Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make - #7 Not understanding the important of Relational Networking

#7 Relational Networking

            An important aspect in women’s leadership is the relationships and networking that happens. Women are relational people. They are people who genuinely care about others and want to know them.  They realize that God brings people into their lives for a reason and that there are no chance meetings.  They understand the value of knowing where someone is coming from and understanding what their motivation is. For a woman to be a successful leader, to really make a difference, she has to value relationships and networking.

            Some time ago, I read a story in the newspaper of a new CEO of a Fortune 500 company who happened to be a woman.  She spent the first six months of her tenure visiting all the offices around the world and getting to know the employees. She knew the value of relationships and relational networking. For the employees to trust her, they needed to know her.

            I learned about relational networking by doing all those odd jobs (most of them for free) around the church.  I did not set out to be so relational, but God certainly sent me in that direction. By the time I went on full time staff and finally got to go to the big staff meeting, just about everyone in the room felt like they had contributed to me getting there. I will always remember my first staff meeting in the Harbor at First Houston and them going around the room, each taking credit for their part in my upbringing.  Do you know the best part about it, they are all right.  They had helped me grow and develop and had endured the moments of an over-excited housewife who wanted to see others come to Christ. I believe it was that day that forever sealed it in my mind that relationships were everything and that I had better remember that.

            There is another important truth in relationships that we must mention.  Good relationships mean that I give credit where credit is due.  It means that I want the best for those I am working with.  It means that we are in it together and that I am to encourage, build-up, and be the example for those I work with.  If someone does not get along with me, then I must take the responsibility to take the high road and strive to get along with him or her.  If I offend someone, I must go to him or her for forgiveness.  If someone is offended by me, then I still must go to this person.  It means that there is no room for jealousy, envy, or one-up-manship.  It calls for me to be above board and to always look at the best in people.  It means being a team member and a team leader.  It demands that I do not go around people but I go through them.  It is the realization that I can be replaced.  It is staying on my face before God and knowing that He cares about relationships and working together.  And most of all, for me, it is praising Him on a daily basis that He is the very reason that I am going to make a difference at all.  Basically, it is not about us.  Far too many women decide that they are due the leadership position and that they are out to take it – regardless of the relationships that are at stake.

Today's blog taken from Women Leading Women, The Biblical Model for the Church, chapter 5 written by Jaye Martin.

Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make - #6 Not being Balanced

#6 Balance

            The Proverbs 31 woman represents the ideal woman. She is one that was balanced in every area of her life. She made time for herself, her husband, and her children. She made sure that they were fed and had clothes to keep them warm. She got up early, worked all day, and stayed up late into the night. She did all kinds of things and yet she could not possibly have done them all at once. She had to have balance in her life.

            One of the problem areas for women today is balance. Women tend to wear lots of hats: daughter, sister, friend, mother, grandmother, aunt, worker, carpool driver, and the list goes on. We must keep our hat boxes with us at all times because we never know when we will need a different hat than the one we have on. It takes balance to keep everything going. I always try to remember that balance is tension between the sides. We must make sure our priorities in order and keep God’s perspective at the forefront to make sure that we make the right decisions. Our families must come first. We must always make time for them and for their needs. If other things seem to be taking this time away, then we must reevaluate everything.

            For those of us who work outside the home, this becomes a most challenging task. I am thankful that I was able to stay home with my daughter until she started kindergarten. Even then, the church was most understanding and encouraging about me needing to keep my home priorities in order. By the time I began traveling for North American Mission Board (NAMB), I was able to work from the house and was home much more than I was away. God has been gracious to provide working situations where I could do this and my husband has been the ultimate encourager and supporter. I realize that there will be days that balance seems to be an unachievable goal but God will make a way and will always be there to help us to stay balanced. Every day, we must seek God and His wisdom to stay balanced and focused. Those who do not stay balanced will come apart at the seams. To be in ministry means that we must stay balanced in our lives.

Today's blog taken from Women Leading Women, The Biblical Model for the Church, chapter 5 written by Jaye Martin.

Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make - #5 Not being able to make a Decision

#5 Decision making

            “Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit” (Eph 4:14) . This verse follows Paul's discussion on the body of Christ. He states that we are to ^“walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love, diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us” (Eph 4:1b-3). He goes on to say that gifts of the Spirit were given to us "for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12). When we are growing believers, we are no longer infants and so are not going to be tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by the wind. I often see Christian women who are blown by the wind, rather than led by the Spirit. 

            First of all, there are those who change their minds constantly. It has a lot to do with emotions and feelings. It can have a lot to do with having too many irons in the fire. The truth that I can base this on is that God does not change.  Numbers 23:19 is just one of many Scripture references that state that this is true: “God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes His mind. Does He speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?”

            If God does not change His mind, then why do we as women, feel it is okay to constantly change our minds depending on our emotions or feelings? We need to sit down and really spend time with the Father, hear his voice and follow through on what He tells us to do.  If we have not met with God on a subject, then we need to do so. Many women wait to see how they feel before they make a decision. That is why men see us as being wishy-washy. How would we feel if every other day, God changed His mind on what He had planned for us?  It is amazing to me that anyone ever takes women seriously.

            Not only do many of us change our minds, but sometimes we avoid the whole thing by not making a decision. The classic example goes something like this: I call a woman to lead a workshop at a conference. She needs time to pray about it and work out the details, that is a given.  She can't decide what she's going to speak on.  The message I have given is clear that I must know a certain amount of time in advance and that I will need her title, description and handouts by a designated date. Now I want us to remember that God does or does not want her to speak and if He does, then He already knows what she is to speak on and what she will need. When she does not have her info ready, she tries to convince me that God has not told her yet. It is not God's fault. It is hers. The problem is that she has not spent time with God on that subject long enough to get with His plan. We should not be tossed by the wind or blown by the waves. We need to sit with God, get his plan, commit to it and go with it.

            Secondly, many women tend to feel without thinking. Sometimes we even talk without thinking. We are blown by the circumstances around us. We may say, feel and even do whatever comes to our minds. That puts us on shaky ground and can create a storm of its own. Without time spent with the Lord on a daily basis, we leave our lives subject to the winds that blow by. Some of these winds can be cool and even fun. We have not gotten God's perspective on the situation because we are caught up in the emotion of the whole thing. Unless we have anchored ourselves to the Rock of Christ, we will be blown and tossed in every direction. If the only way the enemy can get to us is to blow us around a little bit, we can bet that He will.

            The lack of self-esteem is another reason women are wishy-washy. Women can feel a strong sense of inadequacy and therefore, change their tune with every passing wind. Look at the fashion trends out there. The fashion industry tells you that reds are back in style and what does everyone do?  They run out and buy something red. What does God think about that?  Well, he hasn't changed on the subject. The bottom line is, you won't know until you sit down and ask Him. You won't know until you are more concerned with what God thinks than what man thinks. Look at Galatians 1:10, “For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ” . We must ask God to help us to not be tossed by the winds of fashion or the winds of the world, but be led by the Spirit of God to please Him alone. When we tap into His purpose for our lives, we learn that we can be secure in Him. 

Today's blog taken from Women Leading Women, The Biblical Model for the Church, chapter 5 written by Jaye Martin.

Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make - #4 Not having Intergity

#4 - Having no Integrity

            Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God” Matt 5:8 . We are to be clean in heart. There should be no impurity in us. We should be free from a mixture of what is false or not genuine; blameless and innocent and unstained.  I can hear the passion in Paul's voice when he tells of his prayer in Philippians 1:9-11: "And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you can determine what really matters and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”  As we apply Paul's prayer to our lives, his prayer for us would be that our love would grow, that we would be in the Word and with the Father, so that we would be able to know what was pure.  He would also want us to be filled with the result of righteous living in order that God be praised and glorified to the extent that everyone one else could see it in order to make a kingdom difference. This was the purity that Jesus spoke of.  It is the purity that allows us to see God and allows others to see God in us.

            Another way to look at purity is integrity. Integrity is something that comes from the inside and reaches to the outside. Integrity is the essence of purity. Integrity is when beliefs, morals, and ethics are integrated and are one. It is our character and who we really are. Anything we do that does not line up with what we say we believe causes us to lack integrity. Without purity and integrity, others will not be able to understand the message of Christ in today's world. 

            Consistency would be one aspect of integrity. When we are consistent with what we say we believe and what how we live out that belief, then we have integrity. Consistency between what we say we believe and what we do is so important. I have said it many times that if I could boil it all down to one thing my parents did right, it was that they were consistent. What they said they believed on Sunday, they lived out on Monday. The lack of consistency and integrity messes up lives. Perfection is not what the world is looking for; but most people are looking for those with integrity who seek to be pure and holy vessels for God. People are drawn to those who they can trust and who try to live out what they believe. When our lives are clear of the debris, then we are about to make a difference in the world where God has placed us. 

Today's blog taken from Women Leading Women, The Biblical Model for the Church, chapter 5 written by Jaye Martin.

Count Your Blessings

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever." (Psalm 118:1)


If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of 100 people, with the existing ratios remaining the same, our world would consist of:  57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 N & S Americans, 8 Africans, 52 Females, 48 Males, 30 Whites, 70 Non-Whites, 30 Christians, 70 non-Christians, 6 people would own 59% of the wealth, 1 would own a computer, and 1 would be college educated.

• If you woke up this morning more healthy than ill, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive the week.
• If you have never experienced the danger of battle, or the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
• If you can attend church meetings without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
• If you have food in the fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over you head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the people in the world.
• If you have money in a bank,m in you wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
• If your parents are still alive and still married, you are rare.
• If you can read this, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

                                          Let us COUNT OUR BLESSINGS!!

Back 2 School Praying!

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it" Proverbs 22:6 ESV
"Point your kids in the right direction—when they're old they won't be lost." Proverbs 22:6 msg




"Whose child is this?" I asked one day
Seeing a little one out at play
"Mine", said the parent with a tender smile
"Mine to keep a little while
To bathe his hands and comb his hair
......To tell him what he is to wear
To prepare him that he may always be good
And each day do the things he should"

"Whose child is this?" I asked again
As the door opened and someone came in
"Mine", said the teacher with the same tender smile
"Mine, to keep just for a little while
To teach him how to be gentle and kind
To train and direct his dear little mind
To help him live by every rule
And get the best he can from school"

"Whose child is this?" I ask once more
Just as the little one entered the door
"Ours" said the parent and the teacher as they smiled
And each took the hand of the child
"Ours to love and train together
Ours this blessed task forever."

~Author Unknown~

Thanking God for Gifted2Go Moms In Touch = Praying For Students of All Ages and Their Teachers!! Praying With You All for a Blessed School Year!! ♥Jer.29:11-13♥

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I33ga28Kqxk (See You At The Pole 2011)

Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make - #3 Not taking Courageous Risks

#3 Courageous Risk-taking

            If we long to make a difference in the life we have on this earth, then we must be willing to be courageous and take risks. There is a great lesson that God gave to Joshua in Joshua 1:3-9. The Israelites were preparing to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land. God told them in verse 3-5 that He would give them every place where they set their feet. He would extend their territory and no one would be able to stand up against them all the days of their lives. He promised to be with them and never to leave or forsake them. God told Joshua three times to be strong and courageous. God also told Joshua how to do this. In verses 3-6, God showed that He was faithful. In verses 7-8, the command was given to meditate on His Word, and in verse 9, the reminder is there that God would always be with them. The only way to be strong and courageous is to depend on God's faithfulness, stay in the Word and to remember that He will walk with us every step or leap of the way. Courage is something we have to pursue. We can't just sit and wait for courage to come to us, we must go after it. 

            The other part of being courageous is that of taking risks. We must be willing to take risks but must also know when to take them. When we look at the concept of risk, timing is very important. I cannot help but think of the times that I rushed into one of my boss’s offices with a passion to talk (or at some times raise my voice) about a particular issue. I thank God that the times when I was in passionate pursuit and about to risk my job, that the one I was there to see was not there or had someone in his office. When God was in something and I was totally prayed up and calm, I could walk in and all the doors would be open and the timing was perfect.  Those of us willing to risk, must watch the timing so we do not ruin a good thing.

            In developing a national ministry to women in the area of evangelism, timing is very important.  Lots of prayer must go into when things take place.  Most of us want everything now.  We must learn to be strategic and get with God about His plan and His timing.  When we are in the Word on a daily basis, we will be sensitive to Him and He will help us to know when the timing is right.

Today's blog taken from Women Leading Women, The Biblical Model for the Church, chapter 5 written by Jaye Martin.

Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make - #2 Not being passionate about what they are doing

#2 Not being passionate about what they are doing

            Passion and purpose is something that only God can give. Effective women leaders are passionate and have a biblical direction to their passion. Think about the women leaders that you know. Chances are that God has given them a passion for something and they are enthusiastic about that purpose that God has called them to. Women follow women with passion and who know where they are going.

            We may think we are passionate about what God has called us to, but when we get out there with a little bump in the road, we can change our priorities in a hurry. Let someone question us or get upset with us and we are off and running, just sure that it was all a mistake and that we must not be on the right pathway.

            Passionate aim is something that God stirs deep within us. It is what drives us and motivates us. It makes us get up in the morning and keeps us from going to bed at night.  It occupies our time, our energy and all our very being.  Passionate aim is who we are in Christ. It is the driving force behind what we do and why you do it. It is who we are when no one else is around. It is what makes us tick. Passionate aim is what people need and want in their lives. 

            Jesus was passionate. He was passionate about His mission. He was passionate about spending time with the Father on a daily basis.  He was passionate about people and making sure they heard the message of truth and love and salvation.  He never tired of telling stories.  He never tired of healing souls.  It drove him in every area and walked Him to the cross.  Don't get the idea that He was never tired physically, because we know that He was.  But He never stopped His mission because a greater force, His heavenly Father, compelled him.

            I believe that God gives everyone a passion to fulfill the purpose or calling He has for his or her life.  Maybe that calling is in full-time ministry or maybe it is not.  Each one is called to know Christ, share Him, and lead others to do the same.  However, each one will do in with different gifts and in different ways.  Everyone won't be the big name speaker.  Everyone won't be Mother Theresa.  Women should be passionate about the ministry that God has called them to. Discover the reason you are in this world and make the most of it.  If you want to make a difference, you have to find out what your passion is.  You have to learn who you are and what gifts and talents you have and what God's plan is for your life.

            How do we do that?  As we sit down with the Father, He begins to unfold His plan for our lives.  What an incredible picture we see in Jeremiah 29:11-13, “’For I know the plans I have for you’ -[this is] the Lord’s declaration-‘plans for [your] welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” . God wants us to come to Him and seek Him. The best part is, He lets us find Him. He desires to give us His passion and purpose for our lives.

            Many make the mistake of thinking that their passion comes from within themselves.  Passion can come from anywhere but the passion that changes lives is the passion that comes from God. He does not count on us mustering up something ourselves, in fact, I am quite sure that He plans on being the sole supplier of our passion. When it comes from Him and we spend time with Him, then He can grow and develop the passion that He has placed within us.

Today's post taken from Women Leading Women: The Biblical Model for the Church, chapter 5, written by Jaye Martin.

Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make - #1 Not being faithful with small

#1 Not being faithful with small

His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' (Matthew 25:21, ESV).

Has God given you something to do, but you have not gotten around to doing it yet? Hmm...then you just broke the first law of my list of things that net in you being an ineffective leader...not good! Stop reading this and go do it!

One of the mistakes I have made (and seriously, still make) is that I'm so busy planning ahead with God that i forget to do the basic things first! Maybe I'd been asked to teach somewhere and instead of preparing, I can catch myself planning my next book. And can you even imagine writing a blog rather than working on the first and important step of writing my dissertation? Maybe you are in the same boat. God has asked you to do something that seems small and insignificant: making a phone call to a lost friend, getting to know the new neighbor (who moved in months ago and I have still not met), or something as simple as picking up my room. Whatever the task, when God asks us to do something - no matter how small - we are to do it...immediately.

When we do the small things, He honors the obedience and gives us bigger things to handle and be in charge of. Let's be faithful with small today. What is He telling YOU to do? Go! You are gifted2go do it!

Praying with you to be faithful in the small things!

Top Ten Mistakes Women Leaders Make

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21, ESV).

If you have been in leadership for very long, you've made a few mistakes. I've done alot of research in the area (both in Christian and secular material) and over the next few weekends, I want to share these with you. If you happen to be near Oklahoma City, come join me at First Baptist Church, Moore, OK where I will speak in the morning session on, "GIFTED: Created to Make a Difference." During the side shows, I will have two breakouts, one on Gifted2go and one on these same top ten mistakes. Details on the Baptist Convention of Oklahoma's website: http://www.bgco.org/ministries/women%e2%80%99s/sweet-experience.

I have to admit that I am pumped about all my topics but I can't wait to see some great ladies who are also on the program! Kelly King will be an awesome ringleader, and I must find time to be with Becky Badry, Andrea Mullins, Teresa Brady, Alicia Wong, and more at Moore! Come one come all! We will all be there on Saturday, August 27! If you can't be there in person, we'd love your prayers for God to move!

I will start posting some of the top ten mistakes tomorrow!

Conversation Seasoned with Grace

"The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.  It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."  (James 3:5-6)

I was looking through some interesting papers at my Mom's house this summer and I found an old index card with some practical questions to ask ourselves about our speech and our conduct.  Our speech is one of the main things that reflects our walk with Christ as well as our actions.  The questions are centered around the acrostic "think."  

                                                             T - Is it thoughtful?

                                                             H - Is it honest?

                                                              I - Is it intelligent?

                                                             N - Is it necessary?

                                                             K - Is it kind?

If so, then it probably okay for me to say or do it!  "Lord, let us all THINK about what we say and do!!"

(The next few Fridays I will be sharing some helps for newsletters, some illustrations for talks on evangelism, or illustrations to use in evangelism.)

Overwhelmed?

A new semester begins today at Southern Seminary. I am already feeling overwhelmed...and I am a teacher! I cannot even imagine what the students are feeling. (With my dissertation still looming over my head, maybe I can imagine...)

Read these selected verses from Psalm 41 (ESV). They brought peace to my soul this morning:

41:1 Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment...

9 you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”;
10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

11 Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish.
12 You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all.
13 For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

14 Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord;
your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff;
16 you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the Lord; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.

17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.18 I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.19 I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together,
20 that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.

As a leader under God, we are never to be overwhelmed...except with His presence! Know that He is available to help you and walk with you today...and every day. Spread the Good News!

II John 12,13

"I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink.  Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.  The children of your chosen sister send their greetings."  (II John 12,13)

Isn't it neat to see how John ends this short letter?  He starts out sharing his heart and affection for the recipients and he closes it with affection and love.  This is a good model for us when we need to correct or rebuke someone.  Start off with affection, share the truth and the warnings, and end with affection with affirmation in the person. I have heard it said before that in order to be effective anytime a rebuke is made, the proportion should be 90% affirmation and 10% rebuke.

The New Application Commentary of II John says that II John "was meant to warn....and was motivated by love."  Akin says in his commentary that "When we make a skillful pleasing defense of what we believe in and then back it up with good works, we create a wonderful message.  We need to argue forcefully and candidly while demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ to the world."

Some conclusions we can draw from this short "postcard" epistle is that:

• Loving God means obeying His commandments, not just saying the right words or looking for "feelings".
• There are many deceivers in the world and we need to "watch out" for anything that distorts the message of the gospel.
• Be aware that one of the main deceptions in the world today is that there is no absolute truth and every person is free to decide what is right for himself/herself.
• The opposition in this letter is not about modes of baptism, structure of the Sunday morning service, beliefs about charismatic gifts, etc. but is an attack on the theological basis of our Jesus Christ and our salvation.
• We must walk in love and truth.

Planning Ahead With Purpose!

"A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is! The way of life winds upward for the wise, That he may turn away from hell below." Proverbs 15:23-24 NKJV


"To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:..." Ecc.3:1 NKJV
I love how God created the seasons and how He causes them to change...just about every 3 months. Right now, with the temperature over 100 degrees everyday, it doesn't "feel" like a new season is coming, BUT IT IS!!! "Autumn~Fall" is about to be in the air and this is a great time to do some evangelistic planning ahead with purpose!

As we look at the calendar we are already beginning to prepare for the seasonal activities that we know are about to take place in our lives and in the lives of others around us: Back-to-School, Muffins with Mom, Donuts with Dad, Moving back to College Campuses, Posting upcoming Fall Family Activities on the calendar, and more!

During the new season we are about to enter, let's ask God to help us see opportunities to share Jesus using some creative "seasonal" ideas.
God has created you with your creative thoughts and gifted you through His Spirit to share Him with others through His Strength & Courage! I would like to encourage all of you to finish today's blog by sharing 3 of your ideas with all of us! You can share your ideas in one of several ways; on this blog at the bottom, on my facebook page, or you can send me your ideas by my e-mail address and I will post them for you...as we share ideas and read the ideas of others please put the ideas into practice as we are networking together to make this a Fresh Season Full of our Savior:-)!

Ok, I will get us started with a couple of ways that I have has the privilege of sharing Jesus during the Autumn~Fall season of life:
Back to School Backpacks: Shared with moms/children that are visitors at church; the backpacks can be filled with school supplies-snacks & age appropriate witnessing booklets (1 for child & 1 for parent)!
9-11 Patriot Cups of Encouragement: Since the tragic attack that our Nation went through on September 11th, this year will be monumental as there will be a "10 years since 9/11 focus", ask God to use this time of the year as an opportunity to reach out to military families-veterans-anyone that may serve our nation in anyway; you can use a coffecup/mug/teacup that you already have (if you are like me you have extras!) Fill this cup of encouragement with small tokens of God's Love (scripture cards/bookmark/candy/small lotion/tea bag/individual coffee bags/etc.) BUT most of all include the Good News of Jesus Christ through a witnessing booklet!
Fall Festival of Faith: As your church or community holds Fall events...what are some ways that we can take that day and make it "the Lord's Day" and fill it with ideas that point others to Jesus?

Praying that the new Season we are entering will be "A New Season to Share our Savior" in many new creative ways!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB6jhbtDUZE (Turn! Turn! Turn!) [can you tell we are READY for this HOT weather to CHANGE!:-)Ha!]

Overcoming Fear

"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.  Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with {me} in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity"  (2 Timothy 1:7-9, NAS).

Fear is not from the Lord. I have to keep reminding myself of that little fact. In Paul's second letter to Timothy, he writes that God has not given us a fear or a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and discipline. When we tap into the power of the Holy Spirit, the love of the Lord, and continue in the discipline of a sound mind, God is faithful to remove the fear. We are to never be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

On Saturday, I was blessed to see and hear Governor Rick Perry express his faith in the lordship of Jesus Christ, with no apologies! The Response prayer rally in Houston was centered on the saving blood of Jesus and on prayer for our nation. Those in all walks of the Christian faith came together to pour out their hearts for God to be known and to heal our land. In the days to come, may we all be so bold as to un-apologetically share our faith and pray for our nation!

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14, KJV).

“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. (Mark 9:39-40, NIV).

"We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry" (2 Corinthians 6:3, ESV).

The Response: A Day of Prayer

Today, thousands gather in Houston, Texas for a day of prayer for our nation. To listen to The Response Livestream, go to this link: http://theresponseusa.com/

Join us as we pray for of nation. What is your response? How does God want you to be involved?

II John 7-11

"Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world.  Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.  Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.  Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God, whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.  Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work." (II John 7-11)

In this passage, John gets to the main part of his message.  He is warning the recipients about a heresy that has been intruding into the church--it is a heresy called Gnosticism that totally denies that Jesus was fully human and fully God.  the phrase" runs ahead" meant to go beyond.  "Any development in theology that does not continue in the teaching of Christ is to be condemned and rejected without compromise.  there is no place for any type of universalism or inclusivism."  (Akin, Commentary on I, II, and III John)

Any false teaching will cause disruption and division.  He is telling them to "Watch out!"  There are many false teachings in our culture today that are creeping into the church.  It can be easy for some people to water down the gospel to please others or question whether or not absolute truth exists.  Today, in our current lives, we must watch out that the doctrine of Jesus Christ remains true.  We must constantly be on guard for anything that would distort the truth.

John has another command in this passage that says "do not take him into your house or welcome him..."  this is NOT talking about building a relationship with an unbeliever in order to talk to him/her about Christ.   What he is saying is not to help anyone who is spreading false teaching.  We should not give anyone assistance to anyone who is trying to distort the truth of Jesus Christ.  For example, we should not let Mormons use our church buildings for a function or allow them to come and preach.  That would give blessing or a platform for a heretical group to spread their doctrine.  We are commanded not to do this.

We must not dilute the message of salvation nor reduce Christ to something less than what He is.

This week, let's evaluate the teachings of Christ and His Word by scrutinizing TV shows movies, commercials, magazine ads, newspaper articles, etc. and  see if we can recognize ways that the truth of the Gospel and of God's Word is being maimed or minimized. 

Henna Drawing Contest

Announcing:
Henna Drawing Contest!





Jaye Martin Group (JMG) will choose up to five simple drawings for use in henna evangelism. Those with wiinning original designs will be paid $50 for each one.

Selected designs should follow these guidelines:

1. Submissions should be one design per page, 8 1/2" x 11", in PDF or scanned format. If selected, originator agrees to send the original document, paint, publisher, or other file.
2. Design should be no larger than 3" x 6" (actual size) and no smaller than 2" x 3".
3. Pattern should be simple enough to be reproduced in henna.
4. The henna pattern should tell the gospel story. Two examples would be to use the HeartCall method (heart, cross, & arrow) or the Gifted2go concept (empty box, cross in box, and bow). However, any simple design that communicates the gospel will be considered.
5. Designs should be emailed to jaye@jayemartin.com by midnight, August 20, 2011.
6. The gospel presentation does not have to be included but if the design follows a certain verse or format, that can be included in the email or on the design page.
7. Winners will be notified by September 1, 2011.
8. Winners will be listed on this blog: http://jayemartin.blogspot.com/.
9. Designs become the property of JMG.

A great website about using henna evangelism is http://www.go2southasia.org/resource/evangelism/henna/.
These designs are beautiful and quite complicated and we would like to simplify the process so that any woman could draw the designs in ink or henna, sharing the gospel message as she draws.

Just to get you started, here are some ideas that might be converted into a henna pattern:

Another place where there are lots of ideas for henna is on etsy.com. Search henna and just look at all the designs! http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?search_submit=&q=henna&order=date_desc&view_type=gallery&ship_to=US

May God grant you lots of ideas and the time to put your design ideas on paper!

If you have other ideas for creative evangelism, please post them on this site! Please pass this on!

CALL on Him!

"One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray..." Luke 11:1

In "HeartCall: A New Heart" (http://www.namb.net/heartcall/), which is a free downloadable simple discipleship guide, session seven teaches about Prayer! I would like to share with you the simple Pattern for Prayer - A CALL to Prayer that is written in "A New Heart". Please feel free to download "A New Heart" and share it with others!!

"This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Matthew 6:9-13

In these verses (Matt. 6:9-13), we see some specific steps to take as we pray. Jesus is calling us to have a lifestyle of prayer as we share heart to heart with Him. Every believer is called to prayer. God is always there, always listening, and always has an answer to our prayers based on His Perfect Will! Don't you love to talk with someone that loves you and always has your best interest in mind? God is the one that loves you more than anyone else and He has a special plan for your life! (Jer.29:11-13) Let's look and learn a simple pattern for prayer using the acrostic CALL:

Confess your sins so God will hear your Prayer! "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Matt. 6:12

Confessing your sins is simply admitting to God the things that you have done that are not pleasing to Him. Psalm 32:5 teaches confession, repentance, and forgiveness. Take some time to write Psalm 32:5 in your own words. Read Psalm 103:3, & 8-12. According to these verses, what does God do with your sin when you confess it to Him and turn away from it? Confession is a Key to our Prayers being heard by God!

Adore God for who He is as we praise Him! "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." Matthew 6:9

To "adore" is to praise, respect, love, cherish, honor, esteem highly, worship, idolize, and much more. God is the ONLY ONE that is worthy of our total adoration! He Is Holy!! Read Psalm 63. Fill in the blanks of Psalm 63:3-4 "Because your __________is better than _________, my _________will __________ you. I will __________ you as long as I __________, and in __________ __________ I will lift up my hands." Psalm 63:3-4. Let's pause right now and pray a prayer of adoration and praise to God as we admire Him for Who He Is! Write down some of the words of adoration and praise that you just shared with God in prayer.

Let go and trust God to provide for your daily needs! "Give us today our daily bread." Matthew 6:11

God knows what you need and He wants you to turn to Him for everything! Are you totally depending on God? He is your daily provider in every area of your life. When you pray and ask Him to provide for your "daily bread", you are acknowledging that God is in control of your life. As you pray and communicate to God that you trust Him, you are letting go and letting God have control of your life!! You can TRUST God!!! He will never leave you, forsake you, or let you down...fall into His arms, let go, and let God have control of everything in your life! Make a list of all the burdens, cares, or concerns that are in your life today. Write down a commitment to God, sharing with Him the 100% trust you have placed in Him. If there is a struggle with trusting God, pray and ask Him to help you and teach you how to trust Him, He will answer your prayer!!

Lift up your requests to God, thanking Him for every answer to prayer! "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven...And lead us not into temptation, deliver us from the evil one." Matthew 6:10, 13

As you pray, God wants you to lift up your specific needs, one by one, as you ask Him for His Will to be done. God has a special purpose for each one of His children! Ask God to show you His special purpose for your life. He will! It is important to also ask God for help to live for Him daily as you stay away from evil. When (not if) you are tempted by the enemy, God will provide the protection and deliverance you need to have Victory over temptation. You can live a victorious life in Christ that is dedicated to God daily through prayer!! Read Psalm 141:1-2 and make a list of the prayer requests that you have. According to these verses, how should you begin your day? Set a specific time and place that you go to God in prayer daily. Keep a record, a prayer journal, of your prayer time with God. You may want to us a spiral notebook, tablet of paper, prayer folder on your computer, or journal to keep a HIStory of prayer requests and answers to prayer!

When we lift up everything to God through prayer, we will have the peace of God ruling in our lives! Prayer protects our heart and mind because we are using prayer as a guard in Jesus Name!! Let's ask God to turn our worries into prayers. The more we pray, that less we will experience anxiety (Phil. 4:6-7). This sounds like a Prescription for Peace = Confess, Adore, Let-go, and Lift-up...CALL on GOD today!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmiebkAEzfc (When I Call on Jesus! by Nicole Mullen)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCtnCoYYWhU (Let Us Pray! by Steven Curtis Chapman)

change

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. But they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved” (Matt 9:17, HCSB).

Change is difficult, even when it is the right thing to do. Sometimes as a ministry leader, we need to lead change. In fact, change is a necessary part of the Christian life. We are to change to be more Christlike, we are to change our desires for God's desires, and we need to adapt to change that happens in relationships and in ministries. No one ever said it was easy.

As I look at the changes going on in my own life right now, I'm reminded of the points in my Women Leading Women chapter (14) on change:

1. Seek God and His Timing
2. Seek Wise Counsel
3. Set the Direction
4. Share the Changes
5. Choose to Change
6. Continue to Change

The challenge of the change IS the change. Whatever we are going through, we just need to continue to seek God and continue to seek Him through each step of the way. The good news is: He is faithful! He will continue to be there as we continue to change to be like Christ.

You know you are loved,
Jaye