Don't let the enemy steal your Christmas!

Hey, Sisters. It's almost Christmas. For some of us that's great news and for others... not so much - for a variety of reasons. More than telling you how to finish preparing or how to get through or make the most of whatever, I want to pass on a reminder God has given me today.

Don't let the enemy break in and steal your Christmas.

Let's take a lesson from that classic (albeit painful to watch) 1990 Christmas movie Home Alone. You know the story. There are a couple of bumbling thieves looking for houses to rob during the holidays and 8 year old Kevin was accidentally left behind when his family left for France. He engages in a rather epic battle with the thieves. I can't watch it without cringing, but am taking some lessons from Kevin today!

1. Thieves are out there waiting to take advantage of packages left on porches and presents left in cars or houses unattended. They don't take the holidays off - that's when they work even harder! The enemy of our souls and our families doesn't take the holidays off, either. Satan's army (which is still in our world today, btw!) is looking for opportunities to take advantage or our stress, fear, grief, illness, and busyness. We are more vulnerable when we forget that.

2. Kevin figured out he was being targeted and if we are Christians, we have an enemy who wants to steal, kill, and destroy our joy, our peace, our families, our relationships, our budgets, our hearts, and anything else breakable. We are more vulnerable when we ignore that - even during Christmas!

3. Kevin ended up defeating his enemies by being wise and prepared. Let's seek God and listen to the Holy Spirit. Let's ask the Lord where we're vulnerable and how to best prepare our homes and hearts and families for this weekend. Pray and PRAISE God for making us wiser and stronger than our enemy by the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit of Christ Jesus alive and active in us.

If we remember we have an enemy - a spiritual thief wanting to mess up our celebrations of the greatest GIFT ever, and if we remember to guard our spiritual houses (our hearts!) I truly believe our Christmases will be better than they would be otherwise. May it be so for me, my family, and you, and yours. Amen.

A few more thoughts...

I got to preach at Butler last Sunday! It was a first for me, but I didn't have a good reason to say no when Pastor Scott asked. So I did it! If you'd like to hear my thoughts on Mary and Elizabeth (and Zechariah and Anna and Simeon) you can watch right here (or below) or listen on the Sister Studies podcast.

A few years ago I shared this Sister Studies reflection on advent and the irony of searching for the "perfect Christmas". It's a 12 minute listen you can find here (or below).

 

May your Christmas be full of whatever God has for you this year... peace, light, hope, love, comfort, and joy.

With Much Love,

Melissa

Sister Studies: Discerning the Voice of God Session 2 (November 2022)

November Sister Circles are meeting this Sunday 11/13 at 9:15 in the youth room, and Wednesday 11/16 at 10:30. (The Friday pm meeting date this month is to be determined.) (Join us! Click here to sign up!)

I hope you've had a chance to watch last month's videos and to read last month's study lessons in the book. They were so rich and such great preparation for this month's study. (Find all of the study posts here.)

If you have a copy of the Discerning the Voice of God Bible study book, you can follow along with the Session 2 viewer guide on page 39 of the book. If you don't have the book, you can print a copy of the viewer guide for this session using one of these links: 
Session 2 Viewer Guide with "Fill in the Blanks"
Session 2 Viewer Guide with Answers

Before you watch the video:

• Read Genesis 22:2-3. What comes to your mind when you think of the word "obedience"? In what areas of your life are you sensing God asking you to make changes in order to follow Him in obedience?
• Read John 16:5-15. Think about the Holy Spirit's role in your life and about your thoughts in general about the Holy Spirit. 

SIGN UP FOR SISTER STUDIES EMAILS HERE AND WE'LL SEND YOU AN EMAIL WITH A LINK TO THIS MONTH'S VIDEO.

After you've watched the video, here are some other questions to consider.

• What, if anything, in the video teaching challenged the way you currently view the Holy Spirit and His work in your life? How have you seen the Holy Spirit work in your life up to this point? Are you willing to adjust your preferences and decisions as the Holy Spirit leads?
• Remember the "Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light" illustration. What times can you think of when the Holy Spirit has led you in a similar way and you've experienced good results when you obeyed?

Holy Spirit, we need You. We need your guidance and strength. We need your power and wisdom. Please help us to grow in hearing and responding to your voice. In Jesus's name, Amen!

Keep an eye on your email (or here) for a mid-month bonus post in a couple of weeks. If you have the book, we'll be reading through pages 40-69 in the next few weeks.

May God bless you as you seek His face, His heart, and His voice.

Much Love,

Melissa

Obedience is a Seatbelt and a Seed (Fall Sister Studies Session 1 Bonus Recording)

Hey, Sisters!

I have a question for you. When you hear the word "OBEDIENCE" do you cringe, either because you don't like to obey or because your kids or students don't obey you? Hang on… don't click away just yet. Yes, God calls each of us to obedience but it's a BLESSING, sometimes like a seatbelt that protects us and sometimes like a seed that grows in surprising ways.

I hope you have watched the first teaching session for Discerning the Voice of God, where Priscilla Shirer teaches on the importance of deciding IN ADVANCE that we will obey whatever God asks of us. (If not, you can look for it here!)

In this BONUS recording you'll find...

• an overview of what Priscilla discusses in the study book that goes with the first video.
• stories from Shelly Spencer about getting obedience right... and wrong!
• a few extra thoughts to encourage you on the way.

Listen to the audio only in your favorite podcast app or here...

Watch the video here or click here to open it in a new window.

For more information about joining a Sister Circle monthly group, visit https://www.butlerchurch.org/sister-circles

May you experience God's richest blessings as you walk by faith in obedience in the days and weeks to come.

~Melissa

Sister Studies: Session 1 (October 2022)

Hello, Sisters! Here is Session 1 of our study for this year, Discerning the Voice of God with Priscilla Shirer.

If you are joining with a Sister Circle, you may want to watch this video ahead of time. (Some groups will watch the video together and others will just discuss the questions.) 

October Sister Circles meet October 9, 12, & 14. (Join us! Click here to sign up!)

If you have a copy of the Discerning the Voice of God Bible study book, you can follow along with the viewer guide on page 7 of the book. If you don't have the book, you can print a copy of the viewer guide for this session using one of these links: 
Session 1 Viewer Guide with "Fill in the Blanks"
Session 1 Viewer Guide with Answers

Before you watch the video, take a moment to think about these questions:

• What first comes to mind when you think of hearing from God?
• Does hearing from God come easily or has it been a struggle?

In John 5:30, Jesus says, "I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will."

• Considering Jesus as a model, what might it look like for us to submit to God's will in our everyday lives?
• Does this come easily to most of us? Why or why not?

SIGN UP FOR SISTER STUDIES EMAILS HERE AND WE'LL SEND YOU AN EMAIL WITH A LINK TO THIS MONTH'S VIDEO.

After you've watched the video, here are some other questions to consider.

• What resonated most with you from the video?
• How do you struggle with stillness and prayer? What can you do to intentionally practice stillness?
• Have you ever been reluctant to obey something you felt God was telling you to do because you didn't think God would "work" that way?

Father God, please soften our hearts and purify our wills so that we would desire to obey You more than anything. Help us to say, "YES, LORD." May we mean it with all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. In the Name of Jesus, Amen

Keep an eye on your email (or here) for follow up posts throughout the month. If you have the book, go through the first "week" of the book (Days 1-5) and we'll look at Session 2 together in November!

(November Sister Circles will meet November 13, 16, & 18.)

May God bless you as you seek His face, His heart, and His voice.

Much Love,

Melissa

Fall 2022 Sister Studies and Sister Circles with Priscilla Shirer!

Hello!!!!! It's been a couple of months and I'm so glad to be back with some exciting news! Sister Circles and Sister Studies are back! Butler Church Common Ground Women's Ministry leaders (that's me, Shelly Spencer, and Helen Ens) are excited to announce we will be going through the Discerning the Voice of God study with Priscilla Shirer this year. (No, sorry, Priscilla Shirer won't be joining us in person, but we'll get to watch her on video!) If you have ever heard her speak, you already know it's going to be so good! If she's new to you, I can't wait to introduce you to this gifted woman of God.

Check out the Discerning the Voice of God Bible Study Trailer here!

You can engage with this study in several different ways.

1. Join a Sister Circle! We have 3 Sister Circles that will meet once a month to watch and/or discuss the videos. One will meet on a Sunday morning, another will meet on a Wednesday, and the last one will meet on a Friday evening at Starbucks or another location. (This month we'll meet October 9, 12, & 14. Pick the one that's best for you!)
2. Watch on your own online. I'll be sharing the videos here on the blog so that they can be accessed any time during the current month. (Due to copyright restrictions, they can only be up for a limited time.) Make sure you have signed up for the Sister Studies emails (see link below) so you don't miss anything. 
3. Get a copy of the Bible Study book. You don't have to have the book to participate, but you'll definitely get more out of the study if you do! We have a limited number of books available at church for a discounted price, but you can also order one on your own from any book retailer. (Just be sure you get the correct version. It should look like this. Not sure if you want the book? Here's a sneak peek of the first chapter shared by Lifeway.com.)
4. Watch for additional content! Hopefully at least once a month I'll be sharing an extra bonus video based on what I'm learning from the book as well as what others are saying they are learning. (We would love to hear from YOU!)

SIGN UP HERE so you can get the emails and/or join a Sister Circle!  The first study video will be in your email tomorrow!

May God bless us all as we seek to hear His voice in the coming months.

By His Grace,

Melissa

Let's Keep Praying!

We're over 1/3 of the way through our Summer Prayer Friends 61 Days of Prayer! I just wanted to share a word of encouragement with you as you continue through this summer project of praying for a friend for 61 days. Click below or here to watch.

It's easy to feel like we've lost our momentum, but God can help us keep going! And our goal isn't a perfect daily prayer record, it's connecting with each other and connecting with God more than we were before. So let's keep going! If you haven't been in touch with your SPF this week, give them a call or send them a text and ask how you can pray for them and share how they can pray for you! 

Want some help? 

PRINT THIS SHEET. Write your friend's name(s) on it and let these prayers inspired by Colossians 1:2-6, 9-10 help you pray for your friend(s) this week. Keep it or tape it up somewhere you'll see it often.

CLICK HERE and SAVE THIS IMAGE on your phone and set it as your lock screen so when you turn on your phone you'll be reminded to pray for your SPF.

(If you missed anything or want to see it again, you can see or print all of the prayer prompts for June here.)

Praying with and for you,

Melissa

SPF 61 - Summer Prayer Friends has started!

Many of us want to pray more for our friends and we all need prayer! Sometimes we get busy and forget or it can seem like there are so many things and people to pray for that we don't even know where to start - so we just don't. I believe, though, that God hears our prayers and responds - even if our prayers are brief! If they are offered in faith, God listens and loves to hear our requests.

 
I want to help you pray this summer. Just think - if you take ONE MINUTE a day to pray for someone, that will add up to an HOUR of prayer by the end of July. What a gift!

What's even better is when we also SHARE with others so they can pray for us, too. THAT'S what being part of the Body of Christ and Family of God is really about.

I'm creating prayer prompts that can help you pray. I may be in over my head to try to do this for every day of June and July, but I believe in prayer and I know this is going to help me pray for my friends, too. So it's worth it.

I'll be sharing the prayer prompts on Instagram in my stories. Look for them at instagram.com/melissamayens/

To see or print all of the prayer prompts so far, click here.

Blessings to you as you pray!!!

Beyond #Blessed - Lent 2022

It's so easy to look at our lives or the lives of others and think we know what it means to be BLESSED, whether we feel like we are being blessed as much as others or not. But what if there's more to being blessed than having a nice home, happy family, and flawless instagram feed? Let's see what Jesus has to say in Matthew 5.

This recording is part of a series to help us walk with Jesus through Lent and toward Easter. You can watch it on youtube or right here:

You can listen to it here or on your favorite podcast app. 

May you be TRULY BLESSED beyond measure as you seek God's kingdom this spring.

~Melissa

(If your podcast app doesn't host the Sister Studies podcast, let me know and I'll add it!) The original recording shared here was made in February 2019 for the Sister Studies blog. 

Passing the Test (Luke 4) - Walking with Jesus - Lent 2022

Hello, Sisters! Temptations test us all the time. How do we pass the tests? Let's learn from Jesus as He is victorious over Satan in the wilderness.

A couple of weeks ago I shared that I was working on something special for Lent. (Read about it here if you missed that post.) The recording I'm sharing today was made in February 2019 as I was reading through the Gospels. I'm encouraged to see again how Jesus faced temptations and want to encourage you to think about a few things the next time you're struggling...

FIRST, pray and ask God these questions...

1. Holy Spirit, what is the temptation I am facing? Am I being tempted to give in to discouragement? Jealousy? A specific sin of some kind? We know exactly what Jesus was tempted to do in Luke 4, but sometimes it's harder to identify the specific temptations we are facing. God can help us understand what's really going on.

2. Lord Jesus, what does Your Word say about this temptation? If a relevant scripture doesn't come to mind, search online for a verse about what you're facing or, even better, ask a friend!

3. Father God, what do I do? Ask for direction from God about how to resist the temptation you are facing.

SECOND, submit to God, ask for His strength to obey, resist the devil, and tell him to flee! Remember James 4:6-10 (NLT):

6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

Watch the video below or on youtube...

Or listen to the podcast version here or on the Sister Studies podcast.

May God bless you as you continue to walk with Jesus through Lent and toward Easter!

Much Love,

Melissa

Walking with Jesus - Lent 2022 series

 

Hello, Sisters! It's been awhile since I last posted anything, but I'm excited to be working on a couple of videos and other posts for Lent. In case you're not as familiar with the season of Lent (it wasn't something my church observed while I was growing up!), it starts on Ash Wednesday (this last week) the month before Easter and goes through Palm Sunday. Lent is a time for repentance and remembering Jesus's time in the wilderness before His ministry began. The intent is to prepare our hearts for remembering Christ's crucifixion and celebrating His resurrection.

As Pastor Scott shared after Ash Wednesday, it's tradition (and not a bad idea!) to fast from something during Lent. Fasting isn't about not messing up or impressing God (or others) with our sacrifices. It's about seeking God and remembering we need God and that we often depend on other things to satisfy our longings, whether we realize it or not. Over the years during Lent, I have fasted from things like sweets, coffee, social media, and TV. This year I felt led to fast from sleep!  Don't worry... I'm sleeping, but I'm waking up earlier than usual so I can spend extra time with God. 

Have you thought about doing anything special during this season to prepare your heart for the coming of Easter? Something I'd love to encourage us all to do is take some extra time to READ THE BIBLE during this season. If you don't already have a Bible reading plan for this season, I'd love for you to consider joining me by reading through one (or more) of the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John - in the New Testament to see Jesus again as He lived and walked on earth. Easter is Sunday, April 17, so there are 6 weeks between now and then. No matter how you count it, if you start this week there is plenty of time to read through Matthew (28 chapters), Mark (16 chapters), Luke (24 chapters), OR John (21 chapters). As you read, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart and show you things you haven't noticed before and. It's what God longs to do, so I know He will answer!

Back in 2019, when the Sister Studies blog was new, I based several of the studies off of the books of Luke and Matthew and I'm excited to share them again as part of our Lent series. I'll be posting the videos on YouTube and audio on the podcast so that we can learn from and listen to Jesus in the weeks to come leading up to Easter. I hope they will be a blessing to you! 

May God bless you as you seek Him these days - however He leads you. He loves you so very much!

Love,

Melissa

New Years, New Mornings, New Mercies

Hello, sisters! How are you doing now that we're almost 3 weeks into January? This year has started off with a bang for my family - literally! On January 3rd, my husband was driving through an intersection when someone ran a red light and hit his car. It's really a miracle that the car was totaled and he walked away with some bruises and aches and pains, but nothing broken or severely injured. A half-second one way or the other and the results would likely have been unimaginably different. I shudder to think about it. God is indeed merciful, isn't He? Every morning - and not just on January 1st or 3rd - God has new mercies and grace waiting for us. I'm so, so glad.

Due to dealing with the car accident hassles as well as a job transition I'm making, I decided it was a good month to pull out another recording from the Sister Studies archives! This one is from January 2019. In this recording, I'm reflecting on Lamentations 3:22-24. I am encouraged by the prophet Jeremiah's determination as he turned his mind AWAY from the trouble surrounding him and the people of Israel and turned his heart TOWARD God's faithfulness. That's where he found hope and where we can find hope as well.

Watch here: Video Link

Listen here: Podcast Link

Here are some questions you can consider as you listen.

Do you have a “Word for the Year” or goals or resolutions for 2022? 

What do you want to learn about this year? How do you want to grow?

Jeremiah turned his mind AWAY from the troubles around him and TOWARD God's faithfulness. What do you need to turn your mind away from? How can you practice turning your mind/thoughts/heart TOWARD God?

Next month's recording may be new or it may be another archive recording. We'll see!

May God bless you as you finish out this first month of 2022 and may you see and experience his mercy everyday.