purpose

How to gain deep joy & fulfillment

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

I seem to bump into quite a few women who seem to either struggle with discouragement and mild depression or simply feel unfulfilled.  When it comes to both these conditions, there aren’t necessarily simple answers, but I do believe taking one particular step could bring significant help.  That step is to get outside yourself and begin serving those less fortunate!  Yes, really.

This is God’s instruction to us all.  In fact, He says in Isaiah 58 that the kind of “fasting” that he desires is not to look all religious by denying yourself food or pleasure.  Instead he desires us to “loose the chains of injustice…to share your food with the hungry…to provide the poor wanderer with shelter. He says “then your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear” (Isaiah 58:8)

Is it time to stop focusing on what’s wrong with your circumstances and to look for opportunities to serve those in need all around you?  I can almost guarantee that you WILL become more fulfilled when you begin helping others.  Try it!

Qualities of a godly wife

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

If you want to please God, please your husband, and find true fulfillment in your role as a wife, then meditate and act upon the instructions God gives wives in the Bible.  That’s what many of us have been trying to do at Squadron of Sisters over the last 15 years, and all I can say is….following God’s instructions has a powerful impact on your husband!

Here are 8 key verses that describe a godly wife and/or reveal the purpose of a wife:

Genesis 2:18 (a godly wife is a companion and helper for her husband)

Ephesians 5:33 (a godly wife shows respect and honor for her husband, whether she “feels” like it or not!)

Proverbs 31:25 (a godly wife carries herself with dignity so she is able to lovingly but firmly establish boundaries with her husband if he is sinning against her)

Proverbs 31:30 (a godly wife respects and obeys the Lord)

Colossians 3:18 (a godly wife submits to her husband’s leadership, as long as he is not leading her down an immoral or destructive path)

Proverbs 31:27 (a godly wife is diligent in taking care of her family and household)

1 Corinthians 7:4 (a godly wife builds a robust sex life with her husband)

1 Peter 3:4 (a godly wife has a gentle and peaceful demeanor with her husband)

Can any of us be perfect wives, as described in the Bible?  No way.  None of us is capable of performing to this incredibly high standard every day.  However, we are to earnestly seek to grow more and more like the Biblical model each day, and we all need to pray for Jesus to give us a willing heart to obey his instructions to us.  🙂

The helpmate God intended

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

Genesis 2:18 is a very interesting verse in the Bible. It actually explains why God created wives! In this verse, God says this: “It is not good for man to be alone; I will create a helper suitable for him.” Wow! That is God’s purpose for creating wives. So, in what ways does God intend for a wife to “help” her husband? Here are 3 ways that I have found to be huge and super impactful:
1) Pray for your husband. A wife’s temptation is for God to change her husband so that her husband meets all her desires. However, that is actually a bit self-centered, isn’t it? Instead, pray for God to work in your husband’s heart, mind and spirit so that your husband grasps the love of Christ and desires to honor and glorify God with his life! Huge!
2) Give respect and encouragement to your husband. Most men wrestle with insecurity and the fear of failure. However, when a wife treats her husband with honor and encourages him on a daily basis, he often has the motivation to become an even better dad, husband, and servant of the Lord!
3) Lovingly but firmly establish boundaries with your husband if he is engaged in a pattern of sin against you or your children. Simply sinking into self-pity or resentment is not helpful to you or your husband. However, if you set clear expectations for change as well as boundaries for your husband, God often uses those steps to get a husband’s attention so that he finally decides to repent of the sin and turn back to God.

** or view this topic as a 3 minute VIDEO BELOW

Catch this vision for wives!

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

God has given me a vision for Christian wives. I see him raising up an army of strong but gentle wives who do specific things in such a focused and powerful way that their husbands are propelled to become mighty men of God! Don’t we all want that?!
The qualities of these strong Christian wives are all Biblical, and if we press into them, I’m confident we will have a tremendous, positive impact on our men! As we encourage and pray for our men, our men will be much more likely to step up and become mighty men of God. Hallelujah!
The most important thing we can do is to respect, honor and love the Lord. But beyond that, catch this vision of the wife He is calling you to become. He is calling wives to be…
• encouraging (1 Thessalonians 5:11…encourage one another and build each other up)
• respectful (Ephesians 5:33….the wife must respect her husband)
• gentle (1 Peter 3:4 …the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight )
• compassionate (Colossians 3:12 …clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience)
• courageous (Joshua 1:9… Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.)
• loving but firm confronters of sin (Luke 17:3 If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him)
• prayer warriors (Colossians 4:2… Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful)

Priorities for the Christian woman

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

Lots of Christian women wonder what their priorities should be. Should husband come before kids? Should financial security come before family time? Should house-keeping come before leisure time? Well, I’m not going to answer those specific questions because I’ve learned they are the wrong questions! When it comes to priorities, God is urging all of us to put his kingdom purposes and plans above ALL else! Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
It’s such a simple and concise instruction from the Lord, but make no mistake, it’s hard to carry out! Our fleshly desires cry out for us to focus on personal happiness, and financial security, and “success” for our children, and luxurious vacations, and a new wardrobe. Our culture, through both advertisements and social media, constantly reminds us that we should have it all. We deserve it all.
However, God is calling us to place Him above everything and everyone else. He is desperate for people who are desperate for Him. He’s calling us to repentance. He’s calling us to pray continually. He’s calling us to loosen our grip on our money and possessions and to give to the poor. He’s calling us to honor and obey Him as our first priority. We say we want revival, but are we earnestly seeking the Lord above all else? We get some great clues about what leads to revival when we look at what the early followers of Jesus did immediately after he ascended to heaven following his resurrection. Read Acts 2:38-47 to get inspired!
By the way, you’ll likely find that as you seek the Lord above all else, you will become a more peaceful wife and mom!

The mature view of marriage

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

Have you noticed that our culture is self-absorbed? We are receiving constant messages through advertising, social media, TV shows, and movies that life is all about pursuing personal happiness. When we follow that secular line of thinking, then we naturally assume our marriage is designed to make us happy. The minute our spouse wounds us or behaves below our expectations, we toss aside the marriage and try to find another man who will be the source of our happiness.
First of all, that is an unending quest because you will never find a perfect husband! But more importantly, this is not the purpose of a Biblical marriage.
As I study the Bible, I sensed the Holy Spirit revealing 5 purposes for marriage, although there are probably even more. As you read the purposes outlined below, ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to press into those purposes in your own marriage.
1) Marriage is designed for a husband and wife to have rich companionship as well as to provide help for each other as they navigate the challenges of life and seek to serve God together. Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”
2) Marriage is the primary place for you to learn how to carry out God’s major command to love your neighbor since the “neighbor” who is closest to you is your spouse! Matthew 22:39 “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
3) Marriage is designed to be a binding union and devoted partnership between a man and a woman. Genesis 2:23-25 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
4) Marriage is designed to produce children and build a family. Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number.”
5) Ultimately, marriage, as well as everything we do and every relationship we have, is supposed to bring glory to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” The question is this. Does your marriage glorify God? Is the way you conduct yourself as a spouse a great reflection of Christ? A mature view of a Christian marriage entails realizing it’s not all about YOU! It’s about glorifying God in everything you do, including reflecting the character of Christ in your marriage.

** or view this topic as a 3 minute VIDEO BELOW

One key to joy & fulfillment

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

I seem to bump into quite a few women who seem to either struggle with discouragement and mild depression or simply feel unfulfilled.  When it comes to both these conditions, there aren’t necessarily simple answers, but I do believe taking one particular step could bring significant help.  That step is to get outside yourself and begin serving those less fortunate!  Yes, really.

This is God’s instruction to us all.  In fact, He says in Isaiah 58 that the kind of “fasting” that he desires is not to look all religious by denying yourself food or pleasure.  Instead he desires us to “loose the chains of injustice…to share your food with the hungry…to provide the poor wanderer with shelter. He says “then your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear” (Isaiah 58:8)

Is it time to stop focusing on what’s wrong with your circumstances and to look for opportunities to serve those in need all around you?  I can almost guarantee that you WILL become more fulfilled when you begin helping others.  Try it!

This helps during grief and loss

Squadron of Sisters (Debbie Chavez) Leave a comment

I first wrote this devotional several years ago, but I know it will help one of you today.  Here’s what I wrote:

As I’m writing this devotional on November 16, 2021, it has officially been one week since my beloved husband Raul passed away unexpectedly from covid.  My world is turned upside down.  Everything changed in an instant.  The grief was and is intense.  It comes in waves.  There is a gaping hole where we used to partner together in daily life and in ministry.  The love of my life is gone, and although I rejoice that he is with Jesus, I can’t help but feel like this is all so unfair.

Perhaps you are going through something equally as devastating; different, but still devastating. You may have a prodigal teen who is getting into trouble with drugs. You may have just received a cancer diagnosis that has rocked your world.   You and I will definitely need to grieve the losses in our lives.  Sometimes we mourn the actual loss of a loved one, and other times, we need to grieve the loss of what we thought our life or our health or our family would be like. 

This morning, when I was trying to worship God through my pain, he gently gave me a different perspective that helped me quite a bit, so I would like to share it with you in the hope that it will somehow help you even a tiny bit as well.   As I was grieving and asking him the “why did you allow this to happen” question, he whispered to me “But I gave you a gift that you didn’t deserve.  I gave you 16 wonderful years with Raul.”  Mind-blown.  Perspective shifted.  I suddenly realized that I’m a sinner who has made mistakes in my life, and yet God, in his extravagant kindness, chose to bless me with a gift I didn’t deserve…for 16 years.  It made me thankful.  Instead of sinking into depression and bitterness, I realized that God blessed me beyond measure with 16 great years. 

God’s kindness to me reminded me to stop fixating on my pain and to start thinking about what I should be truly thankful for.  Then this verse came to mind.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”   Even though you are going through something painful, can you take a moment to remember ways that God has blessed you?  He IS a loving God.  He blesses us more than we deserve.