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As Long As I Breathe
Have you ever heard an illustration used over the years and thought, “that makes sense and helps me understand” some spiritual concept, only to later find out it’s not a correct illustration for that concept? That happened to me this past week. I have so much to learn, even at 70 years of age, and almost 50 years of studying the Bible! Right before I run across my life finish line, I’d love to have a Bible in my hand saying, “hey, did you know this is in scripture?” Then I can take my last breath and wake up in the presence of Jesus! But until then, I’m still learning.…
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He’s Got the Power!
Do you ever waver in your belief in someone? Someone you normally would trust? Have you ever wavered in your trust in God? You know He has all power and wisdom, that He is sovereign, faithful and good, that nothing surprises Him. But sometimes you…just forget? Me too. My Bible reading today included Romans 4. Verses 20-21 became a lifeline to me in a difficult time in ministry years ago. A time when I was just over it, didn’t want to continue. I sought God’s direction of whether to walk away from this ministry position, or stick it out, but couldn’t get a clear answer. Then one day, this verse…
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Genesis to the Cross
You know how you know something, but then someone else writes a comment that just makes you think, “How could I forget that?” That happened this week as I was reading the end of the book of Mark in my NT260 Bible plan. Here’s the comment that made the connection between creation and the cross again for me: “With His death on the cross Jesus paid God’s penalty for the sins of the world, sins that required a blood sacrifice to purify sinners. On the third day, He rose from the dead and defeated death–the ultimate consequence of sin.” Foundations New Testament Did I already know that? Yes. Did I…
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Dealing With Anxiety
It’s everywhere! Maybe you are experiencing this right this moment. So much has been written about this, but how are YOU dealing with it? There’s only a couple of times in my life I came close to having a panic attack (other than a short lived one as I feared for my life and there was a true reason for this panic! Check out my Hurricane Sally series.). I do remember those times and felt, “I just cannot do all this!” I was the mom of twin daughters, in school, and very involved in ministry in my church, even serving in a part time position on the staff. My heart…
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Responsibility Without Authority?
Have you ever been in a place where you were given lots of responsibility, but you weren’t given much authority to go with it? I have, and it’s a hard place to be. You can get little done on the task because you don’t have the authority to make decisions yourself. At least that’s the way it feels regarding our work. Guess who else found himself in this kind of situation? Jonah, who spent 3 days in the belly of a fish. This is not something I’ve ever thought about before studying Jonah in a different way as I completed week two of Scarlet Hiltibidal’s study, Anxious. She points out…
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Leadership Blog Share
I’m sharing 3 great articles to start off 2022 as you serve in a ministry role! Enjoy! 1 Read Kelly King’s LifeWay Women Leading Well Ministry Trends to Know About in 2022. Great insight and thought provoking. 2 We all get tired in ministry. We also question if what we teach is biblical truth or it is just our opinion or interpretation. Make sure you are using God’s wisdom as you teach and lead. Read Ministry Leaders Pay Careful Attention to Your Teaching by Eric Geiger. 3 Read this LifeWay Research article Restarting and Refocusing Women’s Ministries for the New Normal. I pray your year will be filled with His presence…
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More Good News About the Wait!
Mostly on this blog I just bring you into my daily walk with Jesus and what He is teaching me. So, welcome to one morning with Him! Don’t you love it when the Lord gives you a particular glimpse of truth in a variety of ways. One day last week, my devotional and 2 books I am reading carried a common message relating to the “wait.” I recently wrote, in He’s Still the Same , about trusting Him in the difficult waiting times, as we reflect on His past faithfulness. Then last week, He reminded me again, why He doesn’t reveal all His mysteries to us right now. In my…
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Blog Share for the New Year
If you are looking for some ways to strengthen your time with the Lord, check out these great posts! 1 Here are some great ideas for starting the year off right with your study of the Word from LifeWay Women, 5 Ways to Reset in 2022. 2 How do you start your morning? Set an example of the power of starting the day in the Word! Leaving a Legacy of Bible Reading, from LifeWay Voices 3 Most of us struggle to memorize scripture, but if I, at 70, can memorize, YOU CAN TOO! Check out these helpful, practical ways to memorize, also from LifeWay Voices in The Diary of a…
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Persevere or Burnout Blog Share
The last two+ years have been some of the most difficult for church leaders than ever before. Do you find yourself thriving, just making it, or burned out? Check out these two blog posts. 1 8 Ways to Persevere in Ministry from LifeWay Research helps us become smart in our leadership perseverance. 2 Carey Nieuwhof gives us some signs to look out for in How to Burn Out in 6 Easy Steps! Ask God to help you persevere in the calling He has given you as you avoid sinking into burnout! Banner photo by Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash
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He’s Still the Same
Today a friend shared a song with me that I’d never heard. It is Just As Good. Maybe it is one you are familiar with, but I wasn’t, and I fell in love with it. Please listen and watch this video. I hope this encourages you as it has me. I only need to remember the past faithfulness of God to walk into each day, especially when things are hard. Here is part of the refrain that spoke loudly to me: And I will build an altarAnd stack it stone by stone‘Cause every Ebenezer says I’ve never been alone I looked up the definition of Ebenezer and this is what…