Hidden Joy On-Line Study Archives

May 27, 2019

Join our summer Online Bible Study!

Happy almost summer!! I want to share some fun news with you. More than share, I’m inviting you to participate!

Please join me, and my friends at Proverbs 31 Ministries, for our summer Online Bible Study using my first book, Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner.

Of all my books, this one’s most precious to me. It’s the book that shares how God transformed the most tragic event in my life to be a beautiful backdrop to the ministry to which He’s now called me. In the pages of Hidden Joy, I’m gut honest about my anger with God. I question even believing in a God who could allow such horrific events to happen in the lives of His children.

Thankfully, even as I challenged and wrestled with God, He never gave up on me. In fact, as I opened His Word, He drew me closer. God saw the things I couldn’t see. Over time, He revealed them to me. He gave me truths, promises, and even answers to the questions I asked. Not all the answers. But, the answers He gave were enough to restore hope. To help me believe in and trust Him again.

Do these words resonate with you? Do you long to find freedom, hope and healing from events, emotions, circumstances and people that hold you captive? If you long to see the beautiful in the broken places in your life, please join us!

Our six-week study kicks off on June 17 and will help you:

Shift your heart from “Why God?” to “I trust you, God.”
Diminish the enemy’s lies by replacing them with Truth as you discover God’s character in His word.
Intensify your prayer life as you learn how to pray from a place of Scripture declaration.
Overcome the feelings of fear and frustration that hold you back as you unlock freedom by claiming God’s promises.

Many of you have asked if I’ll host more online studies on my blog. Because I’m on staff with Proverbs 31 as the Online Bible Studies’ Biblical Content Specialist, I’m unable to host studies on my personal blog. BUT, I’m actively involved with our Proverbs 31 Ministries’ studies and would LOVE LOVE to have you join us!

Each week of the Hidden Joy study, I’ll do a video teaching with some of my dearest friends. We’ll publish three blog posts a week (I’ll lead the Friday blog post). We’ll have Facebook small groups (they fill up fast) and an amazing Facebook Community page. We also have a teaching series you can purchase for a small charge that takes you deeper into the material we study in the book. Joel Muddamale (First 5) and I will open the teaching series teaching on Spiritual Disciplines.

Invite a friend, a few neighbors, even your Bible study group to join us!!

Giveway Now Closed!

Congrats Janet (ripnred) and Julie Woodman, you won! Please watch your email from my assistant Kim Stewart to get your mailing address. Enjoy!

To celebrate our upcoming study, I’m giving away one copy of Hidden Joy AND one copy of my newest book I Am Loved. Comment below and let me know if you’re joining us for the study and why. I’ll choose two winners this Friday (so the winner of Hidden Joy will receive her copy before the study starts). U.S. Addresses only please.

Blessings to you!

P.S. If you haven’t yet read (or listened to) my Proverbs 31 Ministries devotion today, you can read it HERE. I pray it encourages you that your brokenness can be a backdrop to a beautiful testimony.

111 Comments Filed Under: Hidden Joy On-Line Study, On-Line Bible Study

May 28, 2012

Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: Week Eight with a Giveaway

First, Happy Memorial Day! I grew up an Army brat, so this day always holds a special place in my heart. If you serve in the military, are married to someone in the military, or have lost a loved one through military service, we offer prayers on your behalf today. We are so thankful for the men and women who selflessly serve our country so that we may enjoy the freedom we have in America. Praying you experience an extra measure of God’s love, mercy and grace today.

It’s hard to believe Week Eight has arrived. My heart always feels a heavy sadness when an on-line study ends. Thank you for your faithfulness to read, study, and pray each and every week. How I will miss meeting with you each Monday, so please continue to stop by and visit.

Thank you again to Noelle and her boot camp team for Hidden Joy books. I will sign each of your books. I told Noelle I would go into the office tomorrow (Tuesday) to sign them but forgot that I am flying to Nashville, Tennessee tomorrow. So I hope you girls are fine with waiting a few extra days for your books. I will sign them upon my return, and we will get them in the mail to you.

This week we spend time in Chapters Ten and Eleven, and the word for the week is ABIDING. Spend time this week doing just that…abiding in Christ. Find time to sit with Jesus and soak up all that He has for you. Give Him a part of each day and listen for His voice. Bring Him your questions, your doubts, your hurts…your deepest desires. As you do, know I will be praying for the Lord to minister to each of you personally through His Word and His Holy Spirit.

I also invite you this week to leave a comment and/or prayer for my dear friend, Bobbie, who you will read about in Chapter Eleven. I share her story on my video message. She and her husband, Robert, are the reason you hold Hidden Joy in your hands today. Bobbie learned just a few months ago that she had cancer. Below is a picture of Bobbie not long after her diagnosis. Notice her hands lifted, eyes gazing toward heaven, praising her Father in heaven. Her words to her husband were “You know, nothing has changed. Our calling is still the same…To trust God, to love people and to grow in godliness.” Her love for Jesus truly inspires me each and every day.

Thank you for blessing Bobbie this week with messages of affirmation and encouragement. Also, as always, please continue to share your thoughts on your homework and your abiding time experiences. From your comments this week, I will choose one name to win a signed copy of Marilynn Chadwick’s book, Sometimes He Whispers, Sometimes He Roars.

Below please find this week’s video lesson, assignment, and prayer.

Assignment: Read Chapters Ten and Eleven in Hidden Joy, “Abiding in Christ” and “A New Song.” Complete the Guide for Reflection and Study questions for Chapters Ten and Eleven located in the back of the book.

Memory Verse: “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put the trust in the Lord.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the words of Truth You have revealed to me over these last several weeks. Take them, plant them deep within my heart, let them take root and flourish within me. Bring Your transforming power into my life. Heal me. Restore me. From this day forward, give me eyes and ears to see and hear all that You desire to teach me. Give me an understanding heart. Help me to trust You in all your ways. I give You total access to my heart, the heart You created and specially formed within me. Bring the fullness of Your Spirit into my life; shine the Light of Your Word into my darkness. Come and meet me each and ever day as I commit to spend more time with You. I love You, Lord and ask all this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

Please know I will be praying for you throughout the week, and I look forward to hearing from you!!

Blessings,

May 21, 2012

Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: Week Seven

Our theme for the week is PRAYER! Noelle set the foundation for this week’s chapter as she so graciously offered up beautiful prayers for many of you throughout last week’s comments.

Before we begin today, we want to announce the winners of Noelle’s Giveaway. She has written a note regarding the giveaway. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AS YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT HOW THIS GIVEAWAY HAS TRANSFORMED!! Please find her note below:

Isn’t it amazing how we can have a spark of desire in our hearts, and when we lift it to God, He can create a wildfire? I have the distinct privilege of working out with an amazing boot camp team at o’dark thirty each weekday morning. We believe in striving for our own goals and at the same time, fighting the good fight for others. On Wednesday, I shared the idea of randomly choosing three ladies to receive copies of Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner.

My team took that vision and multiplied it. As a team, we would like to offer a copy of Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner to every lady who posted a comment this past week. If you don’t already have a copy, we know that this book will bless you beyond measure. If you do have a copy, we would love for you to give the gift of hope and healing that you have received and pay it forward.

We believe that God can work miracles in and through your hearts.

With love and support,

Transformation by Truth boot camp team in Aliso Viejo, California
Noelle, Molly, Amy, Jill, Ed, Greg, Juan, Jen, Holly, Bill, Shelley, Denise, Rekha, Sagar, Nora, Tami, Dianne, Colleen, Margarita, Jamie, Ron, Gisselle, Mary, Sarah, Christine, Dayna, “Hollywood” Audry, Gina, Freya

Noelle's Boot Camp

When I received this e-mail from her, I was truly blown away. Their generosity truly brought tears to my eyes because, other than Noelle, I have never met a single one of them. But God ordained it. He moved their hearts to give in this way. Why? Because God is omnipotent. He knew there was a need for you or someone in your circle of friends and family to truly know His Hope as told through Hidden Joy. He knew the goodness in Noelle and in the hearts of her boot camp friends. And God made a way to meet your needs through their generosity.

As for this week, I am excited about spending a week on prayer. In the video, you will find an invitation to write a prayer. You may write a few sentence prayer or a paragraph. My heart’s desire is that we put into practice what we learn. Please share your prayer with us!!!

You will also find a book recommendation. My dear friend (and wife of my pastor), Marilynn Chadwick, has written a book on prayer entitled Sometimes He Whispers, Sometimes He Roars. It is her first book and one of my favorite books on prayer. If you would like to meet Marilynn, click here to see an interview she and I did a few months ago. Also, feel free to stop by her web site and say hello. She would love to hear from you. Marilynn gave me one of my first opportunities to share my testimony. Because of her invitation and encouragement, I felt confident to step out and share it more and more.

Below please find this week’s video lesson, assignment, and prayer.

Assignment: Read Chapter Nine in Hidden Joy, “Prayer.” Complete the Guide for Reflection and Study questions for Chapter Nine located in the back of the book.

Memory Verse: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You as the source of all Truth, as the Author and Perfector of my faith. Thank You for creating me to be in relationship with You. Thank You that You desire for me to come before You in prayer. I commit to deepen my times of prayer with You. Please meet me every time I open my heart to receive all You have to offer. Bring the fullness of Your Spirit into my prayer time with You. Let me sense the power of Your presence. Show me that You are active and listening. I claim Your promise that when I draw near to You, You will draw near to me. May I be different because of the time I spend in prayer with You. Change me as a woman, as a wife, as a mother, as a friend, and as Your servant. Make me a blessing to all those for whom I pray. May I draw others to You because of what You are going to do through me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Please know I will be praying for you thorughout the week, and I look forward to reading your prayers!!

Blessings,

74 Comments Filed Under: Bible Study, Encouragement, Hidden Joy On-Line Study, Prayer, Spiritual Growth