By Inside Out with Courtnaye

Have you ever thought about how important you are to those around you as a Christian woman? Because you are! God chose you, adopted you into the faith, and created you to be His child – His precious daughter. He also created and called you to be a beacon of light to a dying world for Him and to be a godly influence and impact to those He has entrusted to you in your lifespan.

In a nutshell, you were created on purpose and for a purpose. And God wants to use you, sis –NOW!

Right now, with so much going on in our world today, people need a Savior. In the midst of all of this growing darkness, they need a flood of light. You and I are that light on the hilltop that cannot be hidden, as Jesus talked about in Matthew 5:14-16. Yet, not only that, but Christians around us and in our everyday lives need to be drawing ever so closer to the Lord and to stay grounded and encouraged in the faith through His Word – including us.

But the point here in this post is to spark a fresh fire inside of you to be a greater influence and to make a greater impact in your circle of friends and family, and to the people that you encounter throughout your day. It’s time, sis. God is calling you and me to be godly women of influence and impact, today. Here’s how…

Our Children – If you are a mother, you not only have a huge responsibility of nurturing, loving, disciplining, supporting, caring for, raising your kids, and spending quality time with them, but also teaching them the way that they should go as it relates to living for the Lord. Proverbs 6:20 gives great wisdom here stating, “My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.” This is a Word of wisdom for us (as daughters from our own mothers), but also to teach our children. The key word is “teaching.” As godly mothers, we are also teachers. And we have greater influence on our children, than I think we realize. They are watching us. But they also need us to help lead the way.

God has given us a high position in the home in helping to raise our kids. And I believe that sharing Christ will be the most important conversation that we can ever have with them. Heaven is the most important end goal that we should inspire them to reach. #theheavenlyprize

*Practical Tip: Take time to talk to your kids about Jesus Christ. No matter how old they are. Whether, they’re home or grown. Pray and ask the Lord to lead you with the right words. If they are young and even teenagers, spark up conversations about God, the Bible, events that are happening in our world and how it ties into being ready for when Jesus returns, while also helping others come to Christ before it’s too late.

Read the Bible at bedtime. Pull up Bible stories on YouTube to help drive a biblical point home and for better understanding of what you’re teaching them. And if you have teenagers, be creative (trust me, I know). Take him or her out to lunch for a one-on-one talk, wait until the house is quiet to talk about real life issues that may be bothering them and bring up some helpful biblical wisdom and practical tips. Remember, you are a teacher and a great influence to your children. They will remember what you taught them, but we can only pray and believe in our hearts that they won’t forsake it.

Personal Reflection: Have you talked to your kids about Christ (whether younger or older)? What does devotion with your kids look like? Do you pray with or for them often? If not, what do you think may be the hindrance?

In Your Community – People all around us need Jesus. Would you agree? He is the most important name they will ever need to know and the most important Person they’ll ever need to believe in and live for in their lifetime. Again, Heaven is the end goal. And as believing women, we have great influence to impact their lives to wanting a life with Jesus, as they watch our Christian lives.

That’s why it’s so vital that we live righteously before them with the help of the Word and the Holy Spirit. It’s so crucial that we’re not being hypocritical before them and that we show love to them and towards each other. Frist Peter 2:11 says, “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.” Pretty self-explanatory.

Practical Tips – Pray and look for opportunities to be of greater influence to those in your community, your city - as a godly woman. Research Scriptures, books, articles, blog posts, or videos on how to witness or share Christ with others. There are so many ways to do it. So don’t feel boxed-in. The Holy Spirit will lead you and give the words to say before you open your mouth to speak. Remember, God draws all men unto Himself. We’re just the vessels that He chooses to use. So trust Him to give you the words to say at the right time and in the right way. #timetobebold

Personal Reflection - Are you sharing Christ with those you encounter in your area? Do you look for ways to talk about Him to others? Do you struggle with witnessing?

On Your Job – I would guess that there are a lot of people on your job who don’t know or live for Jesus. As you sit at your desk and do your job, your conversations will reveal who you are to them. The way you carry yourself and your character will identify you as a Christian woman. And as long as you continue to shine bright there (in the good times and bad), one day, you just may have someone (who is not a believer), want to know more about your Christian faith. First Peter 3:15-16 encourages, “…And if someone asks you about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do it in a gentle and respectful way.”

Practical Tips – Be ready. Be ready to share your faith when God opens that door to lead someone to Christ from your job.

Personal Reflection – How do you live out your faith at work? Can people see that you are a Christian by the way you talk, react to work pressure, or deal with personal problems while at the office? Do you think that you could be a greater influence to the life of faith there?

On Social Media – You have GREAT influence on social media, believe it or not. People can see your faith in action there or not. Your life is on display on your social media networks. So whether you are using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat - people are watching you. And sometimes, they’re watching to see if you are the real deal. And if you are, you will become a godly influence to them.

Practical Tips – Post Scriptures as you feel led, ask people if they need prayer, post encouraging statements or tweets, have fun, but keep it holy and righteous according to the Word. Remember, social media is really all about everyday life and a little bit of work. So enjoy it, but keep in mind that the way you post has a lot to do with your later influence. So use wisdom. 😉

Personal Reflection - Are you living a life that pleases God online? Or do you display a distorted view of Christianity by what you post? Do you send mixed views? Do you think you could shine brighter and be a greater influence out there?

In Your Church – Even as a believer, you can be a godly influence to your fellow Christian brothers and sisters by the love that you have for them. Jesus tells us through John 13:34-35, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Also, 1 John 4:20-21 states, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.”

*As you love others more, people who are watching it in action (like youth, young adults, other women, leaders, etc.) will quite naturally see you as a godly influence…in the church. This kind of influence opens up many doors of opportunity.

Practical Tips – Show love. Show it in action, often. This can happen through a smile, helping, using your gifts in the church, leading a project or ministry, cooking a meal for someone who is sick in the body of Christ, being generous financially, giving someone a ride, babysitting for another mother (for a reason or just to give her a break), buying a gift, or forgiving others for an offense (love covers a multitude of sins according to 1 Peter 4:8). This is love in action.

Personal Reflection – Are you showing love? Do you think that you need to work on your “love relationships” with those whom you fellowship with or encounter in the body of Christ? How can you love your heavenly family better and become a greater influence in the church as a member or leader?

Again, you and I can be great influential women for the cause of Christ. God has chosen us for this generation and during this time. People need Jesus. And we need each other. Those around us need to see Him operating in our everyday lives. Those in the home, community, job, on social media, and in church, need to see Him moving on their behalf by the way that we carry ourselves and by our love. With that being said, let’s be women of godly influence everywhere.

Remember, Jesus is coming back soon! And those who endure unto the end shall be saved. So let’s be ready from the Inside Out!

~Courtnaye

QUESTION: Would you say that you have been a woman of godly influence or impact? Could you be better? Could you shine brighter? If so, in what ways?  Also, do you need prayer, today? If so, you can email me directly @ insideoutwithcourtnaye@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you and praying for you.

NOTE:

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