'THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES"

Since I just celebrated my birthday,yesterday, I am more aware of the fact that "time waits for no one".  Looking back at pix from last year compared to this year-I can see how much older I look.  I was blessed to have lunch at a local tea room with my friend/neighbor and her 19 yr. old daughter.  That night my sweet hubby took me out for a wonderful dinner, then I was treated to a "combined" birthday party with cake and ice cream by another neighbor/friend for me and her l7 year old daughter.  I call her "my little twin" since we have the same birthday.  Everytime I realize I am 40 years older than her, I am made keenly aware of how old I'm getting!  It seems like yesterday that those two sweet girls were toddlers. 

When I reflect on all of this, I am convicted to use what time God gives me on this earth more wisely.  I tend to waste alot of time (mostly on Facebook these days, LOL!).  I need to spend more time reading God's word and books that will make me stronger spiritually.  Also, I need to be doing more for others.  I need to spend more time with family and friends and go places I've always intended to go.

The word "days" appears more than 500 times in Scripture-did you know that?  Let's make the most of the days God has given us!

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."  Psalm  118:24

CONNECTED OR DISCONNECTED?

I want to start out by giving praise to the Lord. After 3 months, my stomach is finally doing much better and I can finally eat and have more energy! I just read about having connections with other women in your church. Do you all feel connected to the other women in your church? If not, why? I'd love to hear some feedback from you on this subject!

Here is another resource for MW's only: contagiousjoy4him.com. Check it out.

I look forward to hearing some comments from you ladies! Have a great day!

PRAYER

Again, I apologize for taking so long to write anything. I am still dealing with gastrointestinal issues and lack of energy. I would like to ask each of you to please lift me up in prayer that I may soon be well and also for strength, patience, and calmness as I wait for healing.

The Lord wants us to pray for each other. I would really like for some of you to share any prayer requests you may have at this time with all of us on this blog.
The best thing we can do to help and encourage each other is to lift each other up in prayer, especially when there's a special need.

"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer". 1 Peter 3:12

"Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call to him." Psalm 4:3


"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:9-11

"O you who hear prayer, to you all men will come..You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior." Psalm 65: 2,5

THE LORD HEARS OUR PRAYERS, SO LET US BE FAITHFUL TO PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER. I hope some of you will respond with your requests on this post.

Rest

Sorry it's been so long since I wrote anything. I got a sinus infection the middle of June and the 2nd round of antibiotics messed up my stomach. I have not felt well since then. I would appreciate your prayers. I know many of you are extremely busy at your churches this summer, along with all your other responsibilities. This devotional from Wisdom Hunters is very good and I wanted to share it with you. Be sure to take time to rest and also to refresh your spirit. (Be sure and share this with your husbands, I'm sure they need to hear it,too!)

Resting Place


“God will speak to this people, to whom he said, “This is the resting place, let the weary rest”; and, “This is the place of repose”—but they would not listen. Isaiah 28:11b-12

Everyone needs a place to rest, a time to rejuvenate and restore your soul. A soul without rest is vulnerable to doubt, disease, and dread. Without soul care, you risk being ineffective for the long term. So, allow your soul to catch up with your activity through rest. A restless soul loses hope and perspective.

Stop right now and take an audit of your soul. Is it strung out and anxious? If so, rearrange your schedule for rest before it rearranges you. A non-restful pace is unsustainable, and a restful place is necessary to persevere. Do not fall for the false feeling that activity somehow equals progress or success. Without rest, you are going nowhere fast. If you intensify the pace, you are going nowhere, faster.

Rest allows you to recalibrate your priorities and replenish your cistern of creativity. Your work rhythms may require a day with no scheduled appointments. Indeed, each resting place looks different, depending on your need. For example, your resting place may be the quiet screened porch, where you relax with a cup of coffee and a good book.

For someone else, a resting place may be a comfortable couch, where they nap to the steady beat of raindrops pelting the rooftop. It can be the park where you walk with your best friend, a secluded drive in the countryside, or an adventurous exploration of the great Pacific Northwest. Whether your resting place is the beach, the mountains, or in front of a good movie, make time to engage with it. God speaks to you in your place of rest. This is one of His favorite spots to shape your soul.

Furthermore, your resting place allows you to resist temptation. Fatigue causes you to stumble and fall through life. If you are working through exhaustion, you may be missing God. A lethargic life struggles to listen to the Lord, and a heart worn down from weariness has a hard time hearing His voice. A depleted spirit is not primed for discernment, and decision-making during duress can be dreadful.

Therefore, go away to a resting place. Find God and find yourself under the canopy of His creation. A resting place is your protection from yourself, from evil influences, and from lost perspective. Above all else, your resting place reveals God in a refreshing way. His program takes on a new priority in His place of rest. Your confidence is resurrected. Your trust takes on a new level of intensity. Your patience leads to a deeper understanding of what it means to wait on the Lord.

A resting place is for your sake and His. It is necessary to experience God’s very best for you and your family. Discover your resting place in prayer, and go there often. Repentance follows rest, and robust relationships result from rest. Your best and most creative ideas emerge from relaxed meditation on your Master. Wisdom resides in rest.

Taken from the July 17th reading in the 365-day devotional book, Seeking Daily the Heart of God.

Additional Resource: eBooks- Wisdom for Fathers , Wisdom For Mothers, Wisdom for Graduates, Infusion and Seeking Daily the Heart of God… click here: http://bit.ly/jHlNX0

Additional Resource: Hard copy of the 365 day devotional: Seeking Daily the Heart of God and the 90-day devotional Infusion… click here: http://bit.ly/bQHNIE

Releasing on Labor Day the 90-day devotional book, Seeking God in the Psalms.

Boyd Bailey is the author of Wisdom Hunters daily devotional
and two devotional books, Infusion and
Seeking Daily the Heart of God

BOOKS FOR MW'S

Here are two books for MW's that Rachael Lovingood recommends (she spoke at the VBMB Leadership "Gathering" recently): A VIEW FROM THE PEW - by Susie Hawkins and
TEN THINGS EVERY MINISTER'S WIFE SHOULD KNOW - by Jenna Floyd.

I'd love to know if any of you have read either of these books or can recommend other books to share with all the MW's out there!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

HAVE A HAPPY DAY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING SOME BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FROM YOU ALL!!!

DO NOT WORRY-GOD WILL PROVIDE!

Since yesterday was Father's Day, I've been thinking a lot about my father. He passed away 21 years ago but I still miss him so much. He worked extremely hard, loved his family, and was generous toward others. Growing up, I always felt safe and secure and never worried about having all my needs provided.

As an adult, I confess there have been times when I've worried about having enough to provide for our needs. As MW's, I feel sure many of you have worried about this same thing. Ministers rely on the contributions of their churches for their salaries and benefits. Churches can also call a new pastor and decide to let their old staff go. Sometimes they decide to ask a pastor to leave even though they have done nothing wrong. I know a MW who is going through this right now. Please pray for her and her family. Sadly, churches are made up of flawed humans and even though you would expect them to treat Ministers better than a secular business would, this is not always the case.

We should not lose heart,though. Just as I could always depend on my earthly father to provide for my needs, even more so-we can depend on our Heavenly Father to provide for us. "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" (Luke 11:11-13) and in Matthew 6:25-27 we are told "therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

When you start to worry-remember,your Heavenly Father has your back! He will provide.

WHO ARE YOU, REALLY?

In the book, In Our Shoes, by Rachel Lovingood and Jennifer Landrith, they suggest trying to describe yourself without using the words daughter, wife, or mom. (take time to do this). Is this hard for you to do? Sometimes we can lose "our" identity because we're too busy being what someone else needs or wants us to be. In their book, they ask "Do you ever hide the real you behind your husband's job description or your children's accomplishments?" These are tough questions to ask and think about, aren't they!

Now, think about these words from their book: " We are all the Designer's originals, created differently to fulfill specific purposes. Remember that you as a ministry wife-and as a woman, for that matter-were created for a purpose that's yours alone.
Strive to be the woman God designed you to be, trusting that He knows exactly what He is doing."

Pray and ponder these thoughts today and see what God may show you.