Hey Friends!!
I hope your week is going great!! Today I want to encourage you to train your mind with God's Word. I have been challenged in my personal walk to begin memorizing large sections of Scripture. At first, I was overwhelmed by this call. Now, I embrace this call with all my heart. You see, as I take God's Word into my life, I am changed. I am changed by the living active Words of God. These Words point out sin in my life and spotlight areas where my theology is weak or just plain wrong.
Not too many years ago, I would have been afraid of this process in my life. In those days, it was all about being right in my own eyes. Not anymore!! Now, I want to be right in God's eyes. As a result, I pray, "Lord, show me my sin and reveal my shallow views of You!" I welcome the work of the Spirit in my life because I want to know Christ and I want to live my life for Christ. Sin and shallow views simply must go and I must cling to God's Words every single day.
As you and I memorize God's Word, we are equipped. We are readied to face the decisions, tasks, and difficult circumstances that come our way. When split second decisions are required, we can draw on God's Word, which is hidden in our hearts, to guide us in His way.
I am currently working on memorizing the book of 1 Peter. I have the first ten verses of chapter one down. I know that is not a lot of progress, but I am thankful. Within the first ten verses, there are many deep truths taught. God's Word is rich and will change the way you and I live our lives.
I challenge you to pick a passage of scripture and memorize it. Quote the passage through out your day. When you feel anxious--- speak God's Word and experience His peace. When you feel your heart wandering--- challenge your focus with God's Holy Word. When you feel confused, heartbroken, or filled with joy, proclaim God's Word and know He is more than enough for whatever circumstance you face.
The motto for my life has become--- know truth; live truth; share truth. Step one: we have to know truth! I invite you to join me in knowing truth. Hide His holy Word in your heart and know you will be ready to face your day. And, along the way, you will know Him more!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
AM and Wives Mid Year Retreat
So are you asking, "What in the world is an AM?" If so, great question!! In Baptist lingo, an AM is an Associational Missionary. These are men who serve as leaders for the various associations in the state of Arkansas. These men provide, support, training, and encouragement for the pastors who live and serve in their area of the state.
Tomorrow I will spend the day with the AM's and have the honor of leading their wives in the study of God's holy Word. I am looking forward to seeing many friends and catching up on what has taken place over the last year.
The teaching schedule will allow for an extended period of time in God's Word. In fact, one session is two hours in length!! I am really looking forward to the day. It will be fun to see what God has in store for us. Please pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and for me to listen carefully and speak wisely.
Tomorrow I will spend the day with the AM's and have the honor of leading their wives in the study of God's holy Word. I am looking forward to seeing many friends and catching up on what has taken place over the last year.
The teaching schedule will allow for an extended period of time in God's Word. In fact, one session is two hours in length!! I am really looking forward to the day. It will be fun to see what God has in store for us. Please pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and for me to listen carefully and speak wisely.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
Summer 2009 has been great! I had so much fun with my family. Jay and I enjoyed a trip to Germany. Throughout the summer, Jay and I took the boys to do several day/weekend trips. These trips included: Silver Dollar City in Branson, the Memphis Zoo, a day at the RiverMarket in Little Rock, exploring several caves in NW Arkansas, lots of hiking, and swimming at the pool/ Wild River Country. Without a doubt, it was a great summer!!
Now, it is time to look ahead as we enter the next chapter of our lives. Tomorrow school begins and for the first time in 9 years, I will be home alone! I have mixed feelings about this new stage of life. I am excited because the boys are growing up and they are ready to tackle 3rd grade and Kindergarten. The free time will also be wonderful for me on a personal/ministry level. However, I feel a tinge of sadness because things will never be the same. That is okay, it will just take some time to adjust.
I have big plans for my new found free time. I am going to get focused. In fact, God has challenged me to get hyper focused. Each day I will have three tasks to complete. First, I will focus on loving God and His holy Word. Second, I will focus on serving my family and close friends. Third, I will focus on ministering to the people God places in my life. It is my hope that each day my activities will fall into one of these three categories. Of course, I am sure I will make an occasional trip to TJ MAXX :)
I sense that the next year will be crucial for the development of True Vine Ministry. Specifically, the year 2010. I plan to devote much of my time to this part of my life. I have a long list of books and material that I need to work through in order to challenge my current knowledge of God and His Word. I also need to complete a second Bible Study called Free To Thrive! (I started on this project earlier this year and look forward to returning to it.) Lord willing, Reflecting His Glory will be published by the end of this year or the first of next year. The Lord has opened up doors for me to begin doing some web based teaching as well. Scripture memory will also be on the top of my to do list. I am currently working on the first chapter of 1 Peter and hope to memorize the entire book. Regularly updating this blog will also be on my new to do list. I am committed to making this blog a helpful tool for women to access.
All in all, I am very excited about the future. God is so good and I want to spend every single day of my life telling those around me about His goodness and grace. Of course, I cannot do this based on my own strength and power. It will only happen as God works in me for His glory. Paul says it best in Colossians 1:28-29, "We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." Amen to that!!
Now, it is time to look ahead as we enter the next chapter of our lives. Tomorrow school begins and for the first time in 9 years, I will be home alone! I have mixed feelings about this new stage of life. I am excited because the boys are growing up and they are ready to tackle 3rd grade and Kindergarten. The free time will also be wonderful for me on a personal/ministry level. However, I feel a tinge of sadness because things will never be the same. That is okay, it will just take some time to adjust.
I have big plans for my new found free time. I am going to get focused. In fact, God has challenged me to get hyper focused. Each day I will have three tasks to complete. First, I will focus on loving God and His holy Word. Second, I will focus on serving my family and close friends. Third, I will focus on ministering to the people God places in my life. It is my hope that each day my activities will fall into one of these three categories. Of course, I am sure I will make an occasional trip to TJ MAXX :)
I sense that the next year will be crucial for the development of True Vine Ministry. Specifically, the year 2010. I plan to devote much of my time to this part of my life. I have a long list of books and material that I need to work through in order to challenge my current knowledge of God and His Word. I also need to complete a second Bible Study called Free To Thrive! (I started on this project earlier this year and look forward to returning to it.) Lord willing, Reflecting His Glory will be published by the end of this year or the first of next year. The Lord has opened up doors for me to begin doing some web based teaching as well. Scripture memory will also be on the top of my to do list. I am currently working on the first chapter of 1 Peter and hope to memorize the entire book. Regularly updating this blog will also be on my new to do list. I am committed to making this blog a helpful tool for women to access.
All in all, I am very excited about the future. God is so good and I want to spend every single day of my life telling those around me about His goodness and grace. Of course, I cannot do this based on my own strength and power. It will only happen as God works in me for His glory. Paul says it best in Colossians 1:28-29, "We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." Amen to that!!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Home Sweet Home!!
Jay and I are so thankful to be home. We had a great trip to Germany and want to thank you for your faithful prayers. Here is a quick recap of our trip followed by a few personal thoughts. Just a reminder--- Jay and I traveled to Germany to take part in the Western Europe AGM. This meeting was designed to encourage and equip the 400-500 people who serve in Western Europe.
~ Saturday: We arrived and settled into our spacious room at the Allgau Stern Hotel in Sonthofen, Germany. The view outside our balcony was fabulous. The Bavarian Alps Alps greeted us each morning and reminded us that all of creation cries out to Him!
~ Sunday: The meeting moved into full swing with powerful worship led by Chuck Sullivan and preaching by Mac Brunson. Mac is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Each morning Mac taught a portion of Psalm 23. The teachings were powerful. God used Mac's messages to remind me about my great need for Jesus the Shepherd. Following each morning session, breakout workshops were provided. I taught each of my sessions during this time. On the first day, I taught a session on Mary from Bethany. The session title was "A Picture of Reflecting." The session went pretty good but I struggled to pull all of my thoughts together. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit spoke truth no matter how I felt about the session. On Sunday afternoon, Jay and I took a Taxi to the local shopping area. We purchased Lego's and candy for the boys. That evening David Platt, Pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, brought a powerful message from Exodus 33. If you are familiar with David's preaching, you know he is an anointed teacher who loves God's Word and recognizes the importance of living life based on the standards set forth in the Bible. Throughout the week, Jay and I were blessed, challenged, convicted, and inspired as David taught God's Word.
~ Monday: Same schedule as the day before. Mac preached in the morning. My breakout session went great!! I taught a session called "The Anything and Everything of Life." I shared with the women how I struggled with the Lord about teaching that session. However, God would not release me from teaching it. Later I found out that God used that session to minister to several of the women. Thank you Lord! In the afternoon, Jay and I went on a hike. We got caught in the rain but it was so much fun! That night David preached out of Romans. David quoted Romans chapters 1-8 by memory. God moved in such a mighty way that when the preaching was over, no one left the room. We just stood in the Lord's presence. Very Cool!!
~ Tuesday: Mac preached in the morning. I led a session called, "A Prompted Heart." The session went really well. The Lord took the session in a little different direction than I intended, but that was fine with me! Jay and I took a three hour bike ride and watched some local extreme sports. We then rode back into town and ate at a local German restaurant. Very good!! That night David preached from the book of Job. The sovereignty of God was the theme of the message.
~ Wednesday: Mac preached in the morning. I led a session called, "The Nothingness of God." (One of my favorite sessions!!) That afternoon, several hundred people took an excursion to explore a castle. The castle was the inspiration for the castle at Disney. That evening we did not have a group session. Instead, God allowed me to meet with an editor from Thomas Nelson. The meeting was informal and the Lord used this precious sister to affirm the direction I am currently taking in regards to the publication of Reflecting His Glory. Thank You Lord!
~ Thursday: Final day--- bittersweet feelings all day long! Mac preached in the morning. I led a session called, "Rejoicing All The Way Home." This session was probably the best session of the week for me. God's presence was tangible in the room. At the end of the session, I quoted 32 verses of Scripture. This was my first time to quote a lengthy passage of Scripture by memory. I enjoyed allowing God’s Word to flow from deep within my heart. It was a powerful moment and one that helped to define the kind of teaching God is calling me to be. In the afternoon, Jay and I went on another hike to a village not far away from our hotel. It was awesome. Our hike ended at a beautiful river just below our hotel. We took our shoes off and allowed our feet to soak in the cold water. Let me tell you, the Bavarian Alp water is cold!! That evening, everyone in our group took a hike to a huge building on top of a near-by mountain. At that place, we had a German style BBQ, an inspirational message from David, and the celebration of the Lord's Supper. It was a great way to end our amazing week!
~ Friday: We left the hotel at 2:00am and arrived home 26 hours later! It was a great trip.
A few personal thoughts:
~ The men and women who serve on the field are amazing. They are the real deal. Each of them faces the same fears we face in America. They have problems with their kids, struggles in their marriages, and fears regarding the future. We need to pray for them and let them know they are not alone!
~ God will not share His glory with another. We can think we are about Him and really be about ourselves. God faithfully redirects us anytime we make it about our name instead of His.
~ The fork in the road between living the comfortable, easy Christian life and the sold out Christian life that will stop at nothing to be a part of God's fame spreading around this earth, is always before us. Daily we must forsake that which is easy and comfortable and willingly surrender to God’s Word as we embrace the person He calls us to be.
~ Right theology produces freedom in our lives. God’s Word is our sure foundation. We can try to build our life on other things but only His Word will remain.
~ I must daily fight the tendency to think small. God is big. He is bigger than my small world and I need to stop thinking about myself. When I view life from His holy perspective, I immediately break the habit of thinking about my life as the focal point of the universe.
~ Sharing the Words of Christ is a privilege. We need to be open to Him at all times. Our hearts should desire to share His life changing truths with the people we meet every single day.
~ God is gracious and I love Him more, know Him more, and praise Him more than I did before I left on this trip. Thank you Lord for spiritual progress. May that always be the goal of my life
~ Saturday: We arrived and settled into our spacious room at the Allgau Stern Hotel in Sonthofen, Germany. The view outside our balcony was fabulous. The Bavarian Alps Alps greeted us each morning and reminded us that all of creation cries out to Him!
~ Sunday: The meeting moved into full swing with powerful worship led by Chuck Sullivan and preaching by Mac Brunson. Mac is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Each morning Mac taught a portion of Psalm 23. The teachings were powerful. God used Mac's messages to remind me about my great need for Jesus the Shepherd. Following each morning session, breakout workshops were provided. I taught each of my sessions during this time. On the first day, I taught a session on Mary from Bethany. The session title was "A Picture of Reflecting." The session went pretty good but I struggled to pull all of my thoughts together. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit spoke truth no matter how I felt about the session. On Sunday afternoon, Jay and I took a Taxi to the local shopping area. We purchased Lego's and candy for the boys. That evening David Platt, Pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, brought a powerful message from Exodus 33. If you are familiar with David's preaching, you know he is an anointed teacher who loves God's Word and recognizes the importance of living life based on the standards set forth in the Bible. Throughout the week, Jay and I were blessed, challenged, convicted, and inspired as David taught God's Word.
~ Monday: Same schedule as the day before. Mac preached in the morning. My breakout session went great!! I taught a session called "The Anything and Everything of Life." I shared with the women how I struggled with the Lord about teaching that session. However, God would not release me from teaching it. Later I found out that God used that session to minister to several of the women. Thank you Lord! In the afternoon, Jay and I went on a hike. We got caught in the rain but it was so much fun! That night David preached out of Romans. David quoted Romans chapters 1-8 by memory. God moved in such a mighty way that when the preaching was over, no one left the room. We just stood in the Lord's presence. Very Cool!!
~ Tuesday: Mac preached in the morning. I led a session called, "A Prompted Heart." The session went really well. The Lord took the session in a little different direction than I intended, but that was fine with me! Jay and I took a three hour bike ride and watched some local extreme sports. We then rode back into town and ate at a local German restaurant. Very good!! That night David preached from the book of Job. The sovereignty of God was the theme of the message.
~ Wednesday: Mac preached in the morning. I led a session called, "The Nothingness of God." (One of my favorite sessions!!) That afternoon, several hundred people took an excursion to explore a castle. The castle was the inspiration for the castle at Disney. That evening we did not have a group session. Instead, God allowed me to meet with an editor from Thomas Nelson. The meeting was informal and the Lord used this precious sister to affirm the direction I am currently taking in regards to the publication of Reflecting His Glory. Thank You Lord!
~ Thursday: Final day--- bittersweet feelings all day long! Mac preached in the morning. I led a session called, "Rejoicing All The Way Home." This session was probably the best session of the week for me. God's presence was tangible in the room. At the end of the session, I quoted 32 verses of Scripture. This was my first time to quote a lengthy passage of Scripture by memory. I enjoyed allowing God’s Word to flow from deep within my heart. It was a powerful moment and one that helped to define the kind of teaching God is calling me to be. In the afternoon, Jay and I went on another hike to a village not far away from our hotel. It was awesome. Our hike ended at a beautiful river just below our hotel. We took our shoes off and allowed our feet to soak in the cold water. Let me tell you, the Bavarian Alp water is cold!! That evening, everyone in our group took a hike to a huge building on top of a near-by mountain. At that place, we had a German style BBQ, an inspirational message from David, and the celebration of the Lord's Supper. It was a great way to end our amazing week!
~ Friday: We left the hotel at 2:00am and arrived home 26 hours later! It was a great trip.
A few personal thoughts:
~ The men and women who serve on the field are amazing. They are the real deal. Each of them faces the same fears we face in America. They have problems with their kids, struggles in their marriages, and fears regarding the future. We need to pray for them and let them know they are not alone!
~ God will not share His glory with another. We can think we are about Him and really be about ourselves. God faithfully redirects us anytime we make it about our name instead of His.
~ The fork in the road between living the comfortable, easy Christian life and the sold out Christian life that will stop at nothing to be a part of God's fame spreading around this earth, is always before us. Daily we must forsake that which is easy and comfortable and willingly surrender to God’s Word as we embrace the person He calls us to be.
~ Right theology produces freedom in our lives. God’s Word is our sure foundation. We can try to build our life on other things but only His Word will remain.
~ I must daily fight the tendency to think small. God is big. He is bigger than my small world and I need to stop thinking about myself. When I view life from His holy perspective, I immediately break the habit of thinking about my life as the focal point of the universe.
~ Sharing the Words of Christ is a privilege. We need to be open to Him at all times. Our hearts should desire to share His life changing truths with the people we meet every single day.
~ God is gracious and I love Him more, know Him more, and praise Him more than I did before I left on this trip. Thank you Lord for spiritual progress. May that always be the goal of my life
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)