Promised Land - In or Out?

Hear me on this one, girls. We hold an amazing amount of power in our words. It
is our duty as women of God to build one another up in the Lord lest our sister
lose heart in the individual mission God has laid before her.

Women can be the most cruel, and they can be the most comforting. There is a whole lot of power in our words and to quote Uncle Ben (gotta love Spiderman!), "with great power comes great responsibility." Have you been an EN-courager or a DIS-courager?

Burning Questions:

1. We talked of the importance of encouragement when God has called us to task.
Has a lack of encouragement or even ridicule ever taken you back to a place of
insufficiency you thought you had conquered?

Oy. Yes. I can say from experience that I would much rather people beat me up than tear me down. There is nothing quite as defeating (or deafening) as ridicule from someone who should be supporting you. It is especially cruel when it comes from a fellow Christian who looks at you and echoes all the insidious little whispered bouncing around in your head. Isn't it sad when Satan uses our words to hurt our brothers and sisters in Christ?

2. Is there someone you know right now who is attempting a new ministry that
could use a world of encouragement from you? Why do you think this thing may be scary for her? Will you commit to write a note, make a call, or send an email
with a dose of courage inside?

Yes, and done.

3. Read Moses' song in Exodus 15:3-18. What line speaks to you most? Why does it touch you?

Ex 15:17 You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance—the place, O LORD, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, your hands established. It's the idea of sanctury that gets to me. Sanctuary to me is a "place" to rest and worship in absolute security and more than anything, I need to feel secure. Truth is, I don't really. Is that wrong? I don't know.

4. Based on the applications of living either inside or outside the Promise,
where would you now say you currently reside? (As I read your answers, if this
one point seems to have been confusing, I'll elaborate in a separate post. Again
remember I am asking this question in terms of abundant living and not in
determining salvation.;))

Hmm... surprisingly enough, I have to say IN. I have some really ugly moments, but my battle isn't really unbelief anymore. My battles are overcoming all the baggage that years of doubt and disobedience have left behind.

5. If you are 'Somewhere in the Middle' between the girl you were and the one
you want to be, how do you plan on changing that? Is there a barrier you feel
you can't climb? Knowing God is for you and this study group is for you, is
there a way we can help?

More time in the Word. More time in prayer where I am actually listening to God's direction rather than trying to tell Him how it is going to be. I have allowed my past to be a huge barrier... I need to let God take it down with a bulldozer or one brick at a time; whichever it has to be.