The purpose of The Internet Café is to unite women of faith, regardless of our stage in life, our roles as women, our hair color, our political party, or the church we attend. We believe that one of the best ways to do this is to encourage each other in faith, by our spoken and written words accompanied by a short study each day to challenge and motivate you.
Most of our devotions are written by regular monthly contributors but we do accept submissions...
A Woman Inspired was a vision birthed in the heart of a small group of online friends whose mission was to minister to women online. It all started with the successful venture of a home education online conference and it just took off from there. The first A Woman Inspired Conference, Get Revived 09′, was held on April 6-9 and we had a record breaking number of women registered and even more set free from bondage and inspired to live the life Christ died to give to us.
The ladies at A Woman Inspired know that you want to simplify life so we've created this FREE toolbar just for you!
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Our mandate is given in Exodus 18:20. God wants us to teach our children His principles, His thoughts on family, His plan for our future. Those are His mandates that must be taught at home. Every parent is a teacher. This is not a just a homeschooling conference but also a parenting conference. Please join us for this fun, informative, and encouraging conference from the convenience of your own home!
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
Psalm 51:10-15, The Message Bible"God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile; put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I'll let loose with your praise. "
I remember standing in a Macy’s department store, trying on jewelry and out of the corner of my eye catching a glimpse of a young woman across the aisle. I instantly loved her outfit and thought, “I would totally wear that!”
Turns out, I literally would wear that. The glimpse I caught of the woman was actually a reflection of myself in a mirror across the way. Can you imagine? There I was trying on gorgeous bracelets, locking eyes with some girl and for a split second the girl staring back at me seemed like a stranger in a cute outfit!
My reaction when reality dawned was priceless. I laughed for the next two days over that ‘blonde’ moment and blamed it on low caffeine counts in my blood. (Although, you should know, I am not blonde and am rarely without caffeine!)
I wonder if you have ever come face to face with yourself and not recognized who you saw. Perhaps not quite as ridiculously as I that day, but have you ever just sat back after doing something regretful and thought, “What was that? Who am I becoming?” or “How could I have just made that decision?”
Sin has a way of staring us down. It wants us to know just what we have done and how ‘bad’ we are. The enemy has a real knack for tempting us into something wrongfully appealing at the time and then turning it around into a blame game the moment we have given in. He is titled the Accuser for a reason. Day and night he not only accuses God before us, he accuses us before God!
The most humbling of moments in my life have been when I am sprawled out face down on the floor speaking to my Savior, “Make a fresh start in me. Shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life… breathe your holiness into me…bring me back…I will praise you.”
The powerful reality of the Cross of Christ is that we are never too far-gone for forgiveness. It is still just as accessible this day as it was on the very first day Christ arose. What was offered to the disciples is offered today to you. The sinful cords that once entangled us are still broken! Death has been defied. Christ is alive. And there is nothing that can separate us from the redeeming work of Christ Jesus, overflow to the many.
These days I am finding I don’t want to recognize myself in the mirror. Every day I am praying I look more and more like my Savior and less and less like a woman of this world. Let us find our identity in Christ. It is my very heart’s desire to see us whole and holy before Him.
So many times I miss the mark and fall into sin. Breathe your holiness into me! Create a new beginning in {this area} of my life. Help me to embrace your forgiveness and live out the promise of redemption you have given me in Your Son, Jesus.
Before You alone my lips let loose praise. Lord, I thank you for your life-giving ways.
Amen.
Before You alone my lips let loose praise. Lord, I thank you for your life-giving ways.
Amen.
Questions for reflection:
~What “identity crisis” moments have you had lately? What lies would the enemy have you believe about yourself?
~According to Scripture, who does Christ say you are?
~In what ways today can you focus your mind on the redeeming power of the Cross and the forgiveness Christ’s blood has made available to you?
~What “identity crisis” moments have you had lately? What lies would the enemy have you believe about yourself?
~According to Scripture, who does Christ say you are?
~In what ways today can you focus your mind on the redeeming power of the Cross and the forgiveness Christ’s blood has made available to you?
Amen, my hearts desire.
Loved your focus. It does all begin in our minds doesn't it? Assaulting those lies is the answer and God has given us the perfect weapons to shoot them down.
Aren't you glad that His mercies are new "every" morning! I can't wait to look in the mirror and see nothing but Jesus! Though it may not be until we all get to heaven. But it's a goal to strive for here on earth. Great post and so true.
Blessings,
Kim
It's like the words fall straight from His mouth to your pen. Just what I needed to hear this morning. Thank you for your honesty.
Oh Kristen. I need a Genesis week! Thank you for this reminder. That's one of my favorite verses from the Message. Thank you Kristen! Thank you!
"Shape a Genesis week from my chaos...". Are you kidding me? Boy, that's good. I wish I had written it! That one phrase alone could preach a thousand sermons.
Identity crisis moments...had one just a few moments ago when my husband came home from church (I went to early service). He commented to me about a particular person being in church this morning. Now, without too much detail, a long ago situation involving this person and my husband left a few scars on our family. I've never quite recovered.
Thus, the person I so want to be was quickly dashed to shreads the moment I heard his name. What a quick leap from holiness to sinfulness. God help me! Yes, bring a Genesis moment to all my many moments of an unrecognizable self.
Great thoughts, Kristen. Thanks for sharing your heart.
peace~elaine
Hi, I think mine is a type of midlife crisis. My sons are old enough to take care of themselves. I can tell my body has aches and pains that it never had when I was younger. I also don't feel like making myself look the best I can. Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
Thank you for this reflection. I so needed it. It reminded me of a quote from Amy Carmichael - "Breathe on me breath of God;
Fill me with life anew."
Amen!! I haven't like who I have seen in the mirror lately, I need to go back to the mirror and say..
'Girlfriend..We need to take this up with the Lord.lol Thanks for this beautiful reminder of paying attention to what we reflect when we look at ourselves. Hugz Lorie