Christianity is a Team Sport!

"Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.


The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”  On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."  1 Corinthians 12:15-26 NIV

As a first-generation Christian, I was not raised in a Christian home or ever heard the name of Jesus until I was 22 years old.  But at the age of 22, Praise the Lord, someone shared John 3:16 with me and I RAN TO JESUS and gave Him my LIFE and accepted ETERNAL LIFE!♥  My life has NEVER been the same since that day 7/21/85! 

Before I gave my life to Jesus, there were little gods in my life, lost people look like lost people and they fill the voids of their lives up with whatever they can to find temporary fulfillment.  One of my gods, growing up as a lost person, was sports.  I searched for fulfillment & purpose through the involvement in sports.  I saturated my life in one sport after another, therefore I clearly remember the process of becoming a part of a team.  I remember how teammates were picked, usually the most popular or strongest athlete was chosen first and then the process would continue until all the people going out for that specific team sport was placed on a team.  The saddest thing to me was the people that remained unchosen or unpicked until the very end of the team building process.  I remember how I felt about the process of choosing a team.  Those that were left out until the end were often looking down, with an ashamed downcast look on their face.  I felt sorry for those left out.

Today, as a growing Christian that is striving to know God, share Him, and lead others to do the same, God has brought many women to cross my path that have shared with me their feelings of being left out, looked over, or are still waiting to be chosen to be a part of a team at church/the body of Christ/Christianity.  This should never be!  There should be a plan in place so that everyone has the opportunity to be a part of God's Team because as we read above from 1 Corinthians 12:15-26, there is not one member of the body of Christ that we can say to them, "you are not needed"! 

Being a Christian is a Team Sport, everyone is needed, and there is no "I" in the word TEAM.  Being a Christian is a Team Sport and there should not be a spirit of competition between Teammates.  Today's encouragement is to remind us all that everyone is a special, unique, and important part of the body of Christ!  When anyone is left out or looked over, the body of Christ, is not complete and there will be dysfunction because God has a special plan and purpose for every believer!  When the same people are chosen over and over it sends the wrong message to those that are hoping to be included!

• Look for those that are Left Out!  Open your circle to new members! 
• Look out to those that are Left Out!  Come alongside of those that need to be included!
• Look for ways to include those that are Left Out!  Create a plan of action to do away with rejection!
• Look for opportunities to serve the Lord on a growing Team so that no one is Left Out! 

There are many people all around us that need the Lord.  They are seaching for belonging, purpose, and a team/family that is forever.  As Christians, we have the answer to what they are searching for, and His name is Jesus!  What a joy and privilege it is to share Jesus with those that need Him, it is the passion and purpose of my life!  HeartCall and Gifted2Go are some of the powerful evangelistic tools that have been created to help us share Jesus with those that need Him!  As His evangelistic leaders, we are here to encourage you and equip you as you share Jesus with others.  Please always feel free to message us or e-mail us with any questions you may have or encouragement you may need as you follow God's Plan for your life.  As Christians, we are all on His Team and everyone is needed!
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAWeHo8E70E  (If We Are The Body-Casting Crowns)

You Are A Leader!

It has been said that we are all leaders in one way or another. We are leading someone! Let's think about those around us that may be looking to us or at us for leadership. What kind of a leader for the Lord are others seeing?


Today's BLOG includes 5 simple but important keys to being an effective leader that God can use evangelistically for His Glory:

5 Keys To Effective Leadership that God can use to make a difference!

1. Effective Leaders HUMBLE themselves and allow God to USE them as leaders! (1 Peter 5:16, Phil. 2:5-11)


2. Effective Leaders FOLLOW AFTER Jesus instead of RUNNING AHEAD on their own!
(Mark 10:43-44)


3. Effective Leaders GIVE UP selfish desires to find true satisfaction in SERVING OTHERS! (Mark 10:45)


4. Effective Leaders TRUST God with all of their life and BELIEVE that God has a PLAN for everyone to be SAVED! (Proverbs 3:5-6, Jer.29:11-13)


5. Effective Leaders FOLLOW Jesus’ example of LEADERSHIP and are willing to REACH OUT to others!
(John 13:4-5, 12-17)

As you follow the Lord, He will keep making you an effective leader that He can use to reach others!! You are Gifted2Go!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-bXyd40ACM ("Face to Face" is a youth drama team from Bethlehem First Baptist Church in Bethlehem, GA. They wrote the interp to Casting Crowns' song, "If We Are The Body.")

Simple Anti-Stress Time Management!

Accept the life-time anti-stress guarantee that Jesus offers us all:

Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." Mark 6:31a


Years ago in one of my Women's Ministry Leadership Classes the words that were shared made an impact on my life when it came to leadership and times management that I wanted to learn how to practice, especially when my life schedule is full: We learned the 3 D's of Leadership = Decide, Delegate, Disappear!

Exodus chapter 18 teaches a great lesson on the 3 D's of Leadership. Let's learn from the wise counsel given to Moses from his father-in-law, Jethro, in Exodus 18:18-23;

"Moses’ father-in-law (Jethro) replied, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”

Here is one of the keys to Moses finding a yoke and burden that fit him instead of being worn out all the time, we see the key in verse 24 "Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said."!!! Do you have a Jethro in your life? Someone that will give you godly wise counsel? Let's Listen & Live Stress Free!!

In my words:

1. Make a daily list of what needs to be done "right now" including a simple plan on how to get things on your list done! If I fail to plan I am planning to fail! (Decide)

2. Involve others, Ask for help! It is good to include and even hire some extra help from time to time when your calendar is very full. Also be willing to say "no, thank you" to overextending yourself or too many activities. No for you means Yes for someone else! Involving others is also a great witness, think about the people in our lives that are searching for purpose and meaning that is only found in Jesus Christ! You could be adding a blessing to other lives while they help you in your life! (Delegate)

3. Rejoice & Rest In The Lord!! (Disappear ~ Let Go ~ Trust God)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKzKQoIyGJU&feature=related (All To Jesus I Surrender!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPPSG_SpojY&feature=related (It Is Well With My Soul)