A "Mary Spirit", Anyone???

About two years ago, several young women at my home church started "The Mary Hearts Club", after beginning to read/study this book by Joanna Weaver.  (Don't you just love the name?  I'll admit I had a little to do with that. ;-))  The group meets once a month, and this year the Mary Hearts are studying through the sequel, Having a Mary Spirit.

As you know, I got that book as a Mother's Day gift, and have recently begun reading it through.  I CAN'T PUT IT DOWN!!  Have you ever picked up a book at just the EXACT right time of your life and it seemed as though God was using the author to speak DIRECTLY into your heart and soul??  That's how this feels.

When I read this quote in the VERY FIRST CHAPTER, I felt as though it it had been printed precisely for my reading alone:

"When you run ahead of me, the Lord impressed upon my heart, you end up doing what I've asked you to do in your own strength rather than Mine.  Instead of being cloaked in the  sweetness of My Spirit, your efforts are cloaked in your flesh.  And sometimes my dear daughter, your flesh ain't that easy to receive.

WOW!  Can you say, "ALERT: Important incoming message from the Lord for Susanne Reeder"???? I am only on chapter three, but I already feel such a connection with the author and her experiences (as I did with her first book), as well as a sort of "ripeness" for the scriptural lessons that God, through Joanna, is teaching me. 

As Wayne Cordeiro said in The Divine Mentor, no book is ever a substitute for the Inspired Word of God, but I do love books that cultivate a hunger for that Word within me and motivate me to feast therein.  This is one of those books.

So here's a question for you.  Are there any ladies out there  who would be interested in going through this book with me?  (Guys you are welcome to participate too, but you'd probably need to make sure that your MAN CARD is hidden somewhere nice and safe!) 

I have decided to blog about it weekly for the next 10 weeks or so, and would love to have some others to participate in the discussion.  I know it's summer, and we are all a little disjointed from our routines, but I really feel lead to do this... at least for me.  If we have enough interest, I can get my Stupid Programmer to create a little button for us, and maybe do the "Mr. Linky" thing.  Just leave a comment, or email me (captivatinggirl at hotmail dot com) if you would like to join in on this, and we'll proceed from there.

I'll leave you with this prayer from the end of Chapter One.

Lord Jesus, I give you my life.

I invite You to have Your way in me.

Take me and break me. Shake me and make me.

Fill me and spill me. Change me and rearrange me.

But whatever You do, Lord…don’t leave me the same.

Spirit of wisdom and revelation, I welcome Your work.

Open my eyes so I can see…my ears so I can hear…

I choose truth over comfort, challenge over complacency.

Lord, make me forever Yours.

And most of all, make me like You.

Amen