Proverbs 8:10

"Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold."

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Fall Bible Study

Finding Christ in Everyday Life ~ New Fall Bible Study Series

Finding Christ in Everyday Life is our fall Bible study area of focus. This fall participants will have two studies to choose from.

1) "What a Husband Needs from His Wife" by Melanie Chitwood

Melanie reveals why the best thing you can do for your relationship with your husband is to focus on your walk with God and let Him transform you-and your marriage. She shows how to:

* Find true fulfillment and identity apart form possessions or
activities
* Enjoy greater companionship and intimacy
* Survive and thrive in stormy times
* Maintain a healthy and Christ like attitude
* And much, much more


2) "The Shack" ~ The #1 Bestseller by William P. Young

Here’s what others are saying about The Shack:

“The Shack is the most absorbing work of fiction I’ve read in many years. My wife and I laughed, cried and repented of our own lack of faith along the way. The Shack will leave you craving for the presence of God.: Michael W. Smith, Recording Artist

‘This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress did for his. It’s that good!” Eugene Peterson, Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, B.C. This work of fiction, MAKES YOU THINK!!! If you are looking for a good read, don’t pass this one up!!

We will be meeting on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday's from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., beginning on September 10th. All ladies are welcome to attend!


Wednesday, May 28, 2008

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Greetings!

If there is anyone out there who is stopping by to see what is going on with “We Grow” Women’s Ministries I can sum things up with two words; not much. At least not in the public forum of ministry. For now we have been taking some much needed rest and relaxation from planning and organizing formal ministry opportunities. However, God is at work in our hearts and we are constantly seeking His will.

I am sure that many of you may know that Resa and I are preparing to attend the “She Speaks” conference that is hosted by Proverbs 31 Ministries. This conference is scheduled for June 20 – 22nd. We are praying that God will use this time to rejuvenate us and provide us with some much needed inspiration and direction for our ministry program.

We are trusting in God and know that He will direct our path. Please check back with us after June 22nd.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Looking Back ~ Never Enough of God In My Life

Bringing in a new year has caused me to pause and reflect on the year of 2007. Many exciting events have taken place in 2007 that have changed my life. Not the least of these changing events was the adoption of my son on August 17th, 2007.

Anytime a child is brought into a family it is inevitable that life will change. This is especially true when a child is adopted at the age of 34 months, (2 years and 10 months, for those of you who, like me, are a little math challenged.) by a woman who was very comfortable with her very quiet, orderly, organized, neat, and often very selfish lifestyle.

Needless to say, my home is no longer quiet. Nor, is it orderly, organized, and neat. More often than not one would be likely to find my home in a state of cluttered, messy, chaos. However, I am happy to admit, the adoption of this miracle child has forced me to become less selfish and more dependent upon the Lord. I wish that I could say that giving up some of my selfish desires has come easily. However, the truth of the matter is that I am a fighter, and tend to give up my selfish desires only when I am forced to do so, and then only while kicking and screaming.

Another of the changes that this wonderful addition to my life has brought about is, I have a renewed desire to grow closer to my precious Savior; Jesus Christ. This desire was cultivated not only by my son’s adoption, and the realization that I want to give my very best to my efforts to raise him in a home where God is placed first above all else, but also by the faith and witness of one very special woman; Lysa TerKeurst.

For those of you who may not know Lysa, she is the President of Proverbs 31 Ministries, co-host of the ministries national radio program and she is the award winning author of several books, including her latest release, What Happens When Women Walk in Faith, as well as What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, Leading Women to the Heart of God, and many other wonderful titles. She is the featured writer for the monthly magazine, P31 Woman and has had her work published in other publications such as Focus on the Family magazine and Crown Financial Ministries’ Money Matters.

My first encounter with Lysa was through reading some of her online devotions, posted at http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/. The second encounter I experienced with Lysa was at a women’s retreat in Sullivan Indiana during the early summer of last year. Lysa was to be the keynote speaker and I was so excited about attending the conference. At this time I was knee deep in the roller-coaster ride of emotions surrounding my son being in our home in foster care, and it was uncertain when if ever we would be blessed to adopt him. I had high hopes that I would gain a fresh perspective on life at this conference, and Lysa did not disappoint me, nor were my expectations of a life-changing experience left wanting.

Lysa’s Biblical insights were life changing, she was inspiring, fresh funny and clearly on fire for the Lord; and she mixed every topic that she shared with personal stories that were real and moved my heart. Also at this event, she gave a challenge to all women who were either women’s ministry leaders, writers, speakers, or who hoped to one day be a part of leading women to God through one of these avenues; to attend “She Speaks,” an annual conference hosted by Proverbs 31 ministries. When she extended the offer to join her at “She Speaks,” in June I knew that I had to attend.

So, in June of 2007, I packed my bags and headed off to Charlotte, North Carolina to attend a conference that for me has started the reawakening of my soul, and my absolute desire to serve my King with every fiber of my being.

Little did I know the changes in my heart and life that were in store for me, during and after this conference. Not only did this conference revolutionize the way I view my relationship with God, but it also gave me the opportunity to meet many other women, from all over the country, which also have a deep desire to serve the Lord. One of those women was Renee Swope, who just happens to also be a member of the Proverbs 31 ministry team and will be coming to Highland to present a wonderful series called “Searching for God’s Treasure in Everyday Life,” on March 28th and 29th. This event will challenge you to reach for God’s treasure by embracing His love and His grace in a whole new way.

As I look back on the events of last year, I can’t help but look forward to the new-year. I realize that for all of my spiritual growth and my resolve to change, I am still just a fallen sinner and I will continue to struggle to grow my relationship with Christ. I have realized that many times during this past year I have been like Lysa TerKeurst admitted in her blog posting of Tuesday January 1st entitled, “The Song of My Rag Tag Soul.” Lysa said: “I have been obedient but only to a certain point. I have been good but I am not holy. I have faith but still struggle with the desire to be put in a position to really have to practice it.” (For the entire article by Lysa go to: http://lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com/2008/01/song-of-my-rag-tag-soul.html)

I can so relate to what Lysa said. Maybe you can too. I know that my desire to grow a greater relationship with my savior is strong, but I find myself saying; “Lord, no matter how much I grow in you it will never be enough for me! I want to give you everything, yet I struggle with my human frailties. My greatest prayer is to serve you with great abandon. To allow you to be so real in my life that I love nothing more than taking delight in our bond. I desire to say yes to your every request, and to make you known throughout the world! I desire to have nothing delight me more than singing your praise through the way I live my life.” So, although I have never been one to make new-year’s resolutions, this year I am making some. Here they are.

1) I resolve to continue to listen for God to speak to me and,
2) I resolve to do my very best to follow His direction.
3) I resolve to continue to strive to lay down my selfish desires and cherish every gift God sends my way, as they have been many.
4) I resolve to extend grace, grace, grace, to those, also imperfect, souls with whom I find myself doing life with.
5) And most of all; I resolve to not beat myself up when I am less than perfect and find that at the end of 2008 I must make these same resolutions all over again. Because, let’s be honest folks; there is not ever going to be a day when I will be perfect at maintaining these resolutions, at least this side of glory.

PS – If you are on a spiritual journey of your own and wish to grow closer to the Lord in 2008, I encourage you to make plans now to attend the women’s mini-retreat with Renee Swope on March 28th and 29th. (Go to http://hccrobinson.com/ for more information or look for more information coming soon in the church bulletin.) Come hungry and seeking. I know you won’t leave disappointed!

Monday, November 19, 2007

God Is Calling

I have been pondering many things in life lately. The biggest thought on my mind however, is this, “How can I better serve God?” I have such a desire to give God my best every day and in every way! But, sometimes I get bogged down with the details of how to best go about serving Him.

So, I decided to do what any woman in my position should do. I decided to pray, and pray, and then pray some more. I know that God has great plans to use me. After all He told me so in Jeremiah 29:11 when He said, “I know the plans I have for you, . . . plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. (NIV)”

I also know that right now my desire to really know the Lord is a driving force in my life. Further, I know that He has placed a calling on my life. So, I prayed and asked God to give me a life verse. I wanted to know what God would reveal. This is what He spoke to me, “I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding. (Jeremiah 3:15, NLT)”

At first, I really struggled with this verse. I questioned how God would work in my life through this revelation. I wanted to know who the “shepherd” would be that would come into my life and guide me with knowledge and understanding. For some time, I got bogged down with an error in interpretation. I was looking for someone to feed me, when what God was really trying to tell me was, “that I was to be that shepherd!” God was calling me to step up to the plate and share what He has revealed during my journey with Him. Oh my, talk about becoming filled with terror!

As I began to wrestle with this new wrinkle in my revelation, I thought to myself, God I have the first part of that verse down. I really do wish to be your shepherd and I desire to seek your heart. Your heart of service, Your heart of love, Your heart of compassion, Your heart of patience, Your heart for the things that will give You honor; but dear Lord I am so lacking in knowledge and understanding. Then the arguing, whining and complaining started in. “Lord, are you sure that this is to be my life verse?” “Lord, do you really know what you are asking me to do?” “Don’t you remember when I . . .?”

Of course, God was not going to let me weasel out of my responsibility, and little by little I began to realize that God was not asking me to be a walking encyclopedia of the Bible. He was not asking me to be a biblical “know-it-all.” He did not call me to understand all of His ways. He made it clear in I Timothy 3:16, the mystery of godliness is great. However, He did call me to share the love of Jesus with others, therefore making me one of His shepherds.

Having just finished co-leading, a nine-week Bible study utilizing the book “What Happens When Women Say Yes to God,” by Lysa TerKeurst, I am once again struck by the fact that I, in all my human frailty and failings, have been called by God Most High to lead a Women’s Ministry program. As the women who faithfully attended that study can testify, I am not nearly perfect, nor am I a walking encyclopedia of the Bible! However, through the study I did my best to share with the women what God has been working on in my life. I tried to share my faults transparently, and share how God was so faithful to see me through.

Hopefully, the ladies that shared this time with me realized that one does not need to be perfect to serve the Lord. His only requirement is that we willingly share His love with the world. Your calling may not be to lead a women’s ministry program, or to write devotionals. God could be calling you to cook a meal, collect food donations, form a praise band, host an in-home Bible study, sign-up for the church clean-up day, or any number of other ministry opportunities.

I would like to leave you with a bit of encouragement to join me on my journey, as I humbly “say yes” to God. Won’t you agree, with me to, accept our assignment, both the seemingly insurmountable, and the everyday mundane?
I ask that you join me in prayer for discernment and direction as God continues to refine us and adapt us to do the work of “our calling!” Please pray that we will have ears to hear and feet to follow His perfect plan!

Monday, October 29, 2007

The Interview With God

I was led to a wonderful web site this morning and I had to share it with all of you. Once you link to the page, click on "view presentation," and become refueled and inspired. http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/

Friday, October 26, 2007

Yet Another Blog to Share

If you are in the bible study class "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God," and even if you are not but want to learn to say "yes" to Him, this link will inspire you. It is from the Proverbs 31 daily devotion for Friday, October 26th and is written by Marybeth Whalen. It is entitled: Living Life Aware. Click and enjoy!! http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/