Spirit Led Woman

I am preparing for a Mother's Day banquet at our church.  I have been praying about what to share and reflecting on all the previous banquets I have been privileged to host as a pastor's wife.  The one thing I have consistently found is that if I ask God what He wants, he reminds me that every single thing that we go through in our own lives can be used to minister to someone else.  In Exodus, we read the story of Jochebed.  The  Jewish mother living in captivity in Egypt.  Pharoah had decreed that all boys born to Jewish families would be put to death.  The helplessness she felt as a mother must have been overwhelming.  The ONLY thing that she could do was surrender Moses to God and trust that God would spare her son.  As the story goes on, Moses is spared and becomes the deliverer of his people. The New Testament gives us many stories of trust and surrender, but none more compelling than that of Mary herself.  Imagine giv...

Having just celebrated 21 years of marriage this year, I admit it has been awhile since I have read a good book for Christian women.  This book by Sheri Shepherd is for Christian women, both single and married.  It can be used for group study or individual personal growth. The book is divided into 14 chapters that 'will change the way you love and are loved'.  I appreciated the way the book was for all women and think the truths are simple and resonate with women (and men) everywhere!  Each chapter contains love stories,  love coaching, prayers, and a transforming truth. I would personally use this book to lead a study group!

As I sit here alone on this mother's day evening, I am reflecting on my journey as a mother.  Maybe it is because I am approaching my 40th birthday so quickly, maybe it is because my oldest is in the process of 'leaving the nest', could be because my parents are aging and this year has brought them health and life challenges that cause me to grieve I am not nearby to cherish daily interaction with them... Whatever the reason, this seems to be a time of reflection in my life. All around me I see women in different stages of motherhood.  I see my sweet niece, Elizabeth, as she prepares to welcome her first child into her arms.  I watch as she subconsciously holds her belly as she talks to me without even realizing she is cradling her little one already in her spirit. I see the struggles of young moms in our church, as they try to work out ways to stay home with their little ones when the world that we live in makes this such a financial strain for young families.  ...

My coworker is on vacation this week and I have been extremely busy.  It seems no matter how fast I do things something else is waiting to be done!  I will be so glad to see her Monday morning! I was thinking about this last night and comparing it to the church today.  It seems more than ever before our coworkers in the kingdom are missing in action.  I know in our church my husband has had to take over the youth department.  We have kids coming out our ears waiting for someone to pour their lives into them, awesome facilities and a very supportive church body... but where are the young couples who see this ministry opportunity and get excited about it? Largely they are on vacation from the church. We started ministry as a young couple, wet behind the ears and eager to work for the Lord.  I look around us and see Potential (notice that has a capital P).  But the interest is just not there to be responsible for anything in the church body.  W...

Tonight I am thinking about this quote.  How much trouble would we save ourselves from if we followed this wisdom?  The definition of trust is to rely on.  How can I rely on someone to solve my problems if they are full of problems themselves? After being in the ministry for 21 years, (am I really that old?)  I have watched over and over again as Godly people begin to struggle with life issues and get sucked under by them because of who they choose to trust with those issues.  No man or woman is capable of dealing with your issues in the proper way unless they are wholly committed to pointing you to Jesus Christ! I am so tired of seeing my fellow sisters in the Lord sucked into the world and out of the church AND my life because of our tendency to go running here and there and everywhere when we are desperate for answers.  Psalm 1 tells us Blessed is the man that does NOT walk in the counsel of the UNGODLY not stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the ...

This book is the gripping story of Alex Malarkey, a six-yr old who was in a terrible car accident with his father.  The story gives the account of the young boy in heaven and describes things like the music and angels.  It is an easy read.  I really enjoyed it and found it believable. It is not only the story of Alex but also of his family and I definitely think it could be helpful to families dealing with crisis, as it talks about the impact such an event has on the parents themselves. 

Television is full of reality TV shows.  When I saw this book was available I immediately thought of the show Mafia Wives.  I am scared of those women! I think they could hurt me.  I say that with a smile but the reality is those women are hurting.  The life they are a part of is filled with violence and anger and they need the Lord Jesus just like we all do! This book was super confusing to me.  It seemed to me that the author spent alot of time trying to convince the reader (and herself?) that her life choices were acceptable and that she was innocent of the lifestyle she married into.  The book is about how she, a 'Christian', married a high profile mobster ( with no knowledge of the life he was leading?}.  The book talks about the years he was running from the law and then in prison and how he eventually gave his life to God and stepped away from the mob life. I promised to review this book so I have but cannot agree with it or endorse the mess...