Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
A Big Shout-Out to THE ROSE
Today is a special day because I am welcoming a whole other group of ladies to join the Get Real, Woman family! THE ROSE is a group of women who have received a beautiful red rose from me or my friend Sarah today at West Chester University. Once a woman gets a rose from us, they are forever welcome to be in THE ROSE. It's like a club, but more like a common bond. Women who share a common story.
Speaking of story, that is exactly what I am wanting to write about today. We all have a story. Some of us like to share their story as much as possible and find ways to relate to their friends and....even strangers they meet. Others like to NOT share their story...ever...because it brings too many questions from those listening and thus is exhausting just to get through the story un-interrupted. Some of us have never thought that you have a story...one that is unique to you and that has power to encourage, challenge, strengthen and...well, even entertain and bring joy to others. Welp, whoever you are, dear one, you have a grand story!
My story is unique. Your story is unique. Our story of coming together with this common ground of a blog called THE ROSE is unique. Sharing your story is important. Over the next few posts, I will be writing about this STORY thought.
So, even if you are the woman who loves your story or who thinks your story is no good or that your story is old and boring. If you are a woman who hasn't thought, up until you read this blog post, that you ever had a story to tell. NOW you all most definitely have a story; your story of receiving a beautiful red rose from a stranger with a tag on it that led you to THE ROSE blog and then led you to us, here at Get Real, Woman!.
Speaking of story, that is exactly what I am wanting to write about today. We all have a story. Some of us like to share their story as much as possible and find ways to relate to their friends and....even strangers they meet. Others like to NOT share their story...ever...because it brings too many questions from those listening and thus is exhausting just to get through the story un-interrupted. Some of us have never thought that you have a story...one that is unique to you and that has power to encourage, challenge, strengthen and...well, even entertain and bring joy to others. Welp, whoever you are, dear one, you have a grand story!
My story is unique. Your story is unique. Our story of coming together with this common ground of a blog called THE ROSE is unique. Sharing your story is important. Over the next few posts, I will be writing about this STORY thought.
So, even if you are the woman who loves your story or who thinks your story is no good or that your story is old and boring. If you are a woman who hasn't thought, up until you read this blog post, that you ever had a story to tell. NOW you all most definitely have a story; your story of receiving a beautiful red rose from a stranger with a tag on it that led you to THE ROSE blog and then led you to us, here at Get Real, Woman!.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Where We've Been Planted
Since I'm on a horticultural focus from the re-debut post of this blog, I will continue! ha! Let's continue thinking upon the concept of rising out of the junk and the sin that so easily entangles us; just as a plant rises up out of the ground in spring time. The plant pushes through the soil and digs it's roots deeper into the soil below--thus searching for light and the nutrients the light brings and digging for nutrients and water in the ground.
As you well know, plants do NOT have a choice where they get planted. They are planted by the gardener--the one tending to their development, their nourishment and their harvest. Plants do not have a say in the amount of sunlight they are given or how much water is or will be available to them. But according to however much nutrients and sunlight they are attributed, they grow upward and outward and dig their roots in deeper. Basically, they respond to it.
Some plants are fruitful; life givers in one or multiple ways. Some of them are strong and useful for others to grow in. Other plants are fast growers, but wilt and fade away quickly; returning to compost soon after. Just as some fruitful plants are good, there are plants that are poisonous. And there are plants we call weeds because they grow wherever they end up and take over the space provided choking out the other plants availability to sunlight/nutrients.
Plants trust that where they've been planted is the best place. You might say, "Well, of course, Becky. They can't just get up and move." But think about it. It is something that we can learn. God is our Creator. He knows what is best for us. He knows if we are okay in a smaller pot, a smaller garden or if it is His desire for us to be planted in an open field or a large country garden with space all around. Since God is our Maker, HE KNOWS OUR NEEDS. He tends to our needs and sends rain to sustain us and storms and wind to strengthen us. Since God is our Maker and the Great Gardener, then we can trust Him where we are currently planted. He will tell us to move from our current situation as we grow toward Him. He is the LIGHT of the world. Jesus tells us in the Gospels that he is the Bread of Life. God is spoken of many times in the Bible as a rock we can stand on. So, God is our foundation, our sustenance and our power source.
There are so many things to learn from the plant world. The Lord Jesus used analogies about plant life many times in his teachings, too. Since He is the Maker of the heavens and the earth, Jesus must know the best ways to get his points across. We should allow the teachings of Jesus penetrate us found in the Holy Bible, even the stories about seeds and hard ground or fertile ground.
The world around us is most obviously available to us to look deeper in and see what we can learn from the creation.
So, while we are planted WHERE we are planted, we can (if we so choose to) trust God where we are. haha! Plants cannot rebel of their surroundings; they are stuck until the gardener or some force of nature moves them. However, if they have access to light and water and good soil---they grow and flourish until their time on this earth is done. Since we are people, not plants, things are a bit different. We COULD move away from the blessings of God. We can put ourselves in places that choke out the Light. But I just wanted you to think about two things as I end this post:
1. God has given us everything we need to grow and flourish in this life, but we must choose to receive it.
2. We have the choice to trust that God knows where we are "planted" and that when we are seeking Him and growing in the knowledge of His Word, He will guide us to the next "place" or opportunity whenever or if-ever He wants us to move.
Here are some verses from the Bible on this thought. BLESSINGS TO YOU!
Hebrews 4:16
John 6:33 & 35
2 Peter 1:2-4 *****
1 John 5:11-12
As you well know, plants do NOT have a choice where they get planted. They are planted by the gardener--the one tending to their development, their nourishment and their harvest. Plants do not have a say in the amount of sunlight they are given or how much water is or will be available to them. But according to however much nutrients and sunlight they are attributed, they grow upward and outward and dig their roots in deeper. Basically, they respond to it.
Some plants are fruitful; life givers in one or multiple ways. Some of them are strong and useful for others to grow in. Other plants are fast growers, but wilt and fade away quickly; returning to compost soon after. Just as some fruitful plants are good, there are plants that are poisonous. And there are plants we call weeds because they grow wherever they end up and take over the space provided choking out the other plants availability to sunlight/nutrients.
Plants trust that where they've been planted is the best place. You might say, "Well, of course, Becky. They can't just get up and move." But think about it. It is something that we can learn. God is our Creator. He knows what is best for us. He knows if we are okay in a smaller pot, a smaller garden or if it is His desire for us to be planted in an open field or a large country garden with space all around. Since God is our Maker, HE KNOWS OUR NEEDS. He tends to our needs and sends rain to sustain us and storms and wind to strengthen us. Since God is our Maker and the Great Gardener, then we can trust Him where we are currently planted. He will tell us to move from our current situation as we grow toward Him. He is the LIGHT of the world. Jesus tells us in the Gospels that he is the Bread of Life. God is spoken of many times in the Bible as a rock we can stand on. So, God is our foundation, our sustenance and our power source.
There are so many things to learn from the plant world. The Lord Jesus used analogies about plant life many times in his teachings, too. Since He is the Maker of the heavens and the earth, Jesus must know the best ways to get his points across. We should allow the teachings of Jesus penetrate us found in the Holy Bible, even the stories about seeds and hard ground or fertile ground.
The world around us is most obviously available to us to look deeper in and see what we can learn from the creation.
So, while we are planted WHERE we are planted, we can (if we so choose to) trust God where we are. haha! Plants cannot rebel of their surroundings; they are stuck until the gardener or some force of nature moves them. However, if they have access to light and water and good soil---they grow and flourish until their time on this earth is done. Since we are people, not plants, things are a bit different. We COULD move away from the blessings of God. We can put ourselves in places that choke out the Light. But I just wanted you to think about two things as I end this post:
1. God has given us everything we need to grow and flourish in this life, but we must choose to receive it.
2. We have the choice to trust that God knows where we are "planted" and that when we are seeking Him and growing in the knowledge of His Word, He will guide us to the next "place" or opportunity whenever or if-ever He wants us to move.
Here are some verses from the Bible on this thought. BLESSINGS TO YOU!
Hebrews 4:16
John 6:33 & 35
2 Peter 1:2-4 *****
1 John 5:11-12
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
RISE
Hello, everyone!
I am back from an unplanned break from writing on my blog!!! Family life and ministry life got priority over this blog for several months now, so I haven't written much in quite awhile. I apologize for my neglect of this blog. Let us start again. Spring 2013.....re-start.....GO!
It's spring and obviously things are coming into bloom all around us and we should take note of this and follow along. It is time for us to break forth out of the things in our minds and lives that have kept us down and "underground" out of the Light's delightfully warm rays. It is time for us to break out, rise up, look to God and seek His face. Hebrews 12:1-2 says,
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
We will gain strength for times of adversity, whenever they come. We will gain lasting hope for this life and we will gain nourishment we need (physically, spiritually, emotionally) when we look to God in heaven by reading God's Word, the Holy Bible. It is time for us to "up" our prayer life, to become women who pray to God, talk to Him, about anything and EVERYTHING. It is time for us to break out of old habits like bitterness and deceit, and rise into a life of truth, openness, hopefulness and love.
It is time....to RISE.
I am back from an unplanned break from writing on my blog!!! Family life and ministry life got priority over this blog for several months now, so I haven't written much in quite awhile. I apologize for my neglect of this blog. Let us start again. Spring 2013.....re-start.....GO!
It's spring and obviously things are coming into bloom all around us and we should take note of this and follow along. It is time for us to break forth out of the things in our minds and lives that have kept us down and "underground" out of the Light's delightfully warm rays. It is time for us to break out, rise up, look to God and seek His face. Hebrews 12:1-2 says,
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
We will gain strength for times of adversity, whenever they come. We will gain lasting hope for this life and we will gain nourishment we need (physically, spiritually, emotionally) when we look to God in heaven by reading God's Word, the Holy Bible. It is time for us to "up" our prayer life, to become women who pray to God, talk to Him, about anything and EVERYTHING. It is time for us to break out of old habits like bitterness and deceit, and rise into a life of truth, openness, hopefulness and love.
It is time....to RISE.
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