The house I grew up in had a huge picture window in the front room. It was a Cape Cod, built in the 50s; why wouldn't you have a picture window in the 50s? Life was great! Communism was defeated, there were great big cars in the driveway, and everyone played in the street. So naturally, Mom would need a big, shiny glass picture window to dress in tie-back sheers. One that would frame the picture of her man coming home at the end of the day. 

I used to love to look out of that window at the plum tree, the front gate, our dogs. But didn't take me long to know that there wouldn't always be a dad pulling into the driveway and coming up the walk. And, when he did, it wasn't all that great. 

So I learned not to look too far past the glass. 

Even though I loved to play outside, I never minded rainy days. Living near the coast, rain drenched our windows. Strong gusts of wind blew in quickly.  When I could see the underside of the silver maple trees, I knew a storm was on its way. Our soft, circular sofa was just the right height for me.  On my knees, face close to the window, I watched as the storm moved in. Once the rain began slapping against the glass, I would find a droplet and trace it all the way to the bottom. It may seem like that would be boring- it was anything but! 

Sometimes the drops would start off strong, only to dissolve completely before they ever got close to the bottom. Others would begin their trip down the glass alone and then join forces with another drop, and maybe another, until they were consuming the water on the glass and flooding themselves toward the end. But some droplets- looking no different from any others, would travel slowly down the pane, dodging, stopping, and navigating until they reached their destination. 

These drops originated over 6 miles up and they made it all the way to my front window. Fighting their way to their destination, nothing, I mean nothing, was going to stop them. Deter them, yes; stop them, not a chance. Rarely did a drop ever go straight down. It was normal, even expected, to be detoured. 

And there we have the life-lesson. You knew it was coming, didn't you?

We are all created individually, and specifically, for a purpose. Our lives are fleeting, compared to the eternity that awaits. We may choose to navigate with a partner, we may travel this journey without one. But we can count on life's journey never being straight and predictable. And, once we invite Him into our lives, we can count on our Creator's presence forever and that He will never, ever leave us totally alone. (Hebrews 13:5) 

The rain that ran down my front window dripped off the wooden frame directly into the flowerbed. It wet the shredded newspaper, clean crushed eggshells, and coffee grounds that my mom put behind the most beautiful azaleas I have ever seen. My mom knew that the ground needed to be prepared and it had to be fertile. Our house was near a lake; it would do no good for the rain to hit the hard, thick clay that made up the lake bed. But combined with the organic material that Mama so faithfully supplied, our azaleas had a color I have never seen anywhere else. A cross between purple and fuchsia that celebrated the uniqueness of our Creator. They were thick and healthy and they provided a shelter for our sweet dogs, tiny sparrows, and a fleet of Tonka trucks and Hot Wheels. 

As I write this, the Sun is coming out after a Sunday that included a dynamic presentation of the Gospel at 8am, hard, cold rain, and even snow (on the last day of Winter)! It's been a full and wonderful day. And I know that, as great as that sermon was, it would do no good if I didn't prepare my heart to receive the message that was presented. Our lessons in this life do no good if we do not receive them into an open heart. And, once received, if we don't share the knowledge that has come our way, what good are they?

So as the Lord sends us a shower of messages, pray that your heart will be the fertile soil necessary for them to flourish and bloom. And prepare to be astounded at the blessings yet to come! 

Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but so far for me, 2017 has been a great year! 

I woke up. Seriously. I know, as a believer, the options are win/win. But still, the Lord saw fit to give me another day on the planet to serve Him and to tell others about Him and His unchanging, unconditional love. So that's a plus in my book. 

I woke up alongside the man I have loved for almost 33 years. Again, a win!

In addition, I woke up after a good night's rest under a roof of our own, safe, warm, and loved. Not everyone is able to make that statement. People in our own neighborhoods go to bed hungry, fearful, and lonely. 

After morning devotions, (a freedom we should never take for granted) I chose what I would wear from many options. A luxury, for sure.  I showered, changed, and we left for church. Praise God! We belong to a church comprised of an amazing congregation of people, led by healthy, God-honoring, humble leaders. Again, not everyone is blessed with a strong body of believers and healthy church leadership. 

Following church we came home in our own vehicle, prayed together, and left to take lunch to my sweet, 90 year-old mother-in-law. God is so good! We laughed and fellowshipped together, and then, on the way home, my husband and I took a little drive just to detour and have some time together. 

Now that I'm home, the dishwasher is loaded, dinner is warming, and I am relaxing. I'm tired, but praise God in heaven that I am; it means I am able to walk on my own- another blessing I NEVER take for granted, after my foot surgeries!

So yeah, this new year's off to a great start. Maybe, just maybe, this year we could just stop now with 2017 and go ahead to 2018. Who's gonna stop us? The "Calendar Police?" People, lets just quit while we're ahead. We have no idea what kind of stuff awaits us this year. Seriously. Cash it in and run for the hills!I saw 2016- it wasn't pretty!

Obviously we can't do that. We have to march through this year, head held high and shoulder-to-shoulder. But I know this: God is in control and He will continue to be. So let's rest in the knowledge that tomorrow, January 2, holds as much promise and hope as January 1 did. Pray, worship, seek Him, and reach others. For the next 364 days. 

See you tomorrow! 

Well, here we are: the end of 2016. Folks, I have written about some years being more difficult than others, but I think we are all in agreement that none, at least none in recent memory, can be looked on as more surreal. 

How do you summarize a year like 2016? A year that held many public and personal changes and challenges- many mountaintops and a few very low valleys. While we publicly watched our country's leaders (and potential leaders) behave like characters in a bad movie, our own local leaders were no better. We watched in horror as babies were torn apart and their tiny body parts were sorted for sale, yet we sat idly when the videographers were criticized for the undercover methods used to get the information. Is it right that we stopped for a moment of silence for the death of a celebrity we never met, but not for innocent children killed in genocide? 

Surreal. Ungodly. Appalling. 

On a personal level, 2016 was no less odd. My husband and I were led to leave the only church home we had known in our married life (and for him, his entire life) and seek to worship and fellowship at a new church home. Praise God for deliverance and rescue! And as thankful as we are, it's still hard. And strange at times. 

I was made aware of a series of betrayals and rumors that left me both angry and deeply concerned about the sanity - and the very walk - of people I thought of as friends and Christian brothers and sisters. 

God held my hand as I walked with Him through some very difficult emotionally and spiritually-challenging moments this year. I have come through them stronger, more refined, wiser, and as focused as a laser beam on Him and Him alone. 

Because of these trials and His provision, my faith has never been stronger. I will go into 2017 boldly and with the confident hope that only we as children of God can understand. I am free in Christ and therefore free to look ahead with joyful anticipation of the blessings to come. I KNOW that my Savior goes before me. I KNOW He will fight my battles. And I KNOW that if God is for me, no one can stand against me and succeed. No one. God is still in control and He is still spending every moment loving us and being our God. 

At first I had visions of limping across the finish line known as 2016. 
No more. 
I am running hard into 2017, my friends. Charging ahead toward all God has for me - I don't want to miss a single thing! I am, as I voiced in prayer this morning, praying big prayers because we serve a big God! I am claiming all the goodness He has for me, all the grace, all the mercy, and all the love. Join me as I dance across the finish line and start on the new path ahead. It's filled with promise and abundance for all of us. Happy New Year!

If I had time, I'd tell you that it's going to be ok. I'd tell you that the gifts will get wrapped, the cookies will get baked. the burnt ones will fall to the bottom of the dish, and everyone will still be happy. 

If I had time I'd tell you that the kids will still finally fall asleep, even though you forgot to get the matching Christmas pjs. I'd let you know that the corner of the package that was torn is still going to light up a sweet face tomorrow morning. 

If I could I try to make you understand that, as you're rolling dough around in colored sugar, crying because people are dying in Syria, and you can't get to them- He still loves you and honors what you are doing-- because it's for the family He gave you. He know you're tired. He knows you love Him more than your next breath and He loves you more than you are capable of comprehending. 

I'd tell you all of that and more-- but I have to get ready for church and I have wrapping and baking yet to do. 

So know this: you are loved. Merry Christmas! 

For years I participated in a church Thanksgiving meal donation. Bags and bags of groceries were collected, sorted, and distributed and many area families benefited and counted on those donations to make ends meet. I loved the privilege of helping to provide the meals and I always, always felt like I was the one who was the most grateful at the end of the pickup night. 

But now I am in a new church home and am serving and blessing in a different way. No less beneficial to the community, no less God-honoring, but different. And this year I felt just a twinge of greed as I assembled two kinds of potatoes, two kinds of stuffing, and gazed on an entire table devoted to breads, pies, and cakes. Our dining room table groaned under plates filled to overflowing and murmurs of "pass the butter" and "did you miss the green beans?" went around the perimeter like the aroma of the turkey. 

I cringed when I went back for seconds. I felt so greedy. "Lord, am I selfish with my blessings? " I asked myself. 

And then I looked around. 

On one end of the table an infant snuggled in the safety of her mother's arms. 
Young men made sure everyone was able to navigate the crowded room.  
Sisters shared a look of satisfaction, knowing everything looked as good as it tasted. 
And a son made sure his mother knew just how special her cornbread dressing was to him. 

Yes, we had plenty to eat for Thanksgiving. But we also had plenty of love. Plenty of joy. And plenty of gratitude. 

Don't be afraid to make memories with your family and with those who seem like family. Time spent around the table is fleeting- but the memories last forever. Invest. Unite. Bless. It's worth the effort. 

Happy Thanksgiving. 

Strength in Your Role

I like a good object lesson. I like to observe something and then allow my over-active imagination and my sometimes-silly brain to interpret a message about it. I'm not one who believes there is a lesson in everything, but I do know that sometimes I see things that make me think. 
It happened in the bathroom the other day. 
Yes, the bathroom. 

Toilet paper. Everyone knows about it. Uses it. Needs it. It's one of the items we purchase on a regular basis yet we hope it will not require an announced price check at the register. The first TV ads for toilet paper that I remember were of Mr Whiffle and "Please don't squeeze the Charmin." Those ads were a huge hit and one of the phrases that was added to our household lexicon. There are tons of brands and types. When I was a kid, toilet paper came in all kinds of colors to match your bathroom decor. Remember that? You'd go to someone's house and, if you needed to..."go," there would be the bathroom done in seahorses and lo and behold, their paper would be blue. Growing up my mom's best friend and neighbor had her bathroom all in pink-- complete with pink paper. (And, on the back of the toilet, sat a little plastic doll with a crocheted skirt and under it was, you guessed it, a spare roll of pink toilet paper) For a while it was also scented, but I think that proved to be a bad idea. Now we're all white but with lots of claims of being the softest and the most...comfortable and efficient. 

Another claim that the manufacturers of toilet paper make is that it's strong. All of them say that their's is the best-  the strongest, the most on a roll, the one that works better than all of the others. They've used all kinds of examples in showing us the power of this paper, this tissue, and it's all kind of ridiculous.

So recently I had an experience with a roll of tp that left me thinking. You see, it was in a public restroom. The company obviously didn't want to have to change rolls very often so they were using the giant-sized roll; I mean this roll of paper had to be over a foot in diameter. I'm sure, in theory, that was a great idea - fewer employee hours spent changing rolls equals more time doing other important tasks. Except for one flaw: cheap paper. The paper was so thin and weak that it would tear off in tiny bits and wasn't anywhere near effective. Paper was all over the floor and someone was going to have to come in and clean it all up. It simply wasn't strong enough to support moving the roll along. Had the paper been thicker, and the seams between the squares a little closer, the roll would turn efficiently and the problem would be solved. As it was, I needed to help it along and that defeated the purpose of their attempt at saving paper. 

In contrast, (I know a few of you are cringing by now. Stay with me.) I was pleasantly surprised while on a trip a few weeks ago. A visit to a rest area impressed me by the strong, efficient paper in their toilet. That paper was just the right size and strength for the roll. You didn't get any waste or any little pieces of it tearing randomly from the rest of the paper. Harmony.

By now you're either seeing how I am applying this to life or you are getting very uncomfortable. Either way, at least you're still reading. Here's my point:

Are you strong enough for your roll (role)? Are you ready for the role that you play in life? In service? Because it isn't playing-- it's work. And because it's going to take some strength for the Big Role. If you are so weak that all people are getting are the bits, then you are not ready to be effective and you need to be made stronger. How do we do that? Just like the paper on the roll, we need more substance. We need, in our case. more of Jesus. We must spend time investing in ourselves by reading God's Word and praying for Him to grow and mature us. We need to study and to be still and listen to Him as He speaks. We need to surround ourselves with godly women who will speak Truth to us on a regular basis. All these things develop who we are spiritually. In addition to our inward work, we must also grow outwardly. We have to develop healthy friendships and bonds that will strengthen us and provide us with the accountability that we require. 

We all have roles in this life. We all need to be strong in the Lord and strong for each other. This kingdom work isn't easy and the enemy is just waiting for us to allow him into our lives and into our work. We need to be thick enough that he cannot pierce us. We need to have our arms locked so that when we are needed, we're strong enough to support our role. Get me? I hope you do, because you don't even want me to get started about 1-ply versus 2! 

Whom do you serve? Simple question, really. Not necessarily one with the simplest of answers. For those of us who have called out the Name of Jesus as Savior, it's a question that carries a lot of weight. I'd better get it right-- not for fear of punishment -- but fear that I may miss glorifying the only One Who deserves my love and devotion. 

So I ask again, "Whom are you serving?" Are you waking up in the morning with a desire to fulfill God's calling on your life? Are you ready to do whatever He asks of you at any given time and in any circumstance? Are you totally and unashamedly His?

Are you? 

Or are you someone else's? Family, kids, work, church (yes, I said church) all compete for first place in our lives. Where does Jesus fit in? 

No amount of money, no amount of fame, no amount of love, however sincere it may seem, is worth more than a right relationship with God. 

I am going to be very honest and very real for the rest of this blog. Get some coffee, some leftover Halloween candy, a tissue-- whatever you need to settle in with. (I like to think of someone holding a puppy or a kitty- that makes me happy) Here we go.

Your husband does not come before your relationship with God. 

Your children do not come before your relationship with God. 

Your pastor does not come before your relationship with God.

Your job does not come before your relationship with God. 

The altar decorations, the small group snacks, the shoe boxes, the committee position, the church council, the choir, the preschool schedule, the keys to the supply closet, the color of paint in the bathroom and the kind of soap in the dispensers, the kitchen-- yes, the KITCHEN and everything in it -- where they put the ladles, the serving platters, the leftover desserts from the last fellowship do not matter more than your relationship with the living God of the Universe. 

Nothing, nothing, NOTHING is worth more than the Savior who thought of you and me when He was being brutalized, humiliated, tortured, and nailed to a cross. 

At some point we have wandered astray and we have allowed social agendas, micro-managing leaders, and pathetic power-positions to get in our heads and go to our heads and turn us so far away from the Truth that we are willing to sacrifice not ourselves for His kingdom but His kingdom for our pleasure. We would rather debate the placement of a fake flower arrangement than speak Truth to a lost soul. We pass up opportunities to minister to our community because we may have to actually be in the community. We shy away from the difficult questions and say the words people want to hear instead of what they need to hear. 

We allow leaders to have more influence on us than Jesus Christ and His Word. I have said this before in this blog (and face-to-face with many of the people I love): No one will be standing with you when you stand before God. You choose whom you serve and you choose whom you follow. Friends, we not only need to hear what words our leaders (Bible teachers, speakers, pastors) are speaking; we must look at their actions. And if we don't see both align with Scripture, we must reject them. 

We hide behind those who say they know more than we do about Biblical doctrine because they have done their own "research" and they've talked with famous people who obviously know best. They understand words better than we do, I guess, especially when it makes people happy and doesn't exclude anyone. They treat us as though we're all unable to ask for wisdom, no matter how much James said we are.  So we shift like sand in the desert and move to whatever direction the wind is blowing. And all the time God is grieving because we have accepted everything else as gospel. And we have totally ignored Him. 

Take a minute, please. Take several, actually. Get alone and quiet with your God. Tell Him how much you love Him. Thank Him for His Son and for His Word and for the Holy Spirit. Confess your sin of allowing so many others to cut in line ahead of Him. Ask Him for forgiveness and for wisdom and discernment for your life-- ask for the power to see through the enemy's trick of making things sound so right and feel so...inclusive.  Commit to reading His Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal its treasures to you. And then answer the question, "Whom do you serve?" 

OK. I tried. I tried to start writing this with a cute story about my childhood home and all of the fruit trees that were in our yard. I was planning to interject a funny story about the barbs of the chestnut tree and the scariness of the wasps hiding under the apples that had fallen. Yes, I tried. But my heart is not light today and my words want to be as straight as an arrow hitting a bullseye: 

if you are a Christian leader, the people you lead need to see you bear fruit.

When we are saved and we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, He enables us to bear His fruit. We can't do this on our own. Oh, sure, you will encounter people in your life from time to time who are really nice, generous, caring people who happen to be unsaved. But I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about those of us who claim to be children of the King. Those of us who sense that God has us on a path of leadership- of ministry. You are who I am targeting in this blog because I am seeing a decline in the "fruit industry" lately. I am reading, seeing, and hearing leaders behave in a manner that is not in accordance with Scripture and the fruit they are to be bearing. So we are going to have a little "refresher course." Leadership 101.1, if you will. 

1. Love. 

Love people more than you love yourself. If you get confused, just love like Jesus. That will pretty much take care of it. I cannot possibly say enough about love because it is the very foundation of our faith. Stop right here if you need to and pray for God to show you how to love. 

2. Joy.

Remember what you are saved from. And Who did the saving. I don't know about you, but that pretty much makes my heart about to burst. I don't even like the summer heat anymore; quite sure being saved from the fires of Hell is enough to give me joy. If you're not acting joyful, pray for it. He will help you sort it all out and "count it all joy." (James 1:2-8)

3. Peace.

John 14:27 says it best: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid." Know who said that? Jesus. He's Who we receive our peace from. So the way I see it is that, since we get our peace from Jesus, if we are doing something against His will, we may not have that peace. The Holy Spirit will convict us to change our ways so that we may again live in harmony with our God. Do you have that peace today? If not, stop right now and ask Him to show you where you are failing and to lead you back on track. 

4. Patience.

I have found that impatient leaders are almost always most inpatient with themselves. This attitude then transfers on to the people whom they are leading. If you have given everything over to God each day, and sometimes many times each day, then you need to be patient to allow Him to carry out His plan in His timing. 

I know you like to lead, but God is the one Who really does the leading. 

5. Kindness.

Well, well, well. Are you squirming yet? Feeling a little tense? Maybe this one struck a nerve. There is room for assertive, effective leadership and the kindness of Christ all in the same day planner, dear leader. If you are setting out to perform a ministry task that has no room for kindness, then it is a task that you should not be doing. 

1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love. 

One more thing about this: let what you say and how you behave in a crowd be what you say and how you behave in private. You're never alone. 

6.Goodness.

We, as Christians, think of God as "good." Therefore we are to be like Him in our character and exhibit His goodness. Are you doing that? Are you being good? You may be able to fool some people, but you can't fool our Savior. 

In other words, be nice. 

7. Faithfulness. 

Here, faithfulness means to be trustworthy, steadfast, true. Are you? Are you really? Jesus is. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus is the same, "yesterday, today, and forever." Are the people you lead able to say that you are a faithful child of God, servant, leader, wife, daughter, friend? How about those of you who are employers? Are  you faithful to your employees? Can they trust you? Because if they can't, you're the problem, not them. 

8. Gentleness

I had the opportunity not long ago to be able to hold a fairly new baby. Of course, I had to be gentle with her and be aware of what I was doing so that her head and neck (and arms and legs as well) would be supported. What struck me though, as I was holding her and watching her sleep, was how, even in her seemingly helpless state, she was commanding such attention. No one in the room was more gentle than she, but dear leader, she was most assuredly in charge of her current situation. 

By the same token, I had been entrusted with this fragile, delicate life and I was all about making sure I handled her with the respect and responsibility she deserved. 

Leaders- God had given us a great responsibility to lead. Let us never take that lightly. 

9. Self-control.

As the Holy Spirit works in and through us and as we draw closer to God by prayer and reading His word, we are to grow in becoming more and more like Him and exhibiting self-control. The verse that comes to mind here is James 1:19. In it, James reminds us that we are to be "quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger." The leader who shoots back the quick response in anger, sarcasm, or hatred needs to take a step back and re-evaluate her role. 

We all say things we are sorry for, but if this becomes a habit, then it is a problem and we need to pray for deliverance from its stronghold on our life. And if it is indeed a leader's nature for a season, then by all means that leader should not be in a position of leadership. 

So I ask you today, "Where is your fruit?" Take a minute or two to evaluate yourself at each of these points. We're not all going to see each of them every day, but we need to see some of them in our lives, and in the lives of the leaders we follow. And if we are following someone who doesn't exhibit these godly qualities- pray for wisdom and direction. 

I pray that your ministry and your walk will be in harmony with our good and gracious God and that, as your spiritual roots sink deeper into fertile soil, you begin to bear fruit that will glorify and honor our Lord. 

Independence Day

Leave, give in, or stay and fight. 

That's the choice our founding fathers had to make. 

Earlier in our country's history, my own ancestors had to make that very hard choice. Stay under the oppressive British class system or leave. Staying and fighting was not a option for the poor, unorganized farmer in England in the 1600s. So they left. They worked, sneaked, and indentured themselves onto crowded, disease-ridden boats and sailed toward a better life. A life of freedom, even if that freedom did have to wait until they had worked off their indenture. 

About a hundred years later, some more of my people decided once again they had had enough. They probably could have left- but this time they didn't. This time they marched their shiny, buckled shoes into the nearest tavern and sat down and made a plan. No, I'm not related to any of the main founding fathers, but my people rubbed elbows with them, mostly by polishing the buckles on their shoes (In fact, at least two of them came here to avoid prison for stealing shoes, but that's a whole different blog). These people, these Patriots, were fed up. They had tolerated all they could from a distant, ego-centric, manipulative, micromanaging, megalomaniacal king and they were OVER IT. But they couldn't do it alone. They knew they couldn't just say, "Hey, it's been nice, but it's time we tried this thing on our own." There was no easy way out. Kind of like that relationship that lasts just a few months too long. You know it's going to be a rough exit; a few tears are going to be shed. But you have to do it. You have to end it because it's just not healthy. 

So they made a plan. 

Now most of you know by now that I love me some history and I cannot even begin to talk real American history without a nod to 

 Th Jefferson. 

But even the Gentleman Farmer would have to admit (and he did) that it took more than just a plan and a few good long rifles. It took seeking the will of God and including Him in every step of the planning. It took relying on what we know to be "self-evident." And it took guts. 

This was not going to be an easy fight. For crying out loud, some people didn't even WANT to fight. They were content. They were itinerent farmers and they really couldn't care less what His Majesty had to say about tea. They just wanted him to continue to buy their tobacco at top dollar. Every last pound. (See what I did there?) These people were happy to just exist. They relied on the land owner to tell them what to plant, when to plant it, and how much of it to plant. They were not involved in the decision-making or the planning process and they were just fine with that, thankyouverymuch. (That would have driven me absolutely bonkers, by the way, and I would have ended up in Ye Olde Gaol or the Gallows I am sure!) But an interesting thing happened to some of these apathetic "sheep." 

Some of the Loyalist leaders made the mistake of insulting them. See, sometimes leaders get cocky. They surround themselves with people who build them up to the point where they think they are untouchable. In their own mind, they can do no wrong. They are Top Dog and any challenge is seen as treason (In reality they are usually very insecure and untrusting, but again, for a different blog at a different time). So the main Loyalists told the backwood farmers that they would be no match for the world famous British army. Said they were a bunch of disorganized, ignorant hicks (well, they didn't say "hicks," but that's what they meant). In short, they bullied them. Tried to make them think they were not only incapable, but inadequate. It resulted in the Battle of King's Mountain, and it was arguably the turning point of the Revolutionary War. 

We whooped their British behinds. 

Killed their leader and took some prisoners. Sent the rest packing. Then they marched back home and went back to farming. And then France hurried over and helped us finish things up on the James River. 

But the point is this: If the farmers in the mountains had just bought the whole British song and dance about not being equipped for the fight, the battle would not have been won! Only God knows how "equipped" we are because He does the equipping. And a leader who has to resort to trying to weaken his enemy with insults and verbal beat-downs (can't believe I just wrote "beat-downs") must know that his enemy is indeed strong and he must be something of a...well, again, that's another blog for another time. 

I ask you this, dear Patriot: are you ready for the fight? Because we have an enemy who wants to kill, steal, and destroy us and he seeks to weaken us and bully us and disrupt our unity. Satan, like many evil leaders after him, will try to wear you down until you believe his lies. We will become blinded by his tricks and manipulation and lose sight of all that is right. There is only one Match for this enemy: Jesus. When you rely on His strength and His guidance the enemy cannot win. Jesus won that battle when He left the tomb! 

So invite our Savior to be yours. Know Him as your trusted Friend and true Leader. And enjoy your very own Independence Day. 

The Gift of Leadership

At a women's leadership conference a few years ago the speaker invited the audience to participate in an exercise. She asked all of us to stand, and then she proceeded to ask how many years we had been in leadership. Those who had been leading for one or two years were invited to sit down. Then she started to work in increments of five, always congratulating and thanking the new batch of "sitters" for their service and dedication. Gradually there were only a few of us left standing. At the end of the exercise she asked all of us to think about our age when we first actually "led" something. The next question was very pointed: At what age were you saved? I was astounded; I began to lead at almost the very age that I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior! Yes, I have taken numerous spiritual gift surveys and yes, I have the gift of administration/leadership. But this was the first time that I had actually come to terms with the fact that I, Dolly, was given not only the gift of eternal life with our Lord, but I was newly aware of the immediacy of my spiritual gift: the gift of administration/leadership. 

Before Moses came in contact with the burning bush, he only thought he had lived a complicated life. Suddenly (to him) he was placed in a position of authority over the people of Israel and told that he would now lead them out of slavery and into a land rich with freedom and promise. 

What? 

Not only did Moses protest, he actually argued with God. He used all the excuses: "I'm not worthy; they won't believe me; I have difficulty speaking..." You know, the usual thoughts that run through our head when we see someone from the Nominating Committee heading our way! "Oh, no, not me. I don't have the experience!" Or, "No, I'll serve, but I'm not a leader." And indeed, some of us aren't leaders. That's not a gift that we all possess. Only God knows if we have it and only He can truly equip us for serving Him in a leadership role. Imagine His joy when we submit to His will and try. Just try. Let's examine some of Moses' protests and how we can overcome our own. 

 But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11

Of course Moses was uncertain. He had only minimal leadership experience- certainly, in his mind, nothing that had prepared him to lead an entire nation out of slavery! Moses knew there was a HUGE difference between leading a flock of his father-in-law's sheep and leading a people on a journey to a foreign land. 

Oh, Moses, no. There's really not that much difference. There's not. You'll see. 

So what does God tell him? "I will be with you." And He was! 

And He is!

My sisters, He is with you! As a daughter of the King you have the Holy Spirit with you in all times and at all times, the good and the bad, the easy and the difficult. And you have the power of the one true living God and He will never, ever leave you. So what's your next excuse?

“If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” Exodus 3:13

Now see, here's where you or I would have said something like, "What do you think you should tell them??" God is so patient, isn't He? (And this is only Exodus) So God tells Moses EVERYTHING he should say in a way that must have blown Moses' mind, right? Not only is he told exactly Who God is, but he is told how the Father will equip him in order to achieve the task he has been assigned. 

Do you really think God will lead you to a task and then not equip you? 

The Father reminds Moses that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses is told that God has been watching him and that He sees how the Eqyptians are treating him. Stay with me here: imagine God telling you that He has been watching you and that He sees how your coworkers are treating you. Or how the neighbors treat you. God Himself telling you He cares. 

Even after God continues to assure Moses that the land is rich and plentiful and that He will provide for his needs in every way, Moses still wants to deny the calling. Are you in denial? 

“What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?”Exodus 4:1

Okay, maybe now Moses' protests are beginning to hit a little close to home for some of us. Are you sensing a call to lead a group of women who may not know you well? How about the group whose leader just retired after MANY years of faithful service. Or the group that desperately needs new energy. Listen, Sister, if God called you into this role He will give you everything you need and I mean EVERYTHING! Trust Him. Only Him. Ask for His guidance and direction and strength and power. Obey Him when He directs. Look, Moses had to pick up a snake so that God could turn it into a rod. 

(( DO NOT GO PICK UP A SNAKE! IT WAS A JOKE))

But do know that constant communication and obedience to the Father is crucial to your success as a leader. Pray hard. And be still and know. Listen to His voice and use the tools He gives us. 

So you know the story. Moses still, STILL argued with God, this time saying that he was not a good speaker. That he had a problem speaking. 

But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” Exodus 4:10        “Lord, please! Send anyone else.” Exodus 4:13

Poor Moses. Doesn't your heart just break for him? He really didn't want to do this. He tried so hard to deny God. But now we see that not only does he believe Who God is, but there is a glimmer of hope. It's like he's thinking, "Ok, say I do this. You go with me. You are God. And You provide me with this really cool stick that will show them all Your power...but You know I still can't speak well." 

In complaining about his speech affliction, Moses offends God. After all, God reminds Moses that He made Moses' mouth! So what does God do? Turn away from him? Visit His wrath upon him? Turn him into a pillar of salt? He does get angry-- He was insulted because Moses was ungrateful.

But God doesn't give up on him. Instead, God gives him a helper:  Moses' brother. So kind. Was this a negotiation with God? Did Moses "wear God down?" Not at all. See, God never told Moses that he wanted him to lead alone. The Maker of heaven and earth most certainly knew that He was going to provide help for the man he was choosing. He was just waiting for Moses to see his own potential. 

In leadership, no matter how big or how small, we all need help. Not only will the help be beneficial to the work of the kingdom, but by asking other women to join us we will gain new, fresh insight, perspective, and energy. And we will be fulfilling the Titus 2 mandate of mentorship. A variety of voices on a team provides checks and balances. Strong Christian women can point out our own errors with love and grace.  

Remember: "Iron sharpens iron" (Proverbs 27:17) isn't only for men. 

So where are you in your Moses journey? Are you still arguing with God and denying His calling? Are you doubting that you have "believability?" Or are you praying and seeking and striving to serve the God who called the baby hidden in the weeds to lead His people out of slavery? The God who equipped a man to show Pharaoh who was really in charge! 

I want to encourage you to examine what gifts you were given at the time of your salvation, but first you have to make sure that you do know Jesus as your Savior. Seek out a pastor. Contact a Bible-believing church. But if the Lord is speaking to you and calling you to lead, recognize that as a gift. It is a perfect gift, since it is from God, and it is never to be abused or used for anything less than for His glory. And don't ever be afraid. He is always as close as you allow Him to be. Let Him lead, and you follow right behind Him. 

Beth Came to Norfolk

The stage lights fade. Bibles are closed. The last notes of "Shout to the Lord" dissolve into the air. It's over.

Beth Moore came to our area three weeks ago. Three weeks ago I was deeply involved in the final tasks of serving on the core team of women who assisted in the event. Almost a year of prayer, organization, and activities, were culminating in a conference designed to glorify God and lead women to a closer relationship with Christ.

I cannot stress enough how much prayer was a factor in this event. Prayer on the street in front of the venue. Monthly prayer meetings in a beautiful sanctuary surrounded by sisters of all denominations, united by the love we have for Jesus. Prayer in our own homes, prayer at a mid-winter rally, prayer calendars distributed for personal use, and a prayer rally, held just a week before the event, walking a mile up the street and circling the building. This event was bathed in prayer. Fervent prayers. We prayed for Beth and her team. We prayed for the worship team. We prayed for the vendors, the staff, and the surrounding area. We had asked God to send exactly who He wanted to attend, and asked Him to get everyone there safely in a world that is anything but safe. 

Early Friday morning we arrived with 8500 bookmarks, each one hand-made and hand-signed. Each one prayed over by more than one person. And each one now placed on a seat in the auditorium- and each seat touched with prayer. It all came down to this: the Ted Constant Convocation Center at Old Dominion University was, for one weekend, a House of Prayer. 

The team was allowed to enter early, and we were all on the floor of the arena as the guests began arriving. One by one the seats filled up, then the sections were full. Then empty seats were difficult to find, as more bus loads of women arrived. 

Music swelled and lights went up-- hearts sang love songs to our Lord. Upwards of 7000 women, and a few men, joined in one voice to worship the only one Who is worthy. 

Then we sat. And we listened. And we learned. We laughed, we cried, we were challenged and we were inspired. The word of God was taught with reverence and respect. His servant constantly poured herself out, so that she would be filled with the Spirit. You see, not only does Beth Moore prepare a lesson specifically for the area where she is teaching, she constantly seeks God's will in how to teach it and leaves herself open to His changing it as He sees necessary. She comes to your city to minister to you by His words, not hers. And through Him, she delivers. 

And then she is gone. 

We are all left with a little bit of a vacuum in our joy. A sense of "what now?" But beneath the veil of emptiness burns a fire. A challenge. A sense of urgency that I had started feeling before she even arrived. We have only a set portion of time here on this earth, and we must reach those who do not know this Savior we sang about. This Spirit that lives within us and rises up whenever we call on Him. We must do whatever we can to meet needs, minster to, and ultimately love the very people Jesus loves: everyone. 

Late Friday evening we learned that Beth wanted to meet our team-- that she was changing how the next lesson would go and that she wanted us to come backstage. Why did she want to meet us? What would she say?

She wanted to thank us for praying. 

She could feel the love that was a result of our seeking God's will for this event. And she returned the Favor by praying with us. And right then it came full-circle. 

So now we press on. We carry the love and the joy and the hope and the promise to each person God places in our path. We continue to seek Him and serve Him and allow Him to direct our paths. The lights may have faded, but the Light will continue to burn. Because what Jesus finished on the cross was His purpose- but ours has just begun.