Hello my friends,

It’s been a difficult week.  One I’m sure we will never forget as people of Haiti experienced one of the worse natural disasters in history.

As we look back at the tragic events and the aftermath of the earthquake, I know your hearts have been moved along with mine to want to do what we can for the people there.  In watching the continual news coverage, I noticed that many of the workers asked everyone to pray for the relief efforts there.  Certainly at a time like this we recognize our desperate need for God’s mercy, wisdom and care.   

The apostle Paul’s words kept resonating in my mind, “Pray without ceasing.”  Let us all commit to continually pray for the people in this devastated country.  Pray for the relief workers, for their safety and their health.  Pray for more provisions to get through to the people.  Pray for the healing of the people and for the country.  Don’t stop praying.

At this point we may not be able to go over to help physically, but we can help through donations.  Even in this decision, I encourage you to pray for the ways you are to give to help meet the needs of the people of Haiti.  I have chosen to donate to World Vision.  You can go to www.worldvision.org to find out how they are serving in Haiti and also to find out how you can donate.  Prayerfully consider the ways God wants you to help.

Pray without ceasing.  Never stop praying.  Those words are a charge for us as we watch the relief efforts increase day by day.  Oh Lord, help these precious people of Haiti.  Give them peace and strength.  Help them to know you are their refuge.  Help the relief workers.  Give them wisdom and perseverance as they continue to be your hands and feet in this devastated country.

I’ll see you all on January 26 for another Positive Woman Connection! 

Hello My friends! 

I’m excited about our upcoming PWC meetings on Jan 26 in North Dallas and Jan 27 in Allen.  Go to RoaringLambsministries.org for more information about times and locations.  I’m excited to see you and hope you are off to a great start in the new year.  Here’s a New Year message from Karol.

Begin the New Year Brightly

We are more than a week into the new year and hopefully you are settling into a good routine for 2010. I do hope that you have set a few goals or resolutions for the coming year as you take positive steps forward in your personal life as well as your work life.  One area I want to encourage you to be deliberate about  is spiritual growth.  I want to challenge you to make a plan to read God’s word and begin to allow it to permeate your life. 

A systematic approach to reading the Bible works best for most people. If you haven’t discovered the One Year Bible, I would recommend it highly.  It has daily readings marked out from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs.  You simply open to the current day’s date and it has it all laid out for you.  I’ve gone through the Bible many times using this approach.   Last year I decided to only read the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs, so I could really concentrate on these portions.  This year I’m doing the Old Testament day by day.  

No matter what you have going on in life, when you take a little time to read God’s word each day it keeps you looking at things above.  Reading the Bible not only reveals who God is, but also reminds us of His sovereignty and power in every area of life.   God told Joshua as he prepared to lead the Israelites:

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:8-9

This week I had coffee with one of my friends, Sonja Samuels.  She is working with Scripture Union, a ministry committed to helping people get to know the Bible more intimately.  They offer wonderful, colorful materials starting with children’s guides all the way to adults.  Their motto is “Helping people meet God every day.”  If you want to know more about their excellent materials contact my friend Sonja at sonjas@scriptureunion.org

By the way, Sonja will be speaking at the Ready to Win conference in Grapevine on Jan 18.  I’ll be the emcee and I hope you will join us for this fantastic event!   Go to www.ThelmaWells.com to register. See you there!

Happy New Year!  As we look forward to a fresh start in 2010 let’s determine to take positive steps forward in personal growth.  Please don’t forge ahead on your own. Ask the Lord to guide you as you pursue His leadership in your life.  Reach out toward potential new friendships and strengthen you r current relationships.

Often I take time during the holidays to reflect on the blessings I am thankful for in the past year, and I deliberately consider what I can do differently in the new year.  It’s always good to take some time to do a personal assessment and work toward improvement and growth.  For me personally, I write out goals and action steps for myself professionally, mentally, physically, spiritually and even socially. I even think of an overriding area which I need to work on for the whole year.

This year I am working on discipline in several areas.  I recognize I need to be more disciplined in getting up right when the alarm goes off in the early morning hours.  I need to be more disciplined in eating less and eating healthy foods.  I also need to be more disciplined in the area of returning phone calls and emails.  Most importantly I want to be disciplined in pursuing Christ and knowing Him more deeply and intimately.

God’s word always gives me strength and encouragement in this direction as I read Paul’s words about pursuing Christ in his own life.  In Philippians 3:12 – 14,  Paul says:

“ I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

I like how Paul talks about forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.   The new year is a good time to do that.  We need to forget things in the past such as past mistakes, sins or hurts.  We need to drop those reoccurring negative thoughts rather than continue to replay them in our minds.  We also need to be careful of resting on our past successes or accomplishments and becoming comfortable or complacent in where we are.  Paul said he strained toward what was ahead.  He pressed on toward knowing Christ and becoming more like Him. Think of an athlete who leans forward into the finish line.  In the same way me we lean in toward Christ.

May I encourage you as this new year unfolds to press on toward passionately pursing Christ.  Just as Paul strained toward what is ahead in becoming more Christlike, we can do the same.  It’s an active pursuit.  This December I bought a pair of Snoozies.  They are soft comfy slippers to wear around the house.  They are good if I am doing nothing all day, but if I am going for a walk or going anywhere – the Snoozies won’t work.  I need my running shoes. 

Spiritually speaking, don’t wear your Snoozies and rest in your walk with Christ. Put on your running shoes and actively pursue a deeper relationship with Him.  He welcomes you into his loving embrace.  Actively pursuit Christ by reading His Word and doing what is says.  Spend time with Him in prayer seeking His help and guidance.  Consider going the extra mile and memorize a passage from the Bible.   I know it will be an exciting journey and a great year as you actively pursue Him.

I hope you are off to a great 2010.  Are you ready to win in 2010?  Consider joining me at the Ready to Win Conference with Thelma Wells on Monday, Jan 18 in Grapevine.  For more info go to ThelmaWells.com.