Practicing Prayer

For the next 2 months, Pearls of Hope will be learning and practicing the gift and privilege of prayer! Last Tuesday, we entered into this very important topic with hearts wide open and optimistic spirits. It's amazing how many Jesus-believing people are either too afraid or too self conscious to practice consistent prayer, yet this is what scripture teaches us to do.

"Pray without ceasing"

-1 Thessalonians 5:17

"Ask and it will be given"

Matthew 7:7

"Pray for others"

-Hebrews 13:18

Pages and pages throughout the Bible encourage us to ask the Father, to cry out to God, to intercede for others and to approach the throne of grace with confidence. What love the Father has for us, that He allows an open door of communication to be set between Himself and His children. Yet, so many find fear, hesitation or uncomfort when put in the position to pray, especially in public. For this study, it is my hope and prayer that many of the girls find joy in praying out loud and for each other. My prayer is that we all experience a sweet presence of the Holy Spirit throughout this study, as we come together in sincere and open hearted prayer, for the next 6 weeks.

If you find fear or hesitation in your prayer life, please search the scriptures, and ask the Lord to replace your timidity with courage and boldness! Our Father loves to hear our hearts! Our brothers and sisters in Christ need to know that we are lifting them up in prayer! We have not, because we ask not. Let's all join together in asking and seeking a spirit that delights in prayer to our Loving and Gracious King!

Stay encouraged!

~Pearls

Crazy Love

Last Tuesday, Pearls of Hope turned the last page of Crazy Love and we are so excited to have completed our THIRD BIBLE STUDY together!!! The evening was filled with heartfelt discussion, vulnerable truths and a reminder that change is so necessary in order to become effective in our relationships with the Lord. We learned so much about our own hearts, how God wants to develop us and how we have a tremendous opportunity to share Christ with the world around us!

This study, for me personally, was a journey full of conviction concerning how to love the unloveable, how to operate in grace and compassion in the midst of conflict and unfair treatment, how to look for opportunities to give and to serve, and most importantly, I learned the significance of Matthew 25: To Love God means to love others, and in order to Love others, I must develop a sincerely intimate and reverent Love for God.

I praise the Lord for His word of truth, for His grace and mercy that He shares with us continuously, and of the loving sisters and friends that He has put in my life! This study, in particular, was a challenge for us all. It was difficult at times; uncomfortable, even, yet they all stayed the course! There were areas in our lives that needed to change, there were short comings that needed to be addressed, there were struggles that needed to be confessed, and as we tackled our problems, we were able to mature together- growing in friendship and in accountability. Together, we grew in God's love and in personal maturity within our Christianity. We prayed, confessed, encouraged each other and created opportunities to love and serve.

These are some amazing women! They are courageous and not afraid to be transparent  and reach out! I am so grateful to be connected to such women and I know that my life is the better for it! This experience was truly life changing!!! I'm so thankful for my Pearls and I cannot wait to begin our next study in September!!!

Stay Tuned for more!
Keep Growing, Keep Changing for Christ!

~Pearls of Hope