Growing Older Isn't the Same as Growing in God

How mature are you, really?

Not how old are you. Not how long have you been saved. Not how many years you've attended church, served in ministry, or known the Scriptures.

But how much have you actually grown in God?

In this episode of, A Seat at the Queen's Table, Lady Gwendolyn Holloway brought a Heart Share that challenged every woman to stop measuring spiritual maturity by age, experience, or outward appearances—and start examining the condition of her own heart.

And she didn't begin by examining anybody else.

She started with herself.

“God, am I really all that I think I am?”

Whew! Because that's where maturity begins. With the willingness to examine ourselves honestly before God.

Drawing from Ephesians 4:14–15, Lady Gwendolyn reminded us that spiritual maturity is a lifelong process of becoming more like Christ. It's not about how many birthdays we've celebrated. It's about how deeply we rely on God, how faithfully we follow His Word, and how we respond when life puts our faith to the test.

She walked us through ten characteristics of spiritual maturity, challenging us to examine our growth in leadership, integrity, humility, perseverance, wisdom, temperance, unconditional love, obedience, faith, and our willingness to live out what God requires.

And here's where it got personal.

Can we receive correction without becoming defensive?

Can we hold our tongues when everything in us wants to respond?

Can we love unconditionally when loving isn't easy?

Can we trust God when His answer isn't immediate?

Can we endure the testing of our faith without abandoning what we believe?

Because spiritual maturity isn't simply knowing what the Word says.

It's allowing the Word to change how we live.

As the conversation unfolded, the women brought even more depth to the Table. We talked about the importance of extending grace to ourselves, recognizing that our physical and emotional experiences can affect how we respond, and understanding that wisdom sometimes means knowing when to seek help.

We also wrestled with obedience, discernment, patience, and the importance of hearing God's instructions without allowing distractions to pull us away from our assignment.

And then the conversation returned to something we couldn't ignore.

The mirror.

What happens when we stop looking at everybody else's shortcomings and allow God to show us our own?

Are we growing in the areas where we struggled last year?

Are we responding differently?

Are we becoming more loving, more patient, more obedient, and more willing to be corrected?

Or have we simply gotten older while remaining spiritually unchanged?

Lady Gwendolyn reminded us that this examination must begin at home—in our own hearts.

And the Table agreed: spiritual inventory cannot be something we do once and put away.

Maturity requires a continual willingness to be examined, corrected, and transformed by God.

So, Wife, here's your invitation.

Get the mirror.

Not to condemn yourself. Not to compare yourself with another woman. But to ask God to reveal the places where there's still room to grow.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” — Psalm 51:10 (KJV)

Because growing older is inevitable.

But growing in God requires intention, surrender, and a heart willing to change.

And we're still growing.

Pull up your chair. There's room for you at the Table.

October Theme: MATURITY

Scripture Foundations: Ephesians 4:14–15 | Psalm 51:10–11 | James 1:2–5 | Proverbs 4:7 | Romans 12:3 | 1 Samuel 15:22

From Glory to Glory, One Surrender at a Time

Heart Share with Tre' Burks | A Seat at the Queen's Table | Wives Who War

What are you beholding?

Your circumstances? Your shortcomings? Your past? The things you cannot control?

Or are you beholding Christ?

This Monday at the Queen's Table, Tre' Burks brought a powerful revelation from 2 Corinthians 3:18 that challenged us to examine not only who we're becoming, but where we've fixed our gaze.

“Beholding is becoming.”

Because what we continually focus on has a way of shaping what we reflect.

Tre' reminded us that spiritual maturity isn't about performing Christianity, perfecting our outward appearance, or trying harder to make ourselves acceptable to God.

It's about coming before Him unveiled.

No masks. No hiding. No pretending we've figured everything out.

Just our authentic selves, surrendered before the One who has the power to transform us.

And here's the revelation:

Transformation is not behavior modification. It is the inward work of the Holy Spirit.

Drawing from Paul's words about moving from glory to glory, Tre' explained that spiritual transformation is an ongoing process. Like a butterfly undergoing metamorphosis, God is doing work within us that cannot be rushed or manufactured through human effort.

Our responsibility is to keep showing up, keep surrendering, and keep beholding Christ.

But what happens when we've surrendered something to God, only to reach back for the steering wheel?

Tre' spoke candidly about the struggle to relinquish control and the daily decision to trust God with outcomes we cannot predict.

Surrender isn't simply something we did yesterday. It's a posture we must continue choosing today.

And then the Table began to build!

Tee challenged us to put on “God-colored glasses”—to shift our perspective and begin seeing ourselves and our circumstances through God's eyes rather than our own insecurities and limitations.

We were reminded that maturity isn't measured by how well we hold everything together, but by our willingness to surrender it all to God.

And a powerful truth emerged:

We are not becoming more like Christ by staring at everything that's wrong with us. We are transformed as we behold the One who is right, holy, faithful, and able.

The conversation became even more personal as Tre' encouraged us to acknowledge the struggles we're carrying today—the ones we've named and the ones we may not yet have recognized.

Because sometimes the first step toward surrender is being willing to admit:

“Lord, I need Your help with this.”

And through it all, the women surrounded one another with prayer, encouragement, and the reminder that God's hand is not too short to save, nor His ear too heavy to hear.

As we continue our October journey through MATURITY, we're discovering that becoming is not a destination we reach in this lifetime.

It is a daily pursuit of Christ, an ongoing surrender, and a transformation that continues as we behold Him.

“I will not have become until I have beholded Him. Face to face.”

So, Wife, here's your invitation:

Take off the mask.

Release the steering wheel.

Shift your gaze.

And bring your unveiled self before the Lord.

Because what you behold matters. Who you're becoming matters. And the One doing the transforming matters most.

We're going from faith to faith, from glory to glory.

And we're not finished becoming.

Pull up your chair. There's still room at the Table.

October Theme: MATURITY

Scripture Foundations: 2 Corinthians 3:18 | 2 Corinthians 3:12–17 | Isaiah 59:1 | Philippians 3:12–14 | Colossians 3:12–15

When the Weight Is Heavy, but His Glory Is Greater

A Heart Share with the Women of the Queen's Table | Wives Who War

What happens when the weight of life becomes so heavy that even the strongest among us struggle to keep going?

Sometimes, before the teaching begins, God has already prepared the Table for ministry.

This Friday, the women of the Queen's Table came together carrying real burdens—exhaustion, uncertainty, difficult decisions, personal battles, and the weight of responsibilities that don't stop simply because we're tired.

And what unfolded was more than a conversation.

There was transparency. There were tears. There was worship, prayer, encouragement, and a powerful reminder that we do not have to walk through life's valleys alone.

“We are at a TIPPING point!”

“The water is troubled. If you have need, ASK.”

As the women began encouraging one another, we were reminded that spiritual maturity isn't about pretending everything is fine. It's about knowing where to turn when everything isn't.

We talked about changing our perspective, remembering God's promises, renewing our minds, and refusing to surrender to the weight of our circumstances.

Identify the lies. Renew your mind with Scripture. Surrender the outcome.

And then came the reminder:

“Going through is making us!”

As the conversation continued, Tee Bowen introduced a powerful perspective on POISE—the confident composure and steadiness that allow us to remain grounded even when life is pressing us from every direction.

Poise is more than how we appear on the outside. It's how we carry ourselves when the pressure is real.

And the revelation grew deeper.

“There is a way to stand under it all.”

“There's a weight but there is also a balance, the Holy Spirit. Our weight of Glory.”

The weight of what we're carrying may be real, but it is not greater than the God who carries us.

Through Scripture, personal testimonies, and the collective encouragement of the Table, we were reminded to keep our heads lifted, remain in the race, and trust the Lord who has promised never to leave or forsake us.

Don't pitch your tent in the valley.

Don't throw in the towel.

Stay in the ship.

And whatever you do, don't stop trusting God.

Because maturity doesn't mean we never become weary, overwhelmed, or afraid. It means we're learning to respond differently when those moments come.

We're learning to ask for help. To receive encouragement. To govern our spirits. To stand on God's Word. And to allow the Holy Spirit to steady us when life threatens to knock us off balance.

This is what spiritual maturity looks like beyond the teaching.

This is maturity being lived out right before our eyes.

So, Wife, whatever you're carrying today, remember:

The weight is real. The pressure is real. But His glory is greater.

Lift your head.

Find your footing.

And ask the Lord to help you poise yourself under pressure.

Pull up your chair. There's still room at the Table.

October Theme: MATURITY

Scripture Foundations: Psalm 23 | Psalm 24 | Proverbs 16:32 | 1 Peter 4:12 | 2 Corinthians 4:8–10 | 2 Corinthians 4:17 | Philippians 3:12–14 | Mark 4:35–41 | Deuteronomy 31:6