Las Vegas & DC MiniMeet THIS Saturday!!

Our first MiniMeets have been scheduled!!!

Las Vegas and Washington DC will both be hosting events on Saturday March 31st! - Email us at sistersevolve@gmail.com and/or visit our "MiniMeets" tab, for more info.

If you live in or near, either city - we would LOVE to meet you in-person and fellowship with you. The topic of conversation will be "Love".... to GOD be the glory!! Come out! We have some SPECIAL things in store for ALL who attend!!
>>>Please RSVP, so that we can plan accordingly. Thank you.<<<
Las Vegas, here: http://www.facebook.com/events/203409843099410/ AND
DC, Maryland, VA, here: http://www.facebook.com/events/121708224625651/
Be blessed! ... And BE a blessing! Hope to see you there!! :-D  

If you are on facebook, you can see the event and RSVP on our facebook page at: www.facebook.com/sistersevolve.
 If not, please email us at sistersevolve@gmail.com, to RSVP and for more information.

Come prepared to openly and transparently discuss LOVE! Remember, it's PURPOSEFUL ~ EVOLUTIONARY ~ [scripture-based] DIALOGUE!!! Who doesn't have something to say and/or share about "love"??? We've all loved and been loved in one way or another. Whether it's family love, romantic love, God's love... There are many dynamics to love, ways to show/express love, types of love, etc... We'll talk about all of that at the Mini! But for now, I'll leave you with this to ponder...
This is what Jesus had to say about love:
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘LOVE your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
* Sounds like LOVE is pretty important - definitely something worth discussing and digging into. *

1st SE MiniMEET!!  Saturday March 31st -Washington DC & Las Vegas, NV - "LOVE"

Will we see YOU there?!
Comment below, if you are attending!

Yet I Smile... To God be the Glory!

My daughter isn't feeling well... and as a mother, seeing her sick and/or in pain, is the worst feeling ever. As I was sitting here thinking of her, and how I would do anything I could to take her pain away... it hit me. God is the exact same way with us - His children. It hurts Him to see us sad, depressed, in pain, hopeless, etc... The ONLY difference - He's already done everything to take OUR pain away!! He made the ultimate sacrifice, while we were yet in sin. He sent His only Son, to die on the cross, that we would have LIFE and that more abundantly.  He has not left us unprepared or unequipped. He has NOT given us a spirit of fear. He left His word with us that we might write it on the tablets of our hearts, that it might renew our spirits, as often as we read it, apply it, and live it. He's told us that in HIS PRESENCE and at His right hand is FULLNESS of JOY. He left His spirit with us to give us peace and to guide us. You may have heard it said, "His peace surpasses all understanding" - but what does that mean? It means that those things that might get the world down, that might be enough to cripple or devastate others, events and situations that might cause some to completely lose their minds, do NOT have that affect on US. That's not to say we are immune to pain and/or feelings of hopelessness, it's not to say we won't feel and experience deep depths of pain... what it DOES mean, is pain and hopelessness will NEVER overcome us.

 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:7

I can attest to this. When I lost my mother [suddenly and unexpectedly], I thought my heart would stop beating

MEN Weigh In!! We asked, "Domestic Violence - What would you say to YOUR sister?

Round 3 of our newest MONTHLY feature: 
"Men Weigh In"

The men have spoken (again) - and I believe you will be blessed by their responses (again). *smile* I know I have been! God never ceases to amaze me. The guys that will be weighing in here (and right now there are four of them) are men that I know personally. Men that I have seen walking in Christ - sincerely - for years. Men who not only, talk the talk, but walk the walk - to the BEST of their abilities. They love Christ with all of their hearts, and I value and appreciate their input. These are our brothers in Christ. We are here to grow and evolve; they are doing the same. We will all surely be mutually blessed by the contributions they make and the conversation it provokes. I thought it best that they remain anonymous, so that they could share their responses freely and be completely transparent. So I had to come up with some "aliases" for these guys!! ;-) This way, as we hear from them each month you will be able to recognize which contributor it is you are hearing from. I asked them each to tell me their favorite book of the Bible - and this is how I came up with their SE names. ;-) So we have Brother Proverbs [21], Brother Ecclesiastes [30], Brother Colossians [43], and Brother Job [32].

I'm sure we all know men and women can look at something and see things COMPLETELY different. Or maybe that's just my experience... but I doubt it! Lol. With that being said, prayerfully, we will all be blessed, challenged, and encouraged to grow by exchanging perspectives and thought-provoking dialogue with the opposite sex.
 -----------------------------------------------------
We asked: "If you had a sister, who you knew was in an abusive relationship (verbal, emotional, and/or physical), what would you say to her? What does real love [God's love] look and/or feel like?"

They answered: 

Let the CHILDREN Come! - Never-Ending Love

Sit down with your daughters and join Celayne and I, as we embark on our very 1st  Girlz Rock Devotional!!

"NEVER ENDING LOVE"

"The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindess." - Jeremiah 31:3

Mommy-Daughter Talk:

> "Think about the person you love most in the world. Then multiply the love you feel for this person a thousand times. - That's only a tiny drop of the love -- the everlasting love -- that God feels toward you."

> "We would live much differently if we truly understood how much God loves us. He wants only the best for us - all the time. He wants to meet all our needs - we only have to ask him. {Note: that doesn't mean he will give you everything you want, but instead everything he knows you need.) He wants to give us direction and to have the joy Jesus died for us to have."

We talked about this in some detail. I wasn't sure Celayne quite grasped the concept of our wants vs. our needs [God's purpose]. Initially, she was thinking along the lines of barbie dolls and the like... *smile* I told her to dig deeper.

Ask the girls: Can you give me an example of a time when God gave you or me what we needed instead of what we may have wanted?

Celayne's response: "Oh, like when you wanted to move to Phoenix, but God didn't have that plan for you?"

My response: "That's exactly right, baby! Very good. Mommy thought Phoenix would be great for us for many reasons: family, nice warm weather, close to home, nice schools, etc. And although it was a good city, it wasn't GOD'S BEST for us. It wasn't what He knew we needed. So we prayed on it and He ordered our steps [directed us and showed us WHERE He wanted us to be]. Isn't it awesome how when we pray to God, He hears us, and answers our prayers!

Celayne: *smiling* "Yes, Mommy."

GIRL TALK [discus with your daughters]: 

Do you feel that God really loves you? How do you think he shows his love to you each day?

Celayne's response: "I just know that He really loves me because He sent His Son to dies on the cross for us. He gives me food and a place to live. He keeps me safe. He forgives me. He gave me a Mommy and a Daddy."

GOD TALK [pray with your daughters]:

"Lord, it's hard to believe that you love me so much, but I am so grateful to have your love. Help me to show love to others the way you show your love for me. Thank you for never leaving me. Amen"

It doesn't have to take much time to spend QUALITY time with your children and to

SE 31-Day Proverbs Challenge!!! Are YOU Up for the Challenge?!

ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE??? It's that time again!! We've begun the challenge on facebook, and please forgive me, because not all of you are on facebook!! So I am sharing it here on the BLOG as well! It's not too late - we're only on Day-7!!  Join us on SE as we grow and challenge one another. If you accept this month-long challenge, comment below that you've accepted - it's important we support one another and hold one another accountable!! :) You can do the challenge here on the blog with us OR join us on facebook, also click "share" and share on your page that YOU have accepted the SE 31-Day Proverb Challenge, and/or invite others to join the challenge!!  Don't worry if you weren't with us from the beginning - it's never too late to jump in! Let's have fun with this!!

Riverside Community Church had a great template, and we will follow their outline...
The 31 Day Proverbs Challenge is a very simple way to engage God's Word and share it with others.  Here are the basic guidelines:
1) Starting today, read the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to today's date.  For example, if today is March 17th read Proverbs 17.  If today is March 20th read Proverbs 20.  If today is March 1st read Proverbs 1.
2) After reading the chapter, choose one verse from the chapter that you want to share with someone, and post it as a COMMENT below.  From our earlier example, if today you read Proverbs 17 then you might choose Proverbs 17:10 "A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool."  Or you may choose Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."  You may find it hard to choose just one.
3) Go public with it!  Post it on your personal facebook status or twitter account AND on the SE page or group wall. Tag it #SEproverbsCHALLENGE
Add it to the autosignature on your emails.  Make a point of working it into a conversation throughout the day.  Sit down as a family or with a group of friends and share which verse you chose. The possibilities are endless...
4) Come back to our blog/page and leave a comment to tell us how you are choosing to take on the challenge, so others can be encouraged by your stories!
5) Tomorrow, do it all over again...for the next 31 days.



Are YOU up for the challenge??  Be blessed! ... And BE a blessing!!

* Note - because we already started on facebook and have been BLESSED tremendously thus far, I thought it would be nice to share some of what's been taking place on our SE Page this week. I pray that you are BLESSED and that you will JOIN US in this challenge, by reading Proverbs daily and coming back here to post what God moves you to share, in a comment, here on the blog, below:

• LaCrea Bucknell SE Founder
  

  Day-2 / Proverbs 2:10-12 "When Wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things..." I am loving this challenge!! God is truly so awesome and I love Him so much! ... This verse is beautiful to me - almost poetic. When wisdom enters your heart and knowledge is PLEASANT TO YOUR SOUL, Discretion will preserve you. ... What pleases YOUR soul? If spending time with God, in His word and in His presence, doesn't please you... If hearing His voice and spending time in prayer, doesn't feed a hunger in your soul... Then something is just not right, my Sisters. Sometimes we need to slow everything down, and re-gain focus. Don't get caught up in the things of the world, that may "feel" good, but don't "fill" your soul! With wisdom, comes knowledge. With knowledge, comes understanding. With understanding, comes discretion. And with discretion, comes deliverance from the ways of the evil. Notice the process. Thank you God, for your wisdom, knowledge, and understanding - it is PLEASING TO MY SOUL. ♥

  
  

  March 2 at 6:44am · · 2
• 
  

  'Tish McNeil Day 2- Proverbs 2:5-7 "5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD
  and find the knowledge of God.
  6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
  from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
  7 He holds success in store for the upright,
  he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless"
  When we seek to know His wisdom we will fear no one but the Lord. Seek Him first and His kingdom and you will be blessed!
  

  March 2 at 7:29am via mobile · · 3
• 
  

  Andrea Harrison
  

  Day 2: Proverbs 2:21 "For the upright will inhabit the land,
  and those with integrity will remain in it."
  
  
  I selected this scripture because as we know we were all born in sin and generally fall short of GLORY, BUT being in this group (@Sisters Evolve) is a testament to how we all are aspiring to walk with integrity and become better Christians.
  
  My prayer for today is FATHER, I thank you - Please set a guard over my mouth and speak to me before I speak out loud, give me the proper words and correct my actions. As said in the prayer of Jabez, I ask that your hand would always be with me and that you would keep me from evil so that I may not cause pain to others. LORD I ask for your guidance as I work on my flaws, and that through your word, I seek for your wisdom to be imparted in/on me for a more sound mind to act according to your word.
  (Additional Scriptures Psalm 3:3, Psalm 28:7, Psalm 62:7)
  
  #Proverbs31DayChallenge

  
  

  March 2 at 8:50am · · 3
• 
  

  Nicole Berry Proverbs 2:1-5 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
  

  March 2 at 9:05am · · 3
• 
  

  LaCrea Bucknell SE Founder
  

  ‎Nicole Berry, wow Sis... I felt the spirit of God, heavy on me as I read your post. He really just spoke to my heart on how VERY IMPORTANT His word truly is... How PRECIOUS it ought to be to us... that we are to CRY FOR KNOWLEDGE... Lift o...See More

  
  

  March 2 at 9:08am · · 2
  

Who Chose Your Church Home: You, HIM, or Them?

"...And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Romans 10:14-15

Choosing your church home is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Nor is it one, that should be decided for you, by outside influences. One could even argue that, after accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, it is one of the most important decisions you'll make, in your life. It certainly trumps where you choose to live, the home you buy, where you work, what school your children attend, etc. Don't get me wrong, these are all very important decisions which require you to be informed, to do your homework, and to SEEK God before deciding upon, but where you choose to worship can have lasting spiritual affects for generations to come. This is a decision that not only affects you, but can affect all who you come in contact with: your children, husband, extended family, friends, co-workers. Where you choose to worship, fellowship, and be fed the word of God, can have major effects [positive OR negative] on your spiritual walk with Christ. Where you attend, can either stunt or provoke growth in your life. It will either challenge you to constantly evolve and strengthen your personal relationship with Christ OR enable and encourage complacency. Many people are joined to churches for all the wrong reasons, and it is proving to be detrimental to their spirit. If you aren't challenged and pushed to grow and mature, if you aren't held accountable by your Pastor and leadership, if you don't feel loved, if you aren't being taught biblically-based lessons, if you don't feel the presence of God - if you've never ASKED GOD, if you are where HE would have you to be - I urge you to do so, today, and then, to listen when He speaks. We can't make spiritual decisions, based on natural factors. As Pastor Lewis says, "Don't sacrifice your spiritual growth for natural reasons." I would actually like to share an excerpt from one of his lessons titled "Right Place", and I will follow that by sharing with you, my personal testimony, as it relates to this topic! I pray that you are blessed!

Matthew 13:58 - 'And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.'

Where you choose to worship, is just that - a choice! It is a personal decision. "If you are there because your cousins and aunties are there, then that's your choice. What tends to happen many times is that we stunt our spiritual growth because the place we worship is not what we need. The sermons are irrelevant to us, the people don't like us, and the ministry doesn't receive the gift God placed in us. But we waste our time fighting for our gift and feeling like it's the devil that is trying to make us leave. We feel like we have to do battle with the enemy to worship freely and be accepted by that particular body, so we must stay and fight for our liberty! But didn't Jesus already do that? My friend, if you are being persecuted there, and if you don't have peace there, and if the sermons are not helping you grow there, and if you are not enjoying the services there, then why in the world would the DEVIL try to make you leave? Sounds like he found a way to stop your spiritual growth, and keep you in bondage. That's perfect for him. He is the one that is trying to make you stay! The enemy will keep telling you that you should not leave a church because you will be a church hopper! The church members will make you feel like you are going to hell because you are leaving them. But that's because they can't see past where they are. It's not about the natural church building, but it's about the church building that we all live in. And you must find a group of people that believe like you do and will accept what God has in you before you can enjoy the fellowship with them. It doesn't matter how long you have been there. It doesn't matter if you have a little position there and you don't want to give it up. If you want more, then ask God for more and he will direct you to receive more. But as long as you settle for where you are, you will struggle to receive from God. Don't sacrifice your spiritual growth for natural reasons. Go where you can grow and become what God has intended for you." - Pastor Craig Lewis

I've moved around quite a bit, so fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how one looks at it, I've had a bit of experience choosing a church home. It's fortunate, in that, I am able to now share this experience with all of you and unfortunate in that,