Today’s Devotional

Guest-Writers

How to Pray Without Words

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Written By: Kelly Stanley

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Romans 8:26-27, NIV

One Sunday morning, a man visiting my church stood to give his testimony. In broken English, he described the scene in which he first saw the woman who would become his wife, the moment when he first felt God calling to him.

“These people were singing, but not with their mouths,” he said. “It was a deeper song.”

That’s when my tears started. Because isn’t that what most of us want? To reach God, to commune with Him? With or without words.

Let’s face it. I am a writer, and even I have those times when the words won’t come.

Usually when we’re without words, it’s because we’re hurt. Cynical. Disillusioned. Heartbroken. Weary. We may have lost a parent or sibling or child or friend. We may be facing a broken marriage, a suicidal teen, an addiction, financial devastation, or abuse.

Or maybe we’re just uninspired. Tired. Worn out from carrying our fears around. Exhausted from overscheduling and under-resting. Dealing with depression or illness or a million tiny little worries.

I’ve been there, desperate for God but unable to draw my mind in, unable to reach out to Him, either verbally or in writing. And even in those moments, I’ve felt the irony. The only One who can truly make a difference in the situation is the One I can’t seem to talk to.

But the truth is that words are not required. Prayer, in its most simple definition, is communion with God. I often think of it as a conversation, but it doesn’t have to be.

Have you ever sat in companionable silence with a spouse, parent or friend? Enjoyed a peaceful afternoon on the porch with a grandparent, no words needed?

When I gave birth to my children, I had no words to describe what I felt, so I just sat there, looking at that beautiful new creation, soaking in gratitude.

When my mom died, as I stood in the receiving line, some of my favorite people walked up, looked into my eyes, hugged me, and moved on. Without saying a single word, they communicated everything I needed to hear. Everything they wanted to say.

Next time you feel stuck, when you stumble over words or are wrestling with emotions you can’t seem to wrangle, why don’t you try something new? Sit in silence, your mind focused on God. Look around and find the beauty in your environment. Draw a picture, doodling names and images and offer it as prayer. Work your way through your daily tasks, and keep the mindset of dedicating your work—laundry, cleaning, dishes, gardening—to God as an act of worship. Listen to a piece of worship music and let yourself get lost in the sound.

Or sing a new song, from a deeper place.

It just might help you get past whatever it is that is blocking your path. I promise you, God will receive it. He will understand that it is prayer. He will know what your heart feels and what your soul needs.

And before long, the words will come. But even if they don’t, you’ve still prayed, and in the process, you’ve drawn closer to God. Because wherever God is, lives are changed.

With or without words.

~Kelly

kelly
Kelly O’Dell Stanley is a graphic designer who writes. (Or a writer who also designs?) Either way, when she found the place where the two intersected, she was exactly where she wanted to be. She’s a redhead who’s pretty good at controlling her temper, a believer in doing everything to excess, and a professional wrestler of doubt and faith. She’s been married for 25 years (making Tim a saint), and she loves her three quirky nearly-grown kids. Even if they do call her all the time. (Maybe especially because they call her all the time.) She lives in Crawfordsville, IN.www.kellyostanley.com.
Guest-Writers

My Platform, My Audience, My Influence

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Written By: LaTan Murphy
Someone once said, “He who writes to please himself, caters to a fool.”  
What truth this bears. 
Our words-whether written, or spoken, are not to be kept to ourselves for narcissistic tickling of our own ears.
They are God-inspired, for the purpose of blessing others with the rich, powerful influence entrusted to us.

Establishing a platform is something every writer must pursue. Drawing an audience is key in creating visibility, influence, and recognition. We live in a noisy world where there is much talk about: OURSELVES. Oh, it’s easy to be VISIBLE—even an obnoxious person is most definitely VISIBLE, because an obnoxious person demands attention. Your platform offers a special realm of influence with profound accessibility for captivating the audience you are targeting. Little by little, as you establish your platform your opportunity to influence the lives of many will grow richer, deeper.  No one can bring your unique, wealth of wisdom to the world quite like you can. This kind of influence is much more important than being obnoxiously VISIBLE.
As a speaker and writer, one of the most valuable lessons I have learned is:  
To never become so pleased with myself that I forget the goal of pleasing my readers and audiences. Although my stories are important and meaningful to me, I must find a way to relay rich messages that benefit others through them.
As you prepare yourself to write, or speak to your audience, ask yourself this very important question:  
How can I string my words together in such a way they touch my audience deeply, meeting the “felt-needs” of others.  Can readers/listeners relate to my message? 
Perhaps, you write fiction and feel this point doesn’t really apply to you. Trust me, it does apply. The most powerful books ever written, the most influential speeches ever spoken, were written and orated by this genius approach:  Meeting “felt needs” in order to touch lives deeply. 
Remember:  Our audience wants to experience fruitful “take-aways.”  Your audience should leave better than they came to your event, your website, your social media sites.  What is the drawing force for my audience/readers?  You may not know all the answers, but with research and study-time you will be able to bring quality to those following you. 
Think about:
What ideas, motivation, direction, solutions do I offer, or can I offer, with additional research?  Using this approach will help you influence others at the highest level possible.
As a writer, we must study human nature in order to produce work that inspires, changes, transforms the world around us. Anything less than this becomes self-centered glory.    
Today, I’d like to challenge you to pay attention to the world around you. Ask yourself:  “What do I bring to the table of life  that has power to nourish souls?”   
Your greatest platform will build itself as you think in an “others-minded” way.  I challenge you to write and/or speak to your audience from this perspective. 
If your goal is to be “funny” – you must write about comical things that make people laugh. If your goal is to help men learn how to be better husbands, then you must write what you have learned from your own life-experiences or observations of others. Always write with an outward approach; your words are for others, not to be kept to yourself. Your writing and speaking goals should remain centered around meeting the “felt-needs” of your audience.
Watch and Learn:
  • Linger over the people you influence (your audience) taking careful note of what they respond to.
  • Think about how your own world collides with your audience.
  • Offer relatable life-experiences.
  • Write three topics you could write, or speak about.
  • Based on these experiences, what can you share that will change your followers lives for the better?
  • Practice writing speaking material by thinking introspectively – putting yourself inside of your audiences heads: how might your audience think, feel, react to the world you are creating.
 Ask Yourself:
“Do I speak from within my readers and from within my audience”? 
The Result:
Powerful, influential, relatable words flowing fluidly, effectively.
May your platform, your audience, and your influence be blessed territories as you dedicate yourself to these simple principles. 
LaTan Murphy
Visit LaTan at:
Twitter:  @LaTanM
LinkedIn:  LaTan Roland Murphy

Facebook:  LaTan Murphy

Guest-Writers

Identifying the Lies of Marriage

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Written By: Kristin White
I grew up as your stereo-typical little girl. I was convinced that I would grow up, meet a man who treats me like an absolute princess, we would get married, and then life would be complete. Marriage was my goal.
Marriage continued to be my goal even as I got older. I wanted to meet a good, Christian guy who loved God and loved me. Again, even though I would have denied feeling this way, deep down I felt that life would just always be fantastic once I was with my guy.
Fast-forward to college where I met my now-husband. Taylor was (and is) great. He loves God, wants us to grow, and tries to live his life for God. He has fantastic qualities and we tend to help each other in our weaker points. Yes, it was what I had waited for.
But we had a problem. I had been carrying around this false idea of the right person, of godly dating, and of godly marriage since I was a child. So when God brought Taylor into my life and everything wasn’t perfect- because weweren’t aren’t perfect, I flipped out. Why did I still have any struggle with depression and anxiety, if I had found the right guy? Shouldn’t I always feel perfect peace when I am with him? Why did we ever have any sort of disagreement? Why didn’t every single moment of every single part of our relationship run smoothly?
Ridiculous Expectations
The real answer to that question is, of course “Because you are both human beings, Kristin!”, but my little Cinderella brain couldn’t quite get there. I had assumed that if it wasn’t pure joy all the time, and if all of my struggles weren’t gone, then I must not be with the right person.
People with anxiety don’t just feel peace all the time. Being in a great situation doesn’t mean there is nothing but peace. That is particularly true for people with anxiety, but it is true for everyone. God is the only one that has and gives perfect peace. Perfect peace doesn’t come from being in a perfect situation. Perfect peace comes from a perfect God.
But since I was convinced that I had to have perfect peace about every moment of my life in order for it to be of God, I would worry if Taylor and I disagreed about anything, thinking that there was something wrong with us. I would worry if we didn’t like the same hobbies, because it might mean we would bore each other in marriage. I would worry if we got in a fight, because obviously, Christian couples don’t fight… #sarcasm.
Scripture is Truth- Not Emotions
But the thing is, none of these views were really coming from Scripture. No, my ideas of godly dating and marriage were a strange hodge-podge of Disney fairy tales mixed with “Christian” false-teaching that the Holy Spirit leads in your gut. I had bought into the lie that I would feel complete peace about anything that God wanted me to do, and I would have anxiety if it was sin. But that false view doesn’t account for people with anxiety disorders. It also doesn’t account for all the times people feel peace about something that God clearly wasn’t calling them to do. It leaves out that fact that, just like our hearts, our emotions are tainted by this world-by sin. We can feel all sorts of crap. But feelings are not God. And though peace is a fruit of the spirit, that doesn’t have anything to do with feeling peace about every decision you make. That’s not what it means. And likewise, though our dating and marriage should reflect Christ, we will never reach perfection on earth, which means our marriages will never be perfect.
I spent so much time wrestling with all of this. I had so many false ideas to work through. I had so many rude awakenings that it was painful. And those false ideas were just so embedded in my perfectionist, fairy-tale brain, that I had to really fight to see the truth.
*The truth is that God uses our differences within marriage to help us grow, and to help us help each other.

*The truth is that when God brings two people together, they will never be perfect, but they will fit together well, help each other, encourage each other in God, and they will be committed to godliness. They will bear godly fruit together, even through their struggles.

*The truth is, that God knows exactly what we need, and He sees the big picture.

*The truth is, perfect relationships (if they existed) wouldn’t grow us nearly as well as messy relationships that strive to know God more.

*The truth is, the bible never says anything about finding “the one”. It simply tells us to be equally yoked, gives us qualities to look for, and implies that we need to be bearing godly fruit and helping each other in God and in our relationships with God.
 
The truth is, I still struggle with all of this. I am so incredibly blessed to have a husband that loves God and has a passion to see others thinking deeply about God and knowing Him as much as we are able to. He helps me in some of my weakest spiritual areas and I do the same for him. That is completely of God. We could not have cultivated that on our own. We could never have forced that to happen. Praise God for bringing us together and knowing what (and who) we needed. But since my false ideas were so deeply rooted for so long, I still have to fight to believe truth instead. It’s easy to have a fight and think, “Oh, we must be a bad couple”, but that is just so wrong.
Fight With Me
I also know I am not alone. I am learning that more and more women, particularly around my age, fight against these lies too. They are right there with me, forcing themselves to remember that their ideas of marriage have to come from Scripture, not some load of crap that implies everything should be perfect, we should always feel fantastic, and we should never have any problems. Good grief! If that were true, no one would ever get married or date.
So join us as we fight the lies. Be thankful for and build up your spouse and your marriage, even if things aren’t perfect (because they never will be). Know that God has you and your spouse together to bring Him glory, not so that we can get grumpy over every little imperfection.
Stand against the Enemies lies. Stand against your own lies. Stand against the lies of media and society.
And if you’d like to read more blogs about similar marriage issues, here are a few of my favourites:

His Endless Love (Guest Post): Marriage 101- Opposites Attract.


I hope those posts, along with this one, are a blessing to you. Remember to be discerning about what you are believing, and to constantly be thankful for your marriage.
Forever in Christ,
Kristin
Zephaniah 3:17
About Kristin:
kristinKristin is a 20-something who lives in North Carolina with her husband and their three rescue dog-daughters. She loves the beach, coffee, and binge-watching Netflix with her man. She is passionate about sharing Jesus with others and encouraging women to know their worth and live a life worthy of their calling. Kristin blogs at The Peculiar Treasure, where she focuses primarily on hard truths, encouragement, and marriage tips.
Guest-Writers, {Faith}

A Dog’s Faith

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Written By: Debbie W. Wilson

I felt like a traitor luring my dog into my vet’s lab room. I did it to save his life. But Max doesn’t know that. Does he think I’m heartless to let the vet draw blood from his thin leg before I take him home?

For months after Max was diagnosed with Addison’s disease, the vet had to draw his blood to check his electrolyte and hormone levels. One week Max stayed planted when the technician came for him. I got to follow the tech, and he willingly followed me.

This made me consider how I trust God when I hurt. It’s easy to believe that if I understood the purpose, I’d trust God better. But is that true?

Imagine explaining Max’s condition to him. I could read him the symptoms off the Internet. I could show him his lab reports. I could remind him how he almost died. But would that help Max have his blood drawn?

My knowledge concerning the treatment of Max’s illness is better than his. I know the pain of the needle is brief and the benefits are lasting. Sometimes God allows us to see the benefit of our losses. But many of our “whys” remain unanswered.

Isaiah 55:8-9 offers some understanding.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts” (NIV).

The difference between my thoughts and my dog’s is so much less than the distance between God’s thoughts and mine. If Max can’t understand why I take him to have his blood drawn, do I think I can understand why God lets pain touch me?

But God has not left me without assurance. He has promised:

  • “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17 NIV).
  • “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18 NIV).

A child of God can’t lose a hair without God noticing. Perhaps Romans 8:31 (NASB) best sums up all we really need to remember. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?”

Life on this planet is a vapour. But how we live it affects eternity. Pain, loss, and confusion are opportunities to trust our Master. The pain is real, but He allows it only for our greater good.

When I see Max romp across the yard without a symptom of Addison’s, I thank God for blood tests and shots. I remember how sick he was without them. He doesn’t understand the connection. He doesn’t need to. Max only needs to understand that I take care of him.

Bio: Debbie W. Wilson is an ordinary woman who has experienced an extraordinary God. Drawing from her personal walk with Christ, twenty-four years as a Christian counsellor, and decades as a Bible teacher, Debbie speaks and writes to help women discover relevant faith. She is the author of Little Women, Big God and Give Yourself a Break. She and her husband, Larry, founded Lighthouse Ministries in 1991. They, along with their two grown children and two standard poodles, enjoy calling North Carolina home. Share her journey to refreshing faith at her blog.

Uncategorized

A tribute to Dad.

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Written By: Darryn Mills

I’m sure that many of you have a special connection with your dad, but I definitely do.  When I was born I had no kidney function and was put on dialysis for the first three years of my life to keep me alive.  Once I was big enough I had a kidney transplant and guess who the donor was…that’s right my dad gave me one of his kidneys.  When I look at the scar on my belly, it is a constant reminder that shows me how much my dad loves me.  He isn’t just my dad he is also my hero.

Growing up, my dad and I have always been close.  He has taught me many life lessons and has shared some of his wisdom with me.  He taught me how to throw a spiral, how to shoot a puck, and how to use the BBQ.  He has taught me the value of a dollar and shown me why and how to save your money.  Every day I see how to properly treat a woman by the way he treats my mom.

For the past few months he has been working on a house for my grandparents.  Many days after working all day, he has gone to the house and not come back until 10:00 or later.  He does this as a labour of love.  He is an impeccable example of a man who loves God with all his heart and I strive to be more and more like him.

I have been blessed to have been raised in a Christian home where faith has been tightly knitted in our roots.  I am the only one of my siblings that inherited my dad’s blue eyes.   We also share the same sense of humour, and many people say that I look a lot like him.

Growing up Dad was a major jock in grade school and high school.  He was the captain of pretty much every sports team and held many track and field records.  At a certain point people said that he could have made it into the NHL.  I guess I get my love of sports and athletic capabilities from him.

When my dad was a teenager his mom gave him a gold pendant and chain. It is an anchor with a ship’s wheel attached to it.  The anchor symbolizes the Bible verse Hebrews 6:19 “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, both sure and steadfast”.  When I was a pre-teen he passed down this family heirloom to me.  I wear the anchor often, not just because I think it looks cool or for the sentimental value, but I wear it as a symbol of my faith in Jesus Christ and to show what He means in my life.  Like an anchor of a ship keeps it from wandering away from port, Jesus is our anchor, one that we can trust, who will keep us still through the storms of life.  Just like a wheel steering in a direction, when we put our trust in Him, He will also direct our path.

I am the man I am today because of my dad and the way he raised me.  Proverbs 22:6 “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it”.  He was not afraid to show me tough love by teaching me right from wrong.  As I got older I realized that just like God disciplines his children, so did my dad.  He never punished me because he enjoyed it, he did it so I would learn a lesson and become a better person because of it.

Dad, thank you for all the time you sacrificed, all of the little life lessons, and raising me to be a young man of God.  You are leaving a legacy of faith for everyone that knows you.  I Love You!

Guest-Writers

When You Feel Small, He Sees You

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Written By: Shannon Geurin

I was on my way to church, gripping the steering wheel as if I was hanging on for dear life. The girls woke up cranky.  The oldest refused to wear the outfit I picked out and the littlest pooped all the way up and out of her diaper which caused me to change her outfit not once, but twice. Great start to the day. That frazzled piece of hair that had slipped out of my ponytail just refused to stay out of my face no matter how hard I tried to blow it away. Definitely a “Jesus take the wheel” moment.

It was a rough morning and it wasn’t even noon yet. Actually it had been a rough week..month..year. The transition of one child to two was a bit more than I had bargained for. I vowed to let John have it when he got back from his business trip. I parked and stared straight ahead. I just needed a minute. Taking a deep breath I put the stray hair back in to place, climbed out of the car, and slapped a smile on my face just like the clown we saw at the park the day before. I held my head upright with one little on my hip and the other little hand in hand.

With my painted on smile I was holding back the tears. I dropped the girls off at the kids center and headed to the worship center to find the closest empty seat all the while wondering if anyone really even cared. Did anyone see me? Do they just have any clue? Does God see me? Lord, do you see me? I may have looked like I had it all together but I didn’t. There were days as a young mom that I didn’t know if I would make it. The pressures of mothering and trying to be the best I could be for my beautiful littles seemed like an enormous task that I wasn’t qualified to handle.

I wanted to matter. I wanted everything that I did at home to count for something. Most important, I wanted to make a difference.

He Sees You

Five sparrows are sold for two pennies, aren’t they? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.…

Oh my sweet friend how He sees you…

Let’s you and I pretend that we’re drinking coffee together, K?

He knows the length of every precious hair on your precious little head. He knows your thoughts, your hurts, your cries. He sees every tear. Not only does he see them, he bottles them up. He sees every hurtful word that passes through your ears and makes its way into your heart.  He sees the trauma you went through as a child that still effects you today. He sees your effort in trying to be the best mother that you can possibly be for the tiny little ones that He has gifted you with. He sees you.

He sees every hurtful word that passes through your ears and into your heart. #HeSeesYou…

And you matter. 

Do you get that? I know you hear it. But do you get it?

“Jesus was going through the city of Jericho. In Jericho there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a wealthy, very important tax collector. He wanted to see who Jesus was. There were many others who wanted to see Jesus too. Zacchaeus was too short to see above the people. So he ran to a place where he knew Jesus would come. Then he climbed a sycamore tree so he could see him. When Jesus came to where Zacchaeus was, he looked up and saw him in the tree. Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, hurry! Come down! I must stay at your house today.” Luke 19:1-5

Have you ever felt like you just wanted to see Jesus?   You’ve served Him for as long as you can remember, yet at this very moment,

you

just

want

to

see 

Him 

because you honestly don’t know how else you’ll make it??

I think it’s pretty cool that Jesus saw Zacchaeus up in that tree. But ya know what else is cool? Zacchaeus wanted to see Him and he hadn’t even experienced salvation! Regardless, he did whatever it took to see Jesus, even if it meant climbing up a tree…’cause he sure wasn’t going to see Him any other way! His height wouldn’t allow it.

After Jesus saw him he commanded Zacchaeus to come down. When he came down, hello– JESUS WENT TO HIS HOUSE! Whoa. I wonder what would have happened if Zacchaeus would’ve refused to come down?? Is he commanding the same thing of you? No matter what you’re going through or how small you feel, Jesus may be telling you to come down. Will you?

What is it that you need to come down from?

Jesus commanded Zacchaeus to come down from the tree. What is He calling you to come down from?…

Only you can answer that. Perhaps it’s the weight of a past sin. It may be an offense that you are holding on to. Or maybe it’s something as simple as just a bad day.

Come down.

Matthew 9:20-22 tells of a woman who had bled for twelve years.

TWELVE YEARS. Sweet Heavenly Jesus. Twelve years??? I mean I can hardly bear bleeding for 5 days much less TWELVE YEARS. Good grief! Can you imagine how miserable it was for that sweet lady?

Anyway, she knew He was coming and although she was supposed to stay at home (because of her illness) she wanted to see Him. To touch Him. In fact, she felt that if she could just touch the bottom of his robe that it would be enough. And oh…it was enough alright.

God-Sees-You2

He saw her.

He saw her and He healed her. On the spot.

Do you see the similarity between Zacchaeus and this woman? Both of them made an active attempt to get to Jesus. Although I believe that there are times when Jesus just so completely meets us right where we are {and WOW if that’s not grace than I don’t know what is} , He also is delighted when we reach for Him and actively pursue Him.

Jesus is delighted when we actively pursue Him. #HeSeesYou

Sweet friend: Do you want to encounter Jesus? Like the woman who was bleeding, are you willing to reach for Him? Like Zacchaeus what do you need to come down from? What are you willing to do to encounter Him?

xoshannon

For Shannon’s story, click on the image below…

meetshannon.png

Guest-Writers

Three Sure-fire Steps to Ministry Misery

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Written By: Melinda Means

It had dreamed about it since I was a little girl.

Tucked away in my room, devouring book after book, I fantasized about becoming an author.  At school, I’d gaze at the bookshelves in my classroom and daydream about my masterpieces lining the shelves one day.

Last year, it became a reality.

After years of blogging, building an audience, prayers, sweat and tears, my first co-authored book hit the shelves.

But by the time it did, it didn’t have the effect that I always thought it would.  Sure, it was a great feeling.  However, something has happened along the way to realizing this dream.

The joy had slowly drained out of my ministry.  

I was feeling more and more distant from God.  I began to resent ministry and people.

In desperation, I remember praying, God, I’m so tired.  I can’t do ministry this way anymore.  If this is what is required and how it has to be done, I’m out. 

Looking back, I can identify three steps that led to my ministry misery:

Step One: I made it my identity.

In the world of writing and ministry, I’ve always been told that you need to build a “platform.”  People have to know who you are if you want anyone to hear your message.  True enough.

I subscribed to a slew of blogs that gave expert advice about getting more followers, increasing traffic and marketing effectively.  I worked incredibly hard and applied the techniques.

It was like I was in high school all over again.  My popularity became a measure of my worth.  As a recovering people pleaser, I fell back into old habits and thought patterns.  What others thought of me became way too important.  I looked to online recognition — instead of God alone — to fill my need for acceptance and importance.

On any given day, my mood could be altered by the state of my Amazon book ranking or the response (or lack thereof) to a blog post.  

Even when I reached a goal, it didn’t delver the payoff I craved.  Because there was always a new goal to set and achieve.

It never felt like enough.  There was never an endpoint.  I never felt a sense of satisfaction.

When would I finally be “successful”?  I didn’t know.  But I knew that it was never at the level I had achieved.

Step Two: I compared myself to others.

I don’t know who said it, but it couldn’t be more true: Comparison is the thief of joy.

It wasn’t just that I compared my “numbers” or “followers” to others, I would also compare their gifts and abilities to mine.  I’d think that if I were just a better writer, a more engaging personality or a more brilliant business mind like “Suzy” or “Kelly” or __________________, I’d be content.

I struggled to be happy for others who were given incredible opportunities to spread their messages and tell others about God.  It made me feel like a failure.

Why did they get that opportunity instead of me?  What were they doing that I wasn’t?  Does God love them more?  Trust them more?

Step Three: I followed “advice” instead of Jesus.

After years of following advice from all the experts, I felt empty and anxious.  My focus was on all the wrong things.

I lost sight of the reason I began my ministry in the first place: a love for Jesus and a desire to serve Him.

For at least a year prior to God finally getting my attention, I felt a restlessness in my soul and spirit.  I knew that the way I was pursuing ministry was not led by God.

I could feel Him leading me to pull back and quit obsessing.  To rest.  To spend more time with Him and less with the “experts.”  To be bold enough to do ministry like He directed — even if it went against all the conventional wisdom.

And I resisted — time and time again.

My turning point

About six months ago, the exhaustion and weariness got to be too much.  I began to ask God over and over again to show me a new way to do ministry.  One that brought me joy instead of anxiety.

It didn’t seem possible.

This fall, as I was planning a women’s conference at my church, my health failed me.  I’ve struggled with chronic illness for years.  But for two weeks, I was nearly bedridden.  All my frantic activity came to a screeching halt.

God finally had my attention.  I was finally willing to give it all to Him whatever that meant.

When I spoke at the conference, I had nothing.  I prayed, “God, this is going to be all you.  I am completely empty.  ” I felt a power of the Holy Spirit that I had never experienced before.  He didn’t need all my frantic efforts after all.

I wanted more of that.  More of Him.  Nothing else.  Just that.  I was willing to follow wherever He led — just to get more of Him.

I’m doing ministry very differently these days.  I still have a blog, but not much of a social media presence.

I don’t know the big picture.  Or where He’s taking my ministry.  I’m just following where He leads step-by-step.

His approval is all I need.  His expert advice will always be for my good.

Do I still struggle at times with those old demons of comparison and insecurity?

Sure.

But they don’t own me anymore.

The joy is back.  Nothing is worth losing it.  

Bio:

Melinda150x150Melinda is first and foremost the daughter of an incredibly gracious and patient Father. She is the Women’s Ministry director at her church, wife to Mike and mom to teens Molly and Micah. She blogs about finding refreshment in the midst of adversity at melindameans.com. She is co-author of Mothering From Scratch, Finding the Best Parenting Style for You and Your Family (Bethany House, 2015).

 

Guest-Writers

How the Church Hurt Me

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Written By: Varina Denman

Admittedly, I take the church for granted.  I’ve been at worship three times a week since birth, and I’ll be there till they wheel my casket up the aisle.  For me, the church is life.  It’s breath.  It’s nourishment.

But it’s also pain.  We’re always harder on those we love, and in my lifetime, I’ve seen way too many bad/sad/mad things happen among Christians.  I’ve seen believers ostracized for their sins, ridiculed for their weaknesses, and gossiped for everything under the sun.  All in the name of Christ.

And I’ve been hurt.

There was the time church work was pushed on my husband and me, even though our marriage was struggling.  There was the time a family member’s parenting skills were scrutinized because of the behaviour of their teenage child.  There was the time family members were ridiculed because of their convictions on social issues.

But it all started when I was much younger, at the age when I first became aware of my appearance.  Like most adolescent girls, I felt insecure in my skin, and I worried about make-up and clothing.  Boys began to figure into this concern, and I struggled to balance my need-to-be-noticed with the Christian values my parents had taught me.

Good girls wore this and not that.  Bad girls wore that and not this.  I thought I was getting it right, until one of the deacons looked at me from head to toe and made a disgusted face at my clothing or my make-up or my body … or me.

Yes, the church hurts.  And I include myself in that accusation.  I don’t always say or do—or even think—the right thing.  In fact, twenty-five years later as I walked into worship, I caught myself scrunching my nose at two teenage girls in short dresses, and I realized

Christians don’t always act like Christ.

But there’s a reason for that.  Duh.  We’re not Him.  We’re human, and we’re a mess.  As long as there are people in the church, there will be problems, but we’re trying.  It’s true we’re harder on those we love, but the fact is, we DO love.  We just love imperfectly.

The Lord’s church is all about forgiveness, and we give each other plenty of practice.  We hurt each other, we forgive each other, we love each other.  We strive to love like Christ, but not until we get to heaven, will we finally get it completely right.  And to tell you the truth, I’m looking forward to that day.

~Varina

About Varina:
VDenmanHeadshot

 

Varina writes stories about the unique struggles women face.  Her three-book Mended Hearts series, which revolves around church hurt, is a compelling blend of women’s fiction and inspirational romance.  A native Texan, Varina lives near Fort Worth with her husband and five mostly grown children.  Her passion is helping others make peace with their life situations.

 

Guest-Writers

Faith.

UYM
Written By: Suzanne Vel
If I went through my journal I am sure I could find the exact date that it happened, but I’m guessing it was 3 to 4 months ago.  While sitting in church I made a life changing decision. I decided that I was sick and tired of being unsure in my faith.  Some days I could be so confident that what I believed was all true, and some days I would think back to the way I was raised to be an atheist and wonder if I was being foolish.  I told God in that moment, I’m all in.  I’ve decided from now on You are who you say you are.  You are real.  You are on my side, and I can fully put my confidence in You.
Immediately I felt a closer relationship begin with God that continues to today.
Due to this decision God has shown up abundantly in my life.
Previously I worried about having enough money in the bank to meet our needs.  Once I decided God was real and would never stop taking care of my family, I also stopped worrying about money.
Before I felt the need to explain myself in every misunderstanding.  Now that I believe God is fighting the battles for me I give them all to Him.  I literally have a constant stream of prayer in my head saying Lord explain to this person what I meant.  Lord defend me if it is your will to do so.
Before deciding to be all in with my faith I really didn’t understand what it meant to have a body, soul, and spirit.  Then one morning in my quiet time God explained the concept to me.  I shared what I learned with my husband Randy and his comment was that from now on I would read the bible completely differently.  That the knowledge of body, soul, spirit would change my understanding of my faith.  Randy was correct.  I hear a song singing about my soul or read a verse in the Bible and I get it on a much deeper level.
I cannot even begin to list all of the positive changes this decision to be fully committed to my faith has made in my life.  God is welcomed in my heart and He keeps showing up.  He is pouring blessings on us to the point of it being overwhelming.  He is telling us to enjoy life, and enjoy our family.  He is telling me to share boldly what I have learned so that others will want it for themselves too.  He is Real.
BIO:
FullSizeRenderSuzanne is a wife mother and believer in Christ.  She has a passion and dedication to anything she puts her heart to; from early morning quiet times with God to training for five full marathons.  She learned about God on her second date with her future husband, Randy, when she was 22 years old.  She grew in her faith continually, but it wasn’t until she learned why she really wanted to know God as her personal friend and confidant that she found out what it truly means to have faith in the one true King.  Suzanne’s goal now is to show others how to find their why so that their lives can be as dramatically changed as hers was on August 11, 2014. Please check out her book on Amazon, To Show His Love: Fellowship with God Changes Everything –To Show His Love: Fellowship with God Changes Everything (on Amazon)
Guest-Writers, {Life}

{Life} I Told a White Lie

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Written By: 

I told a white lie. I was on a mission and no one would suffer harm. I claimed grace.

She had been admitted earlier in the day and it was after visiting hours. It was the only way to get past the guarded receptionist in the emergency room. So without any hesitation, I lied through my teeth. “I’m her daughter.”

Up the elevators we went, my hubby and I, on a mission. Her actual daughter, my friend, was three thousand miles away and this was a reconnaissance operation.  We were going to be her eyes and ears on the ground, in the zone. Her momma was in the hospital and I was gathering information in order to give my report.

Knowing that sweet Agnes suffered memory loss, we were a little apprehensive as we quietly approached her room. I was also a little anxious because, you know, I lied. Someone was bound to be on to my little charade, and I was sure that the truth would be exposed and someone would stop us at any moment and proclaim “You are NOT the daughter!”

Her eyelids fluttered open as we entered her quiet darkened room. Her beautiful white hair framed her face; her skin was like peaches and cream; she literally glowed with a joy I can’t explain –it was an innocence and sweetness that was childlike. She was lovely even with a hospital blanket tucked under her chin.

In the dim light she recognized us immediately. I’m sure it helped that my hubby “that one that smells good” smelled good as always. She was delighted to see us, and seemed a bit confused as to why she was in that place and not with her precious Tom.

We spoke briefly, assuring her that her beloved would return in the morning; I confessed my lie to her and we giggled. She honored me with the proclamation that she would happily claim me as one of her girls.

With her lovely southern charm, she thanked us for our visit and we were gone.  It was August 4th, my daddy’s birthday.  It was a sweet coincidence; and it was the last time I got to love on her.

On August 13th the message I didn’t expect arrived with a jolt. “Mom passed away this morning.”

Suddenly, the August 4th mission, that quick pop-in at the hospital was promoted. Every sight and sound of that evening rushed back and I held them close. It was as if I turned each over in my hand like a gem, examining and memorizing the details. They were precious.

Certainly her story belongs first to her family; her husband, her daughters, her grandchildren and great grandchildren. I am only one of many who loved this beautiful woman. But these memories are mine.

The glorious truth is that almost every day we are handed golden tickets…opportunities to be cast in the stories of life unfolding all around. The casting call is open and we are invited to fill the roles in the epic stories written by God himself.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send?
And who will go for us? “And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:8 NIV.

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