We hope y'all had a Happy Thanksgiving filled with plenty of food, friends and family. Thanks so much for participating in the "Loving Well" Retreat Kit in a Box giveaway and don't forget that we have another great giveaway coming up next week!
The winner is:
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
69
Timestamp: 2008-11-28 17:47:39 UTC
Congratulations to Megan at Rapp Family Aixtreme Life!
Please email your mailing address to kris.seidenkranz@lifeway.com and we'll get this in the mail for you!
Considering that I was in the Dominican Republic less than three weeks ago, I am more aware than ever of all the things I have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Things I have tended to take for granted such as air-conditioning, clean water straight from the tap, and electricity.
So this year as I sit around the dinner table, I will thank God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon my undeserving, often ungrateful self.
I'll thank Him for His love and sacrifice. I'll thank Him for His mercy. And I'll thank Him for blessing my life so richly with precious family and friends.
How about you? I'd love to hear what you are most thankful for this year.
That's right, ladies. LifeWay Women insists on helping get your 2009 off to a great start! Wouldn't it be fun to take the women at your church on a fun weekend retreat ... without having to plan that retreat from scratch? Why not let us do that for you?
Well, here's what we're going to do next in our efforts to spread the Christmas cheer.
If you've been looking for a great way to get your best girlfriends together for some fun, fellowship and some bigtime focus in God's Word - THIS retreat is your answer. In fact, a retreat like this may be the perfect ministry opportunity to reach out to unchurched friends in your community and get them involved!
This retreat kit is chocked full of terrific bible teaching by Beth, with some downright funny stuff from Living Proof Praise & Worship guy, Travis Cottrell. There are even some suggestions for games and goodtimes to help retreat leaders "fill in the gaps" between awesome teaching sessions from Beth on how to "love well".
And of course, there WILL be some discussion to share about hair products!
So, wait no longer. Comment on, girls. We'll hold the random drawing and announce the winner November 28!
Every once in awhile I'll read something that hits me right where I'm living.
And today, it was this:
"I have to learn that the aim in life is God's, not mine. God is using me from His great personal standpoint, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him, and never say - Lord, this gives me such heart-ache.... He simply asks me to have implicit faith in Himself and in His goodness. Self-pity is of the devil, if I go off on that line I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world. I have 'a world within the world' in which I live, and God will never be able to get me outside it because I am afraid of being frost-bitten." - Oswald Chambers
Thanks to everyone for your participation in the Esther giveaway. Unfortunately, we only have one study to give away, but the good news is we'll be having other giveaways each week between now and Christmas.
Because we are all about spreading a little Christmas cheer!
I've been thinking a lot this week about Melanie's post from Monday - wondering what my little guy will remember from his childhood, thinking about all the great stuff I remember from mine.
And I guess it's only natural for holidays to make us nostalgic - especially when it feels like the little ones in our family are growing up way too fast. I PROMISE that my nephews were just born last year, but somehow they've turned into nine and ten year-old football players. Blows my mind.
But one thing that alleviates the bittersweetness of time flying by is thinking about Thanksgiving traditions in our family that stand strong year after year after year: Mama's cornbread dressing and sweet potato casserole (with pecans, not marshmallows). Circling up and holding hands while my daddy prays. Watching college football all day long. Planning a fun day-after-Thanksgiving activity with my sister (this year we're driving down to the very small town where my grandparents lived). Wandering into the kitchen around five o'clock in the afternoon for a "light snack" of turkey and congealed salad. Listening to my aunt, my mama and my cousins tell story after story about the good ole days. Laughing until my whole body hurts.
Makes me smile just thinking about it.
So what about you? What are some your favorite family traditions at Thanksgiving? And if you could only pass down one of those traditions to your kids, which one would you choose?
I'll be waiting on y'all in the comments. And I may even have some of Mama's homemade chocolate pie with me.
There's something about cold weather that makes me want to read non-stop. And when I'm reading, you can find me one of two places in our house: in our den or in our guest room. Both places just feel cozy to me - and a big down coverlet ensures that I am as snug as a bug in a rug while I'm poring through whatever has my attention. I also like to remain wide-open to the possibility of napping in between chapters. I feel it's good to have options.
And there's one other thing that makes reading / Bible study time even more special when it's chilly outside: apple tea. I love it so much. My mama's friend Mary John makes one of the best versions I've ever tried, and in addition to tasting great, it makes your whole house smell absolutely divine.
Mary John's Apple Tea
1 qt. cider
1 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 sticks cinnamon
8 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Heat until it boils, then reduce heat until ready to serve.
Now obviously we talk a whole bunch about books, authors and Bible studies here on AllAccess, but I'm curious: do you have a special place you like to "settle in" when you read or have your quiet time? Are there things you do to make that time especially relaxing? Do you have a special routine you like to follow?
And don't worry - I'll snuggle up under a comfy blanket before I read your comments. That only seems right. No apple tea today, though - just diet Coke. I'm pacing myself for the holidays, you see.
One day after school last week, I took Caroline and one of her little friends to the park near our house. It was one of those rare days in South Texas that actually feels like Fall, not too cold and not too hot. I sat on a bench in the shade and watched them as they ran from the swings to the slide and back again.
A few minutes later a man about my age came walking into the park with his little boy who looked to be about two years old. The little boy immediately toddled off towards the slides and the man and I began to visit.
He introduced himself to me and told me they had just moved to San Antonio from Connecticut about four months ago. I laughed and told him he must be in the midst of a huge culture shock. He said he'd actually lived in San Antonio when he was about the same age as his son because his dad was in the military, but had no memory of the city other than pictures from family photo albums.
I told him the girls were five and I was giving them the chance to burn off some energy before we headed home for the day. And then he asked me a question that I can't quit thinking about, he said, "Do you remember being five?"
Yes. I remember bits and pieces of being five. I remember that my Kindergarten teacher's name was Mrs. Sudela and I thought she was beautiful. I remember that we walked through the school searching for a leprechaun on St. Patrick's Day. I remember that I wore some socks with a patch featuring a banana wearing a cape complete with pom-pom fringe for Super Sock today. I remember that one day I didn't get off the school bus and the driver had to turn around and bring me home.
But there are other things I don't remember. I don't really have any memories of day-to-day life. I don't know if my mama had a snack waiting for me after school. I don't remember if I played with my little sister or if I watched a lot of T.V. I can't remember dinner time or the things we talked about. I know those things existed, but I can't recall them.
And maybe I just have a bad memory.
It made me think about how strange it is that Caroline won't remember a lot of her life at this point. Yes, she'll have bits and pieces, but as much as all these days and years will be memories I will hold onto and treasure forever, she probably won't remember the day I took her to the park after school and she slid down the firemen's pole by herself for the first time.
Yet, even though she may not remember, these things are making her into who she is and who she will become. They are part of the tapestry of her life.
It's made me think about what I hope she remembers for the rest of her life. It's made me want to take the time to laugh with her more, pick her up while I still can, and give us lots of chances to make some sweet memories together.
Because of all the things I want her to remember, what I hope for the most is that she will always know how much she is loved. She may not remember that we made chocolate chip cookies yesterday and she definitely won't recall the night she was two years old and threw up every thirty minutes, but I hope she'll remember that I was always there.
I know I'll make (and have made) my share of mistakes along the way, but God will cover my weaknesses. And I pray that He will fill her mind with sweet childhood memories.
How about y'all? What do you hope your kids remember about you and their childhood? I'd love to hear about it.
What a time we have had this week in Nash-vegas for two big events...the National Women's Leadership Forum at LifeWay and that little event last night called the CMA awards. Those country icons don't have anything on our guy Travis who led us in some serious worship and even blessed us with a Christmas concert as he shared songs from his new album.
We had 500 incredible leaders from across the country like Liz from San Jose, CA and the sweet pastor's wife slash women's ministry leader who came by her self from the hills of New Mexico...and the girls right down the street from Mount Juliet, TN. We worshipped, shared ideas, had full breakouts and heard a great word from Kelly Minter and Angela Thomas yesterday. Basically we got together and told our stories...some hard stories, but all stories of God's faithfulness. I'm not just talking about women dealing with one hard thing...but how about the woman who found herself near bankruptcy, with a serious illness and a teenage son who's girlfriend got pregnant. She beamed as she told of God's faithfulness and how sweet her little grandchild is. Only GOD!
We have had a blast. Be safe going home girls. We hope to see you next year when we try our two Forums back to back! That's right. Pray for us! ;0) We won't think about that now. We'll just bask in the glow of having 500 women in the halls of LifeWay. Forum energizes us for the year to come. We love you so! Any sweet Forum stories to share?
This has been quite the busy week here on LifeWay campus. We've got 500 women walking the halls and attending the National Leadership Forum. It has been a great week so far. Angela Thomas was keynote last night and girls, she is so good. If you ever get a chance to see her live or do one of her Bible studies, you gotta do it. I laughed so hard and got tears too. God's gifted her and using her in a mighty way.
Okay, well, don't want to keep you waiting any longer so here goes. We're gonna give away an Esther Bible Study kit (yes, I said kit, not member book!) with a drawing we'll do here from ya'lls comments. So , post a comment about why you want your church, friends, neighborhood girlfriends, etc. to do this study. Comments will be open until November 21. So comment away and we'll use random.org to draw a winner on November 21.
Yesterday was one of those days where I just had enough. Enough of me, enough of other people, enough of the world - ENOUGH. And by the end of the day, when my husband asked me if I was okay, I told him that I was fine except for the fact that I was in a horrible mood and would like to go to a cabin somewhere ALL BY MYSELF for at least three days and maybe four.
Can anybody relate?
Really, I can't even pinpoint why I was so annoyed. I just was. And everything was on my nerves: the phone, the email, the laundry (OH MY WORD THE LAUNDRY), the dust bunnies under my sofa, the responsibilities of work, the deadlines that never seem to go away, and hey, Y'ALL FEELING ENCOURAGED YET?
I know. I am a joy and an inspiration, aren't I?
But I like to think - or maybe I just need to think - that we all have our days. Days when we feel overwhelmed or unequipped or ill-prepared or all of the above (like the study says: it's tough being a woman). And for me those days are like a spiral - I feel guilty about my mood, which makes me feel selfish, which makes my mood even worse, which makes me feel worse, and before you know it I'm rummaging through the Halloween candy and pulling out the mini Snickers like a madwoman.
ALLEGEDLY.
So here's my question: how do you cope when you have a rough day? Do you fight it? Do you pray through it? Do you call someone to talk about it? Or do you just surrender to the ornery and sort of lean in to hear whatever lesson God may have in it?
Thanks in advance for sharing your hearts via the comments, y'all - there's strength in numbers, you know.
"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Cor. 4:17-18
The role of men in society has stayed the same for thousands of years, where the role of women continues to shift and change. We are a generation of women that has been raised to believe we should be able to do it all.
But sometimes it's hard to do it all between all the runny noses and the dirty diapers and the carpool lines that never end. It's hard to do it all when you are making three trips to the grocery store because you keep forgetting the Monterey Jack cheese. (Not that I've done that. It's just a hypothetical scenario.)
If you're like me, you want to be able to juggle all those roles and responsibilities and make it look effortless. I honestly feel guilty when I let something go and have to admit defeat in that area.
I returned home from my trip to the Dominican Republic on Friday night at 6:00 p.m. and had to immediately jump back into my role as wife, mother, daughter while still processing my role as temporary missionary and writer.
And that doesn't even include all the laundry that had to be done. My husband is a great Mr. Mom but doing my daughter's laundry isn't part of his repertoire. As for my laundry from the trip, I had to bring in a HazMat crew.
So, yes, it's tough being a woman.
What is the toughest part for you? The balancing act? The expectations? What do you hope to learn from Beth in this newest study?
Most of y'all probably know that Beth Moore has written a brand-new Bible study called Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman. In fact, there's a little promo video over there in the sidebar. If you haven't watched it yet, feel free to go ahead and watch it now.
Really. It's fine. I'll wait. Because you're just that special.
Anyway, last night I was clicking around the LifeWay site looking for some information on another Bible study, and I found the most unexpected little webby treasure: two sample lessons of Esther - FOR FREE.
I don't know about y'all, but I am such a fan of free. And this particular freebie would be a great way for you to sample the study before you invest in the whole kit and kaboodle.
Sometimes Mondays hold unexpected delights, don't they?
This is the video that I promised y'all about two days ago. Apparently the internet in the Dominican wasn't thrilled about doing all the work to get it uploaded because I had three failed attempts and then I just threw my computer through the hotel window.
Not really.
But I thought about it.
Anyway, watch the video and if you grew up in Sunday school I bet it will serve as proof that some things are universal.
If you'd like to sponsor a child through Compassion, you can go here and check it out.
Last night at Bible study we watched the Bonus Session on the Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed DVD. The bonus stuff is from a Q&A session that Beth Moore, Priscilla Shirer and Kay Arthur did at the end of Deeper Still Nashville, and it. is. hysterical. I rolled laughing when I was at the conference in Nashville back in 2007, and I rolled laughing in my Bible study leader's den last night. So, so funny. Girl talk at its finest.
On the way home from Bible study I was thinking about the joy of fellowship with other women. I'm one of those people who loves nothing more than a weekend with my girlfriends - the whole experience is like Happy Overload for me. I love making tons of super-unhealthy appetizers (CREAM CHEESE, ANYONE?), having a refrigerator that's stocked with countless cans of diet Coke, putting on my comfiest pajamas, and then settling in for a night of laughing until I hurt.
MOST. FUN. EVER.
So what about you? Are you a fan of girl talk, too? Do you have regular girls' night outs? Do you and your girlfriends ever get away for a weekend? What are some of your favorite things that you and your girlfriends have done together?
I'll be in the comments, living vicariously through every single one of you.
Okay, so I have a really fun video from a visit to one of the projects here in the Dominican Republic and I planned to post it here today.
However, sometimes in a developing nation the internet decides to go down, like when a video is 97% uploaded to YouTube. And there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
I promise I'll get the video up later today, but for now I'm off to love on some more kids. I can't wait to see their sweet faces this morning. And in the meantime, you can go read about everyone's experiences over at Compassion Blogger.
One of the biggest blessings of my life has been the privilege of being on this trip. God knows me better that I know myself. Imagine that.
And you could play a huge role in the lives of these children by becoming a sponsor.
Several years ago I was at a Living Proof Live event where Beth showed the audience some pictures from a recent trip to Africa. The images were devastating - heart-wrenching, really - but as I sat in my chair and looked at that screen, there was one phrase in particular that ran through my mind over and over again:
"Lord, please don't call me to Africa. Please don't call me to Africa. Please don't call me to Africa."
And then: "Lord, I NEVER want to go to Africa."
For some reason the prospect of going to Africa and seeing the devastation there absolutely terrified me. There was no logical reason for it - it just was.
A little over a year later our pastor preached a pretty intense sermon about our command to go and make disciples of all nations. He mentioned over and over again that we're not called to be comfortable, and my flesh didn't like it one little bit. I was ticked, to be perfectly honest. And later that afternoon, as I was setting up for an event with one of our associate pastors, I vented my frustrations in a moment of oversharing. I said, "What am I supposed to do? Just hop on a plane and go to AFRICA or something? I have a three year-old, for pete's sake!"
So y'all know what happened. About a year later, the Lord totally called me to Africa. He took a heart that was completely hardened to serving overseas and found countless ways to soften it. By the time Compassion contacted me in August of 2007 about a trip to Uganda, I truly wanted to go. No one but God could have changed my heart like that. I'm so grateful that He was patient with me, because that trip was a watershed moment in my life for a whole host of reasons.
So I'm curious: has God ever led you to do something that you vowed you'd NEVER do?
As we may have mentioned once or eleven times, I'm in the Dominican Republic this week with Compassion.
I left San Antonio on Sunday morning at 9:30 and arrived in the Dominican on Sunday night around 10:00 p.m. There were various time changes along the way, but I can't really explain them to you because in some way they involve math skills and I am not a fan of the math.
We spent most of Monday visiting the first of many Compassion projects we will visit this week and it was an amazing experience. It was only Day One and I've already seen precious faces that I'll never forget.
I also saw poverty like I've never seen before.
But the thing is that Jesus sees it all. He sees the beautiful faces, the sweet smiles and the hearts that are learning to love Him even in the midst of these circumstances.
He knows their name.
He knows their heart.
He holds them in the palm of His hand.
And, hopefully, this week many of them will become sponsored children because God moves hearts to see their need.
Last night I was trying to get some writing done, and I pulled out my notebook from Living Proof Live in Knoxville (it was way back in 2005) because I was trying to remember something Beth Moore said about serving globally. And as I was making my way through my notes from the different sessions, I ran across a Scripture reference in the margins.
Curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to look up the passage. And when I read it, I started to cry right there at my kitchen table. I cannot imagine a more timely word for Melanie and the Compassion team that's serving in the Dominican Republic this week:
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings." - Isaiah 58:6-12
Melanie
Melanie
Sophie
Sophie
Pam
Pam
Paige
Paige
Kris
Kris