Privileges

O Lord God,

Teach me to know that grace precedes,
accompanies, and follows my salvation,
that it sustains the redeemed soul,
that not one link of its chain can ever break.

From Calvary’s cross wave upon wave of grace
reaches me,
deals with my sin,
washes me clean,
renews my heart,
strengthens my will,
draws out my affection,
kindles a flame in my soul,
rules throughout my inner man,
consecrates my every thought, word, work,
teaches me Thy immeasurable love.

How great are my privileges in Christ Jesus!

Without Him I stand far off, a stranger, an outcast;
in Him I draw near and touch His kingly sceptre.

Without Him I dare not lift up my guilty eyes;
in Him I gaze upon my Father-God and Friend.

Without Him I hide my lips in trembling shame;
in Him I open my mouth in petition and praise.

Without Him all is wrath and consuming fire;
in Him is all love, and the repose of my soul.

Without Him is gaping hell below me, and eternal anguish;
in Him its gates are barred to me by His precious blood.

Without Him darkness spreads its horrors in front;
in Him an eternity of glory is my boundless horizon.

Without Him all within me is terror and dismay,
in Him every accusation is charmed into joy and peace.

Without Him all things external call for my condemnation;
in Him they minister to my comfort,
and are to be enjoyed with thanksgiving.

Praise be to Thee for grace,
and for the unspeakable gift of Jesus.

–”Privileges” in The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, ed. Arthur Bennett (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth, 1975), 284-85. 

30-Day Challenges

You may not know that Revive Our Hearts offers a number of 30-day challenges to their subscribers for free!  They want to encourage you to put the Word into action.  You may pick the challenge you'd like to try, and ROH will email you a daily encouragement.

The challenges available include:

• the 30-Day Husband Encouragement Challenge
• the 30-Day Choosing Gratitude Challenge
• the 31 Days of Praying for Your Pastor Challenge

...and many more.  You can see the full list right here.  What an easy way to sign up for some accountability and encouragement!

Not Just For Married Women

Christian fellowship in the local church isn't just for married women, though sometimes it can feel that way.  Check out this testimony from a single woman who struggled with finding her place:

Now all I had to do was figure out how to fit into my local church. Sunday after Sunday I showed up to church, sat on the third row, and left without as much as talking to anyone. My faith was growing as I fed on God’s Word. My love for the Lord was burning, but I couldn’t understand His people. Not only did I not connect with the church at large, but I didn’t connect with the singles group either.

Read what Lina discovered here.

True Woman 2013

Coming up soon...True Woman Charlotte 2013!

Mark your calendars now for this year's mini-conference at Living Faith Baptist Church.  This year's theme is  "Vibrant Christian Living," and we have a great lineup of speakers, thanks to the miracle of internet streaming:

• Nancy Leigh DeMoss
• Voddie Baucom
• A panel discussion featuring Carolyn McCulley, Barbara Rainey, Karen Lorritts, Mary Kassian, and Holly Eliff
• Joni Eareckson Tada

This year's dates are March 8-9.  More information about the schedule can be found here.

Please contact truewomancharlotte@gmail.com with any questions or to register.  Invite your friends and make it a great weekend together!

An Unlikely Friendship

We loved this article over at the True Woman site! Here's a snippet:

How about you? Is this a lonely time for you? Have you embraced the fact that your friends can be completely different from you, or are you still looking for them to fit your mold? Could it be that you’re overlooking God’s provision of a friendship during this season because it doesn’t look like you would expect?

Read the whole thing here.

What is a True Woman?

Here's a video to introduce you to the True Woman movement!  We pray you can join us for an encouraging weekend right here in Charlotte.  Email truewomancharlotte@gmail.com with any questions or to register!