Does your January start with goals and a great desire to get back into Bible study, but you look up here we are in February? If you are like me at all then you will relate to the idea that after study ended in the fall, the holidays became a beast of burden (in the […]
Know is the New Yes
Among the tributes following Ronald Reagan’s death, one made a lasting impression on me. His wife, Nancy, remembered one of her husband’s most remarkable qualities saying, “He was comfortable in his own skin.” Her words struck two chords for me. The first rung with the sincerity of her compliment. The second caused me to question […]
Retreat: Beauty by the Book
Every day the world tells us how we should look, how we must dress and how many pounds we have to go until we can feel good about ourselves. Our desire for this retreat was to put some glamour on the truth that “the king is enthralled with your beauty.” Program The program was based […]
Four Cornerstones of Accountability
God has designed the body of Christ to work like our natural bodies. Each part may have a different function, but exists for the benefit of the whole body. Since ministry is about what God wants to bring to the body of Christ as a whole, rather than our own agendas, we need accountability. Accountability […]
Does Anyone Ever Really Change?
My husband’s parents were coming for a visit – reason enough to paint the basement, let alone clean the refrigerator, as any woman knows. When company comes, we put our best foot forward, especially when the company coming is the in-laws. We color our hair, buy a new top, hide the nail holes in the […]
Listening Equals Love
Have you ever dialed the phone and then started thinking about something else while it rang and then can’t remember who you called or why? Yeah, me neither! I often surprise myself at how quickly my thoughts can drift. One minute, I’m right there, in a conversation, and the next minute, I’m on the beach. […]
Leadership: The Difference Between Watching and Seeing
For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths. (Prov. 5:21) God is Watching As a child, I was surprised that others seemed to take comfort in this verse. It sounded to me like the biblical equivalent of a “Smile. You’re on camera!” I felt like I […]
How to Choose One Word for Your Year
Long lists of resolutions rarely work. There’s just too much to remember and too much to stay on top of in our busy lives. We don’t have the mental bandwidth to keep up with a list of resolutions. So we usually fail at this common New Year’s tradition. In my experience, it’s better to do […]
Two Vital Ways to Prevent Burnout
Researchers define burnout as: “A state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by long term involvement in emotionally demanding situations.” Would you define ministry as an “emotionally demanding situation?” If you have been in ministry longer than ten minutes, and have a pulse, most likely you would! In my years of ministry, that has […]
Rethink Your Bible Reading Plan
A classic definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. If you’ve tried and failed at reading through the Bible in the past, perhaps it’s time to try something different for the New Year. No rocket science here, just five simple tips to tweak both your perspective on Bible […]
