READY TO TAKE A TEST?

Tests make me sweat up a storm! Alright, I'm exaggerating a bit, but the facts remain...I hate tests. During pre-marital counseling, one of the pastors who would officiate our wedding wanted my beloved and me to take a personality test. I panicked! My smart alack betrothed took my hand, turned to me and said, "honey, it will only be used to measure our compatibility, not whether you have a personality." I was not amused (okay, maybe cutely annoyed, but that doesn't count as pass or fail, does it?).

I don't know what causes me to become skittish at the mention of the word test, but I do have my theories. And as usual, my heart goes to the word of God for answers. Paul shared this with the Romans -- "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to TEST..." (uh-oh, there goes that word again). Okay, I need to get a grip because Paul provides these Christians with more information... "and APPROVE what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2).

God urges us to put our lives to HIS test (definitely a contrary train of thought as far as the world is concerned). The world says conform; Christ calls us to be transformed. The world says settle; Christ urges us to seek. The world believes life happens by an act of our will; God's will is the wisdom of our lives in which we are called to act upon it. Think of His good, pleasing and perfect will as the litmus paper test -- His transformation drastically changes our outlook; our conformity only keeps us in the dark.

So here I sit, not befuddled and confused, but hopeful and optimistic. First, I need to get over myself for allowing "tests" to be my nemesis. And next, God's calling me to test "His good, pleasing and perfect will" as a writer. So I pose to you my litmus paper test...

I feel called to develop a series of short booklets addressing tough
women's issues. Infusing testimonies and God's truth within each subject matter,
I desire to cultivate seeds of hope in the fallowed hearts of women - young and
old - who have conformed to the pattern of this world.

I'm still seeking God on the logistics, but while I do, as my blog followers, would you partner with me in prayer and participation? If you have words of encouragement, testimony, correction or training (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) on some of the challenging topics below, drop me an email (embracehistruth@gmail.com). Limit to 200 words. Please include your name and email address. I will take it to prayer (a blessed way of saying, "God what should I do with this?"). Along the way, I will post excerpts in future postings and if I use any of your material for the booklet, I will be faithful to include your information. This test is only for my blog followers so if you know anyone who has something to say, encourage them to join Embrace His Truth.

Proposed topics...

• Isn't love and sex one and the same? (defining your self worth)
• What happened to my fairytale of having children? (infertility)
• I can't take care of this baby (abortion)
• He said he loved me (sex before marriage)
• When wrong choices lead to prison (prison ministry)
• I need that! (indulgences / overspending)
• (still in prayer about other topics)

Ready to take this test with me?