiful reminders now inside my home, which are encouragements to me every time I look at them. Things that say "Kay, run the race with perseverance and finish well!" I can actually see the open arms of Jesus.

Re-read 2 Corinthians 4: 2-18 if you can do it with me this week. I've listed some highlighted verses below that I am concentrating on.

VERSE 7: But this precious treasure-this light and power that now shine within us-is held in perishable containers, that is, in our weak bodies. So everyone can see that our glorious power is from God and is not our own.
VERSES 8-9: We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.
VERSE 16: That is why we are not discouraged. Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are renewed day by day.
VERSE 17: For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever!
VERSE 18: So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

These verses are a great reminder to me that there is a bigger reason to finish well ... so that we can hear God say "Well done, my good and faithful servant! Come and share your Master's happiness!"

So ... what's your 2010 word?

Not So Well With My Soul

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

If you know me and know the songs that I have collected and sung throughout the years, you would know that's one of my key songs .... but it doesn't have to be well with your circumstances to be well with your soul. God has continued to show me this truth throughout the seasons of my life. I really mean it ... it is well with my soul. He has once again lovingly led me to this theme through Jennifer Rothschild's bible study entitled Me Myself & Lies.

The month of January has proven to test my trust in God in ways I could never have imagined. Let's take the gall-bladder surgery the first week of January ... the process of saying Goodbye Ms. Bladdie. Months worth of gallbladder attacks, stress, and the many unknowns as I watched myself and my health spiral downward, not knowing exactly what was happening to me. My self talk wasn't exactly confident, pretty or spiritual ... why can't I just pick myself up and feel better, everyone else does! But the words I spoke to my soul really did make it "well" with my soul. Lord, I know you love me enough to hear my cry and I boldly approach your throne. See the difference?

Continuing on through January ... let's take the untimely death of a dear old friend during the second week of January, whose life was snuffed out in the Haiti earthquake. Jeanne Acheson-Munos is now enjoying heaven. My self talk was full of fear and disbelief! Why would God take Rev. Acheson's only daughter now when she and Jack were doing so much good as missionaries? I begged the Lord to make a way for them to find her in the rubble. But my soul talk spoke words of peace through His Word ... Lord, please let revival begin amidst the hearts of those left behind who are hurting, starting with my own. See the difference?

Continuing on through January ... let's take the heartbreak and shock of my mom's death during the last week of January. We celebrated her earthly christian life and rejoiced knowing that she met Jesus face-to-face. But it is bittersweet. Just imagine my self talk, soul talk on that one?! And it continues even now! But ... there IS a difference.

What's your self talk, soul talk? The words you speak to your own soul really can make it "well" or "not so well" with your soul. Why? Because words have great influence ... even the ones you silently speak to yourself. That's why it matters how you use them.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

A Blog is Born: Grace 4 Today

There's just something so special about going to your computer-mailbox to find that you've got mail ... not a bill, not a piece of advertisement ... but a real letter written just to you from someone who cares about you.

This blog and its author desires to bless you with just that. Filled with thoughts and letters from someone like yourself about the very best friend of all -- your Heavenly Father. It is my hope and prayer that a community of women will be born as we identify with the prayers, needs, emotions, feelings, and struggles that life presents to us on a regular basis. Let this little blog bring you closer to the heavenlies and to the living loving breathing word of God that will guide us today, tomorrow, and into our eternal destination.

GRACE 4 TODAY:
Words of encouragement from God (excerpt from Heavenly Mail by Philis Boultinghouse):

A LETTER TO HEAVEN:

Dear Father,
I come to you needing your calming peace. Lately, my heart has been all tied up in knots, and my head has been full of worry. I don't know how long its been since I've felt truly at peace. It's as if there's a huge boulder in my life, and it's my job to carry it. I've got it up on my shoulders, but I'm crushed by its weight and I'm going nowhere. The peace I once knew has totally left me, and it's been replaced by nagging worries and self-doubt. I've thought and thought about what I can do to fix this mess, but it seems to be out of my control. It's too big for me. I've prayed about it -- oh, how I've prayed! But that big boulder is still up there. This burden is with me in everything I do. I carry it with me everywhere I go. I can't get free of it. I long for your peace. I ache for your comfort. Hold me in your arms. Take this burden from me.
Your Fretful Child

A LETTER FROM HEAVEN:

Dear Fretful Child,
The burden you are trying to carry is not yours --- it belongs to me. Have I not told you to cast all your anxieties on Me? If you will throw your cares on Me, I will sustain you. I never let My righteous ones fall. If you will but let Me, I will remove the burden from your shoulders and set your hands free. Though you have prayed about your worries, you have not left them at My feet. Everytime you leave My throne-room, you pick them back up and take them with you. Instead of trying to figure all this out on your own, you must trust Me with all your heart. If you will acknowledge Me and My power, I will make your paths straight. Whenever you find yourself beginning to worry, re-direct your worries into fervent prayer. Pour out your heart to Me, for I am your God of refuge. Bring everything to me -- all your requests and petitions, and bring some thanks too. If you will learn to substitute prayer for anxiety, you will find that My peace will begin to fill your heart and your mind. Whatever troubles you, you can look to Me and know that I will rescue you. I have never forsaken those who seek me.
Your God of Rescue

From 1 Peter 5:6-7; Psalms 55:22; 81:6-7; Proverbs 3:5-6; Psalm 62:8; Philippians 4:6-7; Psalm 9:10