Contentment is Key

Contentment; something we often claim to be, but are we really? If you were stripped of everything in this world but your life, would you still be at peace? Are you still at ease in the midst of storms, in confidence that everything will eventually work out? The fact of the matter is that it is easier said than done, but it IS still possible. Contentment is not a destination but an ongoing trip. 

Contentment is the state of happiness and satisfaction regardless of any situation. When you are satisfied, you're not looking at what is missing or what you want or need. More than likely, when you are not content, 

your focus has shifted to yourself or comparing your life to the lives of others. The main focus should always be to remember the good things God has done for you, to live a life of gratefulness. Being content does not mean you have to be excited and happy about everything, but its the peace of mind and realization that:

 - There is a time for everything and what is for YOU will never miss you.

- You may not be where you want to be, but you are better off than you were before.

- No matter the situation, you are at peace because you trust that it will all work out.

We all have plenty of things to be thankful for and yes life does not always go as planned and there are unexpected circumstances, but during those times we should always keep in mind the current BLESSINGS. Don't live in the past or worry about the future, but be content in the present.

With Love,

Benine and Le'Nae xoxo

Your Identity; What Christ Says About Who You Are

In case you missed Monday’s meeting, we discussed the topic “Identity in Christ”. Having an identity in Christ plays a large role in the life of the believer, but it can also bring hope to the unbeliever. While we live in a day and age that struggles with trying to find your identity, it’s amazing to know that there’s a God who is wiling to give us one by His undeserving grace that will last a lifetime!

Let’s take a look at your identity in Christ, or if you’re thinking about having a relationship with God, what it could be:

 I am chosen by God.

   Ephesians 1:4

    I am adopted by God.

   Ephesians 1:5

 I am a child of God in His family.

1 John 3:1

I am forgiven by God for all my sins.

1 John 1:9

I am reconciled to God, in harmony with Him.

Romans 5:10

I am seen by God as holy, blameless, above reproach.

Colossians 1:21-22

I am sealed with God’s Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13

I am called to accomplish God’s purpose.

Romans 8:28, 30

I am a full citizen among God’s people.

Ephesians 2:19

I am justified- declared right in God’s sight.

Romans 5:1

I am sanctified- set apart by God’s spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:11

I am redeemed- bought with Christ’s blood.

Ephesians 1:7

I am cleansed by Christ’s blood for all my sin.

1 John 1:7

I am an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ.

Romans 8:16, 17

     I am complete in Christ.

    Colossians 2:10

       I am an ambassador for Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:20

I am being conformed to the character of Christ.

Romans 8:29

Isn’t your identity amazing?! Be encouraged that you can live in this world without the pressures of trying to be someone you’re not! When you belong to Jesus Christ your identity is made known throughout all of heaven and the earth because of HIM! Why would you want the world to form your identity when this world will pass away as well as the people in it? Be encouraged sisters and we really hope to see you at our next meeting!


Benine & Le’Nae <3

S.O.S. Update!

S.O.S. is super excited to introduce our newest addition to the leadership team, Le'Nae Jenkins! Le'Nae is a passionate and very talented writer and blogger from Boston, Ma. Aside from writing, she loves fitness, Starbucks and basketball. We are so glad to have her as a co-leading sister and can't wait to share what we've been working on for the future of the organization. 

"God saved my soul in 2010 from an abusive relationship. Since then, God has healed me in many ways & has encouraged me to tell other women about the hope He has made available to all. As a 22 year old, I desire to see many young women saved & falling in love with Jesus. I am enthusiastic about the vision for S.A.V.E.D. & I'm even more enthusiastic about seeing many lives transformed by Christ!"

Behind Closed Doors: Secret Sin

            The secrecy, the shame, the guilty after effect; it’s not worth it. This is not a post to condemn but to HELP those struggling with masturbation and porn and to let them know that it IS possible to break free from. Believe it or not, it has become more common and serious than we make it out to be. Just to show you how real this is, let’s take a look at a few recent statistics. Did you know? That every 30 seconds, 28,258 internet users are viewing pornography? That the average age of first internet exposure to porn is 11 years old? Or that 90% of 8-16 year olds have watched porn online while doing homework? That’s just a few general statistics, but it doesn’t stop there. Most people think pornography is an issue just for men or children, but WOMEN are addicted too. 70% of women are keeping their addiction a secret,  1 of 3 visitors to adult websites are women, and a total of 9.4 million women access adult websites each month. Believe me when I say that masturbation and porn are dangerous issues that continue to get worse…in AND out of the church. Just like any other addiction, it’s not the easiest to quit, but at the end of the day, it will never be worth it.

          You know the cycle, you watch a little porn or see a dirty picture, and you get a little aroused and boom you’re in the mood, so you either have sex or you masturbate to please yourself, then the guilt sets in. “What have I done?” “Why do I keep doing this?” You just feel plain dirty.

          What is “Porn”? Material such as books, magazines, pictures, videos that depict erotic behavior and is intended to cause sexual excitement. Normally, sexual excitement leads to sexual action and that sexual action is either done with someone else or executed in the act of masturbation: erotic stimulation of one’s own genital organs by manual contact. Some of you may think to yourself that it’s “no big deal”, you’re not bothering or hurting anyone, right? WRONG. You’re hurting yourself. Whether you’re watching porn or having sex with someone else or you’re masturbating, you are still fornicating, which is clearly categorized as sinful. To clarify, the act of fornication is ANY sexual sin outside of marriage. God designed sex as a part of the unique relationship of marriage and marriage only, yet Satan has perverted this beautiful gift with the filth and lustfulness of pornography. When you fornicate, you are sinning against your own body. Yes, a sin is a sin is a sin and there is no greater or smaller degree, HOWEVER, sexual sin is very dangerous because it’s practically vandalism to the temple of God. If we truly believe in God, the Holy Spirit dwells in us. (1 Corinthians 6:19) Why do you do it? As a way to still please yourself while escaping actually acting out sexually, but the reality is if you’ve thought it or watched it, consider it done (Matthew 5:28).

           The lust, the fornication, the perverse thoughts, the secrecy, none of it is from God. But there is a way out. I pray that as you read this or share with someone who needs to read this that the Holy Spirit frees and delivers you from what you thought you couldn’t get away from. There IS a way out and that is through Jesus Christ. He laid His life on the cross  so that we could be free from ALL sin, so that we could be covered by His grace and mercy and be forgiven for all our mistakes. All it takes is for you to accept that this is a problem, give it to Christ and allow Him to make you a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). There is no sin too big or unforgivable for Jesus to handle. He will always be waiting to help with open arms.

So, in order to give you advice that can actually help and not just tell you to “pray about it” (which is one thing you should still and always do!!), I was able to speak to some strong, transparent folks who dealt with and overcame their issues of masturbation and pornography. Here are a few steps that helped them and I pray it helps you too!

1.)    The first step to recovery is acceptance. Now that you’ve accepted you have a problem, take it to God and repent. Repent meaning admit your wrongdoing and TURN AWAY from. This means throw away any toys, delete pictures, block websites, anything you have to do to make it difficult for you to gain access.

2.)    Guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23). Keep away from music talking about sex or anything dirty, if you’re watching a movie or show that may have an intense sex scene, change the channel! Stop hanging around with people who always talk about sex. It’s just feeding your mind to desire what you shouldn’t.

3.)    Get accountability! Yes, I know it’s very hard to tell someone about your addiction but find someone that you can trust, that can lovingly accept to keep you accountable.  If you still can’t get yourself to tell someone here are a few websites that might help. (x3watch.org , covenanteyes.com) And you can always feel free to e-mail me privately at: savedisme@gmail.com
4.) Most importantly, spend more time with God.Without His help, it is impossible to overcome anything. Not by your own strength,  but His will you defeat this, always remember that. Pray to Him daily about it, or as many times as you have to. When you get the urge, break out into a worship song or just say "Jesus". Trust me, you wont think about that nasty picture you just had in your head after saying that.

God loves you, even through your sins and He desires to help you.You just need to be willing to be helped, accept Him and turn away from it all. I know you can, God knows you can, and YOU WILL!! God bless you! xoxo

Helpful Verses to Keep Close

2 Peter 2:19 – They promised them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

Matthew 5:28 – But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman (understood for men as well) with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Philippians 4:8 – Finally brothers, whatever is true,  whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Galatians 5:16 – But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

What IS the Gospel?!

         The Gospel, also known as the good news…the story of God sending His only Son to sacrifice His life in exchange for our salvation. Such a deep and beautiful concept but do we truly understand it and why we should share it everywhere we go, as much as we can?

The full story of the Gospel is found in the first 4 books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The first three books recount (in similar, yet different ways) the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. –Sidenote: If you’re just starting your walk with Christ and getting into the Word, these four books would be a great place to start! In 1 Corinthians 15:1-5, the apostle Paul basically gives a brief summary of what the Gospel is.

15:1 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 15:3 For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 15:4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures, 15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve…

          If you’re familiar with the Old Testament, you know that there were many laws and sacrifices that needed to be made in place of our uncleanliness and disobedience to God. In order to cancel out all these laws and break the veil (Hebrews 9:1-9), which  give us a direct relationship with God through Jesus, God sent His Son to Earth, made Him take on human form and knew He would be chosen over Barabas to be executed. Every whip, every strike, every insult that Jesus received on that cross, represented and took place of everything WE did wrong. God loved us SO MUCH that He was willing to let His ONLY Son be tortured for a people who weren’t even obedient to Him. Would you do the same? Let’s also keep in mind that Jesus took on human form and felt EVERY single pain like we do, yet He continued to endure it for the love of us and His father. He lived with us, He died for us and was resurrected, THAT is the gospel.

          Why share it? Because it’s the foundation of our faith; it shows how DEEP God’s love is for us. There is no other god with that same love, and there is no other story like it! The Gospel alone has the power to save and us sharing it with someone who knows nothing about it, makes one more person closer to salvation. We were created to spread this good news of God’s love and make disciples, all it takes is effort. Shall we begin?

Helpful Verses

Mark 16:15 – And He said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

Romans 1:16- For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Additional Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g698NXpgrI

Getting Back to the Heart of Worship

 

     Feeling disconnected or like something is missing? Have you tried everything to get back into the swing of things and nothing is working? Or do you feel like you're just living to get by? If you start to feel like you're just "going through the motions", God is longing for you! Either way, He longs for all of us but these are specific indications that you may need to reevaluate your relationship with Him. He must be at the center of everything we do. Often times we don't realize it but we claim God is our priority, yet we are not truly living as such. Maybe you've been working extra hours and by the time you get home, you're too tired to do anything or maybe you got into a situation that has led you to worry more about it than anything else. It happens to us all, but its time we regain focus, its time we get back to the heart of worship.
      What does "getting back to the heart of worship" really mean, you might ask? Aside from obeying Him, worship is our way of loving Him back. Worship isn't listening to gospel music and singing songs during church service; that's PRAISE. Worship is glorifying and acknowledging the importance of God in our lives. Yes, they go hand in hand but there is a difference. Praise can be part of our worship, but worship goes deeper. Its the realization that without God, we are nothing, that if it wasn't for Him in our lives, we would not be where we are. So who are we to put Him on the back burner because are "occupied" or "worried about" other things?! Yes, we are all busy but we make time for things that are important to us, and if our hearts truly belong to Christ, he should be our first priority, busy or not. He's never too busy to hear our prayers, nor does He forget to wake us up every morning because He simply cares for us.
      The best way to revamp your relationship with God is to intentionally spend time with Him. Not because it's "the right thing to do" or a "duty" but because you truly desire to. You can't get closer to a person unless you want to and make an effort to learn about them. The best way to learn about Jesus is through His word! Be creative, make a date out of it if you want to! Grab your favorite blanket, your bible, a journal and pen and find a corner on your floor, and just start praying, reading and journaling. (I strongly suggest journaling in order to help keep track of significant events in your life  and growth in your walk.) That's just one example, but there are so many different ways to spend time with Him. He is your friend, your counselor, your comforter, treat Him that way, don't wait for free time to spend with Him, make TIME for Him. Prayer will keep you in contact with Him, reading your bible will educate you about Him and journaling will help you remember important messages He has for you but sometimes your time with God may need to be complete silence. When we pray, we talk to God but we also need to be quiet enough to hear what He has to say to us. Remember the story of Mary and Martha? Jesus came to visit the two sisters one day, Martha ran around cooking, making sure the house was clean and doing all sorts of other things but Mary simply sat at Jesus's feet and listened to Him and He appreciated that more than any of the work Martha was doing because she had put HIM as a priority before anything else. (See Luke 10:38-42 for full story.) Take some time out tonight to hang out with Jesus and see how much better you will feel!


Prayer: Lord, help me get back to the heart of worship. Help me realize that without you at the center, I am nothing. Help me desire to intentionally spend time with you and sit at your feet just like Mary did. That I may enjoy your presence and make you a priority in my life regardless of how busy I am.

Helpful Verses:

Matthew 6:33- But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Romans 10:17 - So that faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God.

John 15:1-5 - I am the true vine and my father is the gardner. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does not bear fruit, He prunes; so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Let's Talk About Love (Not just romance.)

            Love is: dangerous, kind, selfless, patient, pure, risky, strengthening, unconditional, tough, hopeful, beautiful, sacrifice, encouraging and forgiving. These are just a few thoughts of what the girls described love as this past meeting. Such a small word, with such great and so many different meanings. How would YOU describe love if you had the chance? How do you love others? How do you recognize others' love for you? Today, the word is used so lightly that we have forgotten what it truly represents. 

           For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. - John 3:16. This is a verse we talk about and recite and see so often but do we really understand what it means? Does your definition of love match up with the love God has for us? For those of you with children, would you be willing to give up your ONLY child in place of someone who knowingly does you wrong continuously? Or think about your most prized possession or the person that means the most to you. Would you be willing to give that person away or let them be tortured and crucified for the sake of someone else who hurt or went against you? If you’re honest with yourself, the real answer is probably "no", but that’s just to show how deep God’s love for us is. He was able to give up someone so valuable, so dear, so unique and irreplaceable to Him for a world of sinners. I don’t know about you but that’s the deepest love I've ever seen! If we truly dig deep and try to understand this verse, we see such a beautiful sacrifice for us that we are nowhere near worthy of. Who are we to deserve such an unconditional act?

        Just like there are many descriptions of love, there are also many ways to show love. We were all created to emulate the love God has for us to our neighbor in any way we can; whether we know them or not. Last night, we also discussed the many "love languages". Everyone was created differently and everyone loves differently. For some, its physical contact, others its affirmation, others is acts of service and there are so many more. You can't expect someone to love you a certain way just because that's the way you love them. One thing we fail to acknowledge is that just because someone is showing it differently doesn't mean they don't love you. Society focuses so much on love being romance but there is SO much more to it. Love is forgiving through the hurt, anger and bitterness. Love is a simple smile to a stranger. Love is lending a helping hand even when its inconvenient or uncomfortable. Love is Jesus and even when you feel alone, His love will be there; unconditionally and eternally. I pray that you are able to feel this REAL love and share it with those around you. XO

             

Inner Beauty

Unfortunately, this month we were unable to have a meeting. We still would like to share thoughts on this month's topic!

For You created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful,

I know that full and well. 

    - Psalm 139: 13-14

            Society tells us that beauty is solely based upon physical appearance. A beautiful woman seems to be the one with long, straight hair, without blemishes, a fit body, the list can go on and on. The full meaning of beauty goes so much deeper than that. God's definition of beauty lies within our hearts.Your true, inner beauty is based on the confidence you have in yourself to know your identity in Christ, to know that you are FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made. You could have a great physical appearance, but is your heart in shape? We were created in God's image (Genesis 1:27), in order to reflect Him, not physically, but spiritually. How can I possibly reflect One so perfect and flawless, you may ask? The answer is to focus. Set your eyes on Christ. Realize that your validation comes from Him and Him ALONE. You don't need attention from the opposite sex, you don't need 100 likes on Facebook and Instagram, you don't need to be in a relationship to boost your confidence. You are so special and unique that God took the time to count every hair on your head, every freckle on your face, to mold the shape of your cheeks and most importantly to give you life. Embrace your natural features, don't seek to enhance them. That's almost like telling God you're not happy with His work. Just as much as you take joy in Him blessing you, see the way He created you as one of the biggest blessings you've ever received!
            God isn't concerned about your physical features, because He knows His works are good (Genesis 1:31).God looks at the personality that shapes your heart. All the outward beauty is fine and dandy now and will eventually fade but a beautiful soul will eternally please Him. Back to reflecting Him... A great way to start is with the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) ; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,faithfulness,gentleness and  self-control. Meditating on each one separately really does help to strengthen whichever weaknesses you may have (finding verses that talk about each one, thinking of ways to apply them to your daily life or even reflecting on times you could have used one or all of them). Now, this isn't to say that just because you are one of God's great creations that you shouldn't take care of yourself. Because we were created by God, we are His temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells. That means our bodies are SACRED and we all know that we should treat anything sacred with care. This includes everyday things like good hygiene (showering and brushing teeth twice a day, wearing deodorant and lotion), eating right! (a personal weakness, it took me a long time to finally let go of my fast food demons), staying active, yearly check-ups and so much more! Always remember, you are God's precious and unique creation, embrace and take care of yourself! xoxo