psst – See the bottom of today’s post for this week’s #SheSharesTruth assignment!
Happy Monday, friends!
And congratulations on reading through another Old Testament gem – the book of Jonah!
So, tell us, what did you think of ole Jonah? Did his story capture your heart (and attention!) the way it did ours?
We’d love to hear what stood out to you most and what truth you’ll carry with you as we move forward. Feel free to share in the comments!
Speaking of moving forward…
We’re halfway through our 4-part Lent series!
After a 2-day breather, we’ll start Part 3: Meditation + Confession on Wednesday, April 2. This section will be a little out of the ordinary in its structure, and we pray it will give your mind, heart and soul a good, quiet truth-soak in preparation of Holy Week.
On that note, we’re going to hush now and give you some time to catch up on Jonah, spend a few extra moments in prayer, or maybe even flip the pages of your real or virtual Bible open and see where it lands.
We pray God meets you right where you are today and that you will know – deep down in your bones, in a way you just can’t shake – how very deeply, fully and relentlessly you are loved by the One who made you and calls you His own.
See you here tomorrow for an off-day treat — a special guest!
xo,
Amanda + Raechel
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P.S. Have you checked our Kickstarter campaign lately? We’re only $11,500 away from our Android goal!! 870 of you have donated to make this community’s dream a reality, and that. is. amazing. What a gift! And do you know what really blows our minds? That incredible number is still less than 1.5% of number of individual women who gather here each month. So keep rallying, Sisters! The Android app (and the virtual conference!) are absolutely within reach! *high fives*
P.P.S. Almost forgot to share the #SheSharesTruth assignment for this week!
This week, we invite you to study and share Joshua 1:8-9. As you read, pray and write, keep in mind the theme of meditation and confession that we’ll begin exploring this Wednesday. We can’t wait to hear what the Lord teaches you about these two tiny, truth-packed verses!
To read more about the idea and heart behind #SheSharesTruth, go here. To see a list of community share from last week, go here. We hope you’ll join us as we study and share as a community on the passage of Joshua 1:8-9 this Friday!
Started a blog today. Yea! Link below.
http://adventuresofaprodigalgirl.blogspot.com/?m=1
The study of Jonah brought more conviction and understanding to me this time around. So thankful to be apart of the SheReadsTruth community!
http://refiningthewildgrapes.blogspot.com/
I loved the study on 3/20- God specifically chose Jonah. Even after Jonah chose to run away, God still wanted him and had a purpose that was to be fulfilled by him. It was a great reminder that God wants me for my particular life and circumstances.
Today, I felt super unsettled like I had to wrestle with God. Super discontent, super flighty, and at some points, super sulky-angry! How perfectly timed was yesterday's verse for me– "Do you have a right to be angry?" No, Lord. Never.
Can I let you guys in on something? It's whiny, but I need to confess it. Lately, I've been struggling with wanting to live a life full of fun and blessing outside of God's will for me, as if it's not there inside His will. It's been a long season of trial/tribulation, and satan has been lying to me. he's been telling me that 'this' is the life that follows God (said in a derogatory manner); that it'll always be super mundane and disappointing, that I'll never have friends, that my future is bleak, that I shouldn't be excited and it's wrong to enjoy life, etc. I've become a hermit in my search for "God's path" before, and I don't want to do that again…so it's always on the back of my mind, pushing me away from God.
From the beginning of 2014, my bible verse has been Luke 1:68-69, 74-75, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David… to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days." I've been trying to grasp what it is to both live in righteousness (not pursuing myself and sin) while still not being afraid of condemnation (not getting afraid of sinning so that I live in fear). I realize it, know it, and then it falls away again. But through this study of Jonah, the LORD has shown me that He is capable of using and pursuing me no matter how well I do at living in righteousness. Though it feels like a tightrope, it doesn't have to. Living in righteousness is not difficult, as long as it's HIS righteousness I'm living in. HE USES US BECAUSE HE HAS DECIDED TO USE US, and ultimately, nothing we do– good or bad– can stop Him from doing that.
Sisters, I need prayer. This tribulation is hard to live with, and though some of it is just the natural consequences of my actions (which I'm okay with dealing with), satan is definitely trying to use it to put me into bondage and run me into the ground. Some days, it's hard to live my life at all because I'm reeling about it so much. Pray that the Lord would discern in me satan's lies and get my attention away from myself! It's whiny and no good at all!! Again, forgive me for always being negative in these comments, as I think I am. God is good despite all of this, and I just need to get the guts out of my eyes to see that. Praise you, God. Be blessed, sisters.
Praying for you. Praying for peace, and acceptance. Several months back one of the SRT focuses was on being still. Just sit, pray and be still, let the Lord do His work. I'm praying that you can be still, pray, and listen to what the Lord is telling you. As for satan, there is NO power over you from him. You are a child of God.
Praying for you.
Praying for you today. That you will not believe the lie. For there is no more rewarding, exciting, enjoyable, exhilarating life than one with God at the center. Yes there will be hard times, painful times, frustrating times. But with God at the heart nothing can overcome you. Praying for you to know Gods amazing love cover you today x
My favorite verse from the Jonah series:
I was as far down as a body can go {at my lowest point}, and the gates were slamming shut behind me forever {chains weighing me down that I cannot escape} – yet you pulled me up from the grave alive O God, my God. Jonah 2:6 {with personal add-ins}
Like many of the others who have participated in this study, I have never thought much more about the book of Jonah other than "You can't hide from God" But in these past several days, I have learned so many more truths packed in those 4 chapters. I have never thought about the parallels of the 3 days of Jonah in the whale's belly and the 3 days Christ was in the tomb, or how the sailers unknowingly took on the sins of Jonah and then Johan sacrificed himself to save them from the storm. So many truths packed in so few pages. It makes me wonder, how many truths I have missed along the way from my other readings of His Word. What a great study this has been, and I look forward to more.
I'll never look at Jonah the same again! I may even start jumping into Children's Sunday School classes and yelling "Wait this book is about so much more than Jonah and a giant fish!!" Lol The book is about redemption, love, hate, entitlement, misplaced anger, pride, forgiveness, and it's about me! I saw so much of myself in this book that it scared me. How many times have I worn my salvation as a superhero's cape and not used it as a blanket to warm a lost and hurting soul with the love of Jesus? Little by little the Lord used Jonah to correct my spirit and refocus myself on the Great Commission His Son gave to us in Matthew. I must spread this life saving, chain breaking, soul freeing Good News to all nations without any stipulations or concerns for my personal fear. I really enjoyed reading everyone else's take on Jonah too! It is amazing to see the spiritual maturity and growth in this community.
I said this at the very beginning – and its how I still feel today. I have ready the story of Jonah before – but I had never read the Word of God in the book of Jonah before. This time, God's perfect timing, She Reads Truth's perfect timing, I got it! I got it! Jonah's failings – God's faithfulness. Jonah's obedience – God's faithfulness. God is God regardless of who we are.
I was struck at the end when the number of souls saved was revealed – 120,000. I know I have been given a message to deliver, and that number can either scare me away or that number can be what encourages me. Jonah said yes to God and saved over 120,000 people. I said yes to God and it shouldn't matter how many lives will be changed. I have an audience of One to please and that One will change the lives of others. I don't need to be obedient to 120,000 – I need to be obedient to the One. It's His job to change their lives – it's my job to obey Him.