I am so excited to see our Lighthouse Sisters starting to step out and minister to one another.  In the next few weeks we have Sister Circles that are starting.  These are opportunities for women to get together and talk about God, life, career, family, you name it!  As we go along some groups will be more devotion/topic of the day oriented, and other groups may be a book Bible study.  Our first group coming up is a topic oriented group and will be every 1^st and 4^th Saturday of the month at 11AM at Lighthouse.  You can drop in on this group anytime and bring a friend!  We’d love to see you there!  Another Sister Circle will be starting the beginning of September as well.

An exciting addition alongside of Sister Circles is that every week we will be posting a devotion to our church website blog, and Facebook page, that is written by a Lighthouse Lady!  God gave us one another as sisters and a CHURCH FAMILY to build one another up together.  It’s not just one or two people that can minister in a Church Family.  God put us together in THIS place and in THIS time for a reason.  I believe part of that reason is because He knows there is something we need to share with one another.

A popular Bible verse about this is 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “…encourage the hearts of your fellow believers and support one another, just as you have already been doing.” (TPT)

While I love this verse, I REALLY love farther down the chapter the rest of this instruction (this is The Passion Translation).

“We appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, to instruct those who are not in their place of battle.  Be skilled at gently encouraging those who feel themselves inadequate.  Be faithful to stand your ground.  Help the weak to stand again.  Be quick to demonstrate patience with everyone.  Resist revenge, and make sure that no one pays back evil in place of evil but always pursue doing what is beautiful to one another and to all the unbelievers.  Let joy be your continual feast.  Make your life a prayer.  And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus.  Never restrain or put out the fire of the Holy Spirit.  And don’t be one who scorns prophecies, but be faithful to examine them by putting them to the test, and afterward hold tightly to what was proven to be right.  Avoid every appearance of evil.  Now, may the God of peace and harmony set you apart, making you completely holy.  And may your entire being – spirit, soul, and body – be kept completely flawless in the Anointed One.  The one who calls you by name is trustworthy and will thoroughly complete his work in you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24 (TPT)

This Sisters (and Brothers) is why God has put us together in this place and time.

See what God says:

• To instruct those that aren’t ready for battle!
• To encourage those that feel inadequate!
• To be faithful to stand our ground!
• To help the weak to stand once more!

Why we do life together is all right here.  Our path to victory together is all right here.  Let’s encourage one another, pick one another up when we fall, be compassionate to reach those lost and hurting, and help each other grow in our faith!

Tomorrow we will share our very first weekly devotion prepared by one of our Sisters – watch for the post tomorrow.

I’m excited to start this journey with you all.

Marcy