(This post written by Pam Case, Director of LifeWay Women and a Minister's Wife!)
From one minister's wife to any other out there, it is one interesting ride that I am on. It's been a 12 year journey for me so far. And for those living in my shoes, you know what I mean when I say no two days have been the same! Do I hear an 'amen' in the house? Well, it only makes sense that we might want to bless a minister's wife, or two or three ... or let's say TEN minister's wives with an opportunity for God to bless 'em through the upcoming Living Proof Live w/Beth Moore for Minister's Wives.
Beth will be in Nashville March 13-14 for this exclusive event. Are you a minister's wife OR would you like to bless your own minister's wife with a ticket to the weekend?
Here's what we'll do. Comment me below with a short paragraph why you (if YOU are a minister's wife) or why YOUR OWN minister's wife needs to be blessed with a ticket to the March 13-14 event. Comment me like crazy over the weekend. On Monday, in the women's business team meeting I lead, we'll take a break and do a random drawing from all the comments. There is not one purchase necessary, just your wonderful comments here.
Late Monday, we'll contact those ten who commented and won. Keep in mind, this will not include travel, but we're covering the registration for the Beth Moore Living Proof Live event. It's gonna be a life-changing weekend for those ladies - and I'll be one of them.
If your minister's wife would still like to attend, it's not too late to register either - www.lifeway.com/women ! So, comment on. Looking forward to reading the responses and pulling ten blessed names on Monday! I love ya'll! Pam
I've spent a lot of time this week feeling overwhelmed and just tired. Tired of waiting, tired of feeling stuck, tired of laundry, and tired of making ham sandwiches for the lunchbox every day. Just tired.
And, honestly, I felt too tired to go to Bible study and I wanted nothing more than to just put on my pajamas, watch some bad T.V., and eat a bowl or a gallon of ice cream.
But I went because I've learned from experience that the times I don't want to go are usually the times when I'll get the most out of it.
I was right.
This week during the DVD session, Beth shared Isaiah 40:31, "But those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
She was speaking on the whole subject of God's timing and when she read that verse, she talked about how sometimes waiting doesn't necessarily make us feel like our strength is being renewed. Sometimes waiting can make us tired and frustrated.
I sat there nodding my head in agreement.
And then she said something that will stick with me forever.
When we are truly waiting on God, our strength will be renewed. He promises that. However, when we think we're waiting on God, but are really waiting on whatever "that thing" is that we think is going to bring us satisfaction or fulfillment, that's when we feel tired.
Because, ultimately, we are waiting on something that isn't going to fill us up or renew our strength, even if it happens.
It's only when we are truly waiting on Him, waiting on the Everlasting God who is the same from age to age, that we will find the rest and contentment we seek.
There is something about knowing that spring is just around the corner that makes me all giddy and happy and whathaveyou. I start thinking about things like road trips and Bermuda shorts and not needing four blankets when I go to bed at night.
More than anything, though, I start to think about all the new growth, and there is nothing like the sight of some bright green leaves on the trees to remind me of the beauty of new beginnings. It seems like every single day in the springtime becomes a metaphor for the work that God is continually doing in my heart; nature is just chock-full of outward signs that mirror His inner transformations.
Is this post starting to sound like a documentary? I think it's starting to sound a little bit like a documentary. I do apologize.
Anyway, here was my point (oh, I had one! I did!): in the spirit of new beginnings and fresh starts, there are some great LifeWay events coming up in March and April that I want to make sure I mention. I know that we can't live in "event mode" all the time, but every once in awhile it's nice to spend a weekend with friends (or by yourself) and dig deeper into Scripture. Fresh words are good, aren't they?
If you have any questions about the events - maybe you've never been before and don't know what all is involved - please don't hesitate to ask questions in the comments. We would love to help you however we can.
Have a wonderful (still-winter-but-not-for-long) day, everybody!
Okay, just to weigh in on all the Christian artists of ye olden days issue, I have to let y'all know that Amy Grant was pretty much the reason I asked Jesus into my heart at age ten.
Well, and God probably had something to do with it, too.
I went to a summer YMCA camp the summer before sixth grade and my camp counselor played her Amy Grant cassette tape over and over again. The whole thing changed my life, especially the song "Mountaintop". I love it to this day.
And on an entirely different note, this is what I read during my quiet time the other day.
"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 Corinthians 4:17-18
I don't know about y'all, but I really needed to hear that.
Y'all brought back some serious memories with your comments on my last post; in fact, I spent the better portion of Friday humming "Friends" or "Father's Eyes," and while I was tempted to go get a spiral perm to make it all feel a little more authentic, you'll be happy to know that I resisted.
But I still may break out a banana clip. There's just not a bit of telling.
Anyway, I wanted to add one more little tidbit to our discussion of Things Musical and then I'll get back to regularly scheduled programming on my next post. Not that I have anything you could consider regular and/or scheduled that I write about here, but I needed a segue', and that one seemed fitting, so I ran with it.
So here's what I wanted to share.
When I was growing up the very first thing listed in the church bulletin every week was the call to worship. It was always a song intended to help prepare our hearts for worship, but I didn't realize that when I was a child. I just thought that the organist played music to make the congregation get quiet before the preacher walked out.
Now that I'm older, of course, I understand the concept of "call to worship" a little bit better, and about a year and a half ago I started doing something in the mornings that has had a profound impact on my mood and my outlook. I have a "call to worship" almost every single morning in my car. Because as it turns out, you don't have to listen to an organist or even be sitting in a church to be called to worship.
I KNOW.
There are several songs I listen to with the sole purpose of reminding myself that my actions throughout the day should be worshipful and worship-filled (and this is in addition to quiet time / Bible study, by the way), and I thought I'd share one of my favorites with y'all. It's called "Vision of You," and it was written by Shane Bernard of Shane & Shane.
Other early morning favorites are "Quietly" by Daniel Renstrom and Travis Cottrell's version of "Praise To The Lord The Almighty." I don't listen to the same song every morning, but the intent is always the same: to put my heart in its proper place.
What are the songs that help prepare your heart for worship? Do you have any favorites?
It will probably come as no surprise to any of you that I am still loving the Esther study. I think it may be one of my favorite Beth Moore studies I've ever done. I love how much I'm learning about Queen Esther, but what I love even more are all the practical applications.
Imagine that. The Bible is still relevant for day-to-day life after thousands of years. God knew what He was doing when He put that whole thing together.
This week we found Esther taking that fateful walk into King Haman's court. She knew she was risking her life, but she also knew that she was the only human with the ability to change the course of the edict to kill all the Jews.
Beth talked a lot about fear this week and I think we've all been through times where we've felt gripped by fear. However, the quote that spoke to me the most was found in Day Two.
"Sometimes God is more aware than we of just how much He requires of us. He knows how hard it's going to be for us."
I don't know why, but that brings me comfort. I've just never thought about God realizing how hard it is for us to be obedient sometimes and that He understands more than anyone that we're being pulled away from what is comfortable and familiar.
Y'all are going to think this is the most random thing ever.
And that is fine. Because this is in fact the most random thing ever.
This morning I was thinking about what music my little boy will remember from his childhood. He loves Monk & Neagle, Mercy Me, Dave Barnes - and while I don't know if it's at all normal for a five year-old to ask to listen to "Mr. Travis" on a nearly daily basis, there's no question that Travis Cottrell will forever be a part of Alex's Childhood Musical Hall of Fame.
Travis must be so proud. Maybe I should send him a certificate. With a commemorative seal.
Anyway, I've been walking down my own little musical memory lane for about the last two hours, and for some reason one song in particular popped in my head - a song I haven't listened to in, I don't know, fifteen years?
So I searched YouTube, and y'all - I FOUND IT.
I NEARLY SQUEALED.
I mean, that'll take you right back to some stirrup pants and Units. Yes ma'am it will.
So 'fess up, girls - what's your favorite old school contemporary Christian song from the 80s or 90s?
If you'll give me enough time to go hot roll my hair and lacquer it really good with some Paul Mitchell Freeze & Shine, I'll meet you in the comments.
If you happen to be the wife of a minister, then let me say God bless you. I cannot imagine living life in the fishbowl that is probably your life a lot of the time. It's no doubt a special calling.
I could sit here and tell you how awesome it's going to be (and I have no doubt that it will be an incredible time of ministry), but I think Travis Cottrell summed it up best in this post he wrote yesterday.
He also has some great thoughts about ways to make sure that your pastor's wife can attend this conference. They probably need it more than we can imagine because, rumor has it, being a pastor's wife is a lot more difficult than just making enough potato salad for the potluck dinner.
So I could sit here and tell you that the last two years of my life have played out exactly like I expected. I could tell you that everything has gone according to plan and we're right where we hoped we'd be and gosh! we're so carefree! looks like smooth sailing ahead!
I could tell you those things.
But there's not a stitch of truth in them.
And as much as I like to think that over the last few months, when things have been especially difficult, that I've responded well and rolled with the punches and learned valuable lessons, the fact of the matter is that I've responded with a heavy dose of stubborn more often than not. I may have been a little bitter. And on some days - like yesterday, for instance - I've just been plain mad.
Last weekend at Going Beyond, Priscilla Shirer talked a lot about having a Godly response to the interruptions in our lives. She actually covered four specific things to keep in mind when life takes you on a detour down a road you never planned to travel, and then she followed up on Saturday with five ways those interruptions bless us.
And at the time - because it is always easy to sit under a difficult word and think about how it applies to SOMEBODY ELSE - I didn't really apply what she was saying to my own life. I thought about how it applied to this friend's life or that friend's life or to my own life eight or nine years ago - but I didn't really think about THIS TIME in my life. This season-o-crippling-humility, as I've come to call it. Didn't think about my current circumstances much at all.
So y'all know what God did.
He called me out on my own denial ALL. WEEK. LONG. And I'm telling you, I feel like at every single turn I've been confronted with the reality of my own selfishness and pride and hardheadedness. If hardheadedness is in fact a word. And I've been reminded that there is a blessing in the here and now - even though it doesn't always feel like it.
Priscilla told us Friday night that it takes courage to yield to the interruptions of life, to learn the lesson that God is teaching us. And she also said that until we respond to what God is calling us to do in that interruption, His Word will continue to mess with us, to convict us, to call us out on that very thing we're avoiding.
I'm quite certain I can't relate to that at all.
Ahem.
So I don't know if you're dealing with any interruptions in your life right now or not, but this morning I'm thinking about two things Priscilla said last weekend:
1) God sometimes derails us to get us back on board with His plan.
2) When God allows interruptions in our lives, we have an opportunity to cooperate with Him.
Hope that encourages y'all this morning.
Because I have to tell you: it's flat-out preaching to me.
I know I say this every week but I am seriously loving the Esther study. Not only do I feel like I'm reading the book of Esther in a way I never have before, but I am finding so many God-breathed lessons along the way.
The most profound thing for me this week was something Beth said in the Session 3 DVD. I don't remember her exact words, but the way I wrote it down was like this: "When we're walking on the path to destiny, we usually come up on the heels of some crisis that leads us to the next place".
What she is basically saying is that God will often use a crisis to move us in the direction He wants us to go.
I remember when Caroline was a toddler that she'd crawl around on the floor and find random objects to pick up. Every now and then, she'd get a hold of something she wasn't supposed to have, so I'd rush over there to pry it out of her fingers, which was easier said than done. She'd hold to that piece of candy or small button or whatever it happened to be with a death grip. There was no way she was letting go and she certainly didn't care that it might hurt her.
Sometimes that's how I am with God. I just hold on to what I've found with all my might because I WANT IT. Meanwhile, He's trying to show me that there is something better or that what I want isn't the best thing for me.
And ultimately there are times that He has to bring me back to a place of complete dependence on Him so that I'll quit being so focused on what I want and pay attention to what He has for me.
I'll be honest, it's usually not very fun.
But if there's anything I've learned, it's that He always gives me the things that are better-suited to me than what I would have given myself. He knows me best.
I'd love to hear what you learned from Esther this week!
Yes gals, its true, you all may not have known it but I am one of few single gals on the LifeWay Women's team. I am in my early forties (i'm sure you are shocked at this, thinking I was probably 32). ;0) But alas...yes, i am 42 and loving it.
So why do I say Valentine's Day single, no problem? Well, I rarely define myself as a 'single', primarily because I don't feel alone. I am in just one of the sweetest seasons with God of my entire life. He has impressed some Isaiah 30:15 on me lately...part of that verse says, '...In quietness and trust is your strength.' If you knew me better, you'd know that quietness is not a strength of mine. But anyhoo, when I am quiet and listen to God, He just speaks to me so much through His Word and gives me His strength.
And because I live alone (can i get a whoo hoo!) I can just talk back out loud or sing or mumble back to Him. I tell Him everything; the fun stuff, the complaints, the sad stuff, the thankful stuff. He is so good to me. He is my one true companion. I heard our gal Beth Moore say at a recent Living Proof Live event that, 'When you tell God you love Him, say 'I love you too!' not just 'I love you.' Because if we feel like saying it, its because God has just leaned over us and told us He loves us!! So true. So I have been trying that out.
Do I want a man someday to share my life with and to be my hunky Valentine? You bet I do! But I can finally say after some wrestling with God and sensing His sweet affection toward me, that I want HIM more. That is a HUGE perk of living alone for so long. Its just me and Him. So all you single ladies, I encourage you to enjoy this season of singleness as long as it lasts. It can be the sweetest time of your life.
I say gal a lot just to be goofy. So I will celebrate this Valentine's Day with my sweet 'Gal-entines' as I call them. I also have a couple of fun guy pals who I call 'Pal-entines'. Feel free to use these terms.
Single girls give us a shout out about your good God times! And Happy Gal-entines Day!
I don't know about y'all, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed when I go to a retreat or a conference or whathaveyou. I don't know if it's because the time there is so intense or because I'm so keyed up from anticipation that I can barely sit still when I get there, but I've noticed - especially this last year - that by the time the first night of an event rolls around, I'm perilously close to sensory and emotional overload. In fact, there have been a couple of times this last year when I've leaned over to Melanie during praise and worship time and said, "I'm praying right now that I won't feel so stinkin' numb - it's like I can't process anything."
I get so distracted by the peripheral stuff that I have a hard time focusing on why I'm there. I lose sight of what really matters.
Sort of sounds like, well, LIFE, doesn't it?
Last week at Going Beyond was no exception to my overwhelmed rule. By the time I finally got to the church Friday night, I'd missed three exits, navigated a mix-up with my hotel reservation, forced myself to wake up from a nap when I seriously could have slept straight through Friday night and all the way into Saturday morning, and reached the decided conclusion that Google Maps is my sworn enemy. Combine all of that with some Serious Life Junk we're dealing with in our family right now, and suffice it to say that I was feeling completely disconnected from what was going on in that sanctuary.
Even worse than that was the fact that I felt completely disengaged from the One I was supposed to be praising.
It happens Every. Single. Time.
So I started to pray. And gradually, as all that external junk started to settle and fade into the background, my heart gave way.
I have lots more to say about what I learned last weekend (and by the way, if you live anywhere near San Jose, California, you will be so blessed if you Go Beyond next weekend), and I'll be talking about that in my next couple of posts, but this morning I'm just flat-out grateful as I think about how God was so faithful to speak to my heart in the midst of the distractions.
He's good like that, isn't He? And I feel like, over the course of the weekend, He reminded me (AGAIN) of two critical truths:
1) Worship isn't tied into my feelings or my circumstances. I worship Him because HE IS - not because of how I feel about who He is at that particular moment. I worship Him because HE'S EVERYTHING - not because everything is going well.
2) All those distractions we face when we're headed to a conference or trying to get the family out the door on Sunday mornings? NOT ACCIDENTS. And I need to remember that if I weren't on the way to someplace God wanted me to be, the enemy would be a lot more likely to leave me alone.
I may have to cross stitch that last sentence on a pillow or something.
And this still isn't my "official" Going Beyond recap, but it's definitely a part of the weekend that continues to blow my mind when I think about it.
Saturday morning we were almost finished with the first session when my phone started to vibrate. I looked down at it, saw that my friend Elise was calling, and since she'd also called the night before, I sent her a quick text: "Hey. In Atlanta at a LifeWay deal. What's up?"
She wrote me back, told me what was going on, and after a few more texts, we'd managed to make plans for an upcoming weekend when she and one of her sons are going to be visiting Birmingham.
And just so you know, I did all of this texting without missing a beat of Priscilla Shirer's message. Seriously. I promise. 'Cause I learned a whole bunch from Miss Priscilla Saturday morning.
Anyway, the morning break came shortly after Elise and I wrapped up our conversation, and I started to think about how happy it made me to hear from Elise and how grateful I am for friendships that now span the course of twenty years. Last weekend I got to spend some time with some high school friends, and my word - is there anything better than people who have seen you fall flat on your face a time or twenty and who love you anyway? I'm beyond grateful for those girls.
As I walked around during the break I was trying to figure out how my surge of gratitude for my friends might be tied in to Priscilla's message (that's me. always looking for connections. it would be totally exhausting if I didn't find it so completely delightful.) and I found myself thinking over and over again about the blessing of friendship - even when that friendship shows up in the form of an unexpected phone call.
A few minutes later I caught a glimpse of a woman who looked super familiar, and even though part of my brain thought, "NO WAY would she have driven al the way from Hattiesburg, Mississippi for this conference," the other part of my brain wanted to turn around and double-check. So I did.
And when I turned around, do y'all know who I saw?
ELISE'S MAMA.
CAN YOU EVEN BELIEVE THAT?
We squealed like a couple of five year-olds.
We got to visit and catch up during the break, and it was just the sweetest, most unexpected blessing in the midst of an already incredible weekend. It tickled me to no end.
...everything about Going Beyond this past weekend, but I thought I'd share a few pictures before I try to string together some words and some sentences and lo, even paragraphs.
So.
Once I got settled in my hotel room, I decided that this is my wish for every tired mama in the whole wide world:
A comfy bed, some fluffy pillows and a remote. All to yourself. And maybe some Starbucks, too, but I didn't have any of that at the time so I couldn't put it in the picture. But if I could've, I would've.
When I finally made it to the event (Google Maps is my SWORN ENEMY, I tell you), I was blessed beyond measure by Priscilla's hair.
Y'all know that I feel we should affirm good hair when we see it. And Priscilla's hair was deserving of some serious affirmation.
And speaking of good hair.
This is Betsy, who works on the women's events team at LifeWay. You've probably seen her making announcements before Saturday morning sessions at different LifeWay events.
And Betsy has some GOOD HAIR. She always looks darlin'. This past weekend she had on an adorable scarf with her Going Beyond t-shirt, and I was ever-so-appreciative of her fashion flair. Cute as a bug, she is.
Finally.
You know how sometimes you see people you don't know but you just instantly enjoy Jesus through them?
That's how I felt about these ladies at Going Beyond. They sat across the aisle from me, and while I don't know their names, I can tell you that their joy was palpable. They have no idea how much they ministered to me, but OH, they did. Wish I could hug their necks right now.
Anyway, I'll be back later with my reactions to what was some of the most powerful teaching I've ever heard (hit me right where I'm livin', it did). Hope y'all are having a wonderful weekend!
I don't know about y'all, but I think "Esther" just keeps getting better each week. I am so wrapped up in the story now even though I've read it a bunch of times before and know how it all ends.
There's something about the way Beth brings out certain details that has made it come alive for me. I swear I'm sitting on the edge of my seat to see what's going to happen next.
The day that really got to me this week was Day 3 entitled "Brilliant Evil". It was all about how Satan can influence our thoughts. Beth says, "Though he can't possess our minds, he profoundly and destructively influences our thoughts."
She goes on to share how Satan's most effective tactic in her own life is to trap her in mental torment. Don't we all know what that feels like?
This week has been a hard week. I've felt discouraged and I've felt fear. In fact, two nights ago I went to bed and my mind began racing with all the things I needed to worry about and before I knew it I was totally worked up about things that will probably never even happen. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep.
Satan trapped me into believing his lies instead of God's truth. God is the one in control of my life and He is good.
I woke up the next morning and this was the verse I turned to during my quiet time.
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed." Isaiah 54:10
His love will not be shaken. His peace will not be removed.
What about y'all? What stood out to you this week? And even if you're not doing the "Esther" study right now, what do you do when the fear starts creeping in?
Over the last few years there have been times when I had a women's event of some sort on the horizon and I thought, "Gosh. This could not come at a better time because of [insert life issue here]."
But y'all. I am telling you, and this time I mean it MORE THAN EVER BEFORE: this weekend's Going Beyond in Atlanta COULD NOT COME AT A BETTER TIME. For a whole host of reasons.
I'm actually going to the conference all by myself, and I think that's exactly how it's supposed to be. I just feel like I really need some time alone with the Lord - in my car, at the conference, in my hotel room. I respect Priscilla Shirer's ability to clearly communicate God's Word so much (no kidding - I'm getting misty-eyed just typing this because I have learned so much from her), and I am flat-out READY to sit under her teaching this weekend. I know way down deep in my bones that God has a strong word in store for all of us.
I know that several AllAccess readers are going to be there this weekend, too, and I would love to meet y'all in person and hug your necks and visit. I'll be the girl in her late 30s who's by herself and singing really loud and taking way too many pictures. But I promise that I'll spare you my singing if you'll please just come say "hey."
Hope y'all have a wonderful rest-of-the-week - and I'll be checking in here sometime Saturday!
OK, you don't know me but I add the videos, fix broken things, and host of other things for the AllAccess blog. So, when I went to the wonderful AllAccess people and asked to hijack a post, they graciously allowed me. Maybe it was because they realized I could make their pictures look funny or shut the whole thing down, but I am just going to think it's because they are THAT AWESOME and they want you to know about a good thing.
Our ParentLife magazine people are venturing into the blogosphere and it's about time. This is for Moms AND Dads of kids - well, I guess there is an assumed kid when you say you are a mom and dad - but what I mean is that they are preteens and younger, down to babies. And just like a baby is brand new, so is the ParentLife Blog. They want you to stop by the delivery room and tell them how cute or not so cute they are and one person will actually get a free book for the feedback given. Oh, and if you work with kids or just like cute kid picts, the ParentLife Blog is also a place for you. You can also send in cute kid pictures and submit your funny stories. Based on what they hear, there may be some tweaks and changes or a massive overhaul (I originally typed overalls ;) so that it is the best parenting blog - evuh!
I want to hijack more posts. This was fun. I feel like a pirate - ARRR. Until then, back to your regularly scheduled bloggers.
This week of homework was so full of things that stood out to me that it's hard to pick just one thing, but since I'm not looking to write a novel I'll choose one.
You know how certain things mean more depending on what you're going through or something that's recently happened? That's how this week of homework was for me.
On Day 1 of Week 2, Beth writes, "Even those most serious about their pursuit of God and godliness fail to be perfect examples all the time. That's why God is busy conforming us into the likeness of Christ alone. None of the rest of us can bear the burden of constancy."
It's not that anyone has let me down recently or I've watched someone I admire fall, although I've had those moments in my life. I just read those words at a moment when I was feeling very weak, very fallible, very inadequate.
It served as a good reminder to me that not one of us is perfect. Even the people I look up to the most have their moments when they do or say the wrong thing. We are all human and sometimes we all feel like we're failing to live up to what God has called us to be.
The cry of my heart for the last year has been something I heard my pastor say in church, "Lord, I'm not infallible, but I am available." I know that in my own strength I am completely incapable of being anything other than a hot mess most of the time, but I also know that He promises that in my weakness, He is strong.
So I let him know that I'm available for whatever it is He's trying to accomplish.
And this week I needed to be reminded that Christ is the only one who can "bear the burden of constancy". Keeping my eyes on Him will help me look more like Christ, but nothing is going to make me perfect. He doesn't require it.
Melanie
Melanie
Sophie
Sophie
Pam
Pam
Paige
Paige
Kris
Kris