Worship Wednesday - Incredible New Song

Hillsong Live - Unending love 

Unending love, Hillsong New Album in 2011 "God is able" by Hillsong Music

There's no silver or gold
And no treasure untold
That could draw me away from Your heart
Neither love of myself
Or of anyone else will do

PRE-CHORUS:

Jesus nothing compares
To this grace that rescues me
Saviour now and forever
Your face is all I seek

Now all I am
I lay at Your feet
I'm humbled by the wonder of Your majesty
One thing I know
I find all I need
In Your unending love
In Your unending love

Letting go of my pride
I lay down my desires
Just to worship in Spirit and truth
More than all of my dreams
More than fame I will seek You Lord

Jesus nothing compares
To this grace that rescued me
Saviour now and forever
Your face is all I seek

Now all I am
I lay at Your feet
I'm humbled by the wonder of Your majesty
One thing I know
I find all I need
In Your unending love
In Your unending love

Now all I am
I lay at Your feet
I'm humbled by the wonder of Your majesty
One thing I know
I find all I need
In Your unending love
In Your unending love

To purchase the songs:
http://www.hillsongmusic.com/categories/live/godisable

Daily Bible Study Tips

 

Find­ing time to study scrip­ture every­day is a vital part of the Chris­t­ian life, but it is also the one thing that tends to get left off of our busy agen­das first.

I am a busy woman myself! I once had a friend ask me, “Have you ever heard the acronym “B.U.S.Y.” Being Under Satan’s Yoke?”

Ouch!

Don’t let busy­ness steal your joy in the Lord! Here are a few quick tips to keep your Bible open dur­ing the busy sum­mer months, and mak­ing Bible study time a priority!

•Set up an “unbreak­able” date with the Lord. Find a time each day when you can count on a lit­tle quiet time. It doesn’t have to be a long period of time. For moth­ers it’s usu­ally either morn­ings or nap time. Keep the place where you study con­sis­tent. This keeps you from hav­ing to pick a place each day and keeps you famil­iar with your sur­round­ings. It elim­i­nates poten­tial distractions.

•Make your­self a Bible study bas­ket or bag. Put things in it that you need for your study time. A Bible, a com­men­tary of your choice, high­lighters, pen, note­book, and any­thing else that you need for that time (includ­ing tea bags if you want to sip tea while you study!) This way you are not wast­ing pre­cious time hunt­ing down what you need and you can spend that time studying.

•If you do not have a struc­tured study to do, decide on a par­tic­u­lar book you would like to look at over the sum­mer. For exam­ple you could do a sum­mer­time trea­sure hunt in the book of Psalms where you mind­fully look each day at a chap­ter or two and record the attrib­utes of God that you find.

•Start your study time off with prayer, and keep a small jour­nal of your prayers and answers you receive! This can be a huge source of encour­age­ment later for you and your family!

•Use a 3-question bible study method. Read the pas­sage you intend to study all the way through at least once (twice is always good). 1. Ask your­self the fol­low­ing ques­tions the sec­ond time through: a. What are the facts? b. Answer the who, what where and when ques­tions. Only draw from the facts. 2. What can I learn from this pas­sage? Is there a les­son, prin­ci­ple or and exam­ple to fol­low? 3. How can I prac­ti­cally apply this les­son to my life? What can I do today to change things? Instead of say­ing some­thing like “I’ll pray more.” You want to get spe­cific and say “I will wake up 10 min­utes ear­lier each morn­ing to pray longer.” Be specific!

Remem­ber that we meet the Lord in scrip­ture and prayer. His Word is His Rev­e­la­tion of Him­self! Don’t fall for the temp­ta­tion of study­ing your Bible 『later.』 Study it today and each day so that your “week­days” through the sum­mer are not, well, “weak days!”

by: Claire Shackelford -  Claire began writing when she found herself attached to the Army at the hip—at one point her husband and two sons were serving. It was then she began writ­ing about her jour­ney through sep­a­ra­tions and deployments from a Christian perspective. She never faced deploy­ment with her hus­band, but she has been through 2 now with her old­est son. Claire holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work and she serves as a ministry leader with Christian Military Wives as well as on the Board of Directors for Christian Military Fellowship.

Want More Tips on Studying the Lord's Word...........check out this incredible video:

7 Ways to Praise Your Husband for 7 Days

According to Gary Chapman’s book, The Five Love Languages, one of the primary love languages is affirmation.  Simply giving the gift of words to affirm your spouse is that huge!  Even if your husband leans more towards another primary means of communicating love, there is not a man on earth who doesn't love praise.  Oh, who am I kidding?  There is not a person on earth who can’t appreciate honest praise.

Many times, I believe we fail to praise our husbands because we simply forget how awesome they are.  We grow accustomed to their strengths and fail to show them just how much we admire those strengths.  One of the things I well remember about my husband was the first time we talked on the phone.  I remember thinking how much I loved the depth and tone of his voice. Still do! But as I stated a few weeks ago, familiarity in marriage doesn't always breed contempt- it simply breeds complacency, which can be even more dangerous.

Let’s get creative this week with ways to praise our husbands!  Today I’m presenting:

APPLAUD:  7 Ways to Praise Your Husband for 7 Days

Day 1: A – Appreciate those physical attributes that attracted you to your husband in the beginning.  Maybe it is still his biceps, or that dark hair, or those intriguing eyes…whatever it is, take notice and tell him!

Day 2: P – Praise his character traits that wouldn’t be visible unless he acted on them.  Some ideas of these types of characteristics are his merciful heart or grace-giving or gentle spirit.  Acknowledging the actions you adore that come from your husband’s character will be much appreciated!

Day 3: P – Promote his position as the leader of your home.  From the time my children have been born, we get excited when Daddy arrives home from work.  No matter what time of day, we drop everything we’re doing and greet him at the door with hugs and kisses.

Day 4: L – “Like” your husband. And I don’t mean “like” him on Facebook.  Although that’s a great idea also…    I mean like his interests enough to be able to compliment him about them.  For instance, when my husband goes for a run, upon his return, I simply ask, “How far did you go?”  And he shares his distance and times.  Then I compliment his distance or time.  Simple, purposeful conversation.

Day 5: A – Acknowledge his accomplishments.  Whether ministry or career or personal, celebrate achievements! Add an extra date night, make a special dessert for after dinner, or write a note simply saying how proud you are that he did it- whatever “it” happens to be.

Day 6: U – Understand the need for affirmation.  Be sensitive to a discouraging day at work or a personal disappointment and find a way to encourage his heart, even when you can’t praise an accomplishment.

Day 7: D – Determine to be positive in your conversations.  Often the “sludge” of the day can get piled up and dumped on your husband as soon as you see him at day’s end. Ease into conversation- I’m not saying you have to hide the sludge- because we both know he will smell it sooner or later.    But determining in advance to be optimistic about the Lord’s direction in an area will assist you in praising your husband even through difficult circumstances.

I hope you’ll let us know how you plan to APPLAUD your husband this week! Leave us a comment below!

Blessings, 

Rache About Rachel Wojnarowski - Rachel is originally a small town country girl who converted to a suburban mother of seven by way of life happening.  She and her husband, Matt, enjoy caring for their busy family, whose ages span from 13 months to 21 years old, including a special needs daughter.  Rachel leads community ladies’ Bible studies in central Ohio and serves as an event planner and speaker for special needs parenting groups.  She is a member of Ohio Writers’ Guild and the National MPS Society; and loves to inspire others through her blog by sharing faith, family, and fun. l

 

Worship Wednesday

Northstar Worship-The Stand from Northstar Church on Vimeo.

Northstar Worship-How He Loves from Northstar Church on Vimeo.

Northstar Worship- Cornerstone from Northstar Church on Vimeo.

Awesome Link for New Workout Tunes

Hey Running Gals - If you enjoy Christian rock, is there a better way to find motivation and encouragement than through the spoken word?  Check out this mix of upbeat tunes that will go with a nice steady 130 bpm pace.

 http://www.rockmyrun.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11426

New Check In Announcement for Children at NorthStar

New Check In Announcement from Northstar Church on Vimeo.

"Made to Crave" Bible Study!

Based on the book "Made to Crave"by Lysa TerKeurst, this will be a 6-7 week bible study beginning Monday nights Oct 29th at 6:30pm at Northstars Carmichael Campus.

Face the holidays - and your life - differently as we take a look at how food can become more about frustration than fulfillment, because we were actually made to crave so much more.

Break the cycle of “I’ll start again on Monday,” and feel good about yourself today.

Stop agonizing over numbers on the scale and make peace with your body.

Replace rationalization that leads to diet failure with wisdom that leads to victory.

Reach your healthy goals and grow closer to God through the process.

What this isn't: it's not a how-to manual or the latest, greatest dieting plan. Made to Crave and this bible study is a helpful companion to use alongside whatever healthy eating approach you choose — the book and Bible study are designed to help you find the “want to” in how to make healthy lifestyle changes.
Sign up now online at http://northstarknox.com/#/ministries/women - where you also also find more details, information on the study guide/book, and instructions if child care is needed.

Space is limited so sign up soon!

My Thoughts vs. God's Word

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 (NKJV)

Do you ever question if you are good enough? Are you more likely to dwell on what's wrong with you than what's right with you?

One day I realized I was scrutinizing myself to find out what my problem was. The more I picked myself apart, the more it dawned on me another voice was egging me on; the voice of the enemy, Satan. As I listened to his lies, my sense or worth and security were zapped.

For a long time I didn't even recognize him for who he was. The negative thoughts and deceitful suggestions simply sounded like my own voice.

The Bible opens with a serpent slithering into the lives of Adam and Eve. He filled their heads with lies they believed which separated them from God. Jesus, too, was tempted by this liar. He was ready though, with the Word of God, to defeat the evil one.

We too can have this weapon in our arsenal. As we fill our hearts and minds with Truth, we can defeat the lies we tell ourselves and the lies Satan whispers to our hearts.

When I compare my negative thoughts to God's Word, the differences amaze me:

My thoughts: I want to give up.
 
God's Word: Be committed. Matthew 5:33-37
My thoughts: I'll feel lost.
God's Word: He watches my paths and establishes my ways. Proverbs 5:21, 4:26
My thoughts: No one loves me.
God's Word: He loves me more than life. John 3:16
My thoughts: I'm ugly.
God's Word: I'm wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14
My thoughts: I'm all alone and no one understands me.
God's Word: He will never leave me. He has plans for my life. Deuteronomy 31:6, Jeremiah 29:11
My thoughts: I'm just not good enough.
God's Word: I was created in His image. Genesis 1:26

Are you ready to replace lies with God's truth, so when the enemy tries to slither back in with false accusations, you'll be ready to combat him with what God's Word says about you?

To get started, evaluate your thoughts and pray for wisdom to distinguish the voice of the enemy. Condemning thoughts that steal your confidence of who you are in Christ aren't from God. Let's commit today to renew our mind with the Word of God each day, and replace those worn-out, deceitful lies with Truth.

Dear Lord, thank You for Your life-giving truth. Please fill me with Your Word so that I can live in freedom and confidence! In Jesus' Name, Amen.



Melissa Taylor shares God's Word every day on her Online Bible Studies. Join her for September 23 for Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst! Click here for more info.

De-Clutter Your Mind

Getting organized is near the top of most of our to-do lists.   But I’ll venture to say 75% or more of our clutter problems aren’t because we don’t work hard enough, or that our homes are too small or our children are messy.  Most of our problems start because we can’t think through what needs to be done. 

We can’t get our minds under control.  We can’t make decisions.  We are on mental overload.

Do you know that feeling?

For years, I lived with an ongoing sense that I should be doing something all the time. It ate at me. Even when I was focused on something important, there was a latent unease about what else I should be doing.  It was an underlying anxiety that hung around, even when there was no pressing deadline or responsibility.   It caused stress and lack of sleep.

It wasn’t until I read David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done, that I discovered a reason for this tension.   It seems our brains aren’t designed to store and manage all of the information, deadlines and demands that swirl around us at all times.

Allen writes, “The big problem is that your mind keeps reminding you of things when you can’t do anything about them. It has no sense of past or future. That means that as soon as you tell yourself that you need to do something, and store it in your RAM (your mind), there’s a part of you that thinks you should be doing that something all the time.”

It was a head-slapping moment when I read those words. That was it! Allen goes on to explain that the first step to finding a solution is to get everything out of your mind and store it somewhere safe. Not the “safe” place you stored an important document at home, and now can’t find. But somewhere close at hand.

I realized my mind was trying to manage more stuff than it could hold, and one to-do list wasn’t the answer because it wasn’t keeping things in safe places.

So I decided to do something about it and created a project management notebook.  Here’s what I did:

1. I took a personal assessment of all my responsibilities, projects, priorities and tasks. Everything.  I got everything out of my mind and onto one master list.  This took a few pages and about a week as things came to my mind.  I listed things that I had to do that week and in the coming months.  Nothing was too big or too small to include.  I didn’t try to bring any organization to it, I just did a major brain dump.
2. When I had everything in one place, I had a near panic attack at how big the list was.
3. Once I could breathe normally, I divided that list into two lists:  a project list and a task list.  A project is anything that takes more than one step.  Like planning a birthday party or writing a book proposal.  A task is anything that is only one step, like making a dentist appointment.
4. Using that philosophy, I created a project management notebook to keep track of all my responsibilities.  I actually developed this idea further and now keep lists of all kinds of things I want to remember, like devotions I want to write and notes on upcoming projects.  This notebook isn’t fancy.  It’s just a simple three-ring binder.
5. I create my weekly to-do list by pulling a manageable number of items off one of my lists. 

Having a safe place to keep track of things I need to remember enables me to have more peace, and be fully present when I need to be.  I don’t have that constant anxiety about what I am forgetting.  But even more important than that, having everything in one place made me realize I was doing too much.  No one could keep up the pace I had set for myself.  But without a master plan, I couldn’t adequately assess my workload.

The truth is I have enough time and energy to do everything God asks me to do.  The problem is I add lots more on to my plate. So I’m on a journey to be a better steward of my time and mental energy.  And that starts with keeping my mind clear of clutter.

Glynnis Whitwer is on staff with Proverbs 31 Ministries as the Senior Editor of the P31 Woman magazine and director of the Writing Team. She is one of the writers of Encouragement for Today, the Proverbs 31 e-mail devotions, with over 500,000 daily readers.  Her newest book, I Used to be So Organized, was released last fall.  Glynnis, her husband Tod, and their five children live in Glendale, Arizona.  Visit www.GlynnisWhitwer.com for more information.

Conversations This Weekend.............

Women’s Prayer Breakfast-Sherrill Campus

Ladies: Join us for a very special Conversations! You’ll have the chance to learn about the women behind the missionary faces at NorthStar-and the chance to pour into them-hey, they need some girl time, too! It’s still the best way to meet, connect, and get to know other women at NorthStar! Join us for breakfast, some fun door prizes, and a little inspiration. 9-11am.

Sign up at northstarknox.org or at Connection Point so we can plan enough food. Child care is provided for children 5 and under but pre-registration is required.