ONE IN A MILLION

Priscilla Shirer’s “One in a Million- 8 week study
Dates: January 27th, 2011 – Thurs evenings 6:30 – 8:15 pm


Join Priscilla Shirer on an exploration of the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness in her newest Bible study, One in a Million. Shirer encourages participants to fully engage in the abundant life God has waiting for those who will allow Him to take the lead in daily living. One in a Million is an opportunity for you to experience your deliverance from strongholds, to conquer your wilderness living, and to claim your God-given inheritance.

Please arrive early in order to receive your book get snacks, and mingle. This will help things not to get congested and will help us serve you better. We are really looking forward to this new series! We thank you ahead of time for your cooperation and participation. Expect great things!!!!



Thurs Nites are phenomenal, with the some of the most precious women on earth! You will encounter...

**Dynamic Worship

**In-depth Relevant Teaching

**Genuine friendships

***And most Important You will Encounter GOD!!


This Year its time we invest where it counts! You owe it to yourself to go Deeper Still in God's Word!

Falling in love with the Father

I have really enjoyed the Jonah Bible Study. It has helped me to see that when my life is interrupted it's really God's way of protecting me and helping me prepare for something greater.
Last year, I was separated from my husband. It has been one of the hardest things I've ever gone through. But through this experience, it has caused me to draw closer to God, much closer than if this hadn't happened. I am truly blessed and thankful for being able to spend more TIME getting to know God the Father more intimately which is more valuable to me than being married.
He is the prize and treasure my heart longs for and I am kissing this painful road that brings me straight to Him.
I'm not totally sure how my situation is going to end up, but one thing I'm so grateful for, God will never leave me or forsake me. As He becomes the true desire of my heart, everything else in my life falls into place.
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall me added unto you.
Falling in love with the Father,
Elizabeth :)

Going with God

The path of rebellion is one I have traveled too many times. My first major trip down this road was at 15, when my life was going just fine, and I decided to mess it up by getting on drugs. When I was caught red-handed and disciplined for it, it was all His fault. I was sober and realizing just how much I had jeopardized with my actions for the last year, and I was mad at Him. How could He let this start and continue for so long? How could He let me get caught instead of just getting me out of it without any one having to find out? I was angry, confused and alone. All of my friends from church had washed their hands of me and the one friend that I would have had left was the one that I had followed into the drugs in the first place. My parents weren’t letting me anywhere near her.

It took me a while, but I realized that I had to suffer the consequences to learn my lesson. It is by His grace that I even walked away from that season in my life. I was never in it alone, but I was making my own decisions and there was nothing he could do to stop that except let me get caught. The longer it went unnoticed, the deeper I was falling. It was obviously not going to end by me just walking away, so He interrupted my life and truly caused a divine intervention. Once I was able to accept that, it was easy to agree with Him, and I never looked back.

My next major trip down the road was when I was almost 17. I had been dating a guy from church that I loved. I was renewed and happy and this was where I wanted to be. His parents didn’t want him dating, so we kept it quiet. I see now that that was probably my first step towards the road, but at the time it seemed like we could justify going against what his parents wanted. This went on for a few months and then they found a letter he had written me. In it he wrote something about wanting to kiss me, and his parents freaked out. They knew about my past and they met with me and my mom and told us that they were worried I was going to lead him down the wrong path and that I was to have no further contact with him. That really affected me. Here I was thinking that my life was changed and I was forgiven, but they were using my past against me. I was confused. I got home and messaged him on the computer. He wrote back and said he agreed with his parents and we shouldn’t talk any more. That was the end of my first love. It sent me spiraling down. I didn’t blame God this time because I knew that He had forgiven me, but now I was blaming my loves parents. It was their fault that he didn’t want to talk to me any more. They had convinced him I was some evil woman and now my life was ruined. It had nothing to do with the fact that we had been sneaking around for the last 6 months, rebelling against his parents. This was just them trying to make me miserable. I know now that this interruption was to get us out of the rebellion before it went too far. My love was ready to listen but I wasn’t. I was angry and chose to ‘sit, soak and be sour’ as Priscilla said in day 1 of week 3.

A few months went by and I started at a new school and met a boy. He was troubled, but a decent guy and he liked me. And, he was allowed to date. I quickly decided that what I needed to do was bring him to church so my love could see us together and realize that he wanted me back. It was brilliant. We went to TNT together and the new guy had actually gone to elementary school with a few of my friends so he blended right in. When I saw my love, I put on the biggest fake smile and stood right next to the new guy. The look on his face when he saw us was exactly what I had expected. This was it. Tonight I would get an IM from him and everything would go back to normal. Instead, he had my best friend come tell me that it was ridiculous and petty for me to do that and that it hurt his feelings but it didn’t change anything. He didn’t IM me again for almost 4 years after that, and we still to this day haven’t talked face to face. It’s been 9 years.

These stories of my life were really brought to my attention on day 3 of week 2 in the devotional. Priscilla talked about the bad choices we make that lead us down a path we never thought we’d take. The bad decision to follow an older and ‘cooler‘ friend led me down a path of drugs and emptiness. The decision to secretly date my love led to me being hurt which led to the worse decision to use the new guy against him. And when that didn’t work out, I was left clinging to the new guy because I just needed someone there. The new guy became my worst decision ever made and 4 years later I was fighting my way out of a terrible relationship with him.

In week 3, she talks about the 4 principles. The Blame Game, Man Overboard, Agreeing with God and Going with God. The blame game was hard for me at first. I never wanted to blame myself, I wanted to blame God for letting these things happen to me. It wasn’t until I was willing to accept God’s discipline (man overboard) that I was able to blame myself for the things that had happened. When I was able to look at His discipline as a sign of love instead of conviction, it was easier for me to understand that it was never His fault to begin with.

Agreeing with God can be a challenge for me as well. I agree with Him on just about everything, but some things I just don’t get. There are things that I will feel like I need to do but they just seem impossible and I will sit and argue with Him about it like I think that I am going to convince Him that I’m right. Then I read what Priscilla wrote on page 69 in the devotional - “It doesn’t necessarily require that your feelings have changed about what God is asking you to do. Repentance means you are willing, despite those feelings, to put it aside and stop traveling the wrong way. The effectiveness of our confession is not negated because of misplaced feelings. Many times God calls us to choose to walk by faith, and our feelings follow along in time.” Ouch. That pretty much cancels out all my ‘impossible’ excuses. I have to choose to walk by faith. The world is constantly reminding us of every bad thing there is. If I have to choose to listen to that, then why wouldn’t I have to choose to not listen to it and instead walk by faith? If every decision is a choice of faith, then every excuse I make to avoid God’s decision is a choice to rebel. It always starts as a small choice that leads to a big path of destruction. I know this all to well.

The last principle is Going with God. This seems to be the hardest one, but it should be the easiest. He wants only the best for us. He has good intentions, and we should be more than willing to follow His ways. Priscilla says on page 73 - “Likewise, we must be willing to obey the small details along the pathway to obedience to the Lord as well.” She also talks about letting go. I have a hard time letting go. Whether it’s friends, ideas, arguments or things, I want to cling to them. I am learning that part of my ‘obeying the small details’ is letting go of things that are holding me back. If I hold on to old friends, I will never make the new stronger friends I keep saying I want. If I hold on to my old ideas, I will never make room for the new ones that God has for me.

I pray that this study is opening your heart to all the wonderful things that He has in store for you. No matter what has happened in your past, you are completely forgiven and renewed. There was a time when I thought I would never be good enough for God again. Now I serve in the children’s ministry and at TNLN, both of which I volunteered for on a whim. I have a husband who loves the Lord. I have made some amazing new friends at church and I hope to make even more. 9 years ago I felt defeated. Today I am strong in the Lord. I still have work to do, and I still mess up on a daily basis, but I am confident in His love for me. My testimony is story after story of interruptions that turned out to be miraculous divine interventions. Without them, I don’t know where I would be. Thank God for a second chance.

Divine Intervention

I sometimes wonder what I will write about in the blog for TNLN all though I don’t know why because God always has a plan for me. I love all the studies we have done and I am so thankful that I started going to the ladies Thursday night group. I always get something wonderful from the group even if I didn’t finish my homework or not. Like Kim says we can go back and do it again if we need to God has a time for us. I learned the name Jonah Navigating a Life Interrupted. It made me laugh because anyone who knows my family would say that is for them a Life Interrupted.

My life was interrupted when I was 21 at the loss of my mother right before my wedding. I have had a marriage a divorce and another marriage but I truly found God during all of this. I changed churches in Memphis was baptized and became on fire for God. I know I didn’t always listen when he was talking to me and to this day I still find this to be true. Our human nature makes us want to believe we can do it ourselves when in reality you must have God in your life. This would be the start of my life interrupted.

I think about how we ended up in Fl. We moved to Fl through some friends it was not planned out by us. We came for a visit and left after a week went to Memphis had a yard sale closed our business and moved to FL. We have now been here for 16 years. In 16 years we have moved over 10 times. We had the loss of jobs, injuries to me from a car accident. Yes my life changed forever as did my family but we were alive. When you hear you must take it easy not over do you have these limitations for the rest of your life. You now have a condition that there is no cure for but I say by His stripes I am healed. The Dr.’s say positive thinking will help you a lot but in the mean time you must do everything we say and hopefully you will live a good life. Limitations must be followed take the medications, exercise in the way we show you. Life interrupted … I think God is still speaking to me to me but I am not always listening to him.

I looked at week 1 I didn’t get through with all my homework but then Kim says even if you didn’t finish it you can go back and do it whenever. You will get something from it no matter when you read it. I think often this is how life is sometimes you miss part of it but if you slow down and stop and listen you will get what it was God was trying to show you. So an interruption can be a challenge but in the end there is a reward. Whenever you let Jesus take over you get rewarded but our human nature seems to be yes I know God but and it is that but…. that leads us into trouble at times.

So in my lifetime I have dealt with both happiness and sadness. Life and death my marriage started out with sadness due to the loss of my mom and it was a hard battle for us challenges, interruptions. Raising a family trying to listen to God but finding ourselves not always doing what we knew he wanted us to do. Life becoming interrupted due to job changes, medical and health issues, financial problems our life is Interrupted. This study really draws into me. Am I really listening to God or am I just running from him most of the time.

When I saw the week 2 was about Jonah running I thought wow I have been there. We stopped and listened finally after Mark took a job that was the lowest pay he has ever had. It was hard physical labor for very little money. Then God said are you listening now you can have the job you were wanting once the interruption came and you returned to me and listened. Mark was hired in with the temporary staffing company for the job. He was promoted within 2 weeks. Then another promotion they realized he had more than just a staff person. He had another department request him and move him up the ladder. He was told you will get hired permanently into the company. Then we had to wait and Mark became frustrated at one time even looked at other jobs. We both knew this is where God wanted him right now. Then it happened he was hired in and the benefits kicked in. Great health insurance covers everything which is amazing. We all needed things done but the cost of medical was hard for us. The savings we get now is wonderful. His hours lowered down for better pay. Yes our Life had been interrupted but for a good reason it was just hard to see it at the time. We did get an interruption with this promotion pay period is only 2 times a month. Of course his hiring in caused us to have to wait 2 weeks for a pay check when we had been used to every week this was not in the budget but we did get through it and pay day is this Tuesday. We called companies and changed our billing dates and it is working out well.

The one thing that interrupts my life personally is a person God has in my life. She is sweet but also very depressing at the same time. She suffers from mental issues yet God puts her in my life. I have tried to run and hide from her but he puts her back in my life. She wants to be my friend no matter what. We had one riff but that too passed. She calls me when she needs advice or when she needs someone to listen she is a complainer a lot and very negative at times. After spending time with her I become negative too so I try to step back for awhile but then God brings and interruption and I know it means I must call or visit her. She has been struggling with a decision to run from her church a new pastor, changes and not being happy. She called me the first week of class and tells me she was watching Joyce and she said stop and act like a Christian quit your complaining about how bad your life is put on a smile and share God with someone. That no matter where you are God has you there to show someone God’s love even if the person claims they are a Christian maybe their life has been interrupted. She asked me do you think this was for me. I said yes I do. Then at class that night I hear God puts you somewhere because you might be the one person who can share with them his love. It may seem like life is full of interruptions to you. You being somewhere at a certain time can change a life of another. This was like a conformation for me to her you need to stay where you are. I called her up and said I have a word for you. It was just what we both needed to hear. It showed me that God has me in a place even if I am trying to run the interruption is to cause me to stop and take notice to where I am and what I am doing with my life and if I have God in it or am I running on my own full of confusion and sin. When we are interrupted it is to give us a prospective on where we are and where we are going with God or against him. The next time your Life is interrupted breathe it in because at the end of a day God is waiting for you…….

I Am Jonah

Week one of Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer, there are many thoughts that we are left with and a few challenges to propel us forward. In day one, she points out that there is a great difference between an interruption and a Divine Intervention. When we view something as unimportant, or at the very least, less important than what we are doing, it will be an interruption. When we see the importance of the task and the person, it is a Divine Intervention. Too often we either ignore them or outright run from them. But why run? When we are uncomfortable, we run. When His plans do not suit us, we run. When we want something different, we run. When we are afraid, we run. But we are running from God’s awesome presence and power. This changes the perspective doesn’t it? We are no longer running from something we don’t want to do, but we are running from the power of God. We do it because as humans, we tend to forget that God can do anything, and we do not need to look at things from our standpoint. When God is the one in charge, it will get done!!!


Priscilla Shirer Quotes

* Jonah was the only prophet who ever ran from God.
* It is an esteemed opportunity to participate in Kingdom purposes.
* Make sure your life writes a story worth reading.
* Your story starts with God.

This Week’s Scripture Verses-

Everything God does is right— the trademark on all his works is love. Psalm 145:17 Message

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving, That which I have vowed I will pay; Salvation is from the LORD.” Jonah 2:9

Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it. Luke 11:28

Pray that the study of Jonah will profoundly affect your life.

I look forward to navigating the next 6 weeks with you all:)

Listening For God

“You... don't have to do a thing
Just simply be with me and let those things go
'Cause they can wait another minute
Wait... this moment is too sweet
Would you please stay here with Me
And love on Me a little longer
I'd love to be with you a little longer
'Cause I'm in love with you” *


This song perfectly depicts God’s love for us. We don’t have to do anything for Him, just be with Him. Let all the things of the world go, your busy schedule, Facebook (yes, we’re all guilty of this) and spend time listening for His words of wisdom and revelation. You can distinguish God’s voice by pressing into Him (week 4 viewer guide).


This study has really shown me that to be able to really hear and discern God’s voice, you have to be close to Him. I really like the steps to discerning God’s voice that Priscilla laid out for us (week 1):

1. Expect to hear it – How can you expect to be able to hear God’s voice if you’re not expecting it?

2. Wait patiently for it- Wait patiently, God speaks to us and reveals stuff to us in His timing, not ours

3. Plan to obey it- If you have no intentions of obeying God’s voice, then why listen for it?

4. Listen for it- How can you expect a phone call, but then not listen for it when it rings, this works the same way with God

5. Have faith in it- Mark 11:22 “Have faith in God," Jesus answered. Have faith in what you hear from God, don’t be a ‘Doubting Thomas’


This study has also shown me that ‘the Holy Spirit works in our hearts, the hearts of others, and in the events of our lives to point us in His direction. He uses all these things to cause us to hear and heed his voice’ (week 3 day 1). There is no such thing as a coincidence, everything happens for a reason. Be sure to listen to others and what they have to say, whether it’s sermons, radio shows, Priscilla Shirer or even friends; God may reveal something through them for you. God also uses events in our lives to reveal His word to us. Even something as simple as a red light so you hear a few words from the pastor on the radio or something as big as no cell phones or electricity so you can focus on God and look to Him for your provisions. Let me make it clear that God doesn’t make these events happen to us, he allows them to happen and then uses them to better our walk with Him.


So, with that said and done, keep your ears open and be listening for God! :)

He Speaks to Me

When I heard that we were doing a study called Discerning the Voice of God, I was excited. I have been a believer all my life, and I could swear to you that I've never heard God speak directly to me. I could also swear to you that I was the only person that felt this way. Thankfully, Terrell (and Priscilla in the first video) said that she has women tell her that all the time. Ok, so I don't feel so weird now, but that still doesn't change the fact that it bothers me. I pray. I talk to God. I believe for breakthrough. I have post-it's all over the house with Bible verses and encouraging words written on them. I go to church, I read my Bible, and I am even attempting to break out of my shell and meet more women who can encourage me and help me. All of that and it still isn't happening.

If you ask just about anyone who knows me, they will tell you I am stubborn and opinionated. I am usually too eager to share whatever it is on my mind. My thinking has been as long as what I'm saying is the truth, what can it hurt? But as I move along in life, I am beginning to realize that having that attitude has gotten me nowhere fast. Sure, my friends like to hear me talk, or at least they pretend to, but what about God?

Thinking back to different times when I've felt the power of God, it has always come through someone else. When I finally got out of a secretly bad relationship, it was because God told 2 special people in my life to call me and make me speak the truth. When I was undecided about the relationship with my now husband, God spoke to me through a special woman in our church and solidified my decision to get serious about my future. When it was my turn to write the blog for our last study, I had it all written out and was feeling pretty good about it, and then Beth spoke about claiming our pasts and I instantly knew that I was supposed to write something different. These situations prove to me that He is listening and He wants me to hear Him. I am the one doing something wrong.

In the first video of this new study, one of the first things Priscilla said was if you aren't anticipating and expecting to hear God speak to you, you will never be listening. Wow. It suddenly all made sense. Yes, I talk to God, but I always want to hear His answer on my time. I am so busy complaining and worrying and begging for Him to do something that I never stop and say God, what do you have to say to me today? What do You want for me?

We are only 2 weeks in to this new study and I am so excited to hear all the things that He has been trying to tell me. I have spent so much time wondering why things haven't gone my way, and all along it's been because I wouldn't stop talking! So, while I have yet to hear Him and know that it's Him, I have finally gotten it through my stubborn head that He is always talking, and now it's my turn to listen.