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Priority Ministries :: You Glo Girl! :: September 2007
Can you hear Me now?
Volume 4.9 | September 2007
Glo girls – women who glorify God – are also “grow” girls. They passionately pursue spiritual growth by giving God and His Word priority. May all of September’s back to school symbols encourage you to be a diligent student of God’s Word, and you’ll grow and glo girl!
Two days later, I saw her again – but I didn’t recognize her at first. Her eyes were bright and her countenance had completely changed. When I asked her what had happened, she told me that her roommate that weekend was an older Christian woman who had been through the same circumstances she was going through. The older woman had encouraged and ministered to her, and something supernatural happened: one member of the body of Christ became His instrument of healing to another. After hearing that testimony, God whispered to my heart: “Laurie, my children need each another.” I responded, “Yes, Lord, they sure do.” I returned home from that retreat to my summer job: writing. For most of the summer, I’ve been shuttered away inside my office writing a Bible study. As a solitude-loving introvert, I enjoy isolation and quiet. But I didn’t realize how heavy a toll the isolation had taken on me until I went to lunch with a friend the day after I finished writing. As we shared a simple meal, fellowshipped and laughed, something supernatural happened: one member of the body of Christ became His instrument to refresh and revive another. I left our lunch date feeling “light” – a heaviness within me had been lifted. For the second time, God quietly spoke to my heart and said, “Laurie, my children need each other.” Instantly, I recalled the sad eyes turned bright from the retreat, and I recognized God was repeating Himself. But this time, He was applying His message to me. I responded, “Yes, Lord, I sure do.” The very next evening, we had a Priority staff meeting. Most of us arrived at the meeting joyous – the new Bible study was finished, the workbooks were ready, and there was lots to celebrate. But as we went around the table sharing prayer requests, I noticed one pair of sad eyes – Shanda’s, our precious IT Director. She was having a rough, tough week. She shared, we encouraged, and everyone prayed. The next morning, I received an email from Shanda that said: “I came home from our meeting last night in a MUCH better mood. It encourages me just to be around you and the Priority staff. I thank the Lord for all of you.” Shanda’s email testified that something supernatural had happened at our meeting: several members of the body of Christ became His instruments to support and encourage another. For the third time, God spoke the same words to my heart: “Laurie, my children need each other.” And then . . . I thought about you. Girl, you need other Christian women. Are you staying connected to your sisters in Christ on a regular basis? Are you making fellowship with Christian friends a priority in your life? If not, you should because something supernatural always happens when we spend time with other believers. And who knows? The next pair of sad eyes could be your own. “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,
Which websites have you bookmarked in the “Favorites” section of your web browser? I’ve got my favorites and, starting this month, I’ll be sharing them with you!
Ladies, we are truly blessed to serve you. Thank you for purchasing Priority resources, and for joining us as we encourage and equip women to love God most and seek Him first! Find out more about Priority Bible studies and resources.
Your Partner gifts have provided an important asset for the ministry: production and printing costs for our new Beauty by The Book pilot study!! Publication of the pilot workbook is the first step of many that will eventually allow us to offer a new Bible study that will encourage women to become biblically beautiful women of God. And YOU are the ones who made this possible. We are so thankful for your generous gifts – and sweet hearts – to support Priority’s mission to encourage and equip women to give God priority. Our Partners glo big time! Second, to our
Come Join Us!!
…at Sagemont Church in Houston, on Tuesday nights starting September 11 for the pilot study of Beauty by The Book. Here’s the link where you can find more info and register online: ...sign up now. This study will be 7 weeks of good stuff YOU need to know. Last but not least, we want all of you to know: We Are Trusting God! The Beauty By the Book pilot is far from being ready for final production. Please pray for Laurie as she begins to teach this pilot, for the revisions that will be made as a result of the pilot, and for the production of the final workbook and videotaping. This project will be very expensive, but we know God will provide. We have seen how He’s done this in the past, and we’re trusting Him for this project as well. If you’d like to be a part of the Beauty by The Book project with your gifts of love and support, we’ve made it very simple and secure for you to donate online. How grateful we are for your prayerful and financial support! Priority Ministries is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization. All gifts are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Two weeks ago, Laurie, Debbie, Stephanie and I flew to sunny, beautiful, low-humidity,
The retreat weekend consisted of some very memorable moments. Let me recap the highlights: The retreat was held at Calvary Chapel Conference Center in Modesto, CA. It’s a beautiful campus nestled among natural
We want to welcome 91 new You Glo Girl! subscribers this month from The Rock retreat. We love you girls, and we thank God for getting to meet, pray, and hear the stories and testimonies so many of you shared with us. You are in our hearts and prayers, and we will never forget the glorious time we shared together. Email Janet
Suffering is most likely not something you pray for, but it is part of God's great plan to reveal His love to us and to the world. It is painful and, at times, seems utterly pointless. But it is often in the midst of our afflictions that we realize how desperately we need the Lord. Let me share a true story with you from Corrie Ten Boom’s classic book, The Hiding Place. Corrie and Betsie Ten Boom (sisters) had once again been moved to a new bunk house in the concentration camp where they were imprisoned during World War II. Corrie, laying down on the wooden slats to rest, discovered an awful thing – they were surrounded by thousands of fleas! She cried out to her sister in disbelief questioning how this could ever be part of God’s plan. Betsie’s response? She bowed her head and began to thank God. She thanked him for the cramped quarters, for the Bible they had snuck in, and she also thanked Him for the fleas. Corrie reluctantly agreed in prayer with her sister, although she still could not see how any good could possibly come from the fleas. As the sisters continued to share the gospel with the other women in the flea-ridden bunk house, lives were being changed. God's love was out-measuring the daily cruelty they faced. None of the guards were aware that the message of Jesus (which was forbidden) was being spread so liberally, and the sisters soon discovered why: the guards did not patrol their bunk house because they were afraid of the fleas! 1 Thessalonians
“Lord, help me. Help me to see the good you are doing right before me. Help me to be content, knowing you have great and mighty plans for my life. Hold me in your arms when I feel like I cannot continue. And Lord, thank you for the blessings and thank you for the trials. Let my heart be teachable in difficult times. Thank you for sending Jesus, who paid the ultimate price for my sins and suffered so that I can know freedom and forgiveness.” You may not fully understand God's plan until you meet Him face to face, but know this: He has designed every moment in your life with great love and purpose. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans
Your prayers for Priority are making an impact – we witnessed God’s answers as you prayed over our August requests (see Janet’s article for details). Thanks for reading our September Prayer Points and especially for interceding again this month: September Prayer Points
If you have a prayer request, we’re here for you! Just email your prayer request to Stephanie Cole (Priority’s Prayer Director), and be assured of our faithful prayers and ongoing intercession on your behalf. We look forward to hearing from you!
This month’s recipe features fresh corn and it’s especially good with the
Corn and Tomato Sizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and green pepper. Cook until soft but not dark in color. Add tomatoes, corn and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add cumin and sugar; cook for 1 more minute. Add vinegar and cook until the liquid reduces slightly. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. * For more spice, decrease green bell pepper by 2 teaspoons and add 2 teaspoons seeded, finely chopped jalapeno pepper. NOTE: If fresh corn is not available, this recipe will work with frozen corn. Try using white shoe peg corn. Be sure to thaw frozen corn before adding to recipe. Servings: 8
You are so gracious to welcome us into your inbox each month! We sincerely hope and pray this newsletter blesses and encourages you every month to glo in every area of your life. This September, may the bright yellow school buses, swarms of children playing in schoolyards, and high school parking lots bulging with teen-agers and cars, remind you to keep you growing as a student of His Word and glo-ing as a temple of His Spirit. Until we drop by your inbox next month, you glo girl!!
Loving Him most and seeking Him first,
“Love the Lord your God with all of your heart…soul…(and) mind.” Matt. 22:37 |
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