Encourage, Equip, Empower

Each month our very own amazing writers from South Texas publish a series of blog posts written with you in mind. Our desire is to encourage, equip, and empower you through stories, experiences, and insights from our writers and from God’s Word.

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  • Press In

    The word “prayer” tends to evoke images of demure bowed heads in a silent cathedral except for the low reverent hum of an organ thrumming out “Amazing Grace” in the background.  I think that’s why so many people find it a hard concept to grasp.  “How do I talk to God?”  Sometimes, in church circles,…

  • Hannah Prays

    Are you a woman of prayer? This may seem like a loaded question, but this is something I’ve been asking myself lately. I used to keep a prayer journal with me and write in it every night before bed. I would pour my heart, soul and sometimes tears into those pages. After writing out my…

  • A Father’s Love

    Do you think it’s true that most women end up marrying men that share their father’s traits? Well, in my case I believe it. Both my father and husband are funny, always going back and forth with the “dad jokes”. They are both loving and affectionate. I’ve seen my father give a hug and kiss…

  • On The Rocks

    "The Lord God said, "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."" (Genesis 2:18 NIV)

    Women are fashioned for relationship, aren’t we? From our first few nursery friends all the way until our red hat society outings, we are formed for connection with others. One of the primary ways we experience relationship is through marriage. And it turns out, marriage is far more challenging than we expected.

    On the blog this month, we’re discussing marriage: specifically how to handle the relationship when we hit rough waters. Our response in crisis is critical because our marital health affects our spiritual health, and vice versa. We need to tend to both entities with great care.

    Marriage is a living organism that requires a lot of attention. It typically starts out wonderful, but at some point we realize it’s labor intensive to communicate and appreciate and stay connected with our spouse. Have you noticed how both parties have to remain committed to that effort or things start to fall apart?

    One of my favorite movies from my childhood is the Swiss Family Robinson. It’s an old school Disney movie that definitely warrants an ‘outdated cultural depiction’ label, but for me, it’s a classic.

    In the very beginning of the film, a Swiss family has decided to leave high society for a new life in New Guinea. Somewhere along their journey, they are chased by pirates into a terrible storm. In the height of the gale, the father prays that God would spare them. 

    The family awakens the next morning to find themselves alone in the remains of the boat washed against the rocks. The captain and crew have not survived. The family remains intact, but in danger. The crashing waves and unforgiving stones are proving to be a destructive combination. The Robinsons have to make a plan and that plan would have to include everyone’s effort if they are to survive.

    Marriage is like this. Sometimes we get chased by pirates. We, too, may flee from the bad guys into the darkest, deepest storms, praying to God for safekeeping. We might also wake up and find that our once strong marriage is now on the rocks. The waves keep coming, the sharp edges continue to batter storm-weary shipmates. We, also, face a choice: make a plan and work together or face certain destruction on our own.

    Have you been there? Where your marriage which once provided joy and companionship and strength and refuge has suddenly become a source of deep and frightening pain? Where you feel exhausted from the pirates and the storms of life and maybe even betrayed and battered by the words and actions of the one who pledged to love you most?

    Every marriage has been there.

    If you haven’t, you haven’t been married long enough.

    See, we usually enter marriage under enchantment. Two people fall in love. We make a lifetime commitment to each other. The skies are blue. The sea is calm. It’s smooth sailing for as far as we can see.

    Until the pirates come.

    The sea of life has all kinds of pirates. Pirates can be debt collectors or inlaws or bosses or any number of circumstances that can effectively chase us into storms. We don’t even have to encounter pirates for the weather to change. Suddenly that beautiful, tropical marriage Utopia that we had anticipated has become a raging sea of emotions and trouble and backbreaking water-bailing to just keep from capsizing. 

    We can and will move into disenchantment; where we start to see some flaws in Romeo, or we realize that we aren’t fair Juliet apart from our daily beauty routine. And if we allow our marriages to crash against the rocks for too long, we might never grow into the marriage God intends for us; into maturity.

    Friends, we will all have stretches of smooth sailing, dark & rainy seasons of epic storms, and crushing days where we are washing up against an unforgiving shore.

    How do we rescue our marriage from total destruction? How do we move past the pounding waves of disenchantment into maturity? How do we navigate the dangerous waters of conflict, disconnection and even disinterest?

    We begin to salvage our marriage when we recognize we need divine help. As Mr. Robinson called on God to spare his family, we make our requests known. God is deeply concerned with our union. He longs to see our family succeed. Just as He rescued the Robinson family, He is able to redeem our story, too.

    In fact, Revelation has specific instructions for restoring our union. Next week we’re going to wade into the choppy waters together. Until then, take the time to cry out to God on behalf of your marriage. Invite Him into your downpour or pirate chase. Ask Him to send the strategy and resources your marriage requires to survive this season.

    “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears.” (Psalm 18:6 NIV)

    “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters.” (Psalm 18:16 NIV)

    Lord, sometimes we feel like our marriage is not the blissful union we anticipated. The marauders and squalls and treacherous outcroppings of life have proven far more challenging than we anticipated. We require Your assistance if we are to stay the course. Help us, Lord, because we cannot salvage the ship or crew on our own. Give us a strategy and resources to rescue our marriage from the rocks. Redeem our relationship in a way that brings You glory. Amen.

  • Putting Fashion into Focus

    “13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:13-16 NLT)

    We’ve talked a lot about focus this year. Focus is not just a spiritual goal or biblical discipline. It is a coveted practice the world over. Something that everyone wants to get a handle on, believer and non-believer alike. Why is it so desired? Because it may be possible to attain a desired outcome or destination, if you maintain a single focus. How does one even go about attaining a fixed focal point?

    Before we answer that question, let’s rewind it a little bit and talk about you. You were known, loved, chosen and adopted by God before you were even born.

    “4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. 9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” (Ephesians 1:4-11 NLT)

    He lovingly created you with intention and purpose. Our key scripture says that God knit you together in your mother’s womb. Have you ever observed the process of knitting? It can’t be done without the artist’s attention to detail. One cannot knit unless they are looking intently at their craft with focus. And not only that, He took the time to write out your entire life, literally every single moment of it. God laid out your journey in its entirety, before you were even born.

    Just stop and think about that for a moment. Let’s say you have been breathing on this planet for 28 years. Mathematically, there are 83,536,000 seconds in one year, and you have been around for 27 more years than that. That means that your heavenly Father who created you, took the time to lovingly plan out every one of your 883 million, 8 thousand moments that you have experienced so far. What about the next 883 million, and the 883 million after that? He thoughtfully and creatively planned your entire life. Every. Single. Moment. You were adoringly and meticulously fashioned by the lover of your soul. You were shaped and your life was invented by a God who thought about every aspect of your being, and even went so far as to write it all down in your very own book. And more than that, He was lovingly looking on as He fashioned you, and I imagine that He was smiling with excitement and anticipation the entire time, just like a master artist might do.

    So now, back to our original question: How does one go about maintaining a fixed focal point? Knowing what you know about the detail and intention that your heavenly Father has built into every crevice of your life, why would you not want to keep your focus on Him? Realizing that you were flawlessly fashioned by a master artist who loves you more than anyone on this planet ever has or ever will, should compel you to stay in His presence. I would rather be with someone who unquestionably knows me, loves me and cherishes me, than with anyone else, any day of the week. You see, friend, my soul longs to be in proximity with its Creator.

    Living with the confidence that you were devotedly designed and are infinitely loved by God changes everything. Your focus no longer becomes a chore or a task. The fact that you were fashioned by Him creates an unending fountain of love, joy and gratitude.

    Interestingly, friend, it is also liberating. You no longer need to scratch, claw and strive to find what to focus on, or how to force your attention to submit to your will. Knowing you are loved will compel you to look to Him. Understanding you were created with purpose will cause you to stay close. Realizing you are chosen will drive you to reciprocate the devotion. Grasping that you were bought back from the enemy because God is so in love with you that He does not want to miss out on another relationship moment with you will enable your heart to be settled in Him.

    Living with the confidence that you were designed by God changes everything. Your focus no longer becomes a chore or task. You no longer need to scratch, claw or strive. Knowing you are loved will compel you to look to Him.

    April Jones

    You will rest, daughter, knowing that He has everything under control. You will be at peace, friend, realizing that His plan is better than yours. You will breathe, child, understanding that God smiles when He looks at you. And you will sleep peacefully, dear sister, comprehending that every moment in your future has already been assigned a perfect plan.

    Focus on Him. Relax and let your heart, mind and soul drift to the only One who is truly worthy of it all.

    Father, I am in awe of your incredible attention to my design and purpose. You chose me and purchased me back from the throes of sin and I am happy to be eternally grateful for your sacrifice. Thank you for loving me, even when I felt unlovable. Although I realize that I can never repay you, I am going to live my life trying. I can’t wait to see you face to face, to feel your arms of love around me and to live with you forever. Until then, I choose to live a life of contentment that is focused on You. In Your precious name, Amen.

  • Kingdom Work that Produces Fruit

    “55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-58 NLT)

    One of the big questions that I hear often from Christians is regarding the concept of works, or the things done for the Lord. There are misconceptions surrounding the subject of outward Christlike actions, and it may be difficult for you to find the truth.

    Like most believers, you may realize that there is literally nothing you can do to earn your salvation, knowing that your Godly actions contribute 0% to your eternal destination. However, you might struggle to live that out in your daily walk. Why do we humans continue to feel compelled to do more and act bigger, in hopes to gain the attention of God and others? Although you know in your mind, and maybe even in your heart, that you cannot earn even one iota of Kingdom credit, you may find yourself working to earn personal favor.

    There are a myriad of reasons why you may find yourself in this insane, never-ending cycle that feels like a mouse in a spinning wheel that never goes anywhere. Maybe it’s out of a deep need to be wanted, or it could be because of an unhealthy fear of God, church or religion, or perhaps it’s simply a desire to have everyone around you think that you are the best. Whatever the reason, your fleshly desires may seem to win out over your Godly purpose more often than you would like. So what is a good Christian girl to do?

    Let’s look back at our key scripture. The first verse starts with Paul sharing what’s going to happen when evil is ultimately defeated and all is finally resurrected and restored to its former glory. And then he goes on to explain why. He says that sin produces death, and sin is empowered by the law. But that’s not all. Paul gives thanks to God because Jesus Christ has given us the victory over both sin and death. You may need to read that again. You have been given the victory over sin and death!

    That’s why I love what Paul says at the end of 1 Corinthians 15. We read it in the New Living Translation above, but I want you to read that last verse in the The Passion Translation as well.  “So now, beloved ones, stand firm, stable, and enduring. Live your lives with an unshakable confidence. We know that we prosper and excel in every season by serving the Lord, because we are assured that our union with the Lord makes our labor productive with fruit that endures.” (1 Corinthians 15:58 TPT)

    Your Godly actions then, are not a human endeavor to help out the One who created the infinitely expanding universe. I believe we would all agree that He does not need help from you or from me. Nor are they a vain attempt to show off or appease Him. God is insulted when our actions are born out of a motive to pay homage to a higher power. No, your Kingdom service is to be an outflow of your love, thankfulness and devotion to a kind, patient and merciful Heavenly Father. Your actions need not be coerced or forced. Simply put, your Godly actions are to demonstrate on the outside, the love that you have for the Father on the inside. They are to be a byproduct of your confident trust in the One who knows you the best, and loves you the most.

    So what’s the key to living in abundant seasons of Kingdom service and producing the kind of fruitful labor that endures? This verse is clear that it is only through your union with the Lord. And how do you stay joined to Him? Look at the beginning of the verse: you must be resolute and unwavering as you continue on your path toward God, without pause. How is that possible? It goes on to say that that kind of determination only comes from a confidence that refuses to be shaken. A confidence that comes from a child who knows the character of their Father well. A confidence in the knowledge that although humans are not perfect, He is, and He has an amazing plan.

    You don’t need to do anything to earn the love of your Father. His love for you and commitment to every detail of your life is unchangeable. Immoveable. He refuses to ever stop loving you. Even for a second. He doesn’t love you more when you’re serving Him and He doesn’t love you less when you fail or disappoint him. Nothing you do or don’t do could ever change His adoring heart that longs for constant relationship with you.

    It is a devotion born out of this undying love that compels a loved child to reciprocate that love and commitment. And that, dear friend, is the bottom line on the age-old confusion surrounding Christian works and duty to a distant deity versus Christlike love and devotion for your Creator and Lord. Loved people know how to love because it has been modeled to them on an extremely personal level. And it is the expression of that love that inspires them to give back in any way possible.

    Adored children, adore. So what is driving your service? If it is not a grateful heart that genuinely wants to return the love that you have received, then I would submit to you that you are not completely allowing God’s love to fully penetrate every area of your heart. Open yourself up to His perfect love and receive it with sincere gratitude. Accept God’s love without condition. You are His. You always have been and you always will be. That is amazing. And that is enough.

    Accept God’s love without condition. You are His. You always have been and you always will be. That is amazing. And that is enough.

    April Jones

    Loving Father, You have never left me nor abandoned me and I know that You never will. Your love is undeserved, yet You abundantly give it without reservation. I am humbled and sincerely grateful. Not only do I no longer desire to live my way, I realize that it is impossible. I am only truly alive when I am living saturated in Your love. Help me to fully accept and receive your limitless gifts of love, devotion and purpose. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  • Communication is Key

    “5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.” (Romans 8:5-6,9a NLT)

    Knowing what deserves our God-given time and attention can sometimes be confusing. We know that as a child of the King, our energies are best placed in things that edify the Kingdom, as well as those things that yield Kingdom returns. But we can’t see into the future and we aren’t always exactly sure which path will ultimately lead to the Highway of the King. Just because we know the basic difference between right and wrong does not always mean that we have all the answers, or even which choice is right. Many times we are faced with a dilemma that has multiple options that seem good. Those types of situations can sometimes be the most frustrating to navigate.

    Look back at our key scripture. As a child of God, you have received the amazing gift of the indwelling of His Spirit. That means that the Spirit of God is in control. I am going to assume that as a believer, you have likely been on a long journey of gradually identifying selfish ambitions and carnal, fleshy desires, and you have methodically been letting go of the things that keep you from fulfilling your calling. I expect you have also been learning more about the character and the heart of God, and with each passing moment you are growing and becoming more able to discern His will. But how do we apply that to everyday life?

    I want to share with you a spiritual principle that I have been implementing for quite some time now, and it has been such a blessing in my life. When I’m not sure which decision to make, I walk out these God-confident, Spirit-led steps of faith. But I must warn you, these are not white-knuckled control tactics of human analysis. Obsessively analyzing your situation will not bring about spiritual clarity. It is quite the opposite. These are spiritual principles that will enable you to evaluate your heart, your situation and your calling, to ensure that you are destined for God’s will.

    • Pray to the Father, letting Him know that you are not sure what to do, but you are going to trust Him to show you the way
    • Listen for little cues and whispers from God that may help you make the right choice, but even if you feel like you don’t hear anything, realize that God can choose to use anything to lead and guide you into the right path, so keep your spiritual eyes and ears open to receive a nudge from Him that could come at any time, from any place or person and in any way that He chooses
    • If you still don’t feel as if you have direction from God, stand on the promise from Romans 8 that His Spirit lives inside of you; choose a path that seems wise to you, based on what you know of the Father, His character and His heart
    • While you are on the path that you have begun, continue to let God know that you truly want to do His will, not your own, and ask Him to make it clear if you begin to go in the wrong direction
    • As doors open in front of you, walk through them as you continue to pray to the Father, reiterating your trust in Him
    • Continue going through the path that unfolds before you, knowing that God’s Spirit is within you, He is guiding you and He will comfort your human heart as you journey
    • Be prepared to continue going forward or to pause at any moment, as you receive fresh revelation from God on a continual basis

    Does this mean that you will never make a mistake again? Of course not. You will fail again, and it will happen more than once. But another thing that will happen is that you will begin to more clearly recognize the voice of the Lord. Each time you follow Him with childlike trust, you learn more about His ways, His will and His amazing plan.

    Not only that, God is bigger than any mistake you could ever make, and He is already on the scene, taking care of any unwanted ripple effects. This only happens when you have a heart that longs to do His will, not yours. Remember the takeaways from the scriptures we read last week?

    • Even when you stumble, you won’t fall.
    • If your motives are pure, you will receive from God what you have asked for.
    • God will grant your heart’s desire, if you take delight in Him.

    God is bigger than any mistake you could ever make, and He is already on the scene, taking care of any unwanted ripple effects. This only happens when you have a heart that longs to do His will, not yours.

    April Jones

    Applying God’s will to your everyday life is a simple concept at the core. Staying in constant communion with your Creator is the key. You must continually pray, share, ask, wait, follow, listen, walk and be open to what He is saying and where He is leading. 1 Thessalonians encourages us to pray about everything, to let God know what our needs are and to thank Him for all that He has done. You should never stop talking to the Lord. Tell Him everything, and continually thank Him for His goodness.

    Trusting in God to lead you is extremely liberating and it will unentangle you from the chains of indecision, insecurity, fear and doubt. You will walk in freedom, knowing that your loving Father has an amazing plan for your life. You will live with the confidence that even if you trip, He will lift you up and continue to love you, teach you and bless you as your trust in Him deepens and your God-confidence grows. I can’t think of a better way to live. Pray with me as you begin to integrate this spiritual principle into your life, and allow it to become part of your identity. One that reflects the power and the work of Jesus Christ.

    Heavenly Father, I trust Your plan and Your will, not mine. I have been known to make a mess of things in the past, but I am relinquishing control to You now. I vow to stay in constant communion with You and to share with You my needs as I put them in Your hands. I will continually thank You for Your infinite goodness and Your lovingkindness that never ends. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  • Desire-Driven Destination

    by April

    “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” (Psalm 37:23-24 NLT)

    As we get closer to the end of the year, let’s talk about the concept of spiritual focus a little bit more. There are many biblical passages that directly or indirectly address the concept of focus, or being committed to maintaining a fixed position or mindset.

    Before we dive into that, however, let’s talk about how focus affects your daily life. First of all, it is driven by your wants and desires, and that focus then steers your end game, or your destination. Have you ever wanted something so badly that you made sure that you got it?  It could be something as small as a pair of shoes, as insignificant as a monthly maid service or as grand as the purchase of a new home. You prayed, you scrimped and saved, you prayed again, maybe you even cried and begged, but ultimately you were determined to get that thing you wanted.

    Do you see the pattern here? There is a burning desire that causes you to maintain a focus on a particular goal, and that fixed mindset leads the way for the dream to hopefully become a reality. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always give us exactly what we want, so the destination is a toss-up. You have a 50/50 chance of getting what you really want, because we all know that sometimes the thing that we thought we wanted doesn’t ultimately turn out for the best.

    Recently, our family finances took a shift. When our two oldest children decided to waylay college for a year or two, their college paths became dangerously close to child #3 graduating from high school, so we are now the proud parents of three college students and one high schooler. Not only are we almost total empty nesters, but both of our paychecks, as well as all of our gifts and income are being funneled to a university, to ensure that our three oldest children are able to stay on campus. They have received grants and scholarships and have taken out student loans. Additionally, we have taken out parent loans, and sent in a lot of money to the college besides. All because we want our children to start their adult life with the foundation of a four-year college degree. We are convinced that there is no price tag on the education that our children will obtain as they begin to distance themselves from their childhood to become solid, healthy adults and receive a quality, biblically-based university experience. So my husband and I are doing whatever it takes to facilitate that goal, but we still haven’t arrived at the final destination. We are currently in the middle of the journey and we do not yet know if our dream will become a reality, because we can’t see into the future.

    So what is the takeaway for believers? That’s where God comes in. Let’s read what the Bible says in James 4 regarding our desires. “2 You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” (James 4:2b-3,5-6,10 NLT)

    It is clear, therefore, that desires can come from two very different places. They can either come from a place of selfishness or they can come directly from God. The key to receiving the outcome that we desire, is to make sure that we are focused on a desire that has come from the heart of God. “3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.” (Psalm 37:3-5 NLT)

    “The key to receiving the outcome that we desire, is to make sure that we are focused on a desire that has come from the heart of God.“

    April Jones

    When you trust God, do right and entrust every action into His care, He will be there for you. You will be protected, you will experience increase, He will grant your desires and He will be present to help you. The spiritual principle is actually very simple. When your desires come from God, He loves to pour out His rich and abundant blessings in your life. Friend, together let’s seal this God-ordained focus in our hearts and minds today.

    Father, you know me better than I know myself. You see into the very depths of my heart and You know what lies in the crevices of my soul. Help me to wait on You, knowing that You have the most amazing plan in store for me—something that is far beyond the best that I could ever imagine for myself. I resolve to trust You as I listen to the gentle call of the Holy Spirit as He places those divinely-inspired desires in the corridors of my heart. I pray that I will continue to trust Your goodness and lovingkindness, even as I wait to see Your plan unfold. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

About STX Women

We are the Women’s Ministries branch of the South Texas Assemblies of God.

Women across South Texas desire a community where we celebrate each other and share each other’s burdens.

Together, we walk out our God-given purpose in our family, church, and community!

Our passion and love for Christ unite us to reach the lost at home and across the world. 

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