Small Groups, March

Alright girls, it's almost time to review chapter 3 of "Satisfy My Thirsty Soul". My group, The Soul Sisters, will meet this Tuesday, March 15 at 6:30 (other groups, please check with your leader to see when your March meeting is).

As we spoke last time, we will have an ongoing project of "worship ABC's". Each month, we'll take a few letters of the alphabet and discuss words of God that begin with that letter. Let's get started with letter A: almighty, all-knowing, attentive...what words did you come up with?

In addition, we will discuss being still in the presence of God. When we worship God, our full attention is focused on Him alone; not asking for anything or doing something in order to get something. It's just being focused in His presence, reveling in the wonder of being His child.

If you haven't finished chapter 3, this weekend is a great time to finish up. If you finished earlier, then use this weekend to glance back over the chapter and refresh your memory. I encourage you to write down questions or thoughts you'd like to discuss or ask at the meeting.

In addition, I encourage you to use the chapter questions in the back of the book as a way to work through the chapter or review it. The questions are aimed at personal reflection on your own life. During the monthly meetings, we will use questions of a more general nature; not quite as personally pointed. At any rate, the questions in the back of the book are a great way to help you focus on your worship time and gain a deeper understanding of the material.

I look forward to seeing you next week!

Julie's poem

As my small group, the Soul Sisters, discussed how nature proclaims and adores God, we talked about how observing nature causes us to also think of God. I promised them I'd share my poem on my blog, so here it is:

HOW DO YOU SEE GOD?

Do you see God in your day to day life?

Sometimes? Not very often? Not usually? Never?

Take another look. He is there, all around you.

Take a moment to drink Him in.

He sends His kisses on the wind.

His warm embrace is the sunbeams engulfing my body.

The cool breeze is His tender greeting.

I see the twinkle in His eye as I look to the night sky.

His smile? Why, it’s on the face of every flower in my garden;

- - bold colors mixing with a lush green.

His comforting arms envelope me as I listen to the Robin sing her song.

The billowing clouds are God taking my burdens away.

Do you see Him now? He is in His creation.

He splashes color and mood on His living canvas.

Look harder. He is there.

His words are whispered in the wind. Can you hear Him?

It’s not the thunder, it’s the rustling leaves.

It’s not the lightening, it’s the crystal clear morning.

It’s not the storm clouds, it’s the brilliant blue sky.

Won’t you listen? He longs to tell you all the things you need to hear.

Walk with Him in the cool of the day.

Is He speaking to you the way He spoke to Adam in the Garden?

Perhaps… but He doesn’t speak to deaf ears.

Unveil your eyes and see Him.

Open your ears and hear Him.

He is God, and He loves you.

- - Julie Taylor

Opportunities for Calvary Ladies!

I'm so excited, thinking about all the opportunities for Calvary ladies! THIS IS YOUR TIME...don't miss out on it. There are sensational things bursting forth on your horizon.

As I told you last time, mentoring is coming up around Easter time; but don't wait until then to get involved and set the stage for amazing growth in your spiritual life.

On Thursday mornings, there are two types of AWESOME Bible studies available to you, along with Mother's Day Out; so, if you have children you can rely on Calvary's expert child care while you study God's Word:

1) Sheila Breazeale and Jane Crowell lead our Precepts Bible study, where you can learn to dig into God's Word and really understand it on a deeper level. This study provides daily instruction on exactly how to study each verse, cross reference with other Scripture, and what questions to ask yourself as you read God's Word. Then, each Thursday, we meet for a review/recap on our week's study.

2) Donna Johnston leads our Beth Moore Bible studies on Thursdays, too. If you've never heard Beth Moore, you're in for a treat. She is a dynamic speaker, and has a wonderful way of weaving God's Word into practical, daily life applications.

Contact Calvary Baptist, or this blog for more information.

In January, we launched our ladies' small group once-a-month Bible study, under the direction of our new Women's Ministries Director, Kelly Bledsoe. We've just begun a monthly study of the book, "Satisfy My Thirsty Soul", which is teaching us about God's perspective on true worship, and challenging us to incorporate it into our daily lives. It's not too late for you to jump in!

In addition to this, Sheila Breazeale has provided an online forum for us to participate in discussing this study together. She has a blog called "Bucket Ministries" (bucketministries.blogspot.com), and as a part of that blog, we are able to post comments about the study.

What a wonderful resource we have available right at our fingertips! No need to wait until the next month to discuss what you have on your mind today. Post your comment in this forum, and keep up with the questions and insight offered by other women. Amazing! Not only can you keep up with the "Satisfy Your Thirsty Soul" study on this blog, but Sheila also posts questions, recaps and study helps for the Precepts Bible study.

Ladies, if you can't get excited about all of this, you must be living in a fog! I am absolutely beside myself, and cannot WAIT to hear back from you regarding your thoughts on these marvelous opportunities.

Post your comments below! Become a "follower" on this blog by clicking on the "follower" button in the left-hand column (you can do that same thing on the Bucket Ministries blog).

Mentoring-Just Around the Corner!

Calvary Ladies, the Sisters in Christ Mentoring season is just around the corner. When Easter is nearby, so is the beginning of our season (which closes around Labor Day).

As we've learned in past seasons, “A mentor is someone farther on down the road from you who is going where you want to go, and who is willing to give you some light to help you get there.”

You Can Choose:

h Mentee - you are looking for a Christian woman to take you under their wing, and help you to grow and mature in your spiritual life

h Mentor - you have been a Christian for a while, are growing in Christ, and willing to walk along side a woman, who is younger in Christ than you are, in order to help her grow closer to Christ.

h Prayer Warrior - you understand that prayer is a priority, and are willing to regularly pray for and encourage a mentoring pair.

Mentoring Closing Picnic

Prayer Warriors, please make sure your prayer journals are all filled in, as you will be presenting them at our closing meeting, Sunday, Aug. 29 @ 5:00.

Everyone, please make every effort to attend this closing meeting. We will have a picnic theme and we'll be taking pictures. Be ready to talk about both the good things that you've experienced and also areas that can be improved.

In addition, I need one or two volunteers to give a testimony about what kind of impact the mentoring ministry has had on them. I'll be waiting to hear back from you.

As always, if you have a poem or song that has inspired you, please share it with us.

Half-time Refresher Meeting on Sunday, June 6

We're almost halfway through this year's mentoring session! Can you believe it???? I hope that your mentoring partnership is going smoothly and enriching your life. I know that my mentoring partnerships are very fulfilling, and I thank God for placing us together.

Our "Half-time Refresher Meeting" is due to happen at the end of June, but I'm going to be having some surgery in a couple of weeks, and need to rearrange the refresher meeting a bit.

The "Half-time Refresher Meeting" is designed for mentors and prayer warriors to come together to receive updated information, encouragement, prayer time, and to discuss any concerns you may have regarding your mentoring partnership.

It is important that all mentors and prayer warriors attend, so please mark Sunday, June 13 on your calendar right away. Here are the details:

Half-time Refresher meeting (for mentors & prayer warriors)

Sunday, June 13

Prayer warriors meet from 3:00-4:00

Mentors meet from 4:00-5:00

Where?

At Julie's house

1036 Rambleview Lane

Woodworth, LA 71485

442-0675

jt4some@hotmail.com

Prayer Warriors Sending Cards, Mentoring funtime

We are about six weeks into our 2010 session.

Prayer Warriors, remember to pray regularly for the mentoring team you've been assigned to. By now, you should have made at least one phone contact with each of your ladies and have prayed with them individually (make sure to record it in the Prayer Journal in the back of your handbook). So, today might be a good time to send out cards to your mentoring pair. You may use the cards you were provided with, or find another that you like better.

Mentoring pairs, now that you've met a couple of times, perhaps try a fun activity together. My mentee and I have chosen to attend the Beth Moore simulcast this Saturday (I can't wait!!!), but there are other activities that could be fun choices, too.

How about getting a sno-cone? There are many locations throughout the Alexandria area. Or, perhaps one of you are searching for shrubs or flowers to plant in your landscape...why not make that an outing for the two of you? Chick-Fil-A has just opened a new location on Jackson St., there are many boutiques around town, how about a trip to our zoo?

There are dozens of "everyday" types of things you can do together. It doesn't have to be anything expensive. Just include your mentoring partner in an activity you normally do. What about a game night (or day), Yahtzee, Boggle, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, etc.? At a meeting like this, you could invite your Prayer Warrior to join you!