Bless Us, O Lord...

I feel like a terrible person for admitting this, but I kinda chuckle at certain people when they pray because I know what they're going to say. When I was a teen, one of our youth leaders always started her prayers with "Lord God, our Father and Savior." Another person I know always starts his prayers thanking God for Jesus and the salvation we have through him. My dad ends his prayer for dinner with, "bless this food to our bodies and us to thy service." Jeff always closes with "I/we love you, God. Amen."

But you know what, as I'm chuckling at the predictability of these prayers, I'm overlooking the powerful things being said. These people praying are addressing God in a way that reminds them of who God is and shows our need for Him. 

[Galatians 1:3-5 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.]

Did he just say... ??

You ever overhear a comment that seems completely bizarre, but once you hear what the people were talking about it's not so strange?

This week we are going to begin studying the book of Galatians. In order to understand what's being said, it's important for us to know who wrote it, to whom it was written, and to understand the reasons for why it's written. Otherwise it might seem like some bizarre comments being made.

[Galatians 1:1-2: Paul, an apostle--not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-- and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:]

Who's the Gaffer?

Do you ever pay attention to the credits at the end of the movie? How about the author’s acknowledgements at the end of a book? Or the legal jargon at the end of business emails?

I really don’t. I watch the movie, but I don’t care who did the make-up and stunts, and if I want to know who an actor is, it’s easier to find it online. Books, half of you probably don’t read books, let alone anything extra at the end, right? ;)

[Philippians 4:21-23: Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.]

Along with skipping credits or acknowledgements, how many of you skip genealogies? How about the final greetings of Paul (or Peter or John)?

The book of Philippians was actually a letter Paul wrote the church in the town of Philippi. The words Paul writes were intended for real people. He wrote to teach them, encourage them, disciple them. The things he said were inspired, so they are just as relevant to us today. Through them we are also taught, encouraged and discipled.

In the verses in this chapter, we see some personal comments from Paul towards a specific person or two. Today we read his final greetings. There’s not a sermon with a 3 point outline based on these couple of verses. I don’t have some awesome application of these verses to our lives.

But God had Paul write them for a reason.

It’s easy for me to think that people had it easy in Bible times. I mean they didn’t have facebook or tv or all sorts of distractions like we do today. But these letters were written to people who had their own issues. Sometimes they got along, sometimes they didn’t. Sometimes they did what was right, sometimes they didn’t.

When you are reading the Bible, remember these people are real. They read this letter from Paul and had the option of whether to believe and obey what they read or not. You have that same choice. As we are finished reading through Philippians, are you going to choose believe and obey what you’ve read or not?

1. Skim through chapter 4 and find the names of some of the specific people Paul directs comments towards. Anything interesting jump out at you?

2. The ______________ of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

3. Take a minute and journal your thoughts about this passage:

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These are devotionals written for the teens. A handful of us are taking turns writing, so it may seem like sporadic passages. It all flows nicely for the teens in their devo books though.

Are You Content?

Pete aka “Drug Lord Pedro” aka Lauren & Michael’s dad, whatever you prefer to call him, used to be my youth leader back when I was in middle school. One day Jeff, Pete and I were reminiscing about those days and I said one of the few things I remember from then was Pete standing in the stairwell on the bus on the way to the Superbowl refusing to look at Christmas lights because it was before Thanksgiving. Pete was a little crushed that the one thing that I remember was so trivial and not some great lesson he taught or anything. 

[Philippians 4:10-13: I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.]

That’s a hard passage to swallow! Whether he's rich or poor, Paul's learned to be content. What does it mean to be content?

Contrary to what I may have led him believe, I actually do remember something Pete taught. He was probably teaching on the very passage you just read. He was explaining what it means to be content. Pete said, “Being content is desiring what you have.”

I don’t know about you, but I don’t always desire what I have. I don't desire day to day subbing or snowy, icy weather. I desire a real teaching job, a husband, a warm place to live. 

So what's the secret to being content that Paul discovered? "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." If I can be content with Christ – if I can desire my relationship with Him, the rest kinda falls into place. Not that life suddenly becomes perfect but if Christ is our focus, it doesn't matter whether we've got a lot or a little. 

1. Are you content with your life?

2. I have learned in _____________________ situation I am to be _____________________.

3. What is one practical step you can take this week to help you be content?

4. Take a minute and journal your thoughts about this passage:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are devotionals written for the teens. A handful of us are taking turns writing, so it may seem like sporadic passages. It all flows nicely for the teens in their devo books though.

She's Got Issues- Fear

Sunday School: “She’s Got Issues”    by Nicole Unice                                              February 15, 2015

Fear

Fear = a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid

Example of dog getting zapped: Fear in our lives has the potential to make us lie down paralyzed into rigidity, living a life that seeks comfort over risk and security overgrowth. (145)

Most of us have met a painful enough experience somewhere along the way that we know what fear feels like. But what we often struggle with is what we are to do with it. (145)

Many forms of anxiety are much more common in women than men. Anxiety is defined as an exaggerated sense of worry or fear, beyond what would be expected for the situation. If severe enough, anxiety causes a crippling inability to work, live, and relate to people in meaningful ways. The problem of anxiety is compounded because it is often a secret shame, one that most Christians feel they would not be dealing with if they were truly following Christ. (146)

[quiz]

Answering yes to any of the statements indicates you were dealing with anxiety. But if you answered yes to many of the questions, or recognized a behavioral pattern that is significant, growing, or has last several months, you may struggle with an anxiety disorder. (147)

Many people leave anxiety disorders untreated, assuming their lack of faith is the problem and that they need to keep quiet and get through it on the road. But the truth is, anxiety needs to be brought to the light before it can be addressed. Yes, God can help, and he will. But he's also the creator of medication, counseling, until the living – all of which she can use to help you improve your life. (148)

One of the best things you can do for yourself, for your family, and for the community you are in is to finish her anxiety head-on and deal with it. Doing so I can bring you great freedom. (148)

Low-lying anxiety can also be a symptom of great spiritual struggle with fear, miss trust or faith. (148)

Acting on anxiety looks like a brooding salt life, a worry some way of dealing with relationships, and a lack of phone or ability and openness with others. (148)

1) fear of suffering
-it is in our nature to avoid death and to try to keep ourselves from harm.(149)
-flying between commonsense an unreasonable here is the thing on. One person's full of shit this is another's phone for proof, look no further than bungee jumping. Activities that one person stays away from to spare herself pain may be embraced by another person who views that pain is tolerable discomfort for proof, look no further than marathons in the actual childbirth. (149)
-in addition to the fear of death, many of us fear emotional pain. (150)
-so often we present a happy face on the outside yet nurse difficult feelings privately. (150)
-her understanding of being a good Christian girl about no place in her heart for negative and powerful feelings like fear, resentment, grief, and rage. Negative emotions aren't to be feared that are often a place where you can experience God's light, which always overpowers even the darkest places of the soul. (151)

2) fear of failure
-we live every day to avoid the feeling that we tried, put ourselves out there completely, and didn't cut it. We weren't going enough. We can actually do it. (152)
-determined to avoid failure any cost, some of us make only safe decisions about life. We don't take the leap of faith because we fear the skinned knees of trying and not making it the first time. (152)
-The irony of failure and the panic can bring is this: failure might be gods ultimate expression of himself – his reminder that we are not, in fact, in control of everything. Powerful fears call for a mighty God. They remind us of the penis of our own strength. And it's often in the pain of the skinned knee and the crushed spirit where we experience that God is truly all we need. (153)

3) fear of rejection
We fear uncovering our true selves, allowing others to see who were really are – and then being rejected. (153)
-you and I have an inner yearning for that ultimate expression of belonging. (153)
-if we don't reckon with our pain and invite the only one who will never for sake us into that place, we may keep ourselves covered and never risk letting anyone see the real essence of ourselves again. (153)
-we may choose to expose only certain parts of ourselves that we deem acceptable, parts of us that haven't been rejected.(154)
-We reject parts of ourselves to avoid human rejection so as to avoid our deepest fear of all – the fear of being alone.(154)

4) fear of being alone
-"language… Has created the word 'loneliness' to express the pain of being alone. It has created the word 'solitude' to express the glory of being alone."(154)
-unchecked, the fear of being alone causes us to give up portions of ourselves to avoid loneliness at all costs. (155)
-solitude, it turns out, is fertile ground for sowing a deeper, richer relationship with Christ. (155)

All of us deal with fear. Anxiety is often a response to fear, our desire to do something about the fears we have. (155)

Anxiety is an irrational thinking pattern, often based on a rational fear. (156)

This relentless driving to relieve our anxiety forces us to remain focused on ourselves. And here is where fear becomes the problem. We miss opportunities to love, to grow, and to serve. We take the energy and passion God has put in is for change and we turn it into a cycle of self protection. (156-157)

[WATCH VIDEO]

Have you ever struggled with the tyranny of what if? As the what if's of our heart increase in volume and intensity, the pressure in our souls to do something about them also increases. When they go on checked, these internal voices run endlessly through various scenarios, spinning the same thoughts over and over, running like a hamster on a wheel in our mind. Anxiety is like a pressure cooker in our souls. The pressure of the what-ifs builds, and if the fears aren't faced, eventually we are ready to burst. (162)

-Beth Moore- answering the what-ifs, recognized she’d survive.

because anxiety is so prevalent in our culture and so overrated in legitimate fears, we often don't want to face the reality that anxiety is a direct path to sin. (162-163)
So when do are anxious thoughts become sin? When we allow the voice of anxiety to determine our thoughts, feelings, and actions. The object of our fear becomes the idol that we allowed to determine our actions. (163)

'More than 300 biblical passages tell us not to fear, but little relief will come to someone struggling with phobias if he or she is just told not to fear.  That is not  a sufficient answer. Such behavioral and legalistic approaches only create even more confusion and guilt. Although Christ is the answer, and the truth will set us free, the suffering saint needs to know how to connect with God and how the truth sets us free.' (163-164)

Her anxiety was not addressed by paying a counselor but by experiencing the free, invaluable presence of God by spending an hour with him each day. I realize that this is the stock Christian answer. You may be frustrated by the lack of how in this prescription... The more worries a part of your life, the more opportunities you have to spend with God. (164-165)

Freedom from pain: rolling in the deep
Every character, from Adam to Jesus, experienced physical, emotional, or spiritual pain here we find our first truth: suffering is inevitable. (165)

1 cor 15
-pain is still a part of our reality – but it is not the ultimate reality;
-pain will still hurt – but it cannot kill our soul;
-pain will come, and even be allowed by God – but he will always use it for his glory. (166)

God will play the ultimate trick on evil by using what was meant for bad and transforming it into something that leads others to recognize his existence and to worship him.

Freedom from the fear of failure: redefining success
The only thing worse than being rejected was not trying (168)
'I acquitted success with the attempts, not the mastery of the skill.'  (175)

1 Cor 14:1
when you're unsure about why we are making a decision – to keep ourselves safe or because it is a good, prudent choice – we can ask ourselves three questions based on this first:
1) am I making this decision out of love or out of fear?
2) Am I pursuing – and using – the gifts God gave me?
3) Am I proclaiming the truth? Do I know truth from God's word? Do I live by it? (168)

Freedom from the fear of rejection: choosing God's approval
Friend, your job isn't to make everyone like you. It's to glorify God with your life. That requires quieting your spirits that you can hear from God and be obedient when he speaks. (170)

Freedom from the fear of being alone: embracing solitude
'In solitude we discover that are worse is not the same as our usefulness.' (172)

Don't live in fear, live an authentic life. It won't be without pain and suffering, but it will be filled with freedom and joy. Accept your weaknesses and your strengths.

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We are studying the book She's Got Issues by Nicole Unice with the teen girls in Sunday School. These are my notes from the book. Just about none of it is my words-it's almost all quotes and paraphrases. I would recommend you read the book!!

Fit for Life

As most of you may know, I used to weigh significantly more than I do now. When I was 24, I went to the doctor and was told I had high blood pressure and either needed to start taking blood pressure medicine or lose 12-15 pounds. I lost the recommended 12-15 pounds plus an additional 75 pounds. I’ve kept off most of that weight for the last 5 years. People that have lost weight often talk about how losing weight is the easy part, it’s maintaining that weight loss that is tough. I’ve been feeling pretty confident in myself since I’ve maintained it for so long…Then, over this past holiday season I gained like 10 pounds. #fail

[Philippians 3:13-16: Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.]

There are so many correlations between a weight loss journey and our spiritual journeys.

In verse 13, Paul talks about forgetting what’s behind and focusing on what’s ahead. If you are focused on all the bad decisions you made to get you overweight, you can’t focus on moving forward and learning how to make good decisions. Similarly, if you are focused on the sin and baggage of your past, you may be missing opportunities to focus on Christ and move forward.

In verse 14, Paul talks about having a goal he’s reaching towards. Initially I lost weight so I wouldn’t have to take blood pressure medicine, once I lost that weight, my goal became having Wii Fit tell me I was normal (not obese). I have continued to set new goals as I meet previous ones. In our spiritual walks, we should have goals as well. Ultimately our goal is abundant life in Christ, but maybe right now that looks like addressing one specific thing and then another and then another. There are always goals we should be striving towards.

In verse 16, Paul says to keep living by the same standard to which we have attained. That’s like the maintenance stage of weight loss. Once the weight is gone, the habits formed need to be maintained to keep the weight off. Spiritually, it’s no different. As you are meeting goals-making a habit of reading His word, becoming more patient,  being nicer to your siblings-you can’t check them off a list and move on to the next one without ever thinking about the old ones again. We need to keep up those habits as we press on towards new ones. Otherwise we’ll gain back those ten pounds (literally and figuratively).

1. Are there any areas in your life where you accomplished a goal, but then fell back into it later?

2. What are some areas in your life where you have maintained a goal you accomplished?

3. Let us keep living by that  _______________ to which we have attained.

4. Take a minute and journal your thoughts about this passage:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are devotionals written for the teens. A handful of us are taking turns writing, so it may seem like sporadic passages. It all flows nicely for the teens in their devo books though.

She’s Got Issues- Comparison

Sunday School: “She’s Got Issues”    by Nicole Unice                                              February 8, 2015

Comparison

[take quiz]

Comparing ourselves to others starts out as a perfectly healthy stage of development… Watching and imitating is the way we figure out how to do things like kick a soccer ball or make a new friend. (114)

Social learning theory: we look to those around us to determine our own way of thinking, feeling, and acting. (114)

Good things can come from observing others, such as aspiring to be like your mentor (114)

Our ultracompetitive society encourages us to form an identity based solely on comparisons to those around us. (114)

Comparison is healthy when it challenges me to become a better person; it's toxic when it tells me who I am as a person. (115)

God doesn't grade on a curve. See Gen 4. (116)

Some places you might be prone to compare yourself with others include:

·     Appearance

·     Relationships (dating, marriage, friendships)

·     Support systems (family, friends, church)

·     Work/career choices

·     Money

·     Spiritual life

·     Intelligence

·     Social aptitude

If you checked items 1, 2, 9, and 10, you are looking at a parade through a peephole- which means seeing tiny glimpses and thinking we understand it all. (117)

Pain does not discriminate. Life happens. Jesus told his disciples "in this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33). (118)

The truth of real, messy life: that although we might look good on the outside, everyone has her own struggles to face. (119)

If you checked items 3, 4, and 5, your comparisons lead to emotional turmoil. (119)

if I let a little comment make me feel good about my life, I also allow negative comments to make me feel crappy about life. We don't preen and glow under compliments and remain unfazed by criticism. (121)

If you checked statement 6, 7, and 8, your comparison revolves around the statement "it's not fair."  (121)

Candy in a bag.

All morality develops from our interest in justice. Deuteronomy 32:4 says that all of God's ways "are just; a God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is he." But as we discussed in the control chapter, God's ways are certainly not like ours. The apostle Paul said, "now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror" (1 Cor 13:12).  (122-123)

Our own distorted perception of ourselves leaves us wondering if God has given us the fun-size candy bar wall and telling others with mega-king-size blessings. I'm beginning to understand that this way of perceiving reality withers my soul.  (123)

Comparisons are what keep me from fully knowing myself and being fully available to know the ones I'm in relationship with.  (123)

[WATCH VIDEO]

"most folks are about as happy as they make their minds to be." -Abraham Lincoln  (127)

Comparisons either make us feel better at the expense of knocking someone else down, or they make us feel worse about ourselves because we think someone else ranks higher than us.

When we decide to compare ourselves to another person to determine our worth or what we're lacking we're taking the role of creator and saying it is not good when God said it was good.

Comparisons turn our focus on ourselves. That self-focused blinds us to the needs of those around us. We become wholly incapable of the radical "love your neighbor" action that Jesus commands.  (129)

How to change your status:

step 1 – find your blind spots

if you keep yourself busy evaluating your life against everyone else's, you can conveniently ignore the real problems of your heart.  (129)

Step 2 – open your heart

remember our Bible study buddy Cain? His blame game helped him ignore his own reality (sin) while resenting another (blame). His actual problem centered on his own inadequacy, disobedience, and stubbornness before God. The prophet Micah talks about what God really wants from us when we bow before him. He says we can bring our offerings, sacrifices and good works, but what God desires is our humble heart (see Micah 6:8). It is when we come to him with hearts that are transparent and humble but he can lift us back up. It is in this exposed and vulnerable place that we are open to God's healing touch.  (132)

Step 3 – ignore everybody

Like runners

Step 4 – direct your sight

Matt 20 parable

You can be perfectly happy until you compare yourself to others… remember our Sunday school candy story? when those kids received their individual gifts, they were ecstatic. When they compared, they grumbled and complained. They were envious and resentful of those around them. They missed the joy of the gift because it was soured by ingratitude. The point of the Sunday school candy exercise was this: keep your eyes on your own bag. God has given us each great gifts, which will become obvious if we are willing to accept them with gratitude. (139)

Places of struggle are opportunities for God to show his transforming power. (139)

When I consider the question," are you envious because I am generous?" I better understand what God is saying to me. My life may not look exactly the way I planned, but I am grateful. God should stay king. He does a much better job of managing my life than I do. Choose to let comparisons go. (139)

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We are studying the book She's Got Issues by Nicole Unice with the teen girls in Sunday School. These are my notes from the book. Just about none of it is my words-it's almost all quotes and paraphrases. I would recommend you read the book!!

She’s Got Issues- Insecurity

Sunday School: “She’s Got Issues”    by Nicole Unice                                              February 1, 2015

Insecurity

How did we, such powerful, beautiful women, ever become so insecure? (76)

I had a hard time defining and security. It's a cloudy kind of word, with all kinds of associations and feelings hiding in it. It's abstract... They might not be able to find it – you know it when you see it! (76)


"An insecure woman is someone who talks with no opinion. She can expend an enormous amount of energy to avoid uncovering anything about herself. If she does give an opinion, she tends to pull it back or second-guess what she just said. I think she's someone who will sometimes joke about herself in a painfully self-deprecating way. When I'm around a woman like that, I get the feeling that she doesn't know who she is, or she doesn't like what she knows about herself. "(77)

It is almost laughable to ask if you struggle with insecurity because I believe we all do to a certain extent. So I invite you to take this assessment to discover how, why, and where your presents insecurity in your own life. (77)

[take quiz]

Insecure is the catchphrase for just about every issue one can face as a woman… Insecurity is like a mold in my kitchen: it's never welcome but it seems to crop up and all kinds of places. The difference is this: I would never let mold remain on my bread or in my refrigerator, yet so often we women readily accept insecurity like it's a normal part of life. (79-80)

Review your responses to the insecurity assessment. Are you uncomfortable? Do you wish some of them weren't true? Are you frustrated with some of the same issues you've had with appearance or approval since middle school continue to plague you today? Our emotions often to fire our logic! (80)

 We know all the right things, but the reality is, believing these things is much harder than saying them. Hollow platitudes that to nothing except make us feel worst! (80)

Blogger Rachel Held Evans says "my insecurities keep me from participating in meaningful relationships, doing things that are out of my comfort zone, and learning from new perspectives." (80-81)
Without facing our issues head-on, we miss out on some of the richest gift life offers, like growth, love, and adventure. (81)

4 distinct areas of insecurity: appearance, relationships, approval, and achievement

If you answered mostly true to 3,4,5 appearance maybe a place of insecurity for you
-we can't even evaluate ourselves objectively…

If you answered mostly true statements 1, 2, 9, relationships may be a place of insecurity for you.
-I'm all of us there is a part of our hearts that desperately seeks to be understood, supported, and delighted in; a part that wants someone to cheer us when we are discouraged, calm us when we are frustrated, soothe us when we are sad; and this part of our hearts can never be fully satisfied by one flawed human. (83)

If you answer mostly true to 7,8,12, approval may be a place of insecurity for you.
-because we measure our worth by the admiration of the person whose approval we crave, we seek to do more and more of whatever earns their favor. And as we do, we often stray further away from the realness of who we are. (85)

If you answered mostly true to 6,10,11, achievement is a place of insecurity for you.

Insecurity is related to the word snare in scripture… If your foot is caught in a snare, the more you struggle, the tighter the snare becomes… in Psalm 25:15, David writes "my eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare." (87)

Scripture points out that the only way to be truly released is by focusing our attention on God. (87)

Our love of the beautiful, our deep desire for meaningful relationships, our hopes that we will excel in our work, our desire for approval – these are God-created experiences and desires! It's often the priority we give these things in our hearts that leads to our disappointment, disillusionment, and deep insecurity. (87-88)

We do not come by her insecurities easily, and we do not move away from them quickly. The growth required to finally rest in security and peace deep inside ourselves takes work. (88)

What if we begun to think of our insecurities not a shameful places to hide but as opportunities to see God working in our lives? When we begin to understand how her insecurities work in our minds, we begin to see just where we need God's healing touch or transforming confrontation. (90)

Because no matter what your age, no matter how deep those insecurities run, no matter what the circumstances are that created these shaky places – God is able. He is a miracle worker. He specializes in situations that seem bleak, and people the world calls goners, and in cemetery places of the soul. He is a life giver in every sense of the word – and you were never outside of his grasp. Every place of insecurity in your life; every situation where you find yourself paralyzed or shaky, every circumstance or season that makes you wonder if you are good enough: these are the places where God does his best work. (91)

[WATCH VIDEO]

When we run to Christ for security, we find a hope that is a "strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls." Hebrews 6:19 (98)

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith. Hebrews 12:2

Without understanding the benefits of our relationship with Jesus, we are fundamentally and secure. Romans 12:2 says "let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." Every time you feel ashamed, unforgiven, or not worth God's love, repeat a verse you've learned. God's word is a healer, a transformer, and a re-creator of our hearts and minds. We just have to do the work of getting that Word in. (99)

1) Christ offers forgiveness from sin– Isaiah 53:11 – by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

2) Christ offers freedom from guilt – Galatians 5:1 – it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
-security in Christ creates the freedom to actually be changed, to be transformed into a woman who acts, feels, and thinks differently because of God in her life. It's futile trying to change people by shaming them… We are only transformed by love (101)

3) Christ offers eternal life – John 17:3 – and this is the way to have eternal life to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one who you sent to earth.

4) Christ offers a continual relationship with God –

5) Christ leaves the gift of the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 1:13 and when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.

-each of us must find our own way to combat our unique brand of insecurity with the reality of God's promises. (105)

-read the two paragraphs on page 107 about secure women.