Remember!

May 29, 2010Leave a comment

It was great to be with all of you last week at Positive Woman Connection. We had the great privilege of hearing Mary James speak and sing. What a blessing! I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Here’s a little devotional thought about Memorial Day:

”Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Jesus

Perhaps you are familiar with Eddie Rckenbacker (1892 – 1973). He was one of the most celebrated American aviators in France during WWI. In WWII he was asked to go on a special mission to inspect Pacific air bases. During one of these tours his plane was shot down and he was forced to land in the Pacific. For 24 days and nearly hopeless conditions, Eddie and seven other men drifted aimlessly in the open sea. The crew would have died due to exposure and dehydration if Eddie (the oldest person on the raft) had not encouraged them that they would make it. You can read their story in the book Seven Came Through (1943). Eddie was a courageous leader. It is fitting to highlight the following quote about by Eddie as we celebrate Memorial Day.

I pray to God every night of my life to be given the strength and power to continue my efforts to inspire in others the interest, the obligation and the responsibilities that we owe to this land for the sake of future generations – for my boys and girls – so that we can always look back when the candle of life burns low and say, “Thank God I have contributed my best to the land that contributed so much to me.” (source: America’s God and Country, compiled by William J. Federer)

This weekend as we enjoy the Memorial Day festivities, may we reflect on the great price that was paid for us to enjoy the blessings of living in this great nation. Let us always remember with gratitude the sacrificial service countless men and women have given to this country. As you enjoy a day off of work or school, take a moment to thank God for the blessings we so richly enjoy. And before you head off to the ballpark or to fire up the grill stop and thank God for the people who have paid a great price for us.

Thank you Lord for the lives of the brave men and women who have given their life in military service for our country. Thank you for the courageous example they set for us. Thank you for the freedom they preserve for us. Father God, be with their families. Comfort them and strengthen them. We shall never forget the gift they have given this country.

Still in the Midst

May 24, 2010Leave a comment

It’s Positive Woman Connection Week and I’m so excited to see you. We will have a special guest, Mary James, sharing her testimony and singing. It will be a treat. Also, at our Prestonwood location we will be having Wendy Pryne’s Ministry Gift Shop as a fund raiser to help with scholorships. I will be giving a brief recap of Philippians too. It’s going to be a great day. I look forward to seeing you there. If you will be at the Prestonwood location please RSVP to donna at dskell@roaringlambsministries.org

Here is a devotional for you to ponder:

“Dwell deep in the hidden life of God. The cedar grows more beneath the ground than above it.” A.B. Simpson

The month of May is an exceptionally busy time for moms. School programs, class parties, school trips, graduations, field days can all make us as frazzled and fractured as the holiday season. Now is the time to take a deep breath and deliberately step aside to have some quiet moments with just you and God. You may be thinking, What? Didn’t you just say this is the busiest time of the year? How in the world can I make time to be alone with God?

It is possible, but you have to be intentional about quiet alone time. Consider your typical routine and determine when you can have 15 – 20 minutes to just be still and know that He is God. It may look differently for each one of us. For you, it may be just after everyone is put to bed, or during nap time, or waiting in carpool line or perhaps early in the morning. Instead of doing one more thing that you think needs to get done or instead of making that phone while waiting for the kids, turn your eyes upward and quietly focus on the God who loves you.

Keep a Bible or devotional with you and take a moment to turn your cares over to God. Ask Him for strength and direction to order your days and allow Him to speak to you through His Word. Listen to God’s invitation to you to be still and know that He is God. It is amazing to me that the God of all creation encourages us to dwell and abide with Him. Here are a few quotes to remind you of how precious and important our time alone with God is to our daily lives.

“The Christian is strong or weak depending upon how closely he has cultivated the knowledge of God.” A.W. Tozer

“Live near to God and all things will appear little to you in comparison with eternal realities.” Robert Murray M’Cheyne

“Oh for closest communion with God, till soul and body – hand, face and heart- shine with divine brilliancy! But oh for a holy ignorance of our shining!” Robert Murray M’Cheyne

“The nearer we come to God, the more graciously will he reveal himself to us.” C.H. Spurgeon

The Power of Connection

May 16, 2010Leave a comment

Hello! Can’t to see you on May 25 or 26 as we have a special guest, Mary James. I know you will love her. Be sure to make your reservations dskell@roaringlambsministries.org.

This weekend we traveled down to College Station, Texas in order to watch our youngest daughter walk across the stage to receive her diploma from Texas A&M University. Although the ceremony was a bit long (thousands graduated this weekend) it was also powerful. The loyalty and connectedness between the students of A&M is a force to be reckoned with and goes far beyond obligatory school spirit. These students are fiercely loyal to each other. They not only stick up for each other, they believe it is their duty to live a life worthy of the standards and excellence of the university. Being an A&M student is a commitment to be an Aggie for life and represent the school with honor and dignity.

This same kind of loyalty and connectedness is what the apostle Paul desired to see in the lives of believers. Notice the charge he gave the believers in Philippi: “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” Having the same love, one in spirit and in purpose – well that describes A&M students, but sadly I’m not so sure it describes the body of Christ.

When the speaker at graduation talked about the expectations of living a life which respectfully represents the school, I couldn’t help but think about how the apostle Paul talked about walking in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Paul reminded the early believers that their citizenship was in Heaven. Now the Roman citizens of Paul’s time were expected to live up to the honors and standards of citizenship. They were supposed to promote the interests of Rome and live in a way that brought dignity to the city. Sounds like Aggies, doesn’t it? It should also sound like Christians, shouldn’t it?

Well, I suppose we could say there were a few life lessons learned from this observer of Texas A&M graduation. As fellow believers in Christ let us seek to:

Be like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and in purpose.
Walk in a manner worthy of our high-calling as believers and citizens of Heaven.

We ought to be about building each other up and not tearing each other down. Our focus should be on serving Christ and honoring Him with all we do and say. If Aggies can do it for their school, surely we do it in honor of our loving Heavenly Father!

Three Cheers for Moms

May 9, 2010Leave a comment

Here's a recent picture of me with my two daughters Grace and Joy

Happy Mother’s Day! May you rejoice in your high-calling as a mom. I look forward to seeing you May 25 or 26 at the Positive Woman Connection. Here’s a good word for you as we celebrate the gift of our moms.

Moms deserve a pat on the back and an enthusiastic word of encouragement, don’t you agree? Here are three cheers that come to mind when I consider the heart of a MOM:

Hurray for Humility – Humility is a rare and beautiful quality. Christ showed us the perfect picture of humility as He left his throne in Heaven and came to this earth in the form of a servant. Certainly a mom humbly serves in her home as she lovingly considers the interests and needs of her family often above her own needs. We are never so Christ-like as when we serve others in the beauty of loving humility.
Hurray for Compassion – Care and compassion seem to come naturally for a mom as she genuinely feels deeply with both the joys and the pains her children go through in life. She cries when they cry, she laughs when they laugh. Just as the Lord is compassionate and gracious with His children, so a mom pours out compassion and care to hers.
Hurray for Strength – A mom is resilient. She perseveres even when she is tired. She overcomes hurdles and lifts up her kids when they fall down. She keeps on going like the energizer bunny from morning until night. She’s a champion! May God continue to be her strength and joy for the journey ahead!

Celebrate one of God’s most precious gifts to this world – the heart of a mom.

In Over My Head

May 3, 2010Leave a comment

It was great to be together last week and learn a lesson about contentment. Here’s a little devotional to remind us all that our strength comes from the Lord:

Sometimes I feel like I am in over my head in certain situations, but these are just the situations in which God loves to show His mighty hand. Think of Gideon who was up against thousands of Midianites with an army of only 300 men. The victory was the Lord’s; not man’s. Consider David with just five smooth stones against a giant Goliath. And what about Daniel and Samuel and Joshua and Hezekiah; all in situations way over their heads, but with a great and mighty God on their side?

When we remember these stories of faith-filled, God-sized victories we are reminded of God’s great ability and power. Sometimes our challenge comes in actually believing He cares about us and wants to intervene in our personal situations. Yet the God of the big, miraculous Bible stories is also our loving heavenly Father who delights in the details in the lives of His children.

Several weeks ago I had that sinking feeling that I may be over my head. I was scheduled to fly to Eugene, Oregon in order to shoot six videos in one day. Here’s how the day was set up, I was to shoot a video for a half hour, then have a half hour to change clothes, redo hair and make-up and go over my notes for the next video, then film another 30-minute video, then back to change, redo and study, then another video… You get the picture. From the moment I learned about the schedule I realized this was beyond me, but I also knew it was not beyond the power of God. I prayed for God’s strength, wisdom and guidance. I asked a team of friends to pray for me as well.

The beautiful thing about doing these videos was that I knew I needed the Lord. I couldn’t depend on myself alone; I knew I was dependant on the God who invites us to cast all our cares on Him. When I am in a place beyond my own abilities and give my needs to God, then He gets the glory. If I stay in a place of depending on my own abilities and depend on myself, well then, I tend to take the credit.

To God be the glory. This past weekend I filmed the videos in Eugene, Oregon and they went without a hitch! God gave me energy, and presence of mind from the beginning of our filming to the very last video. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt it was Him!

I don’t know what you are facing; it may be way beyond what you feel like you can handle. I want to encourage you to look to your Provider, your loving Heavenly Father who is able to meet your needs in any and every situation. Paul as a prisoner in Rome wrote, “My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” He may not change your situation, but He can give you what you need in the midst.

Points to Ponder:

Don’t be afraid of situations which seem beyond your abilities.
Remember you have a God who loves you and is able to meet your needs.
Cast your cares on Him.
Give Him the glory.

Just in case you were wondering, the videos I filmed were for my newest book with the wonderful people at Harvest House Publishing. The Bible Study videos will come out in November 2010. The title is “A Woman’s Passionate Pursuit of God.” To read about another life lesson learned in Eugene this pasts weekend, go to my other blog: www.positivemoms.blogspot.com