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The Power of One Person to Make a Difference

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How often have you, as have I, said, “I’m only one person. What difference could I make?” The Bible and history is full of brave ordinary people who stepped out of their comfort zone to make a difference.

As men and women of faith, we know if God calls us to take a stand, we can rest assured He will stand with us. I learned this truth when answering His call to start Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry almost thirty years ago, and it’s still a vibrant ministry in churches today.

In past blogs, you’ve read how I also inadvertently became the spokesperson for championing others to join me in protecting children from obscene and pornographic material in our public library. That meant not only writing letters and emails, but also physically appearing at library board meetings, meeting with the librarian, and voicing my concerns not just once, but for as long as it takes.

Initially, I just wanted to post on a community Facebook page from the comfort of my office and fill out the library forms to have obscene material removed. But if I was really going to make a difference, I had to appear in person. Inconvenience my schedule and take the slings and slanders of those opposing removal of the books. Currently, a law is pending in Idaho Legislature that backs my position. I’m sure it will require me going back to the board to be sure they enforce it.

In today’s blog, I want to share the story of Trent Saxton, who I only met a week ago thanks to my cousin Karen in California who is a member of an American Conservative Facebook group that Trent started. When Karen sent me Trent’s post, she prefaced it with, “A new law to be passed in your state by a Californian who moved to Idaho.” That sparked my interest since we live in Idaho!

Here’s Trent’s story of discovering the need to change an existing law in his new home state of Idaho and doing something about it.

Dear Idahoans,

I recently purchased a new 2024 GMC so my old Toyota plates will be placed on my new truck. In Idaho, you must purchase another set of new plates (silly) in order to sell your used automobile. Understandably, a prospective buyer can’t test drive your used vehicle without metal plates on the car.

I wanted to change this law to paper permits with a 30–60-day grace period. This allows time to sell your car without having to re-register the car and buy new metal plates. I contacted customer service specialist Mary Miller, a 21-year veteran at the DMV, on January 18th and told her I wanted to change the law…LOL. She was a little hesitant to pass me on to her supervisor, motor vehicle supervisor, Kimbra Asqueta.

Again, I told her what I wanted to do. So, Kimbra sent me to the County Assessor, Brian Stender. All of this took a matter of ten minutes. Brian agreed with me that this law should be changed to a 30-60 day “grace period,” without having to purchase new plates. After you sell your car, those plates end up in a landfill. To change the law, would require going through the legislative process in the Capitol. The next day, I contacted my State Senator, Tammy Nichols. She helped me receive a “purple slip” (to write a Bill) and Sen. Chris Trakel carried the Bill to the Senate. They both helped sponsor the Bill S-1282.

Brian Stender and I walked the halls of the Capitol looking for support. All this took place in a matter of six weeks! It’s a NO BRAINER BILL! Most of all, it’s non-partisan. It helps everyone in the state equally.

The Bill passed at the Senate committee level, 34-0-1, one Senator was absent from the committee. Next, it moved to the House of Representatives for their committee hearings. Representative Clay Handy carried the “Bill” in the House on March 12 and it passed 69-0-1. Another absentee! Governor Little signed the bill into law, which goes into effect July 1, 2024!

This law will save YOU money and save DMV time and effort in the entire state. Most, if not all, forty-four County Assessors throughout the state are in support of my Bill. They see the common-sense issue and it’s a win-win. I have spent hours walking the halls of the Capitol meeting with your representatives to change this into an easier, more efficient law for all Idahoans.

Who says the little guy can’t make a difference when you are determined and have the support of your elected officials.

___________________

My Follow-Up Interview with Trent about His Political Success Story

When I read Trent’s story, I was immediately impressed with one man’s determination to right a wrong. He saw a problem and took it upon himself to do something about it by investing his time and energy. I contacted Trent to see if I could share his inspirational story and asked him a few more questions.

  • What prompted you to go through this political process?

Trent: I wanted to change that law in the State of Idaho. It amends section 49-523 of Idaho DMV Code to revise a provision regarding temporary vehicle registration permits for owners. Makes a whole lot of sense, saves time and money, and stops the metal plates from being thrown into landfills. It’s a no brainer Bill…LOL  should’ve been written this way years ago. The County Assessors love it and so do DMV workers.

I started this process Jan 18, 2024, and it was over by March 7, 2024.  On that same day, I had a stent placed in my heart…nice gift for a 74-year-old. Ha!  All Glory to God and determination.

  • Where did you live in California and how long have you lived in Idaho?

Trent: Placerville for 30 years (former Mayor) and then Portola, CA. north of Lake Tahoe 60 miles. I moved here two and a half years ago.

  • Why did you move from California?

Trent: Taxes, politics, regulations, laws, all the reasons most Californians move out of California.

  • How did you pick Middleton to live in Idaho?

Trent: Purely by accident. Never been here before. I liked the rural atmosphere (which is now changing).

  •  When you say you walked the halls of the Capitol, who were you talking to and what was that process like? Were the people you talked to receptive?

Trent: Everyone was receptive because “many” were unaware that they either had broken that law or were about to break it. They never thought it was an issue to drive and show someone else their used car just to sell it!

 You have a beautiful Capitol building in Idaho. The Senate is to the West and the House is to the East. I simply met Senators in their offices and gave my 3-minute sales pitch. I started by saying, “Did you know you had to buy plates for a car you were going to sell?” I would get a blank look followed by a, “No, you don’t?!” answer and then I had them in the palm of my hand. The rest was easy after that!  It was not a hard sell and many just said, “I’ll support you.” I said thanks and left them immediately. 

  • What is your profession?

Trent: DC, Doctor of Chiropractic in private practice and formerly an Instructor at the Southern California University of Health Sciences (LACC) and Occupational Health, C.E.

  • What prompted you to start the American Conservative Facebook page?

I started American Conservatives five years ago in response to politics in my California county and the Trump campaign in 2020.

  • Can I ask, are you a Christian, Trent?

Trent: I would like to think that I am. I fall short, I am sure, so I ask for His forgiveness all the time. I attend a nondenominational church. I do not like “religion” as a whole. I have studied many religions, but there is only one God. I believe that Jesus Christ was sent to earth as the Son of God, that He died for all mankind’s sins, He arose into Heaven, and will return (not soon enough) one day like a thief in the night.

Trent and his wife have been married thirty-four years.

Where Does the Bible Say Christians Shouldn’t Get Involved In Politics?

The Bible actually tells us to occupy every area of the culture and gives us numerous examples of biblical men and women stepping into the political arena to make a difference and in many cases, to save lives physically and spiritually. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. Luke 19:13 KJV

In my book, Everyday Brave: Living Courageously As a Woman of Faith, I feature 50—yes you read that right—50 brave biblical women and 28 current day women who took a stand in the public square to make a difference in their world.

  • You’re probably familiar with the story of Esther in the Book of Esther, who with prayer and fasting agreed to step out of her comfortable plush life as queen into the cunning world of politics to save her people, the Jews. What if Esther had let the Jews, including herself, be annihilated? Who can forget her brave declaration, “If I perish, I perish!” Most of us aren’t going to have to die to make a difference. But like Trent, myself, and many of you, we will have to make sacrifices of energy and time to venture into the unknown to make a difference.
  • Deborah left her comfortable meeting place under the shade of the “Palm of Deborah,” where she settled the people’s disputes, to go into battle as a co-commander with Barack. She literally explained God’s battle plan to the military leader. (Judges 4-5)
  • There were 48 other lesser-known women in the Bible too who took a brave stand to make a difference in their culture.

The list of men in the Bible who went into the political arena is also long. Just to name a few . . .

  • Joseph was promoted to the highest political position in the country, only second to Pharaoh, and saved his own family and the entire community from famine. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck. 43 Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!” So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will lift a hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval.” Gen. 41:41-44 NLT
  • Daniel stayed true to his faith as he too accepted a high position in government. Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men. Dan. 2:48
  • David was a king, the highest political position in the land.
  • Paul was always confronting and contesting the political powers.
  • The temple guard and Sadducees tried to stop Peter and John from preaching about Jesus. But when “they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” They told them to stop preaching, “But Peter and John replied, ‘Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’” (Acts 4:13, 17, 19-20)
  • Jesus never shied away from confronting unjust political leaders and laws.

I’m sure you can think of even more examples in the Bible of men and women engaging in politics and the culture. Today, Politics has become its own religion, while we sit in our pews and let babies be killed, children mutilated, or trans ideology inoculate the brains of children and adults. Where in the Bible does God call us to sit by and do nothing?

The church is letting this happen on our watch, but like Esther (Esther 4:14), we were born for such a time as this! Believers are alive right NOW in this crazy world to bring God back into our culture, our families, our churches, even politics. The other side will take as much ground as we submit to them.

“God calls us to fight until He returns . . . God made us to stand with courage . . . Bring your faith into every area of the public square and those who are telling you not to . . . are wrong!”—Eric Metaxas

We need more people in our churches like Trent who saw an obvious problem and went through the political process of correcting it because he could! And so can we.

“Now, more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature …. If the next centennial does not find us a great nation . . . it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.”—President James Garfield

“The people who know their God will be strong and take action.” Daniel 11:32

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deut. 31:8

Join me and other believers around the nation on Monday mornings to pray together via zoom. A powerful way to start the week praying with like-minded believers! My Faith Votes keeps action partners updated on what’s happening in the nation that effects religious freedom, sanctity of life, strengthening and protection of the family, and care for the needy. Go to MyFaithVotes to sign up.

Many states like Idaho have our own MyFaithVotes weekly morning pray time via zoom, and you can check that out on the MyFaithVotes website. If you’re in Idaho, email Olivia Veldhuis @ [email protected] to join us on Tuesday mornings.

If you haven’t seen the movie Letter to the American Church, you can watch it for free on Friday, April 12th. For details and to register go to www.myfaithvotes.org/LTAC. To bring the movie to your church www.Lettertotheamericanchurch.com.

If you didn’t read last week’s blog, we all must be prepared to give an answer. How to Respond When Labeled a ‘Christian Nationalist’!

Please leave a comment here. I always reply!

March 25, 2024
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ONE WOMAN’S JOURNEY TO BECOMING HIS BELOVED!

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This week, I want to introduce to you one of my writing mentees, Cherie Denna, and her journey to writing and publishing her new book Beloved Outcast–A True Story: The Quest for True Belonging.

When I was first asked to mentor a Memoir Writing Clinic at Mt. Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference, I have to admit I was intimidated and hesitant. I loved Mt. Hermon and had attended for 10-years, each year learning more about the art of writing and was honored to have the opportunity to be on the teaching staff. It’s where my first trade book, Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey, was discovered and published by Howard Books, now a division of Simon & Schuster, with future published books to follow.

Mentoring is my passion and various aspects of my life story run through all my books, but I had never actually written my own memoir. I knew God was asking me to step out of my comfort zone and take on this new challenge. I researched how to teach and mentor on memoir writing, which is really just telling your God story while applying writing skills and techniques.

Five mentees were assigned to my Memoir Writing Mentoring Clinic and four of those future authors who had never written before are now either published or in the process of being published. I’m so proud of all of them. I knew when I heard Cherie Denna’s traumatic, heart wrenching, and powerful story of God rescuing her by His grace and mercy, her memoir would be compelling and glorifying to God.

I thought the best way to introduce Cherie and her story would be to share with you the Foreward below that I wrote for Beloved Outcast: The Quest for True Belonging, which just released February 14, 2024. Her editor decided not to have a foreward in the book, so it wasn’t included, but parts were used as endorsements.

Foreward by Janet Thompson for Beloved Outcast

I first met Cherie when she enrolled in a Memoir Writing Mentoring Clinic I was facilitating at Mt. Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference in Felton, California. As the five participants took turns sharing their stories, I knew Cherie had a unique story that needed telling, as did the others. It was an exciting time brainstorming and sharing ideas of how to communicate their amazing life experiences for the enjoyment and wonderment of future readers.

Cherie’s vibrant smile, kindness, gentleness, and obvious love for the Lord was a testimony of God’s healing forgiveness and redemption as she often through tears and embarrassment told us some of the devastating and demoralizing times in the life of a child born into the world of outlaw biker gangs. I can only imagine the internal turmoil she encountered reliving those experiences in writing Beloved Outcast: The Quest for True Belonging, but I’m so glad she took the time to carefully, skillfully, and honestly take the reader through the raw and raunchy times that repeatedly drew her back into a life she knew so well, yet earnestly wanted to escape.

Beloved Outcast had me turning the pages to see how Cherie would overcome the challenges and struggles of her inherited and familiar biker blood. Even though I knew her story, I didn’t know the details that she shares on these pages with honesty, humbleness, and ultimately, holiness.

Cherie’s book is more than just a tell-all of a traumatic childhood that influenced bad decisions and addictions throughout her earlier life, it’s the story for anyone who wants to break free of the strongholds of the past and become a new creation in Christ to live with purpose the life He has planned for all of us.

It’s a story of hope, perseverance, love, and determination to create a better life for herself and her child with the realization that all things are possible through Christ who gives you strength to go on when you want to give in and quit. It’s also a story of God’s second chances. How He never gives up on His children who seek to experience the life of serenity and peace they so desperately desire and ultimately find in a relationship with Jesus.

Forgiveness played a big role in Cherie’s life starting with forgiving herself, which only came through realizing and accepting God’s forgiveness of her sins and past. The freedom of her soul that she experienced allowed her to ask forgiveness of those she’d hurt and forgive those who hurt her.

Beloved Outcast skillfully shares the journey and quest for true belonging that Cherie thought she might never find. You’ll probably need some Kleenex as you’re captivated and encouraged by this remarkable tale that reminds us that God never gives up seeking and saving the lost.

I can see the scenes of Beloved Outcast someday in a movie of intrigue, pain, trauma, survival, love, rescue, relapse, and eventually complete surrender to the One who offers a secure and safe home in the family of God to all those who feel outcast and unworthy.

Well done Cherie Denna! I’m privileged and honored to be your cheerleader and mentor in sharing your incredible story of your quest and discovery of true belonging in identity in Christ, not in your past.

BECOMING HIS BELOVED By Cherie Denna

Thank you, Janet, for that wonderful introduction. I want to express my deep gratitude to you for supporting my story from its inception to the moment my book was finally brought into the world five years later. I must say, joining you and your readers here is definitely a standout moment in this publishing journey.

The choice to change the title of the book was another standout moment that caught everyone off guard. When I first began journaling and blogging around fifteen years ago, I chose “Biker Blood” as the book title. My story does “take the reader through the raw and raunchy times”, as Janet pointed out in her endorsement of the book. I prayed for a name for my story that would resonate with a large audience while accurately depicting who I am today, all in honor of God and all He has done. When I landed on “Beloved Outcast,” I felt the weight of the stigmatized theme lift away.

Writing my story was a challenging endeavor, but also a significant achievement for me. This is my intimate tale of fleeing from a life enmeshed in a family of organized crime. We’re talking The Godfather meets Sons of Anarchy meets The Chosen. Why would I delve into decades of trauma? The idea of revealing family secrets goes against everything I’ve been taught as a member of the Sicilian mafia and outlaw biker gangs, where trust is reserved exclusively for those within our inner circle.

My ‘why’ for writing my story shifted when the Lord whispered to me in a dream, “Tell them.” I woke from the dream and read the entire book of Romans. When I read chapter 10, I found the verse the Lord had for me.  But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? Romans 10:14-15 NLT

I could not let go of this directive from the Holy Spirit. Putting my writing on the back burner, I felt convicted in my heart to share the Gospel message, as a witness to the radical and miraculous rebranding of my soul.

The Lord’s pursuit of us knows no bounds, reaching us in countless ways. Jesus reaches into the depth of our hell on earth to make His love known. Even as a prodigal after coming to Christ fifteen years earlier, He never left me. But I had to come to the end of myself before I could see it. Living as a recluse while shacking up with a dangerous man woke me to the reality that Satan indeed came to steal, kill, and destroy everything good in my life, just as it says in John 10:10, The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. (AMP)

The enemy sent imposters to derail and distract me, and even silence me. Imposters manifest in our emotions, our spiritual life, and in our physical inner circle. Their goal is to distort the truth of who we are, to whom we belong, and prevent us from walking out God’s assignment on our life. And I struggled with a severe case of ‘imposter syndrome’!

Full understanding of our true calling and identity as His Beloved comes when we shed the masks of shame, guilt, and unforgiveness, and adopt the life of God’s beloved. This does not happen overnight. Becoming His Beloved is a beautiful lifelong journey. 

In this world of groups, tribes, clubs, affiliations, parties, and denominations, we tend to sacrifice pieces of ourselves at the altar of belonging. If we continue to sacrifice ourselves, we will never know true belonging as God’s Beloved.

“He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will— to the praise of His glorious grace and favor, which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [His Son, Jesus Christ].” Ephesians 1:5-6 AMP

Get To Know Cherie Denna

CHERIE DENNA’ mission is to empower individuals to find a deep sense of belonging and belovedness in Jesus Christ in their everyday lives. Drawing from her extensive experience in women’s ministry, relapse prevention, prayer counseling, and recovery, Cherie inspires audiences to rid their lives of emotional, spiritual, and physical imposters. 

Her newly released debut book, Beloved Outcast: The Quest for True Belonging, is a must-read for those trapped in seemingly inescapable circumstances who desire a victorious life of freedom. With raw authenticity, Cherie’s platform reveals the realities of living on the fringes of society, generational dysfunction, enmeshed in organized crime and the outlaw biker culture, all while following God’s call to spread the Gospel. 

One of her greatest joys is to witness the power of God’s truth come alive through freedom, spiritual deliverance, and healing. Cherie’s raw testimonies of living with Complex PTSD offer hope for a future filled with peace, purpose, and belonging.

She continues to impact the world through writing, speaking, women’s ministry, and guiding individuals on the tactical steps of sharing their hard stories through storytelling and testimony. You can find Cherie soaking in “seahabilitation” at the beach with Jesus or on an RV adventure with her purpose-mate husband. She loves frothed coffee dates.

Join the Everyday Belonging Movement at www.cheriedenna.com. Follow Cherie on socials @cheriedenna.

Leave a comment here for me or Cherie about her powerful story.

March 11, 2024
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God Is Up to Something Big!

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I’m back! For those of you who follow my Monday Morning Blog, I announced at the beginning of March that I would be taking a brief sabbatical while my hubby had his second knee replacement surgery. I know some of you have been praying for us and we’re so grateful for all the prayers and the help we received from family, our church family, and friends.

It’s a difficult surgery, as any of you who’ve experienced it knows; you practically need to learn to walk again with a new prosthetic knee. I’m happy to report that Dave’s doing well, progressing with physical therapy, and diligently doing his exercises and recumbent bike riding at home.

So much has been taking place in the world, it’s been hard for me not to chime in, but I’ve been in a season of caregiving for hubby and praying for our country’s leaders who are being led by the devil and not by the Lord!!

Your Testimony is Your Best Witness

On April 24, I celebrated a milestone moment in my own testimony. I want to share a bit of it with you here to confirm what God can and will do for anyone who truly surrenders his or her life to God.

In the summer of 1992, I rededicated my life to the Lord at a Harvest Crusade led by Pastor Greg Laurie at the then Anaheim Stadium, in Anaheim California. I’d been a Christian since I was eleven but backslid horribly in my thirties and early forties as a single parent for seventeen years. At that life-altering crusade, Pastor Laurie asked, “Are you ready to die tonight?”

I knew I wasn’t and when he gave the invitation for those who wanted to give their life to Christ or rededicate their life I joined hundreds down on the stadium field. I told the Lord, “This prodigal is returning to you completely. I surrender all of my life to you Lord. No turning back!” I had no idea how seriously the Lord would take my words, or what would be ahead of me, but I was ready to follow Jesus with my entire life, heart, and soul.

On December 19,1992, just a few months after the Harvest Crusade, I married my godly husband Dave, who I had just broken up with prior to the Crusade; but I heard the Lord say to me that night, “You asked for a godly man and I gave him to you, now rededicate yourself to him too!”

When we’d only been married a year and I still had a fulltime career, I started attending Fuller Theological Seminary obtaining a Masters of Arts in Christian Leadership, with an emphasis on equipping the laity. Within three years after I rededicated my life to Christ, I left my business career and started the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry, which is still a vibrant biblically based ministry in many churches today and new churches are continually starting the ministry with the resources I wrote twenty-five years ago!

Five years after the Harvest Crusade, I began a writing ministry and speaking ministry, “About His Work Ministries. I had NEVER written a book before, but God has since used me to write twenty-one books and Bible studies for His glory!

So when I heard that Greg Laurie was bringing Harvest Crusade to Boise, fairly near where we now live in Idaho, that was exciting. The first attempt at the Boise Crusade was in 2020 but it was canceled because of Covid. Now in April 2022 Pastor Greg and Harvest Crusade was coming to Boise!

As I reminisced about my first Harvest Crusade in 1992, I realized that Dave and I would be celebrating our thirtieth anniversary this December so the 2022 Harvest Crusade in Boise would also be my 30-year anniversary of rededicating my life to Jesus. I knew I had to attend. Dave wasn’t up to it yet, but our church was taking a bus since we’re about 1 ½ hours from the Crusade, so I took the bus and met my daughter and son-in-law there.

I wasn’t disappointed. I was encouraged and inspired yet again! When Greg came to the point in the program that touched my heart 30 years ago where he invited people who wanted to make Jesus their Lord and Savior, people were up out of their seats and flooding the auditorium floor. There were so many people coming down the second night, the fire marshal had them stop coming but they stood in the aisles. Here are the glorious responses from that weekend. Praise God revival is happening in Boise and I got to see it firsthand.

God is Springing Up Revival Throughout Our Country!

On the Thursday and Friday nights prior to the Saturday and Sunday Boise Crusade, Flashpoint Live held an event at the Mabee Center in Tulsa Oklahoma. If you’re not familiar with Flashpoint on the Victory channel on Tuesday and Thursday nights, here’s a link to check it out. Dave and I watch this program to get a Christian perspective on today’s news and to give us hope when it feels like our country is hopeless.

But the point I want to make is that Flashpoint experienced the same overflow of attendance of 10,000 people and 1650 responding to make a first-time decision or recommitment for a Christ-centered life. Again, just like in Boise, the stands started emptying as people poured down to the floor, which became so full some had to remain standing in the aisles.

Two seemingly unrelated events and yet so related in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

People are hungry for something to provide peace and purpose in their life as we watch the world crumble all around us. Only Jesus has that power! Only Jesus has the answers! Not the government flailing in the dark as they become more and more the minions of the Devil. Their evil deeds are unveiled daily, but never fear. God sees it all and will react at the perfect time.

Our job is to continue sharing the light of the Gospel by telling whoever will listen what God has done in our own life. You don’t have to be an evangelist like Greg Laurie or Mario Murillo or Franklin Graham. You just need to live boldly and bravely for Christ in all your actions, deeds, and words.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Matt. 9:37

I love this quote from Mario Murillo in his blog To Save Freedom: “You are constantly hearing the religious empty suits telling you to stay out of the political arena. But if we lose freedom, you will rue the day that you ever listened to their fake morality. You are not a “Christian Nationalist.” You are a sincere Christian who opposes evil, no matter what camouflage it wears or how it rebrands itself.”

So when was the last time you shared your testimony, or what God is doing in your life now, with someone who needs encouragement and hope? Maybe you need to remember it for your own encouragement! Let’s join God in taking revival to the nation!

Billy Graham said in his book Till Armageddon, “The will of God will never take us where the grace of God cannot sustain us!”

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. Psalm 112:4

You can read more of my story of being a prodigal raising a prodigal in my book Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents.

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

May 2, 2022
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Do You Need a Pardon?

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Do you need a pardon?

Pardons were in the news last week as President Trump pardoned and commuted sentences of several prisoners. Speaking at a graduation ceremony for Hope for Prisoners, President Trump said that he “loves” finding those treated unfairly by the criminal justice system and offering them pardons.

The discussion of pardons started me thinking about how God has pardoned every Christian. Since Romans 3:23 reminds us that, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Christians are the recipients of unmerited grace and mercy.

In my Bible Study Face-to-Face with Euodia and Syntyche: From Conflict to Community, I describe it this way:

  • Justice is getting what you deserve.
  • Mercy is not getting everything you deserve.
  • Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.

Mercy is showing more love and kindness to a person than he or she expects or deserves. Undeserved pardon! Grace is undeserved forgiveness.

It’s so easy to look at the transgressions of others and say they deserved the punishment rendered, and often they do. But what about Christians who had their debt pardoned and paid for by Jesus who unjustly endured the brutal cross for us? He took the punishment that we deserved. That’s mercy! That’s grace!

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:1-5

All we had to do for a pardon was confess our sins to Jesus, ask for forgiveness, and repent! Our dark sins became white as snow. Erased! The Bible says that God has forgiven and forgotten and will never bring them up to us again.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Acts 3:19 (NLT)

15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,

16 “This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day,[a] says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”[b]

17 Then he says,

“I will never again remember
their sins and lawless deeds.” Hebrews 10:15-17 (NLT)

What a gift! How did we deserve such a pardon? We didn’t! Yet, how often do we take our pardon for granted. Almost like we did deserve it. How often do we remember the price and penalty that Jesus paid for our release from the punishment due us? I would suggest, not often enough.

We may not have been in a cold, dark, prison cell, but we were in a cold, dark spiritual hellhole. Satan had us shackled to him in sin and shame. Then Jesus entered into our life and set us free. But Satan never gives up. He’s always trying to lure us back. We can never forget the cost of our pardon.

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

Sin Has Consequences

Just like with all pardoned prisoners, there will always be consequences of our sins that we will have to bear ourselves and assume the responsibility. God told the Israelites who refused to follow His lead, “You will bear the consequences of your sin . . .” (Numbers 14:34 HCSB)

As Christians, we must ask for Jesus’ help and strength to make restitution for our sinful behavior when possible. If we broke the civic law, or God’s law, we’ll pay the penalty. The scars will be with us, and possibly with others, for life. Often our actions negatively affected someone else. That’s on us. Jesus forgives us when we repent of our sins, but we may need to forgive others or seek their forgiveness and they might not grant it. The hurt is too deep. The debt too high.

But President Trump also told the crowd of 29 graduates from Hope for Prisoners, “the best part of your life is just beginning.” “Today we declare that you are made by God for a great and noble purpose. You are valued members of our American family and we are determined to help you succeed,” the president said.

And that’s what the Lord says to us too:

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. Micah 7:18

My Second Pardon

Do you need a pardon?

In Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, I share my testimony of accepting Jesus into my life at eleven, but as an adult I backslid into a sinful life for seventeen years while raising my daughter. I was a prodigal raising a prodigal. I can’t change those years, but when I rededicated my life back to Christ, He gave me another pardon I did not deserve. Praise God, He is the God of endless pardons. I was a changed person—a new creation in Christ.

Like President Trump told the released prisoners, God did have a great and noble purpose for my life as He used me to start the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry and write and speak for Him.

But there were consequences to my wayward years. I had to ask my daughter for forgiveness, and while she didn’t understand what that meant at the time, she does now. I prayed and begged God daily to open her eyes to the life she could have with Christ. After six years of a mother’s prayers, she accepted Christ as her Savior.

No matter what you’ve done in your past, or are currently doing, Jesus waits eagerly to mercifully forgive you and restore your life for a great and noble purpose. All you need to do is ask Him for a pardon.

Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:7

________________________

God has put on my heart that my next writing project will focus on the loneliness epidemic in our culture. If you have a story of seasons of loneliness, or you’ve helped someone through their loneliness, I would love to hear your story. Please contact me or email at [email protected].

February 24, 2020
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Why Aren’t All Christians Extending Grace and Forgiveness to Trump?

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praying-for-trump

A post that I wrote during the 2016 election is trending on my website and I know why! It’s just as applicable before this coming election as it was four years ago. Sadly, not much has changed with some Christians opposing President Trump, even in light of all he’s done to fulfill his promises that he would:

  • Be Pro-life and put action behind his words, even speaking at the recent March for Life and repeatedly confirming that “Every child is a sacred gift from Almighty God.”
  • Support and restore religious freedoms
  • Move the Capitol of Israel to Jerusalem and insure that America remains a strong ally of Israel
  • Choose two pro-life conservative Supreme Court justices and replace hundreds of liberal federal judges with conservatives.

At this year’s State of the Union address, President Trump publically affirmed:

“My administration is also defending religious liberty, and that includes the constitutional right to pray in public schools,” Trump continued. “In America, we don’t punish prayer. We don’t tear down crosses. We don’t ban symbols of faith. We don’t muzzle preachers and pastors. “In America, we celebrate faith. We cherish religion. We lift our voices in prayer, and we raise our sights to the glory of God.”

At the National Prayer Breakfast on February 6, 2020, the day after he was acquitted from a partisan hoax impeachment, he said, “Faith keeps us free. Prayer makes us strong. God gives us grace.”

At that same prayer breakfast Arthur Brooks, author of Love Your Enemies, was the speaker along with President Trump who responded to Brooks “I’m trying to learn. It’s not easy. When they impeach you for nothing it’s hard to like them. I’m doing my best.”

Yet many Christians are still refusing to grant President Trump grace and forgiveness.

So I’m reposting below my blog from October 17, 2016, “Why Aren’t All Christians Extending Grace and Forgiveness to Trump?” I think you’ll agree, except for Hillary being the opponent, I could’ve written it today!

What Does It Mean to be A Forgiven Christian?

I’ve been thinking a lot this week about what it means to be a saved, forgiven Christian, granted grace and mercy when I was so undeserving. Our Couples’ Group is studying Pastor Tony Evan’s Victory in Spiritual Warfare and he used a term I’d never heard before: “unsaved, saved person.” I realized that was another term for backsliding, which I did for seventeen years—saved at a youth camp at the age of eleven when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and then living an ungodly life from my late twenties until early forties, a backslidden believer. Saved but living like an unsaved person, until I rededicated my life. I write about this time in most of my books—it’s my testimony—of how God redeemed me and has used me About His Work since the day I gave my life fully back to Him.

God forgave me for my sins as a “born again” young girl on fire for the Lord, and He never withheld His love or protection, even as He watched me do things that broke His heart and were so unworthy of someone who knew better. It was as if for seventeen years, I had blinders on, until Pastor Greg Laurie asked at a Harvest Crusade if I was ready to die that night. I wasn’t. God had been gently bringing His prodigal back to Him, as I had recently turned my dating life over to God and was dating the man He had picked to become my husband.

I’m so grateful I was attending Saddleback Church, which welcomes sinners and seekers and offers restoration, hope, and forgiveness for those who are willing to repent, ask for forgiveness, turn from their wayward ways, and follow Jesus’s biblical ways. I married my godly husband Dave, blended our two families, graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary, quit my secular job, and started the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry as a rededicated, divorced, remarried woman. I always was shown love, grace, mercy, support, and encouragement at seminary and Saddleback Church.

I felt so unqualified and ill equipped, but my church gave me the tools I needed, as I took a huge prayerful step of faith. I was the least likely woman to start such a ministry . . . many churches might not have let me serve. But I said, “OK” when God called me to “Feed my sheep,” and He did the rest. As a result, twenty years later, Woman to Woman Mentoring is an international ministry blessing thousands of women in Titus 2 mentoring relationships.

Dr. Charles Stanley’s wrote in “Faith Barriers,” In Touch Magazine October 13, 2016:

When we are called to serve, our strength, skill, and wisdom do not matter. Rather, it is the Lord who does the work through us. He doesn’t seek out the most qualified person for a particular job, but instead calls men and women who are willing to surrender themselves to Him. When His strength works through their weakness, it is obvious that only God could have achieved the result.

A Disturbing Lack of Forgiveness Among Evangelicals

Trump has always said that as a child he was a saved Presbyterian, but I think, like me, he probably became an “unsaved, saved” backsliding Christian. Michael Anthony on Godfactor.com shares part of an interview with Dr. James Dobson about Trump’s recent salvation this past summer. Dr. Dobson has seen a change in Trump and only God knows the condition of his heart, which is true for all of us. Anthony also explains how we all mature in our faith at different degrees: some are like microwaves—the change is instantaneous–others are like crockpots.

Anthony and Dobson both called for prayer for the new  “baby Christian” Trump, but I’ve not seen or heard much prayer for Trump, who represents the conservative political agenda in this election. Instead, I’ve seen more stone throwing and rock slinging at him from evangelicals for his past transgressions, right along with the progressive liberals. Many Christians, who are so distressed when called “deplorables” and “haters” by the liberals, have themselves called Trump terrible, unkind, slanderous names.

I can only wonder how many new believers would last if we treated them all that way? And why are Christians doing that, when evangelism is all about sharing the forgiveness of sin and grace of Jesus Christ?

In a political move, tapes of vial things Trump said over eleven years ago became public and many Christians and prominent ministry leaders reacted as if he said them yesterday. I’ve seen video clips of him surrounded by the many Christians he has on staff as he prayed for forgiveness and he asked publicly for forgiveness during the debate. Yet many Christians are unwilling to grant him forgiveness. Why?

If he is saved, God forgave him and wiped the slate clean from all the things he did before, just like He did for you and me when we became Christians. God forgives when we mess up and ask for forgiveness, but many evangelicals pulled their support and backlashed Trump, refusing to show any grace or mercy.

[Tweet “Letting Trump’s past transgressions divide us, another score for Satan. “]

How would any of us feel if our past sins haunted us as new believers? Badmouthing Trump and not looking at the real issues in this election, is just what Satan wants us to do. Letting Trump’s past transgressions divide us, another score for Satan.

Trump is a flawed man, as has been, and will be, every president, but he’s the first one I’ve seen who actually chose a born-again Vice President who told his testimony in the VP debate. He has Christians like Ben Carson on his team mentoring him, who see the bigger picture of the Supreme Court picks who will make decisions that will affect our religious freedoms for the next thirty years! Which will determine whether we as evangelicals can voice our faith publicly in the future in a blog post like this!

With men like that surrounding him, if not saved, he’s certainly a seeker, and aren’t we as evangelicals supposed to help draw seekers to Christ?

We Need a Refresher in Forgiveness

Christians are forgiven by the grace of God, and we need to extend that same grace and forgiveness to others, including Donald Trump: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Ephesians 1:7

Yes, that would apply to Hillary too, but so far, she has only made excuses for her bad behavior, justifies supporting the things God detests, and puts political spins on her lies. Her agenda is anti-Christian and anti-God. I haven’t seen her sincerely ask forgiveness for anything, but she does need prayer to repent. Wouldn’t that be a wondrous miracle of this election!

4 FORGIVENESS MYTHS

MYTH #1:  Forgiveness must be quick like God’s forgiveness

TRUTH:  Forgiveness is a process

MYTH #2: If I forgive, that means that the offense was “ok.”

TRUTH: Forgiveness doesn’t turn sin into good. Sin is always wrong.

MYTH #3:  If I forgive the person gets off the hook.

TRUTH: Sin always has consequences.

Trump and every Christian can relate to and apply 1 Timothy 1:12-16, Paul’s own words about himself:

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.”

[Tweet “Let’s start showing grace, mercy, forgiveness, and pouring out prayer for Trump.”]

Let’s start showing grace, mercy, forgiveness, and pouring out prayer for Trump. He is the candidate for the conservative platform. This election is not about a person, it is about the platform, but God cares about every person’s eternal life. Instead of helping to feed the media beast, let’s pray for a flawed man who is being:

  •  made publicly accountable for past sins
  • humiliated and humbled
  • attacked and assailed
  • refined, renewed, and reformed

He could just be the unlikely person who becomes the future leader of America and allows us to put God back in the public square for generations to come. God could do that!

My last paragraph in that 2016 blog was almost prophetic. President Trump did become the leader of America and he is putting God back in the public square and just recently signed an executive order to allow prayer back in schools! 

I hope I didn’t confuse you, but I wasn’t being disrespectful in the 2016 blog by using “Trump” instead of President Trump, but as of that writing, he had not won the election. 

To read a passage where Jesus saw the good in someone who wanted to serve, but the religious Pharisees only saw her as a sinner read Luke 7:36-50.

I would encourage you to also read this excellent article (2020) How Can You Follow Jesus and Support Donald Trump?

February 10, 2020
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Stepping Out in Faith to Mentor

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Stepping out in faith to mentor

Stepping out in faith to mentor

You might have noticed there wasn’t a Monday Morning Blog last week. That was operator error. I had a guest blogger, but I didn’t hit “schedule” and so it only went out on social media but not to my email followers. It was such a great post that I wanted to resend it to all of you.

The reason I had scheduled a guest blogger was because last weekend I was speaking at First Baptist Church Riverview, Florida on the topic of Stepping Out in Faith. You can see me speaking and some of the ladies in attendance in the opening pictures, and Tammy Keene the founder of the Glory Conference and me finally meeting after two years of planning this conference, which was so blessed by the Lord. I told the story of how I stepped out in faith to start Woman to Woman Mentoring and then offered 10 Steps to Know You’re Stepping Out in Faith with God. I’ll share those 10 steps in a future blog.

But for today, I’d like you to read Andrea Chatelain’s post below because she talks about some of the reasons we might not think we’re equipped to mentor and how to overcome those insecurities.

Throw Out Insecurity and Cast Your Net

By Andrea Chatelain

I was a shell of a woman. Broken over miscarriages and lonely in faith, I called the one friend I had and asked her to gather some gals. We bought the shortest Bible study available, and strangers gathered in my living room. I had no idea what I was doing. Why had God prompted me to open my house and my heart to others when I felt so unqualified, imperfect, and weary? Truth is, He can work great things out of our vulnerability if we’ll be bold enough to follow.

[Tweet “God can work great things out of our vulnerability if we’ll be bold enough to follow.”]

Being a mentor starts with this motto: Throw out insecurity and cast your net.

Before Jesus’ disciples followed Him, many were fishermen. They spent their days casting out a net because they knew there were fish in the water–even if they weren’t biting. Some days the disciples hauled in so many fish the boat was overflowing, other times there wasn’t much to show for their efforts.

But they kept throwing their nets.

Then Jesus invited them to catch something better. “And He said to them, follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 ESV

To do the important work of mentoring others, bringing them up in love and truth, we have to believe two things: 1. God chose us fully aware of our shortcomings. 2. The outcome is in His control as we follow His lead.

If we examine the first disciples, Christ didn’t always choose the most qualified. He called those willing to follow and throw their net. And the same is true of us.

[Tweet “God has chosen each of us to cast our nets right where we are and mentor others in love and truth not because we are awesome, but because He is awesome.”]

God has chosen each of us to cast our nets right where we are and mentor others in love and truth not because we are awesome, but because He is awesome. Believing that perfection isn’t required to lead others emboldens us to step out of our comfort zone and do the sometimes intimidating job of mentoring. So we throw off insecurity and say yes to every crazy idea God gives us knowing it’s not about what we have to give, but about trusting the One who’s leading us.

[Tweet “To boldly say yes when God calls us to mentor or disciple others, we must also trust Him with the outcome.”]

To boldly say yes when God calls us to mentor or disciple others, we must also trust Him with the outcome. In the past, I didn’t open myself up to mentoring because I was simply afraid no one would show up, or that the group wouldn’t be successful. I believed the outcome of my leadership was all on me. And that left me paralyzed.

I was frozen in fear and insecurity thinking it was necessary to possess all the answers for the women I mentored. But when I changed my mindset, having faith God called me to that post, He provided me with strength and wisdom through His Holy Spirit, and the pressure subsided. And even if it didn’t turn out the way I expected, I learned to trust that was part of God’s plan too.

So no, I’ve never been a perfect leader, and I doubt I ever will be, but God showed up each week to that Bible study as I committed to love and serve others. As I continue to cast my net despite my fears and insecurities, God has built friendships, grown my faith, and healed my heart.

Who is God calling you to reach out to? What fear is holding you back?

[Tweet “Trust that God knows exactly who you are, your weakness and strengths, and wants to use you to encourage and mentor others.”]

Trust that God knows exactly who you are, your weakness and strengths, and wants to use you to encourage and mentor others. He will be glorified as you faithfully say yes!

If you’re looking at the following picture and wondering why I have stuffed animal sheep on the stage with me, read a little about my Feed My Sheep Story and my testimony.

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

May 13, 2019
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In Today’s Culture, I Might Have Been Aborted

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In Today's Culture I Could've Been Aborted

“I wouldn’t have had you if I knew I would be passing on health issues to you!” My mom said to me.

As states are rapid-fire passing abortion laws that allow babies to be aborted for any “health” reason, even up through and after delivery, my mother’s words echo in my mind. I was just a young girl and I tried to frame her words in love. But I wondered then, as I do now, why wouldn’t she want me? Were her words coming from a point of regret or concern about my future? She’s gone now and I never asked.

[Tweet “Ultrasounds have made strides in helping to determine when a heart starts beating as new parent’s excitedly watch the development of their baby in mommy’s tummy.”]

Ultrasounds have made strides in helping to determine when a heart starts beating as new parents excitedly watch the development of their baby in mommy’s tummy. There are so many benefits of ultrasounds, especially in letting hesitant mommy’s know their baby is not just tissue or a fetus, but a kicking, smiling, yawning, sleeping, squirming baby boy or girl.

Ultrasounds and amniocentesis also detect early developmental issues. Often a baby’s life can be saved by intrauterine surgery or detecting that the mommy needs to be on bedrest.

[Tweet “Before ultrasounds detecting problems babies would have a chance at life. Today doctors encourage fearful parents to abort “and try again.””]

But these same tests can detect problems that can’t be treated until the baby is born, or maybe not treatable ever.

Before intrauterine technology, those babies would have a chance at life. Today doctors might encourage fearful parents to “abort and try again.” Even though we read story after story of the doctor and the tests being wrong and a beautiful baby boy or girl surprises everyone. A baby almost killed because he or she might not be perfect.

I would’ve been one of those imperfect babies.

Today’s technology could probably detect that I would have a spine with severe debilitating congenital scoliosis. Doctors might have told my first-time parents that without treatment I would be deformed and why not “get rid of me and try again for a better baby next time.” But my mom was pregnant before ultrasounds. Parents had to anxiously wait until their baby was born to even know if they were having a boy or a girl. So I lived.

But as I grew, my mother continually told me to stand up straight and had me standing for hours with my back against the wall hoping my spine would straighten on its own. But it only got worse until doctors told her if I didn’t have surgery to put a metal rod down my spine or be put in traction and wear a plaster cast from just under my ears to my hip bones until I finished growing, my left arm would eventually drag the ground. There was no way to correct the S-shaped curvature, only stop it from getting any worse and I would endure a lifetime of back pain.

She probably repeated in her mind, “I shouldn’t have had you.”

In Today's Culture, I Could've Been Aborted Because I had a deformed spine

At Christmas with my younger sister. The plaster cast you see around my neck went all the way down to my hip bones. I’m bracing myself with my left hand because I could barely sit up.

Or maybe she would’ve started experiencing many of her “health issues,” and when she became pregnant, she didn’t want to pass them on to me. I would be better off not being born. Aborted.

When I had breast cancer three times after she was gone, had she been alive, she might have said again, “I shouldn’t have had you.”

But praise God . . . she did have me.

In Today's Culture, I Could Have Been Aborted

[Tweet “God had a plan for me like He has for every one of His creations and none of us are perfect.”]

God had a plan for me like He has for every one of His creations and none of us are perfect.

Mothers often express in delight, “My baby is perfect as they count ten toes and fingers, four limbs, two eyes, two ears, one nose and a mouth, but no one really knows what awaits each of us. And that’s a good thing. If we knew a two-year old was going to get cancer, would we not want to have those two precious years with our child? What about if doctors could predict asthma or allergies? Would those be considered enough “health issues” to abort?

Now that they can detect Down’s Syndrome and cleft palates, should those darling children not have a chance at life? Savagely, doctor’s give parents that choice today.

[Tweet “Every life has a purpose, and while we’d like our life to be pure joy and happiness, we’re all going to have challenges.”]

Every life has a purpose, and while we’d like our life to be pure joy and happiness, we’re all going to have challenges. God’s plan is for all His children to be a part of human history for however long or short our time on earth or how imperfect our bodies or minds.

It’s not our call to play God.

[Tweet “It is not our call to play God.”]

Here’s some ways God has used my less than perfect body.

  1. I had a beautiful baby girl, who could’ve possibly had scoliosis, but she doesn’t. I tried so hard to have her while I struggled with infertility and not once did I ever think, “Maybe God doesn’t want me to have a baby.” I love being a mother.
  2. My daughter has three beautiful children. I love being a grandmother.
  3. I have a godly husband who is devoted to Jesus and to me. I love being a wife.
  4. I had the opportunity to start the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry over twenty years ago and only God knows the number of women throughout the world who have been, and continue to be, blessed by mentoring relationships. I love being About His Work.
  5. At the age of 50, I became an author! September 2019 will be the release of my twentieth Christian nonfiction book, all written to the glory of God. I love being an author.
  6. I’ve had the opportunity to speak and encourage women throughout the United States and Canada about how to live a life for Christ. I love speaking and mentoring.

It’s true I’ve had, and continue to have, many health issues, but I’m so glad my mother did choose to give me life.

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

Psalm 139:13-14

In a recent post Don’t Just Cry About It, Do Something, I said one of the things we can do is put a face to the inhumanity of abortion by telling our stories. I’m sure all of you have a story to tell too of someone, maybe you, who might’ve been aborted today. Share with us your story in the comments and tell someone else today! You might just be saving an unborn life.

If you received this blog by email, leave a comment here.

*Opening picture is from the Christian Conservative

February 18, 2019
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God Is in Charge of His Glory—Not You! by Kathy Collard Miller

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As I mentioned last week, my new book was due to the publisher on Monday and I had to stay focused on finishing it, which I did, so our Monday Morning Blog is again on Tuesday . . . but at least it’s in the morning this time. Kathy Collard Miller is a dear friend of mine, fellow author, and former mentor to me so I’m thrilled to have her share with you from her book, Pure-Hearted. Kathy is also generously offering a free book so make sure to leave a comment below by next Sunday, Oct. 21, to enter the drawing. We had a lot of fun last week with our comments and drawing and one blessed woman is enjoying her free book this week.

God willing, I’ll be back next Monday! Thank all of you who prayed for me during this writing marathon of Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith. It will release in September 2019. 

God Is in Charge of His Glory—Not You!

by Kathy Collard Miller

I walked away from the coffee house berating myself. “Kathy! You must have said the wrong thing to her. See her response? How is God going to be glorified and her grow in Christ if you keep saying the wrong thing?”

I had been mentoring this new Christian for a month or two but felt like every time we met I said something wrong or something that could be misinterpreted. I just knew God wasn’t shining through me very clearly! When would I get it right? And the fact that my mentee was still struggling must mean I was doing it wrong.

[Tweet “The fact that my mentee was still struggling must mean I was doing it wrong!”]

Is My Mentee Talking About Me to Others?

Plus, I wasn’t quite sure if she was talking about me with others. I knew my desire was to help, but I felt tense thinking of other’s opinions about my ministry.

This scenario has occurred many times over the years of helping others in their spiritual walk, and over time, I’ve been able to counteract the lies with the truth: God is in charge of changes within others and He isn’t dependent upon me mentoring perfectly.

[Tweet “God is in charge of changes within others and He isn’t dependent upon me mentoring perfectly.”]

What the Apostle Paul Says

I’ve also been encouraged by the perspective of the Apostle Paul who wrote, But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me (I Corinthians 4:3-4).

Paul doesn’t jump into self-contempt like I do. He seeks God’s opinion. I think so many of us depend upon our self-evaluations rather than looking to God for his judgement of what happened with the person we are mentoring. We conclude we didn’t say the right things. But we don’t know what our mentee needed to hear. Maybe the very words we said—and are judging—were what she needed to hear.

[Tweet “Maybe the very words we said—and are judging—were what our mentee needed to hear.”]

I Apologized But It Wasn’t Needed

So many times, I’ve followed up on a conversation and apologized for what I said. Most of the time the person responds, “Really? I don’t remember.” Other times, she says, “No, I didn’t think anything bad at all.” I had been all upset, rehearsing what I said, but my friend wasn’t.

Paul continues, We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute (vs. 10).

Evidently, Paul’s opponents in Corinth are saying those things about him, so he is responding sarcastically. He’s basically saying, “Of course, you’re right. You are wise but we are fools. You are strong, but we are weak. You are held in honor, but we are disreputable. Shame on us.” Wink. Wink.

The Apostle Paul Is Making Fun of Others

He is making light of their opinions of him because he doesn’t mind others seeing him in those ways. His motive is not to be seen well, but to cooperate with God’s plan. What a lesson for us. We don’t have to be bothered by what others say about us either.

[Tweet “We don’t have to be bothered by what others say about us.”]

If we’re afraid of appearing as fools when we speak of the Lord, we might want to examine our hearts. Maybe our self-contempt is because we fear looking foolish or silly or unintelligent or whatever we have vowed to never appear as or feel like. When we have the purified heart of sacrifice for God’s glory, we will be wisely sensitive to the needs of others, led by the Holy Spirit, because our focus isn’t distracted by our own self-protection.

I Don’t Want to Be Thought of As Stupid

I have recognized my distracted focus of not wanting to seem stupid or insensitive. Both prevent me from boldly obeying the Spirit’s leading. I’m afraid I’ll reveal my stupidity by saying something my mentee can dispute from Scripture or her own interpretation of truth. My old childhood nemesis—don’t make anyone feel bad because then I’m bad—hampers me from having the freedom to respond however the Holy Spirit is leading me.

Yet, what is the truth? Paul states the truth earlier in this first letter to the Corinthians, But we have the mind of Christ (2:16).

The Corinthian believers must really be struggling with their image. Paul confronts those issues in so many ways. He writes, For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:2-5).

Paul seems to be saying, “I have known the fears of appearing weak and lacking wisdom just like you are experiencing. But my weaknesses mean you’ll rest in God’s power and not depend upon me being so wise.”

I Have a New Bold Sensitivity

To some degree, I’ve seen God newly empower my life with a bold sensitivity by being willing to sacrifice my own image or risk being misunderstood.

[Tweet “I’ve seen God newly empower my life with a bold sensitivity by being willing to sacrifice my own image.”]

I remember one time specifically when I berated myself after seemingly giving all the wrong responses to a friend about God and His workings. I felt defeated and wondered whether I had destroyed any possibility of her responding to God’s love. But then, God popped a great thought into my mind. “Well, if she grows as a Christian, it certainly won’t be because of my communication skills.”

I’m Not Responsible for My Mentee’s Growth

Then, the truth hit me. If her growth, or even conversion, isn’t because of me, who is the cause? And who will get the glory since I don’t deserve it? Jesus and his Spirit. If I had been brilliant and my friend suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, you’ve made it so clear. I do want to become a Christian,” it would have been easy to give myself credit rather than the work of the Holy Spirit. But He is the one who calls her to growth or salvation, it’s not about me at all. I’m just a weak and inadequate vessel.

Having pure motives for God’s glory doesn’t mean we won’t prepare as much as we can. It means we recognize God is completely in charge of His glory—not us.

[Tweet “Having pure motives for God’s glory doesn’t mean we won’t prepare as much as we can. It means we recognize God is completely in charge of His glory—not us.”]

What have you found helpful in resisting taking the growth of your mentee personally? Share in the comment section, and also enter to win a copy of Kathy’s book, Pure-Hearted.

If you received this blog by email, leave a comment here.

This guest blog is adapted from Pure-Hearted: The Blessings of Living Out God’s Glory.

Kathy is making a copy of Pure-Hearted available to the winner of a book drawing. Enter to win in the comment section below by Sunday, October 21, and the winner will be drawn and announced that afternoon. (US addresses only please.)

Kathy Collard Miller author of Pure Hearted discusses letting mentees suffer as God uses their trials to strengthen them.

Pure-Hearted will help you bring more glory to God by purifying your motives. Author and speaker Jennifer Kennedy Dean writes in the Foreword: “You will find the secret to the communion for which your heart was formed.”

Kathy Collard Miller writes about letting God work through suffering in mentoring.

Kathy Collard Miller is an award-winning author of over 50 books that include Christian living topics, women’s Bible studies, and Bible commentaries. She is a speaker who has shared in 8 foreign countries and over 30 US states. Kathy and Larry have been married for 48 years and are the parents of two and grandparents of two. They live in Southern California and often write and speak together. Visit her at www.KathyCollardMiller.com. She would love to hear from you.

Order Pure-Hearted

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October 16, 2018
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Why We Need Mentoring Part Two By Tammy Keene

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This week we have the second part of Tammy Keene’s blog post on how mentoring has impacted her life and led her to start a mentoring ministry at her church, First Baptist Church of Riverview. If you didn’t get to read last week’s Why We Need Mentoring Part One, be sure and read it first so you can meet Tammy.

This is also Love Your Body Like God Loves Your Body last Monday of the month and Tammy gives some good advice on sticking with weight loss or any health regime.

Why We Need Mentoring Part Two By Tammy Keene

In 2013, I invited Lisa Weaver to join me on a weight loss journey. What started as just the two of us meeting at the gym to walk on a treadmill and discuss a Bible study became so much more.

Looking back at this time, I have recognized a very important lesson: this simple act of obedience led me to where I am today. As I reflect now, I am shocked that I would have the boldness to ask another woman to join me on a weight loss journey.

That weight loss journey led to the Tuesday Night Ladies Bible Study. It was during our first Bible study, that God laid on my heart to share what we were learning with other ladies. It started out as a weight loss Bible study, but it became so much more.

[Tweet “Sometimes you need to pass the baton so God can use you somewhere else.”]

Sometimes you need to pass the baton so God can use you somewhere else.

In preparation for starting our mentoring ministry, I felt God calling me to step away from leading the Tuesday Night Bible Study. I almost let my fear of stepping away get in the way of what God was trying to accomplish. As I stepped away, God blessed the Tuesday Night Bible Study with two women to co-lead.

This was just the start because God was not done. He also led three more ladies to lead two more Bible studies I was leading on Wednesday mornings.

[Tweet “God’s economics are so much better than ours!”]

God’s economics are so much better than mine! 

If I had allowed my fear of letting go hold me back, I would have missed being a small part of some of the blessings at First Baptist Church of Riverview.

In Janet Thompson’s book, Mentoring for All Seasons, one mentee shared her concern about mentoring. “Where are all the mentors? I remember looking up to several women in the church, but I was never able to wiggle my way under their wing. It shouldn’t have been so hard, and no mom should have to go it alone. The church should weave mentoring into the fabric of the church.” (p. 143)

I know that as women, we are very busy, our schedules are packed and our time is precious, but I truly believe the experience of having a mentor or mentee is necessary for each of us. You’ll be amazed by what God will show you during this time.

Another mentor shared in Mentoring for All Seasons that: “Sometimes we don’t fully discover our strengths because we let doubt and fear keep us from moving forward…we minimize those feelings, put things off for a later date or hold back because we doubt our feelings or our own abilities. But when we say yes – even if we aren’t sure if we’re qualified or how it’s all going to turn out – that’s when He opens new doors to discover, live, and love our strengths…that’s when lives are changed, including ours…one by one the world is changed too.” (p. 145)

In 2013, I didn’t realize I had a passion for mentoring, but God used the lessons learned over my lifetime to confirm that He has placed me exactly where I am meant to be. I am blessed to be a small part of the mentoring ministry at FBCR, mentoring is my passion! 

Tammy Keene

Why We Need Mentoring Party Two by Tammy Keene

Where might God be calling you to step away, so He can help you step into something new?

[Tweet “Where might God be calling you to step away, so He can help you step into something new?”]

How has mentoring changed your life?

Why we need mentoring Part 2 by Tammy Keene

Notice Tammy made sure the Bible studies she was leading had capable new leaders before she left. That’s one important point I also make in The Team That Jesus Built. Never walk away from a ministry unless you’ve equipped someone to take your place.

[Tweet “Never walk away from a ministry unless you’ve equipped someone to take your place.”]

Then you don’t leave a void or hurt the ministry you’re leaving.

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October 1, 2018
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Hope for the Lonely By Jennifer Slattery

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When I started the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry, the common theme I heard from women joining the ministry was, “I’m lonely!” Others said, they had friends, but no Christian friends and they felt lonely without another woman to share their faith. Our guest blogger today, Jennifer Slattery, has a passion for helping women discover, embrace, and live out who they are in Christ. 

Hope for the Lonely By Jennifer Slattery

Hope for the Lonely by Jennifer Slattery gives hope to women who struggle with lonliness

She’s the woman whose kids are grown and so busy launching their new lives, she feels there’s no room for her. She’s the young adult who, after accepting a job halfway across the country, spends every evening alone. And she’s the mother, the wife, or caregiver who, for countless reasons, spends her day engaging with hundreds of virtual friends on Facebook wishing one of them would step away from their screens to see her, truly see her.

[Tweet “She’s the mother, wife, or caregiver who spends her day engaging with hundreds of friends on Facebook, wishing one of them would step away from their screens to see her, truly see her.”]

We’ve become the lonely, disconnected generation. According to statistics, nearly one quarter of us don’t have anyone we feel we can rely on and half of us don’t have a single confidant outside of family. This means, on any given Sunday, there’s a 50-50 chance the woman sitting next to us is deeply in need of a friend.

[Tweet “From the beginning of time, God placed the need to connect deep within our hearts.”]

We weren’t meant to live in solitude. From the beginning of time, God placed the need to connect deep within our hearts. This need, embedded within us, was designed to draw us closer to one another and closer to our Savior.

In a perfect, grace-filled world, that’s exactly what would happen. But sin invaded the creation God once called very good and tainted our relationships and wounded our hearts, driving wedges between us.

Sins’ isolating effects

If you're lonely God can help. There's hope for the lonely says Jennifer Slattery

We long for connection, but we fear this at the same time, because true relationship requires risk. A risk that leaves us vulnerable to pain and open to rejection.

[Tweet “We try to change who we are to gain acceptance in an attempt to fill the gaping hole within instead of surrendering our hearts, longing, and pain to Christ.”]

So we hide, or strive to change who we are in order to gain acceptance in an attempt to fill in the gaping hole in our soul through our own strength. I’ve seen this again and again, and the casualty that results after years of defensive, destructive living.

I’ve seen the pain. I’ve heard the stories of abandonment and betrayal, of fear and self-protection. Of longing for relational intimacy.

What we fear

[Tweet “Statistics say women fear loneliness more than a cancer diagnosis”]

Statistics say women fear loneliness more than a cancer diagnosis

Think about that for a moment. They fear feeling insignificant, unknown, and unseen over contracting a potentially terminal illness. And yet, that doesn’t really surprise me. We all know the joy of spending a lazy, giggly day with someone we love. When a dear friend was dying of brain cancer, what pained her most wasn’t her loss of vision or speech or motor skills, but the time she’d never have with her three little boys. Those moments were precious, made all the more so because she knew they wouldn’t last.

[Tweet “Relationships matter. They’re a core part of who we are.”]

And so, I get it. Relationships matter. They’re a core part of who we are. Who we were created to be. Of course, we ache when that necessary piece of life is missing. But even in our pain, there’s hope, because we follow a reconciling, uniting God. The Hand that formed us from the dust, that breathed life into our mortal lungs, and created within us a need for connection, unites us by His blood.

God can help

He’s our Creator and Provider, which means, if He planted this need deep within us, He will fill it. But it might take time. It’ll take pushing through hard conversations, holding tight to relationships when others don’t behave as we’d hoped. It’ll take digging deep into our hurts and fears and insecurities and handing those over to Jesus.

[Tweet “Friendships require digging deep into our hurts, fears, and insecurities and handing those over to Jesus.”]

It’ll take finding an imperfect yet grace-filled church family we can plant our roots deep into. Because here’s the deal—we don’t need random, superficial relationships. Those will only leave us feeling empty and depleted.

[Tweet “we don’t need random, superficial relationships. Those will only leave us feeling empty and depleted.”]

We need unity. Sisterhood. A strong and committed family.

Are you lonely? There's hope by Jennifer Slattery

And as much as we need this, our sisters do as well. You may have heard the phrase: If you want a friend, be one. The same sentiment applies here, because nearly 50% of the women you and I meet in a given day are lonely. Deeply lonely. Painfully lonely.

You can be their friend. You can help fill that hole. As you do, maybe you’ll find your hole fills as well.

Did anything resonate with you today?

  • How might past hurts and the fears those can generate be keeping you from deep and lasting community?
  • How might surrendering those to Jesus bring you to a deeper level of freedom and friendships?
  • Or perhaps God’s calling you to reach out to someone else. What might it look like to truly be Jesus to that person?

Share your thoughts, examples, and suggestions with us in the comments below, because we can all learn from and encourage one another!

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

Pictures above courtesy of Unsplash.

Hope for the Lonely by Jennifer Slattery

Jennifer Slattery is a writer, editor, and speaker who’s addressed women’s groups, church groups, Bible studies, and writers across the nation. She’s the author of six contemporary novels and maintains a devotional blog found at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com.  As the founder of Wholly Loved Ministries, she and her team partner with churches to facilitate events designed to help women rest in their true worth and live with maximum impact. Visit her online to find out more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event. When not writing, reading, or editing, Jennifer loves going on mall dates with her adult daughter and coffee dates with her hilariously fun husband.

August 20, 2018
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