“Mama, look!” My six-year-old squealed as she ran into the kitchen carrying her lopsided pumpkin. It was an easy going Saturday morning. As I cleaned up from a late breakfast, my husband and our girls were headed outside to carve their pumpkins.
My baby girl came over to the table and plopped her pumpkin on top. “Look, Mama! I put lots of holes in my pumpkin and daddy is helping me carve a picture on this side!”
I glanced over and saw a sorry looking pumpkin with holes all over it and cuts from a six-year-old using her “pumpkin tools” a little too generously.
“Look, mama. Isn’t it beautiful?!!!”
“Ahhhh sugar… it really is! And you know what’s going to make it even more beautiful? When you put the light inside! All those holes and cuts allow the light to shine through.”
_______________________________
All those “holes.” Those moments that pierced us deep inside our hearts and we wondered if we’d ever survive.
All those “cuts.” Those times when we’ve been cut to the core; our weakness opened wide and exposed for the world to see.
Those holes and cuts that reveal the pain from living in a broken world with broken people.
But you know what? There is a greater purpose if we can just get past the pain, past the discomfort, past the disappointment. It’s because of those holes in our lives – those cuts that run deep and open us up – that allow God to come in and clean out our gunk and replace it with His light. Ohhh and when He does, our holes and cuts now allow others to see His light. He redeems the damage and makes it beautiful.
I guess you could say we’re all a little like pumpkins.
From God’s amazing work on the cross for us, to His ever-present work in us the moment we believe, to His Holy Spirit working through us… we are constantly a work in progress and will be until the moment we see Jesus face-to-face.
“Those holes and cuts, baby girl… that’s what makes us beautiful. Don’t you ever shrink back from showing the world the mighty redemption work Jesus has done in you and through you!”
You are never alone. What God starts, He completes.
What He began in you, He will see through to completion.
Jesus will not give up on you!
You may not understand the process, but you can always trust the One who is holding your life in His hands.
Just remember this…
for
His
glory.
Live your life with those three words in focus.
Don’t allow discouragement to separate you from your relationship with Jesus. Remember you will always be a work in progress. Day by day God is committed to working in your life to make you more and more like Jesus. Lean into Him on the hard and good days. Read your Bible daily and pray honest, unhindered prayers. There will be times when you mess up, but realize you are not alone. Moses messed up and God still used him. Peter denied Christ three times and yet God still used him to build His church.
The truth is, God uses us in spite of us. We all make mistakes, sin, and go our own way. And yet, in God’s great mercy He chooses to redeem.
He redeemed Moses’ past and used Moses to bring His people out of Egypt.
He forgave and redeemed Peter and used him to advance the gospel and build His church.
None of us are out of God’s redemptive reach. We are each a work in progress.
Allow God to use those holes – those wounds that have cut you straight through – for His greater purpose to shine His light in a dark world!
You are beautiful, sweet friend. Keep moving forward and be confident of this truth: what God started in you, He will finish.
Let’s Talk: Where you are joining us from? What is God speaking to your heart through today’s Scripture reading?
Love God Greatly,
Week 1 Challenge: This week, light a candle and place it inside a carved pumpkin or candle holder with holes as a reminder of the amazing work God is currently doing in your life as you shine for Him.
Week 1 Reading Plan:
Week 1 Memory Verse:
We are kicking off Week 1 of our 4 week Philippians study! Grab the women’s and corresponding kids’ journals on Amazon and help us provide these Bible studies to women around the world in over 18 languages through our translations!
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Read the Philippians study intro here.
So glad my friend Kathleen asked me to join in. I’ve been going through a dark place and this came at just the right time. I’m glad God is a finisher. Me, I’m more of a quitter. I have lots of unfinished projects. Thank God He doesn’t expect perfection and can work with my mess.
Good morning Kathleen! I love how you say God is a FINISHER! This is so true! He loves a mess, he can make a mess a beautiful thing and he will continue to work in us until we are beautifully put back together. Don’t give up, don’t quit. Pray hard and dive into the words of this study and have faith and hope fill your heart with strength to keep going and a joy and peace only Jesus can give us. Glad your here!
Mondee~LGG Encourager
We are so glad and delighted you are joining us. We are all God’s work in progress and He finished what He starts. So rest easy love. God bless you. We love you.
I paired this with Isaiah 55:8-9. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Right now my ways and thoughts are not like God’s but one day they will be because He Finishes what He starts.
God is not done with you and won’t be until Jesus returns. There will never be a time when His works in me will cease and never a time when His works in me are anything less than great and glory-filled. Lord help me to being light into the spaces I have been called to. Fill me up with your glory so it cannot be withheld. Thank you for choosing me to be a glorious work .
I loved this Angela! Your words really spoke to me today! I’ve been going through a little heartache from a relationship that ended. I do not understand God’s plan for me, I have so much love to give others, and yet I am still single. But I have to have faith that his plan is perfect, he isn’t finished with me yet. So until he moves forward with me I need to let his light radiate through all my broken spaces, keep in his word and have faith. because this is not my home and God is not finished with me yet!
Mondee
Dearest friend, we are at the same spot in our lives. Am so glad to know I am not in this alone. Honestly, this makes my day. God is not finished with us yet. Yes, he is not. So rest easy dearest. Much love.
I can so relate to this sweet friends, Mondee and Ebos! God has a plan for us, and He is surely not finished yet. Praying for us during this cycle of our lives!
What a beautiful blog post (and beautiful analogy!). Thank you! To me, this verse is speaking that I need to TRUST in God. Always. Because like you said, I may not understand the process, but I need to trust the tour guide. 🙂
Welcome Jonna to another study. Yes dear. We may not understand but we sguld trust Him. He knows what he is doing. God bless you.
I am a missionary who has been working for seven years to train others to serve cross-culturally. I have been on sabbatical this year and when I met with the leadership team last week I was told there was not a role for me next year. I am 69 and don’t feel I should retire yet. I am praying about any other roles my mission might have for me in other parts of the country or even overseas. I was blessed by the verse today which reminded me that God is not finished with me yet. As you can imagine I am listening for God’s voice in everything I read, hear etc to get direction.
My dear Denise you comment is so heart warming. God has great things in store for you. He is not done with us yet. Much love dear.
What a meaningful analogy. I love that. Thank you. Looking forward to this study
Hello Sondra. It’s a pleasure to have you with us. God bless you as you study his word. Blessings.
My name is April, I am joining you from North Carolina. Today, I want to Thank God for my Salvation. Knowing I am redeemed and set apart is such a joy even on the days when its dark and gloomy He is so Good to us all and He will continue His work through us until our final hour. Until it is brought to completion. What a joy it is knowing He is working on us and through us. I may fall and falter but He is there to Shine Bright through those wholes in my life and help me see His Grace and Mercy just like He did for Paul and so many more before me. Thank You Father. Blessings to all ladies and I look forward to this Wonderful Study with you all.
Yes darling. He is working on us and in us. He shines brighter and brighter through our flaws. Glory be to God. Welcome dear to another study. God help us to trust His process. Amen.
LOVE this pumpkin carving analogy and at 51 I will be carving one for the first time in decades with a friend this year, thinking of this lesson! Thank you! Also it reminds me of this song: God’s not done with You!
Thank you for the song Beth!
God is not done with us yet. Bless you dear for sharing the song with us.
Beth Thank you so much for this song- it was just the best time for me to hear this. May you be blessed today.
Thank you for that song! It really ministered to me this morning !
Marcia
Good morning, y’all! I’m Megan from Louisiana! Excited to be sharing this study with you ladies!
Hey Megan! I’m in Louisiana too!
Welcome dear Megan. Enjoy the study.
Wonderfully written, Angela. So many sentences to copy down and r fleet on just from your story. Very excited to kick off this study and dig deep. God bless you ladies!
Thank you Angela!! I reall y loved the pumpkin analogy !!!
I was just praying about how I feel… I to am in a broken place. My son (37) died tragically 2 years ago. And I have been feeling like I was finished, or should be! It’s such a gut wrenching journey ?
But I know our God is faithful and good! He is scraping all the junk out of me, and I know someday His light will shine again in me❤️
Marvelous Monday morning,
Thanks 2 my caring & ❤ing daughter-n-❤, Mimi, 4 Phillipians’ journey sign up .
Momma Pat
TN
From Clarksville TN
I am joining from sunny, NW Florida. God has blessed us with cooler temperatures, lower humidity, and a beautiful cloudless sky. It is a lovely October Monday. Today’s Scripture reading, gave me a few insights. I will share my prayer from my SOAP for today since that sums it all up nicely. “Lord, Please make me more like Paul and Timothy. Make me a faithful servant that puts grace and peace first. Give an abundantly thankful heart. Remind me to always pray with joy and find joy in every moment of life. I want a “partnership with the Gospel” as the Phillipi Church had. Inspire in me a confidence, and an acceptance, and a remembrance that God ALWAYS sees His work to completion. Thank you for all the blessings of a beautiful Monday. Amen.”
Correction: “Philippi Church” (I always invert the letters). 🙂
I’m joining you from Holly Pond Alabama.
Hello friends. I am joining in from sunny Jacksonville, FL. I am excited to embark on this study and glad my sister is joining in as well. I have a 17 month old and 6 week old. Recently I have been getting very little sleep and adjusting to life with two little ones. Recently my relationship with God has struggled through this phase of life when I should be closer to Him than ever before. I am wanting to find more joy in this beautiful phase of life in which God has given me two beautiful little girls.
I am joining from Mesquite Tx. Our minister retired 2 years ago and we have had an interim pastor and he’s just not reaching me, so we haven’t been attending church. I am hoping this will fill my emptiness.
Hello I’m joining you from southern California! I just wanted to say Angela this is an absolute beautiful post. It really spoke to me. Thank you for this.
Hi I’m joining in from East L.A. and the thing I got the most out of this passage personally was that Paul found joy out of partnering with churches for the gospel. We were not meant to do this alone. God has a call on each of our lives, and doing that thing we were made to do will bring great joy to our lives. The blog post ministered to me so much too ❤️ Thx Angela!
We still have room in our group!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LifeinHisWord/?ref=group_header
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LifeinHisWord/?ref=group_header
anyone need a group we have room
Looking forward to the rest of this study on Philippians. Currently believing God for some things, but the biggest is for my mess of a marriage. Complete and total mess, but trying to believe God is faithful and that He is able to do anything. He said nothing is too hard for Him :(. Currently separated and have all the reasons anyone would divorce someone, but this is what I decided. Some days, I don’t even care to fight for this anymore, but God calls me back into prayer time after time again. Thank you all for this study and for taking the time to do all that you do in encouraging women like me. Just battling every single day, completely at the end of myself and so beyond desperate for God. ? ?
I really needed this today. I am dealing with a very stressful time at work and one particular person who seems determined to destroy my reputation. I just wanted to go to bed and never wake up, but then I read this. I know I need to lean into God and his word more than ever.
Life often gets in the way and I’m guilty of always putting off reading and spending time in God’s word. Friday, this Bible study popped out at me on Facebook and while I always have good intentions I allow life to get in my way. So, this time I bought the book, thank goodness Amazon Prime has free 2 days shipping because it was delivered this afternoon. Paul I feel is praying for those that do not have salvation find it and once saved to always show the joy that The Lord gave you and to share it with the rest of the world. Often times I feel like as Christians we lose our joy and love that God gives us when we are saved, only until we start living for him and sharing our salvation experience will His joy and love in us shine out for the rest of the world to see. I think of the song, “This Little Light of Mine”, we shouldn’t hide our light under that bushel but shine for the world to see. If we do not share our joy with others how can we expect them to want to experience the love of Christ.
I cannot locate the study on YouVersion. Any tips? I’ve tried everything.
Same here. Im.just using this app instead.
I found it!!!! Search-Philippians – Choosing Joy.
I am joining in from Palatine, IL, having been invited by my friend from Minneapolis! I am teaching the children on Wednesday nights this year during our regular ladies’ Bible study, so I thought I would plug this study into my mornings. I would like to see my love abound, but also be discerning in this very confusing world!
I am from GA and have been struggling with a lot of anxiety and worry. My husband and I are trying to conceive our first child and at times it is simply heartbreaking… looking for something outside myself and this struggle to focus on and knowing that God is in control makes it less lonely. Praying everyday He will give us the blessing of a child but trusting in Him completely. Excited to grow and learn more as a Christian
I know how this can feel, I like to refer to this scripture when I’m feeling the burden of worry. “Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
I’ve been going through daily life obstacles and Ive realized that i need to start reading my bible more, especially being in my twenties, recently becoming unemployed,being a young newlywed Christian has alot of obstacles, but I thank The Lord for contiuously helping me through, and im glad to have stumbled upon this app. Inhave recenlty also started a Christian blog!
Hi! I would love to join. I live in Northern Virginia. When I lived in my home state of Texas, I was very active in church, taught Bible school to children every Sunday and Wednesday night, involved in a women’s Bible group, church services every Sunday and Wednesday. Then I went through a bitter divorce after being married 26 years. God blessed me with a wonderful husband and we have been married 10 years now. When we were first married, we attended church but now, we simply don’t go. I am disabled and can’t drive. So I can’t go by myself. We have only lived in Virginia for 3 years and I know no one. With the exception of the neighbors on each side of us and neither of them are interested in going to church or anything to do with church! But they know if they need prayers, they can come to me and I will pray with them. My relationship with my Heavenly Father is stronger now because He is all I have. I have no friends to study with. I found this study through Pinterest. I love reading through any study.
Welcome aboard Kimberly. I lived in Virginia as a young Naval wife with 2 small children. I remember how difficult it was to make friends. I am Praising God that you found Love God Greatly and this group.
Will the Monday weekly videos be coming back soon??
stone is gut.
I am blessed by this Bible study, knowing that God has me in mind and still has beautiful plans for me gives me so much Joy, I am thankful!
Starting the Philippians study with friends in Moldova! Choosing JOY! Excited to begin….