Kristi Woods

Encouraging Women to Walk Deeper with God

You Are Accepted

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This week’s post is short and sweet. It’s truth? You are accepted.

You Are Accepted in Black with yellow daffodil behind

Bear hug it, friends. Keep God’s truth close. Because there will be times when we’re in a group of folks or relocated to a new area, and we find ourselves feeling unaccepted.

And then we have to figure out what do do with those feelings.

Or, we’ll receive that rejection notice, leaving our work and time unaccepted. And we might be tempted to shrivel in fear or think no one likes our work.

It might be an invitation turned down, a request to be forgiven, or something else. Circumstances change, but truth remains.

The words of romans 15:7 in black with a yellow daffodil behind

Even when we don’t feel accepted, Christ already has called us to Him. How about we live like we’re accepted. Truth assures we are.

Believe Starts Tuesday–Don’t Miss It!

Starting Tuesday, April 23rd is Believe, our 4 week Bible study centered on faith. It’s short and sweet but packs a punch and is the perfect follow-up to Easter.

Looking to deepen your faith?

Long to draw closer to Jesus for the journey ahead?

Hold a desire to dig into the Bible and surround yourself with its truth in order to walk steadily through life?

Believe Bible study:
More info HERE.

New Christian and you’d like to grow in maturity?

Bored or lonely and would love to gather with other Christians?

Short on time but hold a desire to study God’s Word?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, then this study is for you. Join us. It’s free. There’s no sign-up–except to join us via Zoom video conference. Don’t forget to check out the link above for more info. on the study.

The packet, which we’ll use during the video conference, is free for now but probably not forever. So make certain to download your copy today. 😉

Download the FREE Believe outline/study packet here in the Subscriber Library.

Not a subscriber? It’s easy to become one by signing up here!

Happy Easter, friends!

May the risen Savior be yours, and may the hope of His resurrection color your world vividly for the remainder of this year and beyond.

We love you, Jesus! Praise Your holy name.

Is Your Citizenship in This Safe Place?

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Sky with winter tree and words black lettering

Your Citizenship

Do you live, think, eat, and breath like your citizenship sits in this place?

As I prepared the verse graphic below (which, by the way, is free to print for personal or ministry use–just right mouse click) I stopped to consider the question.

What if we lived, TRULY LIVED, as though our citizenship sat solidly in heaven? Would that change how we interact with others? The words we offer? How we pray? What we believe about others and ourself? The possibilities we imagine?

Sometimes I house a small view. I limit God–what He can do in and through me. And goodness, what He has already completed and promised.

I want a bigger view–to believe more. Maybe that’s why God gave me the word “believe” this year–even though I’m not a “one-word” kind of girl!

What if we BELIEVE and operate daily with assurance our citizenship sits in heaven?

Can you imagine? Oooooweeeeeee!

blue sky background with a winter tree and Phil. 3:20 in black lettering

If you’re born again, that’s where your citizenship sits. In heaven. Period.

If you’re not certain you’re born again, check out this post or scroll to the bottom of this page. Heaven’s citizenship remains yours for the taking!

More on Memory Verses:

Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday look for a post here on KristiWoods.net containing a new memory verse. This year those verses focus on our true identity.

Yowza!

Can you imagine the power of God displayed in us when we truly know who we are in Christ?

Our past 2019 memory verses assure we are:

Soak in ’em, friend. This is you.

Your Thoughts?

A huge THANK YOU to those who already responded to the upcoming “Believe” bible study survey. You rock! Thanks for helping me form a study to and for people just like you. Sweet!

If you haven’t already responded the 3 short questions and would like to, click this link (opens in a new tab) click this link.

Have You Visited the Subscriber Library Lately?

A slew of downloads and helpful ministry tools await. In fact, the current featured download is a helpful printable called, I Am Enough: Truth and Declarations to Squelch the Voice of “Not Enough. The password is found in your subscriber’s welcome email as well as in each monthly newsletter. Look for those newsletters on the 1st Friday of most months. 🙂

Do You Pray for Future Generations?

God stirred me recently to pray for my future grandchildren and several generations beyond them. None of them have been born yet, but God is thinking of them. If you’re interested in reading more about this and praying for your future family members, check out this piece I wrote for iBelieve.com.

Linking with other Jesus lovers and writers here: #heartencouragementThursday, #faithonfire

For Those Times When I Look in the Mirror and Don’t Like What I See

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Don’t like what you see when you look in the mirror?

Do you need something tangible to combat those times when you look in the mirror and don’t like what you see?

“Visuals” like me will understand. When we look in the mirror, we see limp hair that never looks good, eyes too large, a crooked nose, ringlets of skin under that chin, thighs a titch too wide for the liking–or SOMETHING not right with our reflection.

Call it crazy, but we don’t like the woman staring back at us.

Sure, we can have our preferences, but what happens when nearly every time we look in the mirror, we find something wrong versus all that beams right?

I used to be the queen of that nest. Man, and what a nasty, dirty nest it was. I didn’t like myself. Critical, belittling thoughts zipped across my brain every.single.time I looked in the mirror.

Talk about self-denigrating.

The odd part is that I never even realized I had a problem until the Holy Spirit uncovered a heart issue. Oh, beautiful, wisdom-filling Holy Spirit–I love you!

Heart Issue

Yep. Call it a heart issue. Not liking ourselves often originates due to a heart issue.

But the Holy Spirit stands faithful. His wisdom coats the scene, revealing and healing, then leading us in freer pastures.

And girl, when He opens wide eyes to see, we notice things we NEVER EVER EVER realized were clinking around in that heart of ours.

I sure did.

And there’s a good chance you’ll be SUPER GLAD the Holy Spirit brings revelation, too. In fact, you might wonder why you waited so long to find this healing and freedom!

I’m working on a talk centered on this very topic. A few ladies here in Oklahoma as well as a few in Nebraska will hear it this month. My hope is that the Holy Spirit will reveal heart issues and that these ladies will find healing. Will you pray for their preparation? And will you pray for me as well, that my words will be led by the Holy Spirit and delivered with the power and annointing of His?

Fighting Words

But that doesn’t answer what tangible something or other we can use for those “I don’t like myself” glances in the mirror. If you don’t like yourself–something you see that ranks as insufficient whether it’s looks, talents, past circumstances/decisions, or more–then grab two things.

  1. Grab Prayer
  2. Grab Truth

Prayer is a powerful tool–even when we don’t see its impact. Keep praying. When we ask God to show us our heart, He does. He indicates whether we love or don’t love what we see in the mirror–and He shows just how far-reaching those words roam. (Trust me–experience speaking here.)

The Bible–truth–remains sharper than any two-edged sword. It cuts through to the intent of our heart. It leads us in paths of righteousness.

And rest assured, being hard on ourselves, belittling that beatuiful woman in the mirror, or sabatoging her by slathering critical words all over her reflection isn’t right by God. It’s a battle, friend. Remember, we don’t war against flesh and blood… (Eph. 6:12).

But God Almighty stands as victor…and as Christians, so are we. So go ahead, transfer that trust from self to God. Refuse the negative comments and watch how the Lion of Judah roars in righteousness.

Memory Verse

This week’s memory verse is spot-on for combating this battle. Grab your sword, girls! It’s a powerful one full of truth. So go ahead, grab PS 139:14 and use it well. Behind it stands the strength of the Lord Almighty.

flowers with PS 139:14 written in black lettering

So for those times when we look in the mirror and don’t like what we see, we are truly…

  • Fearfully Made
  • Wonderfully Made

And past Bible verses assure us we are also…

Most 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, we’re here, basking in a new memory verse–ones assuring our TRUE IDENTITY!

Join us by subscribing to KristiWoods.net. Don’t miss a single verse!

Other helpful posts on identity:

Before We Go…

In case last week’s book review sparked excitement, causing you to dance a jig, scale a mountain, or simply click over to the Amazon page only to find More of God: A Distracted Woman’s Guide to More Meaningful Quiet Times wasn’t available yet in print, well, guess what? It NOW IS! Whoooo hoo!

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