As an AU sorority alum, I know what it is like to go through rush week! As a third year hall director, I know what it is like to watch the joy and sorrow on your faces, and hear your stories of success or disappointment.
I absolutely loved rush week!! It is an amazingly fun time to meet other freshmen and possibly join an organization that is going to add much to your college experience! However, computer glitches, unfulfilled expectations, and the stress of the week can sometimes challenge your self image, self worth, and self esteem.
The Lord led me to a few thoughts that might be encouraging to you during this time. I wanted to have a short Bible study each day, but the business of the week (and my class schedule!) isn't easy to schedule group meetings around!!! Sooo....I thought an "e-Bible Study" might be easier!! Julia Evans (RA in Little Hall) co-wrote these devotionals. She is an absolute angel and such a wise, Godly woman!!
Use the links on the right to navigate the devotionals. More will be added as the week progresses. Please respond with comments and thoughts that might help other rushees who are reading the devotionals-just like you would in a group setting!!
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Sunday: Loved...and Liked!!
Oh sweet girls, I pray that you have continued to run to the Lord with your exhaustion, with your joys, and with your sorrows!!! Oh, how He cares for you!!! How He cares for the intricate details of our lives!! Wow!
Luke 12:6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God!! Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!!
The following excerpt is from Beth Moore’s “A Woman’s Heart, God’s Dwelling Place” workbook:
Oh, precious girls- in this week where you may be experiencing a slough of negative thoughts about yourself, comparing yourself with others, or possibly feeling unloved or unliked based on the schedules you received: know that you are dearly loved, and genuinely liked by our sweet Lord Jesus!!!!
To those who are weary- physically, emotionally, and/or mentally- our sweet Jesus beckons us to Himself!! "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest!!!” Matthew 11:28
Run to Him!!
You are on my heart and mind today, and more importantly, you are on His!!
Luke 12:6-7
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God!! Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!!
The following excerpt is from Beth Moore’s “A Woman’s Heart, God’s Dwelling Place” workbook:
[Revelation 4:11"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor
and power, for you created all things, and for Your pleasure they were created
and have their being.
"Isaiah 43:7 “everyone who is called by my name, whom
I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
So who are you and why are
you here? According to these two versed, you are God’s chief creation, and
you are here for His pleasure and His glory. God did not
create us so that He could have a front row seat at an ongoing saga of our
follies and failures!! He created us because He delights in us!
Let’s do a
brief word study of the terms pleasure and glory to deeper our
understanding.
The Greek word for pleasure in Revelation 4:11 is thelema. It means “the result of the will, not to be conceived as
a demand, but as an expression or inclination of pleasure toward that which is
liked, that which pleases and creates joy. Several years ago
while I was teaching a midweek class at my church, my husband Keith, needed to
speak to me right away on the telephone. My heart pounded frantically as I
ran to the office because I knew only an emergency would cause Keith to summon
me from class. To my surprise, I was greeted by a congenial voice that
said, “How about taking your husband to lunch today?” Still suspicious
that something had to be wrong, I answered, “I had plans with a friend, but I
can cancel if you really need me.” I will never forget his response: “I don’t
need to have lunch with you, Honey; I just wanted to.” I immediately called my
friend and rescheduled. As many years as we’ve been married, if my husband
chooses to be with me from the pure desire of his heart, I’ll be there!
On a far grander scale, that is the reason God created us: not because He needed us but because He wanted us!!! The act was based on the pleasure of His will. Just think
about it: He doesn’t just love us; He also LIKES us! ]
Oh, precious girls- in this week where you may be experiencing a slough of negative thoughts about yourself, comparing yourself with others, or possibly feeling unloved or unliked based on the schedules you received: know that you are dearly loved, and genuinely liked by our sweet Lord Jesus!!!!
To those who are weary- physically, emotionally, and/or mentally- our sweet Jesus beckons us to Himself!! "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest!!!” Matthew 11:28
Run to Him!!
You are on my heart and mind today, and more importantly, you are on His!!
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Saturday: Known
It’s Saturday. The week is almost over. I can only imagine how you feel right now: excited? Tired? Sleepy? Anxious? Stressed? Happy? Ready to get it over? I, and SO MANY others are praying for you right now!
In a week of first impressions, quick conversations, and possible feelings of mis-understanding, there is comfort in realizing that we are TRULY known by God! My heart melted when I first read the verse “You are the God who sees me, for she said ‘I have now seen the one who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13)
When comparing men and women, in reference to relationships, I once heard someone say “one of women’s greatest desires is to be loved and known.” Doesn’t that tweak your heartstrings-the thought that someone would REALLY know you and REALLY love you-that they would cherish all of your obvious and obscure greatness, and recognize them? That they would also know the “not so great” parts of you, and love you despite them?!
Though we read it in an earlier devotional, re-read Psalm 139. He knows you!
This thought is both heart warming, and heart warning! As we relate to others- God knows our true heart! He is interested in our motives!
1 Samuel 16:7 NIV “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
1Chronicles 28:9 NIV “"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”
1 Kings 8:39 NIV “then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men)”
2 Samuel 7:20 NLT “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord.”
Are the good things in your life a product of your relationship with Christ, or a substitution for it? For “good girls” it is much easier to focus on the “dos and don’ts” rather then simply focusing on completely throwing ourselves into our relationship with Christ and letting those "good deeds" be a result!
A few questions for a quick heart exam: Why do I go to church? Is it to look good? What do I do differently when no one is looking? What would change about my relationship with God if no one was looking (when I read my Bible, what quotes are on my wall, etc)? Please post additional "motive check" questions that would benefit others!!
...you are on my heart and mind today....more importantly, you are on His!!!
In a week of first impressions, quick conversations, and possible feelings of mis-understanding, there is comfort in realizing that we are TRULY known by God! My heart melted when I first read the verse “You are the God who sees me, for she said ‘I have now seen the one who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13)
When comparing men and women, in reference to relationships, I once heard someone say “one of women’s greatest desires is to be loved and known.” Doesn’t that tweak your heartstrings-the thought that someone would REALLY know you and REALLY love you-that they would cherish all of your obvious and obscure greatness, and recognize them? That they would also know the “not so great” parts of you, and love you despite them?!
Though we read it in an earlier devotional, re-read Psalm 139. He knows you!
This thought is both heart warming, and heart warning! As we relate to others- God knows our true heart! He is interested in our motives!
1 Samuel 16:7 NIV “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
1Chronicles 28:9 NIV “"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”
1 Kings 8:39 NIV “then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men)”
2 Samuel 7:20 NLT “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord.”
Are the good things in your life a product of your relationship with Christ, or a substitution for it? For “good girls” it is much easier to focus on the “dos and don’ts” rather then simply focusing on completely throwing ourselves into our relationship with Christ and letting those "good deeds" be a result!
A few questions for a quick heart exam: Why do I go to church? Is it to look good? What do I do differently when no one is looking? What would change about my relationship with God if no one was looking (when I read my Bible, what quotes are on my wall, etc)? Please post additional "motive check" questions that would benefit others!!
...you are on my heart and mind today....more importantly, you are on His!!!
Friday: Chosen
Written by Julia Evans…
Have you ever wanted to be picked? As a little girl I used to think about my future. I spent hours day dreaming about a handsome prince searching far and wide and choosing me to be his princess. Then I went on to dream about our life together…since then I have learned: God has chosen me to be His princess! “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1) Child of God, the King = princess!!
God has chosen me and this gives me value! Many women believe they are not worth anything or need constant reassurance from others to make them feel worthwhile. But the truth is:
-My value is not determined by what others think of me or what I think of myself. My value is determined by how God views me. (Psalm 139:1-18, Ephesians 1:3-8, 1 Peter 2:4)
-To God, my soul is worth more than the price of the whole world. (Romans 5:6-8, John 3:16)
-I am a child of God, I am God’s cherished possession and treasure. (Romans 8:1-2, 13, 15-17; 1 Peter 2:9) (From Nancy Leigh DeMoss Lies Women Believe)
“This is what the LORD says — He who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid…my servant…whom I have chosen.“ (Isaiah 44:2) God says, “You are My servant … In whom I will be glorified ...I will also give you as a light to the gentiles... All flesh shall know, that I, the LORD, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel...” (Isaiah 49:3,6, and 26)
If you could change one thing about the world, what would you change? Do you wish that all people around the world knew God? He has chosen you to live to make Him look big, how can you live that out today? It may sound weird, but the best way for Him to look big is for you to enjoy Him as your prince (Matthew 22:37-38 and John 17:3).
...you are on my heart and mind today....more importantly, you are on His!!!
Have you ever wanted to be picked? As a little girl I used to think about my future. I spent hours day dreaming about a handsome prince searching far and wide and choosing me to be his princess. Then I went on to dream about our life together…since then I have learned: God has chosen me to be His princess! “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1) Child of God, the King = princess!!
God has chosen me and this gives me value! Many women believe they are not worth anything or need constant reassurance from others to make them feel worthwhile. But the truth is:
-My value is not determined by what others think of me or what I think of myself. My value is determined by how God views me. (Psalm 139:1-18, Ephesians 1:3-8, 1 Peter 2:4)
-To God, my soul is worth more than the price of the whole world. (Romans 5:6-8, John 3:16)
-I am a child of God, I am God’s cherished possession and treasure. (Romans 8:1-2, 13, 15-17; 1 Peter 2:9) (From Nancy Leigh DeMoss Lies Women Believe)
“This is what the LORD says — He who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid…my servant…whom I have chosen.“ (Isaiah 44:2) God says, “You are My servant … In whom I will be glorified ...I will also give you as a light to the gentiles... All flesh shall know, that I, the LORD, am your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel...” (Isaiah 49:3,6, and 26)
If you could change one thing about the world, what would you change? Do you wish that all people around the world knew God? He has chosen you to live to make Him look big, how can you live that out today? It may sound weird, but the best way for Him to look big is for you to enjoy Him as your prince (Matthew 22:37-38 and John 17:3).
...you are on my heart and mind today....more importantly, you are on His!!!
Thursday: God's Promises
I hope that you are excited about making fun crafts and having the chance for more involved conversations today (philanthropy day)!! I pray that as you recieved invitations for the Philanthropy Day parties that you ran to the Lord with your emotions! If there is pain, don't waste it!!! Run to the Lord, use it as a catalyst for growing closer to Him!! Sometimes it is harder to seek the Lord when there is joy, when life is good! Remind yourself to run to Him anyway!!!
Written by Julia Evans...
Do you enjoy being free? Laughing without reserve? God desires for us to have peace and hope and freedom. Daily we are bombarded with lies. When we believe a lie, it causes us to hurt ourselves. God’s way to protect ourselves is to trust and believe Him. He says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good perfect and pleasing will.” (Romans 12:2)
God’s real promises can be trusted all the time. We can replace harmful lies in our minds with God’s promises. Ten of those promises are listed below. Scan the list and find the one that really speaks to your heart today. Look up the verse beside the promise. How can you praise God for that promise? What ways does it make you want to say thank You to Him? Who else can you pray for that might also be struggling with trusting this promise today? Pray for them too! Write the verse on a slip of paper and stick it in your purse or carry it with you on a run. Throughout the day, glance at the paper and continue to process its richness!
He is with us. Hebrews 13:5
He understands us. Psalm 139:1-3
He considers our sorrows. Psalm 56:8
He forgives us. 1 John 1:9
He sustains us. Psalm 63:7-8
He calms our fears. Psalm 27:1
He guides us. Psalm 32:8
He loves us abundantly. Psalm 103:8
He is completely trustworthy. Proverbs 3:5-6
He will not fail us. Lamentations 3:22-23
...you are on my heart and mind today....more importantly, you are on His!!!
Written by Julia Evans...
Do you enjoy being free? Laughing without reserve? God desires for us to have peace and hope and freedom. Daily we are bombarded with lies. When we believe a lie, it causes us to hurt ourselves. God’s way to protect ourselves is to trust and believe Him. He says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good perfect and pleasing will.” (Romans 12:2)
God’s real promises can be trusted all the time. We can replace harmful lies in our minds with God’s promises. Ten of those promises are listed below. Scan the list and find the one that really speaks to your heart today. Look up the verse beside the promise. How can you praise God for that promise? What ways does it make you want to say thank You to Him? Who else can you pray for that might also be struggling with trusting this promise today? Pray for them too! Write the verse on a slip of paper and stick it in your purse or carry it with you on a run. Throughout the day, glance at the paper and continue to process its richness!
He is with us. Hebrews 13:5
He understands us. Psalm 139:1-3
He considers our sorrows. Psalm 56:8
He forgives us. 1 John 1:9
He sustains us. Psalm 63:7-8
He calms our fears. Psalm 27:1
He guides us. Psalm 32:8
He loves us abundantly. Psalm 103:8
He is completely trustworthy. Proverbs 3:5-6
He will not fail us. Lamentations 3:22-23
...you are on my heart and mind today....more importantly, you are on His!!!
Wednesday: Valued
I hope that Ice Water Teas are going fabulously, that you are enjoying meeting these hundreds of new people, and enjoying time with your Pi Chi group! I also pray that you are seeking the Lord and continuing to run to Him with your joys and struggles!!
The "word study" below is taken from a Beth Moore Bible Workbook Study: "A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place," pg. 14.
I actually have a note written at the top of my workbook page: "me, a treasure??," illustrating my reaction to realizing that God TRULY treasures me! I hope you come to the same conclusion I did. You are a treasure. You are VERY valuable to our Lord Jesus!
Now read Psalm 139. How does this make your friendship with God special? He knows everything about you, how does this compare with earthly friendships?? What else does this make you think of?
...you are on my heart and mind today!! ...more importantly, you are on His!!!
The "word study" below is taken from a Beth Moore Bible Workbook Study: "A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place," pg. 14.
I actually have a note written at the top of my workbook page: "me, a treasure??," illustrating my reaction to realizing that God TRULY treasures me! I hope you come to the same conclusion I did. You are a treasure. You are VERY valuable to our Lord Jesus!
How does this make you feel? What does this make you think of?[Isaiah 43:7 KJV "Even everyone that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him."
The Hebrew word for glory in Isaiah 43:7 is kavodh meaning "weight, honor, esteem, majesty, abundance, wealth." [English, glory= Hebrew, kavodh= weight, honor, etc] At first glance, weight may seem a very odd synonym for the word glory until we recall that, in ancient biblical history, all value was estimated based on weight. Everything from gold to grain was placed on a scale.
The heavier the item, the higher the value. We were created to be His abundance-estimations of His value!!! (remember the original verse: "for I have created him for my glory!")
I came from a very large family. One day when my oldest daughter snuggled up on her beloved grandmother's lap and asked, "are you rich Nanny?" My mother responded, "Oh yes, darling, I am very rich-rich in kids!"
Of all the grandeur heaven could boast, God measures His riches by His children!! Remember what we learned from the verse in Isaiah: we were created to be His abundance-estimations of His value!!! We are His wealth, the apple of His eye, created to be His treasure.
From His own mouth came the words: "where your treasure is, your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). Heart refers to the center of our emotions, thoughts, and deepest concerns. What does this verse tell us about God's heart; if he says in Isaiah that we are His treasure, and then in Matthew that your heart is where your treasure is??]
Now read Psalm 139. How does this make your friendship with God special? He knows everything about you, how does this compare with earthly friendships?? What else does this make you think of?
...you are on my heart and mind today!! ...more importantly, you are on His!!!
Monday Night/Tuesday Morning: Anxiety and the Unknown
Yay! Rush officially begins today! Get ready for a high energy, fun filled day!
I'm sure your mind is racked with questions about this upcoming week ...not to mention the twenty other things that are weighing on your mind: moving, saying good bye to friends, beginning college classes, boyfriends (or lack of!), etc.
In Philippians 4:6-9, the Bible says: "do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
The Bible is full of promises...most can be broken down in to two parts: the condition and the consequence. This promise, for you to have the peace of God, is conditional on the first part of the verse: in everything, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. The consequence is that "the peace of God...will guard your hearts"
The following is taken from Linda Dillow's book "Calm My Anxious Heart:"
OUR PART: The Living Bible suggests this meaning: "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for His answers." Paul's exhortation not to worry or be anxious means that our anxiety should be used as a springboard to pray specifically. Our part in the process of learning to be content is a heart choice-a choice to pray rather than to be anxious.
Paul commands us to have nothing to do with anxiety and everything to do with prayer. Sadly, many of us reverse this and worry about everything, praying only as a last resort!! It's easier to worry, fret, lose sleep, yell at our family or friends, or our roommate than it is to pray.
We've flip-flopped the Biblical prescription, not in belief, but in practice.
Not only are we to pray specifically, but we are to pray with thanksgiving. This is beyond difficult! When I'm worried that I have cancer or that my child is uninterested in school and is failing geometry, or that my friend has hurt me or that pressing problems have multiplied within me, it is hard, hard, hard to be thankful.
Psalm 116:7 helps me to understand what it means to pray with thanksgiving: "I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord." I like this reminder because giving thanks when a black tunnel has enveloped my world is definitely sacrificial!! When my little niece, Angie, fell out of a second-story window and had three skull fractures, it was a sacrificial act to pray, "Lord, You know the weight of anxiety on my heart. I can't bear being so far away when my family is in
such pain. I hurt so inside, but I choose not to be anxious, and I lift little Angie to You. It's hard to find good in this situation, but I thank You, loving Father, that You love her, that she is Yours. Thank You for sparing her life. Thank You that she has access to such great medical care. I trust You to be the Blessed Controller of this
terrible situation."When confronted with negative circumstances, we have a choice: will we pray about the problem or will we worry about it?
GOD'S PART: In Philippians 4: 7 we see God's part in the contentment process: "and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus." The Living Bible suggests that the word and at the beginning of the verse means "if you do this." Do what? If we make the choice to pray instead of worry, we will personally experience God's peace. What a promise! In a world of chaos, problems, heartache, and anxiety, all of us need peace.
This verse also gives us a clue about why we don't experience peace. If you or I feel
anxious and fearful instead of content, we need to ask ourselves if we've done our part. Remember, God says His peace follows our choices.
My favorite translation of this verse is "and the peace of God which transcends all our powers of thought will be a garrison to guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." I visualize God encircling me with a garrison of angles whose job it is to help my poor, weak mind and heart. When anxieties multiply within me, my mind goes absolutely crazy with "what ifs." My heart, the cradle of my emotions, rocks wildly back and forth. God's peace is the exact prescription needed for my anxiety-ridden heart and mind.What do we do if we choose to give our anxiety to God but take it back ten minutes
later? I remember lying in bed many nights during one of my teenager's tumultuous years, thinking, "did I make the right decision? How do I stop this
child from heading down the path of foolishness?" I would pray through Philippians 4:6-9, but find my mind worrying again. It was as if my mind was stuck in worry mode.
I would pray "Lord, here I am again. I was just here ten minutes ago but it didn't take; I'm still worrying instead of possessing Your peace." Again I would pray through my part and God's part in Philippians 4. Then I would start worrying again. At that point I would sit up, force my body out from under the warm covers, and go to my desk. With pen and paper in hand, I would list all the positive things the Lord had accomplished in my teenager's life in the past year. Then I'd pray over the
list and thank him that He had been at work and was still at work in her life. I'd shut off the light and go back to my cozy comforter, this time to a peaceful sleep."]...you are on my heart and mind today....more importantly, you are on His!!!
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