Tag: Positive Woman Connection

Always Learning

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This past week at PWC we had the honor of learning from our friend Thelma Wells.  Thelma taught us to be aware of the enemy’s schemes and to put on the armor of God as we read in Ephesians.  Thelma’s words encouraged us all to grow in the knowledge of God’s Word each day.  God is always teaching us.

Possibly one of the most positive words in the English language is “Learn.”  Yes, if we are to grow and mature we must be continual students of life.  We learn from our mistakes, our challenges and our life experiences.  Instead of becoming overwhelmed by discouraging situations, we can turn them around by saying to ourselves, “How can I learn and grow and become a better person because of this?” 

As the kids head back to school in the month of September, let’s remember that we never stop going to school.  Every day brings its own set of lessons.   We learn about people, we learn to be flexible, we learn a new skill, we learn to be patient, we learn new ways to be thankful.  Observe, listen, grow.   A teachable spirit is a great asset.

The  Psalmist said, “Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me.”  Our greatest teacher is the Lord himself as we look to Him to lead us and guide us each day. 

We will begin our study of the book of Philippians in Sept.  We look forward to seeing  you!

Thanks for the Memories

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Next week we are looking forward to having Thelma Wells as our speaker. Be sure to RSVP to Donna: Dskell@roaringlambsministries.org
See you Tues Aug 25 at Prestonwood Country Club!

Here’s our weekly word of encouragement:
This past weekend I participated in a glorious reunion of the Chapel Choir from First Baptist Church in Dallas. Hundreds of choir members from over the past 50 years converged in the sanctuary in downtown Dallas for this historic event. Personally, my life has truly been enriched by the friends I made and the lessons I learned from being a part of this amazing and unique group. We traveled to Europe together and sang in the cathedral of Notre Dame, then on to London and Vienna and several military bases in Germany. From California to Washington D.C. we faithfully sang with the joy of the Lord and had a great time doing it.

It is good to reflect on the blessings God has brought us throughout our lives. In fact it is important for us to remember God’s goodness and never forget His faithfulness and kindness to us. I think about how God challenged the Israelites as they approached the Promised Land. We read his words in Deuteronomy 8:10 – 11, “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.”

God warned his people to continue to turn their eyes on Him because He knew that once they became comfortable in the land, they could easily forget what God had done for them and they would become proud in their hearts. Isn’t it the same for you and me? Sometimes we become so caught up in our life activities that we forget to thank the Lord for all He has done and will continue to do in our lives.

Certainly we should not live in the past. And we must be careful not to continually replay hurts, mistakes and bad memories from the past. Yet remembering God’s goodness ought to be a vibrant part of our lives. As you consider God’s faithfulness in your own life, what can you thank Him for right now. I want to encourage you to rejoice in God’s loving-kindness. Thank Him for the people He has brought into your life over the years, thank Him for some of the ways He strengthened you through difficult circumstances, and of course thank Him for some of the wonderful situations He has allowed you to experience as well. As Paul said, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:17

LukeWarm Living

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Mark your calendars for PWC Tuesday, August 25. Thelma Wells will be our speaker. You won’t want to miss this very special opportunity to hear her.

Now for an encouraging word for God’s Word.
As a child, I remember running up to a drinking fountain while playing in the park, putting my lips to the water and expecting cold refreshing water to relieve my parched lips and throat. But instead of refreshment, I got yucky warm water! Yes those were the olden days before they had refrigerated drinking fountains (oops, I just dated myself). There were times when I would simply spew the lukewarm water out of my mouth because it was so very unappetizing.
It’s interesting, but in the Bible we read that God talks about spewing lukewarm water out of His mouth as well. In the book of Revelation we see God’s messages to the early churches. He told the church at Laodicea,
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:15 – 22
Think about it; both cold water and hot water are useful. Cold water is useful for drinking, and hot water for bathing ourselves or boiling food. God wants his people to be useful in the kingdom, not just sitting there warming up to our environment. Yet the real lesson to the church at Laodicea was actually the message of how to be useful in God’s kingdom. God urges them to stop being self-sufficient, self-centered and self-indulgent. Instead he invites them to depend on Him. That same invitation is open to us today to abide with Christ, dwell with Him, and find our sufficiency in Him.
Let’s consider in our own lives, are we leaning on Christ or are we depending on ourselves in our own self-sufficiency. Are we useless like lukewarm water, or are we refreshing like cold water? Are we simply just warming up to our environment or do we offer the traits of hot water springs which are cleansing and healing to the body? Let’s listen to Jesus’ message as He stands knocking at the door of our hearts. Let’s invite Him in and abide with Him every day.
If you want to see and hear me give this message then go to http://www.webtv4women.tv

Today’s blog was inspired by a sermon I heard this Sunday given by Stephen Bramer.

Precious Child

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Hello PWC friends! We are looking forward to a great lesson this week from Elaine Morris. See you at 12 at Chamberlains Steak and Chop House on Tuesday. Call Roaring Lambs office to make reservations (972-380-0123) or email Donna at dskell@roaringlambsministries.org.

Heres a message from God’s word to bring you encouragement for this week:
Thomas Watson (17th century English preacher and author) wrote, “The name Jehovah carries majesty in it; the name Father carries mercy in it.”

It is an amazing thought to me that the Sovereign God, the High King of Heaven calls us His children. As believers in Christ we are His beloved children. John put it this way, “See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are!” I John 3:1

The apostle Paul reminded believers, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:14 – 16

What a glorious privilege to call God our Abba Father, which is a tender term like “daddy.” It means we are loved. We are forgiven. We are free to go before His throne and pour out our hearts to Him. Psalm 103 reminds us, “As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion toward those who fear him.”

My friend, I don’t know what your life is like right now, but I do know if you are a follower of Christ, you have a Heavenly Father who tenderly and dearly loves you. Enjoy the blessing of being a part of His family and the strength that comes from knowing you are passionately loved by Him. If you have never taken that step of faith in Jesus, I hope you will recognize God’s loving arms open wide ready to welcome all who believe. Out of God’s great love for us, He sent His Son Jesus to die for us. He rose again giving promise of eternal life to those who believe.

Just as the father ran and embraced the repentant son in the well-known parable of the Prodigal Son, so our Heavenly Father runs to us with arms open wide. His embrace is compassionate and gracious; slow to anger and abounding in love.
Don’t forget to visit my show at http://www.webtv4women.tv

Hope in Troubled Times

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I’m so excited about our July meeting for Positive Woman Connection. Our speaker is my friend Elaine Morris. She is an executive coach and will be sharing with us on the topic of Managing our Emotions. You won’t want to miss this tremendous meeting. PWC will be at Chamberlains Restaurant, 5330 Belt Line road in North Dallas. It starts at 12:00. Cost is $15. See you soon!

July 20
Hope is a powerful word, especially in these troubled times. Often we use the word so flippantly: “I hope you have a good day.” “I hope the shoes I want are on sale.” “I hope you feel better.” For the Christian, hope is much more than simply wishful thinking. We know that God is a God of hope. We have Christ within us, the hope of glory. The definition of “Faith” is being sure of what we Hope for and certain of the things we do not see. If we do not have hope we can become consumed with fear, despair and anger.

The weeping prophet Jeremiah spoke often about hope. Hope shines most brightly in times of difficulty and we see this clearly with Jeremiah. Listen to his lamenting:

Lamentations 3
17 “Peace has been stripped away,
and I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 I cry out, ‘My splendor is gone!
Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!’
19 “The thought of my suffering and homelessness
is bitter beyond words.
20 I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.”
Certainly Jeremiah is down and out. Perhaps you can relate to his words of grief in your own life right now, or perhaps you will. We all go through low points, difficulties and yes sometimes tragedies. But what I love about Jeremiah is that he was honest about his grief, but then he always turned to hope. He continues,

21 “Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
22 The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”
My friend, let us remember the faithful love of the Lord everyday. Because He loves us, He will care for us. He will not leave us. Reflect on His mercies which are new every morning. Maintain hope one day at a time. Dwell on God’s great love for you and remember that He is a God of hope and can redeem any situation. Don’t place your hope in circumstances or people. Hope in the Lord!

You can also hear me share this message on my show Fresh Start at webtv4women.tv