Friday, March 5, 2010

Recap for week 6 - BF

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Recap for week 6 of Breaking Free



How are you doing Ladies?  We are half-way through and I’m feeling like I’m going to have to do this study about 4 more times because I’ve just got that much stuff – talk about strongholds!  I lurved our discussion time and how much feedback several of you have shared with me after class.  And to answer Nancy's question, most likely I will be leading something for summer - not sure what yet but I am thinking even of doing BF again for those who were overwhelmed in the beginning and have gotten behind in their homework.  I know how easily it can be to say... "Oh well forget it, I'm done.  I'll never catch up now."  Yet in all honestly, your not done - your still miserable.  Ideally, I’d love to camp out at week 6 for a loooooooooooong time and really go through all the wounds that have not healed to truly Break Free!  I'll share one with you...

One thing surprised me this week because I never looked at it as a stronghold before now.  I spent a HUGE portion of my youth ALONE, hence the phrase “Latch-Key Kid”. I would walk to and from school every day and had reign of the house until my family came home around dinner time for many, many years. At the time I loved it… hours and hours to myself to read books and the television was my best friend – hence my babysitter - so it’s no surprise that I love movies and I think in terms of a movie reel when I am reading my bible and imagining Gods word played out in movie scenes.

To this day I still enjoy my solitude but I came realize this week in our homework that the stronghold is this…. being so independent and responsible for myself at a very young age has made me unable to easily depend on others, including God. I’ve come a long way since my salvation in believing He will take care of me, but giving up control has not easy. So when we got to the section on what our dreams were (….be a bride, be beautiful, be fruitful and live happily ever after), I KNEW I wanted children and KNEW I had to be married for that, but I didn’t dream about being a bride. Even though I was a youthful boy chaser and pretty much always had a boyfriend, I didn’t dream about my husband to be, I dreamed about my future children. I struggled through the entire Songs of Solomon homework trying to imagine me as the Bride of Christ with that kind of intimacy. It’s a stronghold in that I have transferred that same “independent will” as I live today.

This week we focused on verse Isaiah 61:3 = “and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

Let’s breakdown the first portion of the verse to something we can understand and apply today:

And provide (we don't have to worry, God is bringing it to us) …

for those who grieve (anyone who has suffered any kind of loss.. think “Ashes” here)…

in Zion (in where ever you live)…

to bestow (to present as a gift)... on them a CROWN of beauty, instead of Ashes.

I’m sure most of us have more “ashes” than we want to remember in our lives but we have a PROMISE that whatever our “ashes” are, they are going to be lifted off our shoulders and we’ll be able to stand tall with our heads up to receive the freedom that comes with the crowning!

Let’s pray…

God, I come against the Enemy right now in the name of Jesus Christ who has aimed his fiery dart of LIES from the pit of hell, that any woman who believed any lie told to her about her dreams. I ask that you would give us supernatural understanding to have the peace in our hearts to KNOW that we KNOW that we KNOW our dreams, our security, our dependency and our beauty rests in the eyes of Jesus Christ. Father, we praise you for giving us the most beautiful Crowns for being daughters of the King. In Jesus name, AMEN.

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5 Cha Cha Bloggers left a comment:

steviewren March 5, 2010 at 10:24 AM  

Okay, now you've done it...your words about the Bible verse have made me tear up. I feel like I've lost so much in the last 12 years, dreams of being loved by a husband, my kids getting married and moving out of my home and then 2 of them away (2 hours and 13 hours). Now my daughter's husband is interviewing out of state...but I'm not thinking about that because I'm not sure how I will bear it if she moves away too.....Okay, now I'm making myself cry even more.

No more ashes please God.

steviewren March 5, 2010 at 10:24 AM  
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ChaChaneen March 5, 2010 at 10:11 PM  

Awwww Stevie I wish we were closer so I could give you a big hug!  I want to encourage you that despite your many ashes, you are and will continue to grow to be a better person- healed- from those experiences. You hold that beautiful head up of yours and receive your crown!!!  Despite where your children are and go, you will still mentor other young women, like myself, just by being you. I pray that God will bless your family abundantly and you will always be in close proximity where you all live.  You are lurved girlfriend!

petra michelle; Whose role is it anyway? March 7, 2010 at 7:16 AM  

Amen.

p.s. When you had mentioned you received the BBC production of EMMA, I had to place it in my Netflix queue. Just watched it. It was absolutely wonderful and what a production! I watched it three times before returning it!

Have a wonderful day, Janeen! :))

The Brown Recluse (TBR) March 11, 2010 at 12:50 PM  

I didn't have very much alone time when I was a child, which I would have loved, like you.
I've been blessed my whole life, have had all I've needed, and that soemtimes interfers with trusting God for my everything.
I've definitely had my strongholds. He's working on me.