-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
- Beach Lessons, Leadership Lessons, Lessons, Spiritual Growth, Test, The Cost of Leadership Series, Trial
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…
-
The Cost of Leadership Part 6
Please start with the first 5 posts in this series if you haven’t already. The fifth aspect of the cost of going deep is prayer, and the time it takes to pray. Deeper for me was when our daughter walked away from our family for 8 years. And God called my husband and me to continue walking and serving faithfully when the waves we had to cross got even bigger. We continued to pray for years that the Lord would bring her back, keep her safe and draw her to Himself. Sometimes as we serve and lead, God does not answer for a long time. But He is at work even…
-
The Cost of Leadership Part 5
Please start with the first 4 posts in this series if you haven’t already. The second aspect in the cost of going deep involves laying down our fears through our faith in Him. For me, the deep, was when He first called me to speak in front of my church. If you know me, you’ve heard me say, I’d never be a public speaker. Deeper was when the Lord called me to LifeWay to continue serving out the call to disciple women, this time training church leaders across the country how to effectively develop ministries for women that help them grow deep! Laying down fear takes courage. Just look through…
-
The Cost of Leadership Part 4
Please start with the first 3 posts in this series if you haven’t already. Cost 4: the cost of going deep. Although similar to cost 3, this is specifically talking about depth in our relationship with Christ. Just a heads up, I won’t finish cost 4 in one post, but will share 8 aspects of this cost. Hebrews 6:1-2 reminds us to leave the elementary things, let go of shallowness, and go on to maturity. We are warned to be careful not to become lazy in our spiritual life. Therefore, let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance…
-
The Cost of Leadership Part 3
This is part 3 in The Cost of Leadership Series. If you missed it, read part 1 here and part 2 here. Cost 3: the cost of learning new things. Maybe because I love to read, and always have lots of books going at the same time, you might think this is easy for me to say. Actually, just because I read a lot, doesn’t always mean I am learning new things. I must first admit I need to learn and then I must choose to learn. But I definitely do believe in continuing to grow and learn. While at LifeWay, one huge learning challenge for me was technology. When I landed…
-
The Cost of Leadership Part 2
This is part 2 in The Cost of Leadership series. If you missed it, read part 1 here. Cost 2: the cost of priority changes. If we are living to serve Christ in every aspect of our lives, there will be a refocus on what is most important. Remember, serving Christ covers every assignment He gives us. This includes family, community, workplace, and church. But priorities within each of these areas will change once we submit them to God. One way there is change is how we look at immediacy and waiting. Although there are times that God will ask us to use whatever wisdom we have to make a…
