March 25, 2013

Living So That: A Call to Action

Life is messy and God knows that. He gave us the Bible to equip us to live out our faith in the midst of our messy lives. Each new day can bring with it a myriad of issues and problems. And each issue and problem requires that a choice be made. We can choose to make “faith-filled” choices, or we can choose to make “faith-less” choices. The faith-less choices always come easier. They occur when we react out of our emotions and basically “do what comes naturally.” And more often than not, those choices have negative consequences that hurt not only us but also those around us.

Faith-filled choices are harder to make. They occur when we react, not out of our emotions but out of a spirit-led heart and mind. And faith-filled choices have good consequences that bless not only us but everyone with whom we come in contact.

In this study, we will examine many of “so that” verses scattered throughout the New Testament. These “so that” verse will equip us to make more faith-filled choices and fewer faith-less choices.

Because these verses cover a wide variety of topics, too many to cover in one study, we will focus on the following themes:

1) Jesus came so that…

2) God spoke so that…

3) Pray so that…

4) Trials come so that…

5) Let your light shine so that…

March 4, 2014

Living So That RELEASES TODAY!

I’m throwing a party!! And you, sweet friends, are invited!!

Why is today so special?

Because it’s a day to celebrate answered prayer and God’s faithfulness! God opened a door that only He could open for my newest book, Living So That: Making Faith-Filled Choices in the Midst of a Messy Life!

A few years ago, I sat down to write a new Bible study for my girls here in Charlotte. Little did I know that a year later the study I wrote would end up in the hands of Thomas Nelson publishing and be chosen to be part of their new Inscribed Collection.

So we’re hosting a party to celebrate!

And what would a party be without gifts?!?!

Book Giveaway

Thanks to the generosity of my dear friend and faithful fan of Living So That, Donna Bostick, we are giving away FIVE copies of Living So That!! For a chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment below with your favorite “so that” verse from Scripture by Friday, March 7th. You may have one you love or you may want to do a quick Biblegateway search and find one.

Free Download of Introduction and Chapter One

Click here to download.

Free companion devotion to Living So That – “Five Days to a Faith-Full Life”

Live chat with the authors on March 9th

Click here to register for a free live chat with the authors at 7:00 pm on Sunday, March 9th.

Inscribed Giveaways ALL WEEK on our Inscribed Facebook Page

Click here to participate.

I’m so excited for all this week hold and invite you to share these great giveaway opportunities with your friends.

Tweets to Share

Below are some tweets to share to help us get the word out about Living So That. Simply “click” the statement to tweet.

Do you want to make more faith-filled, God-honoring choices? Order @wendy_blight’s new book #LivingSoThat http://bit.ly/1i4DguD

Check out my friend @wendy_blight’s new book that releases today! #LivingSoThat– http://amzn.to/1hTIfd0

No matter my actions, no matter my words, no matter my mistakes “I am the girl Jesus loves!” #WendyBlight #LivingSoThat

God takes our tangled mess and weaves together a beautiful masterpiece…for His glory. #LivingSoThat #WendyBlight

Jesus is at work in our midst so that we will believe. #WendyBlight #LivingSoThat

We can choose to make “faith-filled” choices, or we can choose to make “faith-less” choices. #WendyBlight #LivingSoThat

Faith-filled choices occur when we react not out of emotions but out of a Spirit-led heart & mind. #WendyBlight #LivingSoThat

Faith-less choices occur when we react quickly, out of our emotions, and do “what comes naturally.” #WendyBlight #LivingSoThat

God’s Word equips us to live out our faith in the midst of our messy lives. #WendyBlight #LivingSoThat #InscribedStudies

Where to Purchase Living So That

You can purchase Living So That at the following retail outlets (simply click on the name):

Proverbs 31 Ministries

Lifeway

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

If you purchase your copy from Proverbs 31 before March 24th, you will receive a signed copy!

Thank you for stopping by today and helping us get the word out about Living So That! And don’t forget to leave a comment with your favorite “so that” verse for the opportunity to win one of the five signed copies of Living So That we’re giving away!

Blessings,

112 Comments Filed Under: Bible Study, Living So That Study, Spiritual Growth

March 10, 2014

“Living So That” OBS Begins with a Giveaway!

Woo Hoo!!! Let’s have a party and celebrate!

It’s time for our new Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study!!!

[winners of last week’s giveaway will be announced along with this week’s giveaway winners on Friday, March 14th].

To celebrate the first day of registration for the P31 Living So That Online Bible Study, we are giving away some great stuff!!! Keep reading so you know how to enter!

First, here’s a short message (3 minutes) from my heart inviting you to join us.

Register for the Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study

Click here to register for our Living So That study that begins April 6th.

Sign Up for FREE Five Day Companion Devotional.

To give you a taste of the book before we begin, I’ve written a free five-day devotion companion, “Five Days to a Faith-Full Life.” Simply enter your-e-mail address below and you’ll receive your first one today!

Free Download of Living So That’s Introduction and Chapter One

To get a feel for the Bible study part of Living So That, click here to read the Introduction and part of Chapter One.

Buy a copy of Living So That

If you purchase your copy from Proverbs 31 before March 24th, you’ll receive a signed copy! Click here to purchase. Here’s a picture of our first batch that went out last Thursday. It was my joy and honor to pray over these books and sign each one!

To learn more about Living So That, we have created a Living So That page. Click here to visit and learn more about the book, an invitation to share “Five Days to a Faith-Full Life” with your friends, tweets to share, and great promotions from our our publisher.

Now Time for the Giveaways!

* First, thanks to the generosity of my dear friend, Veronica Herzing, we are giving away five signed copies of Living So That!

** Second, Living So That is part of Thomas Nelson’s new collection of studies for women inspired by Proverbs 3:3, The Inscribed Collection. We will give away one copy of the entire collection! To learn more about Inscribed, click here and visit our Facebook Page here.

*** Finally a fun package of gifts – signed copy of my first book Hidden Joy, signed copy of Living So That, and a hand-made coffee mug (made by Mary Sheltra, one of my Bible study leaders’ daughters) with a beautiful note from her heart and the story behind the mug’s creation.

For a chance to win one of these wonderful gifts, leave a comment sharing one or all of the following:

1) your favorite book of the Bible

2) your favorite shoe

3) your favorite television show (no judging here, be honest)

4) your favorite place to grab dinner with family or friends

5) your favorite movie EVER

And be sure to let us know if you are joining us for the P31 online study!

Please leave a comment by Thursday, March 13th to be eligible to win. Winners announced on Friday, March 14th. I will be in Nashville until Tuesday for book promotional events so I may not be able to reply to all comments till Wednesday, but I will be reading them and praying for you!

Blessings,

263 Comments Filed Under: Bible Study, Living So That Study, On-Line Bible Study, Spiritual Growth

March 14, 2014

Winners of Living So That Giveaways

It’s Giveaway Time!!

Winners of the last two giveaways announced today!

Thank you for your FABULOUS participation in our giveaway…sharing your favorites, your sweet words of encouragement about Living So That and the upcoming online Bible study with Proverbs 31. Reading through your comments blessed me more than you will EVER know!! I have read each and every comment and have ENJOYED getting to know you.

A few of you asked my favorites…

Book of the Bible is Hebrews

Shoe is cowboy boot, of course

T.V. Show is tie between Hawaii Five – 0 and Blue Bloods

Dinner is Five Guys burger joint

Movie is Philadelphia Story with Kathryn Hepburn

I will be giving away more books next week so stop by Monday, March 17th for a chance to win again!

The winners are….

Five Living So That signed books donated by Donna Bostick and Five Living So That signed books donated by Veronica Herzing

Amber M posted on 3/4 at 2:00 pm

Jenn posted on 3/4 at 2:18 pm

Lisa McDonald posted on 3/5 at 1:37 pm

Jen posted on 3/5 at 6:56 pm

Mary T posted on 3/6 at 11:55 pm

Sheila Crowder posted on 3/10 at 10:28 am

Tiffany Arnold posted on 3/10 at 11:25 am

Kim Steward posted on 3/10 at 2:48 pm

Momx5 posted on 3/10 at 3:51 pm

Julie posted on 3/10 at 5:22 pm

Set of InScribed Collection books (four books released March 4, 2014)

Amy Black posted on 3/11 at 1:23 pm

Gift Package (signed copy Hidden Joy, Living So That, hand-made coffee mug with note from Mary, its creator)

Charity posted on 3/12 at 4:58 pm

Winners please e-mail me by Friday, March 21st at deuteronomysix@aol.com with your full name and address so that we can send you your prizes!! I will sign the book with your name unless you tell me otherwise in your e-mail.

Next week we send an E-Blast to announce the P31 online Bible study and to celebrate, I will be giving away more books! So please stop back by next Monday for more chances to win!!!

Also, if you didn’t get a chance to sign up for the FREE five day companion devotional for Living So That, click here to sign up.

And if you haven’t registered for the P31 online Bible study, click here to learn more about it and register.

And for a free peek at Chapter One of Living So That, click here.

In the meantime, from Chapter 5 of Living So That,

“You are the light of the world….Let you light shine before men [so] that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14, 16 (NIV; emphasis added)

Blessings,

9 Comments Filed Under: Bible Study, Living So That Study, On-Line Bible Study, Spiritual Growth

March 21, 2014

Does God Really Hear My Prayers?

We Pray So That…..

Happy Friday Morning sweet friends!

I didn’t plan on writing a post this morning, but the Lord prompted my heart to write, so I trust that if God brought you here today, this is a message from His heart to yours!

I thought we would talk a bit about prayer today. I included a chapter in my new book Living So That, entitled “Pray So That,” because I think we often forget what an amazing gift God has given us in prayer.

Does prayer intimidate you?

Do you wonder if God really hears you?

Do you wonder if God’s too busy with more important things so you don’t want to bother Him with your prayers?

I’ve had these thoughts. And at a desperate time in my life, I needed to KNOW if God really heard my prayers…if He really listened…if He really cared. So I began to search His Word on prayer, and He took me on an incredible journey and revealed to me much that I didn’t know.

What a privilege it is to enter into the presence of God and pray.

Did you know in the Old Testament the Israelites had no direct access to God? Jewish law allowed one Israelite, the High Priest, the privilege of direct communication with God. The law gave only him the privilege to enter into the presence of God. And even then he was only allowed access one time a year.

Solomon built God’s temple under the Old Covenant. God directed that the inner chamber include two rooms separated by a heavy veil. One of those rooms was called the Holy of Holies. Once a year Jewish law allowed the High Priest, chosen by God, to enter into the the Holy of Holies to offer up sacrificial prayers for himself and the sins of God’s people. God’s presence resided in that sacred place and only the High Priest had the privilege of entering in.

In the New Testament, under the New Covenant, God changed everything! He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross. Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection gave His people, Jews and Gentiles (non-Jews) alike, access to enter in to His presence. Jesus’ death removed the curtain that had separated the heart of God from His people.

Scripture beautifully explains this:

At this point it was about noon, and the darkness fell over the whole region. The darkness persisted until about three in the afternoon, and at some point during this darkness, the curtain in the temple was torn in two. Luke 23:44-45 (The Voice)

The tearing of the curtain served as a powerful symbol revealing that God’s people were no longer separated from His presence. Jesus’ death opened the way for all people to have access to God. They no longer had to go through the High Priest. They no longer had to rely on another’s sacrifice on their behalf. Jesus was the only sacrifice needed for people to meet with God.

Now every believer in Jesus, no matter her past, title, position, or denomination, may enter into God’s presence any time, any place.

This means we can enter into God’s presence on our back porch, in our car, on a walk, at our desk, in our kitchen, in our laundry room, anytime…anywhere. Why? Because WE ARE NOW HIS TEMPLE. He comes to live inside ALL who invite Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior!

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians,

Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who comes from God and dwells inside of you….? 1 Corinthians 6:19 (The Voice).

Listen to the words of the author of Hebrews:

So, my friends, Jesus by His blood gives us courage to enter the most holy place. He has created for us a new and living way through the curtain, that is, through His flesh. Since we have a great High Priest who presides over the house of God, let us draw near with true hearts full of faith, with hearts rinsed clean of any evil conscience, and with bodies cleansed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22 (The Voice)

God paid a high price for us to have this gift of prayer. Scripture gives us full assurance that when we pray, God is listening and receiving every word we speak.

Do you exercise this beautiful gift of prayer?

Colossians 4:2 directs…

Pray, and keep praying. Be alert and thankful when you pray. (The Voice)

James 5:16 promises…

Your prayers are powerful when they are rooted in a righteous life. James
5:16 (The Voice)

Concerning prayer, Scripture tells us…

Be still, be calm, see, and understand I am the True God. Psalm 46:10 (The Voice)

If you think your prayers are not important enough. If you think God is too busy. If you wonder if God hears you. If you wonder if He cares. Remember the truths you have learned today. Remember God gave the life of His One and Only Son SO THAT you can enter into His presence and communicate with Him. You are precious and valuable in His sight!

Trust God with your heart. Know you are worthy of His time. He created you and longs to engage with your heart. Come before Him with thanksgiving…praise…confession…questions…doubts..hurts…hopes…dreams.

He is waiting for you!

Let’s start right now! Join me today. Find find a quiet place and pray. Ask the Lord to help you carve out a special time to be with Him each day for the next few days…even if only for a few minutes.

For a sneak peek at Living So That, please sign up for my FREE five-day companion devotion “Five Days to a Faith-Full Life” by clicking here.

If you want to dig deeper into this topic, join us for the Living So That Proverbs 31 online Bible study beginning April 6th! Sign up by clicking here.

And to purchase a copy of Living So That, visit the following links:

Proverbs 31 (signed copy if purchase by 3/24)

Amazon (kindle only $2.99 right now!)

LifeWay

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on prayer today. And if the Lord prompts you over the next few days, stop back by and share what He has spoken to you. I look forward to hearing from you!

Blessings,

44 Comments Filed Under: Encouragement, Living So That Study, Prayer, Spiritual Growth

March 31, 2014

Invitation to New Online Bible Study and Giveaway

To celebrate the last week of registration for the P31 Living So That Online Bible Study, we’re giving away books, books and more books!! Keep reading so you’ll know how to enter to win!

And if you’re joining us today from my Encouragement for Today Devotion, welcome. I’m so excited you stopped by for this special invitation and giveaway!

First, here’s a short message (4 minutes) from my heart about our Living So That study.

**Register for the Living So That Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study**

Click here to register for our Living So That: Making Faith-Filled Choices in the Midst of a Messy Life study that begins April 6th.

WendyBlight_quote

Our conference call guests for this series are…

Pastor Derwin Gray (pastor Transformation Church in Charlotte, husband, father, author of Limitless Life – our next P31 Online Study)

Emily Maynard (soon to be wife, mother, entrepreneur, and past Bachelorette who will share a powerful testimony to God’s faithfulness)

Marilynn Chadwick (wife, mother, author of Sometimes He Whispers, Sometimes He Roars, and prayer warrior extraordinaire)

Sign Up for FREE Five Day Companion Devotional.

**Free Download of Living So That’s Introduction and Chapter One**

For a sneak peak at Living So That from the InScribed Studies Collection, click here to read the Introduction and portion of Chapter One.

Buy a copy of Living So That

If you purchase your copy from Proverbs 31 by Thursday April 3rd, you’ll receive a signed copy! Click here to purchase. You can also purchase Living So That from the following retail outlets.

LifeWay

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

And today (3/31) is the last day to buy the Kindle version of Living So That for the crazy low price of $2.99!! Click here to order.

Learn More about Inscribed Studies

Living so That is part of the Inscribed Studies Collection from Harper Collins Christian Publishing/Thomas Nelson. To learn more about InScribed Studies, bulk purchase promotions for your church or small group, and other books in our Collection visit our InScribed Studies Website and our InScribed Studies Facebook Page.

Help us spread the word!

Click to tweet…

When our circumstances scream otherwise & our physical eyes can’t see & our emotions cannot feel, we must believe #WendyBlight #LivingSoThat

What fills our hearts and minds determines our choices. #WendyBlight #LivingSoThat

God takes our tangled mess and weaves together a beautiful masterpiece…for His glory. #WendyBlight #LivingSoThat

Thank you for stopping by today! For a chance to win a copy of Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner (my first book) or Living So That, please leave a comment by Thursday April 3rd letting us know any or all of the following…

You’ve already signed up for the P31 OBS.

You signed up today.

Your prayer request.

How God has used a trial in your life to be a backdrop to a testimony or a ministry.

Your favorite “so that” verse!!!

Winners will be announced Monday, April 7th. Looking forward to digging deeper into God’s Word with you on April 6th!

Blessings to you,

158 Comments Filed Under: Bible Study, Living So That Study, On-Line Bible Study, Relationships, Spiritual Growth

May 5, 2014

She Met God in a Grocery Store

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been here, and oh, how I’ve missed it and you! These past few weeks I’ve had the honor and privilege of walking alongside the Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study family as they have journeyed through my new book, Living So That, a part of the InScribed Studies Collection. We are in the last week of the book studying Chapter 5, “Let Your Light Shine So that.”

We are memorizing Matthew 5:14, 16 which says,

“You are the Light of the world…Let your light shine before men [so] that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (NIV, emphasis added)

I thought I would share a story about how God used an ordinary day in my ordinary life to shine the Light of His Love and do an extraordinary thing!

She woke up that morning with a quick trip to the grocery store in mind. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail, slipped on her flip flops, grabbed her keys and ran out the door.

My girlfriend, Karen, and I also planned a trip to the local market that day. As we approached the check-out lines, we found ourselves behind an older woman waiting on someone to arrive. She motioned for us to go ahead. Almost immediately, a younger woman scooted past me.

As she did, my heart began to pound. I physically began to tremble. In that moment, the Lord impressed on my heart something so strange…buy her groceries. What? I felt it again…the racing heart rate, this time a whisper, “Love her. Buy her groceries.”

I hesitated but then reached out and tapped her on the shoulder and spoke the words God laid on my heart: “I know it sounds strange, but God told me that we are to buy your groceries.”

She looked at me quizzically and then graciously accepted with tears in her eyes. Then they left.

A few minutes later, as Karen and I were checking out, the older woman returned to share their story. She identified the young woman as her daughter. Her name was Micah. She shared how Micah’s husband had abused her for years. And just a few months earlier had walked out on Micah and her young son, leaving them alone and leaving her feeling unloved and unworthy of love.

She could barely make ends meet. She felt abandoned by everyone, but most especially God. Days before our God appointment in the grocery store, Micah and her mother had prayed. Her mother prayed a prayer every mother would pray for her child: “Lord, draw Micah back to You.”

But Micah’s prayer is what astounded us. She had prayed, “God if You are real, if You love me, show me that You have not forgotten me!”

As her mother shared these words, the reason for God’s urging became so clear. God wanted to extend unconditional love to Micah…to offer something to her for which we expected nothing in return.

In the midst of Micah’s deepest sorrow and desperate cries for love, God responded intimately and personally. Micah’s mother said, “Micah now knows that God has not forgotten her!”

God provided for her needs. He loved her unconditionally. He answered the cry of her heart.

And He used us! On an ordinary day, in an ordinary store, performing an ordinary chore, God called us to an extraordinary task. He crossed our paths with one of His girls who need to experience His extraordinary love.

Yes, it was a great day for Micah! But what a day it was for Karen and me. Our obedience to the Lord’s prompting touched Micah’s life in such a powerful way that she KNEW God was real. God loved her. And He had not abandoned her.

God answers prayer. He orchestrates divine appointments…anywhere…everywhere…anytime…even in the grocery store.

God met Micah in the grocery store that day.

Do you have someone with whom you would like to share the Light and Love of Jesus? Leave a comment today or tomorrow and I will choose one comment to win two copies of Living So That…one for you and one for your friend!

If you would like to get a taste of Living So That, click here to sign up for my FREE companion devotional “Five Days to a Faith-Full Life.”

Check back here Wednesday when I will announce the winner and host another giveaway that coincides with my Proverbs 31 Encouragement for Today Devotion running that day.

Blessings,

30 Comments Filed Under: Encouragement, Living So That Study, Spiritual Growth

September 17, 2014

Announcing New On-Line Bible Study: Living So That

Last year when I learned Thomas Nelson would publish Living So That as part of their InScribed Collection, I couldn’t wait to share it with YOU, my on-line girlfriends, who have walked through so many studies with me!! You sent sweet words of congratulations and prayers and you came alongside me and helped promote the book. It stayed in the top 5 in Christian personal growth on Amazon for weeks and weeks!! And I know it’s all because of you, your prayers and God’s great favor.

So today I’m thrilled to announce that we will begin an on-line study with Living So That on Wednesday, October 22nd! I want to invite you to join this wonderful, safe place for community. Our time together studying the “so thats” of Scripture will open God’s Word to you in a fresh way, take you deeper into that Word and draw you closer to the heart of God and the beautiful hearts of the women who join us.

Now what’s the study about?

We know life is messy. But what we may not know is that God knew that too and gave us His Word, written thousands of years ago, to equip us to live out our faith in the midst of our messy lives. Every day brings issues, decision, struggles and problems with which we wrestle. We can choose to make “faith-filled” choices or “faith-less” choices. We will study the “so that” verses scattered throughout the New Testament. A “so that” verses take a truth of Scripture and connects it to a practical application of that truth. Studying these “so that” verses, and learning to apply them, is God’s way of transforming our hearts and minds to make more faith-filled choices. We’ll focus on the following themes:

Jesus came so that…
God spoke so that…
Pray so that…
Trials come so that…
Let your light shine so that…

To read a free sample chapter from Living So That (portion of Chapter One) click here AND to receive my free five day devotional “Five Days to a Faith-Full Life” click here.

How Can I Join?

There is no registration fee for the study except the cost of the book. AND to help with that cost, LifeWay Christian Stores is coming alongside us and beginning SEPTEMBER 29th, they will DISCOUNT LIVING SO THAT TO $8.99!! They will honor that price until NOVEMBER 1st!! Woo! Hoo! I’m so thankful to our friends at LifeWay!

IN SUMMARY:

When: October 22nd

What’s Needed: A copy of Living SoThat, a notebook, a Bible, a pen and an open heart to receive all God has for you. If you want to learn more about the book, click here.

How does it Work: I’ll send an e-mail out each Wednesday with what you need to read and questions to focus on for the week. I will also include a teaching message each week. And your part is to come back throughout the week sharing what God has taught you with our amazing community of women. This is how we will grow and learn together!!

How to Sign Up:

When to Come to My Website: ANYTIME! That’s the great part about an on-line study. It’s at your convenience! You can check in anytime of day or night…even in your jammies because no one will see. 🙂

Harper Collins/Thomas Nelson is joining me for a GREAT giveaway!! Over the next few weeks as we promote the study, all comments letting us know you are joining us for the study will be eligible for our giveaway! We will choose 4 names to win one of four prizes we are giving away…2 sets of the InScribed Collection of Books (pictured below) and 2 of our lovely InScribed necklaces. We will announce the winners October 22nd, the first day of the study!

I can’t wait to set aside time each week for us to spend together! Please know that I am praying for and anticipating the new thing God will do in each of our lives as we meet Him each week in His Word.

Winners of Ashley’s new book InSeparable are listed below. Congratulations! Please contact me at deuteronomysix@aol.com with your full name and mailing address.

Jane posted on 9/10 at 1:20 p.m.

Christine posted on 9/10 at 12:48 p.m.

Courtney posted on 9/10 at 2:22 p.m.

Becky posted on 9/10 at 8:47 p.m.

Emily posted on 9/13 at 9:32 a.m.

Blessings,

76 Comments Filed Under: Bible Study, Living So That Study, On-Line Bible Study, Spiritual Growth

September 29, 2014

Living So That Study: Giveaway and Sale

Just a few more weeks and our Living So That on-line study begins! We’d love for you to join us and invite a friend or lots of friends and form a small group! I’ve already connected with many of you who are forming groups in your neighborhoods and churches. How I wish I could come join each one of you! We did this as our Proverbs 31 on-line study a few months ago and it was one of my most favorite ministry experiences EVER! We had over 14,000 women join us including Emily Maynard (now married [yea!]Johnson) and Mandisa!!

To celebrate those of you who have signed up and encourage those of you who are praying about joining us, we have an announcement from LifeWay and some great giveaways!! So read on…

First, my friends at LifeWay are THE BEST! They are excited about this study and beginning today are discounting Living So That by 40%! Okay, if you’re like me and not so good at math, I’ll make it easy. Instead of $14.99, the book will be only $8.99! THANK YOU LifeWay!! To take advantage of their great offer, click here. We’ll get to the giveaway in a minute. But first I thought you’d want to know that during our time together we’ll study the “so that” verses scattered throughout the New Testament. A “so that” verse takes a truth of Scripture and connects it to a practical application of that truth. Studying these “so that” verses, and learning to apply them, is God’s way of transforming our hearts and minds to make more faith-filled choices. We’ll focus on the following themes:

Jesus came so that…
God spoke so that…
Pray so that…
Trials come so that…
Let your light shine so that…

To get a sneak peek at Living So That (portion of Chapter One) click here AND to receive my free five day devotional “Five Days to a Faith-Full Life” click here. Please invite your mom, daughters, sisters, friends to join you for our five day devotional journey. And I would love to connect with you as you go through it, so leave a message on my Facebook Author page by clicking here.

In Summary

When: October 22nd – December 3

What’s Needed: A copy of Living SoThat, a notebook, a Bible, a pen and an open heart to receive all God has for you. If you want to learn more about the book click here.

How to Sign Up: Find my picture at the top right side of my blog. Then locate the Living so That on-line Bible study graphic under my picture and click on it. It will take you to the sign up link.

Now for our giveaway!

Living So That is part of the InScribed Collection from Harper Collins/Thomas Nelson. To learn more about our InScribed Studies collection click here and to visit our Facebook page click here. They are joining me for a GREAT giveaway!! Over the next few weeks as we promote the study, all comments letting us know you are joining us will be eligible for our giveaway! We will choose 4 names to win one of four prizes we are giving away…2 sets of the InScribed Collection of Books and 2 of our lovely InScribed necklaces (pictured below). We’ll announce the winners October 22nd, the first day of the study!

52 Comments Filed Under: Bible Study, Living So That Study, Spiritual Growth

October 20, 2014

My Morning Prayer w/ Free Gift and Giveaway

Morning quiet time is just plain hard sometimes. There are days I avoid it and days where I obediently do it, but it becomes more about duty than a refreshing, filling connection time with God. My mind wandered. I couldn’t concentrate. I felt discouraged and guilty, so I would close my Bible and go on with my day.

One morning, I sat quietly asking the Lord what was wrong with me…why was it was so hard? As He often does, He moved my heart to prayer. And a few minutes later “My Morning Prayer” was born. Maybe you experience these same feelings. My prayer is that “My Morning Prayer” will shake up your quiet time or maybe even encourage you to begin one. It’s short. It’s simple. But it’s an easy way to connect with God early in the morning.

Click here to download your copy of “My Morning Prayer.” Click here for more free resources/prayers.

**And Now I’m excited to extend an invitation to you for my Living So That online study that begins October 22nd**

THE STUDY IS FREE. All you need is the book. My friends at LifeWay are THE BEST,coming alongside me and discounting Living So That by 40%! Instead of $14.99, the book will be only $8.99! It runs through the end of the month. To take advantage of their great offer, click here. Living So That is part of Thomas Nelson’s Inscribed Collection.

During our time together, we’ll study the “so that” verses scattered throughout the New Testament. A “so that” verse takes a truth of Scripture and connects it to a practical application of that truth. Studying these “so that” verses, and learning to apply them, is God’s way of transforming our hearts and minds and equipping us to make more faith-filled choices in the midst of our messy lives. We’ll focus on the following themes:

Jesus came so that…
God spoke so that…
Pray so that…
Trials come so that…
Let your light shine so that…

To learn more about the study click here.

To register, look over on the right side of my blog and click on the graphic under my picture that looks like the graphic above announcing the study.

To get a sneak peek at Living So That (portion of Chapter One) click here AND to receive my free five day devotional “Five Days to a Faith-Full Life” click here.

Please invite your mom, daughters, sisters, friends to join you.

Giveaway!

If you’ve already signed up or sign up before Wednesday, you are eligible for our great giveaways (pictured below). We are giving away two set of the Inscribed Study Collection and two InScribed necklaces. Please leave a comment and let us know you signed up and if you have friends joining you.

114 Comments Filed Under: Bible Study, Encouragement, Living So That Study, On-Line Bible Study, Prayer, Spiritual Growth

April 21, 2017

Spiritual Heartburn (Living So That Giveaway)

Will you join me for a few minutes to take a trip back in time?

Today we will join two friends, Cleopas and his companion, walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus after Christ’s death. Friends whose hearts ached with sorrow as they spoke of how the Roman authorities persecuted, tortured, and executed their teacher and friend. In the midst of their conversation, Jesus joined them, but Scripture says they didn’t recognize Him.

Let’s imagine ourselves on that same road … believers who had put all our hope in Jesus. With His death, we now feel abandoned and hopeless. Yet, unbeknownst to us, standing next to us is the risen Jesus Himself!

Jesus asked the two men what they were talking about.

Expressing deep sadness, Cleopas shared how Jesus, the mighty prophet who did amazing miracles and preached powerful messages, had been crucified. He ended with these words: “We had been hoping He was the One – you know, the One who would liberate all Israel and bring God’s promises.” Luke 24:21

Basically, they told Jesus that He had let them down. Most distressing to Jesus was their lack of faith. They spoke these words in spite of the fact that trusted friends had gone to the tomb, discovered no body, and received a message from angels that Jesus was alive.

Jesus rebuked them: “Come on men, why are you being so foolish? Why are your hearts so sluggish when it comes to believing what the prophets have been saying all along?” Luke 24:25

Jesus knew the problem lay not in their heads but in their hearts. So He then took them on another journey. This one through the Old Testament, beginning with Moses and continuing prophet by prophet, explaining the meaning of the prophets’ words and how each predicted the very things they had witnessed.

Jesus spoke God’s Word in a fresh way.

Can you imagine how wonderful it must have been to hear the words of Scripture delivered by Jesus Himself?

Upon reaching their destination, they invited Jesus to join them for dinner. He accepted. When they sat down, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and handed it to them. Scripture says that in that instant, their eyes were suddenly opened so that they recognized Him. And a moment later, Jesus vanished! (Luke 24:31)

What changed in that moment? Before, these two men believed only part of what they had been taught growing up. They never got the big picture of Who Jesus was and was to be. They saw the King, not the servant … the crown, not the cross … the glory, not the suffering.

Listen to the words they spoke to each other after Jesus left:

“Amazing! Weren’t our hearts on fire within us while He was talking to us on the road? Didn’t you feel it all coming clear as He explained the meaning of the Hebrew Scripture?” Luke 24:32 (emphasis added)

The NIV says “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us … and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Friend, they experienced spiritual heartburn! The word “burn” is from the Greek verb kaio, meaning “to set on fire.” Metaphorically, it means Jesus’ words created a hunger and passion within them they had never before experienced. His words captivated their hearts.

Jesus, the master story teller, brought what seemed simple Bible stories alive for Cleopas and his friend. As He opened the Scriptures, the puzzle pieces came together in such a powerful way that they not only listened, but something within them changed … something so profound that they immediately went to Jerusalem to share with others what they had seen and heard.
Jesus used His Word to teach, rebuke, correct and train Cleopas and his friend. Jesus’ spoken word enlightened their minds and deepened their faith. His visit empowered and equipped them for the task He called them to … sharing the good news they had just heard.

God will do the same for us. How He longs for us to open His Word so He can teach us! God is waiting to speak into our lives just as Jesus spoke into theirs. Sometimes He will teach and train, and we’ll savor it. Sometimes he will rebuke and correct, and we’ll fight it. But through it all, we’ll gain a confidence in His Word. A confidence like we’ve never had, one that will strengthen our convictions. And as our convictions strengthen, God will use those convictions to equip us for His Kingdom work

**This devotion is taken, in part, from Chapter Two of my book,Living So That. Click here to learn more about the book or order a copy.**

GIVEAWAY

I’m thankful you spent time with me here today. I would love to hear from you. Please share a time when you have felt spiritual heartburn. I will choose one comment to receive a signed copy of my book Living So That. Stop by next week, and I’ll announce the winner.

54 Comments Filed Under: Bible Study, Encouragement, Living So That Study, Spiritual Growth