A Magnolia's Heart Beats

Chapter Four
What Happens When Women Walk in Faith

Some quotes that stood out to me (all from Lysa TerKeurst, of course).

Walking with God will indeed take you to amazing places - but it won't always be where you thought you wanted to go, and the road won't always be easy.

We must choose to leave first. We must see by faith the
rewards ahead and then move toward them.

During the time of famine we will have to dig deep,, drawing our sustenance from God's Word.

Remember, this journey will be a lot less about the places He eventually takes you and much more about the relationship He establishes with you along the way. He wants us to communicate with Him every day through every thought,
every step, every victory, every defeat, every question, and every assurance.

This believing time is vital, for it will carry us through other tough times to come. It will remind us, assure us, comfort us, and motivate us that God is to be trusted through every circumstance - even the coming death phase.

Our heart must beat in tandem with His. The only way for that to happen is for us to constantly take our dream to Him with open hands and willingly declare, "Yours. Yours. Yours!"

Our job is not to figure it all out, manipulate it into being, make the contacts, guard it fiercely, and stake an unwavering claim on it. God started it. God is faithful and more than able. God will finish it.

Or did He trust that if God allowed the dream to die, He would certainly resurrect it as well? God provided a ram as the sacrifice for Abraham, and He provides it for each one of us as well.

Our greatest satisfaction will come when we stand in awe at what God accomplishes as we simply walk in faith.

Leaving the old behind and being willing to move into God's best for me and my dream as I journey through faith is hard. There are things I want to hang on to, but it's all about trust. I trust God enough to provide for the sacrifice of the things I leave behind. Old habits, fears, an aquaintance who is holding me back....I trust God and commit to walk in faith with Him as I pursue the calling He's drawing me toward.

I will step out with a new heart and a new faith, a fresh vision from God and run toward His arms, holding my dream way out in my hands...to Him.

Chapter Five

Some quotes that stood out to me (all from Lysa TerKeurst, of course).

"In this new place of sacrifice and surrender, God will take you outside your comfort zone, and you'll learn to depend on Him like never before."

"The more we really believe the truths God calls us to believe, the more we will take chances with God. We can press through the pains of the famine and find comfort in knowing that God has a good plan even in our discomfort."

"Something in us wants to believe that God could have great thrings in store for us too."

"When we are willing to embark on a life that requires faith, we are more aware of God and His ability to provide for us in every detail of our lives."

"Faith is learned through life."

"If we live our lies unaware of God in the small things, we're probably living unaware of His presence in the big things as well. How vitally important it is for us to surrender our hearts to God and ask Him daily to reveal His plans and perspectives to us so we don't miss His activity and His glorious plans for our future."

In the Personal Bible Study section, I read Psalm 15 and Psalm 24:3-6. As Lysa said, "These two Psalms reveal some of the character qualities God looks for in His people. Those these qualities are not possible in our fleshly nature, with God we can aspire to be righteous because He is at work within us." In reading 1 Samuel 16:7, I was reminded how God looks at our hearts, even though man looks on our outward appearance. How often do I look at my outward appearance or my "self"ish actions, rather than making sure that my heart is in tune with God, striving to be beautiful and full of willingness to stretch my faith for Him? I try. I fall short, but praise God for His grace and His spurring me on through godly men and women, His Word, and His Holy Spirit.

After we've left the things behind we need to in order to press forward toward the faith God is calling us to, we often go through the season of famine. I praise God that I know I won't be left there, but there are lessons to be learned in the famine. For me, it's a time when I'm pushed to rely on what I do have, not what I am lacking. What I never lack is Jesus. He is always at work within me, and uses this season to grow me toward the dream He has placed in my heart.

May I spend my time wisely and seek His face during this time. May I look toward His blessings and the hope for the future.

Head on over to Leila's blog to see what the other women doing this study are saying. You will be blessed, indeed!