A 31 Purse consultant was also at the conference~ what cute products!
Last Saturday I had the privilege of speaking at a women’s conference in Henderson, Kentucky. It was hosted by the Lydia Circle Women’s Group of Greater Norris Chapel Baptist Church which does an amazing work in the community of Henderson. I was the first of four speakers and I was extremely nervous. I love communicating to groups and I speak in front of our church ever week to give some sort of announcement or to help transition between songs as I help lead worship. But this experience was totally different. I did not know most of the women in the audience personally and two of the other speakers were ministers frequently called on to preach. I am married to a preacher, but I am not one myself. I would fall under the category of teacher or even “dramatic humorist” but never “preacher”. But God worked anyway. The following is the message He gave me to present to the ladies at the conference. Their theme was “What’s In Your Purse?” and I was given the honor of speaking about having a PERSONAL relationship with Christ!
I started by pulling various objects out of my purse and talking about the significance of each one:
- Cell Phone: This helps me stay connected
- Wallet: With this I can get everything I need
- Tylenol: This takes away pain
- Lipstick: Makes me feel beautiful (My Nanny says to never go anywhere without your lipstick in place!)
- Tide Stick: Removes stains
- Knife: Provides protection and makes me feel safe (even though I really only use it to open boxes)
- Chocolate kiss: A little something sweet to pick me up when I’m feeling down and remind me that I am loved
It’s so good to have a purse that contains everything that I need. Having a personal relationship with Christ does much the same thing.
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1:3
Jesus is everything that I need for life and godliness!
He is my Provider (wallet)
“And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.” Philippians 4:19
I shared my story here about God’s miraculous provision.
He is my Pain-Reliever (Tylenol)
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer.” Rev. 21:4
One day all our pain and suffering will be over! God will take it all away! But until then He makes this promise:
“The LORD is near to the broken-hearted and saves those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalm 34:18
He is my Beautifier (lipstick)
“Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the LORD shall be praised.” Proverbs 31:30
I like to say that “mascara runs and lipstick rubs off but a woman who honors God with her life is TRULY beautiful!
He is my Protector (knife)
“For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.” Ephesians 6:12
“You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!” 1 John 4:4
He is my Stain Remover (Tide stick)
David, after his sin with Bathsheba, cried out to God saying: “Have mercy on me, Oh God, because of Your unfailing love. because of Your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sin. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.” Psalm 51
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1
Because of Jesus’ death on the cross we can rejoice singing “My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, oh my soul!”
Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ fills us with His power. He is the One who gives us everything we need for life and godliness. Just like we feel lost when we leave our house without our purse…not having a personal relationship with Christ makes us truly lost and lacking in all good things. We all need a personal relationship with Christ. I don’t mean that we need to try to be good or join a church or repeat a prayer. We don’t need to just be religious or moral people. We need to know Christ personally, to give our lives completely to Him and recognize that He is everything that we need.
In order to have that kind of personal relationship with Christ, the Bible says all we have to do is call on Him (cell phone).
“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13
Admit that you need Him:
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
“For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
Believe on Him to save you:
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Acts 16:31
“If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9-10
Rejoice in your salvation!
Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2
My personal relationship with Jesus is such an integral part of my life now that I don’t know what I would do without Him! He is my Protector and my Provider. He is my strength when I am weak and my peace when I can’t sleep. He is my Counselor, my Comforter, and my Best Friend. He heals my pain, washes away my guilt and shame and makes me beautiful inside and out. He picks me up when I’m feeling down and reminds me that I am loved. He is everything I need, more than I could hope for, and all that I want. He is my Savior and my God. That’s my Jesus. I pray that He is your’s, too!
Consulting my notes at the Lydia Circle women's conference 2012 
A couple of years ago, we were going through some rough times at our church. Life was pretty miserable. And every morning when I’d make my pot of coffee I would look at the stack of coffee filters and pray that our life would be better by the time the coffee filters ran out. It sounds kinda silly when I think about it now, but I knew there were 180 filters in the bag. If I make one pot of coffee per day then I hoped that our troubles would be over in less than 180 days. Every morning I would make my coffee and pray for time to move quickly. I remember the day that I used my last coffee filter. My husband came into the kitchen to find me crying.
