Sunday, October 30, 2011

Rejoice and Be Glad in It!!


Good Morning Beautiful Girlfriends!

This is the day that the Lord hath made. I will REJOICE and be glad in it!!!!!
I know for many it is challenging to rejoice this morning because of everything happening around you in your ministry and life. Just remember today that God is still on the throne and is as powerful as He was yesterday and will still reign tomorrow! He loves you and cares about every detail of your life including the discouragement and disappointments you may be dealing with today.

Just want to encourage you this morning with a simple thought. No matter what you are walking through at this moment, God will help you be a positive influence in a negative situation. Be encouraged – what you have to offer is the life of Jesus, not your own expertise. Encouragement cannot harm people – a loving word from you will always help somehow, if even a little, if only for a moment. As ministry wives and ministry women, our skills and callings are varied, but we can be unceasing encourager's. We are greatly needed!

I am praying for you today that God’s power and presence will be overwhelming in your services. You are amazing women of God!

Love and appreciate you!

Hugs,
Debbie

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Loving Those Not Easy To Love


"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." I Corinthians 13: 4-7 (NKJV)

When I think about this scripture the first thing that comes to my mind is the responsibility we have as pastor's wives and ministry women. In the early church, leaders modeled love to their churches. They lived by these words in the scripture. Love was the foundation and motive for the leaders' action.

As a pastor's wife and a woman in ministry I have repeatedly experienced everything but love from some folks throughout our 30 years of ministry. I know many of you reading this blog today can relate. I am thankful today that God has taught me how to love those who don't love others. I realize that if I were not able to love those who demonstrate a cold heart that I would not be an effective leader. When we dwell on the hurts and pains of life we become very bitter and indifferent.

God's love is directed outward toward others, not inward toward ourselves. It is utterly unselfish. This love is not natural. It is possible only if God supernaturally helps us set aside our own desires and instincts. The closer we come to Christ, the more love we will express to others.

Is it easy to love those who come against our families and criticize everything we do in the ministry? Absolutely not but I remind myself that I need to demonstrate God's love to these people anyway. It isn't about me and what I might want. It would be easy to totally write them off and avoid those who constantly inflict pain and suffering on our lives but that isn't what God has called us to do. These people are also hurting and dealing with some very deep wounds from life. God can heal them also and he may be calling you and I to be the resource he chooses to use in their healing process.

Listen for God's voice today as you allow him to direct your steps in your ministry. He may open doors of opportunity for you today that may be calling you out of your comfort zone but can also be very rewarding.

Blessings!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Pastor's Wives - The Impossibility of Pleasing People

Many years ago, as a very young, inexperienced, and untrained pastor's wife, my mission was to please everyone. Why? Because that is what I thought ministry was all about. I was constantly trying to figure out if my makeup was acceptable, my clothes, my jewelry, etc. I made every effort to be everything for everyone all the time. Desperately attempting to make everyone happy so the complainers would be satisfied. Of course we all know that is short lived! I came to the place of discouragement, frustration and not wanting to be involved in the ministry with my husband at all. These people were ridiculous and I didn't want any part of it!

Our Heavenly Father did not place you and I on this earth to please people. That isn't our mission girlfriends. We are to please Him by representing a Christ-like life and being examples everywhere we go of our Lord and Savior. I discovered many years ago that life is too short to spend it trying to make everyone happy. Some people will never be satisfied no matter what you do. Jesus could walk down the aisle of the church and they would find fault with Him!

I do what I do because I love the Lord with my entire being. People must accept me for who I am. I am an original and I don't want to be a copy of anyone else! I am not going to try to be someone different so I can please those who don't like what I do or what I represent. I am not in the business of intentionally hurting people and ignoring them but I also will not change who I am to please some so they won't complain. Some people need to grow up and start thinking about others instead of always focusing on what they want in this life.

Have you noticed that those who complain the loudest do less in the church than anyone else? And no matter what is done in the church, they gripe about it. They always have a better way of doing whatever it is you are doing but they never volunteer to help with the project.

The folks who chronically complain can absolutely steal our joy and make our lives miserable IF WE ALLOW THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I have found over the years that only those I permit can intimidate me or make my life miserable. I am in control of this situation. You and I are the deciding factor as to the result of what these people attempt to do with our lives. When we are overwhelmed by their criticism and whiny complaints our focus isn't on God and what He can do for us. We are allowing the situation to overpower our emotions. We then become discouraged and frustrated because those are tools of the enemy.

I am in no way advocating being rude or uncaring. What I am advocating is that we are not to be people pleaser's and if that is our mission in this life, we will be miserable. Jesus wasn't a people pleaser. Many became very upset with Him but He had a mission while He was here on this earth and He didn't allow anyone or anything to stop Him.

God created you and I differently. He knew us when we were in the womb. He has a unique plan for each of us. I can't be you and you can't be me. We can't be like someone else and accomplish God's will for our life. By reading our Bibles and seeking God's face daily we can be assured that God will lead and direct us. He will open doors we thought were never possible.

Focus on pleasing God - not people.  His plan is unfailing.

Blessings!

Take Advantage of God Opportunities!

Good Morning Beautiful Girlfriends!

Do you ever feel like you are being pulled by the hand through a wind tunnel? It is as though we are living our lives in a fast-forward mode and life is passing by at a record speed!

Our lives are a vapor and a tiny blip on the world’s radar screen. We are attempting to make a difference in the lives of those around us. But there are times in our lives when we feel as though nothing we are doing counts for anything.

God has placed many women in our paths that we can influence. Everyday there are multiple opportunities for kingdom advancement all around us. When we allow those opportunities to pass us by it is tragic. If Jesus tarries and we graduate to retirement, will we have peace in our hearts as we reflect upon our lives, knowing that we took advantage of the opportunities God presented and used our time wisely?

What type of legacy will we leave as a ministry wife or ministry woman? Are we truly redeeming the time God has given to us to do all we can to further the Kingdom of God? Or are we allowing discouragement and depression to overwhelm our lives and keep us from making the positive influence on those God places in our paths?

Let’s pray together that God will afford opportunities for our ministries to be effective. Pray that God will continue to place women in our paths that we can influence and encourage in a positive way. Seek God daily and ask Him to quicken our hearts and spirits so that we are sensitive to the needs of those around us. Ask God to help us take our eyes off of SELF and look to others who are suffering and struggling in their walk with Christ.

God wants to use YOU in an awesome way. Don’t allow the enemy to steal your joy and the wonderful blessings God has for your life.

Love and appreciate you,
Debbie

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Stand Firm and See the Deliverance the Lord Will Bring!

Good Morning Girlfriends!

Pumpkins, Mums, Fall Colors and Pumpkin Spice Latte!!!!! It is such a joy to connect with you each week!

The Potomac District Ministers' Retreat kicks off tomorrow evening and the past several weeks have been incredibly busy with all the prep work.  I am introducing a brand new ministry for Spousal Support on Tuesday morning and am so excited about this new oppportunity.  Please pray for our team this week as we step out to minister to pastor's wives in our district with some great new ideas.


Even ministry women experience times when we feel fear about things in our lives. When we face fear we must stand FIRM against it, with confidence that God will help us.

Exodus 14:13, 14 – Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

The people were hostile and despairing, but Moses encouraged them to watch the wonderful way God would rescue them. Moses had a positive attitude! When it looked as if they were trapped, Moses called upon God to intervene. We may not be chased by an army, but we may still feel trapped. Instead of giving in to despair, we should adopt Moses’ attitude to “stand firm and … see the deliverance the Lord will bring.”

God is so good and no matter how heavy the challenges are in our lives, He still reigns! My life is in His hands. Nothing happens in my life that God is not aware of. I know that there will be times of great challenge but I also am confident that God will walk through those times with me.

Be encouraged today friends! God loves you and He is aware of everything you are dealing with. He is your strength, your source and your protector!

May the Love of God surround you today and His mighty presence fill your services with great power!

Love and appreciate you,
Debbie