Just Wait

May/13/11

You served, you gave, you knew you were doing the right thing for the right reason. And then from nowhere our adversary struck. The evil one wants no good thing to stand. He wants to check your heart for serving God so hard that you won’t get up again. Run to the Lord first. Psalm 143:9. (I’ve fled to you for refuge.) Then consult with your spiritual mentors. They’ll reflect a perspective you might have missed. And then expect a blessing. I’ve experienced all of the above recently. Peace in the mess was the first gift. Affirmation that serving Him is all that matters regardless of difficulty followed. What’s next?

I don’t know, my friend. But if you’ve served right, the rest is up to Him

Podcast

Adversaries

May/12/11

Have you ever been blindsided by a disappointment while you were serving, moving forward, and seeing God at work? This ministry is not yet 4 years old. Starting with a website to serve and encourage widows, we’re reaching out through radio, books, supporting churches and serving in Africa. We offer biblical encouragement to any one in hard circumstances. Gods blessing has been larger than our efforts. And then a seemingly great partner project imploded. I reached out to my mentoring friend for advice. He opened his worn Bible to I Corinthians 16: 9 and read Paul’s words. 9 a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me. “ He looked at me intently and said quietly, “Expect more.”

Great challenges prove that theres a great door for effective work.

Podcast

Thanks for Joys

May/11/11

A friend recently told me his small granddaughter begins each prayer with, “Thank you, Jesus, for all the joys.” Luke 9:48 reminds us that we need to become like a little child. Trusting simply the one who has our best interests at heart. By starting each conversation with him with thanksgiving for ‘all the joys’ our focus is on what’s gone right. A smile from a stranger, offering polite deference in the parking lot by a driver who’s taking our spot. Letting someone else in the check out line ahead of us and enjoying the look of surprise. Thank you Jesus for all the joys. Itis OK to start small and then move to the bigger joys like trusting without seeing and praising him before we see results. Thank you Jesus for all the joys.

Podcast

Obsolete

May/10/11

“Get out your rolodex!” A group was expected to contact everyone they knew on a very important matter. Now there’s an item that is obsolete. My old one is stuffed in a bookcase some where. I’m now frustrated when my Iphone and computer are slow in syncing new contacts. Like the old ditto machine that left blue ink on every educators hands, the rolodex has been displaced by something better.

I get tired of change. But I have learned to text. Will we all be driving electric cars next? I’m so thankful that our faith in our Creator and his guidelines for living will never become obsolete. We can read it from a heavy book or on a tiny gadget in our hand. The message is the same.

Podcast

Change

May/09/11

One of the most common elements of life we all share is change. Big, small, positive, negative, they can lift us up or destroy us. New beginnings are a reality in our lives. How do we face them? Walk through them? What are we like afterward? I lived through many thinking I knew the answers: choosing training, a lifetime mate, having children, adopting finding a career, getting a job, moving. These are exciting, positive. But there’s the other kind: loosing a job, stuck in unemployment, divorce, watching your child make poor decisions, the death of a child. Have you, like me, faced the unexpected, the unwanted that requires me to start over?

Life is real, not all beginnings are of our choosing. We discover God in a new way. He’s more than good, He’s Grand.

Podcast

Helping Widows in Time of Need

Just Wait

Adversaries

Thanks for Joys

Obsolete

Change