LOVE

This week our church is having a revival.  The Pastor is talking about LOVE.  This is a topic I think that we will never be done learning about.  If you're not on top of it we can loose sight of love so quickly it is almost scary.

Back in 2009 I was on the Leader Board at our church, the Youth Leader, and anything else I could get my hands on to feel important, to satisfy my need to be in control.

About a year or two before that our church was going through the transition of finding a new pastor.    At that time the church was at odds with one another.  We definitely lost sight of what love looks like and what the lack of love can do not only to one another but to the health and effectiveness of the church.

It was about this time I was feeling a calling into leadership.  Then I was asked to come aboard the Leadership Board.  I should have know the disaster of my lack of love because of my attitude going in.  Along with a few others, we were going to fix everything and bring back harmony and begin to teach everyone how a church is meant to be run.  Please note, this was MY attitude not the others.

Over the course of the next few years I did my share of calling out people whom I thought was not doing their part correctly or wasn't  displaying the role of "leadership"  from the Bible's perspective.  Over time and seeing the hurt I was causing, I got disgusted with myself.  I mean I could NOT stand my attitude.  Here Christ gave me the awesome opportunity to help lead our church to love like Christ and enthusiastically demonstrate how awesome it is to have a close personal relationship with Christ.  I failed miserably!

I then decided it was time to step down from everything and get back to having a relationship with Christ.  My friends and the Leadership board finally set me down to share how concerned they were.  It is one thing when you feel as though you are failing in God's eyes, it's another when others start seeing it also.  I lost control of "hiding" it.  It was time to get back to the basics - LOVE.

Oh how humbling it is when you finally let Christ take back control.   Obviously control is an issue with me.  I'm learning, probably slower than most.  It's a painful process but a necessary one.  I'm once again on my way from ashes to beauty.

Thank you Lord for never giving up on me!

SHE SPEAKS

I have felt a calling for a long time now to help others that have gone through what I have or am still.

I have gone from having a retreat with families with handicapped children, a safe place where they could meet Christ.  I wanted to share our faith and give them the hope and faith that we have.  Also, a place they could come to get away from it all.

I have thought of so many ways I could do that.  We had even bought a few Alpacas at one time thinking that could be our income for this retreat. 

I thought of having a bed and breakfast, but since I'm not a morning person I thought that may not be the best answer.

I had started to do a Ladies Bible Study at my church a few years back.  I realized I have a story to tell.  From one broken woman to another.

Every time I go through a trial I just say, "well that's one more to add to the list."

I had gone to a Women of Faith conference a few years ago and thought to myself, "wow!  I could really see my self doing something like this."

I have not known how to go about this, and I have gone off the laid out path God has for me too many times.  I thought how in the world would I even begin to make this a reality.

I came across Proverbs 31 Ministries about a year ago.  When I was just looking around on the site I noticed they have a conference to help women follow their calling/dream of sharing their love of Christ.  They have 3 different tracks you can attend.  Writers, speakers, or women's ministry leader.

I cannot begin to tell you how very excited I was to see that.  I really would love to attend this year!  I'm praying/hoping God will bless me with this experience.

If you have felt a calling to reach out to others through writing, speaking, or ministry I would so encourage you to check it out!

I have been following the president of the ministry, Lysa Terkeurst's blog.  I have so fallen in love with her and her ministry.

I pray this will be the beginning of this door opening.