Just an Ordinary Day

It was an ordinary day like any other day. Yet, God knew that it would be a day to remember.

The birth of the incarnate Christ was spectacular yet ordinary, kingly yet earthy. God had chosen to send His gift of love through the expression of a woman’s womb instead of on clouds of glory or as a conquering King.

Yet, I think it’s quite spectacular that God would robe himself with flesh and become a babe growing in a young virgin’s womb.

The actual birth was nothing special. There was no birthing room with reporters waiting outside and family pacing the floor. It was just Joseph, Mary and maybe a midwife in a stinky stable filled with animals and hay. What a way to welcome the hope of the nations, the light of the world, the Prince of Peace.

Christ’s birth was spectacular in that it was accompanied by an angel choir and the birth announcement by Gabriel himself. For the Shepherds, it was an ordinary night of watching their sheep. But they were suddenly jolted out of the ordinary into the extraordinary. They witnessed the terrifying sight of the Angel of the Lord with the glory of the Lord shining around them. He told them not to be afraid but it was a little late cause suddenly a heavenly host of angels appeared singing “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and goodwill to all men.”

Every day begins as an ordinary day. But every day holds the potential for the extraordinary as we look for opportunities to allow the glory of the Lord to shine through us – to pierce the darkness of someone’s ordinary, drab existence. Just as God chose Mary as the conduit for the birth of the Christ child, He chooses us to birth His presence into our world.

The Shepherds believed the report of Gabriel and said, “Let us go to Bethlehem to see this thing.” Will you, like the shepherds, take action to make this ordinary day a day to remember?

Unwrap Your Gift

When we receive a gift for Christmas we wouldn't even think about not opening it.. Most of us eagerly tear the paper and bows off with abandonment. Yet, we've been given some gifts from God that we really don't even realize are a gift. They lay unwrapped for years. Other gifts we take for granted and don't really appreciate them.

The baby wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger is the greatest gift of love we could ever receive. Yet, we must believe that Jesus is the Savior and receive Him into our lives. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” The shepherds had to go to Bethlehem and hunt for the child. We are reminded of Him every Christmas and this gift of salvation from our sins is readily available to all of us.

The Gift of Righteousness is another gift we take for granted or leave unwrapped. Romans 3:22 says, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” We are declared in “right standing” with God when we decide to accept Christ as our Savior. The penalty for our sin was death, but Jesus took our place and died for us that we might be made righteous and in relationship with God. Our own good works are nothing but filthy rags in comparison to the righteousness Christ gives us.

Maybe you are like me and when you receive the digital camera. You look at the Quick Reference page and never read the instruction book. I can take pictures but I really don’t know how to use my camera to the fullest extent. We do the same thing with this gift of righteousness. We think we know what it means but all the benefits are left unwrapped and unused.

Romans 5:17 “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!”

Most of us aren’t experiencing the reigning. Instead, we’re struggling and experiencing defeat. We are more than conquerors because of this righteousness. We are sons and daughters of the King of Kings and have privileges and authority because of being in right standing. We can approach the throne of grace with confidence because we are the righteousness of God in Christ.

Quit trying and just unwrap His gift of righteousness and experience its glorious rewards in your life this Christmas and all year long

Flawless

How is it that the lover in Song of Solomon sees His beloved as “flawless?” Song of Solomon chapter five, verse two says, “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one…” It’s incomprehensible that Christ would see His bride as flawless when we are so broken, so self-centered, so distracted. As women we’re merciless on ourselves and feel totally ugly and worthless before a perfect God.

I won’t attempt to answer this question because I’m quite sure Liz Curtis Higgs will be explaining her theme “Flawless” at the Women of Purpose Conference in Hershey on November 12 and 13. I hope you have found your roommates and have registered to go.

Liz, herself, was pulled from a life of drugs, sex, addiction and brokenness by the irresistible love of God. A woman once deeply flawed and broken now speaks around the world of the amazing grace of God.

Don’t miss this opportunity for God to speak into your life at the Women of Purpose Conference.

If you’re from Calvary Assembly of God in Dover go to our website for instructions about how to register by mail or online. Otherwise, go to

www.penndelwomenofpurpose.org to get more information and register.

I hope to see you there in all of your beauty.

My Birthday Surprise!

While at the conference for Women in Ministry in Dallas, Beth Grant proclaimed that the Holy Spirit would surprise us by His presence in some specific way. I wondered what my surprise might be, yet forgot about it in the midst of worship, conversations, connections, workshops and laughter.

On Thursday afternoon of my birthday, I took the opportunity to spend some time with Sue Willis, founder of "Touching the Hem of His Garments" ministry and who will be our speaker at the Sectional Spring Event in March. She asked me to share my story about the “dance.” Some mutual friends had told her she needed to hear this story.

I had come to the conference with some heaviness of heart, physical pain and questions for God. As I shared my own amazing story I noticed my heart lifting, my voice changing and faith igniting in my spirit. I was surprised at how sharing this testimony could minister to me. It wasn’t until today that I realized this was my surprise.

Hearing my own voice praise God and give Him credit for orchestrating these significant occasions in my life actual lifted the heaviness from my shoulders, lightened my heart and allowed faith to ignite for my own situation. Sue had commented how she could see the change on my face and hear it in my voice as I told the story. I went away rejoicing, full of faith and hope that God was still moving and orchestrating in my life for my good.

You may be asking, “What does this mean for me, Angela? Well, I believe we need to hear ourselves praise or bless God out loud. We need to hear ourselves testifying to the great things He has done in our lives. We need to count our blessings over and over again. We so easily forget the marvelous ways God has ministered in our lives in the past because they are overshadowed by our present circumstances. We need to remember and speak it out loud.

Psalm 34 :1 tells us “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Is that what is continually coming out of our mouths or is it complaining, gripes, worry, anxious thoughts? Continual means “frequent, recurrent, incessant, constant, repetitive and persistent.”

This is one time its okay to repeat yourself. Tell your testimonies of praise to your co-workers, family, friends and anyone you come in contact with. You, too , may be surprised by how God blesses you.

Baby Steps into Ministry

Many women are sitting on the sidelines while a few women get into the game of doing the work of the ministry. It’s much like a football game with thousands of fans watching two teams of nine people on the field at one time. The men on the field are having all the fun!

God hasn’t designed us to sit on the sidelines but to get into the action in some way. You may be saying, “How do you know, Angela?” Well, Ephesains 2:10 tells us, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

There are good works which you were created to do. No one else is going to do them. So what is keeping so many women on the sidelines? I asked this very question of some women and here are some of their answers:

• Too busy
• I don’t feel qualified
• Fear of failure or rejection
• I see how well someone else does it and think I could never measure up.
• I don’t feel spiritual enough
• I’m shy and quiet; I could never get up in front of a group.
• I’m not sure what I should or could do. Where do I start?
• 
  

The place to start is with baby steps. In a popular movie “What about Bob” a mental patient is encouraged to take baby steps into each new task he needs to do so that he doesn’t feel overwhelmed. Bob is so overwhelmed by the world that he works out of his own home and is afraid of almost anything. But by using this new perspective he starts taking baby steps, pushing through his fears into a new life.

Many times when we think of ministry it seems too overwhelming. The un-chartered territory, the time commitment, the responsibilities, the people depending on us ,all leave us paralyzed in fear much like Bob.

What are you telling yourself? Is it true? Does it align with scripture? What might be your first baby step into ministry? Think and pray about it and we’ll discuss it in the next post. Feel free to leave your comments as to either why you haven’t stepped into ministry or how you did.

Refresh and Refuel: "Walking With Those Who Have Suffered Sexual Abuse"

The Women of Purpose Conference is offering three Refresh and Refuel Workshops: 1) "Journey to Wholeness" by Carole Showalter and Maggie Davis of 3-D, 2) "Walking with Those Who Have Suffered Sexual Abuse"with Dr. Diane Landberg and 3) "Personality Puzzle" which I am teaching.

I blogged about my subject but another one is dear to my heart also -- "Walking With Those Who Have Suffered Sexual Abuse."When the pain of past abuse became more than I could bear there was no counselor around or small support group to help me. I felt all alone and hopeless. I didn't even know that I needed to share my story. Supernaturally, God brought me to the place where I opened up to a friend and support and healing came flooding into my life.

One out of four women have been sexually abused. Domestic abuse is on the rise and is still very prominent even in the church. These women are frozen in their shame and pain. They desperately need a safe place to find acceptance, validation and healing. If your church does not have a ministry to these women, you need to attend this workshop and pray about beginning a support group.

Dr. Diane Langberg, a practicing psychologist with 35 years of clinical expertise working with trauma survivors, will be teaching this session of the Refresh and Refuel. Dr. Langberg has counseled men and women who have suffered the cruelest forms of abuse. Her book, On the Threshold of Hope, offers hope and healing to abuse victims as well as help to those who walk along side them.

In this workshop, “Walking with Those Who Have Suffered Sexual Abuse”, Dr. Langberg will give advice to those who are “walking beside” abuse victims. Practical advice on how to nuture, comfort and encourage will be shared and a time for questions and answers will be given.

Rev. Laverne Webb, from our Penn Del District has an excellent curriculum, Victory’s Journey, that can be used with men, women or teens who need to process the pain of their past whether it be abuse, rejection, betrayal or abandonment. She would be willing to come train you and others to lead a support group.

For the sake of those trapped in their private pain please prayerfully consider attending this workshop and getting trained to lead Victory's Journey in your church or community.

www.penndelwomenofpurpose.org to register for the Women of Purpose Conference “Flawless” and the Refresh and Refuel Workshop.

Women of Purpose: Refresh and Refuel: Personality Puzzle

As women we define ourselves by our relationships – wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. However, relationships can be difficult at times because people are different. In fact, we are unique – one of a kind, originals by the design of our DNA. Then factor in differences in gender,values, world views and other life influences and it gets a little crazy.

The Bible tells us in Romans 12: 18 “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” If living at peace depends on me then I need some tools for knowing how to get along. Knowing the personalities and understanding what motivates them can help us to get along better. We will know how to adjust our expectations so we aren’t as frustrated.

For example: The Perfect, Proper Melancholy wouldn’t think of being late to anything; she’s usually early. She expects everyone to respect her need for promptness and starting on time. However, the Playful, Social Sanguine is seldom on time because she is socializing or has just lost track of time in her busyness. In the Sanguines attempt to get along better she can work at being more aware of time and being on time. On the other hand, the Melancholy can adjust her time expectations so she won’t be so frustrated.

My husband is part Perfect Melancholy who needs his space and some alone time to unwind and re-energize. Being the Social Sanguine that I am, I expected his undivided attention when he arrived home. I sometimes felt neglected early in our marriage when he went off alone after coming home from work.. Once we learned about one another’s needs we gladly compromised so that both our needs were met. Getting along is not that difficult when you understand that the differences are not intentional but wired into our design.

At the Personality Puzzle workshop during the Refresh and Refuel sessions you’ll have a chance to learn how to recognize the different personalities so you can put together the pieces of the relationship picture.

The Refresh and Refuel sessions are on Friday morning from 9:00 – 11:00 am at the Hershey Lodge. They are a part of the Women of Purpose Conference “Flawless” on November 12 and 13. Check out the website at www.penndelwomenofpurpose.org.

Missionary Associate Lisa Ward

In June, we had Lisa Ward share what she will be doing in Albania as a Missionary Associate. Here are a few of the questions and her answers:


1. What is a Missionary Associate? A Missionary Associate is a person who goes through a rigourous application process with the Assemblies of God. They have been trained and commissioned by the Assemblies of God to go overseas and come alongside a veteran missionary to spread the Gospel of Christ.

2.. What will you be doing in Albania? I will be working with the staff at the International Protestant Assembly of Tirana. I will be starting a Women's ministry program, helping develop the prayer ministry, help with some administrative duties and with other projects that come up. I will also be traveling the region, when invited, to pray, teach, and encourage others in the Body of Christ. I also hope to be involved in the Bible School.

3. How long will you be living in Albania? The assignment I am going on is for two years. I am pursuing a career as a Missionary Associate.

4. What are some of the challenges in Albania? Albania is the poorest country in Europe; many people are after financial gain. Albania is also one of the main routes in and out of Europe for Human Trafficking. Also, it's a communist country and mostly atheistic but the Muslim presence is growing quickly.

5. How did you pick Albania? I did not pick it. God caused me to fall in love with the people there and see their need for Him from the first trip I took there in 2000. The desire to live there came in time as God worked in my heart and he called me there.

6. What is the Christian church in Albania like? The church in Albania is young, it is is 18 years old. Most of the Pastors and church leaders have not been Christians for more than 18 years. The churches are very small in size, congregations are usually not more than about 50 to 100 people in size.

7. How do you get financial support? I have to raise support myself by asking family and friends for help. I have to raise my entire budge before I am allowed to go.

8. How much support do you need? I need $2400.00 in monthly support and $7300.00 in my cash budget.

10. How much support have you raised? As of June 30, 2010 I have raised $3000 of my cash budget, so that leaves $4300 to be raised in cash. I have raised $620.00 of my monthly budget, so that leaves $1780.00 left to raise for my monthly budget.

11. How would I go about helping you financially? You can send any gift to Assemblies of God World Missions, 1445 North Boonville Ave., Springfield, MO 65802-1894. You would need to include my name, Lisa Ward, and my Missionary Associate number, #294891-7. You can also ask me for a support form and you can mail it in or fax it to the number on it. I would also be happy to mail it for you. Please partner with me and help me to take the Gospel of Christ to the Albanian people. I covet your prayers and your financial help.


We have an opportunity to help one of our sisters in Christ fulfill her dream and destiny while helping Missionaries in Albania. Please pray about what God would have you do.

Women of Purpose Conference - Inspiring

The buzz of women talking, buying, squealing with laughter and excitement in the air is what I remember most about the Women of Purpose Conference 2009. The dynamic worship and passionate speakers were not the only ones who ministered to me last year. The whole experience involving many different people inspired and challenged me.

First, it was a friend whom I hadn’t seen for a year. She hunted me down in the restroom to share that what I had spoken into her life had nudged her to make a life changing decision. Her excitement was electrifying for me and started the conference off with a bang.

Second, the Thursday night Prayer Walk proved to be a catalyst for what I would receive the rest of the weekend. The Word was read as people felt lead and different people prayed as prompted by the Spirit or lead in a song or proclamation. I came away refreshed and ready to receive.

Friday morning, I went to one of the Refresh, Refuel and Renew sessions with Valerie Burton. She spoke directly to where I was at the time. If I received nothing else, I had heard from God.

Third, I went to the Prayer Room to help pray with people on Friday afternoon and I ended up being prayed for by the Prayer intercessors. We exchanged burdens and inspiring stories of what God was doing in our lives. Tears fell, burdens melted and hearts were lifted. WOW!

Fourth, time praying during the altar times helped me to process what I had heard from the speakers and solidify it in my heart. Plus, praying for other people was a real blessing as I felt the Lord praying through me for them.

Why should you go to the Women of Purpose Conference? Simply,
• to meet with God away from the distractions of work, children, husband and the home.
• To connect with other women and be blessed by them.
• To hear from the Lord for yourself
• To share your life with Christ with others.

There’s just something electrifying about worshiping with twenty-five hundred other women in the same room.

I hope you will check out the details in this newsletter, go to the event table and get your info or the website at www.penndelwomenofpurpose.org

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade!

I love lemons! I love their bright, cheery yellow color, their interesting oval shape and tangy taste in my ice tea. While lemons are associated with something negative in life, in reality they are powerhouses for bringing out the flavor of other foods and providing the major health benefits of Vitamin C. Lemons are not all bad; in reality they are extremely good for us.

What do you think of when you think of lemons? Ice tea? Lemon meringue pie? Lemon squares? No matter how you serve lemons they are loaded with antioxidant flavonoids that have powerful anti-cancer properties which neutralize free radicals and stop the division in many cancer cell lines.

As a source of vitamin C they help develop a strong immune system, reduce the systems of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, fight cancer and help prevent risk of death from heart disease, stroke and cancer. So lemons, though sour, are a sweet deal after all. What a sweet benefit!

Is it possible that the lemons that come into our lives may actually have a purpose and benefit? Could it be that they help bring out the flavor of life? The negative experiences help us to be grateful for the positive things in our lives. For instance, if it never rained we wouldn’t have flowers, grass or crops. The rain is necessary so it can’t be sunny all the time. The lemon experiences contrast with the sweet experiences in a way that accentuates their blessing.

Lemons in life are just life. It’s what we do with them that make the difference. If you squeeze the lemons you can make lemonade or lemon desserts. In life, experiencing the negative aspects and processing the pain, grieving the losses is a way of squeezing our lemon. Instead of stuffing it whole and getting life-indigestion; we squeeze the lemon in life thereby experiencing the sourness of the situation but also reaping its benefits. We can find a purpose for the negative things that come our way in life. There may be lessons to be learned, flesh to be killed, or grace to be grown. Joseph’s pit and prison eventually positioned him in the palace to save the nation of Israel. Paul’s thorne in the flesh made him depend on the Lord all the more.

A lemon can sit on the shelf or stay in the refrigerator, but until we get it out and cut it open and squeeze it into our drink, on our fish, or in our salad we are not tasting its wonderful flavor or reaping its health benefits. We can complain that we got a lemon when we wanted a tangerine but it won’t do any good. Toxins will be released in our system from stressing out about the lemon. Negative attitudes will infect others and bring them down. Our complaining will actually keep us from enjoying the other positives in our lives.

Instead, let’s make lemonade, or whatever other wonderful lemon dessert you enjoy! Rename that lemon – lemonade! Your perception alone will turn the lemons in life into something enjoyable and profitable! Pass the lemon, please.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

While pulling out of my driveway I look across my yard and see a beautiful array of greens and purples accented with hot pink and yellow. The sight is a delight to my eyes and soul. The greens include my short lime ground cover, the variegated longer ground cover with tiny purple flowers, grass and then flowers waiting to bloom. There are different colors of purple from straight arms of deep purple to dainty magenta blooms, to spikes of lavender. The knockout roses accent it all with profuse hot pinks and bright yellows.

I planted all these perennials in the past ten years and now, each year without any effort on my part, they appear in all of their shades and textures of beauty and glory for my pleasure.

The thought immediately hit me that this is like our investment into the garden of our family and friends. There are some investments that keep bringing results consistently like my perennials. A one time investment of time, planning, energy in planting, weeding and watering has yielded a beautiful garden to enjoy.

However, each year I invest in some annuals because they add more consistent color from spring through the fall. That means that every year I spend money and take the time to plant and care for these flowers knowing they will not return next year. But, because of their constant blooming and the color they add to my garden, they are worth the effort.

I’m not sure what applications you could get from this but it brings me great comfort to know that my investment of time, energy and love in my children and friends bring repeated results in their lives. Some things they have learned and integrated into their lives forever. The love shared has been food to their souls and they have bloomed and thrived.

However, like annuals, we always need to keep planting some love with the water of attention, the fertilizer of prayer, the sunshine of a cheerful heart and the pruning of tactful honesty. Of course, there’s always the constant weeding of negativity from our speech and the need for watering with positive words of encouragement.

Gardening takes time, money and energy but it’s well worth the results not only for us but for others.

How is your garden growing? Does it need some attention?

Galatians 6:7 “…a woman reaps what she sows.”

The Desert Song

"Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. Hosea 2:14

I’ve never actually been to a physical desert but I’ve certainly experienced a spiritual desert. It’s not a comfortable place to be. Dryness of soul plagues your spirit as the winds of adversity beat against your faith. You wonder “where is God” in the midst of the sand storms and dry, scorching heat.

It feels like you’re wandering in circles and getting no where. You don’t have the energy to pray or praise – it seems like God is a thousand miles away. Disillusionment can set in as real as the desert allusions. But God!

God uses the desert experiences to lure us back to Himself. In desperation we cry out and to our amazement when all of our complaining and analyzing has come to an end, there is His voice speaking tenderly to us. “Come, I am here. Come swim in the river of my grace.”

I think we could learn something from Hillsong’s “The Desert Song.”

This is my prayer in the desert when all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in the hunger in me, My God is a God who provides

And this is my prayer in the fire. In weakness or trial or pain.
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold.
So refine me Lord through the flames

And I will bring praise, I will bring praise
No weapon forged against me shall remain
I will rejoice, I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

And this is my prayer in the battle When triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ So firm on His promise I'll stand

All of my life, In every season You are still God.
I have a reason to sing. I have a reason to worship.


No matter what our season or the circumstances God is still God, He is still on the throne. There is a reason to sing. There is a reason to Worship.
Rejoice, declare Who He is, bring praise and see your desert turned into a beautiful valley of flowing waters, wild flowers and blue skies.

Beauty Secrets

In the ever evolving business called beauty we are encouraged to buy this, do that, don’t wear that and apply this treatment. It gets very confusing especially since the standard for beauty keeps changing.

“Don’t totally line your eyes it makes them look smaller, do line your eyes completely it makes them stand out. Put Vaseline on lips for shine – no don’t use Vaseline because it will dry your lips” are just a couple of the confusing messages. Wear bangs, don’t wear bangs, skinny jeans or wide legged jeans, A-line skirt or pencil skirt? Whose is right or wrong? Ugh – who do we believe?

If you’re totally confused then maybe we should look at some advice that has never changed from the time it was first written in the first century.
“What matters is not your outer appearance –the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes – but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. The holy women of old were beautiful before God that way.” I Peter 3:3-4 The Message

The New King James version says, “your incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.” There was a time I felt that I’d never be able to meet this standard of beauty either. We mistakenly interpret this to mean someone who by personality is calm, cool and collected and has no strong opinions or need to express themselves. Gentleness is really a virtue born out of the strength to know the right time to speak up with the appropriate tone of voice and respectful words.

This gentle and quiet spirit is one “at rest”. There is no “strife” in this spirit because they have found their center in God-- their emotional needs satisfied by God alone. They have found their identity in Christ and not their fluctuating performance or outward beauty. They have quit comparing themselves with others and have learned to accept themselves as fearfully and wonderfully designed by the Master Designer. They are at rest with who they are and peace and contentment exude from their spirits in the form of inner beauty that shines warmly on all around them.

There is no grasping or groping for position or power. There is no frantic busyness to prove their worth. They have learned the joy of mutual submission to God and others and gladly live within it.

This kind of beauty seems to elude most of us too because our fallen nature is tuned to our culture instead of the Kingdom of God. The best beauty treatment we can have is time in the Sauna of God’s presence and His Word. It does wonders in bringing out the very best it us. It doesn’t cost thousands of dollars – just minutes of time with Him.

One thing is needful for inner beauty – sitting at His feet soaking in His presence and learning of Him. Outer beauty will fade but inner beauty will only be enhanced as we stay in His presence.

Disciipleship Dare 24/7 - Called to Include

In being called to love, day thirty eight, Jess said, “The most attractive thing about Jesus was that He did not exclude anybody, offering His message to everyone equally.”

In offering His message equally, Jesus was offering His love through the ministry of inclusion. When you read the Gospels you see that Jesus didn’t just go to the “lovely” people. He went to publicans, tax collectors, lepers, adulterers, diseased and deformed, and even the demon possessed. Jesus actually went out of his way to minister to the out casts like the Samaritan woman at the well.

How about us? Do we go out of our way to include the “Bills” of this world – the slower to comprehend or mentally challenged? Do we go out of our way to include in our fellowship the single Mom or Dad? Dare we mention the messy situations like the person with an addiction, a slobbering drunk, the homeless or a person with a same sex attraction (ssa)?

It’s so easy after church or during the week to include our usual friends, those who fit comfortably into our circles of friendship. But we are called, as disciples of Christ, to include the messy life as well. It’s not that we have to fix them. That’s not our job. God does the conviction, the delivering and transforming. It’s our job to extend the love of God through sharing our lives with them. Just the simple act of looking them in the eye, smiling, asking them to join us for coffee or lunch, inviting them to go with us somewhere simple. Then God in and through us does His work. .It’s His kindness through us that brings them to repentance; not our judging or barking at them.

Just this week a single Mom told me how much it meant to her that someone from the church simply asked her and her children to go with them to the beach to get some ice cream and walk around. She said, “you’ll never know what it meant to be included in their time of fun.”

Some people are looking and watching, longing to be included. When is the last time you included someone outside your normal circle to be in your life?
When is the last time you extended your life to the unlovely? What are you waiting for? Jesus is ready and waiting to minister through you in the ministry of inclusion.

Lord, thank you for including us in your death on the cross so that we can include others and bring them to the realization that their sins are already forgiven too. Thank you for the grace to be includers.

(Facebook friends go to Dennis Jernigan’s profile and read his March 12th note for further contemplation).

Discipleship Dare continued…. Day Seventy Two

It’s the seventy second day of the year. Where are you on the Discipleship Dare? I finished on the forty-third day since we started on January 3. Don’t beat yourself up if you didn’t make it by the fortieth day. I was highly motivated.

For some reason some people were knocked off course during the snow storms. Kids were home needing more attention. Schedules were changed which throw us off center. It’s not everyday you are snowed in with your husband and kids with hot chocolate, French toast and all kinds of other goodies, movies, games and snow shoveling.

Hebrews chapter 12 in verse 1 tells us to “run with perseverance the race that is marked out for us.” Perseverance means we don’t give up. If we stumble, we dust ourselves off and get back up. If we get distracted we refocus. If we get hurt we allow ourselves to heal and get back on the race track. If you got off course, determine to start back where you left off and finish the Dare. There’s no disgrace in being slower at finishing. Finishing the course is what is important.

Determine here and now, “I will pick up the Dare again, start where I left off and finish. A disciple is a follower of Christ. In your walk with Christ there will be distractions, failures, wounds, discouragements to throw you off course. You don’t just give up saying, “I just can’t do it.” That is a lie. God in you is greater than any setback. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Jesus doesn’t give up on you so don’t give up on your commitment as a disciple. Recommit to the Dare and see what God will do in you.

Lord, thank you for your patience with us. Thank you also for your power to compete whatever you have asked us to finish.

See You at the Well

In the beginning of our spiritual heritage Abram and Jacob and others built an altar of sacrifice in order to meet with God. The altar at Bethel and Shechem were places where God met with them, renewed the covenant and instructed them. Later in the places of these altars, wells for drinking were dug for the weary traveler. Around these wells, communities rose up and the well was the gathering place.

How appropriate that people gathered at the well where life was sustained and refreshed. Today we don’t need to go to wells to get water; it flows freely through our faucets. But the habit of gathering was established and continued throughout the Old Testament and New Testament church. Is it possible God knows something about us that we don’t? God establishes patterns of behavior for a reason.

People gathered to pray, to fellowship, to break bread, and to worship. People gathered to wait on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. People gathered to celebrate the Sabbath and the goodness of the Lord. People gathered to learn and share their lives with others.

There is power in the gathering of people to worship and seek the Lord. We see that power when Peter and Silas were delivered from jail by the hand of the Lord in Acts in response to the church praying.

Is it possible that we’re relying too heavily on the faucets of our own self-sufficiency instead of gathering at the well? There’s a time to build a personal altar of worship and another time to gather together with the Body of Christ to celebrate, worship, pray, rejoice or mourn and receive instruction, inspiration, and inner renewal.

Let’s leave the faucet of the comforts of our home to gather at the well – together. See you at the well…

Psalm 122:1 “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.” Our Feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!

The Discipleship Dare Day Forty - Giving

Jess tells us that “generosity is the mark of a true disciple.” Following Jesus’ example of giving and not just teaching or preaching is our example. It has been said that “people don’t care to hear what you have to say until they know you care.”

My Mother was a great example of fulfilling the mission through giving. She picked children up for Sunday School from our neighborhood and even gave them something to eat when necessary. She took a blind neighbor to her doctor appointments and helped clean her house. The message of the gospel was wrapped up in acts of kindness and love.

It’s easy for some to stand on a corner and hand out an evangelism tract. It takes some time and willingness to be ridiculed. But it keeps us detached from them personally. The person takes the tract and we have no idea what happens with them afterward.

Being willing to baby sit their children, help fix a car, buy groceries, cook a meal, take them to the doctor; these are all investments into their lives that show we genuinely care about them personally.

Giving is a way of showing that we genuinely care. Who are we caring enough about that we are giving of ourselves and not just our words? The lady my Mom helped all the time received Christ as her Savior and at least seven others in her family. Giving goes a long way toward fulfilling our mission.

Lord, help us to feel your compassion toward people and be willing to creatively give of ourselves to meet those needs.

The Discipleship Dare Day Thirty Nine - Server

I put myself through college as a server, otherwise know as a waitress. My job was to serve the people who came into the restaurant by being cordial, listening to and properly placing their order, preparing my part of the order, delivering the order and then making sure everything was fine. I actually enjoyed serving.

I knew why I was there, I knew my job and most of the time, I did it joyfully. Do we know why we are a disciple? Do we know what our job is?

Jesus knew why He was here – to serve. It wasn’t about becoming a King and being served. He was all about serving. It was His purpose – to seek and save the lost by serving.

Being a servant is a mindset, an attitude. It comes from the very core of who we are as disciples. If we’re following Jesus we can’t help but serve.

Jesus was a servant so he served, who are you?

Lord, give us a heart like yours, the heart of a servant.

The Discipleship Dare Day Thirty Eight - Called to Love

Being called to love is much different than loving others on our own conditions. A calling is a mission to accomplish, a passion to fulfill. A calling is a divine assignment.

God guarantees us success at this calling because He fully gave His love and power to fulfill it. Jesus was God’s Valentine to us – “I have loved you with an everlasting love; so send I you.” To the extent that we have received God’s love we will be able to give it to others.

As Jesus showed acceptance, mercy, grace and forgiveness to those he ministered to, He was expressing His divine love. He is our example of how to love. Love the unacceptable, the one who can give nothing in return, the one who has wronged you. “Love as I have loved you.”

“Love people on their terms, their time and their turf.” Jess admonishes us.
That’s not so easy. Who is the next person God calling us to love?

Lord, make us your valentine to those in our community.

The Discipleship Dare Day Thirty Seven - Forgive

Corrie Ten Boom could speak about forgiveness from her own deep pain of being in the Holocaust. She lost her freedom, dignity, and dear sister and Father within a few months of being in the concentration camps. Daily she watched and experienced its horrifying torment.

“Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and handcuffs of hatred. It breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.” (Corrie Ten Boom)

When Corrie was set free from the concentration camp she eventually saw one of her captors. She realized that though she was out of the pit of cruel treatment she was still in the pit of resentment and hatred. She seethed with anger.

The Lord reminded Corrie that “there is no pit so deep that my love isn’t deeper still.” God was extending forgiveness to Corrie . Forgiving the very person who was in charge of her torture, Corrie was set totally free from the pit of hatred and bitterness.

Forgiveness sets us free. When we forgive others it also sets them free. So forgiveness is key to accomplishing our mission of making disciples.

Lord, thank you that your love is deeper than any wrong committed against us. Help us to surrender to forgiving that we might be channels of your forgiveness.

The Discipleship Dare Day Thirty Six - Really Living

As a child I learned to tread water, float, dog paddle, and do the sidestroke for swimming. Swimming on either side definitely got me further than dog paddling but I really wanted to learn to do some other strokes so I could really enjoy swimming. I also wanted to be able to teach my children to swim.

It was humbling to ask for help as an adult to learn new strokes. But I humbled myself and signed up for a swimming instruction class at the YMCA. Before going I looked up different swimming strokes in the encyclopedia. I didn’t want to appear completely stupid.

The first thing they taught me was to put my face in the water; then to blow bubbles. That wasn’t so hard.. By the end of the twelve weeks of classes I was doing the breast, crawl, back and butterfly strokes.

I started doing lap swimming five days a week and became faster while competing with people in the other lanes. Now I loved swimming.

This knowledge and experience gave me the confidence to also swim in the ocean instead of just floating on the waves. I was really swimming instead of dog paddling. I wasn’t afraid of the ocean anymore.

Sometimes in life we are just floating and letting the circumstances of life take us where they will. We may be able to tread water to keep in place or dog paddle to get out of the way of a wave. But really swimming means I can maneuver in the water instead of the water having control of me.

Really living means I have plenty of resources from which to live my life. I’m not afraid of what may come my way. I’m confident in God and who he has made me to be. I choose to live purposefully and fully.in His love and will.

Are you tired of just treading water, floating or dog paddling – you have options. You can learn to really live. Jesus’ Zoe life in you will teach you to live the abundant life. Abundant living is contagious; let’s get started!

Lord, stir a hunger in our hearts for experiencing the life you have for us. Let us not settle for treading water but give us a desire to really live.

The Discipleship Dare Thirty Five - Word Power

We’ve all heard the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” We said it as kids but even then we knew it wasn’t true. Words can hurt the soul, kill motivation and undermine the will. Negative words have a nagging quality that clings to your mind and torments the soul.

Some of us are more negative, critical and analytical by nature. As such, we usually are more likely to point out the problems, complain or give the negatives. However, these are the same people who are gifted with the ability to think before they speak. So while you’re thinking, remember you hold the power of life or death in your words.

Do you remember the twelve spies? The ten saw giants, but the two saw possibilities. Joshua and Caleb remembered that God had said He would give the land into their hands. The words of the ten spies won out and the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years, dying to the promise.

The Ten spies actually spoke death into existence. Anyone can be negative. It takes faith to be positive.

Lord, help us to be messengers of your life giving Words. May your Words speak faith into our hearts so our mouth speaks life into the hearts of others.

The Discipleshp Dare Day Thirty Four - Gentle Words

On a scale of 1 – 10 where do you grade yourself for gentle words? One is very poor and ten is very good at speaking gentle words.

For some personalities speaking gentle words comes much easier. Peaceful Phlegmatics like to keep the peace at all costs. They don’t have strong opinions so they don’t easily get irritated. They are usually calm, cool and collected by nature.

But for their opposite, the Purposeful Choleric, gentle words do not come easily. This take charge, in control, goal oriented, get-the-job done personality has strong opinions. Their goals can be easily frustrated by others lack of performance or motivation. Gentle words are not their first choice of words.

The Perfect Melancholy being highly motivated to get it right can also become easily frustrated and cut to the heart quite quickly, especially with their family. However, because they usually think before they speak, they may not say anything but will be stewing underneath the surface..

The Playful, Social Sanguine, being a people pleaser and very sociable, may let harsh words slip out before thinking. But once they realize they’ve hurt someone they apologize quickly and let offenses go quickly.

But as disciples of Christ who desire to fulfill our mission, harsh words do not serve us or the mission well. This is an area we need to work on in order to earn the right to be heard through the testimony of our words or our life.

I think the five keys for communicating are worthy of our attention as we work to bring our words in line with the gentle Spirit who dwells within us.
 Seek to make others feel at ease
 Show respect for the personal dignity of others
 Avoid blunt speech or abrupt manner.
 Don’t be threatened by opposition.; gently instruct
 Do not belittle or degrade a brother or sister who has fallen.

Lord, we submit to the Holy Spirit who dwells within us as we communicate to others. Make us consciously aware of the ability to choose to be gentle.

The Discipleship Dare Day Thirty Two - Vain Words

I think most of us know when someone has cursed. But the misuse of God’s name is something different. Sometimes we think nothing about saying God’s name with a small g while “attaching emptiness to it” as Jess explained.

We hit our funny bone and say “oh god.” Was that a prayer or an expression of pain? Jeez is another shortcut for Jesus. I’m quite sure that’s not a one word prayer.

If we all examined our vocabulary over time I think we’d find some places where we use slang for God or Jesus that is actually misusing His name.

It may seem like a small thing – too small to do anything about. But think about how we feel when someone doesn’t remember our name, pronounces it incorrectly or uses a negative tone of voice. We feel disrespected.

Now think about the creator of the universe, the one Who holds all things together, sustains us, reigns in us, redeems us – this One deserves respect above any other name.

If God’s mission is for His name to be hallowed on earth by people’s allegiance and obedience to Him, then I need to rethink those small indiscretions.

God teach us to honor your name not only with our choices but with our words, the thoughtless expressions of our hearts. May the overflow of our hearts bring you glory with every word.

The Discipleship Dare Day Thirty - The Tongue

James tells us that the tongue is the most difficult part of the body to control. But if the heart feeds it information, maybe it’s the heart that needs some work. I’m sure it’s both.

Some people are better at controlling their tongues but their hearts still feel the anger or other negative emotion. Others of us seem to put our foot in our mouths on a regular basis being humbled immediately.

What comes out of the mouth is an expression of what is in the heart. But I have found that some of the most prideful, arrogant people may keep their mouths shut but the attitude comes out in their actions or lack thereof. Our actions also betray the content of the heart.

David prayed, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh my God.”

Lord, search our hearts to see if there is some wicked way in us. Cleanse us from all unrighteous thoughts and attitudes. Break through the denial that may be blinding us. Give us a heart to know you and follow hard after you that we may be effective as disciple makers.

The Discipleship dare Day Twenty Nine - Gone Fishing

When I was a child my Dad used to take us fishing. He did all the work of packing the fishing gear, digging for worms or buying the bait. He would bait my hook and throw the line out into the water as I sat holding the fishing rod, watching the bobber intently.

Being a child, I could quickly become bored with watching the bobber bobbing in the water minute after minute after minute. I soon was not just watching the bobber but the way the sun danced off the lake. It was like diamonds flickering at times. Then I would wonder, did my bobber go under? Jerking the line, I then reeled it back in to check for a fish. Usually there was no fish and sometimes my bait was gone because I had been distracted. So my Dad would bait the hook again and remind me to keep my eye on the bobber.

Most of the time my Dad was patient with us as we tried to throw our own line in the water and as our hook caught on the trees, losing hook and bait. At other times he had to remind us to be quiet because we would scare the fish off. They could hear us and my giggling was more than they could stand. There was more to fishing than meets the eye.

I can remember trying to will a fish to snatch my bait so I could catch him. I prayed for a fish to take my bait. Fishing could be downright boring. But when I finally reeled a fish in, that was exciting! I squealed with delight. My Dad would come and take it off the hook and put it in the pail to be cleaned later and fried into a delicious meal. That made all the waiting worthwhile.

I learned a lot about being a fisher of men while fishing. “Gone fishing” means you have to go where the fish are. You need bait; the right kind of bait – a life transformed by the Word and presence of God. You have to be intentional and patient. You can’t make a fish bite the bait; it’s their decision. Fishing takes time and you can’t just give up. God does most of the work just like my Dad did. Even when you don’t catch anything you come back and try again another day.

Fishing anyone?

The Discipleship Dare Day Twenty Eight - Presence

Today is my forty-eighth spiritual birthday! It was God’s presence that drew me to Himself. His presence convicted me of my sin. His presence convinced me of His lavish love for me. His presence overwhelmed me with His love breaking down all my defenses.

I had come to the service vowing not to respond and had made a pact with my sister. But something happened as the preacher shared the story of Christ dying for me. It was like I had never heard the story before. At the time I felt so unloved and unacceptable. But His presence wrapped His arms around me, warmed my cold, hardened heart and pulled me to Himself. I left my seat and walked toward the altar and I’ve never been the same.

God’s presence made all the difference. God has promised His presence will go before us and prepare the way. His presence will do the work; we just have to make ourselves available to others. God has commissioned us to take His presence to our community. What’s holding you back? There’s someone out there just like me who desperately needs His presence.

Lord, manifest Your presence through us to our community. Let us go boldly into the darkness carrying the fire of your presence.

The discipleship Dare Day Twenty Seven - Teaching

I’ll never forget the definition of Christian Education I learned in Bible College: “Guiding the pupil through experiences of truth into a life of service for the glory of God.” Lecturing is much easier than getting the pupil involved in the process of learning but then we’re teaching material, not pupils.

If you’re thinking, “I’m not a teacher,” think again. We teach those around us through our attitudes, choices and actions. I didn’t teach my children how to hold a spoon, they learned by watching me. I had used the spoon many times in feeding them. As independence developed they wanted to feed themselves so they took the spoon. That same process happened time and time again.

As they sneaked out of bed early in the morning and tip toed into the living room, they saw me either with the Bible in my hand reading or on my knees praying. I can still remember seeing them mimicking me while kneeling at the sofa, head in hands and swaying their bottoms back and forth. The swaying wasn’t necessary – just a Sanguine habit.

As disciples we are teachers of Biblical truth through our example. How we live speaks louder than what we say. We fulfill our mission as we guide others into experiences of truth through how we live our lives.

Lord, help us to live in such a way that others are being guiding into experiences of truth for your glory.

The Discipleship Dare Day Twenty Six - Community Baptism

Jess hit on something we don’t usually think about – God is a community of three. He values community because He is one – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Three yet one is more than we can possibly fathom but that’s the mystery of the Godhead.

God values relationships and we know it because He is a community. We also know it because he valued a relationship with us so much that Christ gave himself as a sinless sacrifice to reconcile us back into community relationship with Himself.

At salvation, I Corinthians 12:13 tells us that we were baptized into the body of Christ – into the universal community of believers. We are not in this alone. We are actually defined by being in this community. Romans 12:4-6 from The Message tells us “In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body.”

Think about the ramifications of being in community with God and other believers. Who we are and what we do affects others. The choices we make affect the whole community. If the community of the Godhead does not relate in self-centered, selfish love but self-giving, sacrificial love then that is the pattern for us.

We were more important to Christ than his comfort. He laid down his glory to come to earth to live as the son of man to pay our debt. He is our example of seeing and making others more important than ourselves – sacrificial community love.

The Discipleship Dare Day Twenty Five - Water Baptism

When you see the golden arches what do you think of? McDonalds. The golden arches are a symbol of fast food. You know what you are going to get no matter where you are in the world when you see those arches. They identify the place as McDonalds.

So, in baptism we are identified with Christ’s death and resurrection. Baptism is symbolic. It tells the world that we have decided to follow Jesus. We are His. It reminds us that we are dead to the power of sin and alive to the Spirit of God living within us. Baptism symbolizes to us that the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. Praise God!! What power!

Baptism gives us a new identity – we are “in Christ.” Just read the epistles and see how many times you see these words describing us as in Christ. This is a position in which we have been placed as disciples – a place of security, responsibility and power.

Before Christ’s baptism, baptism was an initiation into the community. If people from other nations or religions wanted to join the Jewish community they had to be baptized to signify their cleansing from their old affiliation and their belonging to the Jewish faith. So, water baptism is an initiation into the body of Christ and the Kingdom of God. While the spiritual birth into the body of Christ happened at salvation, the baptism is an outward sign that this has happened. We belong to one another as believers.

Baptism is a sign. Just as circumcision was a sign in the Old Testament that a person was a Jew, so water baptism is a sign that we are participating in the New Covenant of Christ’s grace.

While we were redeemed, adopted, justified, sanctified, and reborn at the moment of committing our life to Christ, baptism is a sign, symbol, identification and initiation into a life of ongoing transformation into the likeness of Christ.

Few of us truly understand the significance water baptism had in the first century and should have in our lives today. It is a radical first step of obedience for the disciple. What is keeping you from being Baptized?

The Discipleship Dare Day Twenty Four - Sparking Discipleship

In 1992 I was invited to attend a spiritual retreat. I had no idea what to expect. Was I in for a surprise! It was my understanding that people from many different faiths would be there. We sat around tables as we listened to talks and then discussed them. I quickly noticed that I was the only one with a Bible at my table except the leader. That seemed strange to me.

It was a very eye opening. The teaching was painfully basic for me but others were drinking it in. That weekend, while out of my comfortable church environment, my eyes were opened to the spiritual condition of the church as a whole. Simply put, they were Biblically illiterate with a shallow relationship with Christ at best. My heart was broken as I listened to their conversations. I had taken for granted my rich inheritance and the wealthy deposit of God’s Word in my heart over the years.

On Sunday morning after breakfast I just couldn’t stand the burden in my heart so I retreated to the chapel to pray. I failed at trying to hold back the groans of pain in the spirit as I pleaded for His people – the church. I felt His grief, His pain, His burden for the church and it was overwhelming.

During that experience the Lord gave me a vision of the church its inability to face the coming tide of evil. Their need for knowing the Word and experiencing a deep relationship with him was painfully apparent. Thus the passion for discipleship was ignited in my heart.

That passion still burns deeply but it has been like swimming upstream to get the message across to the body of Christ – the need to have an intimate relationship instead of just fire insurance. There is so much more God wants us to experience than just coming to church on Sunday and serving in the nursery. Those are good but He wants us to really know and experience Him and then pass it on.

Today Jess asked on Facebook, “What do you want to leave behind?” I want to leave disciples passionately in love with Jesus carrying the torch for His Word and knowing Him. Disciples, who are living, dynamic examples of the transforming power of Christ to be whole, igniting the passion in others just as I have.

An old song says, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going …” Let’s be the spark.

Lord, give us a passion to be fully devoted disciples who are so dynamic others will want what we have in You. Give us the vision to pass it on by making disciples.