Contentment

This months' study in Disciplines of a Godly Woman was on contentment. I liked how she evaluated contentment as godly discontent or ungodly. 

I want to have a godly discontentment with my relationship with God - always longing for more of Him, more time in His Word....

I want to stop and ask myself, why am I discontent? And if it's ungodly discontent with my circumstances or those around me, I want to throw it out the window in search of a stronger relationship with God!

"If contentment is found in a growing knowledge of God combined with trust in God regardless of your circumstances, what is missing from your Christian life when you are discontented - knowledge or trust?"

 As the deer pants for the water brooks, 
So my soul pants for You, O God. 
Psalm 42:1

Encouraging Article

I ran across this article and was so encouraged that I want to share it with a few friends....

What I Do with the Hard Things in My Life

(Written for the Gospel Women Study at College Church by Mary Duvel, published in Barbara Hughes 'Disciplines of a Godly Woman', pages 243-244.)

1. 
   
   
   Immerse myself in the Word of God. His divine power has given me everything I need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him (2 Peter 1:3).
2. 
   
   
   Realise: a) He is in sovereign control of all that concerns me, His child. Everything is sifted through His fingers first. b) God has given each of us our own race to run. We are to keep our eyes fixed on Him and stay in our own lane, not comparing our lives or the life of someone we love to the lives of others (1 Cor 7:17, Heb 12:1-2). c) God does not give us grace for someone else's race. d) God does not ask us to understand His ways, but He asks us to trust Him implicitly. He sees the whole, eternal picture. e) My lack of faith does not nullify His faithfulness (Rom 3:3). f) I am not the point, He is. It is not about me getting out of suffocating pain; it is about His Son being revealed in me, about God's image being released in me. (This idea is from 'Finding God' by Larry Crabb.)
3. 
   
   
   Yield to the instrument of refinement He has chosen in my life. God cannot fulfill His purpose in me when I am kicking and screaming.
4. 
   
   
   Confess that I don't know how to yield, that I am helpless and angry. God is big enough to take it.
5. 
   
   
   Confirm that I am willing to be taught in the midst of this pain and difficulty.
6. 
   
   
   Ask in the disappointment, loss, isolation, and pain that the Holy Spirit will teach me through the Word to trust God and understand who God is in all His mercy and love.
7. 
   
   
   Seek to walk in obedience through the storm and not waste my energy fretting.
8. 
   
   
   Know that the secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances. (This thought is from 'Keep a Quiet Heart' by Elizabeth Elliot.)
9. 
   
   
   Remain hopeful that through all of life's changes, we are secure in the knowledge that we will see his face and be fully satisfied. (Psalm 17:15).
10. 
    
    
    Press on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of us (Phil 3:12, Acts 20:24)!

More from The Discipline of the Mind

I have thought often this week on Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

It has been a real challenge for me to bring my thoughts under discipline. I find that while I try to control what I say and how I say it, I don't try to have such a rein on the thoughts of my mind. I might often allow myself to think something that I would never say, indulging in grumbling and selfishness in my thoughts.

As I met with Mandy and Ann today, we challenged ourselves to CHOOSE our thoughts. When a thought comes to mind we don't want to have, to put it off and put on good thoughts, ones that are true, honest, just, etc.

I was also challenged today by Psalm 119:97-100.

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

I want to be diligent in reading God's Word every day AND to meditate on it throughout the day. I don't want it to be just another checkmark on the "to do" list, but something that changes me and washes me, remembering all through the day what God spoke to me about in His Word. I want my time with God to be fresh and I want to spend time looking forward, with the excitement of a child, to my time alone with Him.

I also was challenged to continue my "read through the Bible in a year." In the "busyness" of life, I have let it slip, and though I won't finish by the end of the year, I'm going to pick it up where I left off and carry on. It made me think of FLYlady. FLYlady often says you are not behind. Just jump in where you are!

Life...

This month's discipline (Disciplines of a Godly Woman) is the mind. Pray with me that in the midst of "busyness" that I would keep my mind stayed on Him. "...whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8

My "busyness" right now seems daunting sometimes, but I feel that my steps are being ordered by the Lord! Thursday night we had 3 friends for a sleepover, got up and went ice skating, back home to fetch Brad and drop him off at the office, home for 1 hour, pick up friends for Olympians (jr. youth), go to Olympians, Rissa & Mya off for a sleepover at a friends, off to run a Micro F1 at another church's Olympians club, drop Brandon off for a sleepover with his sisters, and home again.

Today I have guests coming over, Olympians training, a Birthday Party for an adorably sweet little 2 year old boy, music practice and senior youth at our home church.

Tomorrow we're looking forward to going to church at Community Baptist in Leondale and then attending a birthday party/bring & braai. Love fellowship with good friends!

Our week slows down a bit, back to homeschool in the mornings, though there is something extra almost every day. We may have extra practices this week for the drama that the kids are in, Fiddler on the Roof.

Monday we look forward to our best friends visiting in the afternoon and I got to a Beth Moore Bible study in the evening, Tuesday eve is Bible Study at church, Wednesday late morning/early afternoon is drama practice and late afternoon we go to visit friends. Thursday is usually our day at home, but this week I meet with my mentor (once a month) while the kids play baseball with some homeschool friends. Friday we start that weekend all over again! Though weekends are usually quite AS hectic as this last one was. ;)

Well, I better get back to tidying up my house for those visitors this morning! Thinking about making some monkey bread.

Disciplines of A Godly Woman

Once a month I meet with a friend, Mandy Neilson, and we study the book Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes. Here are some things that really jumped out at me from this month's chapter, The Discipline of Worship.

After the service, everyone asks, 'What did you think of the service today?' or they slip out the door as quickly as possible. The real question should be, 'What did God think of it - and of us?" We ought to ask, 'What did I give to God?'

Worshiping 'in truth' means that we come informed by the objective relevation o God's Word about the great God we serve and the precepts He has spoken. In this sense our worship is governed by what we know and believe about God. The better informed we are, the better we can worship.

The next quote is from A.W. Tozer

Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to one standard to which each one must individually blow. So one hundred worshippers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become 'unity' conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship?

She also had some good ideas at preparing your heart for Sunday morning worship, as well, like laying clothes and Bibles out on Friday evening, along with anything else that you might need, praying for the Worship service ahead of time, getting up early on Sunday morning so you have plenty of time to get ready, and even spending a time of prayer as a family on Sunday before you leave for church.

Chastening and Encouragement

While reading a book this week entitled "Disciplines of a Godly Woman" by Barbara Hughes, I ran across this quote that has really challenged and encouraged me. I almost cried.

A member of our church, Marilee Melvin, wrote in our church letter about her mother's dependence on prayer: 

I remember a night when I was asked to help get dinner on the table. Dad was out of town, and Mom, seven months pregnant and caring for five children ages two to nine, was serving my most-hated meal - black-eyed peas and Spam.... I complained loudly about the dinner, and soon Mom disappeared from the kitchen. I called to find her and got no answer.... Something drew me to the basement, and I found her at last in the furnace room. It was completely dark, and she was crying. Seeing her seven-year-old standing there in fear, she wiped her eyes and told me she needed to come pray for more strength. That early image of Mom as intercessor and supplicant fills my mind and memory now with its poignancy and truth. Instead of shouting in anger at my childish insensitivity, she withdrew to call on more reserves from her heavenly Father, abundantly available to her  for the asking. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

I met with my mentor this week (we meet monthly), and we are studying this book together. I was so encouraged after our time together around the Word of God. This month I am going to make it a point to speak with gentleness to my children and to be more disciplined in the areas of time spent in prayer and controlling what I eat and how often I exercise.