Girlfriendit

You were wired for amazingness! You have a unique something -something that no one else has! Not only were you wired for it . . . You have to keep growing -refining and sometimes reinventing it all together! We hope you like story time, because that is what today is about. OUR stories of how God has grown and morphed our ITS!

There are few things that can make us feel as helpless as living with a story we don’t like. Life is rarely fair, and things happen beyond our control that impact our lives in negative ways. Maybe our story involves the loss of a loved one, an unwanted transition, a difficult diagnosis, or a dream that fell through. At one time or another, we all deal with disappointments and feel that we are being punished. For women searching for a glimmer of hope . . .Listen in!

“When I pray for God to take the darkness away, why doesn't He answer my prayers?” “How come my parents got divorced?” “Why is God letting Covid kill people?” “God are you in it?” So many questions . . . These are the kinds of questions that you might hear - and they make you sweat. It’s so significant for not only children, but all of us to ask it -check it -and live it! How many times in our faith - we don’t question, we don't dig deeper? WE move forward and get caught up in man-made rules, rather than checking it out ourselves? Somewhere between “Jesus Loves Me” and high school cynicism, the childlike acceptance of pat answers about faith is lost— Listen in . . . C.S.Lewis: I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

Common statements from people: • I don’t have time for this • I push snooze in the morning constantly • I have lost my zest for life as I get older • My kids are overwhelming me • I feel stuck in this pandemic - I can’t plan anything. The core of these comments, comes down to what we value. What you’re really saying is - I don’t value it enough to make time for this. We all have the same 24 hours. When we take the time to know our core values it helps us better understand what drives us. Where are compass is - so we don’t get so veered off the road.

Are you facing a problem in life that you just can't fix, no matter what you do? Perhaps you've heard the phrase "Let go and let God." But it's easier said than done. Is it possible that giving up on what you can't change is God's path to peace for your life? Rather than identify steps, identify 4 questions in the “Letting Go Loop” that equip control-lovers to not only identify their control-loving behaviors but also identify God-honoring and life-giving next steps toward letting go and living like Jesus: • Awareness – Am I trying to control others or outcomes right now? • Arrest – What do I need to stop trying to protect, fix, or force to make happen? • Acceptance – Where do I need to acknowledge the reality that I do not have control, but God can handle it? • FaithFULL Action – How can I show love, kindness and wisdom without control-loving behaviors? As the questions are answered, the Letting Go Loop reveals

We are living in a time where there is no stress. A stress – Free - Zone! No anxiety. We all feel like we’re in control of our lives. Total control! No health stress No economic stress. No emotional stress. No political stress. We are all happily waiting for our vaccines - wearing our mask and excited to vote for our next president! OK, maybe not so much. The majority of us are experiencing some form of extreme stress- So, where does the stress come from? From YOU. Today - we are inviting you to sit around the table with us as we unveil our mask and chat about “Masking it.” What are you masking today? Let’s take off the mask. Let’s get real!

Let’s be honest . . . Do you constantly glance sideways and compare yourself? Do you drive yourself to measure up, then feel ashamed when you don't? What about - - - -Thoughts in your head like . . . I wish I were tall like her. If only my kids got along the way her kids do. Why does she always seem to have it all together? Women compare themselves constantly. On social media, in their neighborhood, at church, at work, even in the school drop-off lane, they glance sideways and ask, “How do I measure up?” Behind all this comparison is an enemy gaining tactical advantage. EEEK!! How do we stay in our own lane??

What would it look like if you actually pursued rejection? People who really changed the world, Mandela, Gandhi - Jesus . . . they did not let rejection define them, they embraced rejection. "IT" TIPS: Whose you are - not who you are. (Don’t label yourself as a failure.) Don’t get seduced by destructive thoughts that potentially could lead to self-fulfilling prophecy. Share those thoughts with a girlfriend who is your advocate. We are in IT together! Don’t let your inner critic win. Take time to process emotions. What’s one thing I can learn from this? What’s one thing I can do differently next time?

Create a contingency plan: Bounce it! You have to bounce back after you are an idiot! 4 "ITS" that will bounce it! 1. Amend it. Right! Get vulnerable. Write a small personal note — an email, a text — show the offended person how sorry you are. 2. Forgive it – Ask God what you can learn from this? Is it something you need to ask for forgiveness (go to the person or to your self?) 3. Label it: Pinpoint exactly what you said. Then you can say goodbye to IT and then you can forget it! (UCLA study lead by Matthew Lieberman, PhD, found that by labeling our feelings — attaching certain words to them — we can better manage anxiety and depression. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) shows that when we verbalize our feelings, the activity in the amygdala part of the brain, our fear center, is reduced.) 4. Get beyond it - At some point we have all messed up with our words. Yes, you feel terrible. Yes, regret it. But, regret is toxic - so bid IT farewell and let IT go!!

Have you ever experienced a time when you have said something and then think . . . "Oh my, How did that even come out of my mouth?? And WHY?? WAIT!! Do over . . . Do over!! I take it back, DELETE DELETE . . ABORT . . ABORT!" We become so disappointed in ourselves, replaying the scene over and over in our heads. What if we “tasted” our words before they came out of our mouth??

Let’s get Motivated! You’re done judging yourself as a mother a wife and a girlfriend! You’ve been hard on yourself during the pandemic - eating way too much cereal and watching too much reality TV. It’s over, You are going to seize the day with productivity! It’s time to start broadcasting your “IT”!!! These tips will basically help you use your voice and become a Rockstar or a Broadcast star! Or at least you’ll know how to make a broadcast. Remember we are girlfriends -in the “No judging Zone” How to use Facebook Live on a phone 1. Navigate to the Page, group or event you want to live stream from. 2. Tap the Live button at the bottom of the post composer. 3. Add a description to your video. ... 4. Tap Start Live Video. 5. Tap Finish when you want to end your broadcast. https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/solutions/facebook-live

Don't Miss out On Something. Look Up, See what God has for you. He never waste a trial-tribulation or experience!

God puts desires in our heart and writes a destiny for our lives. Are we ready for that path, or do we only surrender when it is convenient for us? What does that look like to humble yourself and seek what God has for you? Listen in!

The greatest danger in life is not that our aim is to high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it. - Michelangelo This week our challenge for you: 1.Experience His wonder 2.Find white space in your day. (Put it on your calendar in advance.) 3.Maybe it’s time to do a busy boycott.

Top tips for today: What to do with hurt feelings: "You will be sinned against by others until the day they die - you need a way to deal with their sin." 1.Write them down-everything and bring it to God. He wants to hear about my hurt feelings. 2. I may have but I didn't necessarily do something to deserve what the person did to me. 3. Ask God to help me forgive them. Understand that God uses our hurt relationships for my spiritual growth and thank Him for it. Ask how I can obey God in this situation. TAG . . .YOU are IT!

“What do you do when God Doesn’t show up the way you thought he would?” Our plans fizzle, dreams shatter, expectations get crushed, people betray or let us down - Maybe for you, it was information you received from a Dr. Perhaps your plan b came through an email that causes you to doubt your husband, - Maybe, it’s, your children not fitting into the perfect mold you had for them. Basically Plan A comes to an abrupt stop . . . Plan B hijacks your life. Our show today is stepping into this aspect of shattered dreams that may have you questioning and wondering, “Where are you God in all of this?”

At times it can seem as though everyone else has it all together. Everyone is getting married . . . happily - for - ever- after. Everyone is fiercely successful in their career. Everyone is ecstatically joyful with being an empty- nester! Everyone is having a baby . . . a beautiful one on an exotic island! But . . . Everyone has shattered dreams. Fizzled plans. Crushed expectations. Wounded by friends. We have all been disappointed, broken and need healing. Listen in for . . . now what

Could your parenting use a little first aid? We all know that perfect parenting does not exist . . . YET - We want to know that if we follow certain rules or methodology our children will, be happy, have fabulous friends, achieve professional success, and love Jesus! How do we make this happen?

Are you hungry for true community, deeper connection with God, and friendships that are greater than just “likes” on social media? Listen in for Friendship - tips on “4 ONE ANOTHERS” FRIENDSHIP “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:10 FAITH “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.” 1 Peter 1:22 FORGIVENESS “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13 FERVOR “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16