Inspire Me More

Yesterday, friend Brenda and I spent the day with several ladies from our area...and 600 from our state...at the annual Inspire Conference.  My third time to attend, I so enjoyed...and needed...this time for me.

This year's theme was More of Jesus:  in all areas, including church, work, family, friendships...and... I attended the breakout sessions on friendship and work, both areas in which I pray the Lord would use me...more.

Three more of my favorites:

1. Keynote Speaker Rachel Lovingood listened to the Lord and called for those wanting to repent at the beginning of her last session...and one responded, and I rejoiced.  This part of a conference is ever becoming my favorite part.  Another name was written down.  That is just perfection.
2. Lovingood also closed with a candle lighting service, which the ladies went to the light, instead of simply spreading the light, just as we must always go to the light before we can spread our light.  Lord, give me some fire...give me more light.  Very powerful!
3. Coffee...for the third year, Captain Jack's served coffee to the ladies.  I just love this mission work, a group who sends 1/3 of their profits back to a village in Guatemala, a village that is advancing because we here in America drink their coffees.  Now, this is just a win-win!  Two years ago, at one the Inspire Conference, I bought a Captain Jack's  coffee mug and began something new...each time I drank coffee from that mug, I prayed for that mission work.  This is  good thing...and so is the coffee.  

Would you say Philippians 4:13 with me:

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

For My Two Ears...Part 1

Currently, my Sunday evening class is studying the seven churches in Revelation.  Using the study materials from Beth Moore's The Beloved Disciple (via the Masterwork curriculum and her own books) and Sam Storms To the One Who Conquers, we are focusing on what the message to each church is saying to us, individually, today.

So far, we have studied the churches of Ephesus and Smyrna.  So very interesting.

• Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7):  From this church, the Lord reminded me...do not leave your first love.  Do not love "doing" more than than praising, worshiping, and spending time with just the Lord, for when you read the message to the Ephesian church, they most certainly sound like the most diligent of churches.  As our pastor first noted, "This is a church our would want to be like...except..."  Right.  Except.  Except they had left their first love.
  HOW DOES ONE NOT LEAVE the FIRST LOVE?  Stay in The Word.  Quiet time with the Lord.  Stay in The Word.  Yes, remain in The Word.
• Smyrna (Revelation 2: 8-11):  The Suffering Church.  Suffering for Him.  He who did not rescue them from the suffering but further prepared them for the suffering.  This He does for us, for not always are we spared the suffering, but He never leaves us, never abandons us.

This study is so interesting.  Just have to be honest...as I always am...I have never slowed down and read the words to the churches this slowly, identifying the five parts of the message to each church:

1. Identification
2. Commendation
3. Rebuke - only two of the seven had reason for NO rebuke.
4. Exhortation
5. Encouragement

As I mentioned above, to assist in studying in this manner, I encourage the use of the following two books...AND, of course, a good study Bible:

1. Sam Storms' To the One Who Conquers:  very in depth, with much history and expounding on the words within each verse, as this is a 50-day meditation on these churches.  VERY good resource.
2. Beth Moore's The Beloved Disciple:  Her chapters shorter, Moore's book reiterates, while at the same time, approaching the topics with different insights.  Maybe having a male and female perspective is a powerful way to approach a subject?

I very much look forward to what this ear needs to hear from the remaining messages to the churches.  So very interesting and timely and needed.

Through His Word

For the past two weeks, my Sunday School, using the Gospel Project curriculum, has been studying Nehemiah...one of my favorite books of the Bible...definitely in the top 66!

Several years ago, the Lord spoke to me through this book, in a mighty and powerful way.

Let me pause...God speaks to me through His Word often, but two times, He has spoken more loudly, more profoundly (if possible), more direct.  When I read Nehemiah 6:3 that day, I stopped, re-read...and re-read:  I am doing a good work, and I cannot come down.

The second time this occurred, a few years later, happened while reading II Chronicles 20:15b.  Yes, the battle's not mine...but His.

Through these scriptures, I have learned much:

1. God's Word is alive.  He speaks, sometimes quietly, sometimes so loudly you have to sit and make sure that He is finished, heart beating a bit faster, listening for more.
2. I have learned that I can be less verbal, less active, for when I am less involved, He receives all The Glory.  Yes.
3. He is ever mindful, knowing exactly what I need, when I need it.  His timeliness is perfect.

Tonight, in Discipleship Training class as we studied the Seven Church Ages, one of several lessons of which we were reminded...He wants us to ever be getting to know Him...through His Word, through praise and worship, through Quiet Time...just by spending time with Him.

As we noted tonight, I want to love Him more.  More tomorrow than I did today.  More next week than last month.  Just more....

Blessings...

Preparing the Way

In my Bible read this morning, I learned about Moses for the first time.  Okay, I didn't learn about Moses for the first time...I gained an insight, a nugget, that had never sparked for me before.

Remember, when Moses leaves Egypt, helps some girls water their animals, meets their dad, marries one of those girls?  You want me to write here that "they lived happily ever after," don't you?  Even as you know they don't!  You remember the story...they would spend a long time...40 years...roaming...

Let's go back to Midian; that time he spent there...meeting his girl, becoming a dad...he was learning about contrasts between a prince and a shepherd, even as God prepared him for leadership, even as he learned about living in a wilderness, even as he was humbled.

This time had to happen.  This time needed to happen.

This time was on-the-job training for The Job that Moses would almost see to completion.  Spoiler Alert:  Moses does not enter the Promise Land.

Now, advance forward to the 21st Century and you and myself.  Have you ever felt as if God had left in you a strange land, with no foreseeable way out, even as he blesses you with family...and things...and stuff...yet you feel that calling to more...and more?

Then, God sends an angel.  Then, God himself speaks.

"Here I am!" Moses replied.

"Here I am!" you reply.

"Here I am!" I reply.

That on-the-job training can just be so hard.  So hard.

The Bible tells us it must happen.  There, we meet Jesus.  He meets us right there.

Are you there now?

How Many Million?

According to an e-letter from author Karen Kingsbury...

Yesterday, was the 44th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.  Since then 60 million babies have been killed.

60 million.  Let's say that just one-third of that number would have been female.  Yes, 20 million.

Twenty million is ten times the number of women who marched this past weekend because they are oppressed as they live in the best and most blessed country ever.

No, none of these oppressed women marched for those embryos who would have become young ladies, yes, women, who truly had no voice. Killed, murdered from the worst of bullying situations.

Dear Jesus, have mercy on us all.

Just No

Over the last month or so, I have encountered such an attitude of entitlement, of trickery, of untruths from those who have asked for help, from those whose names were shared, from those for whom we were doing a "good deed."

A sign of the times?

I must remind myself that what we do, what I do, I should, I must, do as unto the Lord, just as Paul tells in the book of Ephesians when he wrote, "...rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man." (6:7, ESV)

The Enemy is just working, overtime, to hinder our walk with the Lord.  He wants us to become selfish, creating an even enlarged "Me!" world.  He wants us to be treated in unGodly ways to discourage our do-good spirits in this world where our lights need to shine, not flicker, but shine.

Is he succeeding?

Today, I learned of a loss of a $150, spent without permission, spent in ways different than we had agreed, not returned as was told.  This comes on top of crocodile tears, fake since the family is not in need as we had thought.  This comes on top of boxes of food distributed...with not a word of gratitude expressed.

Is he succeeding?

Our van ministry consists of children and youth, all of whose parents drive, choosing simply to not attend church with their children, declining to bring their kids to church if the van does not run, seemingly using us as babysitters, often bearing hurt feelings when routes and timings change.

Is he succeeding?

No.

Giving, sharing, these instances bring me great joy, for I do them as unto the Lord, giving the money back to Him, praying that the money becomes a blessing, a hope for a better tomorrow, a hope in Him spreading throughout our community.

Giving, sharing, theses times spent with children...remember how Jesus loved children?...learning from them, teaching them to pray, watching their faith build as prayers are answered, witnessing their maturation as they attend church service after service.

No, he is not succeeding.  He may attempt to knock me around, push me back, stomp on our attempts to further spread The Word.

No.  Just no.

Today, I dropped off a strawberry milkshake to a sickly friend.

Today, I visited two in the hospital, one with a just diagnosed cancer, another with heart concerns and attacks.

Today, I ordered two books for a student who needs me to order books for him because he must have books in his life, for they offer an escape when life is just too real.

Tomorrow, I will take dinner to a friend upon being released from the hospital because I am his family in Christ.

All these encounters make me happy, bringing peace and contentment to my soul, a soul owned by Him and in service to Him.

No, that enemy will not succeed.

Just no.

He Was There...All the Time

This week has resulted in  God placing me in a path at least three times.  As I ponder on these encounters, I realize that His placing me there...was also for me.

I have been working with a student who will be the first in his family to graduate...just as I was.  When I told my husband about this, his comment was, "This still happens in this day and age?"

Yes, first generation graduates still happen.

The first semester, I dragged, pushed, plodded that kid across the passing line, knowing that at times that kid probably could not stand me!  But.  But this semester he is different.  He's paying attention, completing assignments, talking to others, accepting my offer to buy him more books to read.  He is engaged within the classroom.  What has made the difference?  I truly think he needed success in his life, and passing my class was that success.  Maybe he needs someone in his corner, saying, "You can do this."

He can.  He did.  He will.

Then, I noticed him talking to a football player, encouraging the Football Player to read a book.  Yay!

Then, I decided to ask that Football Player to join what I am calling The Tag Team, for several of us are tag teaming to ensure this boy graduates, as we are already telling him we will stand and cheer when he walks across that stage on graduation night.  The first in his family to graduate. (You may want to make plans to attend, also!)

The Football Player stops by after I asked him to drop in when he had a moment.  Now picture it:  this is a boy whose parents are a doctor and teacher, who has had much success and popularity in school.  As I began to describe Boy 1 and explain some of the situation, noting that he could make a difference in this young man's life, he would say, "I have noticed."  "I want to be a part of this."

I had chill bumps all over me.  God stood there and anointed and blessed that time.

You see...I was born for such a moment as this...and so were both of these young men.

Later in the week, with my senior English classes, we analyzed Baca's poem "A Daily Joy to Be Alive," and, at one point, I shared with them some of my "ruins" from which "new beginnings" came, for as, I explained to them, I have applied for several positions within my district and have never been hired.  No matter the degrees, experience, or test scores.  As a matter of fact, I was not hired for my current position; I came in when my former school was forced to consolidate.

Yet...when other schools called and asked me to apply, I could not.  Spiritually, I could not get permission to leave.

At one point in that discussion, I heard myself say, "You see I am to enter that door right there...every day...until another door opens for me.  I am to teach."

I heard a quiet voice say, "That is so inspiring."

Yes, it was to me, also, for those words were for me, for that was one of those times when you finish talking...and you know that it wasn't really you talking.

God stood there and anointed and blessed that time.

You see...I was born for such a moment as this.

On this same day, another student shared that his mom made him read 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and "some other book."

Since he was forced to read those books, his mom has since eased into Heaven, and he has such a precious memory.

I told him, "You had a good momma."

You see...I was born for such a moment at this.

I wish I could take back every time I have moaned and groaned and questioned why those doors in my professional life will not open for me.

They will not open, for I am praying that God's Perfect Will be done in my life.

His Will is that I enter my classroom door every day...until He opens another.