Gratitude is a Choice

Gratitude is a Choice

A grateful heart creates joy, it really does!! Counting your blessings and being thankful truly changes your whole perspective. A positive attitude, I believe, doesn’t happen naturally or overnight—it is a daily choice of focusing on our blessings, keeping you filled with HOPE and JOY.

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe..”  Hebrews 12:28

www.titus2women.org

Happy Thanksgiving

Thank You to all who serve our country by protecting, praying, 

and extending a hand to those in need. We love you.

May God Bless You & Your Family

Family Matters

A Lipstick Wedding

By Amy Gentry

 

Along with my family, I was recently was invited to attend the wedding of two women, one of whom was my half sister. Wow. What to do???

As I would speak to others about the upcoming day, I found out that I was not alone in this. Most of my friends had a family member that was in a similar lifestyle. By no means am I an expert on this topic, but I can pass along a few revelations I had along my journey to the wedding day.

Revelations:

How do I represent Christ and Christians?

- I am a semi-outspoken Evangelical Christian, whatever I say or however I react (negatively or positively) about this relationship will speak volumes either for Christianity or against it. Should I judge/condemn the homosexual lifestyle of my sister or love her by demonstrating Christ's love, share God's word with her, pray for her and wait, expectantly for Christ to move in her heart?

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (NIV, Matthew 7:1-2) I bet I had a prayer warrior praying for me behind the scenes when I was wayward too.

Should my children attend the wedding?

- I felt that my young child did not need to attend this wedding even though it was the wedding of a close family member. As a mother, I felt it was my responsibility to protect my son's mind and his exposure to situations that could give the enemy a foothold to derail his thoughts. Proverbs 4:23 "More than anything you guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it."

Lay all your cards out in the table.

- I spoke to my sister several times over the years about her lifestyle. We discussed her salvation, what God's word said about her choice and my personal feelings on the matter. But it wasn't until I was sitting at the wedding of my sister and I heard the line, "If any of you can show just cause why these two should not be married…either speak now at this very instance or hold your words and judgment forever" that is when I finally had peace. I had already spoken up. I had done everything in my power to honor Christ and love her at the same time. It was not my responsibility to lead her to repentance, my job was to just lay the ground work for the Holy Spirit to work. And He will. I am waiting, expectantly.

2 Timothy 2:24-25 "The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged. With gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will."

T2W Fall Online Bible Study

Week Twelve –  The Woman at the Well

Psalm 16 – Every Woman’s Journey

By Carri Pratt 

“You reveal the path of life to me;
in Your presence is abundant joy;
in Your right hand are eternal pleasures.” Psalm 16:11

The Samaritan woman at the well was probably having a typical day doing housework, cooking, coming to the well for some water. What was not typical was the person she would meet. Her life was about to be changed for eternity, and she did not even know it.

That very day, Jesus “reveal(ed) the path of life to (her)” Psalm 16:11a and “in (His) presence (there was) abundant joy!” Psalm 16:11b

When we encounter Jesus we are changed forever.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Jesus can change all people who call on His name,

Accept Him as Savior,  

Believe He is the Son of God,

Confess by repenting and turning from sin,

and embracing Jesus as Lord of your life. 

This is the Good News and it is very Good!

 “Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again—ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up within him for eternal life.” John 4:13-14 

Challenge:  Be merry this Christmas Season because God sent His one and only Son to the earth to bring you JOY!

Read the Samaritan Woman’s story at www.Biblegateway.com  

This concludes “Psalm 16 – Every Woman’s Journey.” Thank you so much for taking this journey with us.  Remember that Jesus is always there for you. Simply put your FAITH in Him and take time to be with Him.

God Bless You Ladies!

Your Sister In Christ Jesus,

Carri Pratt

Digging Deeper:

Isaiah prophesied the encounter we can all experience when he wrote, “with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” Isaiah 12:3

Let’s take a look at where we have been:

Psalm 16

Confidence in the Lord

A Davidic Miktam.

¹ Protect me, God, for I take refuge in You. (Rahab)

² I said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord;
I have nothing good besides You.” (Eve)

³ As for the holy people who are in the land,
they are the noble ones.
All my delight is in them. (Mary, mother of Jesus)

⁴ The sorrows of those who take another god
for themselves will multiply;
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
and I will not speak their names with my lips. (Miriam)

⁵ Lord, You are my portion
and my cup of blessing;
You hold my future. (Esther)

⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me
in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. (Ruth)

⁷ I will praise the Lord who counsels me—
even at night my conscience instructs me. (Proverbs 31 Woman)

⁸ I keep the Lord in mind always.
Because He is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken. (Deborah)

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad
and my spirit rejoices;
my body also rests securely. (Priscilla)

¹⁰ For You will not abandon me to Sheol;
You will not allow Your Faithful One to see decay. (Mary Magdelene)

¹¹ You reveal the path of life to me;
in Your presence is abundant joy;
in Your right hand are eternal pleasures. (Woman at the Well)