Sunday, February 27, 2011

EWomen Conference

Mark You Calendars 
The Women of NorthStar Church are heading to 
Johnson City, Tenn. to celebrate the 
Extraordinary Women's Conference this April!!!



2011 EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN CONFERENCE
FREEDOM HALL-JOHNSON CITY
APRIL 29 & 30, 2011

With great speakers: Julie Clinton, Angela Thomas, Lysa Terkeurst and more, comedy from Chonda Pierce, music from Francesca Battistelli and Michael O'Brien!



Visit Connection Point at NorthStar Church for more details.


Monday, February 21, 2011

Are You a List Maker?


 "We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us.  God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
1 John 4:16 (NAS)
I’m a list maker. At my house you’ll see a magnetic notepad on my refrigerator where I keep a running grocery list.  By my bedside is a notepad for jotting down writing ideas.  I have a notebook where I keep a daily to-do list and a long-term to-do list.  And of course the best part of a list is checking something off when completed!



For years I kept another list.  It wasn’t written down.  Instead it was a mental running list I didn’t even realize I was keeping, until I experienced a perspective-shifting situation.

After my second son, Tyler, was born, I went through severe post-partum depression.  It wasn’t just the baby blues.  It was days and days of crying, anxiety and no sleep.  I had a newborn baby, a four year-old son, and a pilot husband who would soon go back to work.  I was completely overwhelmed with everything.  Finally, I called my doctor who prescribed medicine, but it would take a couple of weeks to work.  Meanwhile, I had to figure out how to get through each day.



Every morning I woke up early, prayed, and begged God to take the depression away. But the depression didn’t go away.  In fact it deepened as I listened to the lies depression shouted: You’re a failure.  What’s wrong with you?  Why can’t you do this?  You only have two children and you don’t even have to work full-time.  Other people go through much harder things and you can’t even do this.

One day when I just got sick and tired of being in such a miserable state, I yelled at God, What is this about, God? You’re God.  You could make this depression go away with the snap of Your fingers if You wanted to.  Why won’t You?

Finally, I was just still.  As I sat there, I realized God wanted me to learn a life-changing truth.  I had kept a mental running list of all the reasons God couldn’t love me.  I wasn’t a good enough wife, a good enough Christian, and certainly not a good enough mother. When I was struggling with postpartum depression, I didn’t feel like a good anything.  So I sure didn’t believe God loved me unconditionally.  I believed God loved me – but I believed He’d love me more if I could get my act together.

I wonder if you’re like me, keeping a running list of the reasons you mistakenly think disqualify you from God’s unconditional love.  Maybe like me you don’t feel good enough at anything or you’ve struggled with depression.  Maybe you have a secret that makes you feel ashamed – you’ve had an abortion, you’ve been unfaithful, you drink too much, you scream at your kids or husband.  Maybe you’ve been divorced and that makes you feel unworthy of God’s unconditional love.

When I gave God my list of reasons why He couldn’t love me, I finally heard God’s gentle answer in reply.  Well, it’s a good thing My love doesn’t depend on you, My child.  It’s a good thing My love doesn’t depend on you.

You can scratch all those reasons off the list.  In fact you can tear up the list.  I did that when I died on the cross for you.

Are you ready for a change today?  Are you ready to stop beating yourself up for your flaws, shortcomings, or sins?  God is not keeping a list of your mistakes, and you don’t need to either.  Tear up your list and don’t start a new one.  Choose to believe today God loves you.  There is nothing you can do or not do to change His love for you

Dear Lord, thank You for not keeping a running list of my mistakes, shortcomings or sins.  Help me truly believe, to the core of my being, that You love me through and through, for now and always. I don’t have to help You love me by being perfect. Let today be a defining moment where I tear up my running list and receive Your unconditional love.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

By:  Melanie Chitwood   for Proverbs 31 Woman

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Receive God's Gifts

"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land." (Isaiah 1:19)

What good is it to have a glass of water, if we won’t drink it? Our thirst will not be quenched until we do. Jesus said, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!” (John 7:32). He said that if we have any kind of need, we are to ask Him for what we want, and then receive it. The good things of God are available to those who simply surrender themselves to Him and accept His blessings and mercy.

People beg God for forgiveness but forget to say, “I receive that forgiveness right now; I believe I am forgiven.” Mercy is a free gift. You can’t earn it, you can’t deserve it, and you can’t buy it. The only thing you can do is receive it. Just humble yourself, and accept God’s forgiveness.


From the book Starting Your Day Right: Devotions for Each Morning of the Year by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2003 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved. 

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Happy Valentine's Weekend!!!


What a wonderful time we all had at Couples Night Out!!!  Thank you to everyone who attended!  Have a blessed Valentine's Weekend, and know that the love Jesus has for you is greater than all.  

"Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you." (Psalm 63:3) 



"Its Your Love" - Hillsong

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Couples Night Out - UPDATE




A Quick Update For Couples Night Out 

If you are planning to attend Friday's Couples Night Out event and you have children, please bring them to the Carmichael Campus for childcare.  We had initially planned and announced to have the childcare at the Sherrill Campus; however, things have changed and ALL childcare will be at the Carmichael Campus.  This will be MUCH easier for everyone since our Couples Night Out event will be held at the Carmichael Campus too. 

For Directions to the Carmichael Campus, please click HERE.

Have a blessed rest of the week!!!

Monday, February 7, 2011

The Rewards of Giving

Good Monday Morning.  We hope you had a blessed weekend and ready to start the week.  Today, we have a very special post discussing the Rewards of Giving.  Enjoy the devotion, and have a great week. 

It seems the whole world needs our help now. We see it in our friendships at church, at work, in the news, locally, nationally, and globally. Its overwhelming to think of giving sometimes. Its so incredibly hard to imagine where to begin. And especially when we are face to face with our own needs.
 
But in Philippians 4:10-19 we are truly given a spectacular look at why we should though. Paul, a apostle and follower of Christ is speaking of, and thanking, those who give. 
Look carefully inside this promise of what giving will bring. Verses 17-20 says this:

17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.  20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.


Paul wants those who give of their finances, their time, their words, and their compassion to have more credited to their account - for them to be blessed in the giving!  That is the reward - in verse 19 - that Christ will meet our truest need at the time with His riches. Will our blessing be monetary? Emotional? Physical? A miracle we get to see in someone elses life?  

It doesn't matter, it's from HIS riches! Its what HE deems most beneficial to bring us closer to Himself. And did you see the most important reason of all in the second half of verse 18? It pleases Him. It is an offering to Him in and of itself!

And this promise ends with the perfect ultimate reason - it brings Him Glory. Giving as an action keeps giving - it ripples out changing one persons life after another after another. 

Now go out there and be a part of how He changes the world - with one act of giving at a time - and be blessed, Amen!

Friday, February 4, 2011

NorthStar Couples Night Out

Mark Your Calendars!!  The Ladies Ministry of NorthStar Church is hosting Couple Night Out!!
This Sunday is the Last Day to Register!!!



Couples Night Out
Friday, February 11, 2011
7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p..m.
Carmichael Campus

 Speakers David & Tina Holt 
Dessert Buffet & Drinks Provided
Fun Games and AMAZING Prize Packs (Trips, Attraction Tickets, and Much More!!)
Childcare Provided at Sherrill Campus  

$15 per Couple 
Deadline to Register: Sunday, Feb. 5 @Connection Point
Limited to the first 100 Couples

Be on the Look Out!!

TGIF Season Sisters!!   I hope each of you had a GREAT week.  Last week we finished our three weeks of Friday's with Beth, and today I wanted to share a "teaser" video of an event coming up in May.  Mark your calendars, and we will provide more details as the time draws closers.




Have a blessed weekend, and we will see you Sunday!!!