About 20 years ago, I had a major issue with idol-worship. I worshiped numbers of all kinds. The numbers included how much I weighed; how much I lost; how much I gained; my clothing size; my calorie intake; how many times I ate eat day; etc. My idol was body image. I placed my value and worth on how I looked and how thin I was. But the sad truth…I was never satisfied.
So what is idolatry?
According to Webster’s Dictionary, idolatry is “the worship of a physical object as a god”.
According to Lexham Bible Dictionary, the definition is a bit more specific. Idolatry is “the worship of images made to represent Yahweh (God) or other deity.”
The Old Testament is filled with stories of the Israelites, God’s chosen people, worshiping many “little g” gods and objects. They worshiped these objects over the “big G” God who saved them and rescued them multiple times from oppression due to their sins. God knew we would struggle with idolatry. Not only did God know this would be a problem, but He warned the people of Israel of this obstacle by placing laws against it in the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. Clearly stating idolatry as a sin, and they needed to guard against it.
The first two Commandments focus on idolatry…
Commandment #1: You shall have no other gods before me.
Commandment #2: (a bit longer) You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
So what does this mean for us today?
Most of us don’t see Asherah poles or golden calves nearby. Asherah poles were wooden poles or trees used to worship the fertility god in the Old Testament. (1 Kings 14:15) Coincidentally, the golden calf was made by the Israelites during the time that Moses was on the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments from God. (Exodus 32) What are our gods or our idols today? They are anything or anyone we put before God in our trust and worship. This may include money, title, shopping, body image, status, pornography, technology, sex, beauty, etc.
Our idols enslave us because they never really fulfill what we desire such as security, comfort, peace, joy, contentment, love, etc. We seek and seek and seek needing more and more and more of these false gods. They may help us for a moment, but then the “high” is gone. And we are after more to get the feeling back. But God does not just offer us feelings. He offers us a state of being in our souls that is a “spring of water welling up to eternal life”. (John 4:13-14)
How does God offer us true life and peace as our one and only God?
The simple answer: through His Son Jesus.
God had to judge us for our sin, not only in creating idols above Him but also for all of our sin. There had to be a consequence. And in His judgement rather than putting the consequences on us …the ones who deserved them…God placed his judgement on His own perfect Son through death on the cross in order to offer us grace and forgiveness. We only need to confess our sin and turn to Jesus as our Savior. God will be faithful and offer us forgiveness and complete fulfillment of our needs…”a spring of water welling up to eternal life” . (1 John 1:9, John 3:16, John 4:13-14)
No words are able to express the gratitude I have for the forgiveness and healing I received from Jesus after repenting from my sin of idol worship in body image. Jesus met me in the depths of the pit of my own making. He filled me in a way that was not possible by any other means. Thank you, Jesus, for your promises and your faithfulness when I come to you as my Lord.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER: (Please share in the Comments below.)
What are your idols?
How are these idols falling short of the fulfillment that you are seeking?
Take a moment to have a conversation with God about your deepest desires and ask God to meet you where you are to find true contentment, fulfillment and hope. I, too, am praying for you to find your peace and contentment through the love and forgiveness of Jesus.
PRAYER:
Abba, Father. You are our Creator, our Maker. There is nothing we have done or will do that is a surprise to You. You know us completely and You know our struggles. Thank You, Lord, for Your grace and forgiveness. Thank You for the ultimate sacrifice You made for us out of Your love for us. Lord, give us the wisdom to identify our idols and give us the strength to repent for them. Help us to remember and to place our worship in You alone knowing that only You are able to fulfill the deepest desires of our hearts and souls. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.
On three occasions at different times in my life I have been asked to create a timeline of all the major memories and events that I can recall…good or bad…from my past. This is quite a task as I have a lot of years under my belt! Each time I complete a task like this I seem to recall negative or traumatic memories more easily and more often than positive memories. Why is that?
According to WebMD, “Researchers say negative emotions like fear and sadness trigger increased activity in a part of the brain linked to memories. These emotionally charged memories are preserved in greater detail than happy or more neutral memories, but they may also be subject to distortion.”
I can relate to this statement. And it is likely many of us out there do too. It may be one of the reasons why there has been a trend for years to write down the good memories we are experiencing in a Gratitude Journal to improve our mental health. This week I did exactly that as I saw God moving in my life in several areas within a few days. Not only did I want to remember this in the future, but I also wanted to give thanks and praise to God for hearing my cries and responding to my needs.
One of the areas where God met me this week was in regards to Social Anxiety. The summary of events over three days are below:
On 7/12/2022, I told my counselor that I have been struggling with a bit of social anxiety. In all honesty, I purposefully left it to the last 5 minutes of our session because I really did not want to talk about it. (Sorry, Kim!)
On 7/13/2022, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs and she was interviewing Carlos Whittaker. They had mentioned that he too had a podcast on the That Sounds Fun Network. I was intrigued by their conversation, and I truly enjoyed listening to Carlos. So… I added him to my Podcast list.
On 7/14/2022 while walking my dog, I switched on the latest podcast show on Human Hope with Carlos Whittaker. It was Episode 66 with John Eldridge. The title was “A guide for restoring your soul after a soul crushing 2 years.” It was about John’s book Resilient. And guess what…it was about social anxiety.
Each day God gave me one nugget in order to walk closer to hope and healing as He gently guided me to multiple conversations and resources to address the stress that I was feeling and praying about.
THANK YOU, JESUS, FOR HEARING ME AND ALSO YOUR PERFECT TIMING!!
I am so grateful for God’s nuggets. For the moments when I see Him moving in my life through a conversation, an event, or a podcast! I have written about this particular event in my journal and I know it will bring encouragement to me in the future when I read it again.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER: Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section!
Do you keep a gratitude journal? If so, do you an electronic version or paper journal? Tell us about it in the Comments!
How has recording what you are thankful for been an encouragement to you?
What are you thankful for today?
“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”
PRAYER: Abba, Father. Thank you for hearing me this week. And thank you for hearing the prayers of all of us. Thank you for meeting us in our weakness so you may show your strength and glory. You promise to never leave us…that we will never be alone. Please allow us to continue to feel you in our joy and in our sorrow. You are our mighty Father and we love you. In Jesus’ name…Amen!
I have been on a journey to develop and deepen my friendships with other women. (See Life’s Journey #3 for more on this.) I have felt that I have a lot of general friendships, but not many deep friendships where I feel that it is safe to talk to them about anything, at anytime, and without judgement. Other women with whom I may go on girls’ trips or a girls’ night out or simply stop by their house to catch up unannounced. So being the Type A / planner / overachiever / list-maker / Enneagram 1 person that I am, I felt like I needed to come up with a strategy to “make” this happen and do it “right” as well as some questions on how to execute this strategy well. Here are some of the bullets I wrote down: (Please hold your laughter.)
FRIENDSHIP STRATEGY & QUESTIONS:
I need to find three other friends who are interested in developing deeper friendships together.
I need to get us all to read the same book on friendship to discuss and work through ideas.
I need to schedule weekly get-togethers face-to-face with all of us because studies show that people develop closer relationships when they spend time together.
Do I need to invite the three other people?
Or do I ask my friend(s) to also bring a friend?
If we don’t all know each other, will this still work?
Do we add outings/activities along with the meetings or is this in place of meetings?
Seriously…I actually took this list with me to one of my recent counseling sessions to discuss since I was having difficulty figuring out how I was going to get this to work. Oh, boy! Even as I read this now I am embarrassed that I wrote it, let alone, discussed it with my counselor. I can only imagine the notes she took on that session! To say I am an overthinker may be an understatement. As all good Enneagram 1’s, I have a constant inner voice that is evaluating every scenario and judging myself on how I responded or behaved. I am constantly thinking in terms of black or white & right or wrong. I seem to find few gray areas when I am in an unhealthy state of thinking.
WHAT AM I GRATEFUL FOR IN ALL OF THIS?
My counselor’s wise advice. She gently told me that maybe “a more organic approach” would be better in my desire to deepen some of my relationships. Rather than the rigid structure and rules that I was trying to define.
Yep!! Good idea!! I think I would have scared friends away with my strategy rather than draw them near for a deeper, more authentic friendships.
Scripture about friendships and relationships to help guide me while keeping God at the center.
See below for some verses to encourage and support all of us in our relationships.
A FEW FAVORITE VERSES ON FRIENDSHIP:
Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 27:17 – “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
John 15:13-15 – Jesus stated, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
1 Corinthians 15:33 – “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.”
If you Join the Circle, then you will receive my FREE Scripture Journaling Worksheet on Friendship and Relationships in the Circle of Friends Chat-Mail Newsletter coming out in July 2022.
Our attitude towards ourselves, others, and our Lord will define our relationships. The Truth of God’s Word will help us understand not only what makes us a good friend to each other, but also the tremendous value we will experience within these deep relationships. We are not perfect. We will make mistakes along the way and need to seek forgiveness for our actions from our friends. But with a solid foundation of time, trust and experiences together as well as the example we have in Christ to offer forgiveness, we have hope that our closest friends will be with us to walk through this life together even through the tough times.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER: Please share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who are your closest friends?
What qualities or characteristics in the relationships have facilitated the deep connection you experience with these friends?
How do you handle conflicts, disagreements, and painful circumstances with your friends?
PRAYER:
Abba, Father. Your Word is filled with wise advice on how we are to treat others and be in healthy relationships with each other. Your Truth about healthy relationships is not as the world defines it, but it is based on love, trust, and forgiveness as displayed in your Son, Jesus. Thank you for the gifts of your Son who walked with us on earth and died for our sins; the Holy Spirit who is in us to guide and counsel us; and your unconditional love which sets an example of how we may love others the way you love us. Lord, this is not an easy task. Please give us the strength and patience to forgive and love well; to have a servant’s heart; and to be a good friend. Amen
Hi, Friends. I love sharing the Behind The Scenes descriptions of the website elements as part of my journey with you. I know why I picked the elements and pages that I did, but you do not. I can’t speak for other websites, but every single decision from font choices to color schemes to pictures, had specific meanings for me. Let me explain so you can see the God-things in the visual elements and content of the website. I hope you feel more connected to me after reading the posts about the website creation. I hope you look at the site differently now when you go to stacyturley.com.
MY FAVORITE THINGS Page
So at the expense of sounding too redundant, one of My Favorite Things is to read about other people’s favorite things. This is true for gift giving ideas, home decor ideas, books, podcasts, crochet hooks / knitting needles, pens, websites, Bible studies, recipes, and so much more!!! I LOVE getting the BEST selections based on passionate referrals of other people’s BEST ideas. It may be an illusion that I am finding the best tools, books, and buys, but I have found some wonderful gems and ideas that I use all the time now.
So when designing the website, I really, really, really wanted to share with all of YOU, My Favorite Things in the hopes that you would be inspired and encourage to step out of your comfort zone and experience something new. And also, part of the fun of this page is the hope and desire that each of you would share with me some of your favorite things by emailing me at stacy@stacyturley.com. I would love to try out your ideas and then highlight them on this page of the website too!
I normally find recommendations from conversations with friends and family, podcasts, YouTube videos, Pinterest, books and magazines. I am inspired by so many types of stimuli and so many people. Trying out a new idea, whether it is a new gadget or new craft or new anything, is definitely one of MY FAVORITE THINGS!!
What are your favorite things? Please share with me some of your ideas! I can’t wait to hear form you at stacy@stacyturley.com!
Have you ever found something that you did not realize you had lost? That happened to me last week. I was looking for a t-shirt to wear with some of my comfy pants since I was going to be home most of the day. I wanted to feel like I was in pajamas without actually looking like I was in pajamas. So I was digging through a bin on the bottom of my closet where I kept my t-shirts. And out of the deepest depths of the bin, I felt a super soft, cozy, t-shirt. “Hmmm…intriguing…which one is this?” I said to myself. And as the other shirts seemed to part like the Red Sea, it was as if my closet was filled with the sounds of trumpets celebrating the lost t-shirt that was now found! It was one of my very favorites shirts! Until that moment, I did not know I had misplaced it. I forgot I even owned it.
A few days after finding my t-shirt, I was listening to 2 Kings 22 on the The Bible In A Year podcast (with Fr. Mike Schmitz). King Josiah of Judah was taking steps to have the Temple repaired. King Josiah put the high priest Hilkiah in charge of the efforts. At some point Hilkiah found the Book of the Law in the Temple…maybe even in the deepest depths of a bin in the bottom of a closet! Soon after finding the Book of the Law, the secretary to the King read the book to King Josiah. The king was devastated over the words in the Book of the Law for he knew the people of Judah, and their ancestors, did not follow the LORD’s covenant requirements.
It appears that King Josiah and the priests did not realize they had lost the Book of the Law. They may not have known that it existed. The Book was a guide on how to live within the covenant with God. There may have been great joy when they found the Book and at the same time the king was filled with much sorrow as shown by the tearing of his clothes. The king was enlightened to the separation that was created with God due to their current behavior that did not aligned with God’s demands based on this newly found treasure. However, King Josiah believed the Law and he acted faithfully with a repentant and humble heart. God responded to King Josiah by showing mercy on him due to his conviction.
How many times have I “lost” the Word of God? How many times have I ignored the commands on righteous living? Maybe I have gone days or weeks or more without picking up my Bible to read and to process His Word. I know there have been many times when I have followed my own desires rather than what God may be calling or directing me to do. In these times, I have lost my guide…or ignored it. But even after I have lived for myself and my selfish desires, when I have realized my sin and error, when I have humbled myself and sought the forgiveness of my Lord, He has responded. He has forgiven me. He has reminded me that I am His child and He will welcome me home. He will show mercy on me…on us…when we come to Him with a repentant heart and accept him as our Savior. Jesus died for our sins…all of our sins…no matter how big or small.
I was giddy when I found my t-shirt. But the giddiness that I felt in finding that small treasure is nothing compared to the joy I feel when I “find” the Word of God and His promises to us. Whether I have stepped away for a week, a day, or an hour, I am filled to overflowing. His Word has the power to show us a path to forgiveness through Christ, to provide us all with a guide to right-living, and to fill us with joy regardless of our circumstances.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER: Please share your thoughts in the Comments Box!
Have you ever found an item important to you that you did not realize you had lost?
How did you feel when you found it?
What treasures (or verses) have you “found” in the Bible that have spoken to you in such a way that you felt they were meant for you?
PRAYER: Abba, Father. Thank you for the reminder of how blessed we are to have Your Word at our fingertips. Your love letter to us is one of our most valued treasures. You have filled it with words of wisdom…to guide us, to nurture our spirits, to lead us to you when we are troubled, and to show us the path to forgiveness and eternity with you. Thank you, Jesus, for the sacrifice you made for our sins and the gift of Your precious Word that we find in the Bible. Amen.
Hello, Sweet Circle of Friends. Last week, I was on my second Silent Retreat. It wasn’t at a conference center or hotel or hermitage. I found this little gem on AirBnB in December 2021. It has been my own little miracle from God. It is a tiny, little house that sits in a tiny, little, boutique town next to a not-so-tiny walking trail that stretches for miles and miles. The house has been completely gutted and remodeled, and it is chucked full of charm with all the personal touches from the owner, Randa. I LOVE the house and I LOVE times I have spent with God there.
Last week was no exception. I had 36 hours of silence and solitude to pray, read, walk the trails, and listen for God’s nudges. I rested and napped too! It was divine. During my time of silence and solitude, I am completely unplugged from the world. I have all electronics off…not just silent, but OFF. No TV…no radio…no phone…no computer…no kindle… no talking. You get the point. It was just me, my Bible, my favorite pen & journal, my study books (paper), the lovely outdoors and, most importantly, chatting with our loving God.
I felt God drawing me towards two topics last week. They were topics that came up during my recent sessions with my amazing counselor Kim. (Counseling is great, my Friends. I highly encourage it!) One of the topics was my need for deep friendships. We all need deep, friendships. People we can call up at any time because we lost our job or found an amazing deal at Target or feel guilty because we snapped at our kids or just need a shoulder to cry or laugh on and we don’t even know why.
I read and discovered some great nuggets on friendship during my time with God and the resources that I took with me. I wanted to share just a few of the nuggets with you.
“Adam needed community in order to better image the God who is community. He was created to pursue, develop, and maintain human relationships as an integral part of being made in the image of the triune God.” (page 20)
“Biblical friendship is intended by God as an all-encompassing spiritual discipline that engages every aspect of who we are: how we think (cognition), feel (emotion), and act (volition).” (pages 31-32)
“Biblical friendship is developed organically. It takes patience, commitment, and liberal applications of grace.” (page 61)
“We need to live with a mindset that resists substituting technology for friendship or chitchat for conversation.” (page 67)
Time, patience and grace are so critical for deep friendships. In order to grow deeper in relationship with another person, it takes TIME together…face to face. Living life together and communicating from the deepest places of our hearts. This takes PATIENCE too in order to give each other space to share without our comments, judgements or advice. I am reminded that we have to be vulnerable to be authentic and real for the other person. We have to go into those conversations with the attitude that we will open up first. Once we do, the other person is likely to share her own personal experiences, both encouraging and challenging.
None of us are perfect. We all have flaws and wounds. When we only talk about the surface stuff or the good times, then we are not revealing who we really are. We are not fooling anyone! If anything, sharing only the good and avoiding the challenging may actually push others away rather than drawing them closer. We will also hurt our friends from time to time due to our flaws, imperfections, and past wounds. We will say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing. Rather than run away or write them off during the challenges, we need to offer GRACE and allow for communication, clarification and forgiveness to grow closer and move on together.
When we share from the personal and tender places of our hearts, the seeds for deeper friendships are planted in ripe soil to prepare for future growth. The time spent together and continued honest and open conversation will allow those seeds to grow and flourish. God created us for relationship. He wants us to experience the benefits and fulfilment of the bonds shared with others as well as Him in all forms just like His own bonds with His Son and Holy Spirit.
“A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.”
~ Proverbs 27: 9
QUESTIONS TO PONDER: Questions I am asking myself too!
Who are your closest friends?
Are you able to pore out your heart with them? Call them at anytime for even the smallest things?
If not, why do you think that is?
Challenge: Call a friend and set up a girls night out!
PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for our friends. For the people we are able to share life together, grow closer to You together, and hold each other up when we are falling. We are stronger together, Lord, especially with you at the center. Help us remember to nourish these relationships with our time, patience, and grace towards one another. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
I was having lunch with a friend of mine this week who recently wrote a book called Finding Your YES. We were talking about our callings and how God is working in our lives. She had commented that she has so many ideas to expand her reach for God’s Kingdom through her ministry, but there wasn’t enough time in the day to do all she wanted and dreamed of doing. I had to laugh a bit. I told her that I had felt a similar drive at various times in my life. But, currently, I am in a season of REST. God has shown me over the last year and a half that YES…He has asked me serve Him and His children on this new journey and season of my life. And YES…I have responded to His call in my life to support, encourage, and share with others the love of Christ . But also, YES…I have heard God inviting me and showing me I need to REST, too. The most difficult decisions for me in saying YES to rest are saying NO to many other opportunities that are important to me…but those may not be the best opportunities for me, at this time.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give your rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
When we study REST in the Bible, I specifically relate to two types of rest.
PHYSICAL REST: Physical rest in scripture is the provision God has made for us to have time and take time to rest our bodies. We need to cease our work to replenish our physical strength and health.
“And He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.”
SPIRITUAL REST: Spiritual rest is our need to find peace and soul-food by the relationship, comfort and love we experience when we spend time with God. To let go of our control and let God take control of our lives… to trust and have faith in Him.
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvaiton, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
When we are burdened, it is not enough to just take a nap, although that may be needed too. Our burdens often include a spiritual fever that requires us to slow down and create margin in order to spend time with our Savior. For only through the power of God, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in us are we able to replenish our souls to find peace and joy in all circumstances. This type of rest and time with God allows us to put our trust in Him and to develop a deeper relationship with Him, which breaks the chains and burdens of believing we have to do it all on our own. Both types of rest are often needed for us to truly feel released from our toils and replenished in our strength and health.
Christine reminded me that in order to say YES to God to serve Him, we also must say NO to other things. Or to say it differently, we must say NO to certain requests of our time and resources in order to have the time and resources to say YES to God’s calling and nudges in our lives. This is a blessing to say YES to God. To give ourselves margin to be available to respond to the quiet whispers of His voice when He nudges us. Make space for Him, my Friends. Have courage to say NO, so you may have the freedom to say YES for the better choices and YES to rest whether it is a much needed nap or a time of solitude and silence with our Lord.
QUESTONS TO PONDER:
What do you do when you feel that you need physical or spiritual rest?
How has God nudged you to slow down and spend some quiet time with Him so he may give you a peace that is beyond our understanding?
When did you last wrestle with the lies from the enemy that tell you to keep going, to stay busy, to say YES whenever you are asked to help with something? What did that look like and how did you respond?
What action or choice can you do next to say YES to the invitation of rest… to be replenished in the arms of Jesus for your physical and spiritual health.
What decision are you able to make today to let go of your need to do it all on your own and say YES to put your trust in God?
Abba, Father. You are a merciful and loving God. Help me to present my body and spirit to you as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you through my actions and decisions. Let my choices for the better YES be an act of worship to You. Help me resist the urge to conform to this world, the pressures of society and my own selfishness, but remind me that I am transformed to a new creation in Jesus Christ. I know you have renewed my mind and soul. Help me to discern what is your will so I may respond YES to you. I desire to do what is good, acceptable and perfect in your eyes, Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.
Hi, Friends. I love sharing this part of my journey with you regarding the website. I know why I picked the things that I did, but you do not. I can’t speak for other websites, but every single decision from font choices to color schemes to pictures, had specific meanings for me. Let me explain so you can see the God-things in the visual elements and content of the website. I hope you feel more connected to me after reading the posts about the website creation. I hope you look at the site differently now when you go to stacyturley.com. I hope by revealing the meaning behind the details of the Gallery it allows you to see how it was inspired by God’s love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, creativity and relationship with us,
THE GALLERY – INSPIRATIONS, STORYTELLERS, WARRIORS, AND CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
We all have a story that describes our faith journey. We all want to be seen and known. This Gallery is where we are able to connect with, pray for, and celebrate with each other. My goal for this section is that we all “own” this part of the website. We can be seen and known through our submissions. I want us to celebrate each others’ gifts, to share our ideas, to give hope to others through our stories, and to encourage each other to step out of our comfort zones to help one another.
There are four sections to the Gallery for all of us to get connected and share with each other:
INSPIRATIONS: The INSPIRATIONS page is a place where we are able to share the people, places, or things that feed our creative side. I never thought I was creative. I was even intimidated by the word. That changed when I was in my 30s and someone said to me, “We are all creative. To be creative means to do something in a new or different way.” Well, we all can do that. So what are the people, places or things that give us ideas or inspiration? Is it a walk in the woods? Is it a magazine photo? Is it the textures, colors, and smells of a garden? Is it a recipe or pattern? Is it a handmade card? I love the idea of providing each other with suggestions to explore by sharing our own areas of influence and creations.
STORYTELLERS: We all have a story. Our journeys are unique and powerful. Every story needs to be celebrated. The STORYTELLERS page is a place for us to share our tales and narratives. To be known and celebrated. Our stories will provide hope for other women who may be struggling with the same issues or finding joy in similar mountaintop experiences. To laugh, to cry, to feel through the women who share a snippet of their life with us.
WARRIORS: How do you serve in the kingdom of God? What do you like to do to make a small change for good in your community? To be a WARRIOR for God’s kingdom, our acts of service to not have to be big or extravagant. We are all the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. We all have different gifts. Each gift and act is needed and valuable. Let’s spur each other on to try new things by sharing our favorite service ideas on the WARRIOR’s page.
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS: This page is all about YOU!! I love seeing who you are and where you are from. I love knowing how you connect to God and if you have a favorite craft. When you Join the Circle of Friends, your information will be added here. (Although if you prefer not to be listed, then that is fine too!)
This is NOT about comparison or competition. It is all about celebrating each other!
Sometimes we simply do not know what to do to be creative or how to serve. Sometimes we don’t know if our story is worth telling. I am here…we are here… to tell you that it IS WORTH TELLING. I can’t wait to load glimpses of your journeys and gifts on these pages so we may all pray for and celebrate you! Your ACTION is needed by submitting your photos and/or stories to this page…to be an owner of the content. Go HERE for the permission form and email address for all submissions. You have an opportunity to bring encouragement and hope to others. I hope you join me in this effort today!
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
What have I created lately? How am I inspired to do something new or express my creativity?
What is my faith story? How has God met me in my highs and lows? Who has impacted my life or changed my course?
How do I love to serve? Where did I go to get plugged in? What feelings come to mind when I am helping other people?
PRAYER:
Abba, Father. Thank you for creating us in your image. (Genesis 1:27) Thank you for our gifts, our strengths, our uniqueness. We all come together to form the body of Christ. (Romans 12:4-5) We are your children. Help us to encourage each other, support each other and celebrate each other through our gifts and our stories. Help us to build each other up by serving each other well in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Hello, Friends! I was talking with a friend of mine over coffee today. She shared a story about how several years ago she felt the Holy Spirit nudging her to crochet prayer shawls for charity. She ignored it at first thinking she really did not want to take on this task. But the nudge kept returning and she decided to go for it. She focused her first efforts to provide shawls for our church’s care center. But then she realized that she felt more strongly about making them for family, friends, and neighbors who could use a bit of comfort and encouragement. One dear friend of hers who was in a nursing home due to the side effects of her cancer was a blessed recipient. During one of their visits, her friend shared why she felt blessed to have received this shawl. She shared that whenever she felt discouraged or alone or hurting in her circumstances, she would wrap that shawl around herself and it reminded her that Jesus is with her and also wrapping her with His love. She felt the love of my friend whose hands made the shawl and the love of her Savior whose hands made her.
Our Lord and God has called us to encourage one another. This may look differently for each of us depending on our gifts, talents and relationships. It may be making a prayer shawl for a friend, or praying over them in a difficult time, or showing up at their home to say HELLO and that you missed them, or sending a cheerful note, or picking up the phone to tell someone how loved they are just the way they are…that they are never alone…that you want to walk life with them.
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Jesus modeled for us how we are able to help and show encouragement to one another. Three of the areas that He modeled are as follows:
He showed us to be other-centered and not self-centered. Throughout scripture, Jesus focused on the soul health, physical health, and deep love of those around Him. He was in the moment with His followers and all the people He met. He looked people in the eye, touched those who were not to be touched, and spoke to those with whom no one else would speak to provide them with encouragement and hope. (See examples, “Jesus and the Woman Caught in Adultery”, John 7:53-8:11 NIV; “Jesus heals a Man with Leprosy”, Matthew 8:1-4 NIV; “Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman”, John 4:1-42 NIV).
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
He pointed us the power and love of God. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us. Jesus experienced the death that belonged to each of us due to our sin which separated us from God. God also told us to love others the way He loved us (John 15:12 ESV). Jesus was our example of what love looked like. Jesus showed us that love was to serve others, not be served.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. “
He demonstrated the power of faith. Before Jesus was arrested, he went to a place called Gethsemane to pray. He was deeply distressed about his upcoming arrest and death for He knew what was coming. He asked God to spare him yet He submitted to God’s will. Jesus believed and knew that God’s plan will be fulfilled. Jesus demonstrated that when we have faith in God and submit to His plan, all things are possible! Just as Jesus was raised from the dead to overcome sin, God can and will do great things in us when we are faithful to Him.
“His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much. enter into the joy of your master.”
We all need support and encouragement from our Circle of Friends and family. We often lose perspective on the abilities, strengths, and uniqueness that we have been given by our Creator God. Or we become too busy and overwhelmed to live intentionally but function in a state of frenzy by reacting day-to-day to whatever comes our way. When we lose sight of ourselves and who God made us to be as well as the purpose He made us to serve, the words of encouragement and support from others help us to slow down and refocus. Encouragement from others boosts our confidence to continue to lean into our calling or face our circumstances with a renewed perspective…a reminder that we are not alone. Not only do we have a Circle of Friends to support us when we are weak, but our Holy God is also with us.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
How does it make you feel when someone does something unexpected for you?
When was the last time you provided support or encouragement to a friend, neighbor or family member? How did they respond?
Who do you know who needs encouragement or support right now? Take a moment to reach out to them. You may change the course of their life by showing them they are not alone!
I heard it said once that we are denying others the ability to serve when we say, “No,” to their offer to help us. We do not have to live alone. We may ask for and accept the support of others in whatever form. And we may give the same blessing to those around us who also need help and encouragement.
PRAYER:
Abba, Father. Your love for us is amazingly beautiful and unconditional. Thank you for demonstrating that love in your Son Jesus, our Savior. You have asked us to encourage one another. Help us to keep our eyes open for the needs of others. Help us to take our attention off of ourselves and our own circumstances to see and react to the needs of those around us. Help us to trust in you and have faith in you that we too will be served in our time of need. Thank you Jesus for your example of service and encouragement and love. Amen.
Hi, Sweet Circle. I love sharing this part of my journey with you regarding the website. I know why I picked the things that I did, but you do not. I can’t speak for other websites, but every single decision from font choices to color schemes to pictures, had specific meanings for me. Let me explain so you can see the God-things in the visual elements. I hope you feel more connected to me after reading the posts on the Design Elements. This is Part 2: the “circles” of the logo and the pictures I chose. I hope you look at the site differently now when you go to stacyturley.com. I hope the visual elements allow you to see the community we have with our Lord in a new and exciting way.
THE CIRCLES OF THE LOGO
Why are there circles in the logo? Why Circle of Friends as the group name that connects us? Why are the circles imperfect? Well, let’s start with the meaning of a circle. According to Webster’s Dictionary, two of the meanings of a circle are “a group of persons sharing a common interest or revolving about a common center” and also “to move or revolve around”. This idea formed the central theme of what I wanted women to feel when they connect with each other through this website and with the Word of Jesus. The words that came to mind for me when I was brainstorming a logo were: connected, imperfect beings, wholeness together, bound, complete, surrounding, and revolving. I wanted a word that would encompass these ideas. For example, we support each other; we are connected together; and we are complete together. (Romans 12:4-6a) Where one is weak, the others in the circle encourage, support, and strengthen. (Romans 15:1) We are bound together in love as Christ loved us. (Colossians 3:14) I also love the idea that we are all revolving around our Savior Jesus. He is our center…our nucleus. We all have a shared sisterhood as followers of Jesus.
A CIRCLE seemed perfect. Yet I wanted the shape of the circles to be imperfect and I wanted many circles overlapping. None of us are perfect and we never will be this side of heaven. This idea is represented by the imperfect shape. We all have different experiences and challenges and triumphs. This idea is represented by the many circles of the logo which represents all our individual lives. And the intersections represent how our lives impact and interact with each other. We may not even know how we have touched the lives of others, but it is happening all the time. We are the circles bound together, intersecting each other, and revolving our Lord and Savior.
As the Circle of Friends, I hope that we recognize our Savior as the Center. I hope we recognize the we are better and stronger together. We learn so much about how we are to support and encourage each other when we study the One Another statements of the Bible. Click HERE for a post on In The Word #5: One Another… coming soon. Also, you may join the Circle of Friends to have access to our weekly newsletter and get a free download of the these One Another verses that you may use for Scripture journaling or topical Bible Study.
THE PICTURES
We all love pretty pictures. The colors and content draw us into the scene. A still picture may even portray movement and emotions just by looking at it and allowing the content to speak to us. I chose some of the pictures to expand on the theme of “the sand and the sea” that is also represented by the colors of the website. I also wanted to use as many personal photos as possible in order for you to feel more connected to me and what is important to me. Below are some descriptions of the photos that appear on the site:
The picture of the ocean at the top of the Home Page – This photo was taken on the coast of Oregon while my husband and I were visiting our daughter Madi. We drove from the southern coast of Washington to the southern coast of Oregon. We stopped at a variety of locations and witnessed the beauty of the West coast in the powerful waves and rock formations. The picture shown was one of my favorite locations. I loved how the huge rocks shaped and funneled the water into submission as it rolled onto the shore. Gorgeous!
The picture of hands knitting on the Gallery page – This is a photo of me working on a shawl for my daughter-in-law Shannon for her wedding gift. You may read more on the story is on the Gallery page found HERE. Whenever I am knitting, crocheting or using my hands to make things, I am always reminded of how God made me….how He created and crafted me for purpose. I hope to include more stories from you all in the Gallery under Inspirations. Please share with me what you like to create and why. Feel free to email me at gallary@stacyturley.com and complete the Permission Form found HERE.
Pictures of me on the Home page and About page – Photos of me were taken by Abby Chikkala, a classmate of my son Mitch. She is so talented and spent a couple of hours with me walking around downtown Noblesville, where I live, to capture some shots for this website. She even helped me pick out my clothes!
The picture of me at the ocean on the About page at the section called About Me – Another picture taken by my husband on the trip to Oregon. I was actually taking a photo of the waves, while unknown to me, he was taking my picture! This is one of his favorites!! So I had to include it.
And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
COLOSSIANS 3:14 (ESV)
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
What situations make you feel most connected to those around you?
Who has impacted your life the most? Does he/she know it? Consider writing them a note to tell them!
What are some of your favorite pictures? Why?
Do you find meaning in creating things? What is your hobby? Would you be willing to share your creative inspiration with others on this site? If so, feel free to email me and I will tell you how at gallary@stacyturley.com.
Recent Comments