Welcome back ladies. I can't believe we are so close to the end of our book study! Our contributor this week is Stephanie Brunges. For many of you, this is a new name, so I am very happy to have the privilege of introducing you to Stephanie this week. Stephanie's story is so exciting because it's one in which you can striaght-up see God at work. As Stephanie shares today, God has used so many things in her life to continually draw her to Himself. Stephanie's desire to grow in her relationship with the Lord, her freedom to be honest, her security through vulnerability, her willingness to serve, her desire to learn - all of this is a testimony to the work of the Most High. So let's give God glory for what He's doing in Stephanie's life, and in all of our lives, as we consider together the truths Stephanie shares here:
Deny – a total surrender. Wow, now I know why my faith faltered in high school. I think at some point in all of our lives we have been selfish. While I wasn’t a cruel person I always lived for myself. If someone gave me the choice to follow Jesus or keep my stuff, I was totally keeping my stuff. In hind sight I really didn’t have much. But I was broken, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and my step brother went to jail. So after that I denied myself nothing. As Kyle said I called myself a Christian but I wasn’t following Christ. But isn’t it amazing how there is some spark, something that makes you open your eyes and say “I was wrong, God hasn’t given me more than I can handle.” Because of my challenges I have grown to the person I am today.
Out of sin came my best blessing, it was Christ’s way of calling me back to him. I really struggled with what to write, (prayed a lot on this one) but I figured it would be better to be honest. My husband and I were engaged when I found out I was pregnant with Aiden. Telling my father was the worst part. He had just suffered his 3rd heart attack and I honestly thought this would kill him. He looked at me and said, “I never thought I would live to see grandchildren.” As I sat there crying he told me I had to turn my life around, I could no longer be selfish. Four years later my son looks at me and says “Mom, I want to go to God’s place,” how could I deny him that? I have thrown myself into Bible study, children’s bibles, books and pod casts. While it is hard to deny everything in my life (still a work in progress) I have never been happier. We think that by denying ourselves we will miss out, but just the opposite is true.
Aiden went to church with a friend of mine on Sunday and he asked me afterwards what sacrifice meant. I looked it up on the internet and tried to “kid it down” a bit, I told him to sacrifice something was to deny yourself something desired or wanted for the greater good. He looks over at me and says “so if Riley cries that he wants my Legos, I should just give them to him because it will make him happy and he will stop crying?” I thought it was a good analogy for a 5 year old; ok he seemed to get it. Then Aiden looks up at me and starts crying but they are my Legos!!!! It is hard for anyone to make sacrifices. I pulled a couple questions off the computer that I thought were pretty good. Do you compartmentalize what you give God access to? Do you refuse to deny yourself from certain worldly things?
I am actually re reading chapter 11 just to absorb as much as I can. I have tossed and turned trying to figure out for myself what to die daily actually means. I am sure there is so much more to it but I came up with this; To die daily, then, is to hold this world with a loose hand and to look upon worldly things, as frivolous joys.
Wow. So, Stephanie has made some great observations and has asked some really good questions - hasn't she? Do you compartmentalize what you give God access to? Do you refuse to deny yourself from certain worldly things? Or how about this - what does dying daily actually look like in your life? As you consider these questions, and other things God is teaching you, take time to make a responsive comment. Then check back throughout the week to read other members comments and questions.
This week (our LAST week!) we'll be reading the final three chapters of the book: Chapters 12, 13 & 14. Then, next Wednesday, June 20th, we'll hear from our final blog contributor, Kandi Tucker.
We will also be meeting together for a closing meeting at 9 am on June 20th at Kathy Cortner's home. Please plan to attend this meeting (even if you didn't attend our introduction meeting, even if you weren't able to post comments every week, and even if you haven't completed the book yet). I hope to see all of you there!
Childcare for this meeting will again be provided. But please note, if you plan to attend with children, please e-mail me right away with the names and ages of the children who will need care. Since schools are letting out for summer break, we want to make sure we have enough childcare on the 20th.
Okay, so that's it (for now)! Let's get back to our reading this week in Chapters 10 & 11. Recall again the questions Stephanie posed, and those things that God is teaching you. Thoughts? Questions? Challenges? Encouragement? Go!
5 comments:
Oh Stephanie, love your heart and transparency!!! Great post!!!!!
I can only speak for me on this one, but I know that as I simply walk through my life, looking to Him, I discover more and more "daily" of what denying myself really means. I don't have it all figured out... but I have given Jesus complete permission to all of me and all I have. I rest in that!
I liked it when Steph mentioned "holding the things of this world "loosely". That's it! Then, we can live completely trusting all the details of whatever life hands us, right into God's hands. I choose to trust my emotions and feelings to God too. I thrill to expect and watch for how God will unfold the next stages of my journey.
At this ripe age of mine, I still don't have it all together, but I know HE IS working more of His life into me day by day.
The bench-mark for me is that a true follower of Jesus need never be afraid or give in to worry. If I find myself fretting, cranky, missing His peace and inner joy, then I know I simply need to get away and cuddle more closely to Him. It is a continual process, so take heart everyone!!
How thankful I am that He assures us the HE will complete the good work HE started in us. :) Whew!! :)
Expect to catch up with you all next week at Kathy's. :)
For all of my early twenties I lived like Kyle described those "Flexetarians". I told people that I was a Christian, but I did the opposite of what a Christian should do. I did not want to say "no" to myself. I figured that when I was "older" I would be a "good" Christian. Boy I wasted so much time and had ALOT of heartache along the way. Praise God that He was patient with me and had me in His hand the whole time. I still don't have it figured out, like Lynne said, but I am not where I was then. I also like how Kyle describes picking up your cross and dying to yourself daily. I really need to start asking God what that looks like for me. It is a scary thought.
Hi All,
Stephanie thank you for your post. I was particularly impacted by the comments “Dying to ourselves is not a one-time decision. It’s a daily decision” and “…a twist of irony, we find that giving up our lives gives us the life we so desperately wanted all along.” The second comment was something that I was thinking about even before I read it. There is so much joy and peace in following Christ…and very rewarding! Got to finish the last three chapters. See everybody on Wednesday, Dawn
Hi everyone! I have been reflecting a lot on Stephanie's observation, "it's hard for anyone to make sacrifices." She's so right. Thinking about little Aiden not wanting to share his legos makes me smile. As an adult, I can appreciate how he feels, but I have the perspective that comes with adulthood. Legos won't matter so much to Aiden one day, but learning principals like sacrifice and sharing - that has value that lasts. And, as an adult, I can see that. Oddly, however, we often don't apply that kind of perspective to our own lives. The things that seem so important to us now won't matter so much to us one day. When we're reflecting on our lives (as our one pass through this world comes to a close) its going to be what we laid on the line for the Lord Jesus that has eternal value. Oh, how I pray that I would lay my "legos" down!
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