This one's for the LLaaaadies!

When you read the title, think Baby Mama.

Okay so the JCM topic was Why girls need girls, why girl friends are important. In raw honesty, I have to admit my first reaction to hearing the topic was "ugh sounds sappy." FYI, Urban dictionary defines sappy as "something very lame, or something so sweet it makes you want to puke." Thank God for 2nd reactions...I began to think about it and got excited to write on the topic. Since everyone loves a list, Here, in no particular order, are the reasons I came up with- Why girls need other girl friends:

* I can't have guy friends when you're married. (Don't fight me on this, it's true. I would say 90% of my friends, and including myself have said they grew up hangin out with boys and not girls. I have come to realize why this was, at least for myself. Girls size other girls up, and compare, too much! Girls have an undying need to be cuter than the next and since girls cannot be compared to guys, girls hung out with guys. Every girl, including myself will simply state this "because boys are less drama." Not to mention its always easy to hang out with guys because GUYS like girls. One exception to having a guy friend while married is another couple you and your spouse hang out with)

*I need someone to tell me if its too low,short,tight and just ain't right! We have our girl friends because they are honest with us and our clothing choices. and We know guys are biased on this subject. ;)

*I might need someone to cry with. Again 90% of my friends, including myself would say they are NOT "criers" but in raw honesty, we cry sometimes and it's just a little easier when your girl friends feel ya on a given subject.

*I need opinions and advice. Whether its marriage to babies, girls need advice from godly women who might have been through the same things--& Guys dont pop out babies or have been through every weird thing that comes along with it.

*I need someone to listen. Okay guys might listen, and I have a great man who does. I do find that my girlfriends will patiently hear out my details of the story. I find most girls are good listeners and this is something I do need to work on.

*I might need someone to be excited about the 2nd, 3rd, 90th kid I am having. Boys don't get this, its cool for the first but not so much the second OR 90th. and if you a guy and reading this...Your woman needs just as much love and pampering as she got on the first baby, maybe even more because now she has both hands full. Girls get this!--and your really close girl friends will try to get scheme their way into your delivery room, just to show you love.

*Friends help me focus!

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm

not turning back.

Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal.So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it. (Phil 3)

I'm sure my list could go on, and although I can hate to admit I need other people, I surely do. And I am so blessed with friends around me who keep me accountable and tell me what I need to hear. They ultimately make me a better woman, and to quote Emily, "the woman God knows I can be."

Thanks to all my GIRL friends, I love you beyond words, and appreciate you more than you understand! <33

Check out 2 women that have made my life so much better! Emily & Shelly 's blog on this topic.

Ps. I can dig sappy.

A servant's heart

The motivate of a servant's heart shows it to be true or not.

Many moons ago a topic, chosen by my accountability group, was to describe yourself in one word. And in this one word we were to describe ourselves, the good and the bad. My first thought was how can that be possible? As I pondered the thought more, the first word to illustrate both the good and bad parts of my character was: servant.

I'll start with the unpleasant. One bad part about serving is that sometimes I can serve for my own benefit, serve so others will serve me, or serve so others will like me, mostly serve so things can work out my way. I see myself as a hard working person who loves to be appreciated much to the extent of doing things for others just for approval & apprecitation. Thank Jesus, he nipped this in the bud. How he did this was kind of interesting. I was at the barbershop cleaning my life away, and began to have conversations with myself (come on we all do it) about how if I wasn't cleaning it wouldn't matter because no one appreciated it anyway. I mean my peers or my boss didn't even notice! Then I heard the voice (we've all heard it) ya know sounded like my own but its the one that shows me how wrong I've been. It's the voice of God. What he reminded me of that day was Gal. 1:10 and how I was living quite the opposite. NLT states it, "Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant." It wasn't until I heard His voice, that I understood why I did not recieve appreciation and pat on the backs from people. He wanted me to get my approval from Him, and now thats all I really need.

I don't think I have to talk too much about the good side of it. It's pretty self-explanitory. I do believe its a desire God put in me and puts in all of us to serve and love him. By doing this, it most always means we have to serve and love others. When I am spending time with God on regular basis, to serve others is second nature. When serving now, God reminds me of this verse in Phil 2:5-7

In your relationships with one another,

have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God

something to be used to his own advantage; rather,

he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Please enjoy some other good blogs on One-Word descriptions by Emily-Kate & Shelly.