Tag: women’sministry

  • Unlocking God’s Presence in our lives.

    Unlocking God’s Presence in our lives.

    “Prayer is not an old woman’s idle amusement. Properly understood and applied, it is the most potent instrument of action.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

    My Grandma Florence (my mom’s mom) was nothing less than a prayer warrior. I remember my sister Sara telling the story of a night when she stayed with Grandma. She was awakened with a splash of water. She sat up in bed. Sara realized that Grandma was praying in the spare bedroom, where she was sleeping.

    This room was her “prayer closet,” where she would pray each night. She prayed for each of her family members as she sprinkled holy water in the direction each of us lived. She would pray for her soul and the souls of those she loved.

    As I was thinking about this story, I realized something about myself. When I have a want or a need, I seek out someone I can talk to. I do the same when I am overwhelmed or anxious. When I am worried or afraid, I look for someone to speak with (or complain with).

    That someone is not God. I eventually pray to Him about it, but He is not the first one I seek out.

    Can you relate?

    When I don’t seek Him first, I feel like I’m walking alone. The feelings of anxiety, worry, or fear, don’t go away. I am confused and unsure of my next step.

    I get many suggestions when I seek out others instead of God. These suggestions typically differ with the number of people I seek out. Which causes even more confusion.

    When I seek out God first, the journey isn’t always easy, but I don’t feel alone. He puts the correct people and things in my path that are part of the journey. I make choices and decisions that I feel confident are from Him.

    I need to speak to Him first about everything, in the midst of everything.

    Prayer is the foundation of our relationship with God. It’s the key to unlocking His presence, power, and provision in our lives. Prayer is not just a ritual or a routine; it’s a vital part of our Christian walk.

    Prayer is our way of communicating with God and expressing our thoughts, feelings, and desires to Him. In return, God provides us with peace and comfort even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.

    Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

    Prayer provides us an intimacy with God allowing us to experience His love, comfort, wisdom, and guidance. It makes us wiser and more discerning.

     If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ~James 1:5 (NIV)

    Prayer is essential for our spiritual growth. It helps us to mature in our faith, overcome challenges, and become more like Christ. In return, it helps us to overcome sin and temptation, enabling us to live a victorious and holy life.

     No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. ~1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

    As each of us enter into prayer, we must remember, prayer is not just about getting what we want. It’s about becoming who God wants us to be.

    If you are new to prayer, please remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to prayer. Here are a few tips that may help you in your prayer walk:

    1. Start with praise and thanksgiving. Begin your prayers by praising and thanking God for who He is and what He’s done. (Psalm 100:4)
    2. Be honest and authentic. Share your thoughts, feelings, and desires with God. (Psalm 51:17)
    3. Use Scripture. Scripture will guide your prayers, claiming God’s promises and principles. (Isaiah 55:11)
    4. Pray with faith. Trusting that God will answer your prayers and fulfill His promises. (Mark 11:24)
    5. Pray regularly. Make it a regular part of your daily routine, setting aside time to pray and connect with God. (Luke 18:1)

    Remember…prayer is the most potent instrument of action!

    With love and joy,

    Laura

  • Hiding Sonshine

    Hiding Sonshine

    My my son Thomas, now 31, was maybe seven at the time. His partner-in-crime and cousin, Alex, was about eight. And the third amigo? He was in his 50’s. And their grandpa.

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    Dad, Thomas and Alex

    It was Memorial Day weekend. We were all at a cemetery next to the small country church my mom attended as a child. We were placing flowers next to the headstones of loved ones who had gone to heaven before us. As with every year, we walked around the cemetery. We tried to remember who was related to whom. We also tried to recall how they were related to us.

    And off in the back corner huddled Dad with his two oldest grandsons. We could tell by the way Dad was standing. His hand gestures showed he was telling a big story. Believe me, those boys were paying close attention.

    Before too long, Thomas came running over to me, declaring, “Mom! You aren’t going to believe it! Grandpa used to hide sunshine in these stones!”

    We’d all heard the stories before. It didn’t take long to realize Grandpa had been telling inappropriate stories of his own youth. Stories to the youth whose ears were too young to be listening (according to me anyway).

    The intricate tale Dad wove was of long ago. It was a time when alcohol was outlawed. People made their own brews in bathtubs and bottled up liquor on the sly. He spoke of secret stashes and horse riding. He included anything else he could to make his true story a little more lively.

    Dad explained to these impressionable little lads that some of the headstones were hollow inside. He showed them the panels on the sides. These panels could be unscrewed. He told them about the times they would sneak into the graveyards. They hid their stashes of tub-brewed liquor inside the headstones of people who had long since left the earth.

    He told them of moonshine.

    Thomas told us of sunshine.

    And none of us corrected him as we all scolded Dad and knew it would do no good.

    My thoughts today are not of hiding the moonshine, but of hiding the “Sonshine.”

    In January of 2017, my journey with breast cancer began. I don’t talk about the journey much, and I’m not sure why. I’m not good sharing about me as I really don’t like attention. The memories are definitely hard, but by not sharing, I am hiding the “Sonshine.”

    By not sharing, I am hiding the opportunity to show you joy. The blessings that also comes from the difficulty. I am hiding the opportunity to disciple and share God’s goodness. Even in the most difficult times, He is good, all the time! He is the “Sonshine.”

    By not sharing, I am not providing the opportunity to let you know that I am here to listen. I can pray, comfort, or be whoever you need, for whatever you may be going through. Mine happened to be cancer. Whatever yours is, I would like to share the hope and joy that is still possible, even when life hurts.

    During the most difficult times in life, we may not always recognize the blessings. Burdens can make these blessings hard to see. It reminds me of the poem footprints.

    FOOTPRINTS

    One night I dreamed a dream.
    As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
    Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
    For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
    One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

    After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
    I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
    I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
    especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
    there was only one set of footprints.

    This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
    “Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
    You’d walk with me all the way.
    But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one set of footprints.
    I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”

    He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you. Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
    When you saw only one set of footprints,
    It was then that I carried you.”

    During the hardest times in life, we must be intentional. Intentional in focusing on our blessings in the midst of the burden. We must be intentional because the blessings are often overshadowed by the burden.

    In 2017 it would’ve been easy to let the world pass me by. I thought that if everything was going to be taken from me, I might as well act like it.

    But my true intention in life is to be open to whatever God has in store for me. My biggest fear is that He has a purpose for me and if I’m not paying attention, I’ll miss it.

    So I pray for guidance and pray that I can be intentional in all things. Through my breast cancer journey, God has showed me an important role. I can fulfill the role of an encourager. I believe in people when they don’t believe in themselves. I believe in God’s plan when others lose their faith. I encourage and, hopefully, leave someone feeling better than when I found them.

    So, I pray that as you join me on this Choose Joy Adventure, you will be encouraged. Encouraged to seek out God in the blessings and the burdens. Trust Him even when He feels far away. Believe that He is not far away, but carrying you through it.

    The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. ~Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

    I pray the tales that we hushed dad from telling back then get told years down the road. That they will tell their own grandkids about their Grandpa Mike. How he weaved them stories of moonshine and filled their spirits with “Sonshine.”

    I’ll spread “Sonshine” to each of you. I will do this through stories of what I have gone through. These stories show how my relationship with God has deepened. This deepening happens when we choose to open ourselves up to Him and each other.

    With love and joy,

    Laura

  • Unknown.

    Unknown.

    The unknown can be our biggest enemy sometimes. Unknown is the thing we put most of our focus on. The thing we spend most of our energy trying to control.

    I wonder if it’s actually more comforting for us to look ahead. We want to figure out the unknown simply because we feel a desperate need to avoid what we are facing today.

    Because let’s face it, today can be hard. We can be broke or we can be sick or we can be abandoned. We may be living in limbo in our marriages or in crisis with our jobs. We may be aching for our children and their needs. The right now can hurt so badly that the only escape is to get lost into the unknown. Get lost in the “what ifs” that give us the illusion of control.

    What if I take this job, or what if we lose the house. What if we make that move, or what if I get the raise, or what if I try this treatment.

    We can live in fear and dread the unknown, assuring ourselves of the worst. Or we can live in hope and see happiness ahead with Pollyanna eyes.

    But neither of them are truly right. Both are still guessing games of the unknown.

    The last couple of months have been filled with the unknown for me. I’m learning how to fully live right in the middle of the hard, in the here and KNOWN. What I know is that this is the life He has blessed me with. If this is my life, if this is where I am at, then this is where God is too.

    When I was little, my parents would take me and my 5 siblings fishing. In the bible, there are a lot of stories on fishing. In particular, Jesus telling the disciples He would make them fishers of men.

    I believe He calls us all to be fishers of men/people.

    Fishing is filled with unknown. The lure would be cast out into the water and sink to the unknown waters. We can’t see what is going on in the murky waters. We just sit and wait. Wait until we feel that nibble.

    That’s what life is like. We wait on God to give us the nibble. The next step He wants us to take on this life journey He has prepared for us.

    We start reeling in the next step to see what is on our life line. Sometimes we catch the big one. Sometimes we catch a small one. Sometimes we miss it all together because it either wasn’t set right or we reel too fast.

    Our choice is what we do while we wait on the nibble. He calls us to be still. To enjoy the time. To be content in Him and enjoy the journey.

    Be still and know that I am God. ~Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

    Sometimes we choose the opposite. We don’t like the wait. We get frustrated and reel too fast only to miss the blessings He has provided.

    Too many people miss the silver linings because they are expecting Gold. ~Maurice Setter

    So, what is the lesson?

    By trying to control the unknown of the future, I am wasting my time and energy. I am not fulfilling what God needs from me now, which means I’m wasting God’s time as well. I am also missing all the blessings He has provided, that are right in front of me.

    It all boils down to this:
    none of it is unknown to Him.

    I am going to trust Him, live for today, and wait for the nibble. How about you?

    With love and joy,

    Laura

  • The Love-Hate Relationship of Anticipation and Routine

    The Love-Hate Relationship of Anticipation and Routine

    Who remembers the song, “The Party’s Over” by Willie Nelson?

    Turn out the lights, the party’s over
    They say that all good things must end
    Call it a night, the party’s over
    And tomorrow starts the same old thing again

    I woke up today with this song running through my head. Yes, I’m weird like that. I’m guessing because it’s Monday after two weeks filled with Holiday parties and excitement, this is how I am feeling.

    As Christians, we’re called to live for today, trusting in God’s sovereignty and goodness. Yet, we often find ourselves torn between two opposing forces. The excitement of anticipating special events, and the comfort of routine.

    On the one hand, Looking ahead to exciting events like vacations, holidays, or milestones can bring us joy and motivation. We eagerly count down the days, imagining all the wonderful experiences and memories we’ll create. The anticipation can be a gift, giving us hope and something to look ahead to.

    On the other hand, an overemphasis on anticipating special events can lead to discontentment with our daily lives. We might find ourselves constantly wishing we were somewhere else. Wanting to do something more exciting, rather than living in the moment. This mindset can cause us to miss out on the beauty and blessings of our everyday routines.

    Routine, while often viewed as mundane, provides a sense of stability and structure. It allows us to form healthy habits, nurture relationships, and grow in our faith. Routine can be a means of worship. We are called to offer our daily lives to God and seek to honor Him in all we do.

    None the less, routine can also become monotonous and stifling if we’re not careful. As Willie Nelson put it, “the same old thing again.” We might feel like we’re just going through the motions, without any sense of purpose or passion. This can lead to feelings of restlessness and discontentment.

    So, how can we navigate this love-hate relationship with anticipation and routine?

    As I was processing this morning, a thought came to me. Whatever the Holiday or exciting event, could we treat each day the same way?

    What brings excitement to holidays and special events?

    • Creating memories
    • Laughter
    • Love
    • Serving
    • Preparing
    • Family
    • Friends

    When I look at this list, I realize, I can have this excitement in my day to day routine. I can experience what I love about the holiday or big event without all the work.

    I should be in servant and in preparing mode, praising Him every day. I can always find ways to serve others, being His hands and feet.

    I can choose to see the mundane of everyday life as a new opportunity. It’s a chance to love, laugh, serve, and create memories. Whether our family and friends are close or far away, we have opportunities to serve them.

    Technology can be frustrating and even a bit scary, but let’s choose to change our perspective. That same technology provides us an opportunity to love and serve others far away. To keep connected with them and check in on them.

    My praise is a direct reflection of the thankfulness in my heart. And, my thankfulness in all things needs to be of equal measure.

    Holidays and special events bring excitement and joy that pretty much smack us right in the face. But, just because they are extraordinary times and give us a rush, doesn’t make them more praise worthy.

    “So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.”(2 Corinthians 5:9 NIV)

    “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

    Do all things – even the mundane, the day-to-day grind, to the glory of God. Find joy in your day to day journey as well as the big exciting times!

    I pray as we navigate the excitement and mundane of life, that we learn to appreciate the beauty of both anticipation and routine. May we find joy in the everyday moments and trust in God’s sovereignty over all things.

    With love and joy,

    Laura

  • Stop Looking. Start Acknowledging.

    Stop Looking. Start Acknowledging.

    Have you ever noticed that sometimes the more you search for something, the further away it gets?

    Sometimes, with the best of intentions, we go to God looking for answers… for direction… for guidance… and we get…

    Nothing.

    We get silence. We can be quiet. We can listen. We can be silent while screaming inside at the top of our lungs, “WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?!”

    We do all we are supposed to do. We follow the rules…pray, sit in silence and yet we get… nothing. We can’t seem to find Him.

    I wonder if I am trying too hard. If I should stop looking. And start acknowledging.

    I start thinking God has gone somewhere. That He has fallen silent and I am doing something wrong. That I need to search for Him and find Him. But really, I don’t think either of those things are true. I think I am just waiting for Him on my terms instead of His.

    I want the control. I want answers, direction, resolution. I want the warm and fuzzy feeling that I think faith should give me.

    I have grown up to believe that if I follow the rules of praying I will get the answers. Of course, the answers in my time and in my way.

    I long to know what He knows. I wait to hear the definitive word so I can step ahead in His good grace. And when He is silent, I think I’ve missed something. And I once again, think I need to find Him.

    Do you notice the control theme in there?

    I want. I look. I expect.

    The other day, I had one of those “Aha” moments when I was driving home. It was an overwhelming day, there wasn’t one thing that seemed to go right. I was tired of the number of things that seemed to not be going how I wanted them to. In the middle of these thoughts, I began taking in the beauty of His creation. I began focusing on all that I am grateful He has given me.

    And then I felt calm, grateful, and serene.

    I had been frustrated, feeling He was nowhere near me and silent. When I changed my thoughts and perspective, I got what I was looking for. Those thoughts, turned my attitude and feelings on a dime.

    And it was then I realized:

    I don’t need to find God. I just need to acknowledge Him.

    I thought He was silent because He wasn’t giving me the answers I was looking for. He wasn’t speaking to what I wanted Him to speak to. I knew what I needed and what I wanted and He wasn’t providing.

    He wasn’t under my control.

    But He hadn’t gone anywhere. I was the one who had moved. I moved from a place of being a servant. I moved to a place of wanting Him to serve me on my time and in my way.

    In that moment I stopped trying to find Him. I found the creator of the Universe who I thought had somehow disappeared. He is EVERYWHERE. I was just looking for what I wanted instead of what He was offering.

    I need to stop looking for Him and started acknowledging Him.

    Stop waiting for my answers and started walking ahead in faith. Stop waiting for Him to give me what I want ahead of time. Trust that He will give me what I need when I need it.

    I don’t need to pack my bag before the trip He has called me to. I need to travel the road He has called me to and trust He will provide for me as I go. I need to acknowledge Him along the path.

    I realize that He doesn’t have to speak to be heard. I need to start listening with something other than my ears. I need to listen to Him with my heart and soul.

    Walking in faith is hard and scary, and I can be okay with that.

    Because hard and scary is His specialty.

    He has called me to focus on the word serenity this year. Serenity is a state of inner peace and mental clarity that is independent of external events. It’s a feeling of calm and tranquility that can help avoid stress.

    “I leave the gift of peace with you, my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts, instead, be courageous.

    John 14:27 (TPT)

    My job is to stop looking and start acknowledging. It is there I will find the serenity that comes from Him.

    What is God calling you to this year? Will you join me in acknowledging Him along the way?

    With love and joy,

    Laura