Weekend Encouragement

Together - Team Hoyt - My Redeemer Lives

The Gift

The Gift
by Suzie M.

Are you ready to receive the greatest gift of all?

If you: believe in Jesus Christ, you believe he came from heaven to earth and took on human form to walk with us, and know everything we go through even death upon the cross. You know you are a sinner and nothing can take away your sins except Jesus Christ. You know you need to turn away from your sins and live your life on earth to glorify God. Then you need to confess and pray to God. It’s as simple as this prayer:

Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus Christ died on the cross. He suffered and shed his blood to cleanse me from all my sins. I believe he was raised to life on the third day and ascended into heaven and is at your right hand. Please forgive me for my sins. Come into my heart and live inside me, make me a new person, give me a clean heart, and transform my mind to do your will. I want you to be the Lord of my life because I know my way isn’t working. Thank you God that you love me so much you sent your one and only son to die for me so that I may live with your family in heaven for all eternity. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

It’s that simple. Once you have prayed this prayer now you need to go tell someone. Say I just asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life! If you are not a part of a church find a bible believing, bible teaching church and get baptized. Even if you were as a child, we follow Jesus’ example and believe first then get baptized.

Maybe you were baptized first and then believed. Pray about getting your baptism on the right side of the cross. I don’t believe it affects your eternal outcome but if you know you should be baptized after believing you will be held accountable for this one day.

I am proud of you for accepting Jesus into your life. You will be forever changed. Please remember to pray and read your bible every day. Join a church and be in fellowship with other believers. For some of you this may mean making some radical changes in your life. You are either for God or against God. There is no middle of the road or gray area. I pray that you will so shine from the Glory of God that others around you will ask you what happened.

“For God so loved the world he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

4th of July Trifle

Here is what you need:

*Pint of Strawberries

*Pint of Blueberries

*Loaf of Sara Lee Pound Cake

*Star cookie cutter

*Cool Whip

*Vanilla Pudding

Mix the vanilla pudding with 2 cups cold milk for about 2 minutes. 

Fold in Cool Whip and mix well.  Cut your pound cake.  Layer your ingredients.  Enjoy!

Summer Book Club

Multiple Hats, Multiple Roles

Multiple Hats, Multiple Roles

By Amy Gentry

Women today are wives and mothers, housekeepers, taxi drivers, party planners, CEO’s, and CFO’s … you get my point, we wear many hats.

Do you know that as disciples of Christ we are to wear many hats in our spiritual life?

When we look at a triad of relationships in the books of Acts and Romans, we see Paul, Timothy, and Barnabas.  I’ve had some of these very relationships in my own life and have been extraordinarily blessed by them.

Get this: We are to be disciples of Christ who disciple others to be disciples of Christ!

"You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others." 2 Timothy 2:2

·         We need to pursue a Paul in our own lives - a mentor, someone who is a servant of Christ and who will point you to the Lord when you are in turmoil (Romans 1:1). I had a wonderfully godly woman in my life at one time that showed me what it looked like to ‘walk out’ the Bible in my own life - on a day-by-day basis.  She taught me several lessons that I carry with me to this day: that submitting to my husband was truly submitting to God, to raise my children according to God’s standards and not the standards of this world, and to worship the Lord within my own thoughts.  She is still priceless to me.

·         We should also follow the great commission and go out and make disciples.  We are to train up a Timothy- a learner, someone who will serve the Lord alongside you (Phil. 2:22).  I have been a Bible study leader for many years now and I highly resist the term “teacher.”  I would more accurately describe my role as the-blind-leading-the-blind.  My bible study girls have heard me say this many times, “If God can speak through Balaam’s Ass I guess he can speak through me.”  But when I have a woman tell me that because I was there to feed Christ into her, her marriage was saved – I still become speechless and humbled – a priceless opportunity to serve.   

·         But we also need that voice in our life that will be our Barnabas.  He was a highly valued encourager to Paul (His name even means “son of encouragement” Acts 4:36).  I am so lucky to have many ladies encouraging me, too many to count.  My co-authors on www.titus2woman.org are a huge encouragement for me, but the encouragement from my accountability partner is so precious to me because she knows where all of my hidden freckles and wrinkles are.  She knows my strengths and my weaknesses, and she knows where my fears and my ferocities lie.   Priceless transparency!

CHALLENGE: Do you have a Paul, Timothy, and Barnabas? To quote Woody from Toy Story, “If you don’t have one, get one!”

YES Lord!

Q: How do I surrender to the Lord’s leading?

A: I recently was at an event hosted by a local mega-church and the Pastor from that church led us in a time of prayer.  At the beginning of the prayer, he asked each of us to speak the word “EVERYTHING” into the palm of our hand and then raise that open hand toward the Lord and offer EVERYTHING up to the Lord in prayer.  That is it.  It is EVERYTHING offer in prayer.

Moment by moment, experience by experience.  Everything is under His command, His Lordship.

After you have offered EVERYTHING to the Lord, then you must be prepared to respond in obedience to go where ever He leads.  It is like you are carrying 2 cards in your hand – written on one is “YES” and the other “NO.”  Picture yourself sitting across a table from the Lord having a meeting about an area of your life that He wants to lead: volunteering in or lead a ministry, inviting a less than lovely neighbor to church, taking your child out of public school to begin homeschooling, going on an all women’s mission trip to India, stepping down from an area of service within the church, etc.?  How will you respond to the Lord’s request for you to take this radical step? Which card would you put on the table, your YES or NO? He desires for you to put your YES on the table willingly.

“Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” Matthew 5:37

Home on the Rock

Home on the Rock
by Stephanie H.

Today I woke up at 5 am, had an hour long quiet time, woke up my family with a kiss and hot breakfast, packed their lunches, slipped a sweet note in my husband’s briefcase, kissed him goodbye, took children to school, came home, exercised, cleaned the house, did the laundry, went to the store, prepared dinner, showered, picked up my children from school, greeted my husband home from work with dinner on the table, UUUUHHHHHH….NOT!!!!!!

Sure this sounds wonderful, but we are human!

As much as I strive for a “picture perfect” home it just doesn’t happen.  Just like my house is different than every other house in our neighborhood.  There is no recipe or cookie cutter for a perfect Christian home.  Every home is unique and so is the family occupying it.  I can’t tell you what your home should look like or how you should manage your home, but God does care about what we do with our time, how we spend our days and how we manage our homes.  In Titus 2:5 it says:

NAS “to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored.” (emphasis mine)

NKJ “to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” (emphasis mine)

When I spend too much time away from our home visiting friends, shopping or doing playdates, things start to fall apart and that is when attitudes and respect for others in the home fall apart.  Laundry doesn’t get done, my hubby wakes up and doesn’t have any clean undershirts for work and that puts him running late and frustrated, making me defensive and edgy.

Days like this are going to happen and there is grace for that.  It is when we are living this way and not trying to spend more time working on the matters of the home that we have a misplaced priority.

Time spent on activities outside the home are not bad, working outside the home is not wrong…it is when you are putting these things above your priority of home that your home, and those in your home, will suffer.  When we have our priority of home in place we fill up those in our homes with love that will spill out on others they come in contact with.  If not, they may be looking for love in other places than our homes.  Do it unto the Lord.  It is the Lord who will honor and bless our efforts.

Oh Merciful Lord, I am so thankful that I can come and sit at your feet, bring you all my ugliness from yesterday and ask for forgiveness.  I pray that today I look to you and listen closely so, I do not lose my temper again or sit idly while time passes me by.  Dear Lord, please help me to be a good steward of the time you have blessed me with and help me prioritize my day.  Help me to focus on what is most important to you.  Show me how I can be your hands and feet today with my family, in my home and in my community. Amen

Challenge: Start tomorrow with a similar prayer.  Insert your own struggles and give God your day.  Write God at the top of your “to do list.”  Try to think of ways to bless your family throughout the day whether it is picking up dry cleaning, preparing a favorite dinner or just be available for them.

Menu Monday

Weeks 7 & 8 (click to open pdf) - Kim H
Monday: Brisket Tacos
Tuesday: Beef Stir Fry
Wednesday: Chimichangas
Thursday: Calzones
Friday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Monday: Roast
Tuesday: Taco Salad
Wednesday: Chili
Thursday: Chicken Pot Pie
Friday: Turkey Meat Loaf
Weekend: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Father's Day Weekend Encouragement

We pray that this Father's Day weekend you spend time seeking your heavenly Father and being thankful for all the special Father's in your life.

Casting Crowns - Courageous

Sermon - The Father Wound (The Village Church, Shea Sumlin)
It is 50 minutes long but it’s worth the time for both husband and wife or any male and female to listen too!!

Summer Book Club

What Your Husband Wants for Father's Day

Barrett Johnson, the Minister to Families at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia www.infoforfamiliesblog.com. He is married to Jenifer (you can find a few posts by her on here as well; she's a lot smarter than he is) and they have five kids: the oldest is 19 and the youngest is 4. His interests are traveling with Jen, hanging out with his kids, and playing bad golf. He digs 80's music, Monty Python, and watching competitive origami. He is known for his super-hero caliber metabolism. You can contact him at barrett.johnson@jfbc.org.    

What Your Husband Wants for Father’s Day

By Barrett Johnson

For this Father’s Day post, I want to start by affirming the vision of Titus2Women.org. Challenging women to shepherd and encourage other women is a very good (and biblical) thing. On the other hand, inviting a man to the table in honor of Father’s Day and letting him challenge women from a man’s perspective…now that’s just plain risky. Who knows what my compartmentalized brain, my emotionally deficient heart and my testosterone-driven fingers will write?

Thanks for taking a chance on me. I hope that God encourages you today.

Father’s Day will be upon us in just a few days. And unlike Mother’s Day, a truly deserved holiday in which children (finally) appreciate their moms for a year of sacrificial service, Father’s Day is the one Sunday of the year where Dads feel justified in taking an afternoon nap. They may take one every Sunday of the year, but Father’s Day is the one day we don’t feel guilty about it.

The Father’s Day gift is always a challenge. Ever since Old Spice stopped making the “Soap on a Rope,” children the world over have had to actually work to think of something meaningful to give their dads. Encourage your kids to be creative and sentimental, but if the best you can come up with is another tie, we are okay with that. It’s the thought that counts.

But beyond the little gift a child gives his or her father, what can a wife give to her husband? What does he need most from her? Not just on Father’s Day, but every day. I have thought of at least four things that your man cannot get enough of. Use these as a simple checklist to see how you are doing at meeting your husband’s deepest needs.

• Your Understanding

If your husband has even the slightest spiritual pulse, he feels the burden of responsibility of leading your family spiritually. He knows he should, he just doesn't know how to do it very well. After all, if he is like most men, his own father didn’t model spiritual leadership for him. He doesn’t have a clue.

What most women do not realize is that, because of the mantle of responsibility that God has placed upon husbands, the spiritual attacks on a man are often far more substantive than those on wives. Rob Rienow describes the family as a bunch of high-speed bicycles in a race, drafting behind one another in a pack. The husband is in the lead, taking the brunt force of the wind, while his wife and kids draft behind him.

Understanding this reality should serve to make a wife more patient more supportive of his leadership, as little and as infrequent as it may be.

• Your Affirmation

If a wife understands that her husband is under constant attack, she is more likely to understand his powerful need from affirmation from her.  Back to the racing bikes analogy, it is very easy for the wife to be easily drafting behind her husband, all the while complaining that he’s not pedaling hard enough. “Pick up the pace!” she might yell. “Why are you struggling so much? This isn’t that hard!”  Instead, if she realizes that he has the weight of the family on his shoulders, she is much more likely to affirm him and build him up. When she does so, she will discover the power it has to make him come alive.

Jenifer and I have taught many times on a husband’s need for affirmation and respect from his wife and I am still amazed at looks on the women’s faces. It’s like Paul on the road to Damascus, with “scales falling off their eyes.” Hear this from a man: there is no more powerful a motivator in my life than the affirmation of my wife. This is true for just about every man I have known.

The last time we taught this to women, I used illustrations from powerfully romantic movies that women could relate to: Rocky, Cinderella Man, and Saving Private Ryan. Now, I know what you’re thinking…those movies aren’t romantic. But ask any man what the most powerful moments are in each of those films, and he will probably mention not the time when the hero conquered his enemy…but the moment just before or after it…that emotional, empowering moment when the hero’s woman says “I believe in you. I’m proud of you.”  That will get his eyes misting up every time. Ladies, you have no idea the power you have over us in this area. In big and little things, your affirmation is literally the air we breathe.

• Your Followship

I’m not sure “followship” is a word, but I know that your husband needs you to follow his leadership. So it will have to do.

I have a long-standing theory: Most Christian women want their husbands to lead them….but only if the husband leads in the way the wife wants him to. If and when he leads in a way that she doesn’t deem best or right, she resists his leadership. She questions his judgment. Then, she complains that he won’t lead.

You can’t have it both ways. If you want him to lead you, you must be willing to follow him. You might not always like it, but there is not better way to shut him down than to question, doubt, and nit-pick his decisions. I’m not suggesting that you turn into a doormat. Absolutely not! Even the most bone-headed husband values his wife’s perspectives. But there’s a big difference between talking things through and undermining his leadership at every turn.

In a number of occasions in counseling a couple in crisis, I will pick up on the fact that the wife has developed a habit of constantly undermining the husband. I can see his frustration…either manifested in anger or emotional withdrawal. On a couple of occasions (to make a graphic point) I have gotten the scissors out of my desk, handed them to the wife, and asked her to go ahead and “cut them off” of him. After I pick their jaws up off the floor, I tell the wife that she might as well do it literally because that’s what she is doing to him emotionally all the time.  And she wonders why he isn’t more loving. Respect and follow his leadership, ladies. He desperately needs this from you.

• Your Prayers

Finally, your man needs your prayers more than anything else. Nothing will give him more confidence and more inspiration as a man and as a spiritual leader then the constant reminder that you are praying for him. This works a lot better than nagging him.

I could expand on this some more, but you know it’s true. It will accomplish nothing for me to tell you that interceding for your husband is important. You just need to believe that it’s true, find delight in doing it, and get busy praying. That’s a truth for husbands, as well.  God wants to meet us in our deepest needs and give us direction for facing the challenges of our every day lives. Nothing facilitates that better than aligning our hearts and minds with His in prayer.

I encourage you to run this post past your husband to get his opinion on what I have said. If I’m way off base, then accept my profound apologies. But I don’t think I am.  These four things would make the best Father’s Day gift a wife could possibly give to her husband.

And they will be appreciated and valued long after the tie goes out of style.

Our Father Who Art in Heaven

Our Father Who Art In Heaven

by Carri P

As we approach Father’s Day, we celebrate the men in our lives.  I am so grateful for the father God gave me.  I also share in the grief and hurt contained in those suffering the absence of a father.  However, we can rejoice that as Christians we share a common heavenly Father.  The Bible tells us, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:18 HCSB  This verse is comforting and yet confusing for our children.  How can they have an earthly father and a Heavenly Father?

A point of great comfort is that although our earthly fathers may be full of flaws, (and mothers are too) our heavenly Father is perfect.  Our earthly fathers may be absent or disappointing, but our heavenly father is present and faithful.

It is our responsibility to introduce our children to their heavenly Father.  We have the lovely position of rearing our children and setting boundaries for them.  This can be quite frustrating at times and can put us in a position of “the bad guy,” however, if our children fail to respect and obey their parents, who they can see, how will they ever respect and obey their Heavenly Father that they cannot see.

The Bible tells us, “There will be a blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God I am giving you today and a curse, if you do not obey…” Deuteronomy 11:27-28 HCSB  This is valuable information we must pass on to our children.  They must know, “those who love Me . . . keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:6 HCSB

It is in the moments the Holy Spirit is present in our parenting that we feel the true joy of being a parent.  Looking into our child’s eyes and seeing the connection to God, the Father, perhaps after a teachable moment.  It is one step closer to leading them towards their own personal relationship with God, their Father.

It is easy to lose faith with the troubles of each new day, however, “. . . without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6 HCSB  It comes down to faith.  We must have it as parents and we must model and teach it to our children.  They will never know what faith is without seeing us live it out each day.

Challenge:  This Father’s Day set aside special time to introduce or remind your children of their Heavenly Father, His love for them, and the special blessing of obeying His commands.

Summer Book Club

Don't Let the Dark Side Fool You

Don’t Let the Dark Side Fool You
By Jenn V.

SCRIPTURE:  Malachi 4:6 (NIV) “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.”

Poor Darth Vader, if only he had not listened to the Dark Side and kept his wife around to edify him more in front of the kids, maybe he would have turned out a better father to Luke and Leia.  Yes, I have three boys and I can almost quote these movies word for word!  Sad, but true!  Seriously though, as Titus 2 Wives, edifying your husband in front of your children, not just for Father’s Day but all year round is impactful.  Edifying is defined as instructing someone especially so as to encourage intellectual, moral, or spiritual improvement in their being.  When we demonstrate to our kids the value of a father’s place in the family, we are teaching them several things: 

1.        To be thankful if they have their father living in the same house.  Because of the high divorce rate in America and even in Christian homes, about half of all children do not have a father living in their home. 

2.        To demonstrate the importance of the marriage relationship by voicing how you esteem him, especially when he’s not around to hear you and even when he is.  This models a Christ-like home that they can use as an example for the rest of their lives. 

3.        To teach them how they can relate to God, our Heavenly Father who provides for us, just like our earthly fathers do.  

This Father’s Day, make it a Father’s Day weeklong event or weekend event.  Make his day special and get your children involved in the planning process.  Whether it’s new golf clubs, a few rounds of golf, or simple pictures drawn and letters written by the kids, dads aren’t picky!  They love everything (well, but not that ugly light-up tie with fish on it)!

CHALLENGE:  Make a point to speak highly of your husband at least once a week in front of the kids while he is around or not.  Make it a life-long habit!

Whole Hearted Devotion

Whole Hearted Devotion

by Kim H.

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

We have a cute 2 year old dog named LuLu. She has decidedly made me her “master” or “lead dog”. That girl follows me everywhere! She follows me from room to room; she knows if I’m headed outside, she beats me to the door. She will even wake and jump up at my getting out of bed at night and follow lovingly, happily and hopelessly devotedly beside me.  I don’t ever have to call after her or beg her to come along side-she’s just there, every time.

I keep getting this picture of this is how we should be walking with Jesus….purely devoted without a doubt, a complaint or grumble, following Jesus. When he moves, we move…without a question.

The more we practice this, the easier it will become. To follow when he is moving us toward forgiveness (of others or ourselves), when he’s moving us toward a mission trip or an act of obedience, when he’s waiting patiently to spend time with us, and leading us to read God’s word making it a regular part of life… ect.  1 Samuel 15:22 tells us, “To obey is better than sacrifice”.

We begin by stepping out in faith and allowing Jesus to be our “lead” and “master”. If this seems totally foreign concept and you’re not sure where to start or how that looks for you, ask the Lord to show you. Surrender to his will every day, and he will lead.

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.       Luke 9:24

Challenge: Deny yourself and follow Him, you’ll never regret it or be more satisfied.

Menu Monday

Week 5 (click to open pdf) - Jenn V.
Monday: Cornbread Chicken Casserole and Roasted Veggies
Tuesday: Hidden Spinach Lasagna, Salad and Garlic Bread
Wednesday: Crockpot BBQ Chicken, Salad and Baked Beans
Thursday: Nachos and Corn
Friday: LaMadeleine’s Tomato Bisque and Grilled Cheese

Week 6 (click to open pdf) - Jenn V.
Monday: Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole w/ Garden Salad
Tuesday: Crockpot Roast w/ Red Potatoes and Baby Carrots
Wednesday: Tuna Burgers w/ Bodacious Broccoli Salad
Thursday: Thai Noodles w/ Snap Peas
Friday: Beef Stew w/ Rolls

June Bible Verse

Summer Book Club Kick-Off

Summer Book Club Kick-Off

We are so excited to kick off our first Summer Book Club!  If you have not already purchased your book, Dancing with My Father by Sally Clarkson, run to the store and get it today! 

We will read one chapter each week and every Friday the six of us will post on the Titus 2 Women Facebook page our thoughts, insights and personal stories. 

We encourage each of you to join our conversation on Facebook.  Let’s share with each other our insights, stories, struggles and joys. 

Each chapter ends with questions and a prayer.  Thoughtfully and prayerfully answer the questions so we can discuss them as well. 

A couple of us already read the first chapter and Sally is so transparent you feel it is just you and her sitting down talking. 

Grab your book, a glass of sweet tea and join us in learning how to daily live in beauty and grace, joy and peace.