Today we focus in on Psalm 139:14. It is powerful to remember that God made each of us “fearfully and wonderfully.” 
Does your soul really know this truth very well?  
Take time today to be still & know the unique characteristics Your Maker’s hand designed you with. Write them down. Own them confidently. They are not by mistake. Even your weaknesses were planned by him to keep you closely dependent on his grace, and for His power to be displayed through them.

You are a vessel for God’s love to be poured through this beautiful creation that you are. For the sake of #Refocus color your “blessing table”- which is your home base mission field. My kids had fun coloring their little teacups afterwards & we talked about how they are all uniquely created fearfully & wonderfully by God. Get your kids involved in this one, they will love it. We had to do ours in the car while we waited for our Chinese food. I praise God because He created the perfect time to include them, I had put my phone away & prayed to focus in on my little blessing table. We had some sweet moments.

 Please show me some pics of how they turn out! Praying for you ladies! You are beautiful vessels of His love. Here’s mine: 

You were MADE for whatever plans He has for you this year!

More of Refocused Day 1 below! I found this video & blog & wanted to share it with you: 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCgLu20uRIE

In the video, I talk about how I like to use The Message paraphrase to dig deeper into the Word. This evening, after I made the video, I was thinking on the verse and the one before it while I made my family dinner and the Lord gave me the best insight. I asked in the video for everyone to think about how God is transforming you from the inside out, changing the way you think.

Here’s how He’s transforming me:
He’s helping me turn my everyday, mundane tasks of serving my family into offerings, acts of worship, while I thank him.

Like tonight, I was thinking of Romans 12:1-2 (the whole chapter is great by the way) while I made my family grilled chicken salads for dinner.

I mean, let’s keep it real, cooking, serving, cleaning is hard work. It is an everyday life task that we can easily leave God out of. But God wants to be all up in it ya’ll. 

 Listen to Romans 12:1 MSG:

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. ” 

Do you know what I really LOVE? That the first thing mentioned is SLEEPING. Seriously, God wants us to get enough rest as an offering to him. EATING- God wants us to eat and serve our family healthy food as an offering to him. Everything we do, it is an offering, an act of worship as we FOCUS in on this truth, that we are fulfilling God’s perfect, good, pleasing, will for our life at the moment when we are doing it FOR THE LORD.

More Romans 12:1-2 MSG:

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

So I asked God to change the way I think about the things that are mundane, like cooking a healthy meal for my family, and he did. And He will continue to help us all do this if we ask him. Jesus is an everyday life God who loves to be welcomed into all that we do, not matter how small. So, change those dirty diapers, clean that house, go to that job, and let God transform you from the inside out as you let him change the way you think.

I want to hear how God is transforming you today! I’d love to see your coloring pages! Praying for you, sweet Refocusing sisters!!!

Amy 

 

 
Happy NEW Year!!!
Yesterday (LAST YEAR) 🙂 we focused on #REMEMBERING what God had done in our lives in 2016.

Today (THIS YEAR) we continue on in Isaiah 43:18 , starting with the words:

“FORGET all that”, “REMEMBER NOT the former things.”  

Think about those miraculous things God has done in your life, not just last year, but the past. Think of the most momumental experience in your spiritual life. That experience that still brings chill bumps to your arms and the back of your neck. 

 For me, it was in 2014, when our family was adopting our daughter from Uganda, a small beautiful country in East Africa. Everything about her adoption was a miracle. It brings tears to my eyes now thinking of every mountain God moved, time after time, to bring her home to America, to have a family, a home. 

 But God tells Israel:

“But forget all that–it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.”

NOTHING.

WOW.

Again we are reminded how BIG our God is.

Ya’ll this makes me excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But wait, he goes further:

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? ”

Something NEW.

“I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”

In the study, I asked you to envision yourself in one of these landscapes when you think ahead about the new year. 
Immediately when I read this passage, my heart and mind went back to the wilderness of Africa. One of our most difficult days there, we drove several hours away from the capital city to a remote area to meet some of my daughter’s relatives, whom she had never met either.

Finally we turned off the main paved road, onto a dirt road. Then the dirt road became just a grass trail that led through heavy bush and vegetation. The giant leaves and bushes started to engulf us until finally, the guide that was with us said, “This is as far as we can drive, we are going to have to walk from here.” There was no more path to drive on.

This was un-charted territory.

WILDERNESS  

All we could do was trust that the guide whom we had hired was not taking us out to be killed by lions so he could run off with our backpacks. The guide knew where we were going. And his intentions were pure. We walked about a mile to the home where our daughter’s relative lived. And the experience there that day is something we will treasure forever.

But what if we would have told the Guide:

NO. We aren’t getting out of this van to walk through the wilderness. We don’t want to experience #NEWTHINGS. We are good. We would have missed out on so much incredibleness!!!

So this is my story. I want to see and hear about yours! Happy New Year! I’m praying we all walk with the only GUIDE who is worthy of our trust. I can’t wait to see what #NEWTHINGS He has in store!

 
 

Only 3 days until GO TIME, so I’m offering a downloadable, printable version of the study! Yay!

The study starts on December 31st!

Just click below to purchase the printable study in the edition you need, and upon checkout you will be taken to the page to download the study. 🙂

PRINTABLE! Married With Children Edition (4 weeks) $8.00

PRINTABLE! Single Mom Edition (3 Weeks) $7.00 

PRINTABLE! Married Woman Edition (3 Weeks- for women with grown kids or no kids) $7.00

PRINTABLE! Single Girl Edition (1 Week) $5.00 

For more info about this coloring book devotional study, click here: Order Refocused Bible Study & join our online group! 

My daughter, Sharon has been loving coloring these pages! Here is the first one in the study…and SURPRISE! it’s FREE to you! If you aren’t sure about the study, or can’t purchase one right now, enjoy the first day of the study, downloadable below:

 

>>>Download Refocused Day 1 FREE!

 

 

 



Refocused Bible Study starts right here Dec 31st! 

Before we get started, I have some tips to help us be consistent in any bible study and prayer in 2017! 

“Commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3

COMMIT- to carry out an action deliberately. 

Let’s be deliberate about growing with the Lord this year. Girls, there is no better commitment you can make! 

 Here’s a checklist I put together to help us all start out on the right foot in bible study & prayer for the New Year: 

_Prepared: Our bible is handy & we have our study book ready to make beautiful with our colored pencils! For me, part of this step includes having my coffee pot ready to hit the button in the morning!!!

_Time set: Think about your schedule & decide when you will do your study. I love getting up before everyone in the house to spend time with Jesus. But before bed may work better for you. 

But –#Refocus on God’s grace when these plans don’t make it to reality. 

Stay deliberate by committing to engage in God’s Word before you look at social media for the day. Download the bible app on your phone. Don’t look anything else until you read some of His Word. 

Look through the study & see what the few verses are for the day and click a pic of them to refer to throughout the day. 

Consistent in prayer- Don’t call anyone on the phone until you’ve spoken to God yet. This is great for car time! Unless you have talkative babies in the backseat 🙂 

These are just a few tips that have helped me stay focused on the Lord. Feel free to share any great ones you have. He is worth the focus!!! 

Even if you don’t purchase the study, we’d love for you to join us as I blog through the material and we Refocus on God & me 

Marriage 

Motherhood & 

Home 

The first four weeks of the brand new year!!!

My goal is always that you will be encouraged on this journey with Jesus!  Join us New Year’s Eve as we fix our eyes on Jesus for the year ahead. ❤

You can purchase the study God wrote on my heart below, I pray it blesses you!

Amy

Here is a link for a more in depth view of it: A Peak inside Refocused Bible Study

Married with Children
$15.99

Married Edition
$12.99

Single Mom Edition
$12.99

Single Woman Edition
$6.99

Is there anything “newer” than a brand new baby the day they are born? Everyone flocks to see them before that freshness wears off. When we see a newborn we see the promise of hope and newness of life. 

So it’s seems perfect that when God the Father sent his son, the long awaited Savior, he sent him as a baby. 

It was the humblest entrance a king -the King of Kings could make. There were no trumpets blown; no red carpet rolled out. In fact, there was not even a bed for his mother to lie in as she delivered him. Nor was there a crib or beautiful bassinet to place him in. 

But there was majesty unimaginable.

Every prophecy about the Savior was finally coming true. And the faithful ones who had been waiting flocked to behold his newness with their own eyes. 

A new covenant – the unbreakable promise God had made centuries before was coming forth. The fresh baby lying in the hay was proof – God keeps his promises. He is making all things NEW.

This Christmas we can look back at this fresh baby, our Savior, and be reminded that he’s still in the business of making all things new. The promise was fulfilled when that same baby – Jesus- rose from the grave. When that same baby, now seated in glory, comes back to bring his children to their forever home, he promises to once and for all make all things new. 

“And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:5

Are you believing he is in the process of making all things new in your life? If you believe the baby in the manager is your Savior, then his life giving Spirit is living in you, breathing new life into hopeless, hard places. The brand New Year coming is the perfect time to evaluate your walking faith. 

Are you walking out the faith you believe about the Savior we are celebrating? Even in the parts of your life that you have chalked up to “living in a fallen world?” Those are the places it’s time to believe he’s in the process of making new again.

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19

As people are gathering to celebrate, you have the opportunity to exercise your walking faith by embracing others in forgiveness and believing in restoration of relationships.

You have the chance to believe he can do anything. He can heal sickness, he can provide financially, he can make an orphan a beloved daughter and he can make absolutely anything NEW.

So what is it you need to see “made NEW” by him?

God, please make _________________________________ NEW.

Fill in the blank and believe he’s working; BECAUSE HE IS. I promise, I’m not challenging you to do anything the Lord hasn’t challenged me to do. A few weeks ago, I stood in front of a room full or people and spoke about a relationship in my life that had been severed because of sin. I told them because I cared about their relationships, and I was urging them to follow God’s plan to keep loving each other well. However, the moment the words left my mouth, I felt the Spirit’s conviction.

“Do you not believe I can restore even that relationship? What little faith you have!”Sure enough, that person called me this week and we have found restoration because of grace. This is the time friends, he is making all things new. Don’t dismiss what God’s grace can do.

As long as you are still breathing, you have another chance.

In a few short days, after we are filled with the hope of our newborn Savior, we will turn the page of grace into a NEW YEAR. Will you join us here at Refocused Bible Study as we start the year with our eyes fixed on Jesus for the road ahead?

There’s an edition for women in every season.

Purchase your copy Here: Refocused Bible Study

Then join the Facebook group here: Refocused Bible Study Facebook Group The Study starts December 31st!

Here’s what people are saying:

“Every year, I look for ways to continue to grow in my relationship with God. My goals always include finding ways to dig deeper into the Word of God, spend more time with Jesus and refocus my attention on Him.

Amy Terry’s Refocused Study is an amazing way to do just that. The study is written to help women to slow down and fix their eyes on Christ, seeking Him for His plan and purpose for their lives. As I dug into the study, I was refreshed by reading scripture about what God thinks about me. I was reminded that I was created perfectly by Him, formed according to His plan and purpose, and beautifully made.

The colouring pages gave me time to reflect on the verses and to think about what God was saying to me.

The study progressed beautifully, guiding me through the process of seeing myself the way God sees me, as made perfectly in His image but also being stained with sin in my life. I was encouraged to confess sin to Him and keep my relationship with Him at the forefront of my mind.

The study also guided me to think and pray over my marriage, parenting and home, which helped me to plan for each of these areas and bring them before the Lord. I was encouraged to set goals for my life according to God’s plan for me, which was timely as we are going into the new year!

This study is a perfect way for any woman to start her new year with her eyes focused on Christ and His purpose for her life.”

Veronica Anne,

Christian Blogger at Veronicaanne.com

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”