7 days to 7

Do you have your books?  7 by Jen Hatmaker

Have you read Isaiah chapter 58?

Have you joined this blog and grabbed friends to be part of this?

Countdown BABY to our own experiment 

A very good friend has highly recommended this to watch ASAP. Let's do it

http://www.live58.org/watch-the-film

Just got a heads up from week one boss, KIM on her 7 food rules for our excess experiment. Let's just say laffy taffy, foo foo coffee drinks, cookie dough are just a few items NOT on the list. In addition- one small grocery bag should do it for the ENTIRE WEEK of food options. Options is way to strong of a word. But I don't have time to search for a better word.  

Posted a pic of Annette who will rule the week on media

Meet KIM

This is KIM aka "THE boss of week one". 

7!

The countdown begins.  Cannot believe November is just about here. 

TODAY - subscribe to the blog

TODAY - Invite others to join us

THIS WEEK - go get your book 7 by Jen Hatmaker (or download)

Are you ready?  This is going to be a blast!  We are going to do this together. 

In all seriousness, I want you know that I am pursing YOU.  This is a group you are part of and welcome.  We are going to laugh and we are going to be rattled and awakened to some reality we all need.  Our perception of how much we have will more than likely be changed - forever. 

OK - here is what we do TODAY.... Pray for understanding and Open your Bibles or Bible Ap to the book of Isaiah, Chapter 58 - read it.   Post any thoughts.

I'm soooooooo excited to hear from you and your friends!

Too much

I was at a thirty-one party recently.  My friend that was hosting the party shared with me a book she was reading.  If someone described me, they would say I'm really, REALLY,  LOUD!  I am and I own it.  But what makes me so loud is that I am a little well... off.  Some would argue downright out to make any and all situations pee in your pants funny.  Any who, when she told me this book had her rolling.... I had my daughter drive in a down pour, about an hour from my home (that is the nearest bookstore), at about 11:00 PM -(did I mention in the rain) and get ME this book.  To be honest, once I read the intro, I could not put the book  down.  I would read some pages over and over again.

  I suggested to someone at work this very book and they made fun of me saying,  "the book must not be that good if I'm only a quarter into it."  But this read was like that.  I would read a couple of pages, laugh my butt off, call my husband to hurry up and get where I was reading all to read to him what had me rolling.  Then I would text my BFF and tell her to GET THE BOOK.  Then I even read to some of my co workers.  One page would be read over and over and over again.  It was just flat out funny while inspiring me like I have never been before.  My world was sort of coming undone - yet I was laughing.  Let's face it.... that's talent when you can basically show me my excess in every single area ever, and  cause me to not feel so  good about that all -  while laughing hysterically at words like "doo doo" mentioned in the book. 

Let me introduce the book 7, by Jen Hatmaker.  Jen is an Austin, Texas girl.  Don't you love that right there?  TEXAN BABY!  She is radical, hilarious, blunt, and not playing when it comes to making a huge difference to a hurting world. 

Having said all this.... I will now make my point (YAY)!!!!!!  November 7, this blog will be the home of the "no matter where you live, get involved, blog baby blog, group reading of 7 by Jen Hatmaker"

In my area, we do a lunch hour Bible study once a week.  We bring lunch and all meet for an hour.  We have done Beth Moore and Angela Thomas studies

The first week of November.... November 7 (get it...7), this blog is ALL OF OURS.  Please don't be a bummer and not do this with all of us.  YOU are a huge part of this.  Make no mistake, we need YOU. 

OK so here are the "instructions":

Each day come on the blog as there will be some prep work as we get ready to read and talk together each week in November and December.  This starts November 7 - but really it begins NOW. 
TODAY
-Subscribe to the blog. If you are the least bit uncomfortable with blogging,  don't worry about using your real name.  You can be a blog name of your choice.  You can also deactivate the blog when this ends.  I have a feeling you will like it though


 log into:   www.girlsgivengrace.blogspot.com
"click" on the google account button under comments.
This takes you to the google sign up page.  Do a quick google sign up.  This is where you put your user name and upload a picture if you want.  There is even an ap to get this on your mobile device and it's VERY USER FRIENDLY once you have an account set up. 

This completes the blog subscription.

TODAY

Invite some women to join you in this "interactive study"


GET READY

Think about a group to meet up and blog together.  I want DETAILS.  For instance, each week our work, lunch-hour bible study group has assigned a person to each week.  So Kim will be making our rules the very first week as together, we will do the 7 food choices.  I said WEEK - not the 30 days Jen Hatmaker did : )  Z will take lead of the week on clothing and set our rules for that week fasting experiment.  Annette is taking the media week and setting the rules up for that chapter - YIKES! 

These are simply ideas.  You can go at this considering US as your group!  That's what I love.  NO matter where you are, you are a mobile device away from your team of girls given grace experimenting with excess and what the Lord says to each of us - while we laugh... remember that!

Remember also, that you matter - BIG TIME.  What you may share here,  could be a connection with someone who needed you.  That is why I say, please get in this journey. 

So join/subscribe and invite others.  See you right here with more details.  ARE YOU IN?

 
This is what the book looks like. 

#Imatreehugger

OK so its official!  WE ARE tree huggers!  This is such a blast. I can't stand to see someone trash a can or the endless paper at work (which I take so I can recycle)

 Our recycle bin is already full at home - and they just picked it up yesterday!  And the garbage disposal is no longer on my wish list. Not when I can take my coffee grounds, egg shells and the endless produce and food that gets wasted down the drain and turn it instead into rich compost that provides nourishing soil to our plants and garden. JT said to me last night, "I'll be sure and bring home manure". I was thrilled. He has his horses which happen to provide a rich ingredient to the compost - doo doo!  LOVE THIS!  Nothing wasted and all reused. Don't know if I will ever be the same again. I hope not-

VENTING!

My random thoughts of the day as usual are 90 to nothing, non stop, all over the place so I decided to title this "venting" - (not winning)... venting.

  Isaiah 58 is speaking louder than words.  I can't stop reading it over and over.  The instructions are so specific and direct.  I went on google, etsy and pinterest and searched Isaiah 58.  I can't guess an estimate of any accuracy so lets just say "very few" things came up that surround this  chapter in the bible.  Most- and I do mean like MOST of the things that came up were beautiful pictures and craft ideas that stated verse 11 "The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring".  Beautiful isn't it?
  My beef is that this absolutely gorgeous verse is taken apart from the first 10 verses.  Where is the beautiful picture of the first part which says in vs 6, "No, this is the kind of fasting I want:  Free those who are wrongly imprisoned, lighten the burden of those who work for you.  Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people.  Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless.  Give clothes to those who need them and do not hide from relative who need your help".  

Looking at my own life, I feel so thankful He has so much to show and teach me. I know what He is showing me isn't to make me feel like a lost sheep.  He is educating me on the Kingdom.  I tend to go off what I hear instead of what I researched myself for my own interpretation.   But I also see in me such a lack of compassion of what truly matters.  I am by no means a wealthy person.  But compared to whom?  I have such a stance on abortion but why am I not providing a home for a girl to carry her baby to term?  I not only have more than I need so that I can give away what I do not use any more  - but I have money whether I want to admit it or not to help someone get something new to wear.  It all comes down to a choice - who will I spend it on?  James 1:27 summarizes as well.  I have a very dear friend that has James 1:27 on an easel in her kitchen.  LOVE.

I am so inspired by those who have decided they will make a difference on this earth even though it will definitely cost them something or things.  It will no doubt cost money, time, lack of sleep, stress.  But what else will it do?  According to vs 11 - it's worth it. 
The picture I am posting here came off Pinterest.  It was my favorite ever result of my search of Isaiah 58.  God Bless You.