Treasured Ministries

Offering women a biblical solution for inner healing

Living Your Purpose

Godly Girl Power

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For the battle you face today, brave heart, God’s strength is sufficient. His perfect love is a powerful force. His all-surpassing mighty power is much greater than worldly power. Allow God to guard you by letting him guide you. His unfailing love will see you through.

Women make the greatest difference in this world when they experience God’s unconditional love and live confidently, fulfilling God’s purpose for their life. This is not easy. In a world that teaches us to depend on sources other than God, it’s easy to become co-dependent and lose our identity.

I know this—I’ve been there. This is what I’ve learned in my journey of breaking free from co-dependency: to walk in our purpose, we need to plug into Godly girl power.

Godly girl power is God’s all surpassing power. This is different from worldly power. Worldly power is outward control dependent on other people and things and focuses on self. Godly girl power is the inner strength of a woman led confidently by God to walk in love and live for his glory no matter what circumstances she faces. Love is the most powerful force and that is what Godly Girl Power is all about.

Paul taught the Ephesians about God’s all surpassing power.

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit” (Ephesians 3:16)

“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:19-20).

When faced with a battle, we can be tempted to put on the armor of the world, to fight with the world’s battle plans. We try to take the reins of life, fighting our way to take power the world provides to fix things. During past battles, we learned those old coping mechanisms for survival like manipulation, control, self-reliance, seeking power from people, people pleasing, performance, anger, and unforgiveness. These are just some of the worldly ways we sought to find power from external sources when we felt powerless. 

But now we belong to Jesus, the Shepherd and overseer of our souls. He invites us to receive his power by standing in his mighty strength (1 Peter 2:18–25). 

Sharing the gospel is our precious privilege but one that the enemy of our souls would love to shut down. If he can get us so wound up and worn out fighting our battles the world’s way, we may become so discouraged, distracted, and directionless that we stop sharing the gospel altogether. 

Christianity that requires courage instead of Christianity that demands comfort calls us to stand in the strength that only God can provide. God is your defender, brave heart. You are not powerless. 

Which will you choose? Will you stand in God’s mighty power . . . or survive by trying to take worldly power? It’s such an important choice. You see, whatever source you see as your strength will control your life. God’s power is agape love—and his unconditional love is the most powerful force in the world.

Today we begin our journey together by starting with the book of Acts when Paul says good-bye to the church at Ephesus.

Nourish Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-14

When You Want to Give Up

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Treasured Tribe, if you knew today was your last day to live, how would you spend it?

Somedays, I wake up ready to go – wanting to live life to the fullest. But then other days when life gets the best of me, my strength evaporates as difficult circumstances envelope my day like August’s heavy humidity.

I feel overwhelmed.

I feel inadequate.

I am afraid of failing. 

People get on my nerves.

I get hurt, and I am tempted to retaliate or stuff my anger inside. I compare myself or listen to the words of others and ….I want to sit down and quit!

When you feel this way, does it make you a bad Christian? Well, I hope not, because those emotions roared this morning. But then I took a step back and paused to apply a timeless biblical solution. Jesus has given us this strategy when life saps our strength.  Find resilience to remain steadfast by retreating to gain an eternal perspective.

The way not to give up is to find energy by looking up.

“Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” Hebrews 12:2b

The Battle Rages…

There is a battle going on for your heart far beyond what you can see. The enemy of your soul capitalizes on the catastrophe in your life to capsize courage so we will back down from your calling.

But Jesus is fighting for you too – and tells us to win this war – by looking up to not give up.

As the cross drew near, the disciples would experience a downpour of discouragement that would distract them from their divine appointment. And so, Jesus talked to them about eternity.

In Mark 13, Jesus prophesized about future events to teach his disciples to live in the present. The disciples wanted to know “when” this would happen, but Jesus told them to “watch” and attend to their assigned tasks. Jesus was telling them to keep their focus heavenward and live with purpose.

Instead of focusing on when Jesus wants us to focus on being ready. He wants us to watch and be on our guard. If we truly believe Jesus is coming again, we will watch for him take our authority, and pursue our calling with a passion.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.  It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.” Mark 31:34

We All Have a Job to Do…

God has given us a job to do in our assigned sphere of influence to serve others and point them to Christ. While we are on this earth, we need to make the most of every minute in that sphere.

And as we stand on the foundation of  God’s presence instead of the shifting sand of circumstances, the disappointments will not break you—they will build you.

“Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay” (1 Peter 1:3–4 NLT).

And now you must live this truth and make a difference!

What if we wake up every morning and as soon as our feet hit the floor decide to live today as if it were our last 24 hours? How different would each day be if we lived with an eternal perspective?

Treasured Tribe, we only have one life to live. Each day is a gift. Let’s live it to the fullest. Find the energy to live with great expectation by looking up to eternity.

Nourish Scripture: Mark 13

Do you want to transform the way you live each day of your life? Download Nourishing Your Heart and connect with the nourishment every Bible passage has for you!

Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.

Through Her Willingness to Trust, She Trades Watching the Holy Spirit from a Distance for Wading Deep into Those Life-Giving Living Waters

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Father, my comforter, you call me away from the safe shore where I feel in control to soak in the living waters of the Holy Spirit through complete surrender. And I am ready to dive in.

Oh, let me be brave.  

Give me the courage that comes only from your Perfect Love casting out my fear. I confess that for years I have stood back as a spectator by studying the Bible instead of standing on the truth in such a way that it created active steps!  

But now I want to be brave…I see that releasing my resistance to the Holy Spirit by applying my Holy Spirit revelation is truly letting go to live as you intended. 

When John the Baptist called out in the wilderness for all God’s people to be immersed in water through baptism, the Pharisees proudly stood on the shore and watched. They resisted your call because they were resting in their heritage.

May I never forget that there is a difference between being a child of God and living a life led as a child of God!  

And then you, Yeshua, the King of kings and Lord of lords, willingly stepped into the waters of baptism because you willingly followed the Father. What a beautiful display of humble obedience to inspire me to act.  

Oh, Lord, I want to be immersed in the ministry of the Holy Spirit!  

Today I trade watching the ministry of the Holy Spirit for wading deep into those living waters by being willing to trust your still small voice.  

(Pray God’s Word: Matthew 3; James 2:14–26) 

Want more? Click here to read the scriptures.  

Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © Copyright Treasured Ministries 2019

She Becomes Brave

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Abba Father, you take my broken heart and make it brave through the power of your Perfect Love. Give me courage as you call me out into the great expanse of your plan for my life.  

I confess that sometimes I play it so safe that fear lodges in the center of my life instead of you. I want to know everything will work out before I step out.  

I talk about the dream in my heart but don’t take actual steps into the purpose you have for me. But this is not faith!  

Faith and actions walk hand and hand.

Today I choose to act.

You have not given me a spirit of fear! You have given me a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. You have set me free to follow you without fear.  

(Pray God’s Word: Luke 1:72–75; 2 Timothy 1:7; Matthew 25:14–30; 1 John 4:18) 

Want more? Click here to read the scriptures.

Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © Copyright Treasured Ministries 2019

Godly Girl Power

by

For the battle you face today, brave heart, God’s strength is sufficient. His perfect love is a powerful force. His all-surpassing mighty power is much greater than worldly power.

Allow God to guard you by letting him guide you. His unfailing love will see you through.

Women make the greatest difference in this world when they experience God’s unconditional love and live confidently, fulfilling God’s purpose for their life. This is not easy. In a world that teaches us to depend on sources other than God, it’s easy to become co-dependent and lose our identity.

I know this—I’ve been there. This is what I’ve learned in my journey of breaking free from co-dependency: to walk in our purpose, we need to plug into Godly girl power.

What Is Godly Girl Power?

Godly girl power is God’s all-surpassing power. This is different from worldly power.

  • Worldly power is outward control dependent on other people and things and focuses on self.
  • Godly girl power is the inner strength of a woman led confidently by God to walk in love and live for his glory no matter what circumstances she faces. Love is the most powerful force and that is what Godly Girl Power is all about.

Paul taught the Ephesians about God’s all-surpassing power:

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.” (Ephesians 3:16)

“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 1:19-20).

Standing in God’s Strength

When faced with a battle, we can be tempted to put on the armor of the world, to fight with the world’s battle plans. We try to take the reins of life, fighting our way to take power the world provides to fix things. During past battles, we learned those old coping mechanisms for survival like manipulation, control, self-reliance, seeking power from people, people pleasing, performance, anger, and unforgiveness.

These are just some of the worldly ways we sought to find power from external sources when we felt powerless.  

But now we belong to Jesus, the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. He invites us to receive his power by standing in his mighty strength (1 Peter 2:18–25).

Sharing the gospel is our precious privilege but one that the enemy of our souls would love to shut down. If he can get us so wound up and worn out fighting our battles the world’s way, we may become so discouraged, distracted, and directionless that we stop sharing the Gospel altogether.

Christianity that requires courage instead of Christianity that demands comfort calls to us stand in the strength that only God can provide.

God Is Your Defender. You Are Not Powerless.

Which will you choose? Will you stand in God’s mighty power . . . or survive by trying to take worldly power? It’s such an important choice. You see, whatever source you see as your strength will control your life. God’s power is agape love—and his unconditional love is the most powerful force in the world.

Nourish Scripture: Acts 20:16-36

Take the next step by downloading Nourishing Your Heart to learn how to connect with God’s Word in a way that transforms your life. 

Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.

Amazing Grace

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Her life story sang the sweet sounds of amazing grace and created a symphony that drew others to God’s precious gift of salvation through Christ.  Much like an artist carefully and creatively plans each note to create a melody, God orchestrated her steps as she learned to walk by faith in His Words. Instead of creating a melody, these steps created moments linked together for a purpose greater than herself. 

The love of Jesus grabbed her attention . . . but it was God’s words that captured her heart. Every syllable was sacred. His words were living and active. They became reality. They shaped her identity. They changed her life and would, in turn, change the lives of others.

She found her authentic God-given voice by turning her heart towards his so she could listen to and be led by His Words.

Your Purpose Brings Value

What is your God-given purpose? When you seek God’s plan by approaching him through the Bible—the Holy Spirit will reveal God’s words . . . his plan for you . . .  to your heart. Your purpose brings value to this world and glorifies God. God is the author of your story. He is the only one who can write those words on your heart.

The words God whispers to your heart are holy, for they are his. They are meant to write your story so the greatest story—the gospel of Jesus Christ—can be told by your life.

You are a treasure. God created you to shine by reflecting his glory as you turn your heart to his.

Discover the Sweet Sound of Amazing Grace

God is waiting to lead and guide you into life-changing truth. As you respond to the Word and walk out God’s will for your life in faith, you will receive nourishment that will flow to others as you become more and more the woman God created you to be. Find your voice by turning your heart toward his and creating music defined by steps of faith.

Your authentic God–given identity is needed and necessary. 

Make music one moment at a time. One step of faith at a time. One day at a time. ONWARD!

Nourish Scripture: John 8:1-20

Deepen your connection to God’s Word by downloading Nourishing Your Heart today!

Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.

Holy Ground

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It was holy ground—the place where God’s spoken words revealed Moses’ purpose to him. The burning bush grabbed Moses’ attention . . . but it was God’s word’s that captured his heart. Every syllable was sacred. His words were living and active. They became reality. They shaped Moses’ identity. They changed his life and would in turn change the lives of others.

Standing on Holy Ground

What is your God-given purpose?

When you seek God’s plan by approaching him through the Bible—as Moses approached God’s presence in the burning bush—you too are standing on holy ground. The Holy Spirit will reveal God’s words . . . his plan for you . . .  to your heart.

Your purpose brings value to this world and glorifies God. God is the author of your story. He is the only one who can write those words on your heart.

You are a treasure. God created you to shine by reflecting his glory as you turn your heart to his.

God’s Words Are Holy

The words God whispers to your heart are holy, for they are his. Guard them. They are meant to write your story so the greatest story—the gospel of Jesus Christ—can be told by your life.

Don’t ever trample on the holy ground of your God-given purpose by giving more weight to the words of other people than to God’s.

Stay close to God by meditating on the Bible so his words are the loudest. So they drown out words from others—and even from yourself—that would contradict God’s Word or distract you from your God-given purpose. His words are a sacred trust. They are the framework for the holy ground in which seeds of the gospel may be planted for others to see Christ. Don’t argue with others or defend yourself.

The great I AM is calling you, dear friend, and that is enough.

Nourish Scripture: Exodus 3

Take the next step and download Nourishing Your Heart to discover the key to connecting with God’s Word.

Blog written by Aliene Thompson. Aliene Thompson is the founder of Treasured Ministries and the Author of the Nourish Bible Study Series. © 2019 Treasured Ministries.