A Time for Dancing

Psalm 149:1-4  "Praise the Lord.  Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.  Let Israel rejoice in their Maker.  Let the people of Zion be glad in their King.  Let them praise his name with DANCING and make music to him with tambourine and harp.  For the Lord takes delight in his people, he crowns the humble with salvation."

Ballroom dancing!!!  What does that have to do with anything????  My husband and I decided that we needed to be intentional about meeting new people who did not live in a seminary or Christian school "bubble."  So, we signed up for free ballroom dancing lessons for 8 weeks.  This was something definitely out of our comfort zone, but it has given us the opportunity to meet new people.  We have especially formed a friendship with the instructor and her husband and have met them for dinner the past two weeks.  They were surprised that a Baptist preacher was in a ballroom dancing class, but that totally broke down any barriers about Tim being a "preacher."   We listened to them share about their lives and told them a bit about what we both did; the second week, before they even said hello, they said: "Tim, where is the church where you are preaching?  We would like to come here you."   They expressed their desire to come to "his" church.  Tim and I pray that we will continue to be intentional about looking for opportunities to build relationships and share what He has called us to do. 

check that off?

Romans 11:35-36 reads, "Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen" (Holman Christian Standard Bible).  


This afternoon, I saw an exercise t-shirt that read, "Check that off!"  It made me question myself, "Do I sometimes obey God like it is a check-off for my to-do list?"  Do we obey Him out of habit?  

God's grace and mercy make His character stand out.  God meets us where we are, no matter how messy life can seem. Action and obedience are important, yet it is God who gives us the strength to follow as we believe in, turn to and trust in Him.

I pray that we will share the Good News of His grace.  We can take a deep breath and rest in knowing that He loves us and is there to guide us every step of the way.


Flashback: 2007 music video by Switchfoot, "You Already Take Me There" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l1KgHI5GxA

God, Women, and Southern Seminary

Learn to minister to young women at the W conference. http://events.sbts.edu/wconference

Read the Baptist Press article to learn more about what God is doing with Women at Southern!
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=33943

Don't Forget Your Neighbors

"The second [commandment] is this:  Love your neighbor as yourself.''' (Mark 12:31)

As I have still been thinking about the article from last week on the Puritan pastor, Richard Baxter, I was convicted of his challenge about neighbors. He says:  "Christians must also recognize their responsibility to their neighbors.  Believers should speak to their neighbors about Christ, and not stop, 'till death hath stopped your mouths, or stopped their ears.'"  Christians need to go to their neighbors' houses to converse with them concerning spiritual things.  'Take all the opportunities that you possibly you can.' Baxter exhorted, 'to confer with them privately about their states, and to instruct and help them to the attaining of salvation.'" (Beougher, Tim.  "Richard Baxter and Puritan Evangelism")

My husband and I need to make a plan--set a date-- to get the neighbors on our cul-de-sac together (we have a lot of new neighbors within the past year).  We talk about it.  We think about it.  But we need to PLAN it--just a simple dessert fellowship.  Baxter has given me the little "push" I needed to do more than just think about it!

penetrating light

"Lord, You are my lamp; the Lord illuminates my darkness."
-2 Samuel 22:29, HCSB

This Sunday, I admired my church's candelabras.  I love candles and their vintage look; also, I think there is something deeper about our attraction to light.  Light can symbolize truth and understanding.  When we believe in the power of the Bible as God's true Word, then God can guide us as we read.  His Word brings "light" to life, and we can pray to ask him to help us follow His way through whatever we are facing that day. 

A man at my work the other day was telling me about how whenever he hears his pastor speak, it is like it is speaking directly to him.  He said it seems to meet him, right where he is.  It's like God knew exactly what he needed to hear. 

That is one thing that I love about the Bible; God's words penetrate me, and it reminds me of how awe-inspiring God is.  His very nature is loving, powerful and wise.  Will we try to help others see how much the Bible relates to everyday life and of our need for Christ? 

How can we share His Word with someone today?

"God, Your faithful love is so valuable that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They are filled from the abundance of Your house;
You let them drink from Your refreshing stream,
for with You is life's fountain.
In Your light we will see light."
-Psalm 36:7-9, HCSB

(photo from etsy.com)

Greetings Gifted2Go Girls!

I am Fired Up! WOW, we have been blessed beyond words with the launching of another Spirit-Filled vision from the heart of one of today's gifted evangelistic Christian woman leaders that is on the front lines of ministry, Jaye Martin! Gifted2Go evangelistic events and resources help equip those that know the Lord to share the Lord with those that need the Lord!! If we have accepted The GIFT of All GIFTS~JESUS, you are Gifted2Go...Can I hear a huge AMEN!!? AMEN!!!!

Gifted2Go Arkansas is THIS WEEKEND 10/21/10-10/23/10! Thank You for your prayers, we are fired up and excited to Share His Gifts as We GO!!! You can GO too as a Gifted2GO Praying Friend, thank you for praying as the Lord leads you!!

I am always humbled by Jaye's invitations to serve on her evangelistic ministry team!! When God put our lives together almost 15 years ago, He blessed my life one of the most special GIFTS that I could of every have been given and I will forever be grateful in ways that are too many to count!

It is an exciting day we live in when Creative Strategic Evangelistic Leadership for Women can take place over the Internet as it is used as a gift from God for an evangelistic tool for our postmodern lives! God is faithful to equip us in the Gifts He has given as we Go and share Him through our lives, think with me how He is using blogs, e-mail, websites, instant messages, texting, christian music videos on the Internet, social networks, and the list goes on!! What are some "postmodern" ways that you are seeing Him at work? In our evangelistic gifted2go lives, one way God reminds us and encourages us through His Word as each of us have been given at least one gift or more from God so that He can minister through us, here are a couple of promises that God has encouraged and equipped my life with: "Do not neglect the gift that is in you..." 1 Timothy 4:14a "Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze (I LOVE that word!) the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment." 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (HCSB)

We are full of great anticipation and expectation as we have the privilege of being encouraged and equipped through these Internet blogging waves! As a first-generation Christian, there are so many "firsts" that God has lovingly poured out upon my life that I look forward to sharing with you in the blogs to come, but right now I am experiencing my "first blog" and I thank you for your input and patience with great joy! This BLOGasphere (God may even give us some new first words:-)!) is amazing, just to think, that we are connecting from all over the world as we share from a keyboard, Dear Lord, let this set us ablaze in a new fresh gifted way for your Glory!
We are looking forward in the days, months, years...until Jesus' return of the joy to serve you, pray for you, and cheer you on as The Lord "keeps ablaze the gift of God that is in you" (2 Tim. 1:6b) Please know of my constant prayers for you and my availability to you in any way as the Lord leads us through His Spirit & His Word! One of my prayers, as I close my very first BLOG that I think may have been longer than I expected, is that I pray that you will feel the freedom to share what God has on your heart to evangelistically encourage others or receive encouragement yourself as we are all Gifted2Go praying friends looking to Jesus = The Greatest Gifts for ALL! Go God!!

Cheering You On In The Gifted2Go Blazing Joy Journey With Jesus,
Tracy
Ephesians 3:14-21
2 Corinthians 9:2b

Let the leaves fall

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8, ESV).


I don't usually rent a car when I am in Louisville, but for several reasons, I had one last week. What a joy it was to get to drive around and enjoy the beautiful fall leaves. I have to admit that fall is one of my favorite times of the year. I'm afraid in Houston we don't get enough of it.
 
I was driving down the road and all of a sudden, a quick gust of wind blew across the road and with it came a host of leaves, dancing right in front of my windshield. It was a beautiful sight to behold. It was as if I had been lifted up and was floating! The dead leaves from the trees were being brushed away to reveal the beautiful ones still hanging.
 
It reminded me of how God's Spirit works. He comes down at the most unexpected times, lifts our spirits, cleans up the dead leaves in our lives, and reminds us that there is beautiful changing work that He is doing among us.What a beautiful thing to remember! God is always at work. He desires to work in our lives and in the lives of those we meet.
 
Let's remember to look for the Holy Spirit's work as we go. We never know when His Spirit will fall fresh upon us on on the lives of those we are trying to reach.
 
How can you make a difference in the lives of young women? Bring them to the W conference!
http://events.sbts.edu/wconference