Putting God On Speed Dial

Recently my husband went on a business trip. While he was away, my phone system broke down. I could not get a line out and because I don’t own a cell phone I was completely disconnected from him. It was strange not being able to hear his voice, ask for his opinion about the kids, get his feedback on the Olympics or find out how his day was. I missed him and I had no way to tell him so.

It made me wonder how often I am disconnected from God. I think I sometimes take for granted that God is even an option. Can you relate? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve consulted a friend, my parents or even Google for answers, comfort and understanding while the Lord waits for my call like a gentleman. Isn’t that an awesome visual? God, the perfect gentleman, waiting for you…waiting to hear your hearts desires, wanting to know the details of YOUR day, wanting to connect, to speak, to heal, to love. That’s it! I’m putting God on speed dial!

Three years ago while attending the ACF women’s retreat, Susie Davis gave an inspiring talk about slowing down. She encouraged us to find a quiet spot to just be with the Lord. I walked through the woods until I found a small clearing where there were logs placed around a fire pit. I sat and prayed and listened and watched for God to show me, speak to me, and connect with me. At that time my husband and I had been trying to conceive our second child. After three years and no baby, doctors had called it “unexplained secondary infertility.” All I ever wanted was to be a wife and mother and to struggle with getting pregnant just tore at my heart. Wanting something that badly is tiring let me tell you! As I sat in the quiet, the breeze around me, my eyes became fixed on three hawks that were gliding in the sky. Their wide wings flapped only periodically allowing the wind to carry them. When their wings were still, they were graceful and beautiful. That’s when I heard God’s message for me. He said: You and your family are the birds. See how when they are still, the wind carries them? I am your wind. I will carry you. You don’t have to work so hard to achieve your goals. Let me. I wept and thanked him for freeing me. If I had been in the woods texting or talking on the phone, or even reading a book, I never would have heard God’s very important message for my life. Two weeks later I found out I was pregnant. The power of connecting to God is life changing and although he doesn’t always answer you in the way that you hope…he DOES answer and he delights in hearing from you. Will you put God on your speed dial and connect with him more often? He waits, a gentleman, and wants nothing more than to answer your call and be the wind beneath your wings.

Psalm 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God.

My Greatest Love

My Greatest Love

I met him when I was very young. I accepted him easily and spoke to him often over the years going to him to help me work out feelings of loneliness. He was always there for me and I took him for granted.

In my 20’s I still had a relationship with him but it was distant. I had my own agenda and no longer listened to his whispers of wisdom. I had a plan of my own and believed that I could achieve my goals without his guidance. I thanked him for the good things in my life but rarely consulted him in the decisions I made. My decisions were sometimes poor and clouded by my desire to be loved.

I eventually stopped listening to him altogether.

When I choose to dwell in a dark place, he forgave me before I even asked him to. I fell hard in the darkness and tried in vain to swim out of the murky water I dove into. Finally when I thought I might drown, I called for him, surrendered my life to him once again as I had as a child and he swooped in without questioning me, breathing new life into my soul. The love that overcame me was like a peace I had forgotten existed. I no longer had to strive and struggle only to sink…my life was in his hands and I could trust him completely. The love I had with the Lord freed me from my insecurities, my fears of being alone and gave me the knowledge that I could do all things through him that strengthened me.

I live a fulfilling life with my loving husband and two beautiful daughters and I know it is because I listened to God's plan for me that I am where I am. Life is not perfect and I do struggle like everyone else, but I know that during THOSE times, I can lean on Him and He will carry me through, whispering wisdom in my ear like he did when I was a child.

Today and everyday I will listen and know that He is Lord of my life, my greatest love.

Have a Happy Valentines Day.

May you love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul!

Intentional Living

Intentional Living.

This morning I drove my parents to the airport in the dark. New Year’s Day waiting for the rising sun to announce it’s presence. 2010! How many resolutions made? How many sworn diets already broken by a breakfast croissant smothered in butter? I tend not to make New Years resolutions.Things like eat less, exercise more are more of a daily challenge than a yearly promise. Still, as I drove home from the airport I started thinking about my life and how the older I get, the faster the years seem to slide away and the importance of “to do” lists seem more urgent. My young children are such a measure of time. It’s as if I blinked and my baby marched her way into kindergarten. Six years gone and committed to memory. As I pulled into the driveway I thought for a minute about how I got there…to my driveway in the dark, the road I travelled often, committed to memory as if I drove on autopilot barely thinking about my route. Had I been living my life like this also? On autopilot!? Sleep, eat, work, sleep, eat work. Sleep, eat, get married, have children, do laundry. Sleep, eat, do laundry. And suddenly in the dark of my garage at 4am I knew that my New Year’s resolution ought to be to LIVE INTENTIONALLY…to be aware of the speed at which the days pass and to live each one with purpose. To live each day for Christ. I know for sure that I will struggle with this but I also know that it is worth the struggle and that driving on autopilot in the dark is a spiritual journey God wants us to take so that we may see the light beside us glowing over the head of our savior…the pilot.

Happy New Year!

To read more about “Intentional Living” refer to the women’s ministry page for a list of studies available.

Intentional living studies will help you learn what God has to say on various life topics so that you will choose to live your life for HIS purposes. These studies will include video series, books by Christian authors, and teachers from our own Women's ministry. Personal study time, small group discussions, and lectures will help you in this process.

Creative Christmas Gifts From The Heart

One of my favorite Christmas gifts that I get every year from my mother-in-law is a beautiful tin of her homemade short bread cookies. She brought them one year to share with the family and after tasting the perfect buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, they instantly became a “must have” on my wish list! They are yummy, can’t be replaced by store bought cookies and are made with love.

Here are some other gift ideas that are from the heart.

10. A BUTTERFLY GARDEN - A single butterfly milkweed bush attracts so many butterflies. It's a simple pleasure that will grow in your friend's garden for years to come.

9. A COMPLIMENT JAR - Fill a decorated mason jar with words of affirmation for the one you love. Have your kids participate in this project. They’ll have fun coming up with nice things to say about daddy, nana or a close friend.

8. A PHOTO BOOK - Do you love scrap-booking but don’t have the time? There are so many computer programs now that allow you to create a photo album quickly and at a reasonable price. These are especially great for loved ones that live far away.

7. BABYSITTING/COOKING SERVICE - Who couldn’t use a night out with free babysitting or a home cooked dinner delivered.

6. A LOVE LETTER – Tell your spouse why after all these years he’s still the one or send a letter to a friend listing all the things you admire and love about her. Include a coupon for coffee or her favorite dessert shop.

5. A COOKBOOK - Your friends are always asking you for your latest recipes. Compile a list of your best dishes and pass it on.

4. THE GIFT OF TIME - Tell your daughter-in-law that you’ll babysit for an hour once a week. Get on the floor and play with your kids for an hour every day. Give your husband an hour every night to unwind without asking him do anything. Call your Grandmother once a week and have a nice chat.

3. A CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT - My best friend and I give each other a Christmas ornament every year. We try to find ornaments that reflect the year our friend has had. When my husband and I bought our first home, my friend sent an ornament that said “home sweet home” and when she opened a music school I sent her an ornament shaped like a musical note. Every year when I decorate my tree I think of my friend and the memories we have shared.

2. LESSONS – Have you ever heard a friend say: “I wish I hadn’t quit...fill in the blank”. Do you have a talent for photography, tennis, playing the piano? Give the gift of free lessons.

1. A SPIRITUAL MAKEOVER – Enroll a friend in a bible study with you. An hour at an ACF bible study is like a facial for the soul. Bonus…babysitting is often included! Check out women’s ministry main webpage for a list of upcoming studies.

I would love to hear from YOU! Share your creative gift ideas along with your email address in the comments box. The most creative idea will win a gift certificate to STARBUCKS!

It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35)

Spare A Little Grace?

You’re at the grocery store getting milk, bread and oh you’re here anyway so you might as well pick up a pint of Bluebell ice cream. Make it two. You notice a woman yelling at a beautiful child no bigger than a flowerpot. You don’t hear what she’s saying because you are so taken by this sweet little girl whose large brown eyes seem to say “take me home and be my mommy.” You are angry with the yelling woman and leave the store thinking, “What is wrong with that woman?!”

I

You’re having a lovely dinner out with your husband. The kids are at home tucked in bed and sleeping under the watchful eye of the best babysitter in town. You’ve just talked about the kids, work, and plans for a vacation. There is a pause. Your husband mentions how high the grocery bill has been lately. Another pause. (You know you’ve over spent the budget this month and you need to deflect!) You say, “You wouldn’t believe how many pairs of shoes Mary from down the street has. We’re not talking Target here. For the amount of money she has spent on shoes, we could take our entire family to Disney World! You are so lucky that YOUR wife is not high maintenance.” (You grin and play footsies under the table)

AM

You call your sister with exciting news. You got your first teaching job. Your sister is happy for you but she can’t talk. The kids need dinner. The smallest one is crying into the phone. The dog is eating someone’s library book. She says a quick goodbye and hangs up. You think to yourself about how your sister never has time for a phone conversation and there’s always an interruption if she does. Why have three kids if you can’t handle them! I mean, how hard can it be?

BETTER

You’ve just finished your fifth batch of homemade baby food and placed it in ice cube trays for the freezer labeled and dated. Laundry done. Check. Dinner ready. Check. Kids homemade Halloween costumes made and ironed. Check. You look at the clock. Husband due to arrive home in 15 minutes. Lipstick? Check. Just enough time left over to call your sister and tell her how perfect you are! Check.

THAN

Your best friend hasn’t called in 3 months. You’re thinking it’s time you find a new best friend.

YOU

Romans 12:3
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Spare a little grace for the women in your life. It’s easy to judge others when you haven’t been in their shoes. If you were the one being misjudged how would you feel? Why do we expect the women in our lives to be perfect when we’re not? The truth is, our friends, mothers, mother in laws, sisters and neighbors are huge supporters of us! If we walk around judging them we diminish the bond we share and alienate ourselves from what we crave most. Connection.
Spare a little grace and ask that a little grace be spared for you -- after all, God will willingly supply us with all the grace we need, we just have to go to Him for it!

By Karen-Ann J. Harrison

What Kind of Beauty Do You Reflect?

If you told your husband that Jesus was coming for dinner and you didn’t have a thing to wear, would the conversation go something like this?

Husband: Didn’t you just go shopping?
You: That was a while ago
Husband: Well what about this?
You: Shrunk
Husband: What’s wrong with that?
You: Stretched out
Husband: And all of these?!
You: Out of style!
Husband: Style? See these jeans of mine? (pointing to the style of which you vaguely remember from the Miami vice era) They are 25 years old AND (he adds rather proudly) they cost me 10 bucks!
Husband: (seeing the crazed look in your eye, he springs into help-my-wife mode and offers what he thinks is a beautiful choice) THIS is the dress!
You: (in a whisper with your head hung low) It’s too sexy…what would Jesus say?

Now the stress of this life changing, most profound and important event of your existence is upon you, you haven’t a thing to wear that is even remotely appropriate and your husband (bless his Miami Vice heart) hasn’t been much help. What to do? Fairy godmother? Sorry. Designer to the stars? (being a “star” to your kids doesn’t count!) Rip down your curtains and pray for the creativity and seamstress skills of Scarlet O'Hara? None of the above will do.

Then you hear an inner voice say: you’ve searched your closet but have you searched your heart? Now you are on the floor sobbing and your poor husband is running for cover.

1 Peter verse 3-5 says:
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.

I asked a group of Christian women to write on a piece of paper what they would wear if Jesus was coming to their home as a guest for dinner. Not one woman deviated from what they would normally wear but rather chose something to wear that revealed the unique woman they are -- reflections of Him.
God wants to see His Son, Jesus reflected in us from the inside out and it doesn't matter whether we choose to wear a formal gown or a cozy track suit. If what you wear does not distract from how pure our heart is in Him, Jesus will greet us at our door and I believe He might smile and say:

There YOU are! You look LOVELY tonight.

And later the conversation with your husband?
You: Jesus came to OUR house for dinner!
Husband: What did you end up wearing?
You: Funny, I don’t remember..…But I DO know I felt beautiful.

If Jesus was coming as YOUR guest, would you be ready? Is your beauty fading?

Trusting God with Our Greatest Treasures

If you are a mom and have sent your child to school this past week, how did you react to saying goodbye? Perhaps you breathed a sigh of relief and ran straight home to have a cup of coffee in peace, or maybe you threw on your tennis gear and headed to the courts for some uninterrupted fun?

Well, if you’re like me, you came home to an oddly quiet house and ran the video of the last 5 years with your child through your mind stopping to edit the places where you might have messed up somehow. Did you play often, love enough, plant the seed of confidence, lay the proper foundation to which your child will navigate through life only to come back full circle blaming you for the times you unjustly made them eat their peas? Did you give them ENOUGH peas? When the blame game is finished you think about the huge building your child is in, alone and with no one to hug if the tears start to flow. What if she gets lost, left out, or horror of all horrors…what if she gets lice?

As the fears flooded my mind, I began to realize that they were MY fears, not my child’s. My daughter practically ran all the way to school. The excitement in her eyes and her eagerness to soak up every word the teacher had to offer told me she was ready.

While looking at the pictures I took of my daughter in her class I thought, there she is, part of me, but also an individual. This huge milestone is just one tiny step she is taking away from me and away from my protective arms. (What must moms of college kids be going through?!)

I take comfort in knowing that although I am letting go for a short while each day, God will never let my little girl go. Knowing HE has his loving arms around my greatest treasure helps me to let go and let God.

And suddenly my “oddly quiet” house is filled with His reassuring words.

“And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Luke 18:28-30 ESV

Posted by Karen Harrison