Yes to God Tuesday - Chapters 10 and 11

***All items in purple are direct quotes from Lysa***

Welcome to Yes to God Tuesdays. We are in the midst of studying Lysa TerKeurt's book "What Happens When Women Walk in Faith". If it's your first week or you've been here the whole time, Welcome! This study is actually happening across several blogs. Be sure to stop by the leaders blog, Lelia, to see what all the other ladies are gleaming from this study.

This week we are looking at Chapters 10 and 11. Where has time gone? Chapter 11??!! Time flies when you're having fun in God's Word.


Chapter 10 - Roadblocks and Reassurances

In chapter 10 Lysa tells the story of her trials with a neighbor and a boundary dispute that involved Lysa's driveway. Throughout this time the neighbor blocked access to Lysa's driveway. God called Lysa to show His love to this person. And gee, she didn't want to. Oh how I can relate to that sentiment.

I have some of those "sandpaper people" in my life. You know them, the ones who make you feel like your bare skin is being rubbed by sandpaper. You and your emotions are raw after every encounter with them. The *last* thing I want to do is show love towards my sandpaper people. But that is just what God calls me to do every time. Are you surprised? I fuss every time. Then I come to my senses and obey. I pray one day I'll skip right over the fussing to the obeying part. I'm always looking at my "rights" and my feelings.

Lysa encourages us to "Let Him help you find a perspective beyond your own." One way I have found to do this is to pray for my sandpaper person. The last sandpaper person I used this technique with is now someone I can laugh and joke with. We can share easy conversations. God applied His healing salve to my sandpaper burns, His bridge of commonality to our relationship and His heart desire for her to my heart. Isn't He just the coolest? When I took on His heart for her as my own heart for her, my perspective changed. God had blessed me with His perspective.

I was thrilled to see Hosea 10:12 as a verse in this chapter since I just finished studying that book. When I looked in my bible, I had highlighted that same verse. I just love when God does that! It says to "sow for yourselves righteousness." I have none, so I depend on God for that. "Reap in mercy" is next, meaning God will be merciful if we follow Him (see story in previous paragraph). The next part says "Break up your fallow ground". That means plowing ladies. What I read was, quit being hard-hearted and hard-headed. Do the hard thing God is asking to do and you will reap a harvest "Till He comes and rains righteousness on you". AMEN!! And what else does that give us? Well Lysa tells us. She says "You have His peace because you have His presence." And His presence is so sweet it makes me look a whole lot better than I would without it.


Chapter 11 - God Will Make A Way

The phrase I highlighted and put an exclamation point by was "Our feelings do not have to dictate our choices." What a true statement. And how easy to forget this. In the heat of the moment I'm concentrating on my feelings. And I often let them dictate my choices. Wish I'd quit doing that because almost as often as I do that, the outcome is not what I desire. I think about the times I've yelled at my kids and then wished I had not because they were acting out of some hurt they had received from someone else. What about when I've stayed angry at my husband just to 'get even' and missed out on times of intimacy and sharing. Occasionally I have created an even bigger rift between us. How often have I not done something God had clearly placed on my heart because of my own feelings or fears about it. That's not what He wants us to do. He wants us to walk in faith. That faith is in His abilities, which are unlimited, and not our abilities, which are extremely limited in comparison.

Lysa states, "through Jesus' atoning blood, we are equipped with everything we need to do His will." We have everything we need- because all we need is Jesus and our own willing heart. Are you willing today?

******REMINDER: stop by Lelia's to see other responses to this study*******