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LifeWay Research Articles
I often read and share information and posts from LifeWay Research and that is the case today while I am on vacation. 1 Having stayed a baby Christian for a number of years after my salvation, my heart is all over topic of spiritual growth, and anything to do with discipleship. Here is an article that will encourage you to invest in young believers: Spiritual Development: Helping Believers Grow Beyond Newborns. 2 This second article helps you understand why it is so important to encourage women to study the Bible. If they do not understand who God is and why it matters to their daily walk, they will not know…
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Vacation Podcast Share-Experiencing God
I don’t know how many of you did the study Experiencing God when it was first released in 1990 but I did. It brought a new level in my study of God’s Word and in understanding how God works in our lives. I understood the Holy Spirit better and began to walk in deeper faith. Over the years it has continued to change millions of hearts and now it has been re-released this year including free video access. My women’s life group is going to do this after the first of the year and I cannot wait. I’m excited to see how those who are new to the study will…
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Vacation Blog Share
I am on vacation in September so will be taking a little break from blogging. But, I have 2 great posts from other bloggers to share with you today. Enjoy! 1 How well is your church reaching single adults? Read some statistics in this article from LifeWay Research: Pastors Encourage Single Adults, Some Provide Targeted Ministries, written by Marissa Postell. Take a look at these statistics and ask God what He wants you to do to reach your singles. 2 What does your prayer time look like? Has it become routine or maybe even dull? Read Ideas On How To Spend Your Prayer Time from LifeWay Women written by Tessa…
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My Soul’s Longing
Something occurred to me recently regarding why I want others to know Jesus and why my heart for discipleship has been a calling now for about 40 years or so. Because it was quite a few years between my salvation and the first time someone personally discipled me and showed me how to grow in Christ, I do not want that to be the story for other new believers. Some days, even during difficult seasons, my time with the Lord just causes my soul to soar and all I can think is, “I so want others to experience this satisfying joy.” A joy that transcends earthly concerns and pain. The…
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Read These!
Read this post from LifeWay Research regarding recruiting volunteers. I’ve used this method for 30 years, so much better than picking people for positions, which I’ve also done! A New Approach to Volunteers: 5 Tips for Getting a “Yes” in a Culture of “No” How’s your leadership heart doing? Find out here from one of my fav podcaster/bloggers Carey Neiuwhof. 7 Early Warning Signs Your Heart Is Growing Hard in Leadership Although leadership is not always fun and easy, when God calls us to do it, we want to do it to the best of our God-given ability even when it’s hard! The amazing blessings of serving are worth any…
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Lessons from #MoDawg
Listening has been the theme of some recent posts, today is another. You may know that our 12 year old Yorkie Mo has been blind for about 2 years. Today we took him kayaking, which he loves, and also for a walk in the park. In the past, we let him off the leash to run his legs off. Then he went blind. He still loves the freedom to run. Although we let him off his leash occasionally in an open field, he’s much slower than before, more cautious, and he depends on our voice commands to guide him safely, and so he can locate us. Today as we watched…
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Treasures
I started this train of thought last week in When It Makes No Sense. Today, I want to share 7 follow up treasures He has given me, and how I am getting those insights. I do not like waiting for answers…just ask my former co-workers! I’m just not good at waiting. And right now…waiting is where I am. But in the waiting, the Lord ALWAYS shows up. These things occurred (and this time I was listening!) in a weeks time. And even though resolution has not yet appeared, He has shown up, every single day! 1 I read the phrase “don’t hurry through the heartache” alongside Romans 8:28, “We know…
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When It Makes No Sense
It was one of those days. I’d been dealing with something heavy on my heart. Something that just isn’t how things should be. This led me to look at others and wonder why my situation couldn’t be fixed like their situations seem to be. This day, as He does often, God spoke in various ways as I spent time with Him on my deck. I started with the song, Sovereign Over Us, one I listen to especially when I just need the reminder of His sovereignty over EVERYTHING. Take a listen. My Bible reading then took me to John 21 and the conversation Jesus had with Peter, after He told…
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The Cost of Leadership Part 8
Please start with the first 7 posts in this series if you haven’t already. This is the final segment. Cost 5: the cost of giving ministry away. As some point, the Lord will ask us to leave behind a place of ministry we have led. He may ask us to serve differently, or He may call us home to eternity. The question is, what do we leave behind? We must ask the question now: have I invested well so that God’s work continues even after I am no longer around? Our job it to obey and serve the best we can, then step away when He directs us to do…
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The Cost of Leadership Part 7
Please start with the first 6 posts in this series if you haven’t already. The seventh aspect in the cost of going deeper is battles. Followers of Christ have an adversary, and his name is Satan. His desire is to keep us from knowing, serving, and trusting Christ as we walk with Him. At times we will carry scars from the battles with him. Ultimately Christ has won the war, but this side of heaven the enemy still has influence on earth that we will face continually. It may come through painful relationships, failure, criticism from others, health…any number of situations in which we face spiritual warfare. Even when we…
