A couple of years ago I joined Twitter, and I really have no idea why except that I'd seen a link on somebody's blog and figured I'd better claim my username before somebody else grabbed it. Seeing as how the name of my personal blog is so common and all.
Oh, I do enjoy the mild sarcasm.
Anyway, I signed up and tweeted about four whole times before I decided that it seemed a little pointless. After all, I had much more important things to do with my time - things like eating lots of cheese and sitting.
However, when I went to Uganda in February of last year, I realized that pretty much everyone on our team was all about some tweeting, so I gradually made my way back into the Twitter fold. It's been a great way to keep up with my friends from that trip, and I've also found that it's a great source of (almost) instant feedback. My Twitter buddies have come to my rescue several nights when I had no idea what to cook for supper, not to mention that they've given me suggestions on everything from inexpensive shampoo to worship songs. And this week, Twitter has enabled me to check in on some friends who are on a Compassion trip in India.
So basically the Twitter is very fancy. And if you're ON THE TWITTER (as my mama would say), would you let us know by leaving your username in the comments? You can also follow LifeWay Women at http://twitter.com/lifewaywomen.
The future comes at us fast! I bet you can remember being a little girl playing house and pretending to be a mom. If you think real hard I bet you'll recall your first crush, first boyfriend, and first kiss. It won't be too far a stretch for you to conjure up the struggles in friendships, romantic relationships, parental disagreements you had in your teens. Can you believe how far you've come and how fast?! Well, now there's a new generation of girls playing dolls and dress up, struggling with insecurities in personal relationships, and wondering about the future. The world they are growing up in is vastly different than the world you did. They have cell phones now. They text more than they talk. They are tempted with things and fall into traps that most of us could not have conceived of at their age. Before we know it a generation of girls will become a generation of young adult women and so forth. The question before us is what are we going to do to influence the girls in our world today?
LifeWay realizes that if a generation of girls (0-17) and young adult women (18-34) is lost to the philosophies and empty deception found in this world it would be devastating! We don't want to see that happen! Pam Gibbs is a dynamic woman who has a heart and passion for girls. Pam desires to see the church effectively reach, keep, and minister to a generation of elementary, middle, and high school girls. I bet you desire the same thing! Many of you are moms, youth group leaders, neighbors, and friends of those who have girls, I encourage you to allow Pam to be a vital resource to you in your efforts to reach out to a younger generation.
All righty, girls - today I have a few links to share. I've run across all of these in the last week or so, and I thought I'd put them together in a post because, as you may have noticed, I am terribly organized.
Did I just hear some of you laughing?
I'm pretty sure that I just heard some of you laughing.
Anyway, here are some links I think you'll enjoy.
- If you've ever missed a week of your Bible study, then you know how hard it can be to find a good time to borrow the DVD from your leader so that you can get caught up. And that is why these Bible study video downloads are such a treat - because you can catch up on your own time.
- If you're in women's ministry, you might be interested in a webcast that's coming up on May 12th. It's called "Loving in Spite (Of): Ministering to Women Whose Husbands are Not Spiritual Leaders," and it's hosted by Chris Adams and Betsy Langmade.
- A few years ago Beth Moore did a Living Proof Live event for young women. At that event there was a Q&A with Beth, Christy Nockels and Melissa Moore (now Fitzpatrick). You can download the Q&A right here; if you're in college and career ministry OR if you're a young woman who values some solid advice and wisdom, the Q&A is a fantastic resource.
(Now is when I'm really tempted to say that technology is a wonder.)
(But I won't say that since I have a tendency to say it ALL THE TIME.)
(And y'all are so nice that I don't want to annoy you.)
My girl is out of school today and I will tell you that nothing makes blogging less efficient than when you're acting as cruise director for a Kindergartner. The good news is I've already played eight games of Sorry and done several crafts.
And it's only noon.
Anyway, I talked a little bit about getting to attend Vicki Courtney's You and Your Girl event in Katy about a month ago. I am always interested in anything that pertains to raising a daughter because I need all the help I can get.
Vicki had another event in Kentucky this past weekend and she did a recap on her blog complete with a video.
Click on over to Vicki's blog and check it out. You'll be glad you did!
We had a great fun day of set up here in Troy, Michigan for LifeWay Women's Going Beyond event with Priscilla shirer. Check out some 'Going Beyond....the scenes:
April has been a huge month for us in Women's Events! We've had two LIving Proof Live events, a WIRED training event for leaders, a You and Your Girl event with Vicki Courtney and Kelly Minter AND right now I'm sitting in Woodside Bible Church in Troy, MI where we are setting up for Going Beyond with Priscilla Shirer and Anthony Evans. We are so excited to minister to 800 women in this city that has taken such a beating in this economy.
When Melanie and I went to New Orleans for Living Proof Live a couple of weeks ago, I knew that a group of women from a church in my hometown were going to be there, too. So once we got to the arena Friday night, I texted a hometown friend of mine to see if we could chat for a few minutes before the event started. She told me what section she was in, and I ran (okay. "ran" may be a strong term. how about "walked briskly"?) up the stairs to find her.
When we found a place to stand and talk, I asked her if I might know anybody else who had made the trip. She rattled off a few names, none of which I recognized. Then she said, "Mrs. S is here, too."
Mrs. S is a friend of my mama's who is incredibly active for someone in her eighth decade. She's known for always wearing really sassy hats, and my mama thinks she hung the moon. She's one of those women that everybody describes as "dear" or "lovely" or "delightful," and I was beyond tickled to find out that she had made the trip to LPL. My friend pointed out the section where Mrs. S was sitting, and sure enough, after scanning the crowd for a few minutes, I saw a sassy hat. There she was.
After Beth finished teaching Friday night, Travis and the praise team led us in worship. We sang "In Christ Alone," and as we started the part about "No guilt in life / no fear in death / This is the power of Christ in me," I looked to my left. My eyes went straight to Mrs. S's sweet face. There was so much emotion there - so much love and joy and reverence and awe - and as I watched her, I thought, "THAT'S WHO I WANT TO BE ONE DAY. When I get a little older and could oh-so-easily sit in my house and get complacent in my faith, THAT'S WHO I WANT TO BE."
I want to put on my sassy hat when I'm in my early 80s. I want to continue to learn and grow and worship. I want to be more in love with Jesus than ever before. By diggity, I want to get on a church bus and travel for six hours and maybe even share a little bit of what God has taught me. I want to hear a hymn that I've sung countless times in my life and still be so moved by God's grace and mercy that my joy in Him is contagious.
Mrs. S has absolutely no idea, but she encouraged me like crazy that Friday night in New Orleans.
Have you been around anyone lately who has encouraged you like that - even though that person has absolutely no idea?
"I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am." Phillipians 4:12 (The Message)
Last Friday we were visiting some friends at their ranch in South Texas. We drove down on Thursday night and had so much fun laughing and talking that I just figured I'd post the winner of the Caption Contest giveaway early Friday morning.
It was a beautiful plan except for the fact that some severe storms rolled through the area and we lost the satellite internet connection. We had to spend the rest of the day without the internet just like we were pioneers.
And on a side note, it's amazing to me how frustrated I can get with technology that doesn't work. Never mind that man just figured out how to land on the moon forty years ago, why can't the satellite in space make my computer work during a lightning storm?
The good news is that my cell phone continued to work so I was able to receive a call from the auto mechanic letting me know that my car was ready to be picked up and the amount that we owed for the repairs.
It was not a small number.
Once I received the call, I let myself fall into the worst mood. We are just in this season of life where we can't get ahead. Every time we turn around there is an unexpected expense that sets us back and it just makes me feel so frustrated.
Then I realized that my struggle isn't about the money or the provision, it's about contentment. God has provided what we need. We had the money in the bank to pay for the repairs, which is a huge blessing in this economy.
My frustration wasn't about not having enough, it was about wanting more. It was about wanting to go spend that money on some new jeans or a cute pair of shoes, as opposed to some new brake pads and a flux capacitor or whatever.
When I felt that small, still voice whisper to me that He has given us what we need, He has blessed us beyond what we deserve, I felt shallow and ungrateful.
I had my eyes fixed on all the "more" that I want and took my eyes off the "One who makes me who I am".
And when I re-focused, my eyes opened to all the blessings I take for granted. All of a sudden, my hands that had seemed empty became very full.
Last Friday I blogged about a FREE event that LifeWay is hosting tomorrow online:
" I just wanted to check in and let you know about a FREE opportunity to listen to a webcast discussing the life issues of young adult women. The free webcast will be this coming Tuesday, April 21 at NOON CENTRAL TIME. If you're interested in ministering to and reaching a generation of late teens and twenty somethings, I urge you to join us Tuesday. Since there is no cost, there is also no registration required. This is an interactive training event, so I encourage you to chime in with your own questions or insights."
In order to view the webcast simply copy and paste the folllowing link: http://lifeway.na3.acrobat.com/womenswebcasts2009/ After the page opens choose the option of entering as a guest.
I hope you will be our guests as we dive into the timely topic of reaching my generation, a generation in desperate need of Jesus Christ!
Every single time I read something by Oswald Chambers, I know that he's going to step on my toes at least a little bit.
But this particular passage left me wanting some steel-toed boots.
I'm just sayin'.
Never allow a feeling that was awakened in you on the mountaintop to evaporate. Don't place yourself on the shelf by thinking, "How great to be in such a wonderful state of mind!" Act immediately-- do something, even if your only reason to act is that you would rather not. If, during a prayer meeting, God shows you something to do, don't say, "I'll do it"-- just do it! Pick yourself up by the back of the neck and shake off your fleshly laziness. Laziness can always be seen in our cravings for a mountaintop experience; all we talk about is our planning for our time on the mountain. We must learn to live in the ordinary "gray" day according to what we saw on the mountain.
Don't give up because you have been blocked and confused once-- go after it again. Burn your bridges behind you, and stand committed to God by an act of your own will. Never change your decisions, but be sure to make your decisions in the light of what you saw and learned on the mountain.
- excerpted from "Can You Come Down From the Mountain?" in My Utmost For His Highest
I was just about to get up in the bed (in the South we don't just go to bed - we GET UP IN THE BED), but I decided to check my email one more time in case, I don't know, I'd received an exciting coupon code from Domino's or something equally thrilling.
Well, I'm so glad that I did check my email, because I found some wonderful photographs that Rich took tonight at Living Proof Live in Portland. And I thought y'all might like to see them.
Seeing Lici's picture reminds me: at the last few events Travis and the praise team have been singing a medley of old hymns, and Lici sings "The Love of God." As you can imagine, it is absolutely beautiful. And so, so powerful.
There's not a doubt in my mind that the women at LPL Portland have been blessed beyond measure tonight. Let's be faithful to pray for everyone who's attending the event this weekend, for Beth as she teaches and for the LifeWay team that has worked so tirelessly behind the scenes. Also, pray for Travis and the praise team - he has been in four different states this week, and sleep has been scarce.
We'll be back with more pictures tomorrow (thanks, Rich!) - hope y'all have a wonderful, restful Saturday!
I hope this day finds you rejoicing in our Lord Jesus! Here in Nashville it is a bright sunshiny day, and I couldn't be more thrilled about it. I just wanted to check in and let you know about a FREE opportunity to listen to a webcast discussing the life issues of young adult women. The free webcast will be this coming Tuesday, April 21 at NOON. If you're interested in ministering to and reaching a generation of late teens and twenty somethings, I urge you to join us Tuesday. Since there is no cost, there is also no registration required. This is an interactive training event, so I encourage you to chime in with your own questions or insights. If you'd like to join us Tuesday at NOON click the following link, and you will be able to sign in there.
(NOTE: Right now the link isn't showing up for some reason. I will get that corrected as soon as I can, but I at least wanted you to have the date and time)
You know we live in a world where there's no shortage of worldly wisdom offered to young women. I think it high time that we take our place among all the voices and proclaim the truth of God's Word concerning the issues that young women face today! If you minister to young women in the context of the local church or just desire to win them to Christ and be a mentor, this webcast will assist you in thinking through how to go about winning the battle.
P.S. Thank you to all of you who share in the joy of the news that my husband and I will be having our first little one in August!! Our baby boy's name will be Micah Thomas. Micah means, "Who is like the Lord?" We absolutely love it!
Melanie is without internet right now due to some uncooperative weather, so I'm jumping on in her usual Friday spot to announce the winner of our caption contest.
Ready?
Here's the photo to refresh your memory -
- and the winner is Kristin - with "We're off to see the wizard...."
Thanks, Kristin, for making us laugh - and thanks, everybody, for all your wonderful entries!
Kristin, if you'll email your mailing address to kris.seidenkranz@lifeway.com and put "AllAccess Winner" in the subject line, she'll send you your copy of Kelly Minter's No Other Gods.
One of the things that Beth had us do at Living Proof New Orleans was to go back to our hotel rooms Friday night and draw a visual representation of what community looks like in each one of our lives.
I KNOW, Y'ALL. SHE GAVE US HOMEWORK.
So here's what we had to do.
1) Draw a star in the center of a piece of paper. That star represents you.
2) Each point on the star represents someone who has deeply shaped / impacted your spiritual life - whether that's in a negative or a positive way. Write a name on each point. You may feel like you need more than five, or you may not have five. I grouped my parents together, and I grouped some pastors together. Just play along as best you can.
3) Draw a circle made up of dashes around the star. These dashes represent your close community of faith (you do life with these people; they get in your business and you get in theirs).
4) Draw a circle made up of a zig-zag line around the circle made of dashes. The zig-zag circle represents the entire family of God.
5) Draw a final circle around the whole thing. The final circle represents the people outside of the body of Christ.
Here's what mine looked like. You won't be able to read everything because I had to shrink it, but you'll get the general idea.
Beth drew a big arrow that represents the fluid nature of relationships in our lives - sometimes people from the zig-zag line will move into the dash line; sometimes people on the dash line will move out to the zig-zag; sometimes people from the big ole circle will move to the dash. Relationships change as we move through different seasons of life.
So obviously those people listed on that dash line help protect us from isolation, and that is huge. But here's what occurred to me tonight as I looked back over my illustration: those people also become my FILTER. The stuff that comes into my life AND the stuff that pours out of my life has to pass through those people. In that sense they are my protection - they keep an eye on what's going on with me. They hold me accountable.
Here's the other thing that dawned on me: if you look at my list of the five people who have most impacted me spiritually, only one of those people is anywhere near the internet. If you look at my close community, only two of those people are directly connected to my blogging world.
I think I'm a pretty plugged in person, so I need to remember that as much as I love and enjoy the interweb, my most genuine community is happening offline. Now certainly some of those offline relationships are the result of connections I've made through blogging, but the friendships have had to move beyond the computer screen. Real life is where those "in your business" relationships are taking place, and I need to make sure I'm investing my time and my energy accordingly. Because in order to be effective out there in the zig-zag and the big ole circle, I've got to protect those relationships on the dash.
So. That was long.
Y'all have any thoughts?
Anybody grabbing pen and paper so you can make a chart of your own?
I know the quality isn't that great, but just use your imagination. Travis and the praise team do such a phenomenal job at Living Proof Events. I can't wait until their new CD comes out in June.
First of all, I need to apologize because I said in the original post that I'd announce the Discerning The Voice of God DVDs giveaway winner this past Thursday, April 8th.
And now it's Monday, April 12th. I hang my head in shame.
You can blame my forgetfulness on all the pound cakes I've been baking the last four or five days. Quite frankly I found it very difficult to concentrate in the presence of that much butter and sugar.
But the good news is that we have a winner!
Congratulations, Karissa! You'll have an email from me sometime today with info about how to claim your prize.
"The angel spoke to the women: "There is nothing to fear here. I know you're looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.
'Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, 'He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.' That's the message.'
The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. 'Good morning!' he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him."
Matthew 28:5-10 (The Message)
May we always be deep in wonder and full of joy at the power of His resurrection.
"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, 'Surely he was the Son of God!'" Matthew 27: 50-54
Wishing you a blessed Easter full of His power and might.
As most of y'all know - because we have mentioned it approximately 4,000 times in the last six days - Melanie and I were in New Orleans last weekend for Living Proof Live. We had an absolute blast and, as an added bonus, sat under some mighty fine teaching. As Melanie mentioned in Tuesday's post, Beth taught from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24. She pulled out seven points from that passage that help us to understand The Holiness of Wholeness, and her second point really resonated with me.
Would you like to hear it?
Oh, delightful.
Beth's second point was this: I cannot be a whole person without other people.
I've mentioned before that I have a tendency to fall into isolation, especially when I'm dealing with something particularly challenging. I'm a borderline introvert / extrovert, and when tough times hit, that introvert takes over. I shut down and clam up. Then I get some yellow tape that says "CAUTION - DO NOT CROSS" and close off a 50-foot perimeter all the way around my person.
Okay. Not really that last thing. Though I probably would if I could.
But here's what I know now that I wish I'd known when I was younger: isolation is lethal. I know this for a fact. Isolation removes us from accountability, it removes us from community and it absolutely breeds apathy. Isolation encourages us to rationalize sin, and it cuts us off from the joy of the multitude of ways that God extends His grace through the body of Christ.
Beth reminded us that we were meant to get in each other's business. That doesn't mean that we have license to gossip or spread the latest news via some way-too-informative "prayer requests," but if we're going to "warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone" (v. 15) - well, that's going to require getting in each other's business a little bit. All in love, of course. And not with a bunch of strangers, but in the context of a close community of faith (and what makes up that community will be different for everyone).
Do y'all have any thoughts about this? Any struggles with isolation? Ever been blessed by somebody getting up in your business?
It will come as no surprise that Beth brought the Word this past weekend in New Orleans. She also brought the funny. I mean, she was seriously funny. Which is why I love listening to her teach. I believe it was Dolly Parton as Truvy in "Steel Magnolias" who said, "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion".
And if it wasn't, please feel free to correct me in the comments.
Anyway, Beth taught on I Thessalonians 5:12-24. She focused on seven aspects of "The Holiness of Wholeness", but I'm just going to share the one that really spoke to me.
I Thessalonians 5:18 says, "...give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." I've always wrestled with this passage of scripture because there are a lot of circumstances that haven't made me feel like giving thanks. In fact, they've made me want to say, "WHAT THE HECK?"
Because life doesn't always go the way we think it should go.
Beth pointed out that the scripture doesn't say we should give thanks FOR the circumstances, but that we should give thanks IN them. Yes, there will be times that life is hard and complicated. Things won't make sense, but we don't have to say "Thank you God for all these things that don't make sense". We are just called to maintain a spirit of gratitude in the midst of them.
She said, "If we value what God values, then we will be grateful", and reminded us that "God is never up to something bad in our lives". So when we're in the middle of even the toughest road, we can know without a doubt that God is working all things together for good.
Our buddy Rich always provides us with incredible photographs after Living Proof Live or Deeper Still events, and this past weekend was no exception. In fact, I checked my email while I was still sitting in the New Orleans airport Saturday afternoon, and sure enough, I found two emails that were chock-full-o-great images.
You can't even imagine how grateful Melanie and I were, especially since the powerful flashes on our little point and shoot cameras pretty much just enable us to take some excellent pictures of the stage steps.
So anyway, as I was looking through Rich's photographs, I ran across this one, and I immediately decided it was my favorite. Because like so many of y'all, I am just wild about the five people you see below.
And I thought it would be oh-so-fun if we could give this picture a caption.
Fire away with your best one, everybody. You can leave as many captions as you'd like, but please leave each caption in a separate comment.
We'll close entries, this Friday, April 10th, and we'll round up some LifeWay folks to select a winner.
The prize? A copy of Kelly Minter's No Other Gods Bible study.
In the last few weeks I have completely quit watching the news. It's not that I want to bury my head in the sand, but, seriously, it's all gloom and doom.
I don't need another person to tell me that the economy is the worst since 1933 or unemployment is the highest since 1983. I get it. Things here in the world are bad.
But, you know what?
On Friday and Saturday this weekend I was in an arena full of almost 7,000 women praising the most high God. Praising Him in the midst of who-only-knows what kind of circumstances in their personal lives.
And all of a sudden, the world seemed a whole lot brighter.
"The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it." I Thessalonians 5:24
May2008_HomeLife_Cover.pdf
HomeLife Magazine readers, this one is for YOU! If you are planning on attending the Living Proof Live event this weekend in New Orleans, we've got a great opportunity for tthe first ten (10) HomeLife Magazine readers who come by our LifeWay Women booth to score some free LifeWay Women's resources.
It's simple.
Kris Seidenkranz and I will be working the booth - you won't be able to miss us! Drop by and share your personal HomeLife reader testimony with us - that is, if you have been changed by an article, photo or regular column found in LifeWay's HomeLife Magazine, we simply want you to share your story with us. We'll record it on video - the first ten to come by to tell us about your HomeLife experience will take home a new LifeWay Women product.
Plus, drop by and meet Sophie and Melanie, two of our other LifeWayAllAcess contributors. They'll be blogging for AllAccess about the event all weekend from right there at the New Orleans arena.
Sound fun? Hope to see you there!
Can't wait to meet you in person - see you in The Big Easy!
Pam & Kris
For the last couple of months I've been working my way through Priscilla Shirer's Discerning The Voice of God with my Bible study group. We have enjoyed the study so much - it is convicting and incredibly encouraging to study Scripture and be reminded how deeply God treasures us, how lovingly He speaks to us. I had some serious a-ha moments as I worked through the homework, and I know I'll go back to the lessons again and again.
Tonight our group will watch our final DVD session, and then we're moving on to Anne Graham Lotz's Pursuing More of Jesus (the video sessions for Pursuing are available online, by the way - I think that is SNAZZY). Anyway, yesterday I started to think about wrapping up one study and beginning another one, and I had me a brainstorm, oh yes I did.
Here is the gist of my brainstorm:
1. We're about to finish the Discerning DVDs.
2. My Bible study group would love to pass along the DVDs.
3. Maybe someone who reads AllAccess would like to use the DVDs in their church or Bible study.
I never said my brainstorm was, you know, fancy.
So, if you'd like to win the DVDs that accompany Discerning The Voice of God, just leave a comment and tell me when and how you plan to use them. I'll draw a winner randomly and announce the winner next Thursday, April 8th.
Melanie
Melanie
Sophie
Sophie
Pam
Pam
Paige
Paige
Kris
Kris