Spiritual growth...

Okay, I am finishing up my book from Elizabeth George called "A Woman After God's Own Heart." Amazing by the way. I have been using it as a devotional. I can not say enough about it, but that I recommend it to all Christian ladies who are seeking to be more like Christ.

In the book she talks about how to have spiritual growth, and I wanted to share it with you... It is such a great idea. You need to get 5 manila envelope (Or do what I did, I got 5 super cute folders!) Then you are going to pray about 5 areas that you want to have the knowledge of the LORD in. Make sure that they are spiritual things. They could be anything form, Patience, virtue, parenting, being a help meet, womanhood, health, prayer, faith, discipleship, soul winning, Time management, you name it. What ever area the LORD has laid on your heart.

I have only chosen 4 so far, Mine are, wife/ help meet, parenting/ spiritual growth of children, prayer, and Biblical Health.... Still praying about the fifth =)....

Once you have your 5, then you start praying and reading your Bible on these areas. You also find every good Christian book written on the subject and read it. Remember that the most important of the books though is the Bible. Make sure that everything that you are reading lines up with God's word! You also pick an Int ital to mark by each Bible verse in your Bible that relates to the subject that you are studying. Example for Parenting I put a (p) and for help meet I chose (w) , prayer is (pr)... That way as you study your Bible you can look back and know that these verses pertain to that which you are growing in knowledge.

Also do not read at random. Only read those things that pertain to your goals of spiritual growth. She gives a statistic that is quit scary... That only 5% of Americans will go out and buy a book this year and that only 5% will read a book this year.. Yikes... What are we filling our minds with, junk that is on the TV and video games, etc.... We need to be filling our mind with good wholesome things of our LORD and saviour Jesus Christ.

Mrs.George mentions something I think that every Christian woman needs to think about. What do people know you as and what are they going to remember you as. Are they going to say I know that I can call Brittany she is a prayer warrior, or she has a lot of Biblical knowledge on health or how to raise children or how to be a help meet? Or are they going to say she never grew very much, she was a shallow Christian, or what a gossip. I hope the later ones will not be so.

We are all filling our minds... But with what? And our job as Christians is to minister to others. We are saved to serve. So as we grow in knowledge of Jesus Christ we should be using it. We should be a doer not just a hearer. After all that is how we have these great Christian women of whom we Can follow their examples. They have studied to show themselves approved and are trying to teach others. And this is what the Bible teaches us to do as women (Titus 2).

Let me encourage you to take this challenge. Even as you may only study one topic a year or all 5 at time, we are all different and all have a different amount of time. But who knows you may wright the next amazing Christian book to encourage or help other ladies. Or you may even be asked to speak at a ladies event on some topic. The Bible tells us that a heart that hath understanding seeks knowledge (Proverbs 15;14)...

Start praying, what does the LORD want you to be able to share with others. And remember that a heart that is devoted to God and his word and is growing in Him will be overflowing and will not be able to contain itself...

Because of Christ,
Brittany