Sunday, April 25, 2010

strength and dignity...


This weekend was fantastic!  I went with Rachel and part of her small group to Kennesaw, GA to see Beth Moore... Live and in person!  Woo! We attended a live event that was simulcast to over 300 other places with approximately 300,000 women watching.  

Marianna, Margaret, Kayla, Bethany, Katie, Rachel, & Me
(more pictures at the bottom)

There were at least 9,000 women (and a few men) at the live event as well.  The topic of the event was "So Long Insecurity", which is also the title of her new book (a must-read now book). Go ahead and buy it... I'll wait...

It is so obvious that God is using this woman to reach the masses.  I am so thankful that I have had 2 opportunities in the past year to see her live.  There is nothing like the feeling of 10,000+ women praising God.


A SECURE woman is...

Saved from herself... 
  • Our human minds are twisted by idolatress self-interest - to curve in upon yourself, obsess over yourself.
  • The Holy Spirit curves us up - to God - and out - to others.
  • Insecurity is basically a sense of pride.
  • Security can make me think enough of myself to not obsess about myself... what freedom!
Entitled to truth...
  • Ephesians 4:19, 21 discusses the power of addiction and then the Truth. Notice the repetitive "you were taught". These were not unbelievers
  • The power of addiction - too often I think of addiction as extreme like alcohol or drugs but we can totally be addicted to... ourselves, food, work, etc... The more we live in addiction, the more withdrawn we become and the darker our thinking becomes.
  • We get caught up in deceptive desires - we believe a lie - "If I could just be/have _____, I'd be secure!"
  • The LAST thing the Enemy wants you to know is the Truth. Christ. A life in Christ Jesus.
Clothed with intention...
  • Proverbs 31:25
  • Every. day. decide to be clothed with strength and dignity. With the "new" you.
  • Putting off the old and putting on the new starts with our thinking and moves to our feet.  We must first decide to react differently (as a woman clothed with strength and dignity rather than exposed and insecure). It is then that we will feel secure (gradually). Don't wait to feel secure before you act differently.
Upended by grace...
  • Ephesians 4.32 - Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
  • Insecurity is literally unbelief. People who really feel forgiven, will forgive! People who have received Grace will give it! Grace is the only thing you can give away that you can also keep! 2 Corinthians 5:17 states that we have been made "new creatures in Christ."
  • How much more likely would we be able to forgive if we were secure? Does everything come to us as an offense?
  • Grace turns everything right-side-up - dark to light. addicted to free. condemned to saved. insecure to secure. 
  • Give up your "right" to be _____ (mad, upset, depressed, obsessed...) 
  • Show some GRACE - you are forgiven! Act like it!
Rebounded by love...
  • Live as though you know you are loved
  • Be imitators of God... - Ephesians 5:1-2
  • We can't run God off - we can't out-sin his forgiveness
  • We tend to put our security in people and they. will. fail. you.
  • Do I hold out an empty cup to everyone in my life to fill it up/(make me feel good) or do I give it to God?
Exceptional in life...
  • We need to know we are special - we matter - we stand out.
  • When you decide to put off that old insecure self, you will be exceptional. If you were able to live secure,  you would stick out like a healthy thumb :) We can give into our culture or change. People could say, "No one can survive that....except maybe her." Be able to live secure that people want to know where your security comes from. Be the exception!
Disclaimer: Rachel blogged first and I copied a few things that she said much better than my notes did - The early blogger gets the post :)



Pajamas on and finally settled in... we were all so tired but of course stayed up for more girl talk. I am so blessed to have these girls in my life!
No we didn't all sleep on one pull out couch but we probably could have :)



We were so excited to sit right behind the "deaf ministry" section!  The interpreters were so wonderful and added a whole new level of worship for me!


These were taken after we got BUSTED by Travis Cottrell for using THE ONLY men's room left in the building. Moral of the story: if you ever want to meet Travis face to face... hang out in the men's room :)



this isn't even half of it!

1 comment:

  1. Ashley, yours and Rachel's notes are great - thank you for posting. The message at the conference was deeply profound and I'm enjoying mulling them over daily, reviewing, praying, pondering their weight. God please help us all to show the security you want planted in our hearts. Let us let it flow!

    I'm praying for your friend in surgery.

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