Life is full of pain, but misery is optional to the woman of God. As we walk the runway of life, we will face many challenges in this world. As a woman of God, we must learn to keep our eyes focused on things above. “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2, NKJV). Sounds easy? I find that as I walk in this earth, which is ruled by my enemy, it often seems that everything is against me.
The first step in learning to walk in this world as a born-again woman of God is to value the Word of God. What really happened in the garden? Eve did not value the Word of God. She believed the lie of the enemy and empowered the liar. I love to see lives transformed from the thorns of life and watch you become the beautiful woman that God created you to be.
When I lived in Scotland, I had beautiful roses blooming in my garden. I loved watching these ugly thorn bushes being transformed to produce beautiful roses. That is what happens to us as we ponder the words of God, allowing the Holy Spirit to breathe life into our spirit and transform our minds.
As I was sharing a beautiful rose in my garden with my husband, he said, “What about the thorns?” I couldn’t believe he would be thinking about thorns when I was looking at this beautiful rose. I let him know how I felt, and he said, “Roses bloom in season, but thorns are always there.” Wow! That hit! As I pondered these words, the Lord spoke to my heart, “The real woman grows roses from the thorns of life!”
The real woman, born again by the Spirit of God, has been given authority over the powers of darkness that try to steal, kill and destroy her life. As I pondered my life, I knew that my weight had become a big thorn in my life. The world is full of information about what is good for us and how to care for our bodies, but only God’s Word can bring transformation to our lives. Only the power of the Holy Spirit can help you break an addiction and habit that have taken over your life.
I had fought the battle of the bulge most of my life. Up and down, four dress sizes in my closet. Just like Eve, I tried to hide my sin with a new dress!
As I grew in the grace and knowledge of God’s Word, my desire was to please Him, and to honor Him with my body, the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). I cried out to God for help. Help to overcome this temptation in my life. The Holy Spirit led me to Psalm 139. As I meditated on this Scripture, I realized that I did not like my body. I felt ugly. I compared myself with others. I was envious of those who appeared to have it all together. The first step in my transformation started with accepting myself the way God created me.
The Lord whispered to me, “When you have a revelation of the purpose of your body, you will not abuse it.”
As I meditated on Scriptures about my body, one being 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, I became convicted by the Holy Spirit, which led me to repentance as the truth was revealed to me. Revelation of the truth is what sets you free. The written Word on the printed pages of the Bible brings knowledge. The revelation of the Word in you has the power for transformation: spirit, soul and body.
As I began my walk in the truth, asking for the Holy Spirit to guide me, He gave me a battle plan that took 90 pounds from my body from the inside out. I first became free in my soul, how I thought about my body that was created in His image.
I call this the power of we! God is the power, and the Word in you releases the power to overcome the thorns of life.
I urge you, dear sisters, stand tall. You are a daughter of the King of kings! He created you in His image. You are a container for the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in you and will lead you into all truth. He loves to take the thorns in your life and grow roses. Never forget, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, the excellency of the power being from God and not from ourselves” (2 Cor. 4:7, MEV).
In my new book, The Real Woman Grows Roses from the Thorns of Life, you will walk through the cycles of life. First, you plant the seed; then you cultivate the soil of your heart; you establish a good environment for growth; and then you reap the harvest. {eoa}
Joyce Tilney, Women of God Ministries, offers teaching for women today from women of yesterday: wogministries.com andwhydiets.com. The book Why Diets Don’t Work is a testimony of her weight loss. This and her newest book, The Real Woman Grows Roses From the Thorns of Life, are available on Amazon.
Janet Perez Eckles 
Shawn Akers 
Abby Trivett 
