Session #1 Bloom Where You are Planted
Isaiah 61:3 will be our text for this message. We will discuss the importance of purposing to "bloom" where God has planted you-right now-right here-today. Not when you get thin and fit… not when you have children… not when you retire… not when you get that great job you've been hoping for, and not when you finally marry Mr. Right. But Right now! Making the decision that you will bloom (by the grace of God) as the person you are today-in your present circumstances.
The four aspects of this talk will be:
- God's love is the warm sunshine needed to bloom
- Thankfulness is the rich soil
- You are the clay pot (a humorous admonition about the importance of the inside of the pot-the plant-and not spending too much time on the outside of the pot)
- The Word of God is the life-giving water
Session one has some fun elements to it, and includes visual aids as well as audience participation.
Session #2 Joy Comes in the Morning
This message uses as its text Psalm 30:1-5, and begins with the powerful story of how God miraculously healed me of Lyme Disease over eight years ago. This testimony is a wonderful illustration of God's mercy and goodness, and never fails to impart hope to the listeners. This talk will highlight the three secrets to experiencing joy:
1. Believe
Using the story of David and Goliath, I will illustrate the number one tactic used by the enemy to thwart a believers faith.
2. Wait
We will read Psalm 40:1-3, and using the four stages of a butterfly, as well as personal anecdotes, I will explain the reasons why God often takes us through a "waiting season."
3. Receive
Sometimes the hardest thing for a Christian to do is receive from God. I find that while I am enjoying all that God has blessed me with, sometimes I feel an elusive sense of foreboding-wondering when something bad will happen. An example of this is when my husband has a great month at work financially, I may be tempted to think "well, I better not get too happy about that-we'll just see what happens."
What a foolish reaction. How much better it would be to say "Oh, thank you Lord for meeting our needs. Thank you God for a good month and plenty of money!!" God has created us to be full of faith and trust-like children. Not cynical and skeptical-just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I read a little saying recently that said, "Are you spending your sunny days waiting for the rain to fall?" And even though I'm a born optimist, I could relate to spending more then a few of my sunny days waiting for the rain to fall.
We will be ending session two by discussing just how to receive from God, and how to enjoy His blessings-without waiting for something "bad" to happen.
Session #3 Singing the Song of Joy
Using Psalm 65:8 …where morning dawns and evening fades you call forth songs of joy. We will talk about the incredible power found in making the choice to "sing songs of joy" even when times are tough. Using Biblical examples, as well as personal stories, I will illustrate three important points:
Point 1: Singing the Song of Joy will open prison doors (Acts 16:16-40).
Point 2: Singing the Song of Joy will put ht enemy to flight (2 Chr 20).
Point 3: Singing the Song of Joy will open your eyes (Psalm 96:11-12).
The Joy Seminar: Taking Delight in Everyday Life is best presented as a two or three day conference or retreat-but can also be given over a series of several evenings, or as a one-day event.
This is an interactive seminar and is most beneficial in the lives of women if each meeting is followed by "small group" prayer and discussion time. Discussion questions will be provided. In addition to this, Paula would welcome the opportunity to pray for individual women at the close of each message, as they feel the need.
What others say: "I would recommend Paula Friedrichsen as a speaker to any organization desiring a dynamic and on-target speaker who has commanding stage presence and a gift for bringing together truth and life application." - Kathi Gildone, Director of Women's Ministries for Warehouse Christian Ministries, Roseville, California.
