Lysa TerKeurst - What Happens When Women Say Yes to God and Walk in Faith

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EUGENE, OREGON

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What Happens When Women Say Yes to God and Walk in Faith

Copyright 2005, 2007 by Lysa TerKeurst

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97408

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-8583-3 (pbk)

ISBN 978-0-7369-8584-0 (eBook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021949968

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To my two beautiful sons, Jackson and Mark .

Through you, God has made my feet walk paths that I never knew could be so amazing .

From the first night you called me Mom, my heart and life have never been the same .

I lovingly dedicate the words penned here to you .

I believe God gives every woman a dream. Not the same dream, of course, but a dream that is especially tailored for her talents and His purposes. Each woman receives a dream that only she is destined to fulfill.

But just as the Israelites were promised a land flowing with milk and honey only if they had the faith to move ahead and take the promised land, as women with dreams well also face obstacles that will try to keep us from Gods best for us. The Israelites had to overcome giants in the land. Those giants struck fear in the heart of those to whom the promise was given. Some drew back as a result. Discouragement set in. Fatigue, impatience, unbelief all of these were common to those men and women who spent 40 years in the desert because they simply couldnt walk in faith toward the destiny God had called them to.

I meet many women who know in their hearts that God has great things for them. But with every step, they meet obstacles. Giants are in their promised land. And they experience those same feelings of discouragement, fatigue, and unbelief. I also understand these struggles on a deeply personal level. In the past several years, Ive experienced betrayal and broken promises in a few of my closest relationships.

The books in this volume What Happens When Women Say Yes to God and What Happens When Women Walk in Faith were written at the very beginning of my writing and ministry journey. Many changes have happened in my life since then, and just like the Israelites, Ive faced giants in the promised land. But through it all, God has remained faithful. I still believe what I wrote all those years ago:

Death does not mean defeat .

New life is just around the corner .

Let me ask you this: What dream has God has given you? Maybe you cant quite put it into words except to say that you know that God wants to use you. But how thats going to happen youre not quite sure.

Not knowing exactly how God wants to use you is okay. When a woman begins to walk in faith toward God, He will give the dream. For me, the dream has resulted in speaking, writing, and the birth of Proverbs 31 Ministries. Your dreamthe way God wants to use youmay be totally different. But though the dreams we have are different, Ive discovered that the path is very similar for most women. And walking that path by faith, choosing to say Yes! even when you cant see the end of the road, is what this book is all about.

So get ready, my friend. Put your most comfortable walking shoes on. Youve got a basic understanding of where were headed, and now its time to go. At the end of each chapter youll find a Bible study. Youll find it helpful to get a notebook to record your answers and thoughts along the way. Take time to read the Scriptures, think about the questions, and record your responses in your notebook. Are you excited? I am. Because I really believe that walking with God takes us to amazing places!

Now, lets turn the page together.

Whatever God says do, do it .

I t all started the day God told me to give away my Bible.

I was exhausted from traveling and speaking. All I wanted to do was to get to my assigned seat on the plane and settle in for a long winters nap. Imagine my absolute delight at being the only person seated in my row. I was just about to close my eyes when two last-minute passengers made their way to my row and took their seats.

Reluctantly, I decided to forgo my nap. The last thing I needed was to fall asleep and snore or, worse yet, wake up with my head resting on the guys shoulder beside me. No, I didnt need another most embarrassing moment, so I pulled a manuscript out of my bag and started reading.

What are you working on? the guy asked. I told him I was a writer and I was working on a book titled Leading Women to the Heart of God . He smiled and said he thought God was a very interesting topic. I agreed and asked him a few questions about his beliefs. Before long, I found myself reaching into my bag and pulling out my Bible, walking him through some key verses that dealt with the issues he was facing. He kept asking questions, and I kept praying God would give me answers.

All of a sudden, I felt God tugging at my heart to give this man my Bible. Now, this was not just any Bible. This was my everyday, highlighted, underlined, written in, and tearstained Bible. My kids had even drawn pictures in this Bible. I started to argue with God in my head, but His message was clear. I was to give away my Bible.

I emptied it of some old church bulletins and other papers, took a deep breath, sighed, and placed it in the mans hands. Id like for you to have my Bible, I said. Astonished, he started to hand it back to me, saying he couldnt possibly accept such a gift. God told me to give it to you, I insisted. Sometimes the God of the universe pauses in the midst of all His creation to touch the heart of one person. Today, He paused for you.