True Woman Wyoming Conference Recap

The True Woman Wyoming conference has come and gone, but the lessons learned, truths gleaned and encouragement received are continuing as a ripple effect throughout individuals and churches in Casper.

God is so good, His Word unchanging and His faithfulness never-ending.

The "mission statement" of True Woman as stated on the front of the conference program was:

Now is the time for a REVIVAL

of our homes, communities,

and the entire culture for His GLORY,

centered on the authority

of His WORD.

By God's grace, we are praying that many women in Casper, Wyoming and beyond are beginning to experience the reality of this mission statement.

This encouraging note from a comment card sums up the conference up so well:

Praise God, Hail Jesus, He's our King! Ladies, Women, Daughters of God,
Thank you so much for all your hard work - for your obedience to God - allowing Him to bring such revival and renewal to my heart. Christ did prepare my heart for this weekend. Thank you for praying, and He has molded and refined me so much - hurt me so good! I needed this, at this time. I welcome the challenge, and by God's grace say, "If I perish, I perish!" God help us to be faithful to follow through. Thank you again.

Another stated after the Friday evening session:

The tone was set...it was very God-honoring. Super organized...great flow!! The bags were cool, great snacks, lovely decor/flowers. Great speakers! Your hard work and time spent in prayer and preparing are coming to fruition.

And another stated:

..I will take from here a new desire to become a warrior in the Word and to implement the practice of better discernment.

And one more...

I was truly not expecting such an amazing, truly truth centered, well run seminar at such a small church. Everything small and large, was amazingly well planned and well executed. Well done! Very well done! Thank you!


A quick overview of the conference:

• 117 Women from 19 different churches
• Dozens of prayer request cards prayed for by men
• Many women signed up for 30 day make-over challenge
• Many women expressed interest in follow up Bible Studies using True Woman and A 30 Day Walk Through the Psalms
• Wonderful, encouraging, God-honoring comment cards filled out
• Beautiful music with virtually NO technology glitches!
• Several dedicated and faithful men serving behind the scenes with food, cleaning, and praying. (A special unexpected highlight: Men scraping snow from EVERY vehicle in the parking lot at 9:30 p.m. Friday night)
• 55! door prizes. Books, CD's, wall hangings, homemade gifts, gift cards and MUCH MORE!

The Schedule and Topics

Friday Night:
Steve Blakemore - True Woman - Overview and definitions of terms Woman and True/Truth.
Nancy Leigh DeMoss video - Daily Devotions, Duty or Delight

Saturday Morning:
Jodi Hubert - Worldly or Wise - Importance of Biblical Worldview and Humble Orthodoxy
Linda Olsen - Parenting for Purity - Ephesians 4 and 5
Jackie Huber - Ladies of Legacy - Reflection on Ruth and Naomi and Mary the mother of Jesus

Also on Saturday morning, we were treated to 2 heart moving testimonies of God's faithfulness in salvation and a beautiful mother/daughter dance to the song Hold to Jesus.

Lunch break: Delicious turkey croissants served with veggies, chips, oranges and dessert.

Saturday Afternoon:
Jodi Hubert - Deceived or Discerning - A call to Biblical and Spiritual Discernment in the church
Brenda Szymczak - Conceit or Contrition - A personal testimony of brokenness
Teresa Dick - due to time constraints was unable to present her topic on submission. We are planning a follow up event to do this.

Another amazing testimony from a wife of a former pastor about trusting in God in the hard times.

Saturday Evening:
Joni Eareckson Tada via video - Suffering and Sovereignty
Teresa Dick - For Such a Time as This - Highlights from Esther

One last testimony from a mother that had premature twin girls die soon after birth. Again, the theme was Great is His Faithfulness!

To finish up the evening many women joined together for a public reading of the True Woman Manifesto. This was followed by joyful, reverent, exuberant singing of The Lion of Judah (Robin Mark) and O Church Arise (Keith and Kristyn Getty).

A few pictures from the conference:


The contents of the True Woman bag.



Set up and ready to go - notice the original blue and green True Woman bags from Chicago



The giveaway table - WOW!

Teresa is ready and waiting to hand out name tags to all the participants.

The True Woman Wyoming planning group - Teresa, Jackie, Deb, Brenda and Jodi

Cornerstone Women's Ministry members - LaRee and Kay (Wyoma was home sick)

The reading of the True Woman Manifesto

Further Bible Study Interest Forms and Prayer Request cards

Today is the big day. Can you believe it?

We are so excited that God has prompted YOU to attend True Woman Wyoming!! We have prayed for you and are looking forward to God's Word being shared and proclaimed through music, teaching and testimonies. PLUS -- we have so many great door prizes to give away and great food, too.

Just a reminder -- Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. You can pick up your name tag in the lobby, get some snacks and then start looking through your True Woman Book Bag to discover many treasures. If you have not paid yet, please bring a check when you register. We will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m.

As the planning team makes final preparations today, would you pray for us? We have felt God's leading and protection all along the way and would especially covet your prayers today.

In my devotion time this morning, I was reminded of Lamentations 3:22-23.

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

Have a blessed day and we look forward to seeing you tonight!!

The True Woman Planning Team,
Jodi, Jackie, Brenda, Deb and Teresa

Day 1: Filling the Earth with His Glory

Scripture Focus: Psalm 72

"Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen." -Psalm 72:18-19, NASB

If you have worked through this preparation guide from start to finish, then today marks the completion of a forty-day journey. Tomorrow more than 115 women will come together to be challenged, strengthened, encouraged and exhorted from God's Word.

Even more personally, if you are attending the conference, this event may be a spiritual marker that one day you can point to as bringing about needed changes in your perspective on what it means to love and serve God as a woman. Take in the conference prayerfully and with expectancy, asking God to do a new work in your own heart in the lives of the others attending.

On this final day of heart preparation, let's think about why any of this matters. What is the point? How does my perspective on the issue of femininity affect others? Does it matter whether it affects others? Is there more to my life than what I now see?

We're going to close our preparation period today by studying a beautiful psalm of hope. Psalm 72 can be understood on two levels. On one level, it views Solomon beginning his reign as Israel's monarch. But the meaning of this psalm reaches far beyond Solomon to One who will establish His rule eternally-One greater than Solomon (Matthew 12:42). When the Lord Jesus Christ sets up His earthly kingdom, the earth and its occupants will experience the rich fulfillment described here.

As we anticipate Christ's return, our lives are not to be wasted or idled away. We are called to be actively engaged in God's great redemptive plan. We are called to His mandate of filling the whole earth with His glory. We accomplish this is by fulfilling the grand and holy purposes for which He created us-as women!

What would happen if every Christian woman would live out the instructions found in Scripture? What would our homes look like? How would our husbands and children respond to that kind of radical transformation? Would our men be inspired as they watch the power of the gospel at work in our lives? Would they hunger to know God more intimately? Would they begin to feel the freedom and confidence to take on the role of spiritual leadership?

How would our churches, our workplaces, our neighborhoods be different if thousands of women lived as "true women," honoring Christ with their thoughts, words, attitudes, and actions? What would the unbelieving world around us think? How would they respond? How would their lives be impacted by the power of the gospel that has transformed our lives? Could revival occur?

Take Time to Reflect

Meditate on the questions at the end of today's devotional. Prayerfully read through Psalm 72. How well is your life contributing to God's ultimate intention that the whole earth should be filled with His glory? Do those around you see the transformational power of the gospel at work in your life?

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Are you ready for the True Woman Wyoming conference? Take time to thank God for what He has already accomplished in your mind and heart over the past 40 days, and ask Him to continue that work in your life during the conference and beyond. Pray for physical and spiritual protection for all involved in the weekend.

Pray that every woman who attends True Woman Wyoming will have a responsive heart, and that all God's desires and purposes for this weekend will be fulfilled.

Pray for a true visitation of God's Spirit in revival!

Day 2: Bearing Fruit

Scripture Focus: Psalm 92

"They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him." -Psalm 92:14-15, NKJV

"Perseverance is the surest evidence of sincerity." -Matthew Henry

Do you ever think about how you want others to remember you after you're gone? Do you have a strong determination to finish well? Are you asking God to make you spiritually fruitful as long as you are alive?

Psalm 92 provides a contrast between those who are abiding in close fellowship with the Lord and those who have rejected God. Those who are seeking to be right with God are given hope and encouragement for the future. Although the wicked and unbelieving may have prosperity and an abundant life in a worldly sense, it is temporary, resembling the summer grass that springs up quickly but has only a brief life span. The picture of the righteous, by contrast, is that of palm and cedar trees (Psalm 92:12), symbolizing permanence, strength, noble beauty, and perpetual fruitfulness.

Notice where these trees have been planted-in the house of the Lord (Psalm 92:13). It is in His presence that we receive spiritual nourishment, the ability to bear fruit, strength, grace, and longevity.

Similarly, Jesus uses the beautiful imagery of the vine and branches to convey truths to us about abiding in Him. His promise of fruitfulness is granted as a result of intimate fellowship, obedience to His commandments, and the willingness to lay down our lives for others, following Christ's supreme example (John 15).

One thing we learn from all this is that fruitfulness is descriptive of two things: sanctification and multiplication. Hang on, those are BIG words, but they are important and rich with meaning.

Simply put, sanctification is the process of spiritual growth whereby, through the grace of God, the fruit of the Spirit become evident, mature, and prolific in the life of the believer. It is the beautiful process of change that takes place in one who is cooperating with the Holy Spirit, enabling him to die more and more to sin and to reflect more and more the nature and beauty of Christ (Romans 8:12-13).

Multiplication is the process of planting the seed of truth in others' lives, whether introducing them to Christ and/or leading them through the sanctification process by discipling them. It is investing in others' lives in order to see them transformed, abiding in and reflecting Christ, in order that the whole earth will see the glory of the Lord.

Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty;Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!"Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU." (Revelation 15:3-4, NASB)

Take Time to Reflect
Meditate on Psalm 92 and John 15. Do you desire to be fruitful? What can you do today to abide in Christ, obey His Word, surrender completely to His control, and invest in the lives of others? Ask Him to enable you to bear "much fruit" for His glory.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus
If the women who attend the True Woman Wyoming conference merely fill their minds with truth, but do nothing to stand for biblical womanhood when they return home, they will miss a tremendous opportunity to bring glory to God and fulfill His plan for women in our day. Ask God to use this conference to develop women who will hear God and then bear much fruit, influencing our world for the cause of Christ.

Pray for other churches in other cities as they host similar True Woman Conferences.

Pray that women will be challenged to sign the True Woman Manifesto that will be presented at the conference. Pray that in the days ahead, many other women will be added to the thousands of women that have already signed this historic document. Pray that they will embrace this statement and consecrate themselves to be God's "true women." Now is the time!

Day 3: Daughters of Biblical Womanhood

Scripture Focus: Titus 2

"Older women likewise are to . . . teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." -Titus 2:3-5, ESV

Grocery shopping, meal planning, budgeting, cleaning, gardening, decorating, cooking, organizing, relating to men, mothering a newborn, potty training, parenting a toddler, gracefully loving a teen-all of these situations give older women opportunities to train younger women. What a privilege and responsibility we have as women, to pass on to others both practical skills and a heart of wisdom, acquired from real-life experience!

The biblical model for learning the art of womanhood is this: those who have gone before gladly come alongside those who are following behind them. The more mature offer wisdom, encouragement, insight, practical help, understanding, hope, balance, and stability. The young woman who fails to take advantage of the wisdom she can gain from those who've been further down the road, is unwise and short-sighted. The older woman who selfishly withholds knowledge and experience from those who could benefit is likewise short-sighted.

You may be tempted to think, How could I ever mentor a younger woman? I don't know enough! Besides, look at all the mistakes I've made! Remember, you don't have to be a Bible scholar in order to convey truth, share experiences of walking with God, or help a younger woman grapple with issues of faith. Young women need love, honesty, simple truths, life experiences related in wisdom and confidentiality, and the gift of time. It is the responsibility, and should be the joy, of older women to train the younger.

Each season of life contains its own opportunities for serving, but for many, the "empty nest" season may provide the greatest opportunities for sowing spiritual seeds, nurturing those seeds, and reaping a harvest. The sunset years can be filled to overflowing with an abundance of ministry. If you find yourself in that season of life, don't let those years be wasted-finish well. Invest in the future generation.

Stop and think about it: What kind of spiritual legacy are you leaving to those who are following in your steps?

Take Time to Reflect

At almost any age, you are both older and younger than some of the women around you. So consider the women in your church body. If you are not currently investing in a woman who is younger in her faith, pray about who you should offer to disciple. If you know a young bride, a young mom, or a single young woman who needs some help in learning practical womanly skills, make the offer to take her grocery shopping, cook a meal, give housecleaning tips, and so on. Ask how you can pray for or encourage her in her walk with God. If you are a younger woman, seek out spiritual and practical help from older women.

Study Titus 2:3-5. Pray about using this passage as a study to do with a group of friends or another woman.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Pray that God will use the True Woman Wyoming conference to give women a fresh vision for passing the baton of faith on to others. Pray that sisters in Christ will join together all across our state to form discipling relationships. Pray for older women to become intentional about investing in young women. Pray for younger women to be teachable and willing to learn and to reach out to older women for discipleship.

Day 4: Passing On the Baton

Scripture Focus: Psalm 78

"... that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments." -Psalm 78:6-7, ESV

Young women today are surrounded by a culture that promotes aggressive sexuality, raw ambition, selfish individualism, the pursuit of outer beauty, and overall raunchiness. Many of these young women are crying out to be spiritually "mothered." They may not openly express that desire, but if you are an older woman who will take the time to share loving insights and caring counsel, they will eat it up!

Each generation is commissioned with the responsibility from God to pass on His truth. God calls believers to press on to maturity in order to be a visible witness of His grace and power to the watching world, but also in order to model spiritual maturity to younger believers.

Paul summed up the motivation behind his years of teaching, writing, imprisonment, missionary endeavors, and physical hardship and suffering in Colossians 1:28-29: "We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me" (NASB).

Paul's earnest desire was to see every believer brought to maturity in Christ. He sought to disciple, teach, pass on truth, encourage, exhort, and (if need be) confront in order to aid the spiritual development of the younger believer. He was driven by this mission to see others brought to spiritual maturity in order that they might display God's grace and power, thereby attesting to His reality and bringing Him glory. Is that yours driving motivation in life?

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Do you have a burden for the next generation of young women to know the truth, to live meaningful lives, to fulfill God's purpose, to have healthy relationships, and to love their husbands and children well? Do you see it as your responsibility to pass on to them the wisdom you have gained from knowing God's Word and learning to live it out in the laboratory of life?

Don't allow your "life message" to be wasted. Pass on God's wisdom and truth to the daughters who follow in your footsteps.

Take Time to Reflect

Use Psalm 78:1-8 to inspire you to invest time, energy, and training in the next generation. If you are an older woman, consider how God desires to use you to spiritually "mother" younger women. If you are a younger woman, ask God to lead you to a more mature believer who can serve as a role model.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Linda Olsen is the wife of the pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church. She will be speaking on the importance of purity in our children's lives. Pray that her message will encourage women's hearts to seek purity for themselves as well as their daughters.

Day 5: No Need to Fear

Scripture Focus: Psalm 27

"... who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples." -Psalm 65:7, NASB

Fear. It's one of the most common struggles we as women battle with. Fear of the future. Fear for our children. Fear of financial loss. Fear of pain. Fear of rejection. Fear of failure. Fear of suffering. Fear of people. Fear of illness. Fear of conflict. Fear of exposure. Fear of relationships. Fear of loneliness. Fear of weight gain. Fear of growing old. Fear of Satan's attacks. Fear of church. Fear for our reputation. Fear of death.

Living in a fallen world with sinful people and depraved conditions, we face multiple opportunities each day to cave in to unhealthy, paralyzing, sinful fear. The only truly healthy fear is the respectful awe that Scripture refers to as the "fear of the Lord."

How do we counteract our fears? How do we deal with life courageously? How do we respond to fearful circumstances in a manner that glorifies God? By being so familiar with His character and His ways that His perfect love casts out all our fear. In other words, the key to overcoming fear is trust. It is not trust in a solution or a formula, but it is an abiding confidence in the character and faithfulness of God.

Our level of fear should be an indication to us of how little or how much we know of God. Our trust level is directly proportional to our level of confidence in Him. And our level of confidence increases as our knowledge of Him (His Name, His character, His power, His actions throughout history, His work in our own lives) increases.

When we truly come to appreciate the fact that the Savior who stood up in a storm-tossed boat to quiet the crashing of thunder and the roaring of wind is the same God who offers refuge to us in the midst of our own storm, we will not fear.

When we really believe that the almighty God who commanded the waters of the Red Sea to be separated in order for His people to pass through is the same loving Father who offers safety in the face of the Enemy's attacks, we will not fear.

When we believe that God is trustworthy, that He does not lie, that He is faithful, that He has all power, and that all He chooses to do is good and right, then we know that as long as we trust in Him we have no need to fear.

Take Time to Reflect
As the time for the True Woman Wyoming conference draws closer, and as you are preparing your heart to hear from God, the Enemy will likely attempt to distract, discourage, or derail you. Rather than responding in fear, cry out in trust to the One who cares for your soul. Meditate on Psalm 27 today.

True Woman Prayer Focus
Because of all the "hats" women wear, preparing for a weekend conference requires time, wisdom, and good planning. Pray for 100+ women as they make final arrangements and get ready to attend the conference. Pray for physical and spiritual protection and for God's enabling and provision on every front. Pray for a spirit of anticipation and readiness to hear from God and to say, "Yes, Lord!"

Day 6: Arguing with the Potter

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 44

"Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker-an earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, 'What are you doing?'" -Isaiah 45:9, NASB

Have you ever found yourself wondering whether things went wrong in the Creation Workshop the day your DNA blueprint was put together? Or perhaps it isn't your physical appearance that causes you to resent your Maker, but you're vulnerable to the same temptation that got Eve in trouble: God's keeping something good from me, and I need to take things into my own hands in order to really be fulfilled.

When we are dissatisfied with our physical design, unhappy with God's plan for our lives, or tempted to resent or resist His will, we can end up in the dangerous position of "quarreling with our Maker."

Thanks to the wonder of technological and medical advances, we no longer have to live with sagging chins, baggy eyes, bulging waistlines, or otherwise unsatisfactory body parts. We can be clipped, nipped, and tucked; we can even switch our gender!

Further, we can change circumstances that are not to our liking. For example, a woman no longer has to stay married to a husband who cherishes Monday Night Football more than he cherishes his wife-no-fault divorce makes it easy and affordable to end an unhappy or difficult marriage.

In a world of seemingly endless opportunities for new and exciting careers, limitless ways to experience sensual pleasure, and innumerable ways to "fulfill" your life (everything from New Age gurus with offers of superior spirituality to the latest weight-loss plan), there is no shortage of ways to fuel our discontentment.

Here's something to think about: Have you bought into the lie that someone else knows better than your all-knowing Master Potter what is best for you, His prized vessel? Contending with Him is more futile than striving with the wind. The way to true fulfillment is through gratitude, contentment, surrender, and humility.

When we finally learn to trust the Master Potter, our struggle will cease, anger and fear will flee, and we will find rest and tranquility in Him.

Take Time to Reflect
Use Isaiah 44 to direct your heart into worshiping your Master Potter. Focus on His mighty power, His faithful works, and His tender love and care for you. God intimately created you for His good purposes. Memorize Psalm 139:14 and use it to battle lies of discontentment.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

True Woman Wyoming is only six days away! Ask God to continue preparing all hearts to meet with Him-the speakers, the planners, those leading in worship through music, all the volunteers, attendees, and you!

Day 7: Treasures of Darkness

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 45

“I will give you the treasures of darkness.” —Isaiah 45:3, NASB

“A black night seems to make the moon brighter. Purple irises brighten yellow daffodils. And a dark gray Kansas sky makes the wheat look truly golden. So it is with us. It seems that God best displays the brilliance of His grace against the backdrop of our darkest and even blackest moments.”
—Joni Eareckson Tada*

God gave this promise from Isaiah 45 to the Persian king Cyrus—150 years before he was even born! It refers to Cyrus’s conquest of Babylon while Israel was being held captive. A portion of God’s prophecy to Cyrus is that He would give him hidden treasures, riches that had been concealed from view.

Through the darkest night of suffering, in the midst of our deepest pain, there are hidden treasures of darkness that we will miss if we are not searching. God promised to give hidden treasures to Cyrus in order that His reality would be revealed—ultimately that He would be brought glory.

Cyrus did not receive these treasures as a result of his own suffering but as a result of a divine conquest. Likewise, when we are faced with pain, loss, and disappointment, God desires for us to unearth the valuable lessons that He has in store for us. We are to enter into a “divine conquest” to seek out what He has hidden in the painful season He has allowed.

Finding treasures in the darkness of suffering is more difficult than finding blessings in the abundance of sunshiny days, cool breezes, and smooth paths. But the treasures found in times of affliction are always of greater value; they are weighty with meaning; they are not easily forgotten.

As we set our hearts to seek God in the midst of the darkness, our trust in Him will be a visible demonstration to others of His reality. Our depending on His grace will allow others to know that He is trustworthy. Responding to the challenge of suffering with a heart of yielded submission will draw those who are watching to the beauty of Christ.

In every storm, every trial of affliction, there are hidden treasures waiting to be unearthed.

Take Time to Reflect

Work through Isaiah 45, noting each time God refers to the fact that He alone is God. God is not on an ego trip by repeating Himself so frequently on this issue. Why do you think He found it necessary to mention this so many times?

Can you recall times of suffering when God revealed to you His trustworthiness? Have you found treasures hidden in the darkness of affliction? Recount these times. If you haven’t written them down, record them in a journal to be read when the next storm comes. Use this record to build your faith in fearful times.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Pray that women who are facing different and/or difficult seasons of life will be challenged to be intentional about discovering and fulfilling God’s purposes for their lives and about investing their lives in the next generation.

Day 8: God Is in a Class by Himself

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 44

“I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself and spreading out the earth all alone.” —Isaiah 44:24, NASB

In the book of Isaiah, God repeatedly makes statements like this: “I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God” (45:5, NASB). It seems as if that should be obvious. We may feel like responding, “Duh! Of course there is no other!”

But God does not waste His words, and He has good reason to include this significant point and repeat it multiple times throughout the book of Isaiah. It is necessary to remind us that He is God, because we so quickly act as if He is not. At times, we even try to be our own god.

Rarely do we admit it, or are probably even aware of it, when we are attempting to play God or step into His position. But every time we choose to disobey Scripture, every time we take things into our own hands or decide to go our own way, we are dethroning God and stepping into that role ourselves. God does not need our help in running the universe—He stretched it all out and put it into place all by Himself. But we sure try to give Him advice all along the way!

What are some ways we might attempt to play God? Perhaps you can relate to some of these:

• When we accept a job offer without seeking God and asking Him
to lead us . . . we are playing God.

• When we need to clean our house but choose to lie in front of
the TV instead . . . we are playing God.

• When we know God commands us to treat our husband with respect
but we choose to speak to him with demeaning words or attitudes . . . we are
playing God.

• When we choose to spend time visiting with friends when our
children need time from us . . . we are playing God.

• When we are rude to a store clerk because we think we deserve
better treatment . . . we are playing God.

• When we try to force God to make exceptions for us or to
change His plan for our life because things aren’t going according to our plans
. . . we are playing God.

Take Time to Reflect

Ask God to open your eyes to any ways you may be attempting to instruct, argue with, or disobey Him. Prayerfully read Isaiah 44.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Pray that God will minister deeply to women at the conference in relation to their families. Pray that wives and mothers will be strengthened, encouraged, and challenged in those roles.

Pray that single ladies will be strengthened , encouraged and challenged in their unique roles. May all women reflect true femininity and Biblical womanhood the way God has intended.

Day 9: Condemning God

Scripture Focus: Job 40

“Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?” —Job 40:8, NASB

When we are dissatisfied with God’s plan for our lives, we may try to justify our sinful actions by condemning God. We argue that He’s too restrictive, that His ways are too difficult, that He requires too much, and so on. We want the easy way, the smooth path, and the blessings without the sacrifice.

When Scripture calls for forgiveness but we want to hold onto our anger, we justify our bitterness by claiming that God requires the impossible.

When Scripture calls for holiness but we want to flirt with immorality, we justify our sin by claiming that God expects too much.

When Scripture calls for a life of self-denial but we want to gorge our flesh, we justify our lust by claiming that God is too restrictive.

When Scripture calls for a life spent serving others but we want to live for ourselves, we justify our selfishness by claiming that God’s way is too difficult.

When Scripture calls us to count our trials as joy but we choose to give up, we justify our self-pity by claiming that God is uncaring.

When we, as women, struggle and chafe against God’s choice of our gender, when we resent His design for us and argue about or rebel against His distinctive purposes and role for us, then we are standing in judgment of Him.

And at such times God’s question can well be applied to us, “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it” (Job 40:1, NASB).

We can become so blinded by our own way of thinking that we deceive ourselves into believing that we know best how to run our lives.

Take Time to Reflect
Have you found yourself responding in some of the ways listed above? Is there any area where you may be justifying your disobedience and thereby condemning God? Read through God’s questions to Job in 40:1-14 and apply these to yourself. God sums it all up in verse 14 by stating that if Job can answer all of these questions in the affirmative, then by all means he should go ahead and move right into God’s position. How might this apply to your life?

Read Job’s response to God in Job 42:1-6. Personalize his response as appropriate, and express your heart to God.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus
Pray for the many technical aspects of the conference, including audio and video components. Pray for Deb Magee as she prepares the overheads for all the music and speaking sessions.

Day 10: I Am God; You Are Not

Scripture Focus: Job 38

“Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, and caused the dawn to know its place?” —Job 38:12, NASB

We need to hear this question from God every time we forget that He is God and we are not. It is so easy to slip into a prideful spirit, protecting our own little kingdoms, thinking, I’ve got it all under control, and if everyone else would just get in line, things would run so much smoother!

When we attempt to take on God and challenge Him with the injustice of our situation, we can become like a child having a temper tantrum, screaming out accusations to a caring parent, “Why did you do that?!” Although Job wasn’t screaming, and although he threw no fits and seemed rather patient, in his heart there was an accusation of injustice made against God. So in a barrage of more than eighty questions, God proceeded to move Job from his position of challenger to a much humbler place of speechlessness.

If we’re not careful, our hurts and wounds will grow infected with resentment and self-pity. Out of our pain, we may strike back at God with an accusatory “Why?!” We allow ourselves to ignore the truth of His Word—the fact that He cares for us and will never leave us or forsake us, that He desires to comfort us in our affliction—and instead we stand as His accuser. That’s when we need to hear Him ask, “Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, and caused the dawn to know its place?”

We need to remind ourselves regularly, Although I may imagine that I am right and have all the answers, I didn’t cause the sun to rise this morning! He is God; I’m not!

Take Time to Reflect

We can’t always see when our anger and self-pity are accusations against God’s justice or that we are trying to be our own “god” whenever we are struggling for control. Sometimes a frank question can jolt us into reality. Are you struggling with releasing any anger or bitterness toward God because of the circumstances of your life? Do you view God as not only sovereign but also good? Does your life demonstrate that you’ve surrendered all to God’s control? Read prayerfully through Job 38. What do you see about God in this chapter that relates to some situation you are facing?

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

There are less than ten days until the conference! Pray for grace and strength for the True Woman Wyoming team as they make the final push to the “finish line.” Ask God to do a mighty work among women that will display His glory.

Day 11: The Time Has Come to Wail

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 2

“Consider and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the wailing women, that they may come! Let them make haste and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may shed tears and our eyelids flow with water. For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion, ‘How are we ruined! We are put to great shame.’” — Jeremiah 9:17-19, NASB

“When I read articles about the spread sheets college women keep about their sexual activities, or when I watch how the Christian men I know struggle to avoid the parade of barely dressed women before them at a mall or restaurant, or when I have to turn over all ten women’s magazines at the grocery checkout because my nieces can now read their soft-porn headlines—I find I am more than shocked; I am deeply grieved. This is what feminism has done to improve the standing of women? It’s a very poor trade-off, indeed.” —Carolyn McCulley

Perhaps the most disturbing cultural transformation that developed from the feminist movement of the 1960s and 70s was the sexual revolution. The role reversal of genders was not limited to issues in the workplace, shared responsibilities in the home, or political and social equality; the feminist agenda found its way into the bedroom. Even some feminists are now shocked by the extent of their revolution. One of their authors notes, “The downside is we’ve raised a generation of young women—and men—who don’t understand sexual ethics like: Don’t sleep with a married man; don’t sleep with a married woman. … They don’t see sex as sacred or even very important anymore. That’s been lost.”

The book of Jeremiah was written as a message of rebuke and judgment to the people of God. They had adopted the depraved practices of the pagan culture around them and were involved in flagrant idol worship. The people of Judah had long ago lost their identity as God’s covenant people as their morality began to be shaped by the godless philosophies and sensual views of Assyria and Babylon. In chapter 9, God calls for the people to wail over the nation’s spiritual and moral condition.

Do you ever consider what God might say to America today? How does He view our moral condition, our casual attitude toward premarital and extramarital sex, our greed and lust for “more,” our abortions, our worship of fashion, and our insatiable appetite for sensual pleasure? What might He say to His church? Are we a spotless bride, or are we in bed with our immoral culture?

Jeremiah called for the women in his day to mourn and grieve over the things that were grievous to God. Where are the “wailing women” in our day? May we be women who truly and deeply care about what concerns the heart of God.

Take Time to Reflect

Have you grown accustomed or indifferent to the state of our culture? Pray for the church to be broken over the spiritual need all around us. Read Jeremiah 2 and consider what God might want to express to His people today.

Is your heart crying out for God to work in your life and in the lives of those you love? There is much in our culture to cause distress, but God will not turn away from our cries for help. You’ll soon be seated at the True Woman Wyoming conference—what do you want God to do in your life?

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Pray for Teresa Dick as she prepares to share lessons on “Submission and Satisfaction”. Pray that her message will be filled with grace and encouragement for women who have bought into the lie that their freedom comes from their own agenda.

Day 12: Intercession

Scripture Focus: Ephesians 1:15-19; Colossians 1:9-12

“We have not ceased to pray for you.” —Colossians 1:9, NASB

“Moms, it takes courage to keep praying for 18 years, for 20 years, for a lifetime. What ‘impossible’ walls did you walk around this school year? What walls collapsed? What prayers did you keep praying when you didn’t see any cracks in the wall?” —Fern Nichols*

When Fern Nichols’ sons entered junior high, she had the usual motherly apprehensions. But overriding those fears was a deep trust that God, and only God, could protect and keep her children. Only God could change the lives of friends and coaches and teachers.

What specific prayers are you praying for your family and closest friends? If you are a mom, do you know what your children are struggling with right now? Do you know their deepest desires and longings? Are you interceding for them in prayer for specific areas of spiritual growth?

If you are married, what about your husband—do you pray for his protection from evil? Do you know the details of his day so you can stop at critical times to pray for him? Do you have prayers from Scripture that you’ve memorized and applied specifically to his needs?

Perhaps you are single and childless; there are still many for whom you need to be interceding in prayer. Pray for the children in your church, for your extended family, for your pastor and spiritual leaders, for the ministry of Revive Our Hearts, for our nation, for revival.

There is so much to pray for!

Take Time to Reflect

Use Paul’s prayers in Ephesians 1:15-19 and Colossians 1:9-12 to pray for specific loved ones. Also, search for other prayers in Scripture that you can use in praying for the people whom God lays in your heart.

We are not limited to praying Scripture, but it is a wonderful tool in helping us to pray according to the Father’s will.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

In 1984, Fern Nichols called together like-minded moms who gathered each week to pray for their children and school; thus began the first Moms In Touch group. From that simple beginning has grown a worldwide community of praying moms in every state and in more than 120 countries around the world. Pray for the national Moms in Touch ministry as well as the moms attending True Woman Wyoming that they would be empowered to pass the torch to the next generation.

Day 13: Courageously Persistent in Prayer

Scripture Focus: Colossians 1

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” —Colossians 4:2, NASB

“Devote” is a tame rendering of the actual meaning in the original Greek text. The following phrases do a better job of communicating what Paul is calling for here: “Be courageously persistent!”

“Hold onto and don’t let go!” It brings to mind the way Jacob held on and refused to let go when he encountered the Lord at Peniel (which means “face of God”) in Genesis 32.

This is radical praying! Not half-hearted, groggy phrases offered in whispering tones with no real faith. No, this kind of praying is what Paul is referring to as he gives instructions for spiritual warfare: “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18, NASB).

Courageous praying is done with a conscious awareness of who we are speaking to. It is praying that believes there really is a God who hears and answers prayer according to His good pleasure. It is prayer that seeks His glory supremely, above every other human desire.

This type of praying isn’t satisfied to drift into idle thoughts or inattention but is alert and intense. The woman who is careful to practice this discipline will be watchful and sensitive to what is taking place around her, stopping to pray with a friend in need, whether in a public place, on the phone, or on a crowded street. She will also be careful to listen to the Holy Spirit’s promptings to pray. Throughout the day and night, she will always be ready to respond to His call to prayer.

The attitude of thanksgiving frames this type of praying. There is no place for a sense of entitlement or a demanding spirit. Gratitude is the fountain from which each request flows, since every good and perfect gift comes from the Father.

Take Time to Reflect

Drop to your knees, if you are physically able, and ask God to give you a greater level of intensity and focus in your praying. Ask His Holy Spirit to fill your mind with the needs of those around you, to give you an awareness of what you should be interceding for. Be sure to express your gratitude to the Lord. Use Colossians 1 as an outline in praying for others; insert personal names in appropriate places.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Ask God to move across Wyoming and that He would revive women to have God’s heart. Ask Him to unite us by His Spirit to pray in unison, voicing His heart’s desire in one accord. Pray for your sisters who are joining you in prayer today. Ask God to make all our hearts tender and responsive as we prepare to hear from Him.

Day 14: Seeking Him

Scripture Focus: 1 Chronicles 16

“Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!” —1 Chronicles 16:11, ESV

The English Standard Version adds an exclamation point to the end of this sentence, underscoring the intensity of this exhortation. Seeking God is not a suggestion or a helpful hint for believers to follow. It is a command.

Although this verse contains the English word “seek” twice, the Hebrew language, in which this verse was first recorded, uses two different words. The first word translated “seek” has to do with rational, cognitive inquiry, while the second word suggests begging, pursuing, desiring, or pleading.

This command is one we should be wholeheartedly running to obey, eagerly and intentionally pursuing a relationship with God. Psalm 16:11 tells us that “fullness of joy” is found in God’s presence. If this is true (and it is), then why would we do anything but seek His presence?

In Seeking Him (a 12-week study on personal revival), Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Tim Grissom write,

God wants to reveal Himself to you; He wants to fill your heart with Himself; He wants to set you free from every unholy passion; He wants you to drink deeply of the joys found in His presence; He wants your service for Him to be the overflow of genuine love and an authentic life; He wants you to be a reflector of His glory in our dark world. He wants you—and His entire church—to be revived!*

So, if God’s presence is as delightful as this sounds, why are so few actually seeking Him?

Perhaps one reason is that they’ve only “nibbled” around the edges of a relationship with God, taking a crumb here and there, sipping a drop of His presence occasionally, but they’ve never really tasted deeply of Him! “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Psalm 34:8, ESV).

Another reason might be that they are hiding, as Adam and Eve did after they sinned. When we’re more comfortable “hiding” in the dark than walking in the light, we’re not motivated to pursue Him.

Is there anything keeping you from seeking Him? Don’t settle for less than the “times of refreshing” (Acts 3:20) and “fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11) to be found in His presence!

Take Time to Reflect

Are you “nibbling” at the things of God or tasting deeply of the spiritual feast He has prepared for you? Ask Him to increase your appetite for His presence.

First Chronicles 16 contains the psalm of thanksgiving that was to be sung as the Ark entered the tent that David had prepared for it. You may recognize familiar words, as several psalms are blended together in this one (Psalms 105, 96, 136, and 106). Use the psalm in 1 Chronicles 16 to express your praise today.

Don’t wait until the conference to experience God’s presence—pursue Him today! Let Him speak to you through His Word. Consciously allow His Spirit to direct your thoughts and activities throughout the day. Ask Him to reveal any hidden areas of sin that might be robbing you of your appetite for Him.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

True Woman Wyoming begins in two weeks! There are many volunteers serving at this conference. Pray that the Lord would keep them from illness and bless them for serving Him in this capacity.

Pray for the many logistical challenges of having a “full house” at the conference! Pray for safety and patient spirits for all involved, and for the ability to move people smoothly from one place to another, particularly during the lunch break on Saturday.

*Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Tim Grissom with Life Action Ministries, Seeking Him: Experiencing the Joy of Personal Revival (Chicago: Moody, 2004), xii.

Day 15: Knowing Him

Scripture Focus: Psalm 71

“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” —Philippians 3:8, NIV

The heart of the Apostle Paul, as expressed by these words, conveys the essence of relationship—intimate knowing. In order to for two people to truly value and appreciate one another, they have to spend time getting to know each other.

One of the most vital components of relationship is communication. God has given us a way to communicate with Him 24/7, through prayer! We don’t have to know how to use technological gadgets to contact Him. We never have to worry about a dropped call or the inaccessibility of a cell tower. We don’t have to fear others eavesdropping on our conversation with Him if we choose to commune with Him in the middle of a crowded room—He can hear us at any volume or even thought level.

God has chosen to reveal Himself so that we can know Him and enjoy intimate fellowship with Him. His creation visibly displays His character, without the use of words. The beauty of His creation evokes wonder and praise. From the earliest hours of the day, as dawn breaks and His brilliant colors race across the sky, till the setting of the sun and the twinkling of the night sky; through violent storms and the changing colors of the fall leaves—at any moment of the day or night, at every season of the year—the beauty of creation calls us to worship Him with words of adoration and praise.

Not only does God’s creation encourage communication with Him, but so does His Word. Scripture clearly and powerfully reveals to us who He is. It is a reliable written record of His thoughts, His works, His instructions, and His plans. He communicates with us through His Word, and we can speak to Him with His Word.

The Lord has graciously given His Holy Spirit as a means of comfort, communicating His Word, convicting, directing, and opening our eyes to see His truth. How can we say that prayer is boring, with all that God has provided to aid our communication with Him? He is alive—and He is not silent!

Take Time to Reflect
How well do you really know God? Do you know Him intimately, or is your relationship fairly shallow? Express to Him a desire to know Him more. Let this become a frequent prayer of your heart. Consider how you might deepen your relationship with Him. Use Psalm 71 as a prayer today.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus
Several ladies from different seasons of life will be sharing some brief testimonies centering around the faithfulness of God. Pray for them as they prepare their testimony and that there would be no feelings of anxiousness.

The planning team will be meeting most of today to add final touches to many different aspects of the conference. Please pray that they are able to address each area and have wisdom if any changes need to be made.

Day 16: Intimate Relationship

Scripture Focus: Psalm 66

“The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” —Exodus 33:11, NASB

“Speak, O Lord, as we come to You To receive the food of Your Holy Word. …

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds: Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us—

Truths unchanged from the dawn of time That will echo down through eternity.”

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend*

A woman’s love of communication may be largely related to her desire for relationship. Many women enjoy conversing with friends, children, the checker at the grocery store, total strangers on the street, even perhaps a telemarketer. All of this conversation builds relationships. The exciting aspect about this is that, even more than we love conversation, God loves for us to spend time talking with Him!

Reading through the Psalms, you will find these themes: calling on God, seeking His face, praising and worshiping Him. All of these involve talking to Him, lifting our hearts in prayer, having conversation with Him. Communication is a necessary (and enjoyable) part of building a relationship with Him.

Yet it’s important to remember that conversation is not a monologue. Conversation involves talking and listening. What a privilege to hear from God! When we open His Word, when our hearts are open to receive His truth, when our eyes are seeking His face, God speaks to us!

God’s Word gives us counsel (Psalm 119:24). His Word is the testimony of His mouth (verse 88). His Word tells us which way to go (verse 105). Sometimes we feel that God isn’t speaking; however, the problem may be that we aren’t listening.

Take Time to Reflect

How much of your day is filled with conversation? What percentage of that is communication with God? How could you be more intentional about listening to God?

Praise God with your mouth by reading through Psalm 66 aloud as a prayer to God, then personalize it according to the needs in your life right now.

In just over two weeks, many women will come together to learn more of what it means to live out biblical womanhood. Is your heart prepared to hear? Ask God to speak to you today through His Word and His Spirit, and let Him know that you are eager to hear and to obey whatever He says!

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Pray for those who will lead the praise and worship time at True Woman Wyoming. Ask God to give them sensitivity to His Spirit and divine enabling to lead us to worship God “in spirit and in truth.”

Pray that we will not just go through the motions of worshiping during the conference, but that our hearts will be truly turned toward the Lord. Ask God to manifest Himself and meet with the women through times of worship, praise, prayer, the proclamation of the Word, personal response, and fellowship.

*Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

Day 17: The Transformed Heart

Scripture Focus: Psalm 139

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” —
Romans 12:2, ESV

“If before He hung that first star He knew us by name and knows the number of hairs on our head, then our gender as we walk around in this costume known as flesh is not a mistake but a divine fingerprint.” —Janet Parshall

Over the past 50-60 years, our culture has experienced gender role reversal, confusion over sexual distinctions, and a distorted view of femininity and masculinity. It is time for women’s hearts and minds to be transformed by the truth of the Word of God in order for women to be able to discern the will of God for their lives.

With so much false ideology permeating every aspect of our culture, how can you begin to have transformed thinking on the topic of femininity? It is necessary to fill your mind with truth. Begin to saturate your mind with scriptural passages that relate to womanhood; devote time to good reading materials (you’ll find lots of helpful resources at Revive Our Hearts); and log onto websites like Girl Talk and Radical Womanhood that offer resources to promote biblical womanhood.

Titus 2:3-5 gives a beautiful description of biblical womanhood. You might call it a handbook for Christian women. Hopefully your thinking is already starting to be transformed as you’ve been seeking the Lord during these past weeks.

Take Time to Reflect

In what ways has your thinking been affected by feminist ideology? What are the implications of the fact that God intentionally designed you as a woman? Read about His involvement in your creation in Psalm 139. Use God’s Word to inform your thinking on the issue of womanhood. Commit yourself to reading at least one book that promotes biblical womanhood this year.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

The conference is very close to reaching capacity. Please pray for all the details associated with having this many women in one place. Please pray for nice weather so that all those traveling from out of town will have a safe trip.

Pray that God will burden the hearts of those who attend the conference to pray earnestly for our nation in this hour when we so desperately need the intervention, mercy, and grace of God.

Day 18: The Courageous Heart

Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 4

“We do not lose heart.” —2 Corinthians 4:16, NASB

“So here we all are, 150 years after feminism began to profoundly affect our culture. We have the highest number of single adults ever recorded in our nation’s history, in the church and outside of it. We have nearly the same rate of divorce in the church as outside of it. And we have several generations of confused men who have been told their masculinity is the very reason for women’s oppression—exactly the opposite of what the Bible teaches about the complementarity of the sexes and the Christlike model of servant-leadership that men are to cultivate for the benefit of the church, their wives, and their families.”

—Carolyn McCulley

Do you ever find yourself feeling discouraged by the darkness of the culture around you—maybe even by your own surroundings at home or in the workplace? Often it appears that we Christians are so behind in the culture war that we might as well throw in the towel.

Paul may have been tempted at times to look at the hedonism of Rome and wonder if the little band of new Christians could be any match for the godless culture of the most powerful empire known to man. Did his heart ever tremble with fear or discouragement? Twice in 2 Corinthians 4 Paul exhorts the believers living in the sexually immoral culture of Corinth to not lose heart. What was the source of Paul’s courage?

The English phrase “lose heart” in today’s key verse is translated from a strong Greek term that refers to losing courage or even cowardly surrender. Admittedly, for Christian women living in a predominately post-Christian world, this is a common temptation. But we must not give up; we must not lose heart. Too much is at stake, and our Captain is worthy of our undying service.

How can we find courage in such hostile times? Paul gives us the answer in the final verse of chapter 4. “Look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (NASB).

Living with an eternal perspective, focusing on God’s kingdom, knowing that earthly life is temporary and that He has called us to reflect His glory in our world—this perspective infuses us with strength and courage to persevere, even in the face of great darkness.

Take Time to Reflect

Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4. Have you grown weary and become discouraged in your Christian walk, your marriage, your parenting, or any other area of your life? Use this passage to focus on the truth. Ask God to give you His eternal perspective on your situation. And remember that it is in His power, not your own, that victory will be achieved.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

True Woman Wyoming is less than three weeks away! Pray for your sisters in Christ who will be attending the conference. Ask God to do a powerful work in the life of each woman, to meet her needs and give her a fresh sense of His calling and mission for her life.

Pray for women’s hearts to be encouraged and strengthened by the conference messages—that we will all be doers of the Word and not hearers only. Pray that we will have courage to stand on the truth of Scripture, whatever that may require—“for such a time as this."

Day 19: The Distracted Heart

Scripture Focus: Psalm 34

“Martha was distracted with much serving.” —Luke 10:40, ESV

“When you and I sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to His Word and then sit at His feet and lavish our worship and love upon Him, there will be an impact. . . . True worship and devotion will make our lives fragrant and will perfume the environment around us. Our homes, our churches, even our places of work will bear the sweet scent of our devotion. Most importantly, the Lord Jesus will be pleased. And ultimately that is all that really matters.”
— Nancy Leigh DeMoss

How often, like Martha, are we tempted to place our hands on our hips, wagging an accusing finger in Christ’s face while verbally assaulting Him with our orders? Perhaps we’re not even aware of times when we’ve done this. It is easy to become so preoccupied with activity (even ministry activity) that we lose sight of what is most important. When we are so busy that we neglect to sit at our Master’s feet, we have developed a distracted heart.

Because women generally multitask easily, we may be more prone to functioning spiritually with a distracted heart, whizzing through our quiet-time exercises without ever experiencing God’s presence or even remembering what we’ve just read or who we’ve prayed for.

Have you ever found yourself running to the next ministry opportunity or Bible study while spewing out impatient or unkind words to those who impede your progress along the way? What about becoming so busy preparing a meal to “minister hospitality” to friends that you injure your family with your critical or demanding spirit? All of these can be the effects of a distracted heart.

There is nothing—nothing—more important than spending time each day at the Master’s feet. Without the intimacy that this intentional devotion provides, our hearts will grow weary, we will spend our days without clear direction, and ultimately our hearts will become dry and barren.

Take Time to Reflect

Sit at your Master’s feet today and use Psalm 34 as a prayer of worship and adoration. Don’t be in a hurry! Where is your heart right now? Although you may faithfully be working through this heart preparation guide, you can be guilty of functioning with a distracted heart and “checking the box,” using this exercise as just another spiritual “duty.” Stop and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the true condition and needs of your heart.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Pray for the women who are speaking at the conference as they prepare messages that will impact women and aid them in fulfilling Biblical womanhood. Pray for the healing and restoration of broken relationships that will be represented at the conference. Pray that women in difficult situations and circumstances will be sustained and encouraged by His Word and His grace.

Day 20: The Contented Heart

Scripture Focus: Philippians 1-2

"I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." - Philippians 4:11, ESV

Have you ever stopped to picture where the apostle Paul was when he made this statement? As you may be aware, he was in a Roman prison awaiting trial. Think about the extreme difficulty he was experiencing when he penned these familiar words.

Although Paul was a godly man, his ability to walk in contentment was not due to some superior saintliness or mystical endowment. He "learned" contentment, just as we must do. He cultivated a contented heart by viewing his circumstances through the lens of God's sovereignty.

Paul's circumstances were hardly comfortable or something he would have chosen! Unless you have a friend or family member in prison, you may not have thought about all the liberties that are forfeited in prison. The isolation of prison is not limited to separation from family and friends but includes the loss of common enjoyments in daily life. Freedom of choice is a distant memory: meals, schedule, room temperature, wall color, clothing preference, environment, activities-these are all chosen for you.

Many inmates have hearts hardened through bitterness and resentment, spending days in anger over their circumstances. There are, however, some beautiful women who, although behind bars, radiate a joy and freedom seldom seen in women living on the outside.

How do you explain such a stark contrast between inmates within the same prison? Miserable, dark, angry countenances of those who are filled with sullen resentment reveal the fact that these women are discontented with their situation. Who can blame them? Who could be content in prison? Only those who have found their true freedom in Christ and who live, walk, and breathe gratitude, knowing that God can cause "all things to work together for good" (Romans 8:28, NASB).

After spending the first portion of his letter in thankfulness and prayer for his fellow believers, Paul expressed his God-centered perspective on his imprisonment: "I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear" (Philippians 1:12-14, ESV).

Do you hear Paul's perspective? He was looking beyond the pain, past the difficulty of imprisonment; his view was formed from trust in an almighty, sovereign God. Paul knew that God could use his sufferings to accomplish a greater work.

Take Time to Reflect

Are you a contented woman? If not, why not? Do you see a correlation between your contentment level and your trust of God? Read Philippians 1-2, taking note of Paul's many references to humility, joy, and personal conduct. What do you need to apply to your life from today's study?

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Pray for each woman who is involved in putting the True Woman Wyoming conference together (from planning, to clean up and everywhere in between). Pray for unity and fellowship that bring God the glory. Pray that each woman would find their contentment in Christ alone.

Day 21: The Bitter Heart

Scripture Focus: James 1
“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.” —Hebrews 12:15, NASB

“. . . [women were] encouraged to share personal hurt and anger. As more and more women in the group ‘spoke bitterness,’ they were led to see that the source of their discontent commonly stemmed from their relationship or interaction with the men in their lives, be it fathers, employers, colleagues, spouses, teachers or other men. Bitterness grew as the participants concluded that men were responsible for women’s unhappiness.” —Mary Kassian

Even if we wanted to, there’s no way we can turn back the clock and return to the mid 1960s—to a time before the early feminists set out to foment a spirit of discontent and bitterness among women. But if we could, we might find that women were struggling with an identity crisis, not primarily because of men, but because of the spiritually dry condition of the church and the moral decline in our nation.

It had been approximately a hundred years since we had experienced the last great spiritual awakening in our nation. Many churches had embraced liberal and man-centered theological views and were being influenced by the militant voices of the culture. Overall, the church had grown weak and ineffective, rather than being salt and light.

Not only was the spiritual condition of the church a factor in women’s struggle, but also the changes that had taken place within the family unit were a contributing factor. Before the Industrial Revolution, many women and families worked alongside the husband and father as a family unit. Whether the family income was produced through farming, a workshop, or a front-room store, it was an integrated family enterprise.

The Industrial Revolution radically altered family dynamics by sending fathers out to work in factories while mothers and children remained at home. With this division came many losses: time together as a family, a strong leadership role from fathers, active family involvement in accomplishing common goals and tasks, daily interaction and communication, the fellowship and fulfillment that come from teamwork.

Previous to industrialization, women had partnered with their husbands in a cooperative effort. As co-regent over creation, in this way women experienced the satisfaction of living out their identity and fulfilling a valuable role in a tangible way as “helpers” to their mate.

Although the church and culture provided fertile soil for bitterness to be spring up in women’s hearts, the choice to respond to difficult circumstances with joyful trust is still our own responsibility. What a different outcome we might have seen if, rather than “speak bitterness” meetings, women had held gratitude sessions!

Take Time to Reflect
Can you recognize the effects of bitterness in families today? Do you struggle with bitterness because of your life circumstances? Do you feel that you deserve better than the life you have? Prayerfully read James 1. How are we instructed to respond to trials? What does this chapter have to say about humility?

We are halfway through our 40-day journey—are you allowing God to prepare your heart?

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus
Pray for each speaker and participant as they prepare their messages for the True Woman Wyoming conference. Ask for the Holy Spirit’s anointing and empowerment as they speak. Pray that they will connect with women’s hearts and minds.

Pray for women who have allowed a root of bitterness to spring up in their hearts. Pray for a spirit of forgiveness to be released throughout the weekend.

Day 22: The Heart Where God Dwells

Scripture Focus: 1 Peter 3

“Thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’” —Isaiah 57:15, NKJV

God describes two places where He is willing to dwell: on His holy throne and within the heart of the humble. What an awesome realization that the God of the universe desires to dwell with us!

Humility opens the door for God’s presence to be at home in our hearts. Jesus compared this condition to that of a little child. It is the recognition that we are helpless, completely dependent on Him. Humility doesn’t grasp for or demand control; it gladly surrenders to the Master’s

control.

A proud or rebellious spirit demonstrates a low view of God and a high view of ourselves. When we see God as He is—high and holy—and we see ourselves as we are—sinful and needy—we are compelled to bow before Him in humility and worship. We no longer demand our “rights,” but we humbly recognize our desperate need for God’s mercy and grace and we esteem all others as better than ourselves.

The apostle Peter wrote,

“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

(1 Peter 5:5-7, NASB)

This heart attitude is the polar opposite of the feminist mindset that insists on grasping for power and proudly asserts the right of women to control their own bodies and to live independent of God and men. As our Lord said, “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:11, NASB).

Take Time to Reflect

Is your life characterized by humility? Review what you read from 1 Peter 2 a few days ago, then read 1 Peter 3. As you consider these passages, what do you see in the example of Christ that should be a pattern for our own attitudes, actions, and responses?

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Pray that each speaker and leader for the True Woman Wyoming conference would be clothed in humility. Pray for fresh anointing of the Spirit as they prepare their hearts and messages for the conference. Pray for protection from fear of man, pride, discouragement, and every other weapon the enemy might use against them. Pray that they will guard their time with the Lord over these weeks and that they will come prepared to minister out of the overflow of what God has been doing in their lives.

Day 23: The Hardened Heart

Scripture Focus: Hebrews 3

“Just as the Holy Spirit says, ‘TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS.’” —Hebrews 3:7-8, NASB

“The hardening of our hearts is the spring of all our other sins.” —Matthew Henry

We’ve been talking a lot about the heart in these weeks leading up to the True Woman Wyoming conference. We want to arrive at the conference with hearts that are already soft and responsive to the Lord.

What does it mean to “harden your heart”? Medically, when a physical heart becomes “hard,” it is due to a condition known as scleroderma, referring to a connective tissue disease that affects vital organs, including the heart, eventually resulting in death. Spiritually, when we harden our hearts to God’s instruction, it affects our entire outlook, our attitude, and ultimately our future.

Hardening of the spiritual heart occurs when we become resistant to the Word, the will, and the ways of God. We turn away from His instruction and go our own way. As you recall, it was the woman who first hardened her heart toward God in a certain garden!


The cycle goes something like this: You are walking through life, enjoying the presence of God, when suddenly He chooses to lead you up a new path—perhaps a steeper trail than you’re used to climbing. You may be filled with fear (I’ve never gone this way before). Or perhaps you’re not fond of doing hard things (Couldn’t I take a breather for a while?). Maybe you’ve seen another path that looks more comfortable, so you offer that route as a suggestion. The first step in the cycle of hardening your heart is to resist the path God has chosen for you.


Next in the cycle is to put your fingers in your ears. God uses truth from His Word, or perhaps life circumstances or counsel from godly friends, to get your attention. But you you’ve determined to go your own way and you don’t want the conviction of God’s voice to interfere with your plans.

Tragically, you proceed on your own way and find a measure of comfort in justifying your actions. By this time your heart is becoming even harder, resistant to any conviction of God, unwilling to move, bend, or surrender to the hand of God. This is a dangerous place for a believer. God will often graciously move in with some type of opposition in order to alert you to your pride and rebellion (James 4:6). It is critical to respond to Him in repentance. The failure to repent is the open door to spiritual bondage.

Take Time to Reflect

Work your way through the warning of Hebrews 3 and then read Psalm 95. Can you recall times when you’ve hardened your heart to God’s instruction? Do you recognize any of this cycle occurring in your life currently?

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Pray for each woman who will be attending the True Woman Wyoming conference and for the people in their lives that they impact most directly. The influence of the culture is strong, so pray that God will make their hearts receptive to the Truth and that they will become Truth-speakers rather than being sucked into the mold of the world.

Day 24: Total Abandonment

Scripture Focus: Romans 8:28-30; 2 Corinthians 2:14-16; 5:17-21

“The eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” —2 Chronicles 16:9, NASB

“The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.” —Henry Varley (D. L. Moody’s life was greatly impacted by this statement.)

What is God’s agenda? He clearly states it in Numbers 14:21: “As I live, all the earth will be filled with the glory of the LORD” (NASB). Here God is issuing His mandate for believers; His passion and desire is that the whole earth be filled with His glory.

How do we fulfill this mandate?

Ever since Adam and Eve fell from their state of glory, every human being has been born into a state that falls short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We must go through the process of spiritual transformation—new birth—in order to have the capacity of glorifying God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). As we are born again and grow in Christ, we begin to take on the characteristics of His nature, to reflect His attributes to those around us, to become His hands and feet—ministering and offering new life to those we come in contact with. Our single, overriding purpose in life should be to see the whole earth filled with His glory.

Imagine what God could do with and for and through and in a woman who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him. Are you willing to be one such woman? Are you willing to say, Yes, Lord, to whatever He asks of you? Are you willing to fulfill your distinctive role and calling as a woman so that the earth can be filled with His glory?

Take Time to Reflect

Prayerfully read through these portions of Scripture: Romans 8:28-30 and 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 and 5:17-21. In what way does your life reflect the reality of God’s presence? How are you fulfilling His mandate of filling the earth with His glory? How can your femininity be used to help further His Kingdom agenda in this world?

How do you respond to the challenge of 2 Chronicles 16:9? If you are motivated to be that “one woman” living in total abandonment to Him, how will you do this? Are there changes that need to be made in order for your life to be in accord with God’s counsel in Scripture for you as a woman?

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Pray for the other women who have joined you online to work through this devotional. Ask God to use the True Woman Wyoming conference as a means of calling out an army of women who will humbly, graciously, and passionately devote their lives to Christ, that all the earth might be filled with His glory.

Day 25: Glorify God in Your Body

Scripture Focus: Revelation 2-3

"You have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." -1 Corinthians 6:20, NASB

"The female raunch culture of Girls Gone Wild, Sex & the City, Victoria's Secret, and young women who dress for the office like they would for their honeymoon is a direct result of the ideology of third-wave feminism." -Carolyn McCulley*

The dictionary defines raunchy as "smutty, indecent, lecherous." Somehow this description doesn't seem consistent with God's beautiful and noble design for women. Pretending that the church has kept herself unspotted and pure in the midst of our soft-porn modern culture is to be naïve.

First Corinthians 6:20 presents a logical statement. It begins with the factual premise that "you have been bought with a price," referring to the sacrificial atonement of Christ's blood. Then it proceeds to the conclusion that because of what has occurred (our purchase), we should glorify our Purchaser (Christ) in our bodies. Simply put, God paid for you with His own blood-now live like it! Does the church look like a pure, blood-bought bride? Or is she in bed with the raunch culture?

Consider this scene: Your teenage daughter is a picture of virginal beauty and wholesome purity. Then one day she decides that your rules are too oppressive. So she opts to venture out into the wild world of experience, running away from home and breaking your heart. News reaches you that she's been abducted, taken to a foreign country, and sold into slavery. You cannot rest until you rescue her.

Reaching her destination, you discover that the local authorities fear the slave traders and are unwilling to help you. At great expense you hire a local gunman to plan your daughter's escape. In spite of the extreme danger, you insist on accompanying him. As you both approach the building where you believe your daughter is being held against her will, there is an exchange of gunfire and you are struck down. Rapidly losing blood, you crawl to the doorway, where you can see your daughter's profile. One captor lies dying, while the other escapes. As you fall across the threshold, with your last ounce of energy, you whisper your dying words to your daughter: "You're free, honey. Quick-run away! I've paid for your way back home."

Imagine how bizarre it would be for your daughter to respond with a yawn, "Home? Why would I want to do that? I love it here. I'm not going anywhere."

God is on a "search and rescue" mission in this world. How have you responded to His initiative? He wants to use you to join Him in rescuing others' lives!

Take Time to Reflect
Does this story offend your sensibilities? It should. Although such a scene can hardly be imagined, it is no more unthinkable than the thought of Christ's Bride, the Church, being ambivalent toward His redeeming love. Although her deliverance has been made possible at great cost, she prefers to wallow in filth and remain in bondage to her lusts. Read Jesus' addresses to the churches of Revelation 2-3. What stands out to you about Christ's assessment of the condition of the church and about His prescription?

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus
Like every other segment of society, the church has been affected by the lies and other strategies of Satan. Ask God to awaken the church to her condition and great need. Pray for revival in your own church and throughout Casper and Wyoming.

Day 26: Living Proof

Scripture Focus: 1 Peter 2

"You are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." -1 Peter 2:9, NASB

Over the past two weeks of seeking God to prepare your heart, are you finding a new focus on who you are in Him? Do you have a fresh appreciation for His love in providing His Son as a sacrifice for you? Aren't you glad He chose you?

Ask yourself this: Why did God choose you? Why would He determine to set His affection on you and purchase you as His own possession? It's mind-boggling to think about, isn't it?!

God told the people of Israel why He chose them. It wasn't because they were holier than others or because they had some special inroad to God. He chose them and redeemed them, simply because He loved them, and so that they might display His grace and faithfulness to the world.

The same goes for us. When our lives fit God's design, when His purposes are being lived out in us, and when others can see the demonstration of His power at work in our lives, then we are showcasing the splendor of who He is.

It works something like this: When the wife who would naturally be a controlling nag begins to be transformed by the grace and power of Christ . . . when the domineering woman surrenders her need to be "in charge" and begins to treat the men in her workplace with kindness and respect . . . when a woman is willing to live counter-culturally in order to fulfill God's role for her life-then the world has living proof of God's reality.

This issue of being God's own possession should settle a lot of our struggles. When we start to grumble and complain about the guidelines of Scripture, we need to stop and remember that we are the Lord's possession-His personal property! That means He has all rights and authority over our lives. He knows best; we don't. The recognition that we belong to Him should move us to wave the white flag of surrender and say, Yes, Lord!

Take Time to Reflect

Do you picture yourself as independent and in charge of your life? Do you struggle with the fact that you are God's possession, or does that fact bring you a sense of comfort and delight? In what ways can others see the living proof of God's reality in your life? What practical evidence has there been in your life this week that you belong to God?Meditate on 1 Peter 2. Allow the example of Christ, His reaction to suffering, and the role that He took in securing you for His possession to give you a greater appreciation for Him. Thank Him for choosing you as His possession, and ask Him to use you in proclaiming His excellence. Determine to demonstrate living proof of God's reality.

True Woman Wyoming Prayer Focus

Pray for the team of ladies planning the True Woman Wyoming event. Please pray that they are refreshed and encouraged by the Lord's presence. Ask that God would to give them His sustaining grace in these final weeks before the conference begins. Ask Him to pour out His blessing on their lives for diligent and humble service.