Debt Retirement

The day that I told God that I was done trying to make money so John would hopefully approve of me, he simply responded, "Finally." It seems like the Lord went to work in me immediately. This ugly monster I had entangled myself with would not be turned loose by any means other than God. I began crying out to him for help. I had no job and a mountain of debt. My monthly payments were is excess of six hundred dollars. I eventually fell behind on my monthly payments, and before long creditors were ringing my phone several times a day. This period in my life became darker each time the phone rang. Then one day, broken before the Lord, I told him he had to help me because I could not make the payments. On that day, he told me he would pay off me debt in a lump sum. I believed him!

Woman Beautiful pg. 162

Matthew 6:33 But, seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.

Jesus - Son of the Living God, Messiah. Thank you, Lord for giving Your absolute best for me.

Happy Thanksgiving - Love and Amazing Blessings, Amanda

Owner or Manager?

My sin issue was not that I was a poor money manager plagued by a generational curse, but that I refused to surrender to God as the owner of all things. Understanding generational curses and how they affect us enables us to confront the problem head-on and make necessary changes under the power of the Holy Spirit. A person has to not only acknowledge God as the owner of the earth and all that is in it, but she must also surrender to his ownership. I remember listening to a CD in which the speaker told me to walk into my house, look around, and say out loud, "It's not mine; it all belongs to God;" to look into my wallet or check book and say, "It's not mine; it all belongs to God;" to get into my vehicle and say, "It's not mine; it belongs to God." For several weeks, I did just that. I still do if I try to do my own thing with God's estate.

There is one thing God had to reveal to me in the ownership realm: in John's eyes, he owned the salary check, and I was to manage it for him. Woman Beautiful, I don't know how you and your husband manage your household income, but I do know this, God owns it all and he has made your husband chief executive officer over your household, including the money in it. Therefore, your husband has to manage it like he owns the piece of God's estate entrusted to him. We all know that the owner of anything treats it better than the hired hand. I had to begin treating our finances with respect toward John, which ultimately pleased and glorified God.

Woman Beautiful, pp. 173-174

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to help you and not hurt you, plans to give you hope and a great future. Jeremiah 29:11

Financial Beauty

Financial beauty has definitely been my most difficult challenge in the Woman Beautiful process. As musch as I wanted to be pleasing and obedient to God and pleasing and submissive to my husband, nothing seemed to take root in my heart and mind in the area of financial stewardship. That is until I opened my eyes one day and realized I had managed to incur twenty thousand dollars worth of credit card debt. The guilt and shame did not compare, though, to the brokenness I felt between God and me, and most certainly between John and me.

Woman Beautiful pg. 159

The rich rules over the poor and the borrower becomes the lender's slave. Proverbs 22:7, NAS

Know Your Body

The word says that, "All things work together for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28), and I believe that firmly! If it weren't for PMS, I may have gone through life letting the inappropriate behavior of others just roll off my back. But because the difficulties of life were amplified during certian times of the month, it moved me to cry out to God and seek his help, healing and change in others but especially in myself. There's not too much worse than acting like an idiot rather than a loving wife, mom or friend.

page 154-155

Beauty Tip: Spend time in fasting and prayer each week.

Physically Beautiful

What is beauty? A question many of us women try to answer in the way we look, our physical appearance.

While driving home from the dentist today, a 40 mile trek that I really enjoy, I began thinking about the word beautiful. And, as often happens, my mind began to wander. I've been asked by many people, mostly men, when will I write a book for men? Before I can answer, the next question usually pertains to the title: will it be called Man Handsome? So, today, my mind bounced from the word beauty to the word handsome. Although handsome is a fine word, I believe it would be less captivating than the title I've decided on. The word beautiful, on the other hand encompasses every character trait, attribute and physical appearane we women want to possess; in every area of our lives. Beautiful is often used to describe food, music, something visual, an attitude, a phrase spoken, even a memory. Beauty far surpasses our physical appearance. It includes everything about us: personality, appearance, internal wellness, relationships, our home and attitude. Woman, you truly are beautiful, believe it!

Actually, I am currently working on a book for men and it is entitled, Sex, Submission and Spirituality, The Things Men Really Need To Know. (A book for men written from a woman's perspective.) Without exception, I get a very positive response from both men and women. Both genders are eager to read this next book.

Woman Beautiful, delight in the beauty of our Creator. It is in His amazingly beautiful image that you have been fashioned.

Then the King will desire your beauty. Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him. Psalm 45:11

Eating For The Right Reasons

The main eating problems with American people today are that we eat for the wrong reasons and we don't stop until we're stuffed. I can remember the day God revealed this to me about myself. I was crying alligator sized tears in my plate while shoveling the food in. Food does comfort, but it is artifical and temporary comfort at best.

Woman Beautiful, page 140

She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong, (Proverbs 31:17).

You've Been Invited

God did not create you a robot being programmed with limited and controlled behavior, but he gave you a mind, body and spirit giving you the provilege to choose. It is only by your choice that God enjoys sweet fellowship with you... .

Page 99-100

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to help you and not hurt you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Be Intimate With God

If Woman Beautiful wants to walk in the most fruitful, beautifully decorated life, she first has to step into a realtionship with God. This step is the most important and powerful step you will take. It is also the easiest. God will make you Woman Beautiful, changing you from the inside out!

Woman Beautiful, pg 99

I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to help you and not hurt you, plans to give you hope and an amazing future. Jeremiah 29:11 (My emphasis added.)

It took me a very long time to look at my husband with respect and honor. The hurt he seemed to inflict came so frequently, I felt as if I were constantly forgiving him and trying to start fresh in our marriage. I gave him lash after lash with my thoughts...

Woman Beautiful, pg. 39

Jeopardy

Sometimes the lies we believe put us in jeopardy: double-trouble, accident, risk, danger, peril; you get the picture. My favorite synonym for jeopardy is "unexpected undertaking." Sadly, lies can be told to us by people we love and care about. Such lies include, "you'll never amount to anything," "you can't do anything right," "it's your fault," and the list goes on. These lies produce fruit in every person that will, years later, cause each of us to undertake behavior that we did not ask for, want to embrace or really ever expect. An example of this unexpected undertaking of behavior can be found in a young adolescent woman who constantly hears ridicule about her appearance, immaturity, or way of thinking. As the years role by, if she is not loved, accepted and encouraged she will be awakened, very rudely, as an adult with baggage that is detrimental to both her and the people she loves. That baggage can look like anger, low esteem for herself, life, God, her purpose and the people around her. She can, and often does, turn to food and promiscueity, as well as drinking large quantities of alcohol, for comfort and relief. Other young women turn to a very destructive behavior known as "cutting" to help ease the pain of the ridicule that still haunts their mind and emotions. What we often fail to see in other women is the deep, deep hurt they carry because of the lies of the past they continue to carry.

During the month of August we are focusing on relationship at the Woman Beautiful blogspot so, my question to you today is: How are you speaking to and relating with the Woman Beautifuls in your life? Are you building them up with kind words of love and acceptance or are you placing them in "jeopardy?"

Beauty Tip: Consider your words and actions today, make them reflective of the Savior who lives within you. Love somebody "well" today; let your words and your actions toward them say, "You are valuable."

Greater love has no Woman Beautiful than this, that she lay down her life for her friends. John 15:13

Love and Blessings,

Amanda

The New House

I am really begining to take hold of Haggai, the little book in the Bible between Zephaniah and Zechariah. Although it's talking about the House of the Lord, Woman Beautiful can apply it to her own house (her inner woman and her family) and trust God to raise up a new and improved house that is better than her house(s) was previously. Because we are the place, house, in which the Living God dwells, we too should be building up this house. So, my question to you today is, "What shape is your house in?" Is it in need of maintenance? Have you nelected it by neglecting your time with the Lord?

Haggai 2:6-9 "For thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. 'And I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations; and I will fill this house with glory,' says the Lord of hosts. The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' declares the Lord of hosts. The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says the Lord of hosts, 'and in this place I shall give peace,' declares the Lord of hosts."

Obey the Lord, build up His house and watch him bring peace to all that concerns you. Selah and Hallelujah and Amen!

Bible Fact: Haggai is found between the only two "Zs" in the Bible.

Persecution

Woman Beautiful, be confident of this, "all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

Woman Beautiful, what kind of persecution did you endure today? God's purpose for that persecution is "good." Your good, the good of those involved and the good of His kingdom coming, here on earth, just as it is in heaven.

Pastor Duane Sheriff has an excellent 4 CD teaching series on persecution that is yours free for the asking. You can call 580-920-1791 or email tapes@dsheriff.org and ask for the CD series Persecution, Knowing What It Is, and Know How to Deal With It. All of his teaching CDs are Free. No shipping, no handling, not cost. If you can give to help off-set the expense to produce, handle and ship the CDs that' great but, if not, the CDs are yours anyway. Duane Sheriff Ministries has given away some 7 million teaching audio and video tapes and now CDs over the past 20 plus years. All for the Kingdom and glory of God.

Becoming Others Centered

"Relationships make Woman Beautiful tick. Those relationships rich with the qualities of trust, acceptance, approval, and value move her into a mode of willful change and betterment. She desires to become all that God created her to be, and she knows that this change is better and different than she is today. With the right heart-attitude and mindset she will far exceed anything man has expected and even demanded that she try to be."

An excerpt from the book.