Debbie Alsdorf - Deeper: Living in the Reality of Gods Love

Oh, may the Spirit of God place these life-changing truths deep in your heart. The words hidden in these pages will lift your walk in Christ to new levels of joy and peace! Fresh truths from the Word of God appear on every page.

Glenna Salsbury, speaker; author, The Art of the Fresh Start

At the core of our being we long for a relationship with God that transforms surface faith into an intimate love relationship. With personal transparency, poignant biblical truth, and road-tested application, Debbie Alsdorf has given us the tools we need to go deeper with God. The reflections at the end of each chapter make this book an ideal resource for personal study and for small group interaction. I highly recommend it!

Carol Kent, speaker; author, A New Kind of Normal

Women need the truth. Lots of us believe we dont measure up and we must perform in order to be accepted. In Deeper, Debbie Alsdorf takes the reader on an honest and life-changing journey through four core truths found in Psalm 139. When a woman embraces these truths, she is set free! Deeper helps women understand Gods love and involvement in every detail of life. Debbie embraced this depth of love and now beautifully teaches truth that changes a woman forever.

Jennifer Rothschild, author, Lessons I Learned in the Dark
and Self Talk, Soul Talk.

Are you sick of the shallow, rat-race, Stepford-like Christian life? Long to go deeper with God and discover real relationship with Christ? Debbie Alsdorf leads us to a deeper, richer, fuller love relationship with God. Every woman would love life more if she too went Deeper. Now every woman can because Debbie has blazed the trail to the deeper walk with God.

Pam Farrel, author, Men Are Like Waffles,
Women Are Like Spaghetti,

In Deeper, Debbie Alsdorf shares practical, learned wisdom with all of us. As Debbies pastor, co-worker, and friend I have observed her living out her faith every day for the last ten years. Debbie has helped so many people to reevaluate their actual worth based on what God has said and done, and not based upon anything hurtful (or flattering) that others would say or do. This healthy way of thinking requires following daily Scripture-based disciplines that, over time, transform our conscious and subconscious thought processes. In Deeper, Debbie shares essential core truths that have lifted her out of the mire of hurtful memories. I know firsthand that Debbie practices everything that she shares in Deeper. Gods love for us is real, and it is deeper than any human love.

Steve Madsen, senior pastor, Cornerstone Fellowship

DEEPER
Living in the Reality of God s Love

Debbie Alsdorf

2008 by Debbie Alsdorf

Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.revellbooks.com

Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Alsdorf, Debbie.
Deeper : living in the reality of Gods love / Debbie Alsdorf.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-0-8007-3215-8 (pbk.)
1. Christian womenReligious life. 2. Spirituality. 3. God. I. Title.
BV4527.A455 2008
248.843dc22

2007040846

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked Amplified is taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture marked KJV is taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture marked Message is taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked NASB is taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture marked NCV is taken from the New Century Version. Copyright 1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked NLT is taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

To Jinny, Mary Lou, and Becky. I will always be grateful for how you lived the truth of Gods love and grace in front of me so many years ago. You taught me more than you can imagine. And to Lorri, my technicolor friend who lives deeply as Gods daughter. You inspire me to continue walking in the reality of Gods love.

Contents

Step 1 Getting Real with God
Moving Beyond Myself in Order to Find Myself in Him

Step 2 Getting Back to Basics
Moving Toward Core Truths That Are Essential for Life
Change

Step 3 Getting Reset for Living Differently
Moving to the Heartbeat of God in the Rhythm of Ordinary
Life

Everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him.

Colossians 1:16 Message

Many thanks to:

My familyRay, Justin, Ashley, Megan, and Cameron. I am a very blessed wife, mother, and stepmother! I love you so much. Each of you is a gift.

My sister Sharonthere is nobody like you in my life. Love you forever!

Les Stobbeyou are more than an agent, you are an answer to prayer.

Vicki Crumptonthanks for editing with heart and patience. I could not have asked for a better experience or a better editor.

All the women who have told me their stories, opened their hearts, and allowed me to be part of their healing. You know who you are. I know your stories will now touch other women.

The Design4Living prayer team, led by Voni Riberayou prayed for this message to be in print and for God to open doors. He did! Thanks, Voni!

The women at Cornerstone FellowshipI love serving you and being part of your lives. Lets keep growing deeper.

Ali Contoisthank you for prayers, support, and tomatoes! God is moving in your life with his love. Its exciting to be part of it.

Terry Perazzathanks for all the miles logged and time spent traveling with me, sitting in airports, setting up book tables, and all that fun stuff. You have heard this message over and over, and the way God has touched your life continues to inspire me.

Eileen TerpstraI love how you challenge me to love Jesus, trust Jesus, and walk in the Spirit.

My dear friend Lorri Steer. Being part of your life and having you call me mentor has humbled me and changed me forever. I stand in awe at how God is moving in your life.

The womens staff team at Cornerstone Fellowshipyou are amazing! Your hard work has enabled me to continue to stretch, grow, and develop as a woman in ministry and leadership. Thank you BethAnn, Susan Z., Susan T., and Sheree, the Core Team, BLTs, the Wild Teams, Kristina, Terry, and all the many volunteers.