Archive for August, 2009

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Questions for Going Deeper – Day Nine

1) All of us have felt alone-even great heroes of the faith felt this way.  Read 1 Kings 19:1-18.  How did the “Deadly Ds” of distraction, discouragement, and doubt attack Elijah after the great victory over the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18?  I’ve completed the first one as a example:

DISTRACTION:  Jezbel’s anger made him run for his life.

DISCOURAGEMENT:  He showed his discouragement by hiding away and taking offense with Israel on the Lord’s behalf.  He internalized worries and concerns that were the Lord’s not his own. He forgot his lane or role in their relationship; him and God.  He was the servant not the master.

DOUBT: Elijah showed his doubt when he lost his confidence in himself and his relationship with God.  He allowed fear to make him believe God could no longer protect him; he lost faith.  When this happened all that God could do was instruct him to appoint those that would succeed him and kings of Israel and Judah.

To be continued… I welcome your comments!

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

Having fun and enjoying life, while being a Christian!

Tonight is the night!  Getting my Sketchers 4-wheel skates oiled up.  A group of folks and me are heading over to Dreamland Skating Rink in Coney Island to preview it before we schedule an official Saved in My City event!

The Saved in My City Ning Community was launched last week and the Facebook page earlier this one.  It’s time for the saints to come out and enjoy themselves; clean and free without a care of thinking they are doing something that is unholy.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Questions for Discussion or Reflection – Day Eight

1) The story of Mary and Martha stirs up memories of sibling rivalry for many of us.  What battles with your siblings do you remember the most? What did you do to get your parents to notice you?

I didn’t grow up really with my older siblings, due to a 15+ year gap between most of them and myself.  I was raised as an only child until my niece moved in with us when I was 10 years old.  She is just a year younger than me.   I remember the first night she officially to moved in.  She ran to hug me and in the process she knocked me down.  I landed on my ankle, sprained it and ended up also with scratches on my arm.  This was only round one, of our ongoing battle royale in the end we came to a truce… love

I didn’t try to get noticed by my parents, I actually wanted to make sure that I DIDN’T draw any unneeded attention.  I was what they call goodie two shoes; good grades and good behavior.

2) Read Luke 10:38-42.  Have you ever asked Martha’s question, “Lord, don’t you care?”  What was the situation?  How did God answer your question?

The only real time I can remember ever asking the Lord, if he cared…  I was young only barely of age (when I didn’t know any better) and faced with the possibility of all I had worked so hard for in life coming down like stones at my feet.  There were no funds available for me continue my schooling / college.  That was 12 years ago and God is still answering the question.  He is developing me for his glory!

To be continued… I welcome your comments!

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Going Deeper – Day Seven

8 ) What spoke most to you in this, chapter.

The morning my mother the beloved Thelma B. Jefferson went home to be with the Lord in the spring of 2006;   I was very audibly awakened by the Holy Spirit.  It was the first time I had ever been awakened in such a way and at the time in the morning.  It was just before 4:00 AM.  Being obedient I got up and began to pray in my heavenly language / tongues.  The night before I had been told I was being recommended for a position to work full-time in ministry and was not completely sure about taking up the offer because it was not in one my strengths area.  I knew it was my destiny to work in ministry, however I was not sure if it was the right season or timing for it.

So, as I began to pray my heart at first was heavy.  As I was led deeper into the spirit and began praising God I felt a peace.  At the end of the hour or so, I lifted my hands up and said ‘Lord, whatever people places or things you must remove out of my life in order for me to walk in your perfect will.  I promise I will not become angry with you.’  As I stated above that was the morning my mother went home to be with the Lord…

Additional life changing events began to unfold shortly thereafter…relationship testing.  I accepted the position and was released and brought back.  Learned my boyfriend/fiancé of 6 years was cheating on me.  My finances were hit, the list goes on.  However through it all I kept my promise of not getting angry with God.

Yet, our relationship became one of duty bound because I was trying to shield myself from being hurt again, versus one of release and restoration.  Reading this chapter and doing the Bible Study showed me that.  Real power comes from learning how to release your cares wants and desires back to God.  He has a specific purpose for each of us and if we are bogged down, with burdens he did not want us to carry, we can miss the mark.  Then what most of us do is look towards God and asking him why? When, we were the cause of it all; for we had stepped out of the protection that is found in being intimate with him.

To be continued…

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Going Deeper – Day Six

7) Read Matthew 11:28-30. Circle key words and mediate on these verses-really think about Jesus is saying.  Then memorize this passage phrase by phrase.  Write it on an index card, and refer to it frequently, repeating it until it becomes a part of you.

Mark 11:28-30 (King James Version)

²⁸And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

²⁹And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

³⁰The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

Mark 11:28-30 (Amplified Bible)

²⁸And they kept saying to Him, By what [sort of] authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do them?

²⁹Jesus told them, I will ask you a question. Answer Me, and then I will tell you by what [sort of] authority I do these things.

³⁰Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? Answer Me

What I received from this passage is this.  Before you question someone else’s motives for doing something, evaluate your own.  Jesus was baptized in the natural by John the Baptist as it was preordained in the scriptures.  However, he was given heavenly authority to do what he did on Earth by God.  He was heavenly appointed.  The voice of God was heard audibly that day; it was manifested and could not be mistaken.  If you read the verses before this passage and after, you will see it was the chief priests and scribes of the temple of Jerusalem that asked him this question. However, because he knew who he was and who had sent he was able to BOLDLY ask the same question they had asked him.  Their reply was “We cannot tell.”  Why? Could not these men of God answer him confidently? Simply, because they were more concerned on what the people would say or do.  Their reverence was misplaced.

To be continued…

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com