Organizing the Inside 365 Days

Empowering Christian Women To Get Organized and Discover God's Plan for Their Lives

Archive for September, 2012

Organizing the Inside – A Special Note From Liz

September 3, 2012 at 9:30 pm · Filed under Women's Ministry

Yesterday marked a huge milestone for Organizing the Inside 365 Days. This blog originally began after much prayer, with fear and trembling. In the beginning I was not very comfortable in an environment where it was necessary for me to be vulnerable and transparent because of traces from my past. God had a different plan and out of reluctant obedience I started Organizing the Inside 365 Days. Knowing that titling it “365” would create a daily discipline that I’d often struggled with maintaining; I set out on a wonderful journey. Unwilling to write about anything that I was not committed to being first partaker of; I knew God was calling me into a deeper more meaningful relationship with Him.

Thank you for being there! You will likely never know how much your comments, likes, and emails have meant to me personally. The blessings I’ve experienced by way of new friendships, encouragement, and even challenges from my online community of writers and friends has been absolutely phenomenal. I’ve had the honor of reading posts from many of you, that were some of the most heart touching, soul-stirring writings I have ever read… this includes work from many world-renowned authors. Words cannot express the true honor and privilege it has been to serve you by sharing what God has placed on my heart each day of this journey.

God has now led me to do something new in ministry and business. As I prepare for the exciting venture that is ahead I’ll often think about the honor of this privilege I’ve shared with my online family and friends. Organizing the Inside has somehow become part of God’s unique big picture plan and I’m thrilled to see what He does next. While the journey doesn’t end here it does enter a new phase.

Each one of you has been and will continue to be in my prayers daily. Lord willing, I will stop by often and leave a like or comment on your blogs that I have grown to enjoy reading so much. I hope you will continue to follow my writings as I continue to seek God for His direction. In the book of Ephesians, chapter three, Paul seemed to capture the true essence of my heartfelt prayer to God for each of you who have shared this journey of Organizing the Inside 365 Days.

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
~Ephesians 3:14-21

Comments (22)

Organizing the Inside – Day 365 Seek Intimacy With God

September 2, 2012 at 6:30 pm · Filed under Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration, Love, Peace, Purpose, Relationship, Wisdom and tagged: , , , , , ,

“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (NLT)

Fellowship breeds intimacy. Intimacy with God is not something that is just going to happen because we hope for it. To know and experience the loving grace of God in a more intimate way we must first surrender, by faith to His divine will. Does God really want to know us intimately? But the man who loves God is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:3 (NIV) As we answer our heart’s deeper calling in Him, our sincere desire will then be to know Him more intimately.

Let’s not let our needs be the single most important reason which drives us to seek God. Let it be our love that motivates us to give Him more time, attention and interest. The more we seek God, the deeper our desire to know Him becomes. The more we know God, the more we want to know about Him.

Let Intimacy bring about an entirely new gateway to experiencing a deeper commitment in Christ. God wants to do something new in your life and mine.  For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? Isaiah 43:19 (NLT) He wants to give us a new song to sing. As you go about your way, allow the Holy Spirit to put God’s fresh melody in your heart. There are those who will live and die having never experienced true intimacy with God. However, for those who are willing to diligently seek Him, they will indeed find Him. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

Live out the purpose God has for you so that through your obedience others can clearly see His goodness. I pray you experience all that God wants for you. May the world catch a glimpse of true hope and contentment because of your life in Christ? For we know that the peace, love, joy, and complete fulfillment that comes from a personal relationship with God, cannot be compared with anything that this world has to offer. May your life be filled with His gladness and song, as you totally commit yourselves to living and celebrating it in Him. May you experience true hope, and the fellowship which is yours through Jesus Christ.  He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD. Psalm 40:3 (NLT)

Comments

Organizing the Inside – Day 364 Leading Lady

September 1, 2012 at 4:00 pm · Filed under Encouragement, Love, Relationship, Simplicity, Wisdom, Women's Ministry and tagged: , , , , , , , ,

1The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. ~Psalm 23:1-3

She chose the role of martyr again.
You’ve done it again. You’re sacrificing something else in order to do for another. You often feel like you’re being pulled in ten different directions and you try to pretend you don’t know how you got here again. Everybody wants a piece of you and you tend to feel obliged to break off just a bit more. No one seems to be concerned with what you need, not even you. In spite of the frustration you are experiencing you play the leading lady as though the role was created and scripted just for you. Give yourself a much-needed break, before you are completely emptied of the little you have left to give.

The thought of saying “no” or “no thanks” goes against your grain.
Why must you typecast yourself when actually you have options?  You can choose to say no. Yes, I said it you can choose. Although, if you are a caregiver you are particularly prone to taking on this role and you do it with great honor. I’m not making light of your sometimes consuming responsibilities. I realize what you do is meaningful and a blessing to you and those you care for. I am however suggesting that just because there are people in your life who demand time and attention, you are by no means required by anyone (but you) to always give 100 percent. Giving until you can’t give anymore is likely not the most prudent way to go about serving. People have a tendency to call upon you to come to their aid. They’ve taken on more commitments than they can handle, and now they want your help. Suddenly you’re not only responsible for your own commitments; you’ve found a way to also be responsible for theirs. You probably have the gift of helps or service and maybe mercy too. Those gifts are perfect gifts for you, but you have to practice balancing your gifts to stay fit for service.

Stand up for you and give yourself respect and honor.
I don’t want you to neglect your responsibilities, but I do want you to find a way to take care of you.  Keep in mind you choose to do what you do. Whether you’re assuming the role of martyr by default because there is no one else, or you just really love all the work you do for others, either way you have a choice. Try to find a way to do something to break the routine. Do something you enjoy and allow God to refresh your spirit. Chances are the unending lists of tasks and commitments will still be there when you return.

God sees your heart and all that you do for everyone else. Now, allow Him to do something just for you.  Announce your plans to all parties involved. Keep it sweet, kindhearted and simple, but let them know this time is for you. Slip away, and as God renews you on the inside you’ll be better prepared to play whatever role your busy life has to cast. Take time for renewal and allow God to give you the rest you need.

Comments (2)