Blog by Carley Hanlon
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.”
Do you ever find yourself feeling disqualified, unsatisfactory, or alone? If you are anything like me – I’m sure you have at one point in your life or another. But don’t worry, I HAVE GOOD NEWS! No matter how inadequate, left out, alone, or broken we may feel, God can and WILL use us to enhance and grow His Kingdom. Think about some of the women in the Bible who were completely written off until God won their heart.
Miriam was a gossip
Martha was a worrier
Sara was impatient
Rahab was a prostitute
Leah was ugly
The Samaritan woman was divorced
And this is just to name a few…
I think we can all relate to at least one or more of the above statements. As women, I believe we continue to tell ourselves lie after lie, that is simply untrue. We tell ourselves we’re not strong, confident, powerful, beautiful, humble, kind, smart, welcomed or loved, and that we’re a gossip, a worrier, impatient, ugly, and worthless. We allow these negative thoughts to constantly come across our minds on a regular basis without any conviction at all. We are the conductors of criticism and the masters of malice (most of the time towards ourselves). We compare ourselves to everyone around us and expect God to do miraculous things in our lives. While in the midst of it all, God is waiting for us to remember that we were made in the image and the likeness of our Father (Genesis 1:26). We were perfectly knit together by our creator down to every meager detail. In a room of hundreds of people, we can still feel alone. We feel as though we don’t relate to anyone else around us. We get so caught up in our own pity parties, become self-absorbed and forget that there is an unending world out there. God is constantly knocking on our door, pleading with us to tell our community and the nations about Jesus. We are called to share with others His never ending mercy, His abounding grace, and His unfathomable love. Sometimes, we need other women to come along side of us, hold up our arms and remind us just how loved and precious we are. This is just what Devoted Conference is for. Devoted was created for women to step away from their everyday life for a couple of days, and set aside time to worship and connect with our Father collectively. Each and every year at Devoted I am reminded just how important my role is in seeing God’s Kingdom advance. As much as we all belong in community, fellowship, and friendship together, more than that, we need each other.
In case you need a little reminder of who God says you are…. My first piece of advice would be to make sure you are at DEVOTED CONFERENCE!
A daughter of the king [Galatians 3:36]
A God-fearing women [Proverbs 31:30]
Redeemed [Ephesians 1:7]
Loved [Isaiah 43:4]
Beautiful [Psalm139:13-16]
Free [John 8:36]
Transformed [Romans 12:2]
Victorious [Philippians 4:13]
and… YOU BELONG
Ephesians 2:19 MSG
“That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.”
Let’s pray: Thank you God for your never ending mercy, abounding grace, unfathomable love. Open my heart and my eyes to attainable ways to access these free gifts that you continually pour out on me. Thank you that you will place me in a community of beautiful women who will stand by my sides, and hold up my arms in times of trouble. Remind me, that at the end of it all, you are still the King of the World and you hold everything in the palm of your hands. I am expectant to hear from you at Devoted Conference and for you to strengthen my confidence, passion, and inner-beauty because of who you say I am. I love you not just for what you can do, but for who you are. I pray all of this in Jesus Mighty name, AMEN.
YOU BELONG at Devoted Conference 2017
Register HERE