Something in the works…

*Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”* Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Maybe the title should say…something in the words once you here what is coming!

Let me beginning by saying, this book illustrates an imperfect writer striving to point others to the one and only perfect author, God!

After writing Crown the Sword, I honestly never dreamed of writing another book. I know, I know the book ends with the words “until we meet again”. Maybe I thought God would have me writing short devotion books or something of that nature.

I have started this book several times and then stopped. It didn’t feel just right or the direction was off somehow. He kept drawing me to it though. I knew God wanted me to write about being intentional with Scripture and tips on increasing a relationship with Him and infusing of His Word. Are you kidding God? I am not an expert on anything, especially this!

All I can share is my experience and discovery. I can witness to my own journey in reading, studying, and applying the Bible. It turned my life upside down. I went from being a surface level believer to a God fearing, sold-out lover of Him and His Word. When I finally surrendered to His authority, the living resource I found through Biblical text changed everything. It even birthed the Refining ministry!

I have accepted the fact that God has called me out and asked me to step into a spiritual maturity ministry helping others go BEYOND, to the best of my imperfect ability. Look, I do not have all the answers, but I am willing to share my experiences and gained knowledge. The LORD has impressed upon me the importance of helping others discover effective ways to read, comprehend, pray, and infuse Scripture on an individual level. He wants every believer to be fully equipped, including YOU!

The book is in its rough draft form currently. I would ask you to pray for the days ahead and its revision. Pray that each word within this writing will encourage others to go BEYOND their current Scripture intake level whether it be an occasional visitor or daily reader. May it be an invitation to go BEYOND what people say about the Bible to letting GOD speak a personal message directly to readers through His Word.

If you on own a quest to find an individualized plan to in-depth Bible study and desire to sit at the feet of Jesus absorbing His perspective above and BEYOND all else, this might be the book for you.

May the journey from rough draft to full publication be directed by the hands of the Almighty Father only. Please pray for a hedge of protection in the process because this will impact someone’s life in the days ahead.

Until we meet again…

September 11, 2022 0

Noting the Promises of God

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But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 (NIV)

In all of your earthly relationships, who do you place the most trust in? Do the words loyal and faith describe their character? Do they primarily have remarkable follow through with their promises to you? Have they or will they let you down at some point?

I once was advised by a church leader to never have expectations of humans, then I would never be disappointed by them. Well, as much as this appears logical, how could one ever develop an intimacy and deep friendship with no expectations?

I am of the opinion most people choose their circle of friends, you know-those beyond acquaintances, based on trust and dependability. Why would you ever entertain a close association with someone if you didn’t have some type of faithful expectations? How could you truly believe what they said or promised if there wasn’t some level of trust?

Good news-you never have to question the promises of the LORD. He is forever constant in fulfilling and has proved this over and over. Just compare Old Testament prophecy to New Testament fulfillment.

His character is steadfast. God is the only relationship delivering constant, dependable trust. It is His character-loyal, faithful, devoted, and reliable. What a privilege to call Him friend.

When reading Scripture, search for those promises made directly by the father. These guarantees and assurances furnish hope on a big scale. Why? Because you can count on it, my friend! Believe it, trust it, and know it will happen. They are oaths made by the LORD himself.

These promises enter our minds as only information as we read and discover them. But, if we take the time to study each one intimately, God exposes His love for us and declares truth we can certainly hang our hat on. (Oops, that might have come from my Texas upbringing) It provides an insight of eternal hope and builds an even greater scale of confidence in the creator of our soul, Elohim.

As you find the promises of the LORD in your independent reading, decide what your plan will be.

Will you highlight them a different color than everything else in your Bible?
Will you write them in a special journal filled with nothing but God’s promises? (I call this God’s victory file. It comes in handy on those days the enemy is larking and working overtime. It helps call him out for who and what he is, a liar!)
Maybe you are a prayer journal lover. You can write the verse/s of promises directly in your prayer journal book with complete reference. Then pray out the promise/s into your life and those around you.

These three ideas are only the beginning to honoring the promises of the father. Each promise is a revelation you can expect to happen. They embody a powerful force, capable of crushing the attempts of evil. (Think about Jesus’ responds when tempted by the enemy.)

I would encourage you to devise a promise plan right for you. Determine a method of noting these assurances. Highlight them, write them, pray them, use them to encourage others, and cling to them for a lifetime. You may already have a strategy working for you in this area. How could you possibly enhance it?

You can always trust God’s assurances to be prevailing, mighty, effective, impressive, and everlasting! Who else delivers such guarantees?

Oh yeah, one more thing-have expectations of the Father. They will always be fulfilled BEYOND human standards and in accordance with His immaculate plan. Pinkie promise!

September 8, 2022 0

Exceeding Text Elevation: More Than Typography

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*Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”* Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Warning-moment of truth!

Looking back at the time in my life when a devotional Bible seemed ideal, I was cracking open God’s Word maybe once a week. I used God’s Word to find verses highlighted during a bible study, sermon, or devotional. Mainly, just to find Scripture presented in a different translation because I felt mine was easier to comprehend.

Unfortunately, my craving and value for His Word had gradually faded outside of church and beyond the daily devotional conveniently appearing in my inbox each workday morning. It crushes me to tell you this. Nothing captivated my heart to dig deeper into the Bible at the time. The surface level reading seemed sufficient. I was satisfied with my limited exposure. I probably would have even justified my actions as proficient at the time. (If you are in the education world, remember proficient is good for an evaluation rating.)

Permit me to explain. See, my focus and a large portion of my energy was spent on a multitude of earthly loves. A period of time where I wanted to move up in my career, make an impact in the community, be the perfect wife, participate in a ton of events, and the list continues. BUSY-Being Under Satan’s Yoke! I had goals and ambitions. I had very little time to sleep let alone get past the mere printed text after I read it once. (Lesson learned, but that’s another book!)

After going through a season of discipline, my love for God’s Word grew exponentially. It rebirthed the same hunger I exhibited as a child. I even wanted to revert to finding a closet, grabbing a flashlight, snagging the bed pillows, propping myself on top of a wooden toybox, and getting lost in God’s Word. Oh, the sweet craving of Scripture was back. This newfound reverence and desire finally outweighed everything in life.

Without a doubt, the Bible is more than text on a page yet, many copies of God’s Word are only consumed as print on a page. The potential elevation level of the text remains flat, especially when the Bible remains closed. Even when being read, God’s Word can often become a checkmark on a “To Do” list.

Unfortunately, I know this Scripture relationship all too well.

It is read, but not consumed.

It is treasured, but no life value displayed.

It is highlighted, but not truly understood.

It is set apart from any other writing, but so many other books are used.

It is God’s own voice, but everything else is heard above and beyond it.

It is paired with good intentions, but the follow through is overshadowed by “life”.

Yes—you could probably add more statements and I dare to say they too would probably be familiar to my past.

So, how do we break free from these chains? What can we do to ensure our relationship with God and His Word are more than lip service? Where can a person start? I am not sure I can answer these questions for each reader, but I can share my journey and the ways God captured my heart for Scripture.

It began with a simple prayer of asking the Lord for help to grow closer to Him and know Him more. The Holy Spirit reminded me if I truly wanted more of God and less of me, I had to love His Word as much as I loved Him. It required me putting skin on Timothy 2:15, which states, Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (NIV).

From this humbly plea, my quest to investigate the importance of Scripture was birthed.

Since then, I can personally attest Scripture is the very words of God:

Living

Miraculous

Powerful

Set Apart

No matter the print arrangement, the Bible is filled with life instructions, promises from the LORD, filled with His attributes and characteristics, and many examples of what-to-do and what-not-to-do.

It is clearly a beautiful love story revealing a God who gave His blameless Son to die for our sins. Book after book of the Voice of God is printed for our engagement and supported by the Holy Spirit’s ability to convey its wisdom.

So much more than typography—an opportunity to go beyond text elevation!

August 29, 2022 0

JEREMIAH-Bible Study online

Our latest Bible study is HERE! We start on Monday, September 12th. Join us?

We are so excited about our upcoming online Bible study! We’ll be walking through the first half of the book of Jeremiah.

This study is FILLED with numerous opportunities to experience the power of God’s WORD.

This study is designed to be FLEXIBLE so you can tailor it to the time you have available each day.

WHAT: A seven-week Bible study Jeremiah (Chapters 1-28)
WHEN: September 12^th-October 24^th (Reading plan starts Sept. 6^th)
WHO: Anyone ready to dive deep into God’s Word through Bible study
WHERE: Online via zoom, Monday nights 6:00-7:00 p.m. (CST)
HOW TO JOIN: Contact us via email to get started. The study packet (pdf) is $10. We will send the Zoom link and study packet after receiving your completed registration. Deadline is September 5^th.

THROUGH THIS ONLINE CHAPER-BY-CHAPTER STUDY YOU WILL

Gain a better understand of the book of Jeremiah
Get a deeper look at God’s character and patience
Receive discernment and direction for your own spiritual life
Enjoy a committed community of women sharing like desires to walk with God and dive deeper into Scripture

If you are interested, email us at refiningjourney@gmail.com prior to September 5th.

We hope you can join us!

August 2, 2022 1

GOD IS…

Have you ever wondered how many names are associated with the LORD? I’m sure there is research out there to solidify a certain number. However, I choose to believe GOD IS…beyond human description. The LORD is so much more than what the human mind cannot comprehend.

One thing I have found is GOD IS…personal for everyone. Although, we all would agree on the “token” names such as Wonderful, All-knowing, LORD Almighty, etc., the LORD wants to be known individually by each person. Our pathways are different and unique no matter the similarities and therefore, GOD IS…defined uniquely for each of us according to His plans and will for our lives.

Many years ago, I was craving to know the LORD beyond what a list could provide. I read book after book written by amazing Christian authors which defined God and His attributes by leaps and bonds. I loved hearing their experiences and life stories BUT, many of these characteristics of the LORD seemed foreign to me. I wanted background, personal understanding, and true encounter with these attributes. I needed God to be real within me and my familiarity to be on a deeper personal level.

So, I stopped reading a lot of those close associations to God’s Word and went straight to the source of truth, the Bible. Let me just say—I found myself crying out to the Holy Spirit over and over for wisdom and discernment. Why? Because I had become very reliant on others to interpret Scripture for me and tell me who GOD IS… I had to learn how to comprehend the Bible on my own and I quickly discovered one deficiency hindering my personal discovery of who GOD IS…

Since 2018, my study habits have immensely evolved. The LORD answered my cry with a simple method to digest His Word and document my discovery of Him. Chapter by chapter, verse by verse, word by word, I am uncovering attributes of the LORD so personal and intimate to me. GOD IS…revealing Himself on such an intense plane. The breakthrough for me is beyond my wildest imagination and my humble plea.

Through intentional study, a true desire to know God more, and a unique note booking discipline, my spiritual life and relationship with the LORD has deepened.

Today, I would like to share with you one small aspect of my approach to discovering who God is. As a work through the Bible book by book, I document my journey by using Scripture Notebooking. (It goes beyond Bible or Scripture journaling) Although I am continually searching for promises, commands, keywords, etc., my focus is discovering who GOD IS… to me within the verses.

This approach is not always direct and many times I find myself pondering a chapter for days. However, God proves faithful in every encounter with His Word. The Holy Spirit guides my thoughts and reveals the LORD to me on a personal level. (some times I have to wait for it longer than I want)

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

I would encourage you to define GOD IS…on a personal basis for you by approaching Scripture differently. Let your journey through the Bible bring you closer to the LORD and give you a description of Himself beyond the token answers. Grab your Bible and simply start. God is waiting for you.

July 21, 2022 0

Are you Intense-Red Hot-Ever Present?

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Hello friends. For all of those out there experiencing true summer heat, fall should be here in about 65 days. Yes, that does seem so far away when the average temperature is around 105 or higher! Global warming has become front and center for many this year.

Intense-red hot-ever present

Refining ministry just completed the series entitled “Major Wisdom through Minor Prophets” this past Monday night. We have been on a journey studying each minor prophet for quite some time and would like to thank every person who joined us throughout this timeframe. The depth of understanding, sharing, and growth has been outstanding on many levels. (And to think we only meet online for one hour each Monday night!)

Our last study was over the book of Zechariah. The Read Scripture overview describes it as a roller coaster ride. It is filled with visions, prophecy, harsh judgment, and direct commands to name a few. Yet, Zechariah is intense-red hot-ever present in all that he delivers. He is known as the most apocalyptic and messianic of all minor prophets.

For me, Zechariah was a book which had to be digested one bite at a time. Symbolism, terminology, customs, prophetic aspects of the second coming of Christ, interpretations of visions, rituals, and the list goes on. There were times when even the commentaries and study resources were overwhelming. However, I am so thankful for Zechariah on many levels. It made me reflect on my life with the main question:

Are you intense-red hot-ever present for the LORD?

Zechariah presented his audience with hope, encouragement, warning, instructions, and the glimpse of a future King. Over the past seven weeks, I went chapter by chapter looking for direct instructions of how I could increase my spiritual walk and intensify my relationship with God. Zechariah allowed me to reevaluate my spiritual priorities and take a closer look at my daily habits.

Today, I would like to share the list with you. As you read over each item, let it wash over you and encourage you in your personal walk. Allow the Holy Spirit to highlight a couple of areas where you can crank up the heat for the LORD then take it to God in prayer. Enjoy!

Exercise the listening muscle
Be still to hear God’s voice
Watch out for worldliness (externally & internally)
Learn from your mistakes
Return to God quickly when you stray
Embrace the fire (life trials)
Rely on the Holy Spirit
Stay in God’s Word
Encourage others to invest in Scripture
Recognize sinning religion (a state of spiritual disobedience)
Only God is holy to judge
Have diligent obedience
Worship is more important than performing a religious ritual
Have a sincere desire to know God
Fully surrender your heart to the LORD
Carry out His commands with a joyful spirit
Speak truth
Live peacefully
Exercise justice
Love God’s ways
Seek only the approval of the LORD
Do not be afraid because God is your defender
Deal with sin barriers
Stay under the LORD’s authority
Intentional spend time with the father
Find your identity in God
Connect with like-minded Christians
Carry out God’s work at all costs
Stay dependent upon the LORD

Thank you, Zechariah! I loved the summer message:

God is intense-red hot-ever present for each of us!

July 19, 2022 3

Rejection Hurts, God!

Have you ever been rejected? Maybe you have been told you aren’t the perfect fit for something. How does it feel when you put your best foot forward to obtain something and the door closes quickly? Have you ever been replaced by someone else? Maybe you are truly needing a window of opportunity because everything else has come to a close. It hurts!

The LORD knows our struggles and He definitely comprehends rejection-to the point of death! Our worldly trials are nothing compared to what He faced. Yet, somehow rejection pain stings like the strike of a scorpion. Why? Possibly because of fear of the future and the mental unknown—maybe caused from us planning our own future and seeing our life the way we want it to go. (Guilty. I often want some kind of input in the equation and I truly dislike doing things I don’t enjoy. ME! ME! ME!)

God has an answer for every rejection we face. However, there are times we don’t understand it nor do we love the situation. It is very easy to go down the pity party pathway and feel like everyone else in the world experiences success except you. That is a lie from the enemy. He is a jerk!

Recently, I have had to face rejection. I truly went to the LORD and asked for His perspective. (He knew I couldn’t rely on my own!) As I sat reading the first chapter of Jeremiah, I found myself captivated by what the LORD was revealing to me.

God laid out His plans for Jeremiah but Jeremiah was afraid of his future. Fear of the unknown. He knew rejection would be his and the world would claim “good reasons” not to listen to him as he claimed God’s prophecy. He went to the LORD with his concerns. Jeremiah noted his weaknesses. He felt unqualified and too unexperienced for the task God had directed. Doubt and fear began to rise.

As I read through chapter one, I found myself in the Scripture. Rejected by the world and feeling as though I can’t meet set standards. Feeling as though the next decade is a career path I don’t want to travel, yet I can’t wait to see where God takes the Refining ministry.

So, I pause…laid my heart open to the Father and said, “Rejection Hurts, God!”. And He gently responded through Scripture in chapter one of Jeremiah:

I have your back! verse 8: “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
My plans will happen! verse 12: The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”
I will provide & protect you! Verse 19: They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

If you are dealing with rejection, go to God. Dig deep into His Word and ask for His discernment to shine through Scripture. Give yourself a chance to see your story through biblical characters and read several chapters of their experience.

Remember, Psalm 23 and 91 are great starting points to reject the lies of the enemy and to help you see your circumstance through the LORD’s eyes.

Rejection hurts but GOD IS. . .

(May you find the rest of this statement through God’s Word in the days ahead.)

Until we meet again my friend.

June 24, 2022 6

Wisdom when you hear yourself say, “OH NO! I have Bible study tonight!”

Have you ever attended a Bible study feeling unprepared? Have you skipped out because you were not able to get everything read? How about those Bible study groups where you just quit showing up because the workbook was never cracked open or a big life crisis reared its ugly head? Or maybe you had to miss one, so you used this as an excuse to miss the rest. “Sorry, I’m Busy!” (This is probably only the beginning to the ones I have used over the years!)

Whatever the case, let’s be honest, the enemy wants you to NOT participate! Did you hear me? He doesn’t even want you thinking about it nor remembering you were even a part of a Bible study. Why else would you have all these outs or excuses?

If you want to be very intentional about seeking the LORD, there will be roadblocks. AND, some good wisdom must be coming from the discussions in your Bible study group or the enemy would not try so hard to keep you from attending. God is there and He desires for you to be there too!

Relax-we all have excuses & outs. However, we must address the source. SO, when you feel behind or less of a participant STOP YOURSELF and claim these five truths over your situation:

God loves me PERIOD!
God sees my efforts when I just show up to class
My pace of learning and reading is my own
Every step I take in seeking the LORD is valuable
The LORD is always with me regardless of where I find myself in the progression of a Bible study

Then take ownership of you:

Keep showing up to class
Read at your pace
Ask God to help you stay committed & moving forward in His Word

Remember, those excuses and roadblocks are not from God.

If you are in a Bible study currently or beginning one, pray! Pray for focused, intentional time. Ask the LORD to clear your calendar for those meeting times (even if you didn’t finish the weekly work or readings). Pray for a hedge of protection over your entire participation in the study. If you can, call someone else in the study group and ask them to be your accountability partner. Prepare ahead of time for the obstacles because they will come!

Then-commit. Pray for the leaders of your Bible study. Make an action plan and get started. Remember, you can succeed, and you are never behind if you are showing up and making small steps every day by staying in His Word and building relationship with HIM!

Change it & Claim it-

“OH YES! I have Bible study tonight. I cannot wait for the wisdom God will reveal.”

June 6, 2022 4

Is TRUE GRIT in the spiritual growth equation?

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“Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.”
Psalm 86:11

What do you think of when you hear the words “True Grit”? Your mind might go directly to the movie or possibly a particular person. Regardless, I think we can all agree it is defined as passionate perseverance committed for the long haul and at all costs. True grit has its ups and downs, difficulties, celebrations, failures, and even stagnation, yet somehow success comes in the end.

Take the human body. How physically evident can true grit be seen when someone changes their eating habits and begins an intensive workout plan. Over time the sweat, dedication, and effort become a reward. The body starts to reflect the hard work and success is seen.

“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.” Proverbs 4:25-26

Well, what about our spiritual growth? Does God require true grit? Can we have a close walk with the LORD without it?

As I have been studying the minor prophet books, I am seeing over and over that a walk with the LORD takes work and dedication. It is difficult at best to stay committed to the LORD. Being in God’s remnant goes beyond faith. It requires us to find ourselves in His plan and dig deep within to stay committed and steadfast when everyone around is doing the opposite. Let’s be honest, worldly ways are appealing and have been through human existence.

Personally, I have found studying the Word of God requires sincere true grit. I haven’t always felt this way though.

It took a deep valley to make me evaluate my core and what made me tick! Yep-getting honest and asking myself, “Are you going to keep living for you or get serious about following the LORD’s road map?” It took some major humility, surrender, and many years of getting it wrong before I realized the importance of living life under the authority of God’s Word.

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.'” Lamentations 3:22-24

SO, when I was finally ready, I realized I could not carry out my spiritual journey without truly knowing God’s Word. Now I don’t mean just reading, being exposed, and listening. I mean having true grit to find God in the pages. It took me placing value on this incredible gift-the Bible and realizing I needed help simply studying God’s Word on my own!

Bit by bit, I am learning. I am not by far a scholar! As I gain knowledge, I am slowly realizing this fact: Scripture is supplying the breath in my spiritual walk and God doesn’t want me living without it.

You and I are on a pathway of life my friends. No matter the distance we have come or still must go, our sanctification requires commitment, dedication, work, time, perseverance, encouragement, community, sweat, tears, a humble heart, and so much more. It all starts within…a word of faith in Christ’s saving grace and then…TRUE GRIT!

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

How committed are you to studying Scripture? Do you crave it more than the air you breathe? If you knew for a fact it was the only supply of oxygen for your spiritual life, would you learn how to tap into it more?

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

Success begins with doing-and yes failing too. Don’t be discouraged my friend. Go ahead-take the next step on the pathway. Keep moving forward. Seek ways to stay motivated, keep learning, and continually growing in relationship with the LORD. And above all-REMEMBER, God loves you far beyond your wildest imagination. He even left His love story written in a book for you to know Him more.

Embrace His Word with TRUE GRIT!

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

June 3, 2022 0

WHY ONLINE BIBLE STUDY?

Our online Bible studies are created for women JUST LIKE YOU! Why? Because we know the struggle of staying motivated and actively engaged with God and His Word.

Refining provides you simple and practical ways to not only interact with the LORD and His written voice, but to also grow in relationship with Him. If you are ready to spiral deeper into God’s Word and discover creative elements to getting to know the LORD, then come give us a try!

We invite you to find community with women just like you. This is a safe & confidential place to thrive with a group of like-minded friends and the added plus is it does not matter where you live! You are invited to corporately study with us as we spend one hour a week in Scripture on Zoom sharing and learning together. Bonus feature-It is FREE! Even our snapshot sheets like the one above! No charge.

Ladies, you have many options when it comes to online Bible study and many choices are cost associated. Refining Ministry simply exists as a service to you. The online Bible studies are strictly here to assist you. Let us show you how to design your own Scripture plan and develop your skills with proven tips, tools, and methods we have found beneficial on many levels.

Our next study begins June 6^th! Come give it a try. Email us at refiningjourney@gmail.com for the link, handout, and details.

June 1, 2022 0