Refresh Yourself!
REVIVAL has been on my mind. I know I said “Refresh Yourself” but to me, they are the same thing. Refresh just sounded better tonight since I live in Florida and my home AC has been broken for 2 days and my house is 98 degrees, the word REFRESH just feels good!!
I have been reading the most amazing book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I am a bit behind in reading this. It has been causing a stir for quite a while around my ministry team and fellow God chasers, but my book stack is HIGH so I have just gotten to it. I had the opportunity to hear Francis speak at the Southern Baptist Convention last month. Little did I know that I was about to be inspired into a personal revival. I was blown away by his humility and his pursuit of a real love relationship with Christ. His message left me wanting to fall to the floor in repentance. His fullness left me feeling empty in comparison. His emptiness left me feeling full of myself as opposed to full of God. His brokenness left me wanting refreshment. His wholeness left me wanting repair.
I love that.
I NEED that from mentors, teachers, preachers who are just a bit ahead of me on the journey. They are easy to spot. They are the ones with the “Cup Running Over”. My prayer is that by pressing into God for more, by standing under the cup bearers He places on my path, I will capture a drop or two IN MY CUP and someone, just a bit behind me, will get splashed on.
I came right home right after SBC and dug into the stack to find that book. It is NOT for sissies. Francis cuts to the chase. He asks the hard questions. He makes me want to pursue holiness. To experience TODAY’S personal revival and refreshment. I want revival constantly in my life daily. I believe that PERSONAL REVIVAL makes others hungry for God. Personal REVIVAL IS evangelism. Personal Revival means NEW LIFE. Personal Revival means a HUNGRY HEART.
I love that.
I ask God continually to REVEAL MY SIN. I ask God to prompt me by His Spirit when sin begins to slip into my life as a pastime or a casual guest. I ask God to keep me sensitive to sin—-NOT personal failure—NOT rejection—–NOT disapproval. I am far too tender for those “people” prompted propensities.
I want what matters to God to matter to me. Not my lack of ability but His Majesty. Not my easily hurt feelings but His divine love. Not my fear but His magnificent strength. Not my lack but His unfathomable resources.
Anyway…one of the reasons I have been thinking about this is just noticing ALL of the MANY opportunities that surround us as women and provide an opportunity to be REFRESHED!!! To be Revived!!! To be placed on our face lapping up overflow.
I want to encourage you that if you do not have some dates SAVED on your calendar to put yourself in a position of revival and refreshment, DO IT NOW!!!
Look for a place where the Word of God will be stirred in you. A set apart time to hear from God is a fresh way.
Here are a few REFRESH AND REVIVE Opportunities COMING UP over the next few months I found in a quick search….
Living Proof Live with Beth Moore and Travis Cottrell
www.lifeway.com/event/?id=39&CID=RDR-LivingProof
Going Beyond with Priscilla Shirer
Deeper Still
Lysa Terkeurst events
www.lysaterkeurst.com/speaking-schedule/
Jennifer Rothschild “Fresh Ground faith”
Extraordinary Women Events
www.ewomen.net/conference/2010-10-22/bancorpsouth-arena
Women of Faith
Pam Farrel Girlfriend Getaways
www.farrelcommunications.com/kroc
A smaller new event sponsored by some sweet friends of mine is” gIRL” and can be found at
and last but NOT LEAST….
ME……with Georgia on my mind 🙂
“Imagine Me..Redeemed, Restored, RENEWED…Set Free”
Now tell me more!!!!!
What upcoming Woman’s Events do you want to share?? Leave a comment below!
Pat,
I can give a hearty AMEN to everything you said about Crazy Love. It rocked my world. In fact, it rocked my world so much that I hosted an online book study and set up a completely separate blog for it. We read a chapter a week and then I posted questions for pondering and answering by the folks who participated. Got some great interaction and feedback. I left the blog up after we finished. You might want to take a look at some of the interaction as you read the book. https://thinkcrazylove.blogspot.com .
Leah
Leah,
I will DEFINITELY check that out. I am interested in the reactions of your team.
This is a tough book to aspire to isn’t it?
Blessings!!I know you are looking forward to your REFRESH time!!
xoxo
I am heading to women of faith but would love to attend ALL of the events you listed! I have been up early, at the beach, having some great conversations with God. Such a good time to be diconnected from “real life” and just plugged in to HIM.
See you Monday!!!
The next book in my stack is Crazy Love! Right now, I’m being BLOWN AWAY by Radical (David Platt). A MUST-READ for you, my friend!
Thanks for including gIRL in your highly esteemed list. Who knows what God’s up to with it, but I KNOW THAT I KNOW it’s something ONLY HE will be able to pull off!!
Love you…have a great time with all our girls at SheSpeaks! Hugs all around!
Melinda
I just stumbled over here to your site to get caught up on what’s happening with you and I’m so glad to see you’re reading Crazy Love. We are going to do that book for our first Women of Grace Thursday night group at the church. Everyone needs to read that book.
Next pick up Rradical by David Platt like Melinda said. It’s radical and will ignite your spirit even more.
Sure miss seeing you every two weeks. I pray all else is well:)
Sincerely,
Paige
OK, two girlfriends shouting out one book…on my way to Lifeway 🙂
xoxoxo girls,
p