Are VITAL if you want to keep accountable and keep your faith 'tank' full. I have to admit though, I am not apart of one :( at the moment! But we are looking, and we are going on a marriage retreat in a couple weeks! woot! Can't wait! :)
I remember our last small group. It was good....up until a point. It started to be more of a social group, than Godly. It wasn't moving forward. We had some good groups, but unfortunately ugly gossip intruded and screwed everything up. I did have to cut out toxic "friends," but it was definitely for the better. Sometimes I feel sad about how things turned out, but I look at everything now...and it is so much better! My marriage is better. The friends I have now encourage me to live a more Godly and spiritual life. My whole family dynamic is drastically different--I know now that I'm not a "youngin'" anymore and I had to grow up. Growing up doesn't mean you have to get boring, it just means you have to prioritize your life and take action. If it's not making you better-it's making you worse. If those "friends" don't encourage your growth, than it's time to cut them out. When your momma said, "You are who you hang with" or something to that extent...she was right! I have 2 beautiful daughter's who look at me like I'm the best mother in the world. And when my friends come over, they rub off on my kids in such a great way. Being a mother changes things-but for me-it changed everything. My daughters, My husband..absolutely saved my life. So, if you find yourself stuck, if you find yourself with low self esteem, if you have people trying to feed negativity into your life....take a good look around you. It could be the friends you have in your life right now. We need to all have people in our lives that "build us up" always, and not tear us down. I hope and pray as mothers, as wives, that we all continue to GROW UP and prioritize our lives. Fun can always be had, but we don't have to always act like we are 18 years old. I've learned that, and continue to learn that. Learning never stops. We need to take action on our lives and force it to be better. We have one chance to make it right with God, we have one lifetime to live the life that we were meant to live. We have one life to make God smile. Let's make him smile today.
In Him and Health-Demi
Challenge Packs!
Showing posts with label small groups. Show all posts
Showing posts with label small groups. Show all posts
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
We might have to start going underground, ya'll..
Couple Ordered to Stop Holding Bible Study at Home Without Permit
"Pastor David Jones and his wife Mary have been told that they cannot invite friends to their San Diego, Calif. home for a Bible study — unless they are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to San Diego County.
"On Good Friday we had an employee from San Diego County come to our house, and inform us that the Bible study that we were having was a religious assembly, and in violation of the code in the county." David Jones told FOX News.
"We told them this is not really a religious assembly — this is just a Bible study with friends. We have a meal, we pray, that was all," Jones said.
A few days later, the couple received a written warning that cited "unlawful use of land," ordering them to either "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit," the couple's attorney Dean Broyles told San Diego news station 10News.
But the major use permit could cost the Jones' thousands of dollars just to have a few friends over.
For David and Mary Jones, it's about more than a question of money.
"The government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion," Broyles told FOX News. "I believe that our Founding Fathers would roll over in their grave if they saw that here in the year 2009, a pastor and his wife are being told that they cannot hold a simple Bible study in their own home."
"The implications are great because it’s not only us that’s involved," Mary Jones said. "There are thousands and thousands of Bible studies that are held all across the country. What we’re interested in is setting a precedent here — before it goes any further — and that we have it settled for the future."
The couple is planning to dispute the county's order this week.
If San Diego County refuses to allow the pastor and his wife to continue gathering without acquiring a permit, they will consider a lawsuit in federal court."
"Pastor David Jones and his wife Mary have been told that they cannot invite friends to their San Diego, Calif. home for a Bible study — unless they are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to San Diego County.
"On Good Friday we had an employee from San Diego County come to our house, and inform us that the Bible study that we were having was a religious assembly, and in violation of the code in the county." David Jones told FOX News.
"We told them this is not really a religious assembly — this is just a Bible study with friends. We have a meal, we pray, that was all," Jones said.
A few days later, the couple received a written warning that cited "unlawful use of land," ordering them to either "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit," the couple's attorney Dean Broyles told San Diego news station 10News.
But the major use permit could cost the Jones' thousands of dollars just to have a few friends over.
For David and Mary Jones, it's about more than a question of money.
"The government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion," Broyles told FOX News. "I believe that our Founding Fathers would roll over in their grave if they saw that here in the year 2009, a pastor and his wife are being told that they cannot hold a simple Bible study in their own home."
"The implications are great because it’s not only us that’s involved," Mary Jones said. "There are thousands and thousands of Bible studies that are held all across the country. What we’re interested in is setting a precedent here — before it goes any further — and that we have it settled for the future."
The couple is planning to dispute the county's order this week.
If San Diego County refuses to allow the pastor and his wife to continue gathering without acquiring a permit, they will consider a lawsuit in federal court."
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