Week 7 - Create

We are created in God's image and each day when I go outside I am constantly reminded of what a spectacular artist our God is and just how awesome is His creation. As a child I used to think that I wasn't "creative" that because I didn't have the skills of a painter, a drawer etc that I just missed out on the creative process. It wasn't until I discovered scrapbooking and paper craft that I realised I did have the ability to create. As we are created in His image ALL of us have the ability to create I've been feeling the desire to create, but not allowing myself the time. For the past month I've heard this whispering that "it's okay" to take that time, to find the time. Imagine the great and intense joy that God must have felt after He created the earth. The joy that we feel when we look upon His creation, when we see a glorious sunset, a beautiful flower, the colours of an exotic animal. So be thankful of the gift of creation, His for us and our ability to create and delight in doing so.

Verse : Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Prayer : Thank God for his glorious creation, for creating you & for the gift to be creative. Be also thankful that the works of your hands may be shared and be a blessing to others just as we enjoy God's creation.

Application : BE CREATIVE!! Take the time to create something this week & don't forget to take a photo and share here, please leave a link to your creation in the comments :-) . The form of creativity can be of any medium, scrapping, sewing, kneedle work. I encourage you to create something that includes a bible verse that God has been bringing before you over the course of this journey.

Week 6 - Rest and Reflection

We have a wonderful Daddy God who just loves us so much and He's patient and gracious. He doesn't pull out a whip and say "HEY GET UPTO DATE WITH THIS NOW!!". Psalm 23 has been on my mind all weekend and it's time we laid down beside still waters and had our soul's restored. Time to reflect and catch up a little.

Verse: Psalm 23

Prayer: Ask God to restore your soul and show you the areas in which you have made progress and where He's really proud of you.

Application: Listen for God's answer, journal and go back over the past weeks and see if your plan is on track or if you want to change it a bit. REFLECT.

Week 5 - Audit Time

I have just been so encouraged and blessed by the last 4 weeks, sharing this journey with you girls has just been such a delight! Some of the words spoken and seeing God working in your lives has been a HUGE encouragement and blessing. God is just so good.

I know a lot of us have commented on either wanting to be cleaner, have life more simplified, our home more welcoming etc. I think to achieve those things we need to take a step and "Audit" our home. I saw this idea on the "Down to Earth" blog a while back and thought "I really must do that one day". So how does this fit in with our Christian Walk. God called us to be stewards of all he has placed us charge over. That's both physical and spiritual. And through doing the Audit you may recognise things that are cluttering your life, find ways you could do something better, or realise that your pantry has a lot more in it than you thought But the more we take stock of the physical, hopefully that will free up more for the spiritual.

There will be two audits going on this week, a Spiritual and a Physical.

Verse - Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Prayer - Ask God to show you what to keep and what to let go, both in the physical and the spiritual.

Also this prayer from Stormie Omartian - The Power of a Praying Woman, Harvest House Publishers

Lord, help me to never exchange Your truth for a lie. Where I have accepted a lie as truth, reveal that to me. Help me to clearly discern when it is the enemy who is speaking. I don't want to think futile and foolish thoughts or give place to thoughts that are not glorifying to You (Romans 1:21). I don't want to walk according to my own thinking (Isaiah 65:2). I want to bring every thought captive and control my mind.

Your Word is "a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). As I read Your Word, may it reveal any wrong thinking in me. May Your Word be so etched in my mind that I will be able to identify a lie of the enemy the minute I hear it. Spirit of Truth, keep me undeceived. I know You have given me authority "over all the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19). and so I command the enemy to get away from my mind. I refuse to listen to lies.

Thank You, Lord, that I "have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16). I want Your thoughts to be my thoughts. Show me where I have filled my mind with anything that is ungodly. Help me to resist doing that and instead fill my mind with thoughts, words, music, and images that are glorifying to You. Help me to think upon what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely of good report, righteous, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). I lay claim to the "sound mind" that You have given me (2 Timothy 1:7).

Application - Record you Audits in your journal. The list of tasks can be done one a day, one a week or every second day. Ask God to lead you in the timing of this exercise. As you go about your physical audit pray the prayer from Stormie Omartain first and keep your mind "captive" on the Lord as you go about your task. Perhaps play a worship CD as you go about it, or just keep the dialogue open with God and chat to Him as you go about your tasks.

Day 1 - Where are the hotspots in your home? Where do you accumulate clutter and junk?
What are your spiritual hotspots? Where do you accumulate clutter and junk in your spiritual life?

Day 2 - When is enough, enough? What do you hoard, have to much of, can cull out of your life, give to others? To many clothes in those drawers.
What spiritual truths are you hoarding or holding close to your chest. Do you share the love of Christ with others?

Day 3 - Budget, do you have one? When did you last overhaul it? Do you have any idea where your money goes? Are you able to give to others?
Are you being a good steward with the blessings that have come from God? How does God want you to use His gifts.

Day 4 - What's cooking? Is there a plan to your kitchen? Do you do your grocery shop according to your needs, or your wants? Is your pantry in a bad shape? Do you know what you are eating this week?
What food does your soul need? Is there anything in the house to feed your soul. Do you have junk food around the house to inspire you, or God's word?

Day 5 - What does your home say to others? Take a look at your home from a visitors perspective, what does it say about the occupants.
What does your home for the Holy Spirit say to others? Take a look at yourself from another's perspective, would they know you were Christian?

Week 4 - Way Out of the Muddle

Wow we've had 3 pretty big weeks. Praying for our calling, getting deeper in the word and identifying our temptation; really essential and positive changes to restoring our relationship with God and others. There is also a lot of other "goings on" that keep us from God and our calling. I know personally for me a clean house is one of those areas. I want to be able to minister to others and have an open home. I worry that people won't call in because of the state of my house or that I stop inviting people because I'm embarrassed. Once I went into a home that you couldn't walk through any of the rooms it was such a mess. It was pointed out to me that often the physical represents the spiritual that perhaps the clutter in the home represented the clutter and muddle in their spiritual life. Do you have things in your home that bring you down? It could be anything from a messy house, lack of routine, health issue etc, or holding onto something that could be let go. What is your Muddle? I want you to remember though that God did not send Jesus because we were perfect & it's not being perfect that gets us saved. The main purpose of this weeks challenge is to take these things to God, ask Him to help us get our struggles in order & His strength to guide us.

Verse - 2 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness

Prayer - Ask God to help you prioritise your life and set a plan for getting things in order. To show you what things need improving and what things need letting go.

Application - Record in your journal areas that you want to improve and work out a plan to get out of the muddle. And take baby steps to get out of it. Only tackle one area each week or two weeks. It could be something practical like "get washing done Machine to Put away each day" do that for two weeks then apply another change. Also keep going on weeks 1, 2 & 3 praying for your calling to be clearly revealed and working out how you can get into God's word more and to keep identifying temptations that keep you from God's word and your calling.