Friday Favs: Poetry

Change me, Lord

It seems like every girl has it better than me,
And my frustrations and my flaws are all I see.

Many times this verse I’ve read,
My strength is made perfect in weakness God said.

But I tell Him, I wanna be that, I wanna be this!
I wanna shine brighter, be the girl you can’t miss.!

I made you in my own perfect way,
So why is it I always hear you say,

Change me Lord to be like her,
When it’s you yourself I really prefer.

I may be the only one who sees your true beauty,
To make others see it isn’t your duty.

I know to you your flaws seem prominent.
But to me, they are gifts to you that I’ve lent.

But Lord can’t I live without all this stuff?
My child, my child, My grace is enough!

You don’t have to be accepted by everyone,
All that matters is if you’re found in the Son.

Trust me when He says I love you just the way you are,
You’re His joy and His crown, His bright shining star!

~Jenny Clark

October & November Calendar

Click on calendar to enlarge.

Friend Day!

"He found first his own brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah'...He brought him to Jesus." John 1:41-42

This past weekend my nephew was born, and it was such an exciting day! I became an Aunt to an incredibly adorable little guy. He was born Friday morning, and immediately I posted on Twitter and Facebook, and I told everyone I ran into about my new nephew. As I was telling everyone, I realized that when something exciting happens in our lives, we want to share with everyone! Think back to a time in your life when something exciting happened...didn't you want to share with your friends, family, and those close to you?

This made me think back to the most phenomenal event to ever take place in my life - when I accepted Christ as Lord and Savior and surrendered my life to Him. Since then, my life has never been the same, and God continues to work in my life today. Just as I shared with everyone about my nephew, even more should I be sharing the incredible gift of Christ and the Gospel with everyone I meet.

Andrew brought his brother to Jesus, and Philip brought Nathaniel (John 1:41-45)...who will you bring to Jesus?

An incredible opportunity is coming up on November 7th, "Friend Day." It's called that, because we are to bring friends, family, and neighbors with us so they can hear about the One who changes lives, Jesus.

More details about Friend Day here: www.bellevuestudents.org. Click on the video.

~Jennie

Thirst: "Lord, I Want to Know You"

11th-12th grade girls in "Thirst" are going through Kay Arthur's "Lord I Want to Know You" which teaches about the character of God by studying His Biblical Names. For example, this week we are focusing on God Most High, El Elyon. This name designates God as the sovereign, ruler of the universe. This is the name Daniel uses when he is thanking God for interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream to him. It is the name Isaiah uses when quoting God to the Israelites in regards to their future. The same God Most High is in control of all people, circumstances, and happenings of today!

Memory Verse: "I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me." Psalm 57:2

Quote from Book:
"If God is not sovereign, if He is not in control, if all things are not under His dominion, then He is not the Most High, and you and I are either in the hands of fate (whatever that is), in the hands of man, or in the hands of the devil." - Kay Arthur

Thirst: "Lady In Waiting"

What 10th grade girls are learning this week in "Thirst" from their leader, Lindsey:

The tenth graders involved in “Thirst” are reading through “Lady in Waiting” by Jackie Kendall and Debby Jones. We are studying how to trust God with His perfect plan for our lives, including finding future mates. But, most importantly, we are learning how to become ladies who truly follow God in radical abandon to Him, seeking His will above our own. We have read about how to be a lady of diligence and a lady of faith. A look into the life of Ruth shows us how God is in control of our lives—every detail—and that we must choose to walk by faith and not by our own understanding or desires.

Memory verse: Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Friday Favs: Just for Fun...

Remember...don't be hard-headed!

Have a great weekend!

Thirst: "Crazy Love"

A look into what the 9th grade girls are learning in "Thirst" this week from their leader, Nicole:

One of the main things we have talked about is a question that Francis Chan ("Crazy Love") asks and that is, " What do you think would be the FIRST thing out of your mouth the moment you saw God?" We have talked about how we want this question to transform the way that we pray. Far too often we find ourselves trapped in the hurried," God thank you for this day...this food....God please help ME do this, ME, ME, ME...." When you think about the fact that you are coming into the presence of the JESUS of the Bible who is seated on a throne in heaven as Revelation describes, our hurried, unintentional, "check it off the list of things to do" prayers seem as though perhaps they are not really prayers at all. We should learn to pray as though Someone is LISTENING - because so often we find ourselves not in a conversation, but in a hurried rambling of thoughts, not even truly focused on the Lord.

Memory verse: Psalm 63:3 " Oh God, You are my God; I shall seek you earnestly; my soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You in a dry and weary land where there is no water."

A quote from "Crazy Love" this week: " ...it doesn't matter what place you find yourself right now.Your part is to bring Him glory...The point of your life is to point to Him."

"Thirst": One Girl Can Change the World

A glimpse into what the 8th grade girls are learning in "Thirst" this week:
We are learning (from Ch. 2 in "One Girl Can Change the World") about how God has created our passions for His purpose and how to find out what that is! Also, how to develop your passion into being used for the body of Christ.

Our memory verse: Psalm 63:2 "Thus I have beheld Thee in the sanctuary, to see Thy power and Thy glory."
(8th grade girls are memorizing Psalm 63 this semester.)

A quote from this week's chapter: Never doubt that a community of thoughtful, committed women, filled with the power and Love of God, using gifts they have identified and developed, and pursuing passions planted in them by God, that these women can change the world.

"Thirst": Essentials of Prayer

"Thirst" is our Girls' Discipleship that meets on Sunday afternoons (Middle School @ 4pm & High School @ 5pm). Each grade meets separately, with a leader, for a time of accountability, prayer, scripture memorization, and study of God's Word. I wanted to share a bit of what our 7th grade girls are studying this week, and it comes from E. M. Bound's book called "Essentials of Prayer." They are learning how to pray, how to keep a prayer journal, how Jesus prayed, and of course we are praying together! A few tidbits about prayer and our memory verse for this week:

For the Christian, prayer is a relationship - and a way of life.

The praying Christian, as the soldier, fights a life-and-death struggle...littleness, half-heartedness, weakness, and laziness are all absent.

The largest results in praying come to him who gives himself, all of himself, all that belongs to himself, to God.

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."

Matt. 22:37

Friday Favs: Galatians 3

What God promised Abraham, that through him all the nations would be blessed, has become ours through Jesus. What is that blessing? Galatians 3 describes to us the blessing of the promise of the Spirit and of salvation. The promise of salvation to all nations was given to Abraham and his “seed”, but who is his seed? JESUS. (vs. 6) What does that mean for you? Every promise and every hope and expectation of salvation is found in Jesus, not through living by the law according to verse 18. NO amount of spiritual activity is enough. If it were enough, then it was pointless for Jesus to die for YOU. Nothing you do could ever be worthy of receiving the blessing and promise of salvation from our God! (verses 13-14) Salvation is free through faith in Jesus! (vs. 9) What are you trusting in to save you? Galatians 3:29- And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise... SALVATION!

Read for yourself! : Galatians 3:1-29
Galatians 2:21
Philippians 3:8-9

~Jenny Clark