I am surrounded by CHANGE PAIN.

This past week has made me DROOP with discussions about CHANGE.
New Paradigms..blah, blah, blah…..
New ways of thinking..blah, blah, blah…..
The OLD is gone the NEW has come…blah, blah, blah……

One discussion involved my Bible study group, a group of WAY YOUNG CUTIES who somehow manage to make me feel younger and older at the same time.

I love how they do that.

I am meeting with a group of young Millennial women (20-40 year olds) who are helping me with a book project I am working on, actually have been working on since BEFORE they experienced puberty. We meet every few weeks and banter around whatever controversial SIZZLING topic we can drag up.

After the meeting before last, I actually BLUSHED all the way home. We talked about something that as a woman, sister, mother and friend, I have NEVER DISCUSSED with even ONE woman, much less a group of women.

They are TODAYS young Moms and tomorrows Grandmothers. What they think as God-Chasing women matters, but I can tell you right now, It is REALLY DIFFERENT than what I was taught and heard as a young Christian woman.

Change Pain.

The second most passionate conversation I have had this week was about the NEW WAYS to do ministry, specifically via social media.

I am founder of a 25 year old para-church ministry, a crisis pregnancy center we were once called, now a Pregnancy Resource Center, that in many ways still looks like it did when I first opened the doors. We still do a whole lot of stuff just like we did when we opened the doors in 1989.

Don’t get me wrong. Thanks to brilliant fresh and young leadership, we have some amazing new strategies and lots of progressive services that have placed us as a ministry model across America but the truth is–We still need change. We will ALWAYS need change. Otherwise, we are left behind by the very clients we are trying to serve. If we don’t change with the culture we desire to reach, they can’t find us, or worse they don’t WANT TO FIND US, because they speak a different language.

As I was thinking about “boots” and change, somehow in the mossy brain of mind I thought of this song. I found it on YOU TUBE (Imagine That!) through GOOGLE! I think when it came out it was on a big black record. Check out these boots verses the boots of my girls. How about the haircut and the PERFORMANCE for goodness sakes. (Think Lady Gaga) . Change.

This morning as I read Michael Hyatt’s blog, part of my morning routine, I watched the online VIDEO INTERVIEW he has on his BLOG. A NEW tool that allowed me to hear from SETH GODIN, what I used to have to go to a conference to hear or maybe even NEVER got to hear because there was no such way of hearing it. Seth is discussing the changing world of publishing and reaching others with our PASSION, our MESSAGE. Seth used the term “leaning into change”.

I wrote it down.

I ordered his book.

I want to know more.

How about you?

How are you handling CHANGE today? Are you “leaning into it” or are you just drooping over it?

Oh my goodness, Pat.  God is doing a major work in my heart during our weekly girl gathering.

Our discussions have made me feel like the Holy Spirit needs to do laser surgery on my heart and remove any judgment or pride that might have a chance to eat away at my soul, and ruin my witness.  I am feeling much like Paul today and thinking of his words “Why do I do what I don’t want to, and what I want to do, I don’t do?” 

I want to just love, love, love, and for everyone to feel the freedom that I feel in obeying “my interpretation” of God’s word, but I am afraid that all I seem to be emanating to others is judgment and condemnation.  I spent all morning in the Psalms just crying and praying that He would do what He says He will do in Psalms 139:24, “search my heart Oh God and see if there is any offensive way in me”, and in 51:10, create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. 

I am praying the words of Romans 14 for a transformed heart, that I would not simply read what I believe, but believe what I read… that HIS truth would go deep in me and that I would learn to walk in love, not condemnation toward others. 
 
I honestly don’t think I’ve ever felt so surrendered and open before. 

With the list of sin I could give you from my past 32 years, and the true freedom I am certain is mine, I don’t want anything to come between Jesus and me at this point. I don’t want anything between His commandments and me. 
 
Our Tuesday night group is causing me to take a step back and let God speak to my heart.  I am having the hardest time discerning truth from my flesh, other’s comments and Satan jumping on the bandwagon with it all. 

I am thankful, so very thankful, to have you as godly counsel through this – I don’t know what it would look like if you weren’t there to keep us on track on Tuesday nights – if we’re on track, whatever that is…  I am also glad God is giving us a break next week and more time to just rest in Him and let Him speak to each of us.

I am overwhelmed (to put it mildly) about this new journey we are on but excited in a James 1 sort of way that I am going through this faith trial to develop perseverance and maturity – and finally, completeness.  I feel so lacking. 
 
OK, the kids and I were supposed to leave for the park 15 minutes ago, right after your email came,  but I just had to write you right now, or I never would have gotten out the raw emotion that I am feeling.  Thanks for listening, and for your gentle encouragement.  I am so blessed to be growing – as hard and painful as this is.  I can’t wait for the next level.  It’s always better than the one before. 
Ann

Thank you darling Ann. I am going to miss not having group this week.

Can I get a witness from any of our sweet young sisters out there?

Anyone else having some heart surgery? OR Singing this same song??
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I heard from my young friends that last weeks “Twirty Girls” meeting lasted until well past 1am!

These young women are serious about chewing on some tough issues. I left last night at 10:30 and they were still in sweet conversation. My brain, on the other hand, was deep fried!!

Our meeting last night took us into the the only letter in the New Testament that was written to a woman. 2 John.

My personal study of these 13 power packed verses told me that this woman was probably not too different from those of us in the group. She was a woman who had been given lots of different opinions about what God says or doesn’t say about this and that. She had apparently written to the Apostle John with a boatload of questions about matters of concern regarding her faith walk. She was not sure of how to evaluate the variety of perspectives coming her way and turned to her “Elder” John for counsel.

This is what I sent the ladies to prepare them for last nights discussion:

Ladies,

 

I knew I was about to have some fun when THESE kept us from getting the Bible Study started on time–

I’ll admit, I completely understand even though I was the OLDEST in the room….by a decade! Even I was ooohhhing and awwwing over these heels–

Last night was the first night of a Bible Study I am leading that is filled from the tip of the cute hairdo’s to the tip of the Spring Green toenails with “Twirty Somethings”.

I am thrilled to say the least, to be leading a group of Millennial women though a discussion about THEIR Biblical worldview concerning men, marriage, motherhood AND TATTOOS, for a fun edgy book I have been working on for over 2 years!

The room was filled to the brim as we nervously mingled. They had come at the invitation of my precious hostess, a beautiful young worship leader–aka:Wife, Mom, Daughter, God Chasing Chick.

They came because they love her and they came because they were curious about actually TALKING about the stuff we are going to talk about IN A CHURCH GROUP, A BIBLE STUDY no less!

I have to admit, I speak before large crowds about such tender topics as immorality and abortion–although my rule of thumb is “Never let em see you Sweat”– I was SWEATING!

When I looked out on those gorgeous, curios faces, who ranged from the age of my youngest daughter to my oldest son, gathered in the circle (AFTER I FINALLY DRAGGED THEM AWAY FROM THE RED BOOTS!) all I could think of was “Oh, MY, I should have taken the time to force a few of my OLD girlfriends to come with me”.

I may need some HELP here

They all sweetly looked at me with respect, anticipation and a bit of hmmmm???…….

I wondered what in the name of MY JESUS, I had gotten myself into.

It turned out, there was no need to worry.

After my brief introduction of the goal of the book; the study I have done to stir my passion and the plan of action for the next 8 weeks, I turned it over to them, which is my main plan for every week. Let THEM do the talking!

WOW—Here we go.

I am in LOVE.

They are fresh, they are honest (in a BIBLE STUDY no less–go figure) and they are ready to talk.

We went around the circle as each told her age, a little about herself and shared their excitement for the study.

One of the first comments was “I want you to know, I sometimes dress like a prostitute for my husband”.

Okey Dokey.

I guess I won’t have to worry about getting to the tough stuff!!

God has me, at my age, involved in some of the most exciting ministry opportunities I have ever experienced, but THIS—THIS is about to rock my world.

Is “rock” a current word girls??? I know your on here

I am going to be sharing some tid bits from our Tuesday night meetings on Wednesday mornings here on “Living Free”. Some of my sweet young friends will be joining us here to chime in and say hello.

I’ll be giving away LOTS of goodies at the end of the month to my most frequent commenters so PLEASE—

Share your thoughts as we go.

If You would like to be a VIRTUAL part of the group and have TWENTY or THIRTY in your age…leave a comment with your email contact.

I might even take on a few of you “Older” girls for support!! Just let me know if you think you can handle it!

Our First Question–

As women, should we “DRESS for our husbands” in PUBLIC??? or PRIVATE ONLY????