I'm Giving My Identity Crisis It's Final Eviction Notice - Woven Conf. Night 1

Identity

Opening Activity -Mentee Questions - Start with funny/comfortable…then on to more serious/vulnerable.

We as believers, as mighty woman of God, woven together in Christ—THIS WEEKEND—have the ability to fabricate supernatural strategies of connection!

It started with God in the beginning when we were created in His image (Gen 1:27) and he knit us together in our mother’s womb, intricately woven (Psalms 139) and designed to access an intimate relationship with God! ” (Jeremiah 24:7, NIV).

Introduction: who I am & honor those who invited me, glad to be here because I love community and know how vital this has been for my life. Further discuss

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I want to read a letter written by Jennie for a gathering similar to this one, I believe it speaks directly to the heart of why we’re all here this weekend. I’ve changed a couple things to make it apply directly to us:

Friend,

When I look all around, I see a world that’s both more connected and more lonely than ever before. We are tempted to do life alone, whether because we’re so busy or because relationships feel risky and hard.

Where I have seen women reject that, fight back against isolation, and find their people is in settings such as this Woven Conference. As we come to understand that we are all in this together, we’re on the same team, with the same end goal to further the Kingdom of God by not only bringing but repping the Hope of Jesus to a dark world!!! Picture this you wouldn’t stand and do nothing if you knew your sista in Christ was ready to give up on life & throw in the towel-would you? But how would we ever know about our sistas if we ourselves are stuck in isolation, stuck in shame, rejection, hurt and fear?

ILLUSTRATION: Get a volunteer you know (Stand up with me for a sec and sit on this & pretend that your my friend who is ready to throw in the towel) Instead of just being a bystander when our sistas are ready to throw in the towel or vice versa…It should look like this……ring ring, fake ring be bop boo bop…I’m comin on over friend, ding dong…Answer the door - prompt if necessary lol…work with me.. you know the door is open so go in Ha….(pretend ready to fight) I’m here friend and I refuse to let you fight this battle alone, you pull out your boxing gloves and put them on and toss a pair on over to your sista in Christ and say, “girlfriend I got you” let’s go to battle together! We will whether this wild ride of life together, the highs-the-lows. Come on friends, Christ has set us as a beautiful bold army to live out the Victorious life that God has called us to live!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

It is essential that we put our armor on daily..

Ephesians 6:10-17: The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ladies, sometimes we need a community/a village of sistas that when life is tough they come on over and help us get our armor on!!! When the load seems to heavy and we are to weak, they can help us gain perspective through God’s Word, healing through encourage and often even in the practical ways of servanthood…washing our dishes because who knows how long they been there, making sure we get some rest and something to eat. But not only in the hard times but also when we get to celebrate the goodness of God in our lives as well.

Healthy, Godly community in a context like this is incredibly powerful at building close, safe, deep, and committed friendships/communities .

Why? Women who buy in know that, because of God, they have nothing to lose, so they are willing to be authentic and create safe spaces for other women to be themselves. They are committed to meeting, even when it gets hard or messy. And most importantly, these women are cheering each other on as we all try to love God and others.

My advice for you and every woman who gathers around these tables are:

Be brave. It will be awkward discussing personal topics around these tables, but do it anyway. Don’t be afraid to go first and keep it simple. This investment will cost you at some point in time, but it is worth it. Have a fabulous time building community being with your people and vice versa!!!

I can’t wait for you to discover that we all need each other and that is a very good God thing.

Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

1. Understanding the Roots of Our Identity Crisis (The Impact of Past Experiences)

Whenever we're young or really any age, whenever we experience pain traumatic experiences we can heal from that event quite well. But the messages that the event sent us that is what really takes a lot of work. That's what really breaks our hearts- you know it's like you may be sad that your dad didn't show up to your soccer game for three years in a row and that may have broken your heart. But the the thing that hurts the most is that you believe the lie that you aren't worth celebrating you're not worth showing up for. And that's what you have to do is

We must retire our negative thoughts, (Take captive of every thought), replace thoughts with Godly truths and then you’ll experience the renewal transformation !

The type of pain we've experienced it will shape these internal narratives and beliefs about the way the world works

2. Confronting and Challenging Internal Narratives

Really looking at what those internal beliefs are and getting to the core of it is absolutely essential. That's why I believe healing is a huge piece to re-establishing confidence in your life and claiming that taking it back. Because no matter how many affirmations you say no matter if you have the most incredible community around you. If you have not healed and replaced these beliefs and addressed it then you're going to keep playing out these scripts, this programming, and your body is going to do what your brain is commanding it to do. So we have to renew our minds, and it really starts with getting to the core of what is it that you truly believe about yourself what is it you truly believe about God and others.

Romans 8 5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. 9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.

3. Reclaiming Our True Identity Through God’s Truth

Asking God, can you please show me what the truth is? That's a key component because I think we're really good we've gotten good at identifying the lies, but healing happens when you acknowledge what is true, especially when it comes from your heavenly father. So this is an opportunity I fully believe in hearing the voice of God.

John 8 - speaking to abrahams descnedents 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” Relationship brings about hearing the voice of God when ALL the other voices are trying to speak louder. Who are you choosing to listen to?

**What the Bible Says about your identity in Christ *NOTE

4. Walking in Renewed Confidence and Faith

2 Corinthians 10 - 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

we have been chosen…called…

But you are not like that (people who reject God), for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

“Once you had no identity as a people;

now you are God’s people.

Once you received no mercy;

now you have received God’s mercy.”

Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

1 Peter 2:9-11

Tomorrow Living Out Our Lives Authentically and Establishing Healthy Community

I’m really believing that God is going to shed light on the crisis of connection and community! There are ladies that have allowed their struggles with their identity to settle in their lives and it’s brought about a destructive existence that goes against everything that Christ Jesus came to redeem. Maybe there was a time when they threw out this unhealthy tenant, only to have invited them back in as a “sitting tenant” that the enemy deceived as being dormant. In a moment of their disappointment, in a moment of rejection, a moment of fear, loneliness, grief, or insecurity they gave into the destructive lies and manipulation and made room for it once again. Even more so now, it’s showing it’s ugly head, clutter, chaos, mess bringing about further isolation, complacency, disconnect, and leaving ladies down a spiral of dysfunctional living; when in,

2 Peter 2:9-11 But you are not like that (people who reject God), for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

“Once you had no identity as a people;     now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy;     now you have received God’s mercy.”

Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world...God has called them out of darkness into his marvelous light…to have inherited wholeness, healing and freedom through Christ Jesus and live out the abundant hope-filled future he has given each lady! I am confident that it’s time to give not just an eviction notice but a final notice for our Identity Crisis.