It Opens Today...

Woo Hoo!!! TODAY is the day registration opens for our {Re}Committed Lives incourager group through the amazingly fantastic super-powers over at (in)courage!


In case you didn’t know, (in)courage is a captivating online community for women, full of daily encouragement and inspiration. And TODAY we are partnering with them as we kick off this fall session of (in)couragers community groups…

Groups made to connect women beyond just a blog post.

Groups built around common interests or themes,

Made for women just like you, by women just like you!

And we are honored to be serving alongside them this fall! 

They have Bible Study groups, Women in Ministry Groups, Motherhood Groups, Marriage groups, Empty Nester groups, Adoption groups, Professional groups, Student groups, Writing groups, and other Special Interest groups–including abuse survivors, chronic illness, depression, infertility, and hope for hurting families. Over 70 groups waiting for you … to walk alongside you in community!

S-E-V-E-N-T-Y!!!

What could be better than that?

Yet I know, many of us have been hurt or wounded in community, and we are hesitant to take a risk again–too guarded to open our hearts to this scary vulnerable thing called community.

But as Mary DeMuth says, sometimes the thing that has wounded us most, is the very thing God uses to heal us. 

And I promise you there is no safer, more loving place, than (in)courage for  you to begin!

(in)couragers are community and community is connection … and God meets us as we care for one another there. [Tweet that]

We have been planning and preparing and praying for you, that you’d come and connect, and be changed in community!

Each group is limited to 30 members, in order to facilitate interaction in the building of meaningful relationships, and we can’t wait for you to see what is waiting for you there.

Won’t you join us?

Join us and be changed by the power of community!

And don’t forget … tell a friend! There are chocolate and cupcakes waiting for you there!

May your fall be blessed beyond measure as you are touched by connection with others who understand!

With so much love and thanks for you…

Patty Mills and Arlethea Pressley
Group Leaders for {Re}Committed Lives

Sorority Sisters and Forgiveness

Original Artwork by Bobby Mills

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

My college days consisted of attending night classes while working a full time day job and a part time night job.  Took me the span of 10 years to end up with a 2 year associates degree…but I’m super proud of that degree.

So I didn’t have an opportunity to join a sorority during that time but I’ve always looked in amazement at those people who have managed to keep up their old friendships from college (and some even high school!).

I believe God has given these people a double portion of forgiveness because in order to stay friends with someone that long, you have really got to be able to forgive - and a lot, I mean.

The longest friendships I’ve managed to keep up were 15 and 20 years, respectively, and God brought those to a close about the time I recommitted to Him. Those separations wounded all of us but God, the Great Physician and Healer, has a prescription of forgiveness that He writes for that. Instructions: Apply liberally and often. Tweet this!

God allows relationships in your life to begin, continue and even end so it’s just silly to try and blame the other person or yourself. It’s not about you, or about me, it’s all about Him and bringing Him glory. Tweet this!

And whether you still have your best friends from high school or college or you’ve just started a brand new friendship, remember…it’s not about the length of the friendship, it’s about the depth. Tweet this!

God has blessed me with continuing some older friendships and by establishing some fairly new ones - most of which are extremely deep and rich and rooted in a common love of Christ. But all of which will require forgiveness.
 
“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT)

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 (NIV)

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” I John 1:9