An Invitation

Ladies of JPBC I want to encourage you to attend with me the Women of Faith Conference. It will be an investment of time and monies that will pay back in inspiration, laughter and pure divine delight not to mention the fellowship between those ladies willing to go on the adventure. I have had the privledge to attend several of these conferences and am always glad I did. The stories I could tell! Let’s just say one said adventure involves tattoos, running out of gas, a found license plate and a “sign.” I know those fellow sojourners out there are having a time remembering our adventure with our Lord. This particular journey was a life changing event for my very good friend Erin. Maybe she will share on the comment page how God can use such an event to get our attention and our hearts by captivating us with His love. I will need to know very soon if you will be attending so please consider taking a ride with me and our Lord.

PS Erin, Jeanette, Donna if you want to attend with us you are more than welcome….

Just thinking....

Whew, what a busy summer. Today there are so many different and varied thoughts going on in this small brain of mine. First, today we took the kids to Discovery Place and was reminded again what an awesome genius our Creator God is! We saw the complexity of how our own human bodies work to the outlandish and colorful creatures of the deep and learned about the laws of nature that God put into place. I stand amazed at His power but also His creativity and yes some creatures cause me to wonder about His sense of humor and adventure. You, O El Elohim are the One and Only Creator God of all things seen and unseen! I give you glory.

Secondly, As I listened to the narrator of the IMAX show describe how the baby in the womb has hands that begin as webs then are “sculpted” into hands with fingers, I was struck with the choice of word he used, “sculpted.” Our Lord did just that, He personally put clay into His big and glorious yet tender and caring hands and sculpted each of us personally into His workmanship. We are His personal work of art. I am and you are a masterpiece! For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephes. 2:10

Thirdly, I have been thinking about 7 people lately especially two. On our Mission Trip to Altoona, PA we labored physically during the day in a major heat wave and then we did VBS during the evening hours. I have to confess after looking at the facts: 1) they had never done VBS before 2) their active membership was maybe 10 3) 3 other churches in the community were doing VBS the same week and 4) we were out of the Bible belt, I had doubts about the turnout. I prayed for God to send us kids. He did! The first night we only had one little girl, the second night we had 7! The next night we had 18! God is very good. We had 6 pray to receive Christ and I saw the Light come upon them. One young boy who had prayed to receive Christ brought his twin sister back the next night and said to me, “Will you tell that story about Jesus again because my sister doesn’t know that Jesus died for her sins?” Wow! A young girl named Chloe, who prayed to receive Christ, was so excited about her decision and I can only describe her as a sponge. She went home to tell her parents about her decision only to be told by them she wasn’t allowed to return. Woe! She has been on my mind. In fact I can’t control the tears flowing even now. I know this, I will see her again; but between now and then I pray for Chloe. Will you join me in praying for Chloe? The other person lying heavy on my heart is Doe. She was a member of the church and truly used by God as the instrument to bring children to the VBS. She hung around each night and just watched, listened and engaged us in conversation. She is a lovely young lady who found Christ later in life and is by all accounts sold out to Him. She told me that it was such a refreshment and encouragement just to be with all of us from JPBC. You see being a member of such a small church she doesn’t really have fellowship. She craves Christian friendships and Christian conversations. I can’t imagine her yearning and longing. I have been praying for Doe, will you join me in praying as well?

How great is our God!

That all may see how great is our God!

Two young men changed forever because they heard the voice of God and responded with obedience and devotion.

All see how great is our God!

One young lady wanted so bad to hear the voice of God and she did. He opened her eyes to the way she had treated others and how it displeased Him and wanted more for her. She responded with I hear and will obey!

All see how great is our God!

Another young lady heard God say that the life of selflessness is for her and not the way of selfishness. She heard and she too responded with obedience.

All see how great is our God!

Yet another young lady went to her knees weeping no matter she was surrounded by 700 peers! She wanted to know for sure she was His. She wanted to walk with Him as her Lord. She arose in rededicated devotion and commitment to the Lover of her soul!

All see how great is our God!

Yet another young lady stood weeping in the midst of her peers wanting more of Him and less of her. She rededicated herself to Him. She arose with great joy that truly made her shine…she hasn’t stopped shining yet!

All see how great is our God!

Another young man confessed that He had been lax in his relationship with His God. He admitted that He hadn’t been reading His Word as he had wanted to. He recommitted to read with renewed passion!

All see how great is our God!

Yet another young man admitted He hadn’t followed the Lord in the ways He should. He recommitted to following Him closer than He had in the past.

All see how great is our God!

Another young man’s eyes were opened to how others were looking up to him and how he wanted to be a good example. He is also prayerfully considering God’s call. I’m praying for you!

All see how great is our God!

Two other young men had the time of their life. Their eyes were opened to God in ways they had never experienced before. I always saw smiles on their faces as they met each new and strange adventure!

All see how great is our God!

God orchestrated events that led me to Sherry S. who after talking to her was led to compel Allen and Dena to take her for their “Track B”. God showed up (even when Allen slept through the alarm) and gave them affirmation and much wisdom to digest!

All see how great is our God!

God orchestrated over a year ago that we would have Rhett as our Bible study host. He also gave him the Scripture two weeks before (to memorize) that he would need to share with our group when I asked him to do so without any time to prepare….God had already prepared him! God used Him to let our girls know they were beautiful and “modest is hottest!”

All see how great is our God!

The New Sanctuary committee had a goal of $50,000 in pledges and change given. They received more than that.

All see how great is our God!

This morning I was sitting under my broom tree and God spoke in His still small voice….”I’m not done with you yet, not get up and eat for the journey before you is great. He provided the manna and I am full! Overflowing!

All see how great is our God!

Over and over in the OT God said I am doing this or that so that “you shall know that I am the LORD .” That is my prayer through the journey God has for JPBC. We may know He is LORD. That all we talk to may know He is LORD. That the world looking on may know that He is LORD. This is the reason this song rang true to my heart He wants all to see how great He is. Let us not be lax in our telling and sharing how great is our God as we take this journey to our “promised land.”

Monday, June 11, 2007

You know how pastors always get on their sheep when they fight change? I had my own challenge today with change. This was the second year that the pastors conference had a special session for the wives. I love hearing my heroes preach, I have enjoyed sitting with my husband for a change so I had the spirit of resistance to attending the wives session. I am so glad I fought the mood!

I was blessed and challenged. The theme was Strength for the journey.

The afternoon session, we were all back together again. I was blessed to meet up with our good friends the Ryder's. The speakers, Dr. Michael Catt & Dr. James MacDonald were used by God to speak to my hungry heart.

The evening session was even better and my faith was challenged through God's messages by Dr. J. D. Grear, Dr. James Merritt & Dr. Johnny Hunt. All of this and the great music as well!!

I have been blessed and have so much to ponder, pray and confess.

SBC Pastor's Conference: Sunday, June 7, 2007

I love the Pastor's conference! It has always been a highlight of my year. A time to be challenged and renewed in my calling. I am hoping that this year will be no different. Tonight was good. I was actually moved by the message in a particular song than any of the messages. The song was, "How Great is Our God." There is a line in the song that says, "That all may see our God is great." This is my prayer for Jackson Park Baptist Church that we as His people would see and know His greatness to the extent of abundant and lavish praise of Him that others would see and know our God is great.

This reminded me of our 2nd Ladies Night Out. The heart talk was taken from the prayer of Jesus for each of us. (John 17:20-26) That night I made a commitment that I would begin to pray in agreement with Jesus' own desires for us. I hope that you too will commit with me to pray for Jackson Park (or your church) in line with Jesus' own prayer. Below I have paraphrased what Jesus desired of us and the results He desires.

1. Make us one with each others
2. Make us one with Him
3. Make us perfect (complete)
4. This side of heaven we be where Jesus
5. Let us see Jesus' glory
5. Divine love be in us
6. Christ be in us

Results
1. That the world will know He is God
2. That the world will know He loves them

The results of Jesus' prayer being answered in our lives as a corporate body is that the world will see and know our God is great! God is so good to remind us of our commitments. Before going to bed tonight I will pray and maybe someone out there will be praying with me and Jesus.

Saturday, June 9 ,2007

Before our journey to the 2007 Southern Baptist Pastor's Conference and Convention Jon and I were blessed with a visit from Chad, Amanda and Clay. What a joy and delight for Jon and I to watch our own son as a father. He is a wonderful dad! This week has been full of memories each of us having our own favorite. Jon's is probably playing kick-ball with Clay or watching him play in the sprinkler. Chad and Amanda's is most likely will be the time alone they had with each other. Mine is definitely the night I taught Clay to see lightning bug and catch them. We ended the evening swinging together on my front porch swing. We talked till it got really dark; that's how Clay described it. Memories are worth making and remembering.

Wrong Perceptions

How many times have we had the wrong perception of the circumstances surrounding us? How often do we swallow the lie that it’s all about us? In the midst of loss, pain and tribulation, what do we believe about God? Do you believe that there is no hope and God must be against you? Do we forget all the blessings that are and have been poured out all around us? Do we forget who He is? Do we forget who He is to us?

Yes loss and tribulations are hard; it hurts when we have losses. Grieving is good and it must be done, but we shouldn’t become dead in the land of the living. We can’t grow bitter and angry. We must not sulk and have pity parties. Why the LORD gives and takes away is beyond what my mind can wrap around. This I do know God NEVER takes away for our harm or defeat. There is more to this season of pain, loss or tribulation than we may know even if we can’t see it. If the enemy can keep us in the pit of despair we’ll never experience the good God wants to bring out of our losses; He does want to bring good out of our losses. He does and He will if we cooperate. We must get our eyes off of ourselves.

Looking at two Biblical figures will show how wrong our perspectives can be. Job and Naomi both thought that God was against them. Yet in Naomi’s life God is up to something huge! He’s up to opening the way for the Gentiles to know His salvation. He’s up to providing the way for man to be reconciled to Almighty God. This is world changing and life transforming stuff. It’s all about the LORD”S Christ. She thought that God was against her when in fact He was very much for her and had a great future and hope not only for her but for all of us.

Then there was Job. He too began to believe that life as he had known it was all but over. He thought that God was against him as well when in fact God was using him as an example for faith God Himself had chosen Job to show Satan that our faith can be steadfast in the midst of tribulations. Job’s faith in His Redeemer that he knew he would see face to face is a beacon of strength for us. Job showed us that we are to love our God not because of what He gives or can give but because He is God.

What are your circumstances at this very moment? Are you feeling like God is against you? Are you feeling hopeless and without a future? I have encouragement for you today. Those feelings are all based on a lie! Don’t allow the enemy to lead you to defeat and steal your joy. The Lord is never against His children. He always works towards our best interest. He is our Father; therefore He never operates apart from His Fatherly love for us. Remember you are apart of something that is bigger than yourself. Cooperate with the flow of His hand and witness amazing things unfold.

Home Sick

Have you ever been there? Away from your home, enjoying the time you are away, yet an inner yearning to be home. Here I am in this very strange place. I was not made for this place. It is a place that beckons me to be one with it. This place constantly reminds me of who I was and seduces me to believe I am home when I am not. No matter how many say, "You have a home here," my heart cries out, "It can't be so!"

Have you ever been in a crowed place and found yourself lonely? Have you ever had that strange feeling that something wasn't right but for the life of you couldn't figure out what it was? What about a time when everything was absolutely all in its place and good only to find your heart aching and you don't know why? My answer to all the above is a loud, "Yes!"

Since I met God and Jon I have lived in several different cities other than my hometown of Dallas, TX. Some were: Virginia Beach, VA; Wilmington, DE; Wake Forest, Roxboro & Greensboro, NC; Nigeria, Africa; Johnstown, PA; El Paso, TX and now in Kannapolis, NC. Places that I loved. Each place had its own unique qualities that captivated me over and over again. I thank God for each of these special places. El Paso had the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. I was told that the sunrises were just as pretty; I told them that I would take their word for it. Nigeria had the most awesome display of lightning. Johnstown had glorious snow and the mountains would blaze with the brilliant reds, oranges and yellows. Wilmington had rolling hills and great museums. North Carolina has back roads & miles of trees. Now in Kannapolis God has blessed me (for now) a great table at a wonderful window that has a birdfeeder and tree right outside the window. I have seen Blue Jays, Blue Birds, Cardinals, Woodpeckers, Pigeons, Owl, Hawks, Wrens and others. Again, each of these places has great beauty and blessings not to mention the memories made at each place. Each has brought beautiful friendships. Yet, I never felt like I was home. You may be thinking that I never felt at home because my home is Dallas and that is where all your family is. I do get homesick for my family but never for Dallas. After being away for so long it feels less and less like it once did, home.

So what does my heart ache for and why? I was not created for this place. As the Psalmist cried out in Psalm 84:2 (NKJV) My soul longs, yes, even faints, For the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. I long for the day when I will see Him face to face. I dream of the wedding feast when I will be standing by His side as His glorious Bride. I know that when I'm feeling out of place that it's because He is reminding me I was made for Him and another place. I believe that those strange feelings are His whisper that He longs for me to be with Him as well. You see God is the one that placed that longing in me to begin with. Look at Eccles. 3:11b (NKJV) He has put eternity in their hearts. Does God long for us? John 14:2-3 (NKJV) In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

I mentioned earlier that I do get homesick for my family. I truly love my Mom, Dad, Sisters, Brother-in-love and nephews. I do have the privilege of calling and even emailing them from time to time. Yet we all know it isn't quite the same thrill as seeing them face to face and embracing them. This is true for us here this side of heaven as well. We have the great privilege of talking to Him and reading His love letter and responding with our own devotion. Still I can only imagine as good as my time with Him is this side of glory what it will be like to wrap my arms around His big beautiful neck and kiss His glorious hands and feet. I can't imagine the thrill it will be to take His big hand into mine and we take our first of many walks trough the field of daisies. I yearn to get out my lengthy list of questions as "God and woman at table set down." Even so Lord Jesus come now; I am all Yours!

Mentoring

In light of the upcoming events for the women at JPBC I wanted to repost this blog on mentoring.

I have been in ministry for 26 years. I'm going to confess that for all those years I have seen very little of Titus II operating within the local church. I haven't seen older men teaching and encouraging the younger men in the ways of LORD nor have I seen younger women teaching and training younger women. I can only count one who sought to mentor me intentionally, an older woman whose name was Carolyn Badry. One of the greatest things she ever did for me was to challenge me to read. What Happens When Women Pray, by Evelyn Christensen. She even loaned me her copy! At another time, maybe I'll share how that alone impacted my life and created miraculous events that still awe me to this day. I'm not saying that there weren't others that I learned from. There were a few, but what I learned from them I learned at a distance, by watching.

I personally didn't grow up in a Christian home. I was completely clueless when it cam to parenting and marriage in general much less in the ways of God. I fumbled and stumbled throughout. I learned too much the hard way. Oh, how I longed for someone to come along and walk with me, teaching, training and encouraging me. Listen, I know now that there was no one that would have had all the answers or would have been perfect. That wasn't what I needed or even wanted. I needed someone who loved the LORD and His Word so that it overflowed to me. Someone who knew Him longer and deeper than myself and who would share a few tips along the journey.

I wonder how many other women were looking for the same things. I also wonder if the ways of God had been practiced within the Church, if we'd have the problems we have today reaching out to the younger generations. I wonder if the divorce rate would be what it is today in the Church if Titus II were applied. What I have seen in most churches is a caretaker mentality, (just take care of ME!) Not at all the picture Christ gave us for the Church.

Ephes. 4:15-16 (NKJV)

…but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Every one of us must be doing our share in edifying the body of Christ. A lot of the talking I’ve heard has been full of everything but love; critical, slanderous, malicious or empty and shallow. We are all called to continue to grow in Christ; and to do our part in helping others grow in Christ.

We have seen that we are all called to love the Church through edifying the Body. We have also seen that God specifically has told us to whom and what we women are to speak in love. We share Woman to Woman and Man to Man. I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out the wisdom in doing this God’s way. God also gave us some starting points:

Titus 2:3-5 (NKJV)

…teachers of good things -- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands…

The question that comes next is how. Sometimes I am so overwhelmed with love for the Lord that I can’t contain myself. I love how He loves me. I love how He knows me. As I was reading Titus II again He whispered two different verses to me. At first I responded with, “okay, Lord I will look at those later.” Then I realized He was still teaching me about Titus II. Read the following passages and then I’ll share what the Lord was saying to me.

Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen

Deut. 6:6-9; 20-25 (NKJV)

"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

"When your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the Lord our God has commanded you?' then you shall say to your son: 'We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; and the Lord showed signs and wonders before our eyes, great and severe, against Egypt, Pharaoh, and all his household. Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers. And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us.'

The Lord was saying that we make things much harder than they need to be. In the great commission He says that we are to, “Go.” Now a more accurate translation is, as you go. As we go we are to make disciples and teach them how to obey. As we go we are to intentionally share our faith and then continue to share our faith in discipling. In the Deuteronomy passage we see it in reference to parenting, in our case think spiritual parenting or mentoring if you prefer. We intentionally look for the opportunity to share with love as we are sitting, walking, etc. My mentor Carolyn Badry didn’t walk up to me one day and say, “I want to mentor you” or, “I want to teach you a few things.” She invited me into her home and just talked. She shared books with me that had meant something to her and helped her to grow in the Lord. She prayed with me when she knew there was a need. She encouraged me to exercise my gift that I didn’t even know I had; by asking me to teach her class. She edified me and I am forever grateful.

I see three steps in Deuteronomy. Step one: We love the Lord and His Word so much that we become one with Him and His Word that it over flows from us so that others notice it. We can’t share opinions or lead in wrong paths we must know, live and share His truth. Step Two: We intentionally look for the opportunities to share with younger women and we do so diligently. Step Three: When we are asked questions we willingly share our own experiences and encounters with the Lord, the victories and the failures. All we do, we do out of sincere and genuine love for them and our precious Lord and Savior Jesus the LORD’S Christ.

I have challenged the older to seek out the younger but you who are young in the ways of LORD, newly married or a young parent can seek out the older, wiser woman. I recently had a young woman who God has challenged to lead the women of her church to email me and ask me to mentor her and give her guidance. How thrilling for me!

I would love to hear your thoughts on Titus II. Maybe those of you who have mentored would like to share ways you have intentionally mentored others.

Lessons from Clay

Jon (P-Paw) and I (MeMaw) had the joy and delight to spend a week with our grandson Clay. He is the most adorable and charming 2-year old. If you question me just ask those who had him in nursery. I believe he stole the show or maybe controlled the show. When we walked into the nursery room, Clay was looking up at Madison and pointed to her and then a chair and said, “Sit.” To my surprise Madison sat. Clay then backed up and began tossing the ball to Madison. Definitely a “D” personality. Donna told me that he would just begin to laugh and Kendra would ask him, “What is so funny?” His response, “I do not know.” Sometimes we just need to rejoice with laughter.

Clay loves to pray! At first he didn’t want to hold hands and pray at the table…it wasn’t the praying he objected to just the holding of hands. He soon caught on though and would hold out his hands and say, “Pray now.” This happened numerous times during our meals. Now what do you say to that, “No Clay, we have already prayed?” Of course not so we prayed often during our meals. What caught my attention was how often his mind would think of praying and how often mine didn’t. I want God to be on my mind like praying was on Clays.

One day while traveling in the car I was entertaining Clay by playing with his feet. To my surprise he grabbed my hand and said, “Pray.” I prayed. Then Clay said, “No MeMaw, P-Paw pray.” P-Paw prayed. Then as I continued to play with his feet, he said, “MeMaw pray for Clay’s feet.” So MeMaw prayed for Clay’s feet, “God guide His steps and keep him from going places that could be harmful, God keep them physically safe from stings, and hurtful objects, Guide His steps to You, Lord. A while later, Clay continued to chatter away and I sarcastically said, I think we need to pray for Clay’s mouth. Clay with great excitement held out his hand and said, “MeMaw pray for Clay’s mouth.” With humility and shame I prayed, “God please give Clay wisdom to say words that are kind and helpful to people and not hurtful. Help Clay to speak with kindness; saying ‘thank-you’, ‘your welcome’ and ‘excuse me’ (like he did at Chic-Fil-A to the cow that bumped his chair); Amen.” Clay excitedly responds, “AMEN.”

How often moms are you praying for your children and grandchildren? Are you praying for their feet, eyes, mouths and hands? What kind of blessing would be placed on your children to hear your prayers for them. Take a lesson from Clay, pray often. Also, remember Deut. 6 and intentionally seek out opportunities to pray for all things.