Getting More out of LIfe and Changing the World!

"I want, I want, I want," oftentimes is what we hear more than, "what can I do for you?"

As I was doing a study on giving I read the well known verse in Lk 6:38 NIV, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over..." Many times we stop there, but read what else it says, "...will be poured into your lap. For with what measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Like always I looked to see what The Message said, "Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back - given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."

If everyone would grasp the full intensity of that verse we would be living in a very different world. Not long ago I was riding my bike from my house down to the boardwalk with family. Two of us had gone ahead of the others and a group of people were walking, taking up the entire Oceanfront road. When riding bikes you courteously say, "On your left," or "On your right" when you are going to pass someone. That is what I did and man did I get an earfull.

This group of people just had an attifude that many in our nation have today. That is very sad to say, but truth. We live in a world that believes everyone "owes" them something. It is "their right." This is not the way God intended for us to live. His intension was like the above scripture states, "Give away your life..." Go out of our way to do good and do not "expect" things to happen because of who we are or what we've done.

As believers it is so important that we grasp what the scripture is saying. Take it to heart. Give away our life. Give from our very innermost being. Do good to others. Say a kind word. Go out of our way to speak and give into another person's life. As we do this God will give back into our lives.

Now, we do not give to get. That is not what God meant. He is simply telling us, "Hey, this is what I would like for you to do. And you know what? When you do it look what I will do for you." (Cheryl Turnbull paraphrase) He tells us that He will not only give back, but give back with bonus benefits. As we begin living a life of generosity we will be amazed at the outcome...more people will be generous to us. Don't expect it. Don't look for it. Just let it happen.

If everyone in the world would take hold of that scripture and purposefully be generous, we could change the world!

Live purposefully today and be generous...LET'S CHANGE THE WORLD!

What Kind of a Legacy Will You Leave?

When you think of what is important to you, what comes to mind? Your career? Your family? Your relationships? All of these things are important; but, how will people remember you?

I guess I am thinking of this because my husband's father passed away a week ago, on June 22nd. His life was a life well lived. He and his wife were missionaries in Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. He taught at Vanguard University (when it was known as Southern California College) and worked as Director of International Ministries at CBN, where he retired. In each one of these rolls he was developing and training leaders in their call of ministry. His children have all followed their father's example in serving Christ and he leaves an awesome legacy of love for God and His work; in addition to a great love, compassion and concern for his family.

He was the epitome of Mt. 22:37-39, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind...Love your neighbor as yourself." NIV Bob did this. He loved people. Now, he did embarrass the family, at times, when he was just being friendly. To strike up conversation, he would make a comment about an earring that wasn't in the ear, or a tatoo. Sometimes the comments, made to be comical, could have gotten him into tough situations; but, he wasn't doing it out of meanness, he was doing it to try to connect with the person. He honestly loved people. He made a friend everywhere he went. We all have our ways; but, the majority of his life was loving people and that included his family. He would do anything for his family.

I look at his life...the many travels around the world he took, not only to enjoy, but preach the gospel, the way he loved and provided and took care of his wife, and the way he prayed for his children and grandchildren. That is an awesome legacy.

Looking at his life causes me to take a good look at my own life. Am I showing a love for Christ in all that I do? Am I more concerned about what I am doing and how it is going to turn out, than I am with my relationships with people and even my relationship with Christ? How are people going to remember me? Will I like what they think about me after I am gone?

If we keep those two questions at the forefront of our mind everyday, I believe it would revolutionize the way we do life in general. Sure, set goals and strive to reach them. Enjoy what God has given you. Just don't forget to love God with all your heart, soul and mind; and the people you come in contact with every day as you love yourself. Grasp Mt. 22:37-39, wrap it around mind, plant it in your heart. Live it out daily. Wake up thinking about it. Go to bed thinking about the verses. The last question you should ask yourself before collapsing on your pillow is, "Did I show how much I love God today, by going out of my way to love someone...someone that is hard to love?"

Take that thought with you and change the way you live your life.

Have a Blessed and Loving Day!

Effectively Passing the Baton

As leaders we each have a desire to "pass the baton" to the next generation...or at least we should. I have been thinking on this quite often lately. In order to effectively pass the baton we need to have a passion for ministry...a passion for leadership...but what supersedes it all is a passion for more of Christ. That is the key to being effective at passing on the other two.

We can easily get caught up in our various ministries and trying to lead others, that our passion for those two things overshadow our passion for, just simply, getting more of God. It may seem super simple, but it is so very important to stay on top of this issue. As a minister I like to observe other leaders and how well they are doing at their calling. Now, please do not get me wrong, I am not judging others, I am simply observing how they are representing their calling.

I can speak from experience. A few years ago I was just going through the motions of ministry. It seemed as if everything I was trying to accomplish was being "shot" down by others. Eventually I allowed all that to get to me. Ministry was the last thing I wanted to do. It was too difficult...so I just began living really with no purpose.

We have to be so careful because satan will do whatever he can to discourage us and keep us from the calling God has on our lives. After a year or so I began to feel renewed in my spirit; but, at first I did not want to have anything to do with ministry, or church for that matter. It was hard to pray because I felt as if God had abandoned me. I tell about this in more detail in my self-published book, "Shattering the Glass Walls of the Woman in Ministry."

I thank God continually for the church we were led to attend. The teaching coming out of the church was exactly what my husband and I needed to renew our passion and sense of calling in our lives. Why was this church so different from other churches we attended during the searching period?

To sum it up in one word...PASSION. Everyone was excited about their relationship with God. They were excited about their leadership. They were excited to volunteer. They were excited to be part of the ministry and reaching people. People were accepting Christ in EVERY service and Sunday night services were packed. No cancelling Sunday night service...people wanted to come.

Why? Because the core leadership of the church, not just pastoral leadership, had a passion for what they believed.

Pastor's and leaders can easily become discouraged when it seems as if the people who are following their leadership do not want to get on board with anything they desire. If we are part of a church and we are one of the ones that do not want to get on board with our pastors, we need to ask ourselves the question, "Why?" God has placed this man or woman as our leader and we need to get behind them. They are God's gift to you to lead you.

If we cannot get behind them we are in essence telling God we don't trust His decision for the leader He placed in our midst. We could be adding to the discouragement that could eventually lead to the decision to leave pastoral ministry altogether. (see previous post)

Passion for God is one of the keys to great leadership. When we are excited about what we are doing people will want to get on board.

If we are in a church that cannot get on board and has the attitude, "They're young. Just wait, the excitement will subside," pray for God to give you direction in how to handle the situation. Do not allow this attitude to kill your passion. If you have found yourself in this situation a ministry is being set in place to help you, the minister, so please contact me. We have a desire to help you succeed and continue in your passion for ministry.

It is awesome to serve God! There is no greater fulfillment than to see others grasping hold of the passion of God along with you. God has placed you where you are and will be with you all the way. As ministers we need to "be there" for each other. If you do not have someone in whom you can confide we have resources to help you.

May God bless you as you faithfully serve Him and pass the baton on to generations...a baton of passionate leadership.

How Well are We Doing at Supporting Our Pastors?

In a time when churches are shutting down (4,000 in US last year) and pastors are leaving ministry (1,700 every month last year) we need to rethink this thing we call ministry.

“Last year 1,300 pastors were terminated by the local church each month, many without cause,” Pastoral Care Inc. We find that many denominations cannot find the pastors they need, to fill pulpits of churches. According to Pastoral Care Inc. the number one reason pastors leave the ministry is because the church is not willing to go in the same direction and goal as the pastor.

As a minister and wife of a pastor for twenty-two years I understand these statistics; but something has got to be done to help turn this around.
When ministers first enter ministry they are all excited, they are passionate about the calling God has placed in their heart, and even stick it out for a few years, before they get totally discouraged. It is now said that 50% of all ministers will not last five years in ministry. (That use to be the number youth pastors would move from one ministry to the next.) We also can say that one out of every ten ministers will actually retire as a minister in one form or another. That number is astonishing.

These next numbers made me totally break down crying when I was reading them to my husband…”80% of pastors believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. Many pastor’s children do not attend church now because of what the church has done to their parents,” and “33% state that being in the ministry is an outright hazard to their family,” Pastoral Care Inc. Over the past three years we have had the privilege of sitting under a ministry in Virginia Beach that totally changes this statistic. (If you want more info you can contact me personally at the number or email address below.)

As I look at those statistics, I do realize we are becoming more aware of this, due to the teaching of leaving a legacy and passing leadership on to the generations; but how well are we doing this? I believe that, too often, we mean well and have good intentions, but miss out because we are not willing to do what it takes to move us forward.

God is moving and doing some awesome things in churches that are willing to change their outlook of how they see the pastor and his family. As I did an in depth study on the Book of Acts, studying the early church and how they developed, I took a serious look at how we have developed church. Are we following the example of Peter and Paul? Have we taken what they have shown us and developed the way we think it should look; or are we truly laying aside our desires and really seeking God’s direction?

You see, the early church heard what the apostles were saying and followed their lead. Church, are we looking at our pastor and truly listening to what he/she is saying; and doing and living the way they admonish us? Pastors, are we unreservedly seeking God’s wisdom, not our own, and developing the church of Christ the way He wants? We all need to work together, developing a mighty force that satan cannot reckon with. The only way to do this is by trusting our pastors to lead us, and allowing them the freedom to take us where God desires. If we, as a church, can do this, there is no stopping what God can do.

Pastors are sent to us by God to help us, not hurt us. Instead of being on the low end of respect (statistics show pastors to be near the bottom of most-respected professions, just above car salesman according to Pastoral Care Inc.) we need to respect them, just as we would Moses, David, Deborah, Peter, or Paul. No wonder we are in trouble. Pastors have the total health of the church in mind. They do not want to hurt congregations. Why is it that we have such a hard time truly trusting our leader?

I understand there have been those ministers who have taken advantage of congregations, but they are they the exception, not the norm.

I do not know who might be reading this, but I would like to challenge us to look at our heart. What do we think of our pastor and his/her family? Do we honor them? Do we make it easy for them to lead us, or do we make it hard? Your pastor is there because he/she felt a call of God to lead you, now can you trust them to do it and give them your total support?

Jesus came to give us a “more and better life than we ever dreamed,” Jn 10:10 The Msg. Our pastor is there to help us live out that life. Allow them the freedom to motivate and develop you into spiritual powerhouses transforming the world in which we live.

I pray that something I have written will encourage, motivate, and challenge us in how we do life and ministry. For more information on ways we are helping the pastor and family you can contact me at 757-343-7783 or by email at hstrymknwmn@hotmail.com. The statistics in this article are taken from www.pastoralcareinc.com.

What is God Telling You to Do?

"'Peace be with you.' They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death. He continued with them, 'Don't be upset, and don't let all these doubting questions take over.'" Lk. 24:36-38 Msg

I have read that scripture many times, but never had it jump out like this time.

How many times has God called us to do something and we begin second guessing what He is telling us? Maybe we begin to worry about what other's may think. We may not want to step out and take the risk. It may be that we have become comfortable and satisfied with where we are, and what we are doing. We may even think the vision we have seen in our spirit, is just that...a dream that will never happen. We begin questioning the validity of our dream, our vision. It really scares us to look at our dream. We may even say it is for someone else.

Take Jesus' advice; "Don't be upset, and don't let all these doubting questions take over." He may have been talking to the disciples, but it is also for you and me. Jesus is telling us to not listen to the doubt. Don't question what He is telling us to do. Listen to His call, seek His word for direction, and talk to Him about the vision and dream He has placed in our heart.

He encouraged the disciples. He then commissioned them to share what they had been taught. He told them they were not to keep it to themselves. They were to share with others; starting local, then spreading out globally. Lk 24:44-53

Where are you right now in your life? Think about the vision God is giving you. Are you comfortable where you are in life and ministry; not allowing God to empart vision and dreams?

I would like to challenge you to start dreaming again. You may have had a few flashes of a dream, but brushed it aside, thinking it was impossible. It may have even frightened you because it seemed so out of line, with where you are in life right now. Think about that dream. What was it? What did God flash in your spirit?

Take time to spend time meditating on that dream. Ask God to give you wisdom. Read His Word and ask for clear direction, inspiration; and the courage to move forward in the dream He gave you.

Be encouraged! God knew He could entrust this dream with you or He would never have given it to you. You are not alone. There are women, men, and young people around the world He is entrusting with vision and dreams. May we rise up and do what He has called us to; an unstoppable force, advancing His Kingdom.

God is a Big God: But How Big Do We Allow Him to Be in Our Lives?

I can't believe it is almost the end of May and I haven't written in my blog! The thought: "how big am I allowing God to be in my life," keeps going over and over in my head.

Sure, we all say we serve an awesome God, a big God; but do we really allow Him to be big in us? It is easy to say, but a little harder to do. Jesus, Himself, tells us how big God can be in our lives in John 14:12 of the NIV, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

This scripture has stood out in my mind since I was a teenager, and that's a long time ago. We can do greater things than Jesus because He is going to be with His Father. If Jesus is telling us this, then I think our lives should exhibit the very essence of what God is about.

He is about changing lives from the inside out. He is about compassion. He is about grace. He is about forgiveness. He is about healing, both spiritually and physically.

Too often, I believe we get so caught up in the how of doing things we forget the why. We need to break free of what is holding us down and keeping us from allowing the bigness of God to overflow out of our lives.

In my own life, right now, I am having to daily remind myself of God's bigness in me. That means, allowing Him to work the everyday things of my life out for His glory and honor. I have to remind myself that God is big and He can work in ALL circumstances...as I allow Him the freedom to do just that.

So, how big is God in your life? Is there evidence that He is in control, not you? Is the very essence of God's greatness overflowing from your everyday activities?

Take time to think about how big God is in your life. He is only able to be as big as we allow Him to be.

Who's in Your Top Five?

Who do we share vision with while it is still being developed?

Do we keep it to ourselves?

Do we share a little at a time?

Who is in your circle of influence?

Who is in your top five?

These thoughts are important to the development of our dreams. If not thought through wisely, the outcome could hinder the birth and development of the dream itself.

Our dreams and vision are special to us. They mean a lot to us. They are part of our very being. When we share part of our vision we are sharing part of our heart; so we don't want to share it with someone who will take hearing it lightly. As you share from your heart you are taking a risk...

What if the person you are sharing it with laughs at your dream?

What if they think you are being unrealistic?

What if they think you are just out right stupid?

Those questions are what we have to take into consideration when we share. If we are not careful we may lose our dream and vision because of someone's remark. We may even make a remark to someone else about their dream and vision that might discourage them; so make it a point to always think before you respond to others. We do not want to be the one that bursts a dream in someone's life.

Jerimiah 29:11, "...plans to give you the future you hope for." The MSG

God wants us to succeed and be successful. We just have to be careful who we surround ourselves with and who we allow to influence us. There will be times when we have to pull away from people we have been around a long time. We may have to watch the amount of time we spend with family and friends, because they do not understand how we can expect the things we are expecting. They may not understand our dreams, so be careful how much you share. They may be well meaning, but they may hinder your progress because of the words they say to you.

God has a time for everything. Do not be discouraged if the dream or vision you have for your life isn't happening. God is working in ways you cannot always see. He is even working in your own life, preparing you for the fulfillment of those dreams. Don't be anxious. There are times I tell myself that. God knows more than you know about what He is doing. We simply have to trust and let Him do what He wants.

So, where are you in your dream...in your vision of what God has planned for you? If you're living your dream, don't get too comfortable, God is going to develop more dreams in your life. You have to be willing to allow Him free reign, to do as He pleases.

There is so much He has planned for our lives; we just have to be willing to be stretched, in what we allow Him to do in and through us.

Spend your day dreaming and envisioning your future. What is He saying to you? What is He wanting you to stretch and do? Are you ready and willing to see God move in you?

Well, what are you waiting for? Get going!

What are we Reflecting?

Living by the ocean, or any water for that matter, can be quite inspirational. I have enjoyed the walks on the beach, the bike rides, and waking up to the suns reflection on the water. Although, there have been mornings I wish the sun was not so bright so I could sleep a little while longer.

This morning I woke up thinking about that reflection and how it relates to each of us. It doesn't matter if we believe in Christ or not, our lives reflect something. What is it that is reflecting off of us? Is is Christ? If we call ourselves Christians then Christ should be the brightest reflection coming from our lives. Sure we make mistakes, but those mistakes should be opportunites for growth. If we keep making the same mistakes, something is wrong with our lives. We need to do a little introspective of our spirits and ask God to help us move on.

Since leaving a legacy to the generations is prominent right now, our reflection should be even more important. People are watching how we do life. They are watching how we react in difficult situations. What is our attitude when someone cuts us off while driving? Are we allowing the fruit of the spirit to affectively penetrate our spirits and reflect in our lives?

We may preach and teach about this often, but how close to home does it truly hit? I know that I constantly catch myself in situations where I have a chance to let God's reflection shine through or my own. I pray that more often than not, it is God's.

Mentoring Women in Ministry Weekend Retreat

It has been an incredibly busy time in my life. We just had the second Mentoring Women in Ministry Weekend Retreat of 2009 and it was awesome. God is so amazing. He is working in the lives of women everywhere and I am excited to see what He has in store for the rest of this year.

Women from different areas came together to be refreshed and challenged by one another. The weekend could not have been better. The weather was so nice we were able to sit on the deck overlooking the Atlantic Ocean for the morning sessions, take a walk down the street to eat at Surf Club for lunch overlooking the ocean, then took a walk on the beach. We came back to enjoy the afternoon sessions inside, but still had the relaxing view of the ocean.

We covered many issues directly relating to the woman in ministry, ie her calling, her priorities, her marriage, and much more. The weekend is specifically planned to be relaxed and not rigid on time restraints. It is laid back and open discussion is very important.

If you are a woman in ministry and are able to attend one of the two weekends (July 31-Aug. 1 and Oct. 30 -31) please contact me soon, because space is limited. If you are on Facebook look up Mentoring Women in Ministry for more details.

I wanted to bring one thing to the attention of my readers. There is an awesome opportunity for me to speak to women in ministry and pastors in Ghana. The proceeds of "Shattering the Glass Walls of the Woman in Ministry" and "If the Shoe Fits" will go toward the cost of this trip.

"Shattering the Glass Walls..." takes the woman in ministry through various issues she will face throughout her life in ministry. It is short and easy reading, but meant to be thought provoking and introspective. It is for the veteran woman in ministry or pastor's wife and the woman in ministry just starting on her journey. I honestly believe you will be challenged and encouraged as you read.

"If the Shoe Fits" speaks to every woman and challenges them to allow God to use them in their specific giftings. This book has been used as a tool in my own home. We have a handicapped son that has daily nursing care. I have this book in my son's room for anyone to read. It has been a catalyst for discussion and two of the nurses are now attending church with us regularly.

If you are interested in purchasing the books you can click on the following links to order and have the book shipped directly to you. Remember, all the proceeds of this book go toward the ministry trip I will take to minister to other women in ministry. You may not be able to make a trip such as this, but you can contribute by purchasing the books and assist in reaching people you would not have been able to reach personally. I honestly appreciate whatever you can do. These women are in need of encouragement and support. God has placed this before me and I am grateful for your support through prayers and finances.

Purchase "Shattering the Glass Walls of the Woman in Ministry" here.

Purchase "If the Shoe Fits" here.

Also, if you are in need of a speaker at any of your events I am scheduling for that as well. You can check out my website for more information on me and recommendations, http://www.mentoringwomeninministry.com You may also make a donation through paypal on the website.

Thank you once again for helping to contribute to this ministry. May God bless you richly for your compassion and generosity.

Are We as Intriguing and Intense as "LOST" and "24"?

So...many people are "caught up" in the intrigue of "LOST" and "24" on television. There is nothing wrong with that, because I am "caught up" along with everyone else.

I began thinking about this and several thoughts came to mind in how we can relate the two series to our spiritual life...

Do our lives, as leaders, give people the desire to "tune in" to us weekly? Think about this for a moment. Do we attract people? What do our lives say? What words come from our mouths on a regular basis? I know I like to be around people who can speak into my life positively.

If we are around someone who is constantly negative and draining us, it is not healthy for our spirit. Besides, we usually tend to stay away from them. That is exactly the reason I bring this point up. In order for us to be as intriguing as "Lost" or "24", our lives have to have the excitement, the enthusiasm, and the intensity as these shows.

We just celebrated Easter. Think about what Christ did for us, what opportunities He provided through the cross. That should be all we need to challenge us in our walk with Him and how we represent Him to others. Maybe we provide some of this intrigue in our churches, maybe not; but, if not, we should think about this in light of what we are doing to reach generations.

If we want to attract this generation and generations to come we must develop this intrigue in both our ministries and individual lives. We must be careful to not grow old in our thinking as we mature in our age. Stay young at heart, so you do not miss the opportunity to reach younger people. Besides, by staying young at heart you may just live longer.

Now, there will be some limitations. I would love to learn to kite board, but I remember my age and think it is not a wise thing to do. Plus, my arms aren't that strong! I have gone on a zip line before, but that was about 9 years ago. I still think I could do that, but the adventure hasn't arisen lately.

I say all of that, to challenge you to look at yourself seriously and ask some tough questions. Have you become settled in the way you do life? Are you predictable in how you relate to people, or how you do ministry? Maybe it is time to add a little adventure, a little suspense, to your life...to your ministry. When you do that people will not know what to expect the next time they see you. Hey, they may even start coming around more often, just to see what's going to happen next.

Staying Hydrated in the Race of Life

I woke up this morning with the thought: "Challenges we face are opportunities for us to grow stronger and see the hand of God in our life." Later in the afternoon as I was walking I thought of a lesson I learned from my son when he ran cross country in high school.

When you are training for a race it is important to hydrate the day before, because that is what will sustain you through the race. Now, Christine Caine has written a book called "Run to Win," which is an excellent read for any Christian. It relates running a race to the Christian life. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend the read. She talks about conditioning and all that relates to the runner.

I want to point out something else relating to a race and the Christian life...being prepared for the race by taking in enough fluids. Coaches will tell you to drink plenty of fluids the day before a race. As Christians we need to follow this example by staying spiritally hydrated with the Word of God...with Christ, who is the Living Water.

By staying in the Word and absorbing what God is telling us through Scripture we are preparing for the race of life...the race of a Believer. When the obstacles and challenges come at us, we will have what we need in order to stay in the race; just like a runner needs the fluids to make it to the finish line.

It is very important that we never think we don't need to read the Word or pray: "Oh, I can skip it today. I will do it later." We need to be careful to not take either of them lightly. They are what will sustain us through, to the finish line. When the obstacles and challenges come at us, we will be able to pull from the strength our training has given us.

If we have been slack in our training, it will be evident in the way we deal with difficult circumstances. It will be evident in the way we respond to our family...our friends...our collegues. We cannot lie about how much, or how little we have trained. Our lives will tell the truth.

So...how are we dealing with life? What are we going through right now? Are we running strong, or are we a little weary? Maybe all we need is this blog to remind us to pick up our Bible and read. Maybe this is a reminder to spend more time alone with God worshipping Him for Who He is, not for what He has done. Maybe we need to just be still and listen to the "still small voice."

As we do these things we are going to be replenished. We will be reminded that we can move forward; we do not have to stay discouraged.

The obstacle or challenge we are facing at the moment is just an opportunity for us to grow stronger and see God at work in our life!

Crossing into the Promised Land

Be strong and courageous as Joshua chapter one tells us. Don't be afraid to cross over into your promised land. You know, each one of us has a very different promised land. If we were all the same, life would be boring.

What is it God has called you to? Are you still standing on this side of the water just looking at the other side, dreaming? Be strong. Be courageous. Stand in awe of what God has in store for you. If it were an easy task it really would not be worth the effort. Thank God that He has given you the ability to have vision, to dream and set goals.

Ask yourself the following question:

"Am I living in my promised land, or am I settling for life as it is now?"

What is it you need to do to become more bold? Maybe you are in a place where God is telling you to sit still and learn at His feet. Some of the time that is the best place to be. To some that would be a bold move...to sit and be still. God may have you in a place where you are to soak in from others and not "do" anything right now. That is ok. He is preparing you. Believe me, I had to learn to accept that process.

To others, maybe you have sat too long and God is trying to get you to move, because you are ready. It is your time. Now get up and get going. The sky is the limit with you and God. Your imagination is the only thing that is holding you back. Cross over to the other side into your Promised Land and let God be glorified.

I would love to hear some stories of what God is doing in your life. Are you at the sitting still point, or are you crossing over? Share with us so we can learn from you.

What Does Your Life Say?

Today I saw a status on facebook from the daughter of a friend of mine. It read, "There's so much more at stake here than whether I live or die." It was a quote from the girls aunt, also a friend of mine. She had cancer and fought and overcame it; but it came back and eventually God thought best to take her home with Him.

That so illustrates the point I have made in past posts. What is the legacy that we are leaving to those who follow us? This woman would go and speak to people regarding her fight for life and minister to many who were touched by her ministry. I thought of the passages of 2 Kings about Elijah and Elisha.

What a legacy Elijah left Elisha. 2 Kings 2 tells us in The Messge that Elijah told Elisha three times to "stay here" and Elisha said "not on your life. I'm not letting you out of my sight." Because of this detemination Elisha received the request he had of having a "double portion" of Elijah's anointing.

Do we have the determination of Elisha? When we see other's with God's anointing flowing from their lives do we observe how they do life? Do we ask God to bless us and anoint us in that way or better? I do not believe it is wrong for us to do just that...ask God to anoint us, to bless us with His anointing and presence.

The key is to not use it for personal gain. We should strictly ask in order to advance the kingdom of God. When people look at us what do they see? A person totally captivated by God and His will, or a person totally captivated by selfish ambition and desires?

As we go throughout our day keep this thought in mind, "God give me an anointing so powerful others will see you in me in every decision I make."

Remember, "There's so much more at stake here than whether I live or die." Vicki Qualls. Thanks Jessica for posting that on your status. It brought back great memories.

God's Grace...Like a Man Opening a Door for a Woman

Hmmm...do men still open doors for women? Yes, they do...just not like in the past. In my opinion, it is mostly the woman's fault for this courteousness to have almost been lost. Women had the opinion they could do everything.

Women have the capability to do many things and be great multi-taskers; but, if not careful this ability will cause them to miss out on great relationships and blessings. It can cause them to forget their need to rely upon others for support and strength.As I was thinking about God's grace the picture of the man opening the door for the woman came to mind. The man is being kind and courteous to the woman, not because she is weak and incapable of opening the door, but because he respects her and wants to show her how much she is valued.

God looks at us and sees how valued we are as men and women and opens the door to His heart through His grace. We don't deserve it; but, we need it. He just might be looking at us and saying, "I know you can do this life on your own. You are perfectly capable; but, I want to do this life with you. I want to support you and make it a little less stressful." Too often we try to do everything on our own, when God is calling us to allow Him to help us.

We possibly think we have done too many bad things in the past and God doesn't want to help us. Maybe we regret where we've been and people we associated with. Nothing we have done in our lives will shock God. He is God. He has seen it all. It may hurt Him, but it doesn't shock Him.

If you have been following my blog you know I have been studying leadership in the Old Testament. For the past few months I have been in Kings and Chronicles, as well as Jeremiah. The one thing that has stood out in what I have been reading lately is how God compared the various kings to David. He states several times that because a particular king did not follow the example of David; following after God, obeying His orders with an undivided heart, the kingship would be ripped from him. In some instances the kings family would be destroyed because of their blatant sin.

David was not without sin. That is the point. He purposefully sinned and then tried to cover the one sin by doing another. (2 Sam. 11 & 12) He should have been put to death because of it; BUT GOD. We see those two words often in scripture. God's grace came through.

Why does David stand out so much? Because he had a genuine heart after God. He understood when he was wrong and deeply repented of the wrong. When you read what he wrote you can see the deep relationship he had with God. He spoke from his heart. He learned from his mistakes and allowed God to take him into a deeper relationship with Him.

There are some people reading that have allowed their past to hinder what God wants to do in and through their lives. God's grace is abundant. If you have a heart like David and have truly repented God wants to help you move on. He is opening the door for you now. He is the gentleman that is saying, "I value you. You are special to me. Allow me to show you what I want for your life. I want to do this for you, not because I have to, or I am suppose to, I want to."

So, as you go through your day allow the Holy Spirit to heal your soul and renew your mind. Give God the opportunity to use you in ways you never dreamed or thought possible!

God's Up to Something Bigger Than Me...

Even though the inside is covered up it needs to be just as spectacular as the outside. Solomon was having The Temple built. It took four years to gather all that was needed to just begin building. (I Kings 6) The chapter tells us about the process of building. Everything was the best of the best. Solomon wanted to build a sactuary to God that was spectacular.

We read in First Kings chapter 6 verse 18 that the stones used for building the temple were covered completely by cedar. No stone was to be seen. This did not mean the stone was not important, just the opposite. In I Kings 5:17 we read that men were instructed to get the best stone and dress it for the foundation of The Temple. Solomon was not going to have anything but the best for The Temple he was building to house the presence of God.

As I read that passage I thought of our lives. We are the temple of God; His presence resides in each of us. (1Cor. 3:19, 6:19; 2Cor. 6:16) Usually we have a desire to take care of the outside of our bodies because people actually see us. We have to have the best clothes, the best accessories, the best shoes (of course), the best car...the best everything, because we care about what others see and think of us. But what about our inner lives; the stone of our existance. Have we allowed only the best to enter our heart and spirit?

Because of the busyness of our lives we can often go through the motions of Christianity and leadership. We can act like we are serving; but is our heart really serving, or do we secretly resent what we are doing? This is very easy to do without realizing what we are allowing to happen. We may feel as if things should be done differently, so we harbor hurt feelings. That is not healthy.

Remember only the best for the foundation of our spiritual lives. We can learn this lesson from Solomon. He used the best stone, but then he covered it up with cedar. No stone was exposed. When we have spent time in the presence of God and allowed Him to carve us; to chip away the impurities and roughness of our lives, we will live blessed and fulfilled lives. It will not matter to us what is going on around us because we have been carved by God.

Our appearance on the outside is just as important. We learn that from Solomon as well. He was blessed with the friendship of the King of Tyre, and had all the best cedar and timber he needed for building The Temple. The overall appearance of our lives is so very important, but we do not start from the outside in. We begin from the inside out. This is how we are going to reach generations. Instruct them and influence them to get to know God intimately and develop a strong inner spirit. God will develop them into who He desires them to be.

What is going on in our inner spirit? Is God up to something? Do you feel as if you are going to burst? Maybe you have allowed your spirit to become complacent and settled. Maybe you feel as if God is trying to tell you something. He is wanting to take you to a deeper place in Him, developing strength and courage inside of you. Don't be afraid of change. It may even be chaotic. That is God doing something amazing in you. Allow Him to continue. Ask Him to give you the sensitivity to listen to what He is saying.

Many times people become afraid of that chaotic feeling; they turn away, not allowing their spirit to be quiet and hear what God is saying. I have inserted a video that explains this concept so well. Listen to it with an open heart. God is up to something bigger than you. Are you being still and letting God work on the stone foundation of you spirit? If you are then expect God to do awesome things for you in the very near future.

Whatever You're doing inside of me; it feels like chaos, but I believe.
You're up to something bigger than me; larger than life, something heavenly.
Whatever You're doing inside of me; it feels like chaos, but now I can see.
This is something bigger than me; larger than life, something heavenly. Sanctus Real

Shut the Door to our Past and Move Forward!

We may be going along in our lives and all of a sudden the direction of our lives change. That is definitely what happened to Noah. He was just living life. Walking with God. Doing what he knew to do.

One day God decides to change the course of his life. He not only changes the course, he shuts the door to his past. Genesis 7:16, "...Then, God shut the door behind him." The Message God knew what the human emotions could do...they feel sorry for people, they hurt, they want to make things better...

God shut the door so tight that no one could get in or out. When the people outside the ark began to cry out and scream the human nature of Noah and his family would have been tempted to open the door to assist those hurting people on the outside. We can be the very same way. God changes the direction of our lives, of our ministries and He wants us to allow Him to shut the door to our past.

Do not listen to those who are crying out saying, "Let me come with you." God desires for you to allow Him to "shut the door" and follow His direction into the future He has for you. Noah had no idea what was going to happen to him and his family. God was destroying all of mankind as Noah knew it...no more human beings, other than he and his family. What was that going to be like?

We may be going in a direction where we are alone for a season, while God trains us in the area to which He is calling us. Simply trust Him as Noah did and allow God to teach you awesome truths about yourself and the work you are going to do. Here is what God did for Noah and his family.

"Prosper! Reproduce! Fill the earth! Every living crature - birds, animals, fish - will fall under your spell and be afraid of you. You're responsible for the...You're here to bear fruit, reproduce, lavish life on the earth, live bountifully!" Gen. 9:1-7 The Message

As we follow God's direction he will prosper us in what we are doing. Our lives are to reproduce. What are we learning? What are we reproducing? Are we allowing the things God is teaching us to reproduce in our lives? This is very important for the health of generations to come. If we do not pass on what God has blessed us with we are not living up to our full potential in Christ. Make that a part of our everyday life. When other's look at the way we do life give them reason to say, "I want what she has," "I want to be like her."

Remember to allow God to shut the door to your past, so you will not be distracted and lose focus on His direction for your life. Seek Him with every part of your being and allow the Holy Spirit to mold you and shape you into awesome women of God, called for His purpose.

Say What?

Has anyone ever told you to do something that really you thought was crazy? Maybe you had a desire to do something those closest to you thought was stupid or unrealistic. They may think the profession you have chosen for your life is not the best because you either don't have the ability, or it isn't a good way to bring in an income.

Maybe you have a dream that only you can imagine.What are you doing about it? Have you allowed what others have told you to stop you from proceeding and doing what is in your heart?

As believers God gives us dreams. He gives us vision. That is the way of life for the believer. He gives us purpose.

After God created mankind He became disheartened by what He saw happening to His creation. He was disappointed in what He saw when He looked upon earth, except when it came to Noah. Noah "found favor in the eyes of the Lord." Gen. 6:8 NIV The Messages says, "Noah was different. God liked what He saw in Noah."

When God looks at us does He like what He sees? It doesn't matter what other people see as long as God likes looking at us and sees the potential we have in Him. Noah was righteous and walked with God. (Gen. 6:19) Noah was human, so I know he made mistakes; so when we fail and make mistakes, acknowedge them and move forward. John Maxwell calls that "failing forward."

Noah also listened to God's instruction and did everything He told him to do. Try to imagine what it would be like to be Noah...you are living your life, minding your own business. You are having your quiet time with God and He tells you He is tired and fed up with the human race, so He is going to destroy it. What kind of a reaction would you have? That is hard to imagine, but first off I think I would be speechless and not know how to react. I might think, "Are you serious?" The Bible doesn't really tell us how Noah reacted, it is left for us to use our own imaginations.

So often when we read scripture we read it like it is just words on a page, with no personality. I believe in order to truly understand what we are reading, we need to look at the circumstances surrounding what we are reading, and put ourselves in the situation. When we do that we can understand it so much better. Now, with that being said, how would you react? What would you do or say?

Well, all we read is how Noah listened to God tell him to build a huge boat (an ark) that was to be 450 feet long and 75 feet high and 45 feet wide. Now remember, up until this time there has not been a boat that size, maybe not even a boat. God was asking Noah to build a cruise ship for animal's and a few people! God continues on by telling Noah He is establishing a covenant with him, he and his family will board the boat and will take on board all the animals he tells him to take. Genesis chapter six of The Message ends with, "Noah did everything God commanded Him to do."

Ok, now the Bible again doesn't go into detail on what happens while Noah is building the ark; but, again, use your imagination. It could be that Noah's closest friends came up and questioned him, saying he was being ridiculous, maybe even losing his mind. His sons and their families were more than likely ridiculed as well.

Do those closest to you talk down the dreams you have of doing amazing things and accomplishing awesome goals? DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM. GOD HAS CREATED YOU FOR A PURPOSE AND WANTS TO SEE YOU DO EXACTLY WHAT HE IS TELLING YOU. Do not allow other people's insecurities keep you from accomplishing what God has designed you for.

I did a google search on "They Said I Couldn't" and I found this story of a young girl from Tennessee desiring to be a country singer. Dolly Parton was her idol. She described herself as "dorky." Well, this girl attended a drama summer camp in upstate New York one year. Despite 3 years of singing lessons at the end of the summer camp her coaches told her to forget about singing. They suggested she think of another career. She was an impressionable young girl and took these "professionals" words to heart.

When she arrived home her mother would not let her feel sorry for herself and her dad encouraged her to achieve in school. That is what she did and was accepted at Stanford University. When she was 19 she got a part in a low budget movie Freeway, which led to a role in the movie Pleasantville. She decided that if she couldn't sing she would "play to your strengths" and "focus on what you're good at. Celebrate yourself." That is exactly what she did. This actress, Reese Witherspoon, was cast in the role of June Carter in the movie "Walk the Line;" where she played a country singer.

I know that story is not so spiritual; but, how much more should we do what she did as believers. When those around us tell us we can't do a certain thing and you know it is something God has placed in your heart...GO FOR IT! DO NOT GIVE UP! It may not come about the way you planned; but listen to God, follow His instruction and He will get you where you need to be, in order to fulfill the dream He placed within you.

What are you doing, right now, that is setting you up to do what God is calling you to? It may not look like you will ever get there, but do not stop what you are doing. What you are doing NOW is preparing you for when God brings about His dream in you. Listen to God's instruction. Follow His advise. Do everything He commands, even if it doesn't look like much. Do not lose hope. God is still with you, even though what you are doing may not seem like much. With God behind you it will be amazing.

Remember, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Phil. 4:13 NIV

Next post we will learn more from Noah's encounter with God and the ark.

Blessings!

Contentment vs Striving for the Goal

It is a wise person who knows how to be content in their circumstance; yet, striving to reach the goal, to which God has called them.

Our lives can be like a tug of war with contentment on one side pulling for our attention and stiving on the other side pulling for equal time.

Now, there are those who are content with where they are...they are comfortable and don't want to "rock the boat." Things are fine, so don't mess with a good thing.

On the other hand, there are those who can't seem to relax. They are always on the go, but are they doing anything?

I am reminded of a human video our youth did several years back to an Insyderz song. There were several teens on either side of a person in the middle...one side representing evil, negative things in our lives...the other representing good, positive things in our lives...the one in the middle having to make the decision on which way to go.

If we are in ministry, or just a person living the Christian life, we are the person in the middle of contentment of where we are and striving/reaching for the goals we set. They are both tugging at us, vying for our attention, pulling us to their side. In the end we need to make up our mind to balance our lives. it is so important to make sure we are content where God has us at this time in our lives; yet still striving to reach the goals He has given us.

Being content doesn't mean being lazy. Being content means KNOWING WE ARE IN GOD'S WILL and doing what we can, at this point in our life, to position ourself where we need to be, to reach our goals. We need to be taking in all we can to absorb what He is teaching us; doing a little at a time to get to where He is taking us.

Don't rush it. Be available and ready for when He say...NOW.

That is hard to do if you are a doer, or someone who has to be in the midst of the action. Sometimes God just wants us to be on the sidelines, observing and gathering information. During these times we need to do what we can; but soak up as much of what He is showing us as we can. That way when He is ready to "let us loose" with His plan we will be ready.

So, think about our arms being stretched in opposite directions by contentment and striving for the goal. Ask God to help us relax and do what we can, where we are, so we will be ready to do what He has called us to in His time.

Phil. 4:13, "I've learned by now to be quite content..." The Message

Phil. 3:12-14, "...I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ...I've got my eye on the goal...I'm off and running...I'm not turning back." The Message

Paul had learned both...he was content, but look what he did for the church world!

Rebuilding Our Lives!

"This is stupid!"

"I can't believe I have to do this!"

"Why do I have to do this? Why can't someone else? Don't they know who I am?"

We have all been in situations where we have thought those same thoughts, or something similar, before. Hopefully, we have matured past these thoughts. In our journey as leaders there will be days when we just don't get it. It seems as if nothing is ever going to be like we thought it would be.

Our lives are inundated with aspects of ministry, but is this really what God wants for us? The Israelites were in the midst of captivity for seventy years. The only thing that probably kept them going was knowing in seventy years this all would be over. Still, seventy years is a long time. Some of the ones who came into captivity would die before they saw God's promise fulfilled. To be honest, it was probably difficult not to get weary.

The promise was God's redemption. God says, "Once the seventy years is up, I'll punish the king of Babylon and the whole nation of Babylon for their sin. Then they'll be the wasteland...They won't get by with anything." Jer. 25:12-14 The Message

When it seems as if we are never going to get out of the situations we are in, we have the promise that God will come through.

The key is this:

We have to make sure we have set our eyes, our spirits, on seeking God and His will, not ours. Seek Him with all our heart. He says that when we look for Him we'll find Him. When we call on Him and pray He will listen. When we truly get serious about finding God and want Him more than anything else, He will make sure we are not disappointed. Jer. 29:10-14

Over the years I have pondered why we, as believers, do not see more miracles around us. Is it because we have so much going on in our lives we do not take the time to seek God with ALL our hearts? Are we so busy doing ministry we do not allow us to be who God so desires?

Take time to search our hearts and ask God to reveal to us what we need to do in order to become who He wants. When we do this He will show up. Pray for those who are giving us a hard time. Pray for blessings on them. God told the Israelites to pray for Babylon, that things would go well for, not only Babylon, but them as well. Jer. 29:7

We need to make ourselves at home, because God will restore and bless us in His time. Pray for those who are giving us a hard time. Pray for the parishoner that is always "on our case." Pray for our children who are "driving us crazy."

He says in Jer. 30:10, "...find life good, safe and secure." "I'll come with healing, curing the incurable." v17 "I'll compassionately come in and rebuild homes...things will get better and better...they'll thrive, they'll flourish..." vv18-21

"...You'll be my very own people, I'll be your very own God." Jer. 30:22

Jeremiah chapter 31 is awesome! God says he will restore and the people of Israel can resume their singing. Their lives will be like a well watered garden. He is going to make sure His people have more than enough. He is going to create a new thing. He will restore tired bodies and tired souls.

What is going on in our lives right now? Are we weary? Are our bodies tired and worn out? Have we been doing ministry because it is our responsibility and duty? Have we lost the joy of ministry? Are attitudes of people getting to us? Be encouraged and read through Jeremiah 24 through 31.

God is with us. We are where God wants us to be. Allow Him to speak to our spirit and restore our soul.

"'Be ready. The time's coming'-God's Decree-'when I will plant people and animals in Israel and Judah, just as a farmer plants seed. And in the same way that earlier I relentlessly pulled up and tore down, took apart and demolished, so now I am sticking with them as they start over, building and planting.'" Jer. 31:24-28 The Message

"This is the brand-new covenant that I will make with Israel when the time comes. I will put my law within them - write it on their hearts! - and be their God. And they will be my people...They'll know me firsthand..." Jer. 31:33-34 The Message

Wherever we are right now in ministry God is with us. If we feel broken and torn down; God is here for us, to rebuild and give us a new start. He loves each of us deeply. He knows the plans He has for us...plans to take care of us and give us a the future we hope for.

Be encouraged and blessed! You are on the edge of great breakthroughs with God!

Shut up! Let God Speak!

Last post was seeing God's purpose in our lives, even when circumstances are not so great. God's purpose prevails. This post we are going to read about God's intervention in our lives.

Again God was telling Jeremiah what to tell the people. Throughout chapters 24 - 28 Jeremiah is warning the people to repent and maybe God will hear them and not be so harsh. When we get to chapter 29 Jeremiah sends a letter to the exiles in Babylon explaining what God wants them to do;

"Build houses and make yourselves at home. Put in gardens and eat what grows in that country. Marry and have chidren. Encourage your children to marry and have children so that you'll thrive in that country and not waste away. Make yourselves at home there and work for the country's welfare. Pray for Babylon's well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you." Jer. 29:5-7 The Message

Wherever we are in our lives...if we feel we are not going anywhere...if we feel we are suppose to be doing something other than what we are doing right now...if things just seem to be falling apart...take heart. Listen to what God says, "Make yourselves at home there and work for the country's welfare."v 7 Maybe we are sitting under the leadership of a ministry and we want to be on our own..."work for the country's (ministry's) welfare." God is with us.

Listen to what He wants to teach us. Glean from the ministry. We need to take in all we can, BUT also give our time and energy to help that ministry. Do life well. Allow God to mold us into the person He wants us to be; not what we want to be.

Jeremiah 29:10 tells us that Babylon is going to flourish and be blessed for seventy years...not a day more...not a day less. So the people of Israel had better learn to adjust.

Are we learning to adjust? Are we making it hard on ourselves? God doesn't want us to do that. That is not his plan. His plan is for us to be blessed along with the ministry we are in. Take in all we can. And when the time that God has for us to be in that place is up, and no sooner, we will be free to do what God intended in the beginning.

It is so encouraging; read what He says, "'I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed.' God's decree. 'I'll turn things around for you...You can count on it.'"" Jeremiah 29:10-14 The Message

So here is what we get out of all this. Israel did their own thing. Jer. 25:7 They did not care about what God wanted. They listened to the "prophets" that told them what they wanted to hear.

How often do we only listen to what we want to listen to, not what God is truly saying? We get caught up in what we think is God, but the reality is...it is our own desires. It is not wrong to have our own desires and dreams; the key is...have we been in touch with God in our prayer and Bible study? "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God!" Pr. 3:5-7 The Message

We see in all these passages God's intervention. He knows what He is doing. We usually don't. In the ministry I am doing at this time I don't have any idea where God is taking me; but, I do know this...He is in control. I am taking one step (day) at a time and as He gives me ideas I plan them, pray over them, do what I can and leave them in His hands to bring things about in His timing.

Here is what we need to do in order for God to be able to intervene in our lives:

1- Change the way we're doing life - if we are not doing life the way He wants.
2- Change our behavior to conform to His, don't be rebellious and "do our own thing."
3- Listen to God's message and what He is telling us, not the message we want to hear.

When we begin doing these things we will see...God's redemption...which will be the next post.

Be Blessed!

Really? This is what God wants? This is His Purpose for Me?

Many times we are in the midst of life and wonder..."Is this really where I am suppose to be?"

We may even think God has made a mistake, or we have missed His direction. Hang on a minute, because that is not what Jeremiah tells us in Jeremiah chapters 24 - 29.

Many of us know the scripture, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer. 29:11 NIV

Have we looked at the scriptures leading up to that scripture and really thought it through and applied it to our own lives?

God tells Jeremiah that He (God) is the one that sent the Israelites into exile to Babylon. But, He also says "...I'll make sure they get good treatment. I'll keep my eye on them so that their lives are good, and I'll bring them back to this land. I'll build them up, not tear them down; I'll plant them, not uproot them." 24:1-6 The Message

The other scripture we all know, "And I'll give them a heart to know me, God. They'll be my people and I'll be their God, for they'll have returned to me with all their hearts." Jer. 24:7 The Message

Up to this point Israel was doing their own thing...prophets proclaiming to be sent by God, but only telling the people what they wanted to hear. They didn't want to listen to Jeremiah, the one who was truly God's messenger.

God had enough! So, He did something about it.

How often do we do things "in God's name," but it is more our own initiative and not His? As minister's, women called by God, and leaders we need to be careful what we say is of God. We will have to be accountable for how we have led people.

God's purpose will be fulfilled. We may get caught up in how things are done or have been done and miss where God is taking us; where He is leading us. It may take some chaotic circumstance to get us back on track; but, again, He is leading. We may need to be pushed into hearing Him and seeing where He is leading. Be encouraged, though, because He did it with the Israelites in Jeremiah's time.

Where are we right now in our walk with God?

Where are we in our ministries?

Where are we in listening to God's voice?

Take time to seriously look at our spirit. Be open enough to hear the truth about where we are spiritually. Just because we are ministers and leaders does not exempt us from being led astray; in fact satan will try even harder to lead us astray. He is a deceiver and can make the decisions we make seem ok and of God, when really they aren't. Our marriages and our children are vulnerable to various kinds of attacks from satan. We need to be alert and "on guard lest you lose your footing and get swept off your feet." I Pt. 3:17 The Message

Be strong in spirit and how we deal with circumstances in our lives.

Remember, wherever we are right now, if we are seeking God honestly and sincerely (Jer. 24:7) He will be there for us.

This post has been focused on seeing God's purpose in our lives, even when things seem to be going wrong. In the next post we will see God's intervention in our lives.

Pattern for Christlike Living

As believers we can often get caught in the routine of doing life and just go through the motions of our relationship with the Lord. If we are leaders in our church we challenge people to accept the Lord into their heart and then teach and preach about giving our tithes and offerings. This is all true and good, but do we preach and teach fasting just as much?

Now, in the past, I would take our youth on weekend fasts in which we had nothing but water and broke the fast by sharing communion. Our focus was on prayer, worship, and reading the Word.

Recently I read a book on fasting by Jentezen Franklin titled, "fasting". It is a great book and he brought out a good point regarding Matthew 6. This is part of the Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus is teaching how we should live as believers. In Mt. 6:1-4 Jesus talks about giving, in Mt. 6:5-15 He teaches us how we should pray, and in Mt. 6:16-18 He advises us on how to fast.

Rev. Franklin says on page 11 that Jesus provided a "pattern by which each of us is to live as a child of God. That pattern addressed three specific duties of a Christian: giving, praying, and fasting. Jesus said, "When you give..." and "When you pray..." and "When you fast..." He made it clear that fasting, like giving and praying, was a normal part of Christian life. As much attention should be given to fasting as is given to giving and praying."

You see Jesus didn't say "if" you give, pray, or fast. He said "when." He was telling us this is our routine. This is the way we should live our lives...doing these three things. I have fasted over the years, but not regularly. I have been challenged in my thinking to make fasting a regular part of my life.

Fasting focuses us on God. If you can get past the 2nd day of a fast the 3rd day is not so bad and you will be amazed at how you can make it to day 7. I know of others who have gone longer, but the purpose is mainly for your walk with God. When I was a youth pastor I challenged my kids to give up sodas for a period of time, or whatever meant a lot to them; to help them grasp hold of the concept and build from there.

As women and as leaders I would like to challenge your thinking in regard to fasting. When was the last time you fasted? Have you ever fasted? Why would Jesus put it in the Bible and do it Himself if He didn't want us to follow His example?

When you begin to fast and avoid those meals spend time in the Word and praying. Go for a prayer walk. Seek God. He will help you through. It is hard when you have to fix meals for your family and you are on a fast, BUT YOU CAN DO IT. God will help you through. I have been there, done that:) He is faithful. You will be amazed at what He will do in your spiritual life, your family, your finances, your job. God honors what you give or give up for Him.

He loves us and wants the best for us. I am glad I can give Him a little of myself in the area of fasting to show Him how much He means to me. He doesn't expect it from us, but He will reward what we give.

This is not an indepth study on fasting. I just wanted to get your thoughts thinking about this aspect of our walk with Christ. If you get the book I am sure you will enjoy every word.

Let me know if you have thoughts or insight on this.

You are Significantly Important!

In the previous post we learned that Israel had not been taught effectively to follow after God. They didn't know anything about what God had done for their ancestors. Judges 3:1 opens up saying, "These are the nations that God left there, using them to test the Israelites who had no experience in the Canaanite wars. He did it to train the descendants of Israel, the ones who had no battle experience, in the art of war..."

Israel didn't listen, they lived among the people whom God wanted them to conquer and ended up serving them for 8 years. They cried out to God and God raised up Caleb's nephew, Othniel, who rallied Israel and God helped them conquer. Because of this the land was quiet for 40 years.

But, again Israel turned their back on God. Again they cried out to God and God raised up Ehud who was their savior. (Judges 3:12) Israel had no problem for 80 years.

Now we come to Shamgar in Judges 3:31. Only one verse was given to him...only one, but look what he did. "Using a cattle prod, he killed 600 Philistines single-handed. He too saved Israel."

Have you ever felt like you were getting nowhere, or insignificant, in what you were doing? Everything you set out doing seems to be for nothing?

Well, I am here to encourage you to keep going, keep doing what you're doing, don't give up. Who knows when it will be your time to shine?

We do not know anything about Shamgar except for that one verse in Judges 3:31, but what we do know is awesome. "He too saved Israel."

For 80 years there was no problem. Israel was quiet. We have no idea how long God had patience with Israel before Shamgar came on the scene, but when he came he made sure he was not going to be forgotten. With his bare hands he killed 600 Philistines. Can you imagine the anger inside of him? He was one angry man filled with righteous indignation...in other words he had the strength of God in him.

We may not know who you are. We are all individuals with God inside of us. Take encouragement from Shamgar. Do life like normal. Go through your routine. Seek God. Do what you know is right. There will come a time in your life when you are in the right place at the right time for God to do exactly what He wants you to do. The key is keep doing what you are doing, and leave the rest up to God.

Your responsibility is to seek God through prayer, reading the Word, giving, even fasting at times, and He will guide your steps. He will cause everything to "fall into place" when they are suppose to.

Shamgar was important enough to put in the Bible. In The Message he is only written about on 1 1/2 lines with a heading. He was not insignificant. He had a purpose and fulfilled it the way God desired.

Each one of us is significantly important to God. Do not ever think differently. When you begin to forget this think about Shamgar and the following scriptures.

"There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears." Phil. 1:6 The Message

"We're the best of friends, and I pray for good fortune in everything you do, and for your good health - that your everyday affairs prosper, as well as your soul!" 3 Jn 2 The Message

May you be blessed today understanding that YOU ARE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPORTANT to God.

Influence in Tough Times

Have you thought about killing 600 people with your bare hands? I know there are times when people can make you feel like you want to kill them, but I don't think any of us have ever even thought about killing 600 people. If we actually did we would be locked up away from people for the rest of our lives.

As I was reading in Judges; getting a little background on what took place in Israel, before Deborah came on the scene as judge, I came across Shamgar.

Now here is a little background of what took place with Israel before we hear of Shamgar. Joshua 24:28 & Judges 2:6 tell us that Joshua dismissed the people to his own place of inheritance. Joshua 24:29-30 & Judges 2:6-9 tell us of Joshua's death and that he was 110 years old when he died.

The people of Israel served and "worshiped God throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the leaders who survived him, leaders who had been in on all of God's great work that he had done for Israel." (Joshua 24:31 & Judges 2:7 The Message)

In Judges 2:10 we read that the entire generation that had come through with Joshua died. There is something to learn in this next statement, "Then another generation grew up that didn't know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel." The Message

Joshua was a great leader and God used him in an awesome way, but he was not successful in passing on leadership to the next generation. He may have influenced and taught those directly following him, but he did not impress the importance of passing on what God had done for this people.

God told Israel to "Write these commandments that I've given you on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street...When God, your God, usheres you into the land he promised through your ancestors...you're going to walk into large, bustling cities you didn't build, well-furnished houses you didn't buy...when you take it all in and settle down...make sure you don't forget how you got there - God brought you out of slavery in Egypt." Deut. 6:6-9 The Message

Israel did not pass on what God had asked them. They got caught up in living...in doing life...and forgot to talk about what God had done for their grandparents and those before them.

How are we doing life? Have we become so busy we forget to pass on the goodness of God in our lives? Our children are watching us. They are watching how well, or not so well, we do life. It doesn't matter how old they are, they watch.

An example of this happened over Christmas, right before we were to leave for our vacation. The day we were to leave our son, Daniel, had blood in his urine. We weren't sure what we were going to do. Our oldest son, Jon, didn't want to go on the trip if Daniel was back in the hospital. None of us did because we couldn't relax and enjoy ourselves. So, I got everyone in a circle, held hands, and started praying. I was rebuking satan...really taking authority, and telling him he had no right to come against us. I prayed for Daniel to be ok and the bleeding to stop. When my husband, Stan, took Daniel to our doctor there was no blood in Daniel's urine. He was fine.

Now, I didn't think anything of this. I just did it. While we were away, our daughter, Catherine, made comments like, "watch out mom's going to do an exercism," and laugh about it. Any time we would pray we would make a light hearted joke about what happened. After Christmas, when their cell group at church met for their Bible study, Catherine spoke. She used that example of prayer as one of her examples in her study.

While we were on the trip in the Dominican Republic we came across a group of school children from a local church. Our kids, we all, were amazed to learn they knew of my husband's mom and dad, who were Assemblies of God missionaries there years ago. That is a legacy to leave.

My point is this: you never know when, or how you are going to influence your family, so live each day with that thought in mind. Make it second nature to you. I am certainly not one to say I have done everything right, because I haven't. We all have areas in our lives we need to work on, but there are also those areas that are positive and encouraging to our children.

Remember we are leaving a legacy for them. I do not want to be like Israel and forget to mention what God has done for our generation and those before. I do not want to have my kids have to have God intervene because they have not followed after Him, because of my neglegence.

As we read on in Judges chapter two God's anger blazed against Israel. (v20) There is so much to take out of Judges 2:11-15, so take time to read it.

Ok, we haven't heard much of Shamgar...so that means you'll just have to stop back by. I promise I will write about him next. I think you will be blessed by him. There was just too much that happened leading up to him...so stay tuned.

Blessings and come back...for the rest of the story!

Purposeful Positioning

What are you expecting in 2009?

Better health? More exercise? Better diet? More income?

These are all good things, but they deal more with our physical bodies. We have a desire to take care of our physical bodies because everyone sees what we look like. Others can see if we have put on a few pounds...or shed a few. They notice if we have done something different with our hair or bought new clothes.

It makes us feel good when we have taken care of our bodies. When we need a change we either go a different color with our hair or new style. We especially like to go shopping for a new outfit.

What about our spiritual expectations for 2009?

What do we have in store for our spiritual health? What spiritual exercise regime are we going to begin? What spiritual food are we going to partake? What spiritual deposits are we making?

God has blessed Mentoring Women in Ministry this past year. It has gone in a direction I never really thought possible. But, there is a ministry I want to get started on so badly, but it is not the right time. It will come, and I am patiently preparing my spirit for when the right time comes. One thing I have learned is God will cause events to happen in His timing.

So when you are thinking about 2009 and what God has in store remember if He has placed something in your spirit, do not give up on it. It may take time, but it will happen.

Remember Joseph...there were dreams he had, but it wasn't until he was 30 years of age the dreams came true. It took all those years for God to work in Joseph's life in other ways. It was two years before the cupbearer remembered Joseph. (Gen. 41) In every circumstance Joseph was in he kept a good heart toward God. He didn't allow the situation he was in to cause his spirit to harden and close toward God.

He patiently endured each "trial" and God came through.

It is hard to keep trusting God when everything around you is saying the opposite. My son Daniel is 21 years old. When he was 15 months old he contracted spinal meningitis, was in a coma for 15 days, in the hospital for 6 weeks and went home in a semi-comatose state (according to the neurologist.) While in the hospital chapel one evening I knew God was telling me Daniel was going to be restored. I did a word study on restore and wrote down all the things I wanted God to restore in Daniel. I still have that list, a little yellowed with age, but I still have it. Some of the things God has restored, but some He has not.

I believed Daniel was going to go home from the hospital well. Easter Sunday I thought, "Oh great! God is going to healing Daniel today"...but no, not right timing. Over the years there have been dreams about Daniel's healing to keep our faith going when I was ready to give up. There have been times when I tell God I don't want to believe anymore. It is taking too long. I just want to live life. He reminds me that I do need to just live life, but live it with the expectancy that God will restore Daniel. One day He will. My part is to continue believing and let God decide the timing.

What is it that God promised you? Have you been ready to give up? Is it taking too long? God's time is perfect. 2009 could be your year of fulfilment. But, if it isn't don't give up on what God wants to do. It is going to be awesome.

Imagine if Joseph would not have been sensitive to God and didn't listen for the interpretation of the dreams of the cupbearer and baker. He would not have been in the position to be ready for when Pharoah needed him. In fact, even after he interpreted the dreams of the two men they forgot about him. But God was faithful and brought Joseph into a place of prominence.

As you begin 2009 think of where God wants to take you. What does He want to do IN you. Now, a most important part is this...POSITION. You need to position yourself where God can work in you. Position yourself around those people who can help you grow in spirit and knowledge of what God is doing. This is a very important part of your spiritual health.

If you position yourself around people who are always negative, you will get discouraged. If you position yourself around those who are always complaining about how things are done, you will find yourself falling into the same mindset.

When you purposefully position yourself around positive, uplifting people you will become a positive and uplifting person. If you are in ministry and your church is going through difficult times, you need to find a pastor who can encourage you and help you through. Glean wisdom from others. So many times those in ministry pull away when ministry gets tough. Please do not do that. POSITION IS SO IMPORTANT.

Those in ministry who are doing well need to understand this and keep their eyes and spirit attentive to those who may need an encouraging word. Walk with them through this tough time. God will bless you for it.

Remember to purposefully position yourself for greatness in God's kingdom in 2009