DEVOTION: God Can Use Anything!

Today's devotion is from Jennifer AlLee


It's Sunday. It's also Halloween. Those two things don't really seem to go together, do they? Here are two other things that don't seem to go together: the movie The Exorcist and salvation. But in my friend Martha's case, they did.

Martha was a young woman who didn't know God. Oh sure, she'd heard of him, but she didn't have a relationship with him. She didn't know what it meant to be saved by the blood of Christ. She lived her life looking out for herself, and she thought she was just fine.

One day, Martha went to see the movie, The Exorcist. The movie scared her silly. And not just because of Linda Blair's head spinning, pea-soup-spewing performance. You see, Martha had never given much thought to the devil. but after seeing the movie, the reality of his existence hit home. When you come face-to-face with the devil for the first time (even if it's at the movies) you can't help but start to ponder God and his existence. Which is just what Martha did. She went home from that movie and looked up all the scripture that had been referenced in it. Not long after that, Martha gave her life to the Lord.

Martha's been a Christian for quite a few years now. She loves God, teaches an adult Sunday school class, and sings in the choir. And while I'm sure you've probably never thought of a movie like The Exorcist as an evangelism tool, it worked for her. Just goes to prove... God can use anything for his own purposes.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.
1 Corinthians 1:26-28 (NLT)

How about you? What's the most unexpected thing you've ever seen used for God's glory?




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer AlLee is an author, former church secretary, and founder of The Pastor's Wife Speaks. You can find out more about her writing at http://www.jenniferallee.com/

Prayer & Praises - October 30, 2010

In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.

May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.

May he send you help from his sanctuary

and strengthen you from Jerusalem.

May he remember all your gifts

and look favorably on your burnt offerings.

(Interlude)

May he grant your heart’s desires

and make all your plans succeed.

May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory

and raise a victory banner in the name of our God.

May the Lord answer all your prayers.

Psalm 20:1-5 (NLT)

Lord, we ask that you strengthen and protect your children today. We also lift up this special request:

Jen AlLee - This is an exciting time with lots of positive stuff going on in my life, both personally and professionally. Praise God for his provision and faithfulness! But with all the excitement comes bouts of exhaustion. I pray that the Lord will give me energy to get things done, and clarity of mind so I don't forget anything :+}

Amen!

If you have any prayer requests or praises today, please share them in the comment section so we can join in with you.

Expectations

By Lisa Karon Richardson

I don’t know about you all, but I think one of the most intimidating things about coming to ministry as a pastor’s wife is the expectation of expectations. Even people who aren’t Christian have an image of a pastor’s wife in their head. And here we are trying to live up to the image, or else live it down.

If we’re not careful, our desire to please our congregation can twist us into knots. As soon as you “fix” yourself to please, one, you’re sure to displease another. I think this dichotomy in ministry can be especially hard on women because we want to nurture and meet needs. When we can’t, we often internalize the experience. We see ourselves as failures.

Only God can be all things to everyone. So instead of trying to play God, let’s cut ourselves some slack.

Let’s take a step back and figure out whose expectations matter.

Most importantly we need to find out what God expects. I can’t tell you what it is, but I can guarantee that your ministry is supposed to be as unique as you are.

God calls us to ministry before we are even born. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…” (Jeremiah 1:5 ESV) That message to Jeremiah was in response to the prophet’s protest that he was too young to meet the expectation. God didn’t let him off the hook due to his age, and I can’t think of any reason he’s going to let us off the hook either. He’s suited us to the ministry and the ministry to us. No excuse we come up with is going to suffice. Because he’s not looking for perfection, he’s looking for willingness. He is the sufficiency. He supplies what we need. The weaker we are, the better, because the knowledge of our lack keeps us from taking too much of the credit for ourselves.

Secondly, we need to try to meet our husband’s expectations. In my experience, pastor’s want their wives to be involved in the work of the church. But they don’t want them to be unhappy. Work with your spouse to carve out the niche that fits you. We aren’t all great Sunday school teachers, or crazy about leading the ladies’ bible study. When my husband and I were traveling across the country raising funds for our mission, I was asked at every single church if I was going to sing a song.

Believe me that was one expectation that could have gone very wrong. Although… maybe we could have raised more money by making people pay us to get me to stop singing. My husband knows that my… ahem… spiritual gifting does not involve music. So instead of singing I gave extended testimonies, a.k.a. I preached. Either of those options are enough to send some people into spasms.

The point is to find your ministry. Don’t try to shoehorn yourself into someone else’s place. God created you and designed the place in his body where you will fit perfectly.

Have you ever had an experience, pleasant or unpleasant, that hinged on someone else’s expectation?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa Karon Richardson has been creating stories, since she was little. Influenced by books like The Secret Garden and The Little Princess her early books were heavy on boarding schools and creepy houses. It took her awhile to figure our why Grandma thought it was unrealistic for boys and girls to share a room at a boarding house! Now that she’s (mostly) all grown-up she still loves a healthy dash of adventure and excitement in any story she creates, even her real-life story. She’s been a missionary to the Seychelles and Gabon and now that she and her husband are back in America, they are tackling a brand new adventure, starting a daughter-work church in a new city. You can usually find Lisa at her blog, http://lisakaronrichardson.blogspot.com/, or making the contest rounds. She’s a 2010 Genesis Finalist, 2010 Great Expectations first place winner, 2010 Daphne Du Maurier 3rd place winner, 2010 Duel on the Delta third place winner, and more.

Look at me! Look at me! Confessions of a spotlight hog...

Today's post is from Sarah Varland

I never realized I was a spotlight hog until I became a pastor’s wife. See, pastors wives, as you know, are supposed to be quiet, perfect ladies who hover in the background of their husbands’ ministries, never saying much, but making everything around them run smoothly and glow with an almost imperceptible aura of perfection. Or, um, at least something like that. The point is, it does seem like they are expected to do many behind-the-scenes tasks, for which someone else will get credit, or which no one will even notice. That’s not good or bad in and of itself. For pastor’s wives who do get to do jobs that are in the spotlight, that’s great. But for those of us who get paper cuts from those silly bulletins—my last blog mentioned them too…I promise I don’t really have bulletin bitterness issues—that no one even notices until it’s not done the way they want, it’s something we have to deal with.

I was really convicted about my bad attitude to serving in the background a few weeks ago when Sunday morning I watched my husband push aside his tie and change our baby’s diaper on a little make-shift changing pad on his desk. He performed this not-so-glamorous task happily, without complaint, and no one besides me and our little boy—who can’t talk in any language anyone over the age of one understands—saw him. He did it because it needed to be done and he was happy to serve. He didn’t need everyone to know about it.

I, like many other women I know—pastor’s wives or not—struggle with people pleasing. I wish I could make everyone happy and maybe that’s why I have such an issue with wanting things I do at church to be in the spotlight. I want people to look at me and be pleased, and look at what I’ve done and be impressed. But I’m trying to learn that if I really am doing ministry because I’m serving God and not just trying to please people, then it shouldn’t matter if everyone knows how much time I spend organizing the library, or putting together VBS stuff, or brainstorming outreach ideas with my husband. Even though people are important, in the grand scheme of things, I’m supposed to be doing these things for God anyway, and he definitely sees everyone. Even those people who are quiet, and tirelessly work behind the scenes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Varland is a book-loving, outdoorsy pastor's wife from Georgia. When she’s not doing glamorous pastor’s wife duties, like squashing bugs and refilling toilet paper rolls, she loves to write, read, kayak and spend time with her husband and son. You can read more of her thoughts on life, books, and the ministry fishbowl at espressoinalatteworld.blogspot.com

Photo credit:

stage light - morguefile.com

The Pastor's Daughter

Today's post is from Shauntae Brown White

One Sunday morning, I was volunteering in Children’s Church. The children had counted off in numbers to form groups and I happened to end up in the group with my oldest daughter who is eight. Once they got in the circle, they were supposed to introduce themselves, and tell why they came to church that morning. When it was my daughter’s turn, I cringed at her answer, which was, “I have to come to church. I am the pastor’s daughter.” I wasn’t really bothered by the fact that she said she had to come to church. Truth be told, she loves church. The reasons range from having a thirst to learn about God in Sunday School to being a social butterfly. When she was five she voluntarily went to our Resurrection Sunday Sunrise Service at 6 a.m. I had not planned to go to that service as it would have made for too long of a morning for my other daughter, who was two. When I asked why she wanted to go, she replied, “I just want to sit on the front row and listen to my Daddy preach.” So, she got up, got ready and went to that service with her Daddy. This is just one example of her attitude toward attending church.

What really made me cringe, though, was the fact that she identified herself as the pastor’s daughter. It’s not as if the other children didn’t know who she was. My antennae went up because I was concerned that she was using her father’s profession as part of her identity. It’s one thing when others impose expectations on you—how you should or should not act; what you should or should not wear; what you should or should not be involved in the life of the church, etc. You cannot control others’ expectations. But, we can control how we define ourselves. My husband was already in ministry when we got married and was called to pastor his first church two months before our wedding. I thank God at that time, I had a solid sense of and was comfortable with who I was. I decided then, I did not want my identity tied to being a pastor’s wife, but rather, it was another role, among many roles, that I performed. I embrace the role—I don’t fight it. While it certainly can have its challenges, overwhelmingly, I am happy to fulfill the role because it is one that I have defined for myself. I had considered the impact of my husband’s profession on our girls, but hadn’t taken the time to explore how they were processing the experience.

When I talked to my daughter, I told her, “What your father does for a living is not a part of who you are. You have your own gifts and talents that God has given you—that He wants you to fulfill.” I really don’t know if she understood what I was saying. But, hopefully one day, she will.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shauntae Brown White lives in Raleigh, NC with her husband and two daughters. She has been a pastor's wife for 12 years

Be Thou My Vision…

I've never considered myself much of a visionary. I'm more of a detail-oriented, get it done, action behind the scenes, kind of person. So, I have immense respect for those that can recognize and identify the vision, then step out in faith to follow it. My husband is one of these. I guess it’s the leader/shepherd within him but I find this to be true with most pastor and pastor’s wives roles! God gives man the vision, woman makes it all happen :) Lately, it's been particularly difficult to not let my current circumstances defer my faith in future grace.

Yesterday after a meaningful and wonderful conversation with our senior pastor and church staff, the Lord reminded my husband and I that the call to live by faith is in the words, "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart." The reference to future grace is in the words, "He will direct your paths." John Piper said "He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." That satisfaction comes from not only knowing but believing that nothing will thwart His plan and that having the confidence that God will "also with him freely give us all things..." (Romans 8:32).

Faith is primarily a future-oriented "assurance of things hoped for" (Heb 11:1). It's essence is the deep satisfaction with all that God promises to be for us in Jesus.

Shane and Shane (my personal favorite Christian artists) wrote a song a few years ago called "Vision of You." When listening to it while getting ready for church the other morning, I was reminded that it doesn't matter if I see myself as a so-called "visionary" or not. The vision of Jesus should be the death of me because He's already given it all. And holding to that faith in future grace is what will honor Him in the fruition of that vision becoming the harvest.

Awaken what’s inside of me
Tune my heart to all You are in me
Even though You’re here God come
And may the vision of You
Be the death of me
And even though you’ve given everything
Jesus come

How about you? Are you a visionary, or a get-it-done type person? How do you hold on to the promise of future grace?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maegan Harris Roper is a 28-year-old wife of a youth pastor, mother, worship leader, and full time Marketing and Publicity Manager. She and her husband Jeremy serve on staff at St. Paul Community Church in Nashville, TN where they do a little of everything, but focus on student ministry. Maegan is the proud mom of Emmalyn Brooke, who is 6 months old. When she’s not serving alongside her husband and adjusting to mommyhood, she’s working for a talented team of Christian fiction authors with Abingdon Press as the Marketing and Publicity Manager. She loves that her job combines faith, outreach, and great books! She’s passionate about connecting to and encouraging other women both in and outside of the ministry and she often blogs on various missional, faith-based topics at her blog, A Different Remedy, http://www.maeganroper.blogspot.com/


Photo credit
Man with binoculars - morguefile.com

DEVOTION: The Invasion of the Body Snatcher

by Lisa Karon Richardson

Halloween is right around the corner and... well okay I'm out of other excuses. Sadly this is just the way my mind works.

I was recently reflecting on this passage of scripture: If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. (John 15:19)

It hit me anew that when we are transformed by the Holy Spirit we are not just remodeled like an old house, where new structures are added on top of the old. Scripture puts it this way: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (II Corinthians 5:17)

We are entirely new creatures. Now this is where my mind started down a rabbit warren of its own. You see it occurred to me that this new creature is entirely alien to the world. Are you still with me?

Do you see what this means?

I am an alien! If you are still bothering to read this then I would venture to guess that you are also an alien.

We are in this world but we are not of it. It is sort of like a very positive version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Physically I looked the same way before I received the Holy Ghost as I did afterward. But inwardly there was birthed a new being. A babe in Christ.

Okay so it may sound a little creepy to the uninitiated but this change that happened to me isn’t negative in any way shape or form. You see, God only looks for willing ‘victims’. We have to volunteer. He won't force the decision on us.

But may I say this change is incredible. Unregrettable.

I wouldn't go back for anything. I'm absolutely happy being a stranger in a strange land.

Here's the kicker, unlike other alien races you may have seen on TV or in movies, we’re not here to destroy the human race, but to preserve it.

We're trying to snatch people from the jaws of hell. Think of us as an advanced race with technology critical to survival. We know the secret to eternal life-and it is a gift freely given.

I'll totally understand if I'm alone, but if you've ever felt as if you were an alien species, I'd love it if you'd share in the comments. Aliens Unite!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa Karon Richardson has been creating stories, since she was little. Influenced by books like The Secret Garden and The Little Princess her early books were heavy on boarding schools and creepy houses. It took her awhile to figure our why Grandma thought it was unrealistic for boys and girls to share a room at a boarding house! Now that she’s (mostly) all grown-up she still loves a healthy dash of adventure and excitement in any story she creates, even her real-life story. She’s been a missionary to the Seychelles and Gabon and now that she and her husband are back in America, they are tackling a brand new adventure, starting a daughter-work church in a new city. You can usually find Lisa at her blog, http://lisakaronrichardson.blogspot.com/, or making the contest rounds. She’s a 2010 Genesis Finalist, 2010 Great Expectations first place winner, 2010 Daphne Du Maurier 3rd place winner, 2010 Duel on the Delta third place winner, and more.

Prayer & Praises - October 23, 2010

I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.

Bend down and listen as I pray.

Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways.

By your mighty power you rescue

those who seek refuge from their enemies.

Guard me as you would guard your own eyes.

Hide me in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 17:6-8 (NLT)

Lord, we also lift up these specific prayer requests:


Jan Cline - I have a praise that needs prayer! I am putting together a Christian writers conference in my town and God is opening doors. But we still need some things to fall into place and I want God to be in this. Please pray that the right people will step forward.

Anonymous - I have been praying and praying for a stronger relationship with the Lord. Praying to let down my "guard." I desperately want to find a church family and would greatly appreciate your prayers.

Amen!

The Pie-Making Pastor

Today's post is from Jessica Miller Kelley


My husband called me at work, frustrated and covered in dough.
“This pie crust is sticking to everything it touches!”

I had to smile, and not just because the image of my husband wrestling with a rolling pin and a blob of make-it-yourself Betty Crocker pie crust mix was pretty humorous. Or because he didn’t realize there were ready-made crusts in the freezer section (and possibly even in our own freezer).

No, I smiled because this is every pastor’s wife’s dream.

The gray-haired church-lady coordinating desserts for Saturday’s chicken barbecue had asked my husband repeatedly, “Could Jessica make some pies for the barbecue?” As is his policy when asked to volunteer me for something, he said, “Sorry, you’ll have to ask her yourself.” Since she didn’t want to ask me directly (and my husband knew I would probably agree and then resent it), he volunteered to bake five pies himself.

When I was dating my husband, and even before that, when—for some unknown reason—I thought I would make a good pastor’s wife, I probably would have gotten excited at the idea of baking pies for a church event. I can see it now, through the rose-colored glasses of my early twenties: the idyllic image of myself in a ruffled apron, pouring gooey apple-pie filling into a crust. Flour would streak my cheek and hair, and bluebirds would be chirping outside the window of the parsonage I wouldn’t bat an eye about living in.

Cue the needle-scratching-a-record sound effect.

I don’t know if my personality changed or if I’ve just grown cynical from actual exposure to the intimate details of church leadership, but I definitely don’t fit that rosy stereotype that perhaps I thought I could. I feel bad about that, to some extent, like I pulled a bait-and-switch on my husband (and maybe I did), but I think the pressure to embody that stereotype comes mainly from myself. Most church members probably don’t really expect me to fit the mold of a 1950s pastor’s wife, and, more importantly, my husband doesn’t expect me to fit that mold either.

He knows how I feel about various aspects of church life and tries his best to spare me from those things. Some things—like the parsonage or the style of music in worship—he has no control over, but what he can do, he does. He forces congregants to view me as a separate individual, capable of accepting or declining invitations for myself. And he’ll sacrifice his own time (and pride) to bake pies on my behalf, to spare me the feelings of pressure (and guilt if I say no or resentment if I say yes).

That gesture spoke volumes to me about my husband’s willingness to limit the church’s ownership of our life. The fact that he’s a great cook is just icing on the cake… or rather, cool whip on the pie.

How about you? What's your "pie" story?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jessica Miller Kelley is a working mom and pastor’s wife in Tennessee. Her husband, Matt, is a United Methodist pastor, and their daughter Kate is the rambunctious toddler who lights up their lives. She blogs about motherhood, books, and church issues at The Parsonage Family (www.mattandjesskelley.blogspot.com).

The Only Eyes That Matter

Today's post is from Charmed Rogers


How do you help someone if you don’t know what they are going through?

A long time ago, my sister told me that she thought she went through things so she could be a help for others in similar circumstances in the future.

I believe in that.

Think about it.

How can you offer sympathy or compassion to someone if you don’t have first hand experience?

That's why places like this blog are important. For us as Minister's wives to share our joy, pain, tears, cheers, and everything else we come across in our path. Ours is a unique life. In no other profession is a person's life dissected and inspected so completely. The way we walk, talk, dress, act, wear our hair, with makeup, without makeup, pants, no pants, work an outside job, work at home, even how well we keep house is put under a microscope and run through every test imaginable, but will always fall short, in someone's eyes.

Sounds rather depressing doesn't it?

Ah, but it isn't.

We have an out, an escape, a loop hole so to speak.

God.

Yes, he is our loop hole.

When God sees us, he sees us as we are, not as others think we should be. Aren't his eyes the only ones we should worry about?

Sometimes I find myself getting too caught up in the whole "keeping up appearances" aspect of being a Pastor's Wife. I have actually caught myself comparing myself to other PW's that I know. I think we have all done it at some point in time. Its difficult not to get trapped in the whirlwind, but I find that when I am getting too worried about appearances and opinions, God gives me a gentle nudge letting me know that Hey, he loves me just the way I am. I am His. Overweight, southern to the core, mama-bear, stand by her man, type woman that I am, God loves me. He is with me no matter what I do, the mistakes I make or trouble I cause.

Why?

Because I am wonderfully made just the way he wanted me from the start. He knows every hair on my head, every freckle on my face, and every little pouch of cellulite on my thighs. My Father knows my heart better than I do, and He knows that as misguided as I may be sometimes, that I will find the right path, even if it takes a gentle shove from Him, and yes sometimes a not so gentle shove from Him. These rabbit trails I sometimes chase, give me the experience I need to lend a listening ear to someone in the future. I can't be all things to all people, but God has given me unique experiences to be some things to some people. It's up to me to use those for Him and His glory.

How about you? Do you ever get caught up in keeping up appearances? How has God nudged you back on track?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
"Charmed" is a PK, PW, and mom to 5 PK boys, living in North Carolina, where her husband of 21 years pastors a small rural church. She always said she wouldn't marry a preacher, and she didn't, God saw fit to call her husband to ministry after they were already married! Visit her blog at http://pantylesspreacherswife.wordpress.com/.


Photo credits:
Girl in mirror - morguefile.com
Flower - morguefile.com

Share Your Prayer Requests and Praises

It's prayer request Tuesday! If you'd like prayer for something in your life or want to share how God has blessed you, you can do it in one of three ways:

• Leave a comment to the Tuesday post
• Use the "Share Your Story" form (this is the best way if you'd like to remain anonymous)
• Email me directly at jallee725 [at] hotmail [dot] com

On Saturday, I'll post the list of prayer requests and praises. This is just one more way we can join our hearts together. Blessings on your week!

DEVOTION: The Proverbs 31 Woman... Seriously?

Show of hands... who's ever read the Proverbs 31 description of a virtuous woman and thought, "I can never live up to that"? I had to stop typing for a moment... because I raised both of my hands!

Let's take a quick look at the woman in verses 10-31. By the way, my comments are identified by red italics.

Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.
(So far, so good. I can be trustworthy and not evil)
She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.
(Um... I can buy yarn. And I can do stuff with my hands. But I'm not sure the two go together)
She is like the merchant ships,
(I can relate to this, as I often feel big as a ship)
She brings her food from afar.
(All the way from the super market)
She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household,
(Nope... that never happens in my house)
And a portion for her maidservants.
(Hold it right there... this woman has a maid! And not just one. She has maidservants... plural. This explains a lot)
She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard.
(Yes, she plants a vineyard. To produce wine. Which she then drinks, because she's so worn out)
She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms.
(See, even in Bible times women were concerned about exercise and keeping up their bodies. Some things are eternal)
She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night.
(She is the Energizer Bunny)
She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
(She is the eight-armed Energizer Bunny)
She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
(That way, she can find them if they wander out in the snow)
She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
(This may be how the Red Hats started)
Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.
(Men still do this today. Super Bowl Sunday comes to mind)
She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants.
(Back to sewing again... I can sew on buttons. That's about it)

I admit, I've had some fun with the Proverbs 31 woman. But seriously, everything about her is admirable. And while most of us won't live out the specifics of this virtuous woman (there are no maidservants or vineyards in my future) the spirit of the woman is what's important. Let's finish off the chapter, and you'll see what I mean.

Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:
“ Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

It's really all summed up in this phrase: "But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." When we fear the Lord, when we seek him and his will for our lives, we are headed in the right direction. Yes, we will still make mistakes. But when our hearts are set toward God, he will carry us through and make us the virtuous women he intended us to be.

Amen and God bless you!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer AlLee is an author, former church secretary, and founder of The Pastor's Wife Speaks. You can find out more about her writing at http://www.jenniferallee.com/

Prayer & Praises - October 16, 2010

Today we take our prayer straight from the Psalms...

O Lord, hear me as I pray;

pay attention to my groaning.

Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,

for I pray to no one but you.

Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord.

Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.

Psalm 5:1-3 (NLT)

Lord, we also lift up these specific prayer requests:

Blessed Vessel Of God - I would so like prayer for my book in progress, and the acceptance of the agent I sent it off to. I know that God has put this book on my heart, yet the further I get towards finishing it the harder I am finding it to concentrate and stay on task. Also, I am on unemployment and it has been very hard to make ends meet. However, I trust the Lord and know that He is in control. Thank you for your prayers in advance.

Jen - A mission team from my church will be traveling to Monrovia, Liberia from November 2-11. Please pray for safe travel and open doors.

Amen!

Unveiling the Tailors Around You (Part II of Leadership Transparency Series)

In the first part of this blog series, Learning to See the Emperor's New Clothes, I talked about the importance of understanding your dark side when it comes to leadership transparency.

In the story of the Emperor's New Clothes, there are three pieces to the process of transparency. The first is my own dark side, which I addressed in that post. The piece that makes me prideful or spiteful or lustful or _____ful enough to walk out into public wearing no clothes, convinced I'm dressed in the ultimate splendor. The second piece is my support system. The third piece is the people who follow me. Today, I wanted to talk about the second piece.

Who are the Tailors around you?

Y'see, in the Emperor's New Clothes, the prideful emperor was only partly at fault for his naked romp. After all, the non-existant clothes were made by someone, weren't they?

These tailors were possibly well-meaning. Possibly intentionally deceptive. Either way, they were responsible for making a garment to clothe their leader and they failed. Whether their intention was to make him look foolish, or make him seem cutting-edge, they sent him out without clothing.

These tailors were, in essence, his support system. They were the people who were responsible for providing a service for his leadership.

In your life (or in your husband's life), there are groups of people that are meant to support you. Tailors come in all shapes and sizes, and they clothe you in all sorts of ways. As we discussed in the last post, it's important to be aware. Who are these people that teach you, that guide you, that lift you up, that resource you? What do you get from them? What do they take from you?

~ Rebecca Lynn

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Lynn is a Music Pastor at a thriving church in the Mountain West. She recently finished her Master of Arts in Transformational Leadership at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, MN. She is an author, speaker, leadership coach, and consultant who specializes in self-leadership and communications.

Photo Credits: Art Reach Children's Theatre

And the Journal Winner Is...

Thou Art Jules!

I'll be sending you an email to get your mailing info. Thanks to everyone who commented on the journaling post. I encourage you all to grab your favorite pen and start letting your thoughts and feelings flow!

How Do I Go Into All the World When I Don't Want to Leave the Country?

I think it's safe to say we've all read these verses in the Bible:

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
Mark 16:15-18 (NKJV)

Most commonly referred to as the Great Commission, this is the message Jesus had for his remaining disciples after His resurrection. Share the gospel. Seems pretty simple, right? Except that we're supposed to go into all the world and share the gospel with every creature. Yikes. Now things get a little sticky. What if I don't want to travel around the world? What if I can't? Am I less of a Christian if I don't plan a mission trip to the other side of the globe?

Certainly not. In fact, when reading about the early church in the New Testament, we see there is a very important role for homebodies. People like Lydia, Dorcas, and Priscilla and Aquilla provided support to those who travelled to share the Gospel. Whether through prayer, finances, or simply opening their homes, these people assisted in spreading God's word across the globe.

As a writer, and a natural introvert, I'm the very definition of a homebody. I used to worry about fulfilling the Great Commission. How was I ever going to do that? I've never had any desire to travel out of the country and my idea of roughing it is staying in a hotel where the TV remote doesn't work. I would be a lousy missionary.

But then I realized... I'm already doing Great Commission work. For years, I've been writing devotions for grade schoolers in the USA and Canada. Those devotions (over 100 of them) have gone to kids I'll never meet in person. And I know that my latest novel has gone to England, Greece, and South Korea. Who knows where else God will take it?

Some people are meant to travel to distant lands with the gospel. But God can use all of us to spread His word, even when we never leave the safety and comfort of our own neighborhoods. We can pray for missionaries. We can support them financially. We can use the talents God gave us to reach others. And we can stay sensitive to the Spirit, knowing that maybe... just maybe... He may call us to take a leap of faith.

How about you? How do you share the Gospel with every creature? Have you ever been called to go somewhere you didn't want to go? What was the result?



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer AlLee is an author, speaker, former church secretary and drama team leader, and founder of The Pastor's Wife Speaks. You can find out more about her writing at http://www.jenniferallee.com/

Time for Prayer Requests

It's prayer request Tuesday! If you'd like prayer for something in your life or want to share how God has blessed you, you can do it in one of three ways:

• Leave a comment to the Tuesday post
• Use the "Share Your Story" form (this is the best way if you'd like to remain anonymous)
• Email me directly at jallee725 [at] hotmail [dot] com

On Saturday, I'll post the list of prayer requests and praises. This is just one more way we can join our hearts together. Blessings on your week!

The Joys of Journaling

Today's post is from Jennifer AlLee


Seventeen years ago, you didn't hear much about post-partum depression. So when I went into a distinctly blue period after my son was born, I didn't know what to do. I had friends and family around me. I had this beautiful baby. But sometimes, all I wanted to do was sit on my bed and cry.

Salvation came from two unlikely places.

During the day, I discovered that I could find I Love Lucy reruns almost non-stop by channel jumping. So when my husband was at work, my baby boy and I would hang out with Lucy. I laughed and laughed. My mood was transformed and, for a little while at least, the blues were chased away.

Lucy got me through the day. But night time was another story. For a week straight, my baby woke up around 1:00 AM, needing to be fed. So I fed him. And I held him. When he fell back asleep, I'd lay him in the bassinet. Then I'd lay back down, put my head on the pillow, and snuggle under the covers. Without fail, just as soon as I closed my eyes... he woke up. He cried and cried, and I picked him back up. (Whether that was the right or wrong thing to do, I don't know. But it's a done deal now!) We repeated this cycle a few times until he finally stayed asleep. But even then, I was restless, sure that at any minute he'd wake up again.

By the end of that sleep-deprived week, I felt like I was losing my mind. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I knew what was going to happen. Since it was the middle of the night, I couldn't turn to Lucy. And my husband, who can sleep through just about anything, snored blissfully on the other side of the bed. In short, I was all alone. Even when I prayed, I felt alone.

One night, out of desperation, I picked up a pen and notebook from the nightstand. I began to scribble down my thoughts. It was just a jumble at first, but eventually, they took on some sort of cohesive form. I wrote and wrote, and when I was finally able to sleep, I slept well.

I don't remember how long I did that. By the time Billy was two months old, the depression was mostly gone and our up-and-down night time dance was over. But I learned something very important. Sometimes, there are things we need to get out of our system. And sometimes, there's no human being we can turn to to talk about them. Whether it's because of time, proximity, or politics, there are times when we feel completely alone with our feelings. Yes, God is with us. And yes, He knows what we're going through. But sometimes it's important to have the physical experience of purging those thoughts and feelings from our system. It's times like these when journaling is a literal God-send.

For many women in ministry, journaling can be that much needed release when it's not appropriate to share their feelings with another person. The important thing to remember about journaling is that it's not about writing things the "right" way. It's all about pouring out those things that churn inside you, letting them loose on the page when there's no one in the room but you and God. You can also write as if you're having a discussion with your heavenly Father. Either way, I suggest that you end every journaling session with prayer, releasing those things to God and letting Him fill you with His renewing love.


WIN A JOURNAL

Today I'm giving away one copy of the Embracing God journal. Filled with scripture verses and quotes from Anne Graham Lotz, this is a great place to jot your thoughts and feelings. To be eligible to win, you just need to do two things:

• leave a comment to this particular post
• include your email address

 Your email address is very important. If you don't leave it, I won't be able to get ahold of you if you win. (To prevent spammers from trolling for your email, please use this format with the brackets--you [at] yourmail [dot] com--or something similar.) I'll announce the winner tomorrow, Tuesday, October 12th. Good luck!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer AlLee is an author, former church secretary, and founder of The Pastor's Wife Speaks. You can find out more about her writing at http://www.jenniferallee.com/

DEVOTION: A Lost Lamb

Today's devotion is from Lisa Richardson

My daughter is four-years-old. Today she presented me with the little New Testament her grandparents gave her. On the cover is an embossed lamb. She proceeded to tell me that it was a story about a little lamb that was lost in the forest, and that the Lord had climbed after it.

I started to correct her and I realized that she had beautifully summed up the love letter God gave us in the Bible. If you boil it all down to its essence, God loved us enough to come searching after us, even when we strayed. He found us and brought us safely home to be with him. We can now live with him. The choice is ours whether we stray again or not.

I want to stay within sound of his voice. To enjoy the security of his presence, to eat the spiritual food he provides.

Thank you, Lord for seeking me, for finding me. Thank you for letting me bask in your presence. Help me to learn more of you, to seek after you with all my might, and to hurry to obey when I hear your voice.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa Karon Richardson has been creating stories, since she was little. Influenced by books like The Secret Garden and The Little Princess her early books were heavy on boarding schools and creepy houses. It took her awhile to figure our why Grandma thought it was unrealistic for boys and girls to share a room at a boarding house! Now that she’s (mostly) all grown-up she still loves a healthy dash of adventure and excitement in any story she creates, even her real-life story. She’s been a missionary to the Seychelles and Gabon and now that she and her husband are back in America, they are tackling a brand new adventure, starting a daughter-work church in a new city. You can usually find Lisa at her blog, http://lisakaronrichardson.blogspot.com/, or making the contest rounds. She’s a 2010 Genesis Finalist, 2010 Great Expectations first place winner, 2010 Daphne Du Maurier 3rd place winner, 2010 Duel on the Delta third place winner, and more.

Prayer & Praises - October 9, 2010

Lord, I thank you for every woman who's read this blog. I pray that you bless and encourage them. In particular, we lift up these special requests from our sisters...

ppreacherswife - Our family is going through a lot of issues right now, financial, emotional, physical. We truly need intervention.

Abigail - I could really use some prayer this week. I got overscheduled at work, which wouldn't seem like it would cause this much stress... but I'm in grad school and this is midterms time. I have papers and tests constantly, no time to do them this weekend, and I've not been able to spend any real quality time with my husband (who is also in grad school). I'm also organizing a meeting of an organization I'm leading at school (Thursday at noon), and trying to remember to keep track of things around the house (like paying bills - kind of important). I truly need prayers for strength and grace from God to get through this week. (Because stopping the sun apparently only happens once in a universe...) Also prayers for being able to make good use of my time (not procrastinate) and to make wise decisions this week would be very much appreciated. I'm overwhelmed right now.

Louise - Prayer request for inner-healing as I seek Godly counsel for some things that I thought were closed doors but weren't really. Also, please pray for my brother Travis who is in prison for a very long time and this is hard on our family.

Niki Turner - After trading church buildings 8 months ago with a church in town which had more people than we do and needed room, we suddenly have an offer for a potential-lease-to-own of a church that has recently been vacated. Prayer for wisdom, favor, and God's direction, please!

Kathy Carlton Willis - Hey, ladies! I'd appreciate prayers for my foot/ankle to recover from a major injury I had 3 weeks ago. It happened at the worst possible time, just 1 hour after I arrived at a 5-day speaking venue. I ended up speaking from a wheelchair (considered decorating it with bling!). Now I'm dealing with the aftermath of the injury. Who knew a twisted ankle could do so much damage? Thanks for praying! Not only do I cling to God's grace for my sufficient strength, but I need Him to help me focus on my work projects. There's something about pain that hinders creativity. Imagine that!

Let's Do Lunch - by Kathy Carlton Willis

Let's Do Lunch!

Tracy introduced herself to me and said, “let's do lunch.” Today, the phrase “let's do lunch” usually means, “I'm a busy person, but I will take time out of my hectic schedule to spend time with you.” My heart skipped a beat in anticipation of an intimate time for one-on-one conversation. I had just moved to Ohio with my husband’s new ministry assignment, and was hungry for new friends. Tracy’s offer of lunch was so much more—it meant the potential for finding a heart-connection. A sister.

I suppose there are some who brush others off by saying they will do lunch sometime when they have no intention of following through with their promise. But for the most part, a lunch date is an opportunity for social interaction during a workday. We set aside our concerns-du-jour and focus on the other individual. And the blessing of the lunch date is that our friend reciprocates with genuine interest in our wellbeing as well. We discuss what’s on our minds; what we are busy doing. If the friendship is close-knit, there is even an opportunity to share aspirations and accountability.

Pastors’ wives and other women in ministry struggle with the risks of friendship. We acknowledge the need for girlfriends, but we’ve all heard (or lived) the horror stories of befriending a church member and experiencing their betrayal or unhealthy ulterior motives. After being burned multiple times, many PWs build protective walls. Just behind the wall dwells a lonely servant of God. Relationships are designed by God, and a life void of connectivity is a life void of joy.

Jesus shared lunch with many. He asked Zaccheus to come down from a tree because he wanted to go home with him to talk intimately over a meal. Martha and Mary differed in their lunchtime tactics with their Savior. Jesus spent time with his disciples in the cornfield on a Sunday as they munched on fresh ears of corn. Jesus was even accused of eating with publicans and sinners. During the Sermon on the Mount, a little boy shared his “happy meal” with the crowd, so that they could stay and listen to Jesus longer.

Doing lunch with someone makes perfect sense. We all have to eat, so why not set aside time to meet with others and develop closer friendships? And more importantly we need to share similar intimate moments with our Savior. We need to set aside a time just for Him. Maybe lunchtime is the ideal time to talk to Him. Zaccheus took Him home. Mary sat at His feet. Crowds thronged Him just to touch His garments. The same Man who was important to them wants to be important in our lives today.

What are YOU doing for lunch?

Let’s Discuss This—

Do you think it’s okay for pastors’ wives to have friends in the church? What are the risks? What are the rewards?

How can a PW build trusting, mutually beneficial friendships with other women in the church?

What happens if a church member wants more of your attention than you want to give? Maybe you don’t connect with them more than as a surface acquaintance, or maybe they are extra-needy. How do you create boundaries?

Do you avoid church politics mixing with friendships by only having intimate friendships outside of the church membership?

Do you wish you had more friends? What keeps you from being close with others? Is it because they are keeping you at arm’s length or because you have built a wall to protect you from being burned?

What do you do about women who are jealous of your friendship with another member?

You will automatically connect more with some women than with others. Common hobbies, interests, family ages, passions, etc act as a magnet to attract you to some more than others. Is it okay for you to act on this commonality to develop a deeper friendship with some women in the church than you have with other women in the church?

AUTHOR/SPEAKER
KATHY CARLTON WILLIS
Today’s column is by Kathy Carlton Willis of the same named communications firm. Kathy gets jazzed shining God’s Light on others through relationships, ministry, and KCWC. She’s affiliated with Advanced Writers and Speakers Association as well CLASSeminars. Her articles have appeared in a variety of publications, including The Christian Pulse.

BLOG: http://kcwcomm.blogspot.com/
WEB: http://www.kathycarltonwillis.com/.

Kathy speaks on a variety of subjects. Request a brochure like this one: http://bit.ly/b7KOXa

You'll Never Walk Alone

I attended a book club meeting last night. It was my first time with these ladies... two I knew from my church, and three I met for the first time. We spent two hours eating, talking, and laughing. We didn't just discuss the book of the month, we talked about what was going on in our lives. In short, we supported each other.

It occurs to me that this is what being part of the body of Christ is all about.

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Hebrews 10:23-25 (NLT)

When people ask, "Why do I need to go to church?" the above verse is often referenced. But take a closer look. We're told to motivate one another to acts of love and good works, and to encourage one another. In order to do that, it takes so much more than just gathering together once a week. It requires being connected. Being in relationship with each other.

God never meant for us to walk the earth alone. We know that He is always with us, but He also gave us each other. When we gather together for times of fun and fellowship, we forge bonds that hold us together. When times are hard and we need support, these friendships shore us up and serve as a physical touch from God, reminding us of His love and provision.

Have you ever had a friend call to see how you were doing just because they hadn't seen you in awhile? I have, and it made me feel special... loved. When was the last time you did this for someone else? How about inviting a woman who's had a hard time fitting in to join a group you're a part of, or to go to a movie or out to lunch?

Your mission this week, if you choose to accept it, is to reach out to someone who needs a friend. It might be a new member at church. It might be a coworker or a parent at your child's school. Pray about it. Ask God to give you an opportunity to encourage a sister in the Lord. You'll be amazed at the doors He opens!




ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer AlLee is an author, former church secretary, and founder of The Pastor's Wife Speaks. You can find out more about her writing at http://www.jenniferallee.com/

Time for Prayer Requests

It's prayer request Tuesday! If you'd like prayer for something in your life or want to share how God has blessed you, you can do it in one of three ways:

• Leave a comment to the Tuesday post
• Use the "Share Your Story" form (this is the best way if you'd like to remain anonymous)
• Email me directly at jallee725 [at] hotmail [dot] com

On Saturday, I'll post the list of prayer requests and praises. This is just one more way we can join our hearts together. Blessings on your week!

 

DEVOTION: When You Don't Know What to Pray For

Ever feel like you're being pulled in twenty directions at once? I'm having one of those weeks. It's an accumulation of God bringing a lot of things to pass... things I've been waiting on for a long time. So I'm thankful. Truly, I am! But I'm finding myself at a loss when it comes to writing a devotion for today.

With no coherent thoughts in my head, my only (and best) recourse is to go straight to God's word for help...

But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us[a] with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Romans 8:25-27 (NKJV)

There you have it. Today's short but sweet devotion... when you don't know what to pray for, the Lord does. When you don't have the words, God will give them to you. When your heart feels empty, your Father in heaven is ready to fill it with his love, grace, and wisdom.

May you be blessed this week as you meditate on the Lord and let his Holy Spirit guide you. Amen!



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer AlLee is an author, former church secretary, and founder of The Pastor's Wife Speaks. You can find out more about her writing at http://www.jenniferallee.com/

Prayers & Praises - October 2, 2010

What a blessing to pray for each other! Lord, I thank you for every person reading this. Thank you for the family of women you've brought to this blog to love and support each other.

Lord, one of our sisters feels she's under attack. She's tackling a big job on her own and feels awful. She's weary and is wondering if she's on the right path. Please lift her up. Encourage her and refresh her spirit.

We give you thanks and praise for all the blessings you've given us. We pray together these words from Psalm 5:11-12

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
For you bless the godly, O Lord;
you surround them with your shield of love.

Amen

Halloween as an Example of Grace

Not long ago, I asked for people to send in their holiday stories and traditions. Thanks to the sister who shared how her family views Halloween.

I understand the hesitations that many Christian parents have concerning Halloween. There are so many dangers in the world and we certainly don’t want to encourage those by celebrating evil, but there is something about Halloween that is a beautiful illustration of our relationship with God. On Halloween our children dress up in their best costumes and walk from door to door. They lift up their bags expectantly to receive treats that they did not earn and walk away joyful.

In the same way we come to God dressed in our best prayers, our hands lifted expectantly and he fills us up with his love and forgiveness. Even though we try our best, we can’t do anything to deserve what God gives us any more than our kids deserve their trick-or-treat candy. This is Grace. My kids may not understand this connection now, but I look forward to one day explaining to them this illustration of God’s love. This is why we trick-or-treat


Do you have a holiday story to share? You can submit it via the Share Your Story form or email it to me directly at jallee725 [at] hotmail [dot] com


Photo credit: morguefile.com