Ephesians 2:4-5

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),...

Ephesians 2:1-3

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 

am I being too nosy?

Okay, so here are a few more fun questions:

1.  What are a few things that you DON'T like so much?

2.  What is your "religious background"?  (In other words, what religion, if any, were you most closely related with as a child?)

3.  Who is your favorite musical person or group?  Whose music do you listen to?  (I'm sure there's a more correct way to word this, but I just can't think!)

Hope your Sunday is full of worship, fellowship, and rest!

Week 2: {Reflection}

How has your week been?  Time to reflect.  Remember the reflection questions?

1. One important lesson I want to remember from this week's reading would be: ___________

2. I feel God wants me to learn: __________

3. I am going to put my faith into action by: ______________

Now, before I bore you with my ramblings, I wanted to remind you that our first time of fellowship is this Sunday (tomorrow), January 29th to begin after we all get out of church (12:30ish or whenever you can).  The invitation is open to all ladies and their families.  We will be having soup and bread/rolls.  I will make the soups and the bread, and I would ask that if anyone would like to bring something, they can bring a dessert or a drink or whatever they think would go with soup.  Please let me know if you plan on coming so I can plan accordingly.  Thanks.  Hope to see you then! 

Well, I must say that my week has been quite interesting and frustrating and most of the time feeling quite chaotic and out of control especially with the echoes of whining voices, the ear-piercing cries of a babe, and a husband working some very loooooooooong hours.  Saying that I appreciate this study and all of you ladies holding me accountable to be in God's Word would be a huge understatement.  I want to thank you, ladies, for the encouragement I have had throughout this past week reading your comments, learning through what the Holy Spirit has been teaching us, and having that feeling of being accountable.  I'm pretty sure if I was not in God's Word daily and offering my burdens and frustrations up to the Lord throughout this week, I would have ended up devastating any respect my kids have for their mama, lost my mind, and checked myself into the asylum.  BUT, what is so cool is that the Lord knew I would need these verses to remind me that He is above all things, He is in control and that I am not, and that I can rest in the hope of His calling, the riches of His inheritance, and the immeasurable greatness of His power!  I must say that He even taught me a thing or two amid the unstoppable whining and crying.  The Lord reminded me that He deals with that kind of behavior constantly...especially from me.  (I can't imagine what it would be like for the Lord to have as many children as He does that behave just as badly as me yet He still loves and cares for us with such goodness and gentleness!)  How many times have I whined and cried to my Father over and over and over again?  And, how many times has He said, "You are OKAY, or it will be OKAY.  I am in control.  I love you." and I just never wanted to stop and listen?  Whew!  What a lesson that I continually need to learn!

I know that the Holy Spirit is working among us teaching and growing us up into who we are to be in Christ.  It has been so exciting to see!  It seems as though we all want to know God more and more and be obedient to what He desires us to do.  So, I found it quite interesting that we ended this week thinking on and being challenged to be Christ's body and to show the fullness of Him to all.  While I can't even begin to entirely grasp and know exactly what that looks like, I am challenged in that we as believers are to work together to reflect who Christ is to the world.  With that said, I would ask that we pray that the Lord perhaps lead this group of accountability partners into something we can do together to reflect who God is into this world.

Now, here are a few highlights from the encouragement we received from each other this past week:

• How often do I mention fellow believers in my daily prayers. Sure I pray for my husband and my children but God doesn't want me to stop right there
• Are there brothers and sisters for whom I have stopped giving thanks to God? Paul "has not stopped." Paul describes the Ephesians as loving ALL the saints. Have I stopped praying for them ALL? Satan is so good as keeping us busy with life so we forget to be effective prayer warriors! Lord, help me to keep my focus on the things of heaven.
• Sometimes I wonder if I have a faith that people would even know about, and I can only hope for the prayers of the faithful to help me be bold in sharing that faith in the right times that God provides.
• We must be praying for each other to become more like Christ! Lord- I want to have you in every part of my life today and everyday! Help me to continually want to learn about you and become more like Christ!
• I have been so caught up in my own things lately that I realized that sometimes I forget to think that others want the same things I do. I've wanted so badly to have the time to spend getting to know God better, and now I want to pray for each of you to be given the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that YOU may know him better. How powerful prayer can be. And by the way, I just want to say thank you for all the prayers you ladies are saying for this group. Even though we haven't met and aren't talking in person...I can feel it! It's so neat to see how God is working even through the internet!
• WE are what God looks forward to enjoying forever!
• When we know that God the Father and His Son Jesus have this much power, and we truly believe it, we know we have nothing to fear in this life! God is in control over all things!!
• When all of life's stuff seems to get in the way help me to reflect on your word.
• Wow - we can go about our lives with so much peace!
• It is so easy to go to God with all the big things, but I need to give the little everyday things to Him too.
• How Awesome God's power is! Lord help me to let go of all my worries and fears today. You are in control!
• We need to work together as the body so that we can show Christ to the world...as the church, not just as individuals!
• I wonder if sometimes God feels like his body (the church) has had a stroke.... and parts just aren't working properly
• Good Morning Ladies! (This phrase never gets old!)
• This is truly transforming my prayer life for the believers.
• This morning's passage helps me to remember what I should be focusing on, even when life gets crazy...the hope God's calling, the riches of His glory, and the surpassing greatness of His Power. When I focus on those, there is nothing to get me down or to stress over.
• I had a wonderful time of worship this morning. As often happens, this verse triggered from my memory a worship song. "Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart, I want to see you, I want to see you. To see you high and lifted up, shining in the light of your glory. Pour out your POWER and love as we sing Holy, Holy, Holy." Amen 

So much encouragement!  So much to relate to!  Keep going, ladies!

Hope you have a great weekend! I'll see you tomorrow!

Ephesians 1:22-23

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 1:20-21

...which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Ephesians 1:18-19

...the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power...

Ephesians 1:17

...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,...

Ephesians 1:15-16

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

announcement & fun questions

I am excited to announce...our first get together!

I would like to invite all ladies AND their families to our home on Sunday, January 29th at 12:30ish or after you get out of church.  (If you have obligations after church, just come whenever you can!) 

We'll just have a pot-luck fellowship...

I haven't decided whether to have soups and bread or the we provide the meat and everyone brings a side dish or dessert kind of a thing.  What do you all think?  I'll fill you in on all of the details later in the week.

Please let me know if you plan to come and how many so that we can plan accordingly.  Hope to see you then!

If you need directions to our home, just let me know, and I'll get them to you.

Ok, now for some more fun questions:

1.  What Bible version do you mainly read/study out of?

2.  Do you prefer coffee or tea, and how do you normally order it?

3.  What is one of the nicest things someone has ever done for you and/or your family?  (This question came from Nathan - it was challenging when he asked me - so you can thank him for the thought-provoking question!)

By the way, if anyone has a question they want me to ask to get to know the other ladies, please let me know.  I would love to work it in.

Have a restful Sunday worshipping the Lord and enjoying your families! 

Week 1: {Reflection}

Hi, Ladies!

So...how did your week go?  Did you make it through all of the first 14 verses of Ephesians?  I hope that you did and that you found much knowledge, encouragement, refreshment, and renewal of faith in them.  If you did not make it through all of them, don't be discouraged.  Be happy with the verses you did get to read and study and just pick up where you left off. 

As part of the study guide (if you printed it out and are following it or not), there is a reflection time where we are challenged to reflect over the whole week we just completed.  The 3 points of reflection to ponder are as follows:

1.  One important lesson I want to remember from this week's reading would be: ___________

2.  I feel God wants me to learn: __________

3.  I am going to put my faith into action by: ______________

I must say I have been blown away over this past week.  The encouragement I have received through God's Word and through my fellow sisters who are walking through these verses with me have been beyond anything I ever imagined.  As I've read through and dug a little deeper in these first few verses, I have just fallen more and more in love with our Lord.  God is so good and loves me (and you), even in spite of who I am and how I am.

For fun, I wanted to share some highlights of the comments everyone made this past week.  If you are reading this and are on the fence as to whether to join in this study, just hear some of the encouragement you would have found this past week.  The Lord has used these women's words and hearts to encourage me and bless me SO MUCH this past week, and I know He will use and bless you the same way.

• I have been bursting with excitement to have some direction/focus in my devotion time.  How refreshing to start anew this morning with purpose in His Word.
• How freeing to live a life designed by God!
• Do I listen to the Holy Spirit all the time?
• ...when we as believers are going to be gathered up together makes me think of all my family and friends who don't know Jesus as their Savior...I pray for more boldness and courage in my faith to share it with others.
• Good morning!
• What a great reminder that nothing we do can earn God's salvation or make us deserve it.  It's something that he knew forever ago and already covered our sins.
• Reading you ladies' comments gives me the goosebumps!
• God's challenge for me today...do I ooze those same words of encouragement [love, pleasure, glorious grace, freely given, beloved] to all I encounter?
• I pray today that I will learn to trust in the Lord more and not to lean on my own understanding.  Help me to bring glory to your name Lord!
• I will strive to have a pez dispenser of grace type of day today.
• He knew all of our flaws and sins that we have committed and have yet to come, and still chose to adopt us.
• ...my favorite word today is LAVISHED.  It isn't just grace that is LAVISHED upon us, but the RICHES of His grace.
• Help me to live a more Holy life for you Lord!  Thank you for choosing me.
• Press on fellow princesses as we go about the daily "cinderella" tasks of our homes looking up to heaven knowing our king loves and cares about us...
• Have a wonderful weekend ladies!

Now, tune in tomorrow for an announcement and a few more "fun" questions!  Grace and peace to all of you this weekend!

Ephesians 1:13-14

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:11-12

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:7-10

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth - in Him. 

Ephesians 1:5-6

...having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:1-4

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,...

here we go (with a little fun)!

Are you ready to be challenged and taken a little out of our comfort zone (in the comforts of our own home)?  Are you ready to be willing to open up and be a little vulnerable?  I AM (I think)!  I will be praying for all of you ladies as we embark on this journey through Ephesians together.

I thought we could start things off with a little bit of fun (not that studying God's Word is NOT fun)!  BUT, fun as in a few questions to answer about yourselves so that you get familiar with commenting to posts, reading others' comments, and so that we can get familiar with each other!

Here we go!  Please comment on the following 3 questions:

1.  What is your favorite color?

2.  What is your favorite thing or things to do for fun?

3.  What is your favorite Bible verse or favorite Bible character?  (And for bonus, if you want, why?)

I am so excited to get to know all of you ladies better, and I am thrilled to see how the Lord works in each of our lives over these next few months as we dig in to the book of Ephesians!  Get ready because the real fun begins tomorrow!  I can't wait!

For those not familiar with the way blogs work...to comment, you simply click on the spot directly underneath the post where it shows the number of comments that have been made.  From there a window will pop up where you can read everyone's comments and you can see the spot where you can make a comment, too.  Please let me know if anyone needs any help with the way all of this blog stuff works.  Have fun!  

welcome!

WELCOME to Keeping Us Accountable! 

This blog is here to keep a group of like-minded, Jesus-loving ladies accountable...accountable to God, each other, and our families...  We need to encourage each other daily to be reading and studying God's Word, to be praying for those people and things that are on our hearts, and to be obedient in what the Lord desires us to do and be.

The idea for this blog originated from ideas and concepts found at goodmorninggirls.org.  We will be participating in their study throughout the weekdays (Monday through Friday) from January 15th to April 15th, and we will be reading and studying the entire book of Ephesians.  You can find the complete study guide here. 

How this will work is as follows:

1.  Follow this blog so that all who are participating can be praying for each other as we journey through this study together.

2.  Print off at least pages 3 and 4 (if not the entire thing) of the study guide.

3.  Read and study and pray over those verses outlined on the Bible study schedule for that day. 

4.  After you have studied the Scripture, come to this blog.

5.  Here you will find a post of that day's verses with a comments section under the post.

6.  Click on the comments section and share what is on your heart...you can share what the Holy Spirit has taught you through the day's passage or this study in general, share a prayer request that you want us to pray about, share your prayer for the day, share a question you may have from the study, or just share some words of encouragement. 

7.  Remember we are here for each other to build each other up and help one another...just do as you feel the Lord is leading you.

So, starting on Sunday, January 15th, we will have a test post with a few fun questions to get to know a few little details about one another and to see how this may work before we dig in on Monday.

I'm so excited to be sharing and going through this experience with you all!  This is new for me and quite possibly new for you too so bear with us.

Oh yeah, and I hope to include a few fun things along the way so that we can get to know each other even more!  Have fun and keep following the Lord!