Gateways to Joy

Today in my Gateway to Joy group this is what I'm discussing with the women. I decided to pose the same question to you all. The way you keep your house, the way you organize your time, the care you take in your personal appearance, the things you spend your money on, all speak loudly about what you believe. The beauty of thy peace shines forth in an ordered life. A disordered life speaks loudly of a disordered soul. Elisabeth E. Challenge: This week we will continue doing the next thing while working at having an ordered life. Ponder: Is your life beautiful because of God's Peace shinning forth in your ordered life or is your soul disordered? Do you agree with what Elisabeth says? Why? Why not? Do you think this quote and challenge can be a gateway to joy for you? If so, how? If not, why not? xo, Angela blog subscription  | twitter | facebook

Girls do you realize that not only are we created in the image of God, but our emotions are a part of God's imagine imprinted within us too? As women who are pursuing worthiness and strength in Godly character, we need to grow in our understanding of our emotions which is no easy task because often times we aren't prepared to handle the different emotions we feel throughout the different stages of our lives. Barbara Rainey says, "As a woman experiences various emotions, she needs to feel loved and accepted so she can face these times positively.  This is not only critical for her emotional health, but also for impacting her children with positive emotional identities so they will grow up to be mature adults. These emotions are a part of the image of God, and we should grow and mature when we experience them." Let me ask you ladies, how are you controlling your emotions when it comes to dealing with your mate or children? Pray: Ask the Holy Spirit to fill...

Yes, ladies.  Today, I want to encourage you to fear the Lord. Why? "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."~ Proverbs 9:10 What happens when a woman fears or reverences God? First and foremost girls, when we reverence God we gain wisdom and knowledge of God's ways.   We understand Him better.  When we understand Him better by having His wisdom and knowledge, we move as we should, being less selfish and more selfless.  All these things are pleasing to Him.  If we are moving in ways that are pleasing to God, we will certainly please our husband's {particularly if he is a believer} and we will find ourselves caring for them, our children and our home in more of a selfless manner. I believe this is why we see the skills of the woman in Proverbs 31 highlighted. It shows us what God does for the woman who fears Him—respects Him.  We also see how God gives us our gifts to be a blessing to o...

One mistake that I often made when I first became saved was to try and be what I thought the "Proverbs 31 Woman" was.  Yes, I said, "mistake." For the next month or so I will share with you what I am getting from reading Proverbs 31: 10-31.  I shared yesterday that I am now a leader with the (in)Courage Community.  The group that I am co-leading with Wendi Lombardo is (in)Couraging you in your pursuit of Proverbs 31. I use the word "pursuit" here because first I believe we are always "becoming" or "evolving" as long as we are on this side of heaven.  Therefore, we are in pursuit of becoming the woman that God wants us to be. What I loved discovering in this book last night and this morning is that although this woman {or this portrait of several women} is described as being an excellent wife and her worth is far above jewels.   She is never thought of  being "excellent" or "worthy" due to her outer appea...