Girls Bible Study

Girlies!

Tonight's our last Girls Bible Study for 2011!  Meet at the Hicks' house from 6:30-8:30pm for some goodies and conversations.  For directions, email me at jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org or text/call me at (417) 861-8143. 

See you tonight!
Jessie

Girls Bible Study--TONIGHT!

Hey, girlies!

Just a quick reminder that we've got Girls Bible Study tonight at the Hicks' house from 6:30-8:30pm.  The weather is looking okay tonight, so we are on track as scheduled!  Hope to see you tonight! :)

Girls Bible Study-MONDAY NIGHT!

Well, I don't know about you, but I just can't get enough of this Girls Bible Study stuff!  

Seriously, I always have a ball with you girlies.  

Join us again on Monday night, December 5th, from 6:30-8:30pm at the Hicks' house!  For directions, email me, call me, or pick them up Sunday morning at small groups.  My phone:  417.861.8143.  My email:  jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org.

Can't wait to see you Monday! 

Girls Bible Study Recap: Week 5

I know I'm a little slow in posting this, but here's our recap from two weeks ago.  A BIG thanks to Emilee for keeping us going on these recaps! :)

Two weeks ago, we talked about the show ‘The Biggest Loser’. Have you seen it?

If not, don’t worry, we’re not calling people losers. On the show, overweight contestants compete to win a cash prize by losing the highest percentage of their body weight. Every episode, contestants are faced with temptation. For example, will they eat a fattening food in exchange for a call home? There are also reward challenges where individuals or teams compete in races or tests of knowledge. At the end of the episode, the team with the lowest weight lost meets to vote of a member of their team. After contestants have spent three months on the ranch, and four months continuing their regimen at home, they re-unite to see who has lost the most overall weight.

This show is all about resisting temptation for the better good. Let’s talk about different temptations – which of these would be the hardest for you to resist? Why?

1. A refrigrator full of your favorite foods when you’re trying to diet.
2. Facebook messages from four friends when you’re trying to study.
3. A group of girls gossiping about a person you have a story about.
4. Buying something you love even though you have other things like it.

Today we’re not going to talk about losing weight, but instead we’re going to talk about losing temptation.

-Lose the mouth: If you are easily provoked or unkind, you need self-control over your speech.

-Lose the attitude: If you follow your impulses or give into self-centeredness, you need to exercise self-control over your attitude.

-Lose the appetite: If a habit is controlling you and making you compromise, you need to exercise self-control over the appetites that drive you.

When we talk about being ‘total losers’ this week, it’s a good thing! Don’t revert back to negative self-talk again!

The most exciting part of The Biggest Loser is seeing the contestants ‘before’ and ‘after’.  The difference is amazing! Our version of this show invites us to change our behavior. A person with little or no self-control is not very attractive.

LOSE THE MOUTH: THE BEFORE PICTURE

“But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.” –Colossians 3:8.

Write down the type of speech you have trouble controlling (gossip, anger, criticism, crude language, etc.)

THE AFTER PICTURE

“Let the words of Christ, in all of their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use His words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus.” –Colossians 3:16-17

Circle the action words that show how our speech can be transformed.

Here are four suggestions straight from the passage:

1. Let the words of Christ live on your hearts and make you wise.
2. Use His words to teach and counsel each other.
3. Sing psalms and hymns to God with thankful hearts.
4. Represent Jesus in whatever you do or say.

How do these things have an impact on your speech? Write down which one of these things you can do to control your speech.

LOSE THE ATTITUDE

When you don’t have self-control over your self-centeredness, things can get pretty ugly.

“For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful…They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control…They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.  -2 Timothy 3:2-5

How many traits of a self-centered person can you find in this passage? There are ten!

1. Loves only themselves
2. Loves money
3. Boastful
4. Proud
5. Scoffs at God
6. Disobedient to parents
7. Ungrateful
8. Unloving
9. Unforgiving

Thanksgiving.

I absolutely cannot wait for Thanksgiving.  I LOVE gathering around and eating the yummiest of yummy foods and just hanging out with my family.

Since it's officially the week of Thanksgiving, let's be a little thematic, shall we?  What makes you thankful?  What are things in life that you savor and just make you stop and consider all that you've been given?

A few things that I savor are...
-time spent laughing at obnoxious decibels with my family in public
-incredibly written and performed multi-voice music
-revelations and whispers from my Creator
-worship with the body of Christ

What are you thankful for this year?  Spend some time loving the valuable people in your life this week.  Don't take them for granted.  And don't forget to share all that you've been given.  Above all, make sure to spend some time praising and thanking your Creator for all that He is and all that He's done for you.


And on another note, our next Girls Bible Study is NEXT Monday night, November 28, from 6:30-8:30pm at the Rees house.  Call or email for directions:  885.5275/861.8143 or jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, girlies!

Girls Bible Study--TONIGHT!

Hello, lovelies!

Tonight's the night!  We're getting together for Girls Bible study 

from 6:30-8:30pm at the Thrashers' house!  

We'd love for you to join us!  

If you need directions, please call, text, or email me:  

(417) 861-8143 and jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org.  

Hope to see you tonight!

Jessie

Girls Bible Study--Postponed

Hi girlies,

Just another reminder that Girls Bible Study is postponed tonight.  Join us next week, Monday, November 14, from 6:30-8:30pm, at the Thrashers' house for our next meeting.

Hope you have a great week, loves! :)
Jessie

Girls Bible Study--TONIGHT!

What are you afraid of?  How do you react to your fears?  

Join us for Girls Bible Study TONIGHT, Monday, October 24th, as we talk through our fears together!  Meet at the Elliotts' place from 6:30-8:30pm.  Tonight we'll get into talking about our fears and how we react to them.  Come join us and feel free to invite a friend!

If you need directions or have questions, please email me at jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org or call me at (417) 861-8143.  

Hope to see you tonight! :)

Hide & Seek: some thoughts from Emilee

Did you ever play "hide and seek" as a kid?  One person is "it" and everyone else goes and hides.

I feel like a lot of times we try and hide from God.  We do something wrong, and we feel bad about it, but we don't bring it before the Lord.  Our regret tells us that we recognize our wrongdoings, and because we recognize it, we feel that God should already know about it.

Here's the thing, God knows everything.  He knows when we screw up, but He still wants us to confess our sins to Him.  By confessing our sins, we show Him that we trust Him completely.  It shows Him that we care enough about our relationship with Him to not keep things from Him.  Let's face it:  keeping our sins from God is trying to lie to Him, and He already knows it!  It's like taking a cookie from the cookie jar right in front of your mom after she told you not to, and then trying to deny it.  You know you did it and she knows you did it, but you refuse to own up to it.

God knows what you've done (in a non-creepy way), so you might as well admit it.  Trying to keep things from God is completely futile, and gets us nowhere.  God loves you and He wants you to be able to come to Him with anything.

Spend some time praying today.  Tell the Lord what's on your heart.  If there's something you need to confess, don't hesitate.  He is always willing to listen, and His love for you doesn't change.  Trust Him.

~Emilee
10th Grade Girl

Girls Bible Study Session 4

It's that time again!  Join us next Monday, October 24th, at the Elliotts' House from 6:30-8:30pm.  We'll continue our discussion from "Head to Soul Makeover," this time talking about our choice of fear or faith.

We'll have some yummy fall treats and endless amounts of girl gab! :)
Hope to see you there!
~Jessie

Head To Soul Makeover: Session 3 Recap

Have you seen the show "Don't Forget the Lyrics"?  I don't know that it's actually on air anymore; funny, it seems to have been forgotten...  On the show, contestants competed to see who knew lyrics to popular songs.  The competition required no singing talent, but rather the ability to remember and recite songs.

If you were to choose any type of contest, what kind of competition would you be most likely to win?

Maybe it's playing the violin, making friends, diagramming sentences properly, or winning the nice girl award; it doesn't really matter what it is, but we are all good at something!  The type of contest you'd be most likely to win signals an area where you feel confident about yourself.

When we're confident, we tend to tell ourselves things like, "I got this.  I'm good at this."  But in other areas of our lives, particularly areas where we aren't as confident, our self-talk tends to be more negative, spouting phrases like, "I'm such a loser.  I'll never get this."  When we practice negative self-talk, we tend to only encourage our insecurities to grow and abound.

Stop and think for a minute.  What lyrics or self-talk are running through your mind currently?  Are they positive words or negative vibes?

Here's the problem with that happens when we continually practice negative self-talk, we develop a process of negativity:

Step 1:  Your self-talk conflicts with what God says.  Your talk is full of negativity and lies.
Step 2:  You believe your self-talk.
Step 3:  Because you believe your negative and false self-talk, you think you have to hide the parts you feel ashamed of, so you hide your true self.
Step 4:  You become increasingly fake.

Remember, the whole point of this journey together is that we would continue to become more and more REAL, not more and more fake.  If you're stuck in a web of lies, don't worry, you're not alone.  Let's work together to get through it and start talking positively to ourselves.  Let's take a look at how we can rewire our negative self-talk.

Philippians 4:8 offers advice for our thinking:  "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

God doesn't desire for us to practice negative self-talk or dwell in insecurities.  He wants us to Let's take a closer look at each of these qualities.  

-Whatever is TRUE.
Telling yourself what is true means that you tell yourself what God says about you and not what others say.  John 8:32 says, "Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

-Whatever is NOBLE.
No matter how unworthy you feel, God's love for you cannot and will not ever change.
Isaiah 54:10 tells us, "'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,' says the Lord, who has compassion on you."

-Whatever is RIGHT.
Even when people around you mistreat you and do wrong by you, God promises to take care of you.
Psalm 27:10 declares, "Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me."

-Whatever is PURE.
No matter what you've ever done, you are never beyond the reach of God's cleansing power.
Ephesians 1:4 assures us, "Long ago, even before he made the world, God chose us to be his very own through what Christ would do for us; he decided then to make us holy in his eyes, without a single fault--we who stand before him covered with his love."

-Whatever is LOVELY.
God wants to replace your injured, broken or ugly places with beauty.
Psalm 34:5 says, "Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame."

-Whatever is ADMIRABLE.
God gives you the power to do things you might not feel capable of accomplishing on your own.
Philippians 4:13 declares, "I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me--I am ready for anything and equal to anything through him who infuses inner strength into me, that is, I am self-sufficient in Christi's sufficiency."  (AMP version)

-If anything is EXCELLENT.
Go's love and care for you proves your level of excellence in His eyes.
Luke 12:24 informs us:  "Look at the ravens--they don't plant or harvest or have barns to store away their food, and yet they get along all right--for God feeds them.  And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!"

-Or PRAISEWORTHY.
God made us acceptable, which results in praise to Him.
Ephesians 1:6 says, "To the praise of his glorious grace, by which he has made us accepted in the Beloved."

So what do you think, girls?  How do your thoughts compare to God's thoughts?  Take some time this week to examine your thoughts before the Lord.  Ask for His help in aligning your thinking with His.

Choose one of these characteristics to work on this week.  Write a note to yourself and stick it on your bathroom mirror, remind you to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy.

Be encouraged and know that God thinks the world of you and treasures you just as you are!

Girls Bible Study Session 3

Guess what--it's been two weeks already and we are so ready for our next Girls Bible Study!  

Join us on Monday, October 10th

6:30-8:30pm

Jessie's House

For directions, please email Jessie at jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org.

See you soon! 

Head to Soul Makeover: Session 2 Recap

Hey, girlies!

Last week we had our second session together in Head to Soul Makeover.  I'm a bit slow in getting this recap posted, but better late than never!  (Our internet was down all week last week in the office, which made things a little bit tricky.)  Anyway, without further ado, here's our discussion from last week...

Imagine yourself as a contestant on American Idol.  Terrified?   Excited?  Yes, to both?

Have you ever won a competition, election, or tryout?  How did winning affect you?  Can you think of people who were changed by fame or wealth or success?

There are four types of pride we see among contestants on American Idol (and in other areas of life too):
     1.  Idol 1:  Thinks too much of herself
     2.  Idol 2:  Thinks too little of herself
     3.  Idol 3:  Thinks too little of others
     4.  Idol 4:  Ignores input from others

Where do you fall in among these idols?  Chances are you've got bits of each one.  But which do you see yourself being highest in?

The truth is that none of these idols is really what we want to be.  Rather than exhibit pride, we should strive to posses a quality that is genuine, deeply attractive, that makes people want to be around you.  That character trait is humility.

Before you get to thinking wrongly about what humility is, let's determine what humility isn't:
     -Humility doesn't mean dressing ugly.
     -Humility doesn't mean letting everyone boos you around.
     -Humility doesn't make you into a human sidewalk.
     -Humility doesn't make you feel worthless.

Humility DOES mean thinking rightly about who you are in relation to God.  That means knowing your real strengths, true weaknesses, genuine talents, and real worth.  When you begin thinking rightly or realistically, you become a real person in a fake world.  And that's our goal in this journey together.

Let's take a look at a guy that shows us a lot about humility.  In fact, Jesus actually called him the greatest person ever born (in so many words).  John the Baptist.

In Matthew 11:11, Jesus says, "I tell you the truth:  among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist."

Why was JTB Jesus' pick for World's Greatest Guy?  He was humble.

There are 3 things we can learn about humility from JTB:

1.  A humble person has the right perspective about who she is.
     Check out what JTB says in Mark 1:7.  He knew that God was more powerful than Him.  JTB demonstrated with his words and with his life the idea that "God is God--and I am not."

2.  A humble person directs people's attention to God.
     John 1:35-37 records an instance of JTB pointing people around him to Jesus.  By directing others' attention to Jesus, we automatically direct it away from ourselves.  We can't have it both ways.

3.  A humble person is not self-focused but God-focused.
     It's impossible to develop humility by focusing on developing humility.  We have to take our eyes off of ourselves and put our eyes on Christ.  Check out what John 3:30 says.

So, where do you stand, sister?  Are you a prideful person or a humble follower of Christ?  Do your words and actions show an accurate perspective of who you are, direct peoples' attention to God, and show a God-focused mindset, or are you boastful and self-centered?

I'm praying for you, that Jesus would be working on your heart and molding you into the likeness of Him.  I pray that God shows you gently areas of your life that are overtaken by pride and directs you clearly in paths of humbleness. Overall, I'm praying that He would become greater in you and through you.

Be blessed, girls!
Jessie

*All material was taken directly from Episode 2 in Head to Soul Makeover by Shelley Leith.  

Girls Bible Study Session 2

Hello, lovelies!

Tomorrow night is our second session for fall Girls Bible Study!  We just began our journey together through "Head to Soul Makeover," by Shelley Leith.  Tomorrow night we'll continue our discussion on how to be real and authentic in an often fake world.  We do hope you'll join us! :)

Monday, September 26th

6:30-8:30pm

The Elliotts' Home

For directions or if you have questions, please call Jessie at 885-5275 or email jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org.

Head to Soul Makeover: Week 1

Hey, girlies!

We had our first Girls Bible Study of the fall this Monday night and what a blast it was!  We had a great group of girls that were eager to participate in our discussion.  We wanted to share the highlights of our discussion for those of you who weren't able to join us.  Feel free to jump in with your thoughts and heart here!

We started by talking about our favorite reality tv shows.  Who doesn't like a little reality tv, right?  :)  From "Toddlers and Tiaras" to "Cake Boss" to "The Deadliest Catch," we sure had plenty to gab about!  This week's study was centered around the idea of the show "What Not To Wear," only instead of what we wear, we talked about how we act, taking the spin, "What Not To Be."

To begin our look at what not to be, we took inventory of our negative character qualities.  On the popular tv show, Stacy and Clinton lead contestants in ridding their closets of all things vile.  In our episode, we talked about ridding ourselves of negative traits.  Stop and think for a minute.  What are some things you need to get rid of?  Consider these character flaws:  pride, insecurity, fear, anger, impatience, envy, greed, quitting.  Do any of those appear in your life?

Would you take the Head to Soul Makeover challenge and commit to throwing away a negative quality and replacing it with a positive one?

Just like joining a basketball team doesn't automatically make you a basketball star, or singing in a choir doesn't qualify you as instant diva status, simply saying you want to change doesn't make it happen.

1 Timothy 4:7-8 says, "Train yourself to be godly.  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."

We have to train ourselves to be godly, to be like Christ.  Godliness doesn't just happen on its own; it's something we choose to work on and train into ourselves.

In Romans 5:3-4, Paul says, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us; they help us learn to be patient.  And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady."

Sometimes it seems like we've got a lot more bad than good in our lives, especially when we look in the mirror.  How is it that problems and trials can make us rejoice?  It's the end result of strong character, of godliness, that we have to look forward to.

If godliness makes us strong and steady, what does a life of ungodliness look like?

How can you train yourself to be godly this week at home?  What about at school?  Or when you're with your friends?

Choose a negative character trait to throw away, and choose a positive one to replace it with, one that encourages you to grow in godliness.  Spend some time praying about how God wants to grow you this week.  Surrender to Him the negative traits that you may be displaying and ask Him to replace them with fruits of His Spirit.

That wraps up our first session for Girls Bible Study this fall.  Come and join us next time:  Monday, September 26th, from 6:30-8:30pm at the Elliotts' house.

Got thoughts to share?  Post a comment and join the discussion!

GNO | Spa Night

You're invited! Yep, you! Come and join us!

For directions, please email or call Jessie at jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org or 885.5275.

Fall Schedules

Hi, lovelies!

I've got some exciting news for you. Our rbcgirls fall schedules are posted!

Please check out the GNO tab for info on our fall Girls Night Out activities AND check the GBS tab for info on our fall Girls Bible Study sessions. Check back often for all the razzle dazzle details in rbcgirls this fall.

You won't want to miss what we've got planned this fall:

a little sweet, a little spice, and a whole lotta fun!

We so hope you'll join us!

~Jessie

Truth or Dare?

Have you and your friends ever played truth or dare? What happened when you chose ‘dare’? Maybe it was something easy like ‘stick your bra in the freezer’ or maybe it was something embarrassing, like ‘tell Timmy you like him’. While these dares may seem pretty trivial, the world tempts us in ways that are anything but. It’s that little voice inside your head that says, “What could it hurt? You’re the only one not doing it. It’ll make you feel normal.” That voice is Satan saying “I dare you to fail. I dare you to fail in your little walk with God.” The devil is the master of dares. While it is true that Jesus led a perfect and sinless life, He was still tempted and ‘dared’. In Matthew 4, the Bible talks about when Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness.

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for the devil to tempt Him. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. 3 The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread”. 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man cannot live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

–Matthew 4:1-4

Can you imagine that temptation? That would be like you not being able to eat before a surgery, and your mom coming home with Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Ouch. But really, that dare was only small in the long run. The devil dares us not to follow God. But God has some dares of His own. He dares us to not be silent about our faith. He dares us to take the road less traveled. He dares us to be different.

“Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”

-Ezra 10:4

This verse says “Rise up”. Accept God’s dare. Dare to live out your faith for Him.

Love,

Emilee

Final Girls Bible Study Recap

Hello again! In case you missed the final week of Girls Bible Study, here is the lie we talked about: Lies about my future and lies about sin.

Let’s talk about sin. A big lie that comes with sin is this: I can’t overcome my sin.

So often we feel the shame and guilt that comes with sin. Whether it’s from lying, gossiping, sexual immorality, or cheating, or maybe you feel imprisoned by a secret sin that no one knows about. Satan wants us to get so stuck in our ‘sin cell’ that we can’t move forward in our relationship with Christ. He wants us to wallow in our sin and self pity so that the Lord can’t move in us.

How do you know when someone feels guilty? How do you feel when you’re guilty? How do you recognize when you’re feeling guilty?

There is a dangerous cycle living in sin and shame. It can easily become ‘habitual’ or ‘natural’. But the danger and concern is that what you believe determines the way you live.

Example: You believe you are guilty and ashamed, therefore you live a life of shame that says you’re only worthy of sin and so that opens the door for more sin and shame. See the cycle?

How do we break the cycle of sin? How do we stop the shame and guilt from overtaking us?

Are you in Christ? Then these things apply to you. Your job is to live it out. That happens, not on your own, but by living by the Word and praying openly and honestly. An important part of being free from sin is confessing your sin, not only to God, but to your Christian brothers and sisters. Will you be bold enough and honest enough to confide in someone?

Why do we need to confess our sins to one another? So we can be healed. Have you ever carried the weight of a heavy burden on your shoulders? How did it make you feel? Being honest is so important and freeing. As long as you are living in darkness, you are fulfilling the enemies plan for you. But when you confess your sin, you immediately flip on a light, a marvelous light, and that light begins to emanate.

Be free, sisters, and be healed. If you are in Christ, you are a new creation. -2 Corinthians 5:17.

Living like a new creation may mean not only stopping your bad habits, but distancing yourself from them. If something is coming between you and God, get rid of it! When you stop giving yourself access to the things that tempt you, you kill the heart of temptation.

Lie #2: What I do now doesn’t affect my future.

If you plant seeds of corn, what will grow? Corn. If you plant seeds of barley, what will you harvest? Barley. If you plant seeds of irresponsibility, what will you reap? It’s the same thing as farming. We reap what we sow. If we plant seeds to please our own desires, we will reap consequences. But if we plant seeds of God’s desires, we will reap blessings.

Are you planting seeds now that will produce that kind of harvest? What can you do to change your current actions, attitudes, and words?

Would you consider committing to thirty days in the Word and being held accountable by a close, Godly girlfriend? That is the best way to know god’s plan for your life and to live freely in a relationship both now and in the future.

Write two of these cards out, and give one to your friend.

I, , commit to spending time in God’s Word daily, listening, thinking, praying, and obeying. I also commit to share my journey and hold my sister, , accountable through prayer and daily conversations with her about her time in the Word.

We have loved having you with us this summer! I hope you have learned about and recognized some lies that young women believe.

Stay tuned for details about upcoming Girls Bible Studies AND Girls Night Out for fall 2011!

Last Girls Bible Study

Well, girlies, sadly, summer's coming to a close. Can you believe it?! Let's get together for one last Summer Girls Bible Study. (Stay tuned for our rbcgirls fall schedule coming soon!) Tonight we'll be talking about lies about your future. Come and join us from 6:30-8:30pm at my house.

Call 861.8143 or email jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org for directions.

See you tonight! :)

Bible Study Wrap-Up

Hello, dolls!

I hope your week is off to a great start. We had a great time together this week at Girls Bible Study, but we missed several of you! In case you couldn't make it, or if you just want to review our discussion, here are our notes. Please feel free to comment as you please! :)

Chapter 9: Lies about Faith

Who are role models in your life? What makes them your role models?

We all need mentors and role models to help guide us and pour into us, but sometimes we get ourselves into trouble when we place too much emphasis on our leaders and not on our Jesus. The first lie we explored this week was that "My youth pastor/church leader is my connection to God."

Have you ever placed a leader so high in your mind that they could do no wrong? Or have you ever considered what a role model or mentor thought before you considered what God thought?

Pastors, youth leaders, and volunteer leaders are such important spiritual examples in your life, but we have access to God through Christ and Christ alone. Read 1 Timothy 2:5-6. In the Old Testament, before Jesus came to earth, people went through a High Priest in order to communicate with God. The High Priest was appointed by God to be the mediator, the go-between. But now, what does 1 Timothy 2:5-6 tell us about that mediator? Jesus is it! He's the way we access God--not through man, but through God in man form.

What's the danger in placing a human, even the most solid Christian you know, as the go-between for you and the Lord? Inevitably, that human will mess up; it's our nature. What's your reaction when someone in leadership makes a mistake, or hurts someone around you, maybe even you? If he/she is the mediator between you and God, there are going to be serious issues with your relationship with God.

We are each held accountable for our own actions and reactions. It's always our decision how we react. God designed us to work as a family, and our family works best together. No matter how many times people in the church mess up or hurt you, the best place for us to grow, serve, and be discipled is in a local church body. Just like we don't get to drop out of our birth family when things get tough, we don't get to drop out of our spiritual family either.

Lie #2: Everyone at church judges me.

Have you ever felt judged at church? Let's be honest; each of us has felt judged at least once within the walls of our church home. In fact 91% of girls surveyed said they always or sometimes felt judged at church.

MAJOR ISSUE: Church is a family. It's supposed to be a safe place. Two things happen with judgment: 1) judgment causes us to feel pressure to be fake and 2) we are less likely to be honest about our struggles and sins when we feel judged.

Read John 7:24 and Matthew 7:1-2.

How should we respond when we are judged? What about when we see others judging?

Important Point: Sometimes we confuse judgment and discipline. We must guard against that. Discipline is helpful and meant for edifying; in fact, it's biblical. Check out Romans 12:10 and 1 Peter 2:17. Sometimes confrontation is necessary; but that doesn't mean that judgment is inevitable. God desires for us to help each other grow by holding each other accountable. It's not always easy, but it's meant for our benefit and His glory!

A thought to consider: Is it possible that we perceive as being judgment may in fact not be actual, real judgment, but perhaps the mere fear of judgment? In other words, do you ever feel being judged so much that you actually convince yourself that you are judged?

Know this truth: You are loved beyond measure, first and foremost by your Creator, but also by wonderful, caring people within your church home too. Allow me, if you will, a moment to share from my heart directly. I think the world of you girls and love you like crazy. I know I can speak for other leaders in the church when I say there is nothing you can do that will throw us for a loop or cause us to stop loving you. You are so significant and treasured. Find rest and safety in knowing that you are loved and accepted, regardless of what your fears or past experiences tell you.

Onto our next lie for this week... "Of course I'm a Christian. I ___________."

How do you hear people fill in that blank?

How do YOU fill in that blank?

53% of American teens believe you get to Heaven through a personal relationship with Christ. Praise the Lord it's that high! However, that means that 47% of American teens believe it's another way, be it through acts of kindness, religion, or something else.

What does Jesus say on this topic? Read John 14:6.

The ONLY way to spend eternity with God is through Jesus. Period. End of story. It's believing in Him and following Him that makes you a Christian.

1 John 2 outlines several characteristics of a true follower of Christ. Check out this list:

A true believer...

-obeys God's commands (vs.3-4)

-acts like Jesus (vs. 5-6)

-loves others (vs. 9)

-does not conform to the world (vs. 15)

-does not wander from her faith (vs. 19)

Now to the tough part. Does those characteristics describe you accurately? What areas do you struggle with?

While growing up in a Christian home is a blessing, it doesn't make you a Christian. Neither does going to church, doing good things, going on a mission trip, singing in the church band. The only way to know God is through Jesus. There's nothing you can do to make yourself a Christian; it's gotta be Jesus in you.

That wraps up this week's Bible study session. However, given the nature of this topic, I would be terribly amiss if I did not extend an invitation to you. If you're not sure where you stand and want to talk about it, or if you've never given your life to Jesus and want to do so, please talk to a spiritually solid person in your life--a parent, youth leader, small group leader. I would love to talk with you!

I'm praying for you, girls, specifically that you would seek Truth and lies would diminish in your heart and life. You are loved and valued!

-Jessie

This week: Girls Bible Study

Hello, ladies!

Tomorrow night, Monday, August 1st, we've got another Girls Bible Study! I wish I could adequately express to you how much I love these times together. I love the small group setting with you all and I so enjoy hearing your insights and experiences. You teach me so much and you are a joy to be around.

So, join us tomorrow (Monday) night from 6:30-8:30pm at my house. (Email me at jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org for directions or call/text me.) We'll have some yummy snacks, courtesy of Mrs. Lynn Boone and then chat about Chapter 9, "Lies About Faith," in "Lies Young Women Believe."

Here's a question to chew on between now and tomorrow night's discussion:

What lies about your faith do you tend to believe?

I so hope you'll come. Feel free to bring a friend!

See you tomorrow, lovelies! :)

Jessie

Girls Bible Study Week 4 Recap

Welcome back! We are back from CAMP and ready to discuss our next topic: friendship.

The first lie we’re going to look at is this: "I can be different people with different groups of friends."

Eighty-four percent of young women agreed with the statement: I can only be myself around people who are like me, such as friends my own age. Do you agree?

The definition of a hypocrite is this: A person who says one thing, and then does another.

Matthew 23: 27b-28 says this, “You are like white washed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead mans bones and everything unclean”.

God hates hypocrisy. If your youth pastor was to pull up your facebook profile, or read through your chat box, would he be shocked? Would he be able to tell that you are a follower of Christ? Living a life of hypocrisy is a dangerous game.

Let’s look at a story from the book:

“Carissa started out innocently meeting people on the internet. But pretty soon, she was having intense sexual conversations with men online. That turned into her going and meeting these guys in person. Carissa found herself doing things with these men that she never would have dreamed of doing a few months before. Carissa’s mother referred to her daughter as ‘sweet’ and ‘compliant’ until the age of nineteen, when her internet problems began. Her family intervened, and things seemed to be going well until recently. Carissa met a woman whom she’d never met, and exchanged phone numbers with her. The woman took a picture of Carissa on her cell phone and texted it to a guy friend. Carissa and this guy immediately started a ‘hot and heavy’ texting conversation which led to them going out to dinner, and then to his place afterwards.”

God wants you to be single-minded. He wants your faith to be evident in every part of your life. James 1:8 says that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Ask the Lord to penetrate every part of your being. Ask Him to help you glorify Him in the way you act and the things you say.

Now on to our next lie: "If I had friends, I wouldn’t be so lonely."

How many times have you sat at home on a Friday night and thought, “If I had friends, I wouldn’t be stuck here”? The truth is, friends can never fully satisfy us. We could have a million friends, but we would still be lonely without God. There is no greater friend than God.

Wouldn’t you love a friend who:

-never leaves

-loves you completely

-knows every detail about you…and still loves you

-no matter how hard things get, you’ll never be separated from that love

-desires to be with you forever

God calls us to be a true friend. If your focus in the friendship is you, you’re not pursuing true friendship. Sometimes we need to stop wanting to be befriended, and start being the ones doing the befriending.

Want some good Truth about friendship? The Truth is that you are called to be a true friend to others in need and to experience friendship with Christ.

Who can you be a true friend to this week? What steps do you need to take to be a true friend? Be bold and start new today.

And since we're talking about true friends, what better way to end than with a solid reminder of what true friends look like, check out Michael W. Smith's friendly (and only mildly cheesy/outdated) hit. Enjoy! ;)

Bible Study TONIGHT!

Tonight is Girls Bible Study from 6:30-8:30pm at Jessie's house! Come and join us for snacks, discussion, and some serious truth about friendships.

Call Jessie at (417) 861.8143 for directions.

See you soon!

Girls Bible Study Week 3 Recap

Okay rbcgirls, we just finished week three of "Lies Young Women Believe." The first week we talked about different lies we believe. Last week we talked about the lie ‘God should fix my problems’. This week’s lesson: all about boys. A major lie that young women believe is ‘I need a boyfriend’. We believe that without a boyfriend, we are worthless or not as valuable as the girls that do.

Ask yourself this question: Do you feel better about your life when you have a boyfriend or know that a guy is interested in you?

Your answer translates in to your self worth. And then the reverse happens: if I don’t have a boyfriend, I must be __________. How did you fill in the blank? Be honest. If we believe the lie ‘I need a boyfriend’, that lie quickly becomes ‘I need a husband’.

Tori shared with us how she struggled to find happiness outside of a relationship. She talked about how she based her worth and identity on how many boys noticed her. In high school, Tori found herself in a destructive relationship. She knew the things her boyfriend was doing weren’t right, but she didn’t say anything. After a few months, Tori really felt like the Lord was telling her to end things. She ended the harmful relationship with that boy, and started a fresh relationship with God. Tori realized that her self worth should not be based on what a guy thinks about her; it should be found in Christ.

Ephesians 5:31-32 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.”

God designed marriage to be an earthly picture of his love and sacrifice for us. However His purpose for your life is not for you to be happy, but to glorify Him. His purpose for marriage is not to make you happy, but to glorify Him.

When you look for happiness in a guy, or any person, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. We try and fill up our lives with people and things, when only God can fill us.

Song of Solomon states, “I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, do not stir up or awaken love before it’s time.”

What does it mean to awaken love?

The bride in Solomon’s story has an intense passion and strong desires for her fiancé. Let’s get this straight ladies- it is not wrong to have these feelings. But God makes it clear that these feelings are not to be expressed until after the wedding. This leads perfectly into our next lie…

… ‘It’s not really sex…’ What are some lies the world tells you about sex? When is it ok? What counts as sex?

It’s really easy to get caught up in the feeling that you are the only virgin left. “Everyone else is doing it”. The devil tries to wiggle his way into our lives and plant seeds of doubt in our mind. Let’s look at what the Bible says about sex:

Ephesians 5:3 tells us, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality.”

What qualifies as ‘sexual immorality’? What kind of actions, behaviors, attitudes, etc., hint at sexual immorality?

Anything that causes you or your brother to stumble is a sin. Even our choice in TV shows can cause us to sin sexually. As Christian women, we have the responsibility to help our brothers and sisters in Christ.

“Therefore, let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.” –Romans 14:13

Abi shared with us about waiting for your husband, and the fulfillment and joy of marriage. She talked about how she never dated and never felt the urge to date in high school. But once she got to college, things started to change. Her mind was set on finding a husband. “If I had more than one class a semester with a guy, I thought we were meant to be together.” But still she prayed and asked God for a loving man to marry. Abi started attending Stonebridge church, where she met James. They became good friends, and before too long, he asked her out. Now girls, here is a funny little fact: James (Copeland) has an abnormally small esophagus. In turn, he chokes super easily on food. On Abi and James first date, he started choking on a bite of food. Since he couldn’t talk, he just got up and walked to the bathroom. Imagine poor Abi, not knowing what was happening or if he was coming back. In the end, he DID come back, and the rest was history…. Abi also talked about the joy of knowing that there was one man out there that had been saving himself for you. God has given you a gift to share with one man: your husband. And until that time, it’s our job to allow the Lord to strengthen us and honor Him with our gifts.

Think about your physical boundaries with guys. How far can you go before you get hurt?

Take some time this week to think about how your relationships with boys affect your relationship with the Lord. Feel free to share your thoughts. Be bold, be brave. Dare to be different.

Girls Bible Study

Guess what, girlies! That's right, it's time for another Girls Bible study! I'm so excited and I hope you are too! Join us Monday night, from 6:30-8:30pm, at my house. We'll have some munchies, girltalk, some in-depth discussion about lies that we believe, and we'll even hear from a wise older student on her experiences. This week's topic: boyfriends.

Come, join us. We'll see you there! :)

For directions, email jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org, or call/text Jessie at 861.8143.

Girls Bible Study Recap Week 2

This week in Bible study, we discussed the lie ‘God should fix my problems’. We talked about how sometimes we fall into the lie that God should solve all our problems when and how we want Him to.

When are you most likely to pray? Is it when you are in need, or when you are happy? Here are some statistics:

• 77% of teens commonly pray for a sick friend or relative.
• 72% petition (or ask) God for personal needs
• 51% pray for global concerns (poverty, AIDS, etc.)
• 23% ask for materiel things

What does your prayer life look like? Do you only pray when you want something? Or do you seek God in every situation? 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 says, “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you.”

Remember this: God is more concerned with changing you to be a reflection of Christ, than with solving all your problems. What do you think about that? What impression does that give you about God?

We also need to understand that it’s not wrong to ask of God. Jesus says, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” This lesson isn’t saying, “Don’t ever ask God for anything.” God wants us to ask Him for things. He is waiting to shower blessings on us. But our prayer life shouldn’t be consumed with requests. We should take time to thank God. Can you imagine if you gave someone a great big gift, and instead of thanking you, they asked for more? God gave us the gift of life. We should always thank Him first; before we ask.

What are some ways we can combat this lie so that we can live in truth? Do you see this lie affect you or others? Does believing this lie affect your relationship with God?

Think. Process. Pray. Share, if you want.

Be blessed, lovelies! See you next time on July 11th!

This Monday night!

Email jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org or call (417) 861-8143 for directions!

This week: Session 2 in "Lies Young Women Believe."

Come join us for solid conversation, some in depth Bible study, and, of course, some yummy snacks! ;)

Bible Study Recap!

Hello, lovelies!

What a great time we had last night! I so enjoyed seeing your pretty faces and hearing what the Lord laid on your heart. We had some deep and productive discussion; I was so blessed by your honesty and humbleness. In case you didn't get to join us, here's a recap of what we discussed. Please ask questions, post your thoughts, share your heart as you read!

This summer, we're discussing the book "Lies Young Women Believe" by Nancy DeMoss and Dannah Gresh.

· Where do lies come from? & Where do lies get their power?

· Lies are all around us, on a daily basis. Some of them are major, some of them are minor, but regardless, all lies we believe are significant. And each lie affects our hearts.

· What are some lies that you see others believing on a daily basis? What lies do you believe?

Lies can be so subtle that we don't even recognize them, yet, they're all around us. Take this video, for example:

· Think back to the lies you just thought of. Where do those lies come from? God’s desire isn’t for us to live in bondage to lies. He created us and died for us to live freely in relationship with Him. But believing lies costs us that freedom. In order for us to battle these lies and live freely, we’ve got to get to the source of the lies and choke it out.

Let’s start at the very beginning. Read Genesis 2:15-3:24.

· What is a lie?

An inaccurate or false statement with deliberate intent to deceive; an imposter. Lies aren’t unintentional or ignorant. They are deliberate. Lies are very good at camouflaging themselves well.

· Where do you see lies in this story of Adam & Eve?

Satan didn’t go 180 from what God said. He just twisted it enough to question God’s authority and character. Compare what Satan says to Eve to what God said originally. How is it different?

· Where do lies come from?

Read 2 Corinthians 11:14. Satan poses as an “angel of light.” He’s an imposter!

Read John 8:44. Satan is the father of lies.

For further study on the nature of Satan, read Ezekiel 28. Satan is the imposter. His motives are malicious. He wants nothing more than our destruction. So he cleverly and sneakily uses all kinds of different tools to speak lies into our lives.

· What mouthpieces do you see used to communicate lies?

False religions, movies, TV, popular songs, friends, evil rulers, magazine ads, store mannequins, window displays, etc.

· Why does Satan lie to us?

He wants our death and destruction. He knows what God said originally about the tree (if you eat of it you will surely die), and he tries to talk Eve into eating of the tree anyway, assuring her that she will not really die, even though he knows better!

· How do Satan’s lies affect me?

The consequences of Eve falling prey to Satan’s lies are clearly outlined in Genesis 3:16-24. What are the consequences? Separation from God, pain and toiling in this life, loss of innocence, spiritual death…what else?

· How do you feel lies affecting you? Self-esteem, insecurity, grumpy, angry, confused?

· Here’s the problem: Satan lies, but we believe him, thereby giving him and the lies power in our lives. How do we give them power? Let’s look at Eve again.

o Eve cooperated by listening to Satan’s lies. (She should’ve run!)

- She got close and entertained his suggestion.

o Eve cooperated by dwelling on lies.

-She conversed with him and considered what he said.

o Eve cooperated by believing lies rather than the truth of God’s Word.

- She believed the serpent’s promise was more trustworthy than what God had said.

o Eve cooperated by acting on Satan’s lies.

- She ate the fruit. She knew truth and chose to do otherwise.

· So how do we combat the lies? Well, we have to know our weapon.

Read Ephesians 6. We’ve got to be in the Word and KNOW God’s word.

We also need to know how Satan works and know his methods and targets. That’s what we plan to do throughout this study. We will look at specific lies and then the truths we need to combat them.

Activity: Create journals to write down any lies you find yourself believing.

That does it for your recap this week. Make plans now to attend next time on June 20th at my house from 6:30-8:30pm.

I'm praying for lies to be broken in your hearts and lives! I'd love to hear what God's doing in you so be bold and comment away! :)

Love you girls!

Jessie

TONIGHT!

Only a little over 4 hours until our first Girls Bible Study of the summer and I can hardly wait! I'm so excited to spend time with you girls, studying God's Word and growing together. I hope you've made plans to come! We'll have snacks, a crafty activity, and lots of time to gab. Bring your Bible and invite a friend to tag along--the more the merrier!

Meet me at my house from 6:30-8:30 tonight, June 6th. For directions, email me at jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org or call/text me at 417.861.8143.

See you soon girlies! :)

-Jessie

Don't worry; be happy!

Allow me to introduce two fabulous ladies: Kelli & Hannah. They've got some valuable thoughts to share with you on the topic of worrying.

Read. Process. Share. Grow. :)

Have you ever taken an hour to get dressed just to feel like you’ll impress someone Or not said exactly what you wanted to say because you felt like they wouldn’t agree? Well, I’m pretty sure everyone feels that way every so often, but most often, it’s girls that feel this way.

We shouldn’t worry because God has our backs no matter what. And if you worry, really, you’re doubting Godand what He has planned for you.

Kelli says,

"Personally, sometimes I feel like I easily get on peoples’ nerves. Just by talking too much! When I start to feel like that I turn to god and ask Him to help me just trust in Him instead of doubting myself. Another big one for me is gas; it’s so expensive and I have job and I babysit, so my little car sees the gas station quite a bit. I know I need to lay my worries at God’s feet and let Him take control."

Hannah says,

"I usually feel like people are judging me and that people are always talking behind my back. And I’m always trying to impress people and try to make them think I’m cool by doing whatever they’re doing…even if it’s not good. But lately I’ve been doing what God wants me to do and not worrying if people judge me. I just want to be the person God wants me to be."

If you’re struggling with worry, check out some of these verses to easy your anxiety.

Jeremiah 29:11

1 Timothy 4:12

Joshua 1:9

Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

John 3:30

Luke 12:7

Luke 12:25-26

1 Corinthians 6:19

Summertime!

Summer is almost here...and not a moment too soon!

Summer means...

- sunshine

- vacations

- no school

- longer days

- more time with friends

- poolside days

- Pineapple Whip

- suntans

and

- Girls Bible Study!

Summer 2011 Schedule

Meet at Jessie's house from 6:30-8:30pm on the following dates:

June 6, June 20, July 11, July 18, August 1, & August 8

We'll talk about girl stuff, enjoy some munchies, and talk through the book "Lies Young Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss & Dannah Gresh.

For directions, please email Jessie at jstone@ridgecrestbaptist.org