You Know Me

We all want to be known. We want people to remember our names. We want to be heard.

Have you ever been in an important conversation with someone and they continually look at their phone - as if the phone is far more interesting than what you have to say?

As a teacher, I find students just want to be heard. There is a lot to be said for getting to say what you want to say... even if someone disgrees with you. At least they heard you.

How many times have we told our children, "Listen to me. Listen to me NOW!"

We all want to be heard. We all want to be known.

I was preparing worship for this Sunday, listening to the offertory - "You Know Me." I began to cry, because in every human scenario, we clamor to be known - to be heard.

But Jesus ALWAYS hears.

And He knows us in ways we don't know ourselves.

And there is something about being known.

Especially by Him.

The Cost of Following Jesus

Last night in our Wednesday Night Bible Study, we were studying the first chapter of David Platt's book, Radical. As we ended the study and I began to pray, the Spirit spoke to me in a very strong way.

"How has following Jesus COST you something, Carrie?"

We whine, we cry, we think we've taken risks, we complain about finances, we look at our lack of having things (which really isn't a lack at all), we "comment" on church policy, we give our opinions about what should and shouldn't change...

But is it really costing us something?

I thought about the guilt I feel when I don't answer a text, a Tweet, a Facebook message right away. Because of the immediacy of our culture, we feel that we should be able to access one another at all hours of the day and night. I mean, I "TEXTED" you! Why didn't you answer right away?

A friend talked about putting down her iPhone - not looking at it for a day.

Those are the "costs" we're having to pay. But are we even paying them?

As I was praying at the end of that study, the Lord tapped me on the shoulder. I was thinking about that text, that Tweet, that Facebook message I thought I needed to answer because... "What would they think?"

The Lord gently said, "How many times have you ignored me?"

I began to cry.

Countless Christians are giving their lives, their families, their homes, their money... they risk themselves every day for the cost of Christ.

And I can't put my phone down.

"And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."  Luke 14:27

The weeks to come...

The weeks to come…

The process doesn’t end here. If something didn’t happen in your heart this week, then maybe you need to start at the beginning of this guide and walk through it a second time. As you finish, you need to look in your heart and listen to what God is telling you.

Maybe He’s telling you to do just that—start over and walk through the guide again. Sometimes it takes time to forgive and out love in ways we’ve never imagined.

Maybe you’ve seen miracles in your relationship.

Maybe your eyes have been opened to your own selfishness.

Whatever it is, the plan is yours from here. Use the tools in this guide for another person if you want, but God never wants us to keep what He’s given us to ourselves. He wants us to learn to love like HE loves.

Please post about your experience, and don't forget to check in with your accountability partner. Where are you? What have you learned? What now? Just

Keep OUT LOVING in EVERY WAY!

www.outlove-overflow.blogspot.com

Day 7

DAY 7

Read 1 Corinthians 13:1-2

If you do not have love...what are you?

Read 1 Corinthians 13: 4—7

List all of the attributes of LOVE:

Now, in your journal, list each attribute. How are you going to make choices to continue loving the people in your life? How are you going to continue to OUT LOVE?

Second, how has God opened your heart to OUT LOVE the person you chose? What has He changed in your heart this week as you’ve intentionally chosen to OUT LOVE?

Pray those verses out loud again. Ask God to show you those attributes in your life. Ask God to show you where those attributes are missing.

DAILY CHALLENGE #7:

Choose one of the following:

Take a new step with this person. You know what you need to do.

Write a letter of love to this person.

Do something BIG for this person.

Day 6

DAY 6

Read Luke 6:31

The Golden Rule.

Read John 15:13

Lay Down Your Life.

Romans 12:9

Sincerity.

Which of these verses is most difficult for you to carry out with your OUT LOVE friend?

Which of these verses do you struggle with the most?

Choose that verse and pray it out loud. Ask God to change your heart in this verse and make it a daily choice.

DAILY CHALLENGE #6:

Open your eyes to ways you might have hurt or disappointed the person you are out loving. What have you done in the past? How can you remedy this for the future?

Have you forgiven? Have you let go?

Write about it in your journal.

Keep OUT LOVING in EVERY WAY!

Day 5

DAY 5

Read Proverbs 17:9

Generally speaking, we have all “repeated the matter” at times when it wasn’t
necessary. When we are praying for someone, it makes it more difficult to speak
negatively about them. We want to “foster love” today.

How, in your daily life today, can you FOSTER LOVE? Not just with the person you are out loving, but with your LANGUAGE?

Today, intentionally think about how you are FOSTERING LOVE rather than the
opposite. In everything you do, think about that phrase.

At the end of the day, write your thoughts and observations in your journal. How did you foster love? What changed when you intentionally made the choice to do so?

DAILY CHALLENGE #5:

As you are living intentionally and fostering love, do so with the person you are out loving as well. Talk to OTHERS about that person in a positive, uplifting way. Help others see that person the way GOD sees them. You can do this through conversation, text, Facebook… any way you can UPLIFT them to others.

Keep OUT LOVING in EVERY WAY!

Pray that these choices to OUT LOVE will open new doors in relationship with the person you are out loving. Pray that God will show them HIS love through you.

DAILY CHALLENGE #4:

Choose one of the following:

Do something in secret for this person

Give them a small gift or token

Leave them a text or Facebook message

Write down all the POSITIVE things you see this person trying to do

Keep OUT LOVING in EVERY WAY!

Day 4

DAY 4

Read Matthew 25:40

In your journal, write about a time someone did something extremely meaningful for you. Something that really “hit” you at your core.

After writing, take some time to thank God for the messenger He sent you that day—the meaningful love that was shown to you. 

Read Luke 6:35

As you are out loving, it can be difficult not to have an expectations. Write this verse on a notecard and put it somewhere close to you for your reference throughout the week. If you are supposed to love your ENEMIES without anything in return, imagine the love we should show our CLOSEST friends and relatives!

Pray that these choices to OUT LOVE will open new doors in relationship with the person you are out loving. Pray that God will show them HIS love through you.

DAILY CHALLENGE #4:

Choose one of the following:

Do something in secret for this person

Give them a small gift or token

Leave them a text or Facebook message

Write down all the POSITIVE things you see this person trying to do

Keep OUT LOVING in EVERY WAY!

Day 3

DAY 3

Read Matthew 25:35-36

Today is a day to observe and really think about what this person in your life needs from you. Does he/she have all the basic needs? Food, water, clothing, medicine? If they do, look harder, look longer. What does he/she REALLY need? Do they need time? Do they need help or assistance at work? Do they need rest? Take time to really observe and think intentionally about this person.

Read the verse again.

Pray about it.

Find a place of quiet and choose one of your favorite worship songs about love. Most likely, that song is about the love the Father lavishes on us. Listen quietly to the song, meditating on the words. When the song is over, thank GOD for His love. Think of all the ways He loves you and NAME them specifically.

DAILY CHALLENGE #3:

After intentionally thinking and praying about what your OUT LOVED needs, choose one to fulfill for them.

Remember, you are not EXPECTING any thank yous—you are not even expecting to be noticed. You are simply living in the out flow of what God is loving on you.

Keep OUT LOVING in EVERY WAY!

Day 2

DAY 2

Read Leviticus 19:18

Read this verse at least 3 times.

The person you are out loving—have you ever held something against them? Have they ever done something to make you upset, hurt you, or disappoint you? If so, take a page in your journal and write it all down. Make sure you get it ALL OUT. Go do it NOW.

Now, take that page and rip it out of your journal. RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!!!!!!

Crumple it up, rip it up, burn it. Whatever you have to do to get rid of it.

This verse says “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”

This person is your neighbor.

Pray that you can love in this way. Ask God to help you. You can’t do it yourself.

Now, make a new list.

List all the ways you wish someone would show love to you. List at least 10.

DAILY CHALLENGE #2:

Go over your list of 10. Choose one or two that you will put into practice TODAY with the person you are attempting to OUT LOVE.

As you are attempting, go to the OUT LOVE

Blog and talk about it.

www.outlove-overflow.blogspot.com

Day 1

Read 1 John 4:16

Meditate on this verse. If you need to time yourself, set a timer for 2 minutes. Really think about this verse. What is God trying to tell you about love and the way you are loving?

*In your becoming journal, write at least 5 ways you are going to need to rely on the love of God through this week journey to OUT LOVE.

Now pray through these to your Father. Ask Him to love through you, give you an extra measure of patience and strength.

Now, use the timer again if need be. Set it for another 2-3 minutes, more if you’d like.. Just sit in silence, listening. What is the Father saying to you about the person you’re outloving? What is He saying to you about YOU? After sitting in silence, when the timer goes off, write down your thoughts. What did He have to say?

DAILY CHALLENGE #1:

Today, choose one of the following to do for the person you are OUT LOVING:

Write a letter of encouragement, listing all the positives you see in his/her life.

Go out of your way to compliment that person with something SPECIFIC.

Do something for them silently without complaining or mentioning it.

If this is someone who is an enemy, and it’s a big step, just try and smile at them once today—SINCERELY.

Keep OUT LOVING in EVERY WAY!

Commitment to OUT LOVE

Fill out the following in your own personal journal. You are committing to OUT LOVE for the next week. Make sure to answer each and every portion of this commitment.

COMMITMENT to OUT LOVE

After prayerful consideration, I have chosen the following person to OUT LOVE intentionally for one week (and weeks to follow):

I have prayerfully considered the reasoning for my choice. Here are the top 3 reasons I have chosen this particular person to OUT LOVE:

1.

2.

3.

I have not made this choice lightly, and I have chosen a sister to contact me and hold me accountable this week:

God, grant me the wisdom, strength, and abounding love to live in my
overflow and share it with someone else this week.

Signed,

I am so proud of you and am committing to pray for each one of you as you venture out on this grand, exciting, adventure! The Lord is going to bless you richly through this experience and I can’t wait to hear ALL ABOUT IT!

Love, Carrie

Out Love: A Guide

God is doing a work in you.

           He is allowing you to bask in the overflow of His presence.

                      As you receive from Him, it is part of your commitment in

                      community to pour it back out.

It is time for you to OUT LOVE.

The guide you will receive on Wednesday is meant to help you focus on out loving someone in your life. For one week (and more to follow) you are going to choose one relationship to out love with NO EXPECTATION. Here are the guidelines:

1. For one week, you will follow the instructions given in the daily guide.

2. No matter WHAT happens, you will expect nothing in return.

3. Once you begin the guide, you are committing to God, your sisters in Christ and yourself that you will follow this guide to completion.

4. Prayerfully consider who you need to out love. Perhaps it is a spouse, a relative, a friend… maybe even an enemy.

5. When you sign on the dotted line, you must also agree to share with an accountability partner what you are about to do. Ask them to check on you once throughout this first week—checking if you are pressing in to the devotionals and following the guidelines.

6.  Use this blog (which will contain the daily devotionals) to post your realizations, revelations, and wonderful love connections the Lord gives you.

7. Only choose ONE person to start with. This is a step in your faith walk as you receive from Christ. That is not to say that you shouldn’t out love as many as possible in daily practice, but this is a given choice to challenge you, grow you, and change you.

CHALLENGE: Out Love

As I was praying during the day on Wednesday - just before my bible study - the Lord gave me a word.

More like a phrase.

He said to me, "Out Love."

After a beautiful retreat experience with the women of my church family, we are living in the overflow of what He has done in our lives. We have spent two weeks "Pressing In" and journaling about what God is doing.

Now, God is challenging us to let the results overflow to someone else. Remember the visual representation Joy showed us? God pouring into us and in return, we are pouring OUT. When God gave me the phrase, "Out Love," He also gave me something else. He gave me the second part. We need to choose someone to Out Love. Then, we need to OUT LOVE them without expectation. We cannot expect anything in return. We need to out love them, and in return, let the Holy Spirit do the work.

This morning, God told me we needed something beyond just "Pressing In." I hope the devotionals have been a source of diving deeper - challenging you to get in the word, converse with your Savior, and continue to live in the overflow. With affirmation from a prayer partner and the Lord prodding me, I'll be writing some more devotions called OUT LOVE. I'll also be updating this blog and starting a conversation on Facebook. We need to be sharing, talking, giving words, and reveling in the overflow of the Spirit.

So beyond just having your OWN quiet time and your OWN prayer closet, this time around we are going to be sharing with one another what is happening in the overflow. And as we OUT LOVE, let's watch the Spirit move in others, changing our paradigms, shifting our hearts, and filling our empty spaces with HIM.