RISE ABOVE

Walking In Divine Health Part 3

2010-03-05T12:29:00.005-05:00

I have always said that I will beat the enemy by giving testimony to whatever he throws my way. I don't find it the least bit coincidental that I blogged about divine health and I am feeling less than divine right now.

So instead of hiding until the manifest of health bursts on the scene I will share with you what I am doing.

About 19 years ago I suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Epstein Barr disease. Thankfully I was completely healed from that, praise God! Every now and then I get "that feeling" and I fight it with the sword of the Spirit. God's Word. This week has been very draining for some reason. Could it be my age?? I turned another year older last Friday and I must say I did celebrate ALOT. I have also noticed I am staying up way to late, getting up way to early and I eat like garbage.

There comes responsibility when we claim God's promises for our lives. Taking proper care of the body He gives us is very important. So as I grocery shopped and purchased very healthy foods for myself, I spoke God's promises. I took a multi vitamin with added energy (hey I need all the help I can get). I refused to even entertain the thought that I will relive the previous illness (come on you know we are all tempted to revisit the past and let fear set in).

I am thankful for the opportunity to once again allow God to be glorified.

Here are a few more promises for you too!

Ex 23:25
Ex 15:26
Deut 28:1-14
Deut 30:19-20
Nahum 1:9
Rom 4:17-21
2 Cor 10:4-5

Walking In Divine Health Part 2

2010-02-22T11:03:00.003-05:00

Have you ever felt like this guy? I know I have. I hope that meditating on the verses in Part 1 have given you a new revelation to the power that is available to us. I was standing next to a friend the other night who was definitely looking like the guy in this picture. I was so excited to share what my current blog series was on!! I encouraged him to speak the Word out loud and I prayed for him too.

I admit I got the "yeah that sounds good but I feel like garbage" look. Then another friend came into the room and announced "hey Lisa thanks for praying for me the other day! I feel GREAT!" I responded with "God is so good! Did you speak those scriptures out loud?" "I sure did" replied my second friend. I was so excited and said "Tell him...tell him" referring to sick friend #1. The power of testimony. How fun is God!

When you feel the "ick" coming on you have a choice to make. You can say "OH NO I am getting sick, I feel terrible, this will ruin my week. It will take me forever to get over it and then my family will get it" ....and on and on.

OR you can say "I will not get sick in Jesus' name. No weapons forged against me shall prosper! No sickness or disease can touch my body. I am the temple of the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in me!" My Father is Jehovah Raffa the Lord who heals! By Jesus' stripes I am healed! He healed all my diseases...." you get the picture.

Now I hate pain and discomfort so at the first sign of any hint of an attack of the "yuck" I have been known to take medicine. Does that mean I don't have faith? Maybe to some. I just take it and continue to speak the promises of God out loud often. Within a very short time either minutes, hours or 1 day I have NO symptoms. NONE. It's been that way for 2 years. PRAISE GOD!

It is amazing to see how my kids are picking this up. Samantha's stomach was really hurting her the other night. As she was grabbing the porcelain, one of her parents was saying "are you going to be sick? I think you ARE going to be sick!" She looked at the other parent and said "pray for me and I will speak the scriptures in my head". That's my girl! The tummy bug left without her getting sick. She was in perfect health all day. God is faithful.

Now again my disclaimer: This is what happens with me. I love to share it just as if it were a great recipe for chicken noodle soup! I do think this method is better than any hand santizer out there. And you never have to worry about running out of it!!

Walking in Divine Health Part 1

2010-02-18T09:51:00.005-05:00

Well it is that time of year where sickness seems to jump on anyone it can. I have been asked a lot lately to pray for people who are sick and can't seem to shake that nagging cough or the "oh no my kids have the stomach flu please not me" people.

I have been blessed to learn from God's Word how to actively walk in the area of divine health. Now before you send me nasty blog comments, I am going to tell you MY story and what I do. I am not saying everyone should do this. I am saying try it if you want. It has worked for me by the grace of God for 2 years. I am trying to get my kids involved as well. That is taking some time. 2 years and 3 kids worth of various ailments have plagued our home, one of which was the swine flu. That one did get contained to one family member out of 5, PRAISE GOD!

Another disclaimer. I believe God heals, period. The bible says so. Does everyone get healed? No. Do I know why? No. Does that mean I disregard what I know to be true because I don't always see the results I want? No. I take God at His Word. I understand His ways are not our ways and I pursue what Jesus gave his disciples authority to do. I then leave the results to Him.

Most often we don't pray and ask God to protect us before we are sick, we wait until we are sick and then we beg God to do something or finish us off (which I have done during bouts of a horrific stomach virus).

The first thing you need is a revelation from God. If you read Ephesians 1:17-21 you will see that the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in you! If that is true why can't we get rid of the common cold?

So in today's first lesson. Get out your bible. Seek the Holy Spirit to lead you into all Truth. Ask Him to show you the authority Jesus gave you as a believer. Meditate on these verses:
Psalm 103:1-4
Isaiah 53:5
1Peter 2:24
1Cor 6:19

Stayed tuned for Part 2!

Choose Wisely

2010-02-15T09:45:00.003-05:00

For some reason it seems that people are under attack at a tougher level. I am not sure if its because of the "new level new devil" theory or that people are just being shaken more easily by the same old stuff. This past weekend...yes Valentines Weekend was pretty rough for a few friends of mine. Strong God loving people. The arrows that were shot were unfortunately not from chubby adorable cupid...but from the one who shoots firey darts.

The main battle field where we fight the enemy is in our own minds. We need to take every thought captive and hold it obedient to Christ( 2Cor 10:5). I have discovered that the easiest way to do that is to make a decision before you are under siege. Set your mind and be determined to honor God and His word. By making a choice you will be prepared, even if you are caught off guard.

The enemy doesn't fight fare. He is out to steal, kill and destroy. An army wouldn't go into battle without weapons. You also don't see them huddled in a corner wringing their hands in worry and fear. They are out there fighting. Should we be any different?

Whether you are in a battle right now or not, make the choice to honor God's Word and God's ability. Trust that what He asks you to do in your circumstances, you can do in His strength. It all begins with a decision, so choose wisely.

A note to married Christians: If your spouse isn't strong enough to fight whatever the enemy is throwing at them, then you be strong enough to honor God with your actions. Your obedience and your prayers will have an impact. If you decide to let the enemy get to you too, then the battle just got bigger. This is the time to fall back on the Word that you have been listening to in church your entire life and put it into practice!

The Month of Loooove

2010-02-08T10:48:00.004-05:00

I received a card once that had the verse 1 Corinthians 13:12 on it, "we don't yet see things clearly...but it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright!"

After weeks of this miserable weather who is seeing clearly? But there is a promised sun to come and warm this place up! Have you ever wondered why you have certain situations come up in your life? Sometimes it is something small and irritating and other times it's a huge issue. Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose. The God who loves you and me has planned our days and it was written in His book before we were one day old (Psalm 139:16). So in the midst of our hectic schedules, our relationships, our responsibilities and our hardships we can take comfort in knowing that:

* All of our days were planned for us before we came to be
* All things work for God's good...and
* We may not see it now, but when the difficulties pass the sun will shine bright!

During the month of heart shaped candies, flowers, chocolates (also known as the month of LOOOOOVE), my hope is that you stop and think about how much God loves _____________ (insert your name here). When you see a heart hanging in the store or see "BE MINE" and "I'M YOURS" on candy, may it remind you that the best love of all is from the One who planned everything about you!

Don't Deny It

2010-01-15T11:14:00.005-05:00

John 1:24 says: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

I have read that many times and thought I understood what it meant. I love how God takes the living word and breathes a deeper revelation into it and opens my eyes to new understanding.

When this verse was impressed upon me the next thought was from Luke 12:8-9. It reads: I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.

Don't deny or disown the Word of God, any of it. It's ALL God breathed. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you into all Truth. Read the Word and seek God for understanding. Embrace what God is showing you. Never assume you have it all down or you have total understanding. Come to God with child like faith and a teachable spirit. Be open to receive what He reveals to you.

Are you worried what people may say? That's OK just rely on this.

Don't deny the Word. That Word became flesh!

Milestones to Praise

2010-01-07T22:16:00.003-05:00

I read the twitter from Wade Joye a few hours ago: I just saw Liana walk across the entire room! So grateful for how Jesus has answered our prayers.

What an amazing miracle to see that against the odds, against the doctor's reports, this precious child walks! For those of you who don't know you can read the journey here.

As I catch my breath and comprehend how God moved in the lives of Adleigh and Liana, I am excited about the milestones that they will have. With each milestone people who know them or know their story will be drawn to the power of God and God will get the glory!! Imagine, Liana walks, we praise God. They go to school, we remember their story, we praise God. They start to drive, they go to college, they get married, they have families of their own and we all stop and remember what God did.

We all have milestones that should bring glory to God. Every time we do something or don't do something because of what Jesus did in our lives is an opportunity to praise God. Maybe we don't have a visible milestone for the world to see. Maybe its a marriage that God restored and the restoration process wasn't necessarily public. Maybe no one knows or sees who you used to be before you met Christ. That doesn't mean we should forget what God did for us.

As we celebrate and praise God for this amazing miracle of Liana Joye walking 18 steps today, remember that God has done amazing things for you, big and small. Praise Him for what He has done in your life and share it. Let people know the miracle of a changed heart, a changed life, a restored marriage,a healing or peace through loss.

Revelation 12:11 says: They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;

Praise God for your miracle milestones, make sure people can see them and give God all the glory!

Expect the Unexpected

2009-11-06T16:01:00.003-05:00

We often expect certain things. When God gives you a vision for your life and it burns a desire so deep in you that you can't let it go, its hard not to think about it. Many times on our journey of God's will we wonder "will I miss Him?" or "Is this God?" We ask, "Do I do this or do that?" What about, "Maybe THIS is the open door I need".

I am learning the hard way that God will hardly take the road that we expect. I know based on God's Word who He is and that He will do what He says He will do. What I don't always know is "the how" and I think He likes it like that.

Often times my mentors will say, "You aren't trusting God with this". On the contrary, I do trust God with all of it. What I don't trust is that I won't hear Him and miss His leading. I confess I have a fear of wandering in the desert for years wondering when the heck I will get to the promised land. A vision from God is a promise though so don't give up on the vision.

I am learning to expect that God will bring our visions to pass if we surrender and wholeheartedly follow Him. While we wait for His timing we have several things that we need to do:

1) Seek Him and not the vision. Our relationship with Him is more important to Him than anything He has destined us to do. Without that intimacy we are not supernaturally equipped to do anything. Being set on the end result and not a relationship makes the vision an idol.

2) Understand that while waiting we are in "prep mode". God is refining us and the holding pattern is ultimately for our protection.

3) Realize that any closed door or lack of support means that the season of learning in that area may have ended. Just because it seemed logical to us why we were placed where we were placed is probably the very reason God shut the door. He likes to be God and do miraculous things so no man can boast.

If you feel your vision is a faded off dream. Hold on to the promise of being used by God in a mighty way. Get excited that He is calling a "time out" because you ARE headed in the right direction. He is just moving things in place.

Don't be discouraged if the very people you thought would embrace your passion don't see what God sees. You are in great company. Joseph's brothers threw him in a pit. As harsh as that was they actually helped him realize the vision they were jealous he had. Don't be offended or get side lined because of that. They may not be against you, they could only take you so far in God's journey.

Joseph had a God given vision but then he ended up in a pit and then prison. His vision eventually came to pass. Embrace where you are at. Seek Him during this season for clarity on what He is doing and for a deeper time of intimacy. Then expect the unexpected.

INtegrity or OUTegrity Part 2

2009-11-02T09:39:00.003-05:00

Psalm 19:14 says "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

I am learning that God will allow situations to arise in our lives that will bring our heart issues to the surface. He doesn't do it so that we become resentful bitter gossips. He does it so that we can bring our issues to Him. Sometimes we think we have dealt with things like fear, anxiety, rejection or abandonment. Our spiritual life is in a great place and its smooth sailing. Then all of a sudden we hit a perfect storm and familiar feelings we thought were long gone resurface.

God uses these opportunities to draw us to Him to deal with hidden issues of our heart. I confess I struggle with resentment and bitterness when I feel rejected. In order to "feel better" I talk...too much and usually not positive uplifting things either. I prayed to be delivered from rejection because it hinders me and my ministry. Why was I so shocked when I was given beyond normal opportunities to walk them out with INtegrity?

So what do you do? You share your feelings with a few close trustworthy friends. They must hold you accountable and encourage you in the painful refinement God is trying to bring about. Confess your sin of bitterness, anger, revenge, whatever it is, to God and to those you trust. Next, meditate on the Word of God. You don't let it leave your sight. You replace the thoughts in your head with the promises of God. Let them penetrate your heart. Then you speak them out loud. Sometimes all I can say is "the power of God is alive and working in me". It's a powerful confession that will flow OUT and it beats unloading negativity.

God says He is your Lord, your Rock and your Redeemer. He will deliver you, He will vindicate you. Keep your eyes fixed on Him and your mouth speaking forth His Truth so that they are pleasing to Him.

Then relax and be confident that He who began a good work in your will carry it on to completion.

INtegrity or OUTegrity

2009-10-28T11:42:00.004-05:00

I heard a teaching once that "INTEGRITY" is what you do when no one is looking. That proves that integrity is a heart issue. Often times I make the decision to walk in integrity. Be the bigger person, act like Jesus, be holier, ooze God's grace. But what I am really exercising is OUTegrity. I am going through motions because it is what I "should" do. In the recesses of my heart though I am fighting my flesh.

I am pretty sure in those moments where I "faked it", I neglected to ask God to forgive my attitude. I wanted Him to bless my actions. Some examples would be bitterness or my judgmental/critical attitude or whatever was on my "emotional menu" at the time. I have "acted"(and still do at times...insert friends nodding their heads here) like I am fine with a situation when I really am not. I confess I "chose" to take the high rode when in my heart and head I was kicking and screaming the entire way.

Let's face it. When you are "faking it" you become more resentful if you don't bring it to God to be dealt with. Luke 6:45 says, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

We need to work out the issues of the heart so that our mouth will speak good things and that we really mean the good things we say. Words that are edifying and encouraging. Words that build each other up not tear each other down. Words that heal not hurt.

God gave us His grace. In turn we are to extend it to others. If we are "stuck" and we find ourselves "faking it" we aren't fooling God. Use Matthew 18 as a directive if you have been hurt or offended. If that is not possible then forgive as you have been forgiven. (It could be a daily process as you replay the offense over and over, God's Word will win eventually!)

Don't fake the "I am above reproach" approach. We are all human. We all fall short. Be honest with God and seek HIM to work on your heart. You aren't fooling Him anyway. INtegrity will last and Outegrity will be a passing fad.

FAITH

2009-08-31T10:23:00.002-05:00

F - forgetting what is seen and looking to the unseen, that is what is eternal!
A - accepting that God is in control & His way works
I - including time into your day to read His Word & pray
T - trusting He loves you and that His promises are true
H - Holding the hand of the one who loved you enough to die for you even when we don't understand.

We are all given a measure of faith. It is up to you to determine if your faith will grow or dwindle. Take captive the thoughts you have in your situation and compare them to what God has said to you and about you. It is there you will choose who and what to believe.

Be determined to see God's hand in your situation. What is happening may be quite painful. Can you find God's goodness in the midst of it? Can you think back to when God was faithful and came through for you. Praise Him for what He has done and thank Him in advance for what He is doing. HE IS the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. God is faithful to the faithful!

White Water Rafting

2009-08-05T09:27:00.004-05:00

We celebrated Mike and Sydney's birthdays this year by going white water rafting. I was excited but somewhat nervous. Then I sat in the "safety session" and oozed with fear. I literally prayed that the three of us would be safe and no one would fall out of the boat. When I heard the course contained water pressure from 6 pumps, one of which could fill an olympic pool in 20 seconds, my fear over took me.

Please God don't let us die. Please God don't let any of us have broken bones...and the list went on. When we were assigned our guide I started to laugh. His name was Noah. OK God, thanks for your humor! I told the guide I felt a bit less nervous because Noahs have good reputations when it comes to boats and alot of water.

As I sat down on the side of the raft I was once again put at ease. Noah's name was written on his oar. His real name...NOAH GODBEY....I could not make that up if I tried. So again I laughed and felt that God was comforting me. I was thankful to be sitting right in front of Noah and did not mind one bit that he screamed his instructions into my left ear.

We hit the waves and the rocks and it was a wild ride. Noah boomed instructions with his stern voice. He did that to ensure no one got tossed from the boat. "I want to be sure the people in the front of the boat can hear me", he explained. "It's no fun pulling people out" so I yell loud enough for the front of the raft to hear me. I am firm because "I want to avoid danger."

As my heart palpatations were increasing with rapids I felt God say "You are safe, no one will get hurt, I want to teach you something." I forced myself to trust God and Noah and I really had a great safe experience. It occurred to me that this is how we should be in life. When the wind and the waves hit, we need to be close to the source. The closer we are to "The Guide" the easier it is to hear His instructions. His desire is to keep everyone on course. His instructions are to keep everyone safe so that no one "falls out of the boat". It is no fun to get swept downstream and there are hazards that await you. Our Guide cares so much for us that He will scream the instructions so we can hear him, even if we aren't positioned close to Him. The question is are you listening to Him or the crashing waves?

Stick close to God so you can hear His instructions when you have a storm in your life. You may be able to look back and see what God was trying to teach you without needlessly injuring yourself!

Love Deepens

2009-05-30T21:28:00.003-05:00

I would like to wish my husband a very happy 13th anniversary (June 1st). I am thankful for you and for all that God has done in our lives. I read this quote and hope it inspires others to stick with it. I thank God we did!

We have often said that we would not choose to go back to some of the early days of our marriage. Too often, early love is a marriage built on day dreams. Love deepens with understanding and varying viewpoints expand and challenge one another. So many things improve with age. Those who abandon ship the first time it enters a storm miss the calm beyond. And the rougher the storms weathered together, the deeper and stronger real love grows. Ruth Graham

Thankful

2009-04-11T08:11:00.006-05:00

Several years ago I sat in a church office trying to pitch my passion to bring the Love and Respect Conference to Charlotte. I explained that 2 days before our meeting I had an actual dream where I saw Dr. Emerson on stage at Calvary Church and it was filled with people. There was a chuckle amongst those in the room. Someone said "well if you dreamed it it must be true..haha". A year later I spoke with Dr. Emerson and told him I had a dream about him coming to Charlotte, he asked where he was in the dream. I said "Calvary Church". He did not laugh at me. His response was "then that is where it will be".
I am thankful for my friend Cheyenne Schultz for taking this picture. It's exactly what I saw in my dream. I am grateful to have this as a reminder that God given dreams come true! 2929 people from 24 states to be exact.

As we celebrate Easter I want to thank God for sending His only Son to die for our sins. I want to give praise and thanksgiving to Jesus for suffering on our behalf. I give thanks to the Holy Spirit for guiding us and comforting us and leading us into Truth. I am grateful to Dr. Emerson & Sarah Eggerichs and their team whose passion for marriages and heart to hear and obey God resurrected my marriage and thousands of others!

I pray that you all know the resurrection power for those who believe!

Happy Easter!!

The Outcome

2009-03-07T14:33:00.002-05:00

Well sorry for the delay on the outcome for the conference! Here is what you witnessed or missed depending on if you were there or not.

2929 people from 24 states attended the Love & Respect Conference!!!Throughout the entire event all I could say to Mike was .."look at all the people...look at what God did!!"

The testimonies are still coming in! THANK YOU GOD!!!

If God gives you a dream or a vision and it looks impossible...stick with Him and don't give up!! HE WILL bring it to pass!

As soon as I get some pictures I will post them!

Love & Respect Conference!!!!!!!

2009-01-30T17:46:00.007-05:00

OK...I have been a bit busy....but here is the deal:

Is your marriage great? It can be better! Is it mediocre? Take it to a new level! Is it over? Give God a shot! Check out more here.

The Love and Respect Conference
February 13 and 14th, 2009
Calvary Church, Charlotte, NC

Sign up today! It saved my marriage!

Ephesians 5:33

Husbands must love their wives as Christ loved the church, wives must respect their husbands.

Hope to see you there!

Lisa

Hearing God #2

2008-12-17T21:30:00.002-05:00

I hope I gave you some time to jump into the scriptures and to pray about hearing God. My second tip is to hear God in your circumstances in regards to service. I did not know I had leadership abilities. I had mercy and compassion for others who were walking where I walked. I loved to share my story of God's grace in my life.

Then opportunities began to present themselves. "Lisa, tell your story". "Would you share at this group?" Phone calls from friends and then friend of friends desperate for help. They just started coming. Alas, God brought forth a ministry. I never felt led to promote myself and I don't think there is anything wrong with that. For me though, God just brought them.

So many times I have heard people say they are waiting on God to tell them what they should do. Align your circumstances. Do you love kids? Do you love music? Well if there is an opening for a children's choir director or assistant or room mom, that could be God. You may learn you have His anointing for it. If not you will learn something in it.

If you have a nudge to do "something" look at your situation, look at your experiences (both good and bad) and ask God where there is a need. Fall back on this scripture if you are a woman and this one too. Take a leap of faith to serve and see where God leads you!

Hearing God #1

2008-12-12T12:01:00.005-05:00

My Pastor is doing a GREAT series this month called "Do You Hear?" You can tune in here. I am so excited about this because it is a passion if mine. Ever since I was in the 6th grade I thought, how weird that God would talk to people a thousand years ago and not talk to us now!

In my trials of life, when all seemed hopeless, I turned to God. In that, a relationship developed and I am SO thankful that it grows every day. I have decided to give you my practical tips on how to hear God. Now I KNOW God speaks to each of us differently, so I will talk about my experiences. Maybe it will help you tap into a deeper communion with our Creator!

First and foremost God speaks through His scriptures. His Word is alive and the revelations are neverending. Always seek His Word for direction, confirmation, encouragement and discipline. Having verses hidden in your heart is the safest bet. Also He will never contradict His Word. So start there.

John 10:4 says "his sheep follow him because they know his voice". That tells me we CAN hear Him. So I began to pray the verse back to God like this, "Lord your Word said Your sheep know Your voice. I want to know your voice and hear You. I do not want to be left wondering if it is You or not. Make it clear to me, open my ears to hear and my eyes to see." Then as you begin to "hear" and you obey, I believe God will do it more.

So start with those two things first and stay tuned for more "tips" to help you tune into God!

Physically Fit to..... Sleep?

2008-11-18T16:31:00.002-05:00

There is somewhat of a bone of contention with me and working out. I really wonder why people work out to improve their stamina yet they get so tired from working out they fall asleep during conversations or have to take naps. To me, if you take the time to exercise and it zaps your energy its counter productive. I had this conversation with a certain work out enthusiast who blamed his/her lack of energy mid evening on the fact that he/she gets up at 4:30am to work out. My answer was "sleep in and stay awake, what good is being in shape if you sleep through your evenings?" Of course said person disagreed and I think said I was mean and unfair...

Then the thought of "physically fit to sleep" turned into a spiritual parallel (doesn't it always?). I immediately thought of the millions of Christ loving followers thrusting into scriptures, piling up on bible studies year after year, bench pressing conferences (get it?), reading books, building knowledge, knowledge and more knowledge. Truth be told they lack the POWER to do what they trained for. So they end up sleeping through their Christian life content with the thought that they are spiritually in shape.

Jesus says this in Matt 10:5-8: These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

So I close with this...take care of your physical body but not to the point of exhaustion and take care of your spiritual life but make sure its a productive work out!

The Butterfly

2008-11-11T16:10:00.004-05:00

My kids and I went to a fall festival at a barn last weekend. It was the perfect fall day and we had a great time. Of all the horses, the cats, the dogs, the chickens and the goat, the butterfly struck me.

It was brown and orange and was sitting on the pebbled driveway. I bent down and placed my hand near its legs expecting it to fly off. To my surprise it walked up into my hand. As I stood, this beautiful butterfly moved its wings to show off its beauty, yet it did not fly away. My son noticed and asked to "hold it" I explained that this was a precious time because butterflies aren't usually so peaceful and how careful we have to be with their gentle wings. Just then the butterfly flew off and my son was a bit disappointed. I felt confident that my son would want to grab hold of it tightly so it would stay with him. Firmly grabbing a butterfly will surely cripple it,if not kill it.

God spoke to me in that example. It is so important as mothers, spouses, leaders and friends that we not hold too tightly to what WE want in another. It is so important to hold onto someone with an open hand caring enough to allow God to have His way in their lives. We should encourage them, love them, hold them accountable, but never to our own standards or for our own purposes. To truly see beauty in another is to want for them what God wants for them and then see them fly.

Colossians 1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

WHO WILL BE IN CHARGE?

2008-11-04T08:52:00.002-05:00

Top 10 Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election
1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.
and God approves this message!
ISN'T IT GREAT TO KNOW WHO IS REALLY IN CHARGE

Amen!!

*This came from an email I received that was forwarded ALOT...I loved it but I did not write it. Thank You "anonymous" God knows who you are and HE IS PLEASED!

FINALLY!!!!!!

2008-10-02T09:07:00.007-05:00

Oh its been a long time coming! Four years of prayers, door knocking, begging, almost giving up and more persistence and God said "YES". Thank You God!!

You may or may not know but Love and Respect Ministry dramatically changed and saved my marriage so I thank God for Dr. Emerson and Sarah and this message! Here are the details:

Watch the conferece trailer here.

Love and Respect Conference Location & Schedule:

Calvary Church 5801 Pineville–Matthews Road, Charlotte, North Carolina 28226

Friday, February 13 • 6:45 – 10:00 PM, Sanctuary
Saturday, February 14 • 8:45 AM – 1:30 PM, Sanctuary

Cost: $35/person, until January 30 Register now!
$45/person, until February 13 at noon
Note: No child care provided

One key word can revolutionize any marriage according to Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. Eggerichs says happiness and harmony are not achieved by love alone. Yes, LOVE is vital, especially for the wife, but a husband's need for RESPECT is equally important!

As the divorce rate among evangelical Christians has continued to rise, Eggerichs says, "The major problem, which I heard from wives, was ‘He doesn't love me.' Wives are made to love, want to love, expect love. Many husbands fail to deliver. But as I kept studying Scripture and counseling couples, I finally saw the other half of the equation. Husbands weren't saying it much, but what they were thinking was, ‘She doesn't respect me.' Husbands are made to be respected, want respect, expect respect. Many wives fail to deliver."

As a result, couples end up on what Eggerichs calls the Crazy Cycle: without love she reacts without respect, without respect he reacts without love — it is a painful, negative cycle that has thousands of couples spinning out of control. The Apostle Paul writes, "Nevertheless let each individual among you also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband" (Ephesians 5:33).

Eggerichs left the pastorate to launch the Love and Respect Conferences in 1999, convinced that these truths could restore, strengthen and improve any marriage relationship. He and Sarah, his wife of 30 years, have shared their message with thousands of couples, and receive confirmations daily that it is working.

Questions? Contact Calvary Church at 704.543.1200

I can't wait to see you there! Hurry and register you don't want to miss it!

Faithful to the Faithful

2008-09-25T19:20:00.006-05:00

It has been a long time since my last post, but this warrants a blog comeback!

Yesterday was one of the best days ever! You can read the history here and here. Adleigh and Liana Joye are now home with mommy Ferris and daddy Wade. It has been a rough 3 months for all of them. Born three months premature and after several surgeries they are now out of the hospital.

I want to thank the Lord for His promises. While driving to work on June 12, 2008, God spoke to me and said "Pray for Ferris and lay hands on her", at the time she was pregnant and they sensed complications with Liana (baby A) being much smaller than Adleigh (baby B). The Lord gave me specific instructions in my prayer and He gave me Psalm 16 for them.

As I continued to pray the Lord said the girls would be fine and He gave me Psalm 18. A few days later the girls were born emergency c-section at 27 weeks.

Wade and Ferris stood firm in their faith and held onto God's promises. They prayed scriptures over their daughters and believed that all would be well with them no matter what it looked like. When the doctor's suggested they take Liana off life support and let nature take its course, they said NO and let God take HIS course.

I thank God for Psalm 18:25 which says "you show faithfulness to the faithful". For those of you who are uncomfortable stepping out to lay hands on the sick, you will miss out on an opportunity to see God move like never before. For those who don't think prayer matters,well hundreds of people around the country prayed for these babies, God hears your prayers! To those who don't believe that God works miracles today, look at that picture! To those of you who think you don't have enough faith, stand strong in who God is and what He says He will do and you will not be shaken (Psalm 16:8). God does show His faithfulness to the faithful!

THANK YOU LORD!! All Glory goes to our Savior, Jesus Christ! Praise His Holy Name!!

The Lord Will Fight For You.....

2008-08-13T22:32:00.001-05:00

The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.
Exodus 14:14

What am I going to do? How will this ever resolve itself? I just can’t see any way through this? Hopeless, yep, just hopeless.

How often do we find ourselves blinded by the circumstances we are in? Isn’t it interesting that when we are in the midst of a challenge or trial our view gets clouded or distorted? It isn’t until after the “storm passes” or someone comes to our aid to reveal another perspective. Some of us never see another side to a situation, even after the challenge is over.

Many of us women are control freaks by nature. Now you may disagree. You may think that your spouse has more control if you are a milder personality. You may think that you hide your control. You may be proud of your control. The need to control is in our nature. Instinctively when there is a problem we, as women, wives, mothers, friends immediately begin to think, “What do I do now?” “Do something….it won’t get fixed unless I DO something”.

In marriage the challenge is there, no doubt about it. Two personalities living under one roof there is bound to be a tug of war over some issues.
Finances & child rearing are major examples, yet even how the garbage is taken out can grate on nerves over time. How do we get past this “trait” of ours in order for more peace and joy in our lives?

We need to focus on letting God fight our battles, let God be in control. Sometimes waiting on HIM is hard, but it is well worth the wait.
When I was trying to “fight” for things in my marriage, to be “heard”, things got worse. How could this be? Logically if I made my desires known and they were in the best interest of our family, my husband would agree. Little did I know the manner in which I went about this was wrong. By surrendering to God and His commands for marriage, being silent at times I would have fought, God stepped in. He fought the battle of our hearts. God changed our marriage when I got out of HIS way.
I did not sit and do nothing. My respectful behavior was a challenge. It took a lot of energy to bite my tongue and cease complaining. But in that “stillness” of my mouth, my tone, my facial expressions and my impatience God fought for my marriage. The result should not surprise you, He won!

You Got to Know When to Roll 'Em

2008-07-09T21:32:00.002-05:00

Kenny Rogers sang "You got to know when to roll 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run..."

How do you know when its God's timing to make a move or to "be still"? Here is an interesting tip that I am pondering:

One night as the famous Bible teacher F. B. Meyer stood on the deck of a ship approaching land, he wondered how the crew knew when and how to safely steer to the dock. It was a stormy night, and visibility was low. Meyer, standing on the bridge and peering through the window, asked "Captain, how do you know when to turn this ship into that narrow harbor?"
"That's an art," replied the captain. "Do you see those three red lights on the shore? When they're all in a straight line I go right in!"
Later Meyer said: "When we want to know God's will, there are three things which always occur: the inward impulse, the Word of God, and the trend of circumstances. Never act until these three things agree." (excerpt from Os Hillman 6/30/08 devotional TGIF Vol. 2)

I find this a challenge because I am impulsive, so I am not sure I can trust an inward impulse. I also can find scriptures that say "be still" or "wait upon the Lord" as well as "pick up your mat and walk" or "Abraham went even though he did not know where he was going". The trend of circumstances can be a tricky thing to read too.

So I ponder this and then go back to choosing the still small voice, the confirmation of 2 or 3 witnesses and the scriptures that God puts on my heart, not the ones I seek out to best suit my need. I think that is how I need to "roll 'em".

Faithful to the Faithful

2008-07-03T08:00:00.005-05:00

Sorry its been awhile!

I am jumping for joy to share with you God's faithfulness to His promises! I received a "comment" from my previous post. Notice it never hit the webwaves. That delete button rocks! It was a "rebuke" for taking the scripture "calling things that are not as though they were" (Romans 4:17) out of context. I somewhat got what the person was trying to say, however when GOD gives you that scripture a week after the post to pray over sick babies you do it because HE said too.

I want you to be blessed through the story of The Joye Family.
Read their blogs (start from the beginning) about the journey they are on with God and their precious twin daughters,Adleigh and Liana. Read how standing on His promises and speaking life over the girls and praising God regardless of the "reports" has proved God's power! One of many scriptures given to my friends was Romans 4. That includes Romans 4:17!

So readers, check out this testimony and watch it unfold to the Glory of God and may you be inspired to stand on God's Word no matter what! Praise you Lord for showing yourself faithful to the faithful. (Psalm 18:25)!

Check out the story here:

wade joye
http://wadejoye.typepad.com

Ferris Joye
http://ferrisjoye.blogspot.com

Praise you Jesus! You are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow!!

Thanks Joyce!!

2008-06-06T14:58:00.003-05:00

Awhile ago I decided to start speaking out loud things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17). So I decided to start calling Joyce Meyer, my good friend and mentor. It is funny because I have called her ministry several times to ask how to get information on her ministry journey. Does she have a bio? Does she have a select CD series I can buy? Anything? I even asked her product manager at her conference awhile ago. They said she just tells stories about her life in her preaching.

I was given one book title that is pretty much her life story, but I did not feel that was "it". Then one day wandering through a secular bookstore..there is was..."A Leader in the Making" by Joyce Meyer. WHAT??? Where did that come from? No one told me about that. I never saw it in her catalog. So I got it.

I have to say I have read ALOT of books on leadership. Books on how to lead and how to see leadership in others. But this one is the BEST, well for me anyway. This book describes what God does with those He has chosen to lead. It talks about where your heart is and where it needs to be. It talks about the tests that God allows leaders to go through. It encourages you to keep going even if its just you and the Lord and the word He spoke to you about your vision. I read that section on a day I was ready to quit everything and just be "normal".

I highly recommend this book. As a matter of fact it will be a "must read" for any of my leaders. Funny how God gave me just what I wanted. One on one training and encouragement with Joyce Meyer herself. Although it wasn't face to face it is more detailed than a conversation and its right here in front of me for easy reference 24/7.

God knows best! And until we meet, THANK YOU JOYCE!!!

Your friend,
Lisa

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BABY!

2008-06-01T21:20:00.004-05:00

On June 1, 1996 I married Michael Francis Shea. My very best friend. I actually said that in my vows...."I take you Michael, my very best friend, to be my husband". It was my grandparents' 56th wedding anniversary and a beautiful day for June in Buffalo NY. It was in the 70's and SUNNY!! Hey it had snowed 10 days before...NO JOKE!

Baby,

After 12 very eventful years I want to thank you for being my man. I want to thank you for being my best friend. I want to thank you for sticking with "US" when "US" was not good. I want to thank you for allowing God into your life and our lives. You amaze me everyday. You are a great daddy too. I love you more now than I ever have.

To those of you who don't believe in miracles, a Christian counselor told me to throw Mike out of our home to get his attention. I heard God tell me to be still and I chose the advice of God over man. I thank GOD for HIS voice, HIS Word, HIS power. I thank God for HIS mercy, HIS compassion, HIS forgiveness and HIS love.

I am excited about what the years ahead will hold for us as we follow HIS lead together. I know it will be more than we can think ask or imagine( Ephesians 3:20).

With all my respect,
Baby (nicknames...just roll with it)

There Goes the Neighborhood

2008-05-03T08:43:00.002-05:00

When we first moved into our neighborhood it was pretty much families w/ young children. Going to the pool every day was fabulous. It was safe for the kids and a pleasant experience. As our neighborhood got older so did the kids. Don't get me wrong there are still a lot of great young families and great kids here. Something though, shifted, and the pool went from family friendly to happy hour in just a few short years.

There are a lot of Christ followers in my neck of the woods. As last summer came to a close several shared their disappointment on how foal the language was and how awful that someone was thrown out of the 4th of July party for disorderly conduct. The kids aren't doing this either, it's the adults. So what do we do?

God spoke to me during one conversation w/ a sister in Christ. "Do not shrink back but take it back" Hmmm yes why not, instead of hiding in a corner or refusing to go to the pool why not pray over the property? Why not be the light instead of running from darkness?

This became even more pronounced when I heard about a man I will rename as "Bruce". He was a dad in his 40's & seemed like an alright guy. One day while the "end zone section" of the pool was getting rowdy (he would sit there often) we took up a conversation. It went like this Bruce: what book you reading? Me: this is my bible, pretty cool looking huh? Bruce: your bible? Me: Sure why not, in this place anything goes.
That is where the conversation ended. Did I not see it was an opportunity?
I admit I felt "funny" and I knew he felt awkward. What a cool opportunity to share my testimony in a casual conversation though.

Yesterday I was hammered on my head and in my heart. Bruce died. Brain hemmorage, just like that. Dead. He asked me what I was reading that day. I was bold enough to read my bible in public but not bold enough to keep a conversation going. Did he know Jesus? Only God knows that. I hate to think he did not and I sat next to him with the Word in my lap. God forgive me.

Today I received this in an email devotional about Esther:

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Est 4:14-15).

So God is speaking to me very clearly about being a light. He wants me to be in the world and not of it. He wants me to not be ashamed of the gospel and to share the good news with the lost. I guess I start looking for opportunities or realizing when one sits right beside me...for such a time is this.

What will you do w/ the Bruce's that you meet? I had nothing to lose, he may have had everything to gain.

A Question......

2008-04-25T16:31:00.004-05:00

I have been pondering this thought for quite awhile now. Is knowing the vision God's given you for your life good or bad? Now I know some of you may think...how could you say knowing your call is a bad thing?? How many people wish they knew what God wanted them to do? Do you wonder if some people stumble into their destiny? Or, did God tell them up front and then cheer them along the way?

Here is the dilemma. Knowing what it is is amazing when it inspires you to press into God, desire to become more like Christ, not make decisions that are based in the flesh for momentary gratification etc etc. But there is also the flip side of that. Knowing that you know that you know that you know where God wants to take you if you let Him....but not having a clue as to how to get there.

I KNOW HE directs your steps. But what if those steps appear to be heading backwards, or at least a strange detour. What about the looming thoughts of "maybe I would arrive quicker if so and so would have done this or that". What if you lose faith that God even spoke something to you in the first place. Maybe when HE said your destiny is to______________ it wasn't really HIM it was the refried beans at Qdoba.

How do you handle the confusion? Well that is not from God to begin with so start with that. I would chose to believe the confirmations HE HAS given you since he first spoke to you. I would read the story of Joseph being sent to the prison and then I'd read about David who was told he'd be king and then had to run for his life.

God is faithful and will finish what HE started. Surround yourself with encouragers
and look at everything that seems like a detour as a lesson you need to learn before you advance any further. Humble yourself and have a teachable spirit and see where HE leads! I think it is better to know because it keeps you focused...even if it drives you bonkers sometimes. Psalm 138:8.

Virgin Gorda

2008-04-18T21:37:00.001-05:00

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14 NIV

On a trip to Virgin Gorda in the Caribbean, my family and I stopped at a public beach. It was beautiful. White sand, swaying palm trees, hammocks and crystal clear warm water full of tropical fish. The people on this cruise excursion began to enjoy several hours of paradise. We spent some time in this area when my brother pointed out a small cave formed within the enormous rounded boulders for which the island is known for.

As we entered the cave there were small red arrows pointing inside these boulders that framed the beach. The arrows led us up large rocks, through waste deep water and down a steep slope. Some spots you had to hold onto a rope to guide you and to hold you up. When we finished our journey...the most beautiful lagoon you could ever imagine was there. Peaceful waters, clear to the bottom and even whiter sand. I remember thinking; this must be like heaven because my idea of paradise was just this, God’s creation in all its glory.

We headed back to get the rest of our family to enjoy this splendor. My uncle, a usually easy going fun loving man, became quite grumpy. "I am happy here, it is beautiful right here" we pleaded with him to join us to see what was even better. "I SAID this is perfect to me", he quipped. We left him with the other one hundred or so people to enjoy the pretty beach. We took my mother up, through and down the narrow path and shared this paradise with her. Even though the hike there was a bit of a challenge it was worth it to her as well. We marveled at the tranquility of the water, the blueness of the sky, the vastness of the boulders, so round they looked almost soft. The only way to describe it is breathtaking.

To this day, 13 years later, when my uncle looks at pictures of what he missed out on...he is regretful. "what was wrong with me?"....."What was I thinking?"...Jokingly we snarl up our faces at him and say "I am happy right here".......He was comfortable where he was, he did not want to make a little effort, he thought he found perfection where he was............He stayed were the "many" stay and missed what the few of us found. How many times do we miss the narrow gate? Do we choose what is comfortable because God’s way seems a bit more of an effort? Do we think that our circumstance is as good as it gets, not realizing God’s way is best? When have we “followed the crowd” and missed a glorious blessing?

My prayer for you today is that you take the narrow road and the small gate. The rewards for the few that find it are breathtakingly eternal! Society's road is broad and wide....many take that route. Wouldn’t you rather be with the few that choose God’s path? I am sure others will follow you!

Exodus 14:14

2008-04-14T20:52:00.002-05:00

The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still.
Exodus 14:14

What am I going to do? How will this ever resolve itself? I just can’t see any way through this? Hopeless, yep, just hopeless.

How often do we find ourselves blinded by the circumstances we are in? Isn’t it interesting that when we are in the midst of a challenge or trial our view gets clouded or distorted? It isn’t until after the “storm passes” or someone comes to our aid that we see another perspective. Some of us never see another side to a situation, even after the challenge is over.

Many of us women are control freaks by nature. Now you may disagree. You may think that your spouse has more control if you are a milder personality. You may think that you hide your control. You may be proud of your control. The need to control is in our nature. Or mine at least. Instinctively when there is a problem we, as women, wives, mothers, friends immediately begin to think, “What do I do now?” “Do something….it won’t get fixed unless I DO something”.

In marriage the challenge is there, no doubt about it. With two personalities living under one roof there is bound to be a tug of war over some issues.
Finances & child rearing are major examples, yet even how the garbage is taken out can grate on nerves over time. How do we get past this “trait” of ours in order for more peace and joy in our lives?

We need to focus on letting God fight our battles, let God be in control. Sometimes waiting on HIM is hard, but it is well worth the wait.
When I was trying to “fight” for things in my marriage, to be “heard”, things got worse. How could this be? Logically if I made my desires known and they were in the best interest of our family, my husband would agree with me right?. Little did I know the manner in which I went about this was wrong. By surrendering to God and His commands for marriage, being silent at times I would have fought, God stepped in. He fought the battle of our hearts. God changed our marriage when I got out of HIS way.
I did not sit and do nothing. Choosing respectful behavior was a challenge. It took a lot of energy to bite my tongue and cease complaining. But in that “stillness” of my mouth, my tone, my facial expressions and my impatience God fought for my marriage.

The result should not surprise you, He won!

Praise the Lord!

Surfing the Waves

2008-04-05T20:39:00.002-05:00

I was really inspired by my Pastor's sermon from last week. He talked about our desire being stronger than our disability. He refered to John 6:5-9. I love this scripture. I use it every time I begin my wives study group.
Often we are paralyzed by our situation. We feel stuck and remain there w/ our lame excuses. We don't rely on God, His love, His power, His truth. We remain stagnant.

I related so well to my Pastor when he described his DNA. It is inbred in him to fight thru obstacles to get to the promise. He is not satisfied w/ sitting on the sidelines. Niether am I . I related because I too got front row tickets to concerts when my life was more about a party. Journey, Phil Collins, The Go Go's, Janet Jackson, Def Leppard, The Who, to date myself and to name just a few. GREAT front row or floor seats!

Recently...Beth Moore on the floor...Joyce Meyer(I drove 2 hrs alone which I hate to do)...row 5 and front row both days during worship. So being aggressive to pursue a goal is in my DNA too. My struggle is that I see the pool. I know where I am going but I don't know HOW to get there. I am rolling my disabled self from where I am but can't see far enough to know the best way the pool is. I struggle with am I doing enough. After all you don't get where you need to be unless you pick up your mat and walk. Am I doing the right thing? I know..I know.. God directs our steps right?

As I was belaboring this in my heart I had a vision for surfing. In order to ride the big wave you have to paddle out to the unknown sea. You go over waves and then dip down in the valley between them. Your speed is determined by the current. Then when you get where you need to be you stand up and ride the wave in.

I have to learn to be confident in the paddling out to sea. I can't go faster than the current will allow. I won't know where to stand up on the board until I get there. But at least my DNA is helping me move from where I was and I am trusting God will tell me when I can ride the big wave in.

Knee Jerk Reactions

2008-04-02T18:11:00.002-05:00

My husband was offered a very cool opportunity to do something fun. Something that I would consider a rare chance happening. Something that we could do together and learn from. He instantly said "no".

When he told me his response, (I wondered WHY he would tell me at all), he said he was "caught off guard, was overwhelmed with what was going on in his job, did not think our weekend schedule would permit it....and on and on.

Taking all of my emotion out of it, he was right to a degree. I on the other hand would have said "let me check and I will get back to you ASAP." Then I would have moved heaven and earth to do what I thought was a very cool opportunity.

So who is right? Both of us I guess. We just have 2 different personalities. We do things differently. Neither are wrong just different. The enemy on the other hand had a field day with me. Mike's knee jerk reaction of "no" because at an instance he couldn't see how his schedule could be juggled sent my mind into "what is he craaaazzzyyy" over drive.

So after reminding myself(out loud several times) that I teach and mentor women on how to behave respectful as God commands and that I have to practice what I preach...I asked God....how could he do that God...?? How could he say no so quickly & pass up something because of what things look like on his schedule??

God stopped me right there. HIS response was "the same way you had a knee jerk reaction to his decision. You did not stop and look at the fruits of my Spirit or what I could do with his decision...you looked at you circumstances just like he did"

ouch. Lesson learned.

Thank GOD his mercies are new every day!

Where Have I Been?

2008-03-26T19:46:00.003-05:00

That is a good question. Right now God is teaching me, revealing to me, speaking to me about hearing His voice. You know you can;t hear much of anything when you are too busy to slow down and be still.

That being said I am going to do just that. I'm carving out more precious time w/ HIM. You see I am juggling being a good wife, mother, employee, women's ministry leader, but without being a good child of God I can't be good at any of the above. Now I know God's grace covers my faults and HE loves me unconditionally. What I am saying though is that I won't be a "fruit bearing Jesus follower" if I continue trying to strive on my own.

I need continuous filling and I love constant communication. John 14 clearly states: 5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

I am making a choice right now. Its obvious that I have not blogged in weeks so I am sure me taking a hiatus won't be a big shock. I know to keep a blog audience I should regularly blog. I risk losing the 2 of you who check in on this. Why? Because God is calling me and I don't want to keep Him waiting. I am setting some boundaries and looking forward to returning with a renewed revelation and spiritual strength!

Thanks for understanding!

BIRTHWEEK '08

2008-03-01T16:56:00.003-05:00

Well today officially ends "BIRTHWEEK '08". I will say it started off MUCH better than it is ending BUT I am thankful for the week. I did get to hit all 3 of my favorite sushi restaurants in one week. That is a first. It started w/ Jade, then Sushi 101 and we finished off last night with Ru Sans. Delicious!!!

I have been under fire ALOT this week with emotions and struggles in our little family. I am frustrated and asking God, (after thanking Him for all He IS doing), why He is taking so long on certain areas.

I am THANKFUL that God has given me divinely appointed prayer partners and spiritual mentors. How great it was Friday morning when my phone rang and I answered with not a "hello" but, "who told you I was grumpy"? My armor bearer in MI replied, "God did". To have people in your life so spiritually in tune is something to be thankful for.

So Father even though my circumstances are testing my faith, I ask forgiveness that I have not extended your grace to certain people. I thank you that your promises to me are true. Increase my faith and help me rest in YOU while I wait.

MY BIRTHWEEK

2008-02-23T17:39:00.005-05:00

I have NEVER been shy about my birthday. Ever. I tell anyone who might care and most who don't. I can't help it. The birthweek all started when I celebrated my birthday for longer than just one day. I would have a dinner w/ my grandparents on my mom's side. Then dinner w/ my paternal grandparents. Then dinner w/ my parents and brother. As I got older then there were celebrations w/ friends. Then add a boyfriend. So because having one huge event every year didn't work I developed the "birthweek".

My week officially kicked off last night when my awesome husband booked me a room at the Ballantyne Resort. A king size bed, a million thread count sheets, perfectly fluffy and way too many pillows and uninterrupted sleep. This all came after my favorite dinner of sushi. What followed this morning was breakfast in bed. Then a 50 minute Swedish massage. Her name was Lisa too, not Sven.

I forgot my cell phone and the internet hook up was $10. A rip off for what you pay for a room there. So it was me and my book and iPod and I was one happy camper. Mike and I had such a great time hanging out together last night and then he left so I could SLEEP AS LONG AS I WANTED!!!

You may think that is crazy BUT he is an early riser and I can't fall back to sleep if I awaken anytime after 5 hours of sleep. I slept until 9 am and did not HAVE to get out of bed. All moms know you HAVE to get out of bed eventually and usually sooner than we'd like.

As I was relaxing during my spa treatment I was overwhelmed with the feeling of love and deep appreciation. Love for and from my God who has been so AWESOME to me in this last year (my whole life really but I am reflecting yearly right now) to the over flowing love I have for my husband. He STILL, after 16 years makes my heart jump. Then the realization of where we were several years ago and how THANKFUL I am to God for restoring our marriage. Then I felt deep grief for those people who don't have faith that GOD will do ALL HE promises. Back to complete JOY for all that HE has given to me. HE HAS restored the years the locusts have eaten! I wonder if the masseuse thought it odd that tears were trickling. I sure did. Thank God it was dark in there!

Father,

I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I thank you for all you have done in me and through me. I thank you for my husband, my family, my pastor, my friends. Thank you for the challenges I faced that made You more real to me. Thank you for sending the women You entrust to me as I yield myself to your power. I do not take the role of child of God, wife, mother and mentor lightly. To whom much is given much is expected. I can not and will not do it without You. I humbly wait in eager expectation of all that You will do in this next year of my life! In Jesus name, Amen.

The Thumb Blast

2008-02-13T22:43:00.003-05:00

I am quite proud of myself. Today they had a women's thumb blast event at work. How funny to say "work" when I actually get paid to do what I love...hmm

What is a thumb blast? Apparently it was a daring event shared by only the staff men at Elevation Church.....until.....TODAY!

That is right. Lisa Shea stepped up to the couch, along w/ Lori, Shannon and Jennica. Some bizarre hot sauce in a bottle, dabbed on the thumb. OF COURSE I got the chunks of some cayenne insanely hot pepper thing. Anyway the rules: Dab your thumb, rub your tongue w/ it, hold it for 30 seconds, then drink water. Oh and DO NOT TOUCH the eyes!

So with cameras flashing and video taping the three extremely tough girls blasted away. It wasn't so bad....at first. Tears rolled down a few cheeks...Lori said she was drooling, I was fine. Until...I ....swallowed it.

HOT FIERY strep throat burning feeling for about 30 minutes.

But I did it. I am almost old enough to be their mom, which is depressing....but I hung tough with those kids!! It was fun reliving those "double dog dare ya days".

TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!

2008-02-08T21:33:00.000-05:00

Well it is our church's 2nd anniversary. We are celebrating by baptising over 100 people and finishing off with a live recording of our worship experience.

I can not believe God brought a church like this to my city. I can't believe that He gave me the desires for the vision and anointing and I longed for this church for 2 years before they moved here to start Elevation. I can't believe in 2 years God has grown us from the 750 when we began attending in Nov. 2006 to 4000 last week.

I can't believe I got to lead a special group of women and then was asked to lead the leaders of the wives group. I can't believe God uses me here to mentor women.

I can't believe I am now on staff, doing whatever needs to be done to make Elevation inviting and ready so that people far from God can be filled with life in Christ.

What I do believe is the Word of God. I have said before that I have a verse I said and believed MANY times in my struggles. It says that God will do more than we can think, ask or imagine...It is true. I am living it every day.

The other thing I "can't believe" is that one of our Pastor's favorite scriptures that he refers to often is this. God never ceases to amaze me.

A Slave to Sin

2008-02-02T13:49:00.000-05:00

I have been bombarded this past 2 weeks with some strange stuff. I brought some of it on myself. This morning I actually said "I feel like a slave". Orders being barked at me with the expectation of me jumping to everyone else's need. I have been SO busy. I can't think straight. (side note: YES I KNOW God is teaching me boundaries...the hard way). Someone once said that BUSY stands for "Being Under Satan's Yoke". Well I fell victim to that yoke and all hell broke loose. I certainly was not walking in the fruits of the Spirit last night or this morning.

Then, because my God is SO good to me. He showed me that I have not been connected to Him. My obsession w/ accomplishing the goals I set for myself (even if it is a shower and a load of laundry done) should not be done until I have been with HIM. See I know this, I teach this. This week I did not live it.

So as I was about to flip my cork this morning God sent my friend unannounced (one of my squad..see earlier post)to "drop off something". She had to catch her flailing friend AGAIN. But she prayed and I felt a bit better. Then a call came in from my mentor. I sought her wisdom and she told me to walk in victory. The war is won! Jesus did it. Stop acting like the enemy still has a chance. Load my rifle and shoot out "In the Name of Jesus....(add what you need to overcome)." I KNOW that, but I forget at times too. I was too overwhelmed to get my self out of the pit. I'm feeling much better now.

Then I called my armor bearer. I THANK GOD for him!! Don't leave home without one. If you are a stay at home mom, don't stay home without one! I'm Feeling almost back to victory by this point!

Then I read this quote in a devotional:

"The man who has no inner life is a slave to his surroundings" Henri Frederic Amiel

Yes I was a slave this week to my surroundings. I did not spend time with my source, my God, my protector. I fell slave to circumstances and demands that are easily overcome by the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. God showed me my error. I asked forgiveness and am grateful for the reminder! I now put my "gun" back in my holster for the next time and I walk out of this week's mess in freedom!

Check out Romans 6:16.

Mini Mafia

2008-01-17T11:29:00.001-05:00

Because I can not Rise Above technology ...YET.... I could not figure out how to get a video to appear on my blog...so you'll have to do it the old fashioned way. Point and click!

It's funny and worth your effort! This is an announcement from our MADE series. How has God destined you for greatness? Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor!!

Tune in here for the sermons!

Enjoy!

My Squad

2008-01-15T21:48:00.000-05:00

In case you did not know, it has been said that I have the gift of exhortation. I believe that to be true. I get so excited when I can encourage another person in the Word of God. I want to jump up and down and share some GREAT NEWS with anyone who needs to hear the TRUTH as God sees it and says it.

There is a flip side to me though. The cheerleader needs a squad to catch her after she is tossed high in the air. When I need to make a decision and I am waiting to hear clearly from God and things don't seem to make sense, I start dropping. Yes, I KNOW I am to wait patiently on the Lord. I struggle here.

That's when I count on my friends and mentors, my "squad", to pray for me and to give me their wisdom. I appreciate that they will catch me as I fall through the air flailing my arms and legs like a freak.

Thank YOU (you know who you are) for encouraging me, for being there for me, for advising me and praying for me! I thank God for you and I could not do what I do or do what I am going to do with out you!

Proverbs 15:22 says: Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

Thank You GOD for sending such strong people of faith into my life!

VERY VERY BAD PARKING

2008-01-09T20:42:00.000-05:00

Now this is funny. I met my friend for lunch today. When I returned to my van, in a not very full parking lot there was a note on my windshield. It read "VERY VERY BAD PARKING". I CRACKED UP!!! Then I look and there is a Fresh Market mini coffee cup stuck to my rear windshield washer. ..WOW I really upset this parking lot Nazi. However I was STILL cracking up laughing!!

There was no way I was offended. When I looked, ok I admit my van was not perfectly parked. But here is my defense.

Parking Nazi: Are you 100% SURE that I am the first offender of the poor park job? You see I happen to know for a FACT that there was a car parked on at least one side of me. Have you ever parked in a row of cars only to discover when you are the last to leave that you aren't anywhere in the lines. Why? Because it took one person to miss the mark and the rest of the bunch get thrown off.

Only God knows if I was a horrible parker today or if I fell victim to another horrible parker.

This is how I "rise above" the situation. The Parking Nazi is obviously a very hurt frustrated angry person. At first I felt bad that I had my church sticker on my van. I'd hate to advertise that I failed the parking discipleship program. But then I thought, maybe as my van was being vandalized w/ coffee cups and napkins, the Nazi was convicted and will come seek me out at church to apologize....or something like that. Maybe he/she will have nightmares of his/her deed and only see ELEVATION CHURCH like a neon light. If they are far from God (I imagine they would be) then rest assured they will leave filled with life in Christ!

So Parking Nazi I pray God's blessings on you. I pray your wounds are healed. I pray you understand that littering on another's vehicle is really worse than missing a few parking lines. Don't worry I threw out your trash for you and I pray you come into a strong relationship with Christ. I pray that you minister God's love in parking lots so others will come to know Jesus. Yes I will pay better attention to how I park. Although MAYBE I will go back tomorrow, park worse, wait for you to write me another note on your garbage and I will invite you to church! You see I rise above by taking this in prayer for you to our Father above! HA! Take THAT!

Parking Nazi, don't take the speck out of your brother's eye until you take the plank out of your own.....littering is against the law, missing a parking spot by a little isn't.

The "Yes Man"

2008-01-08T16:16:00.000-05:00

I have to just say a public thank you to my awesome Pastor Steven Furtick. I need to thank him for stepping out. I need to thank him for hearing God and doing what God asked of him. He is doing it and we get to watch God move. It's as if Acts 2-4 has come into 2008!

Our service this past Sunday saw the record attendance of 3500 people. Not too shabby for an almost 2 yr. old church that started when 10 families sold their homes, quit their jobs and moved here to start a church. (God honors faith you know). All the Glory to God and a huge Thank you to the man who said "YES" to God..aka..Pastor Furtick and those who moved here with him. God also saved 135 people Sunday! The total for 2007 was around 1050!! And YES there is discipleship.

I love our church and I love our God. He wants so much more for us than we even know. Click on the website and catch the sermon. It's a powerful message on divine destiny, hey we all have one!! Did you know that???

I remember going to the Billy Graham library and the parting video said "Look what God can do through one man who was a farmer from Charlotte, NC. what can He do through you?" Add "Look what God can do through a 27 yr old guy from Moncks Corner, SC." Then ask yourself, "What can God do through me?" They only thing to do then is say "Yes".

So thank you Pastor for saying "Yes" to God at all cost. I know it can be challenging with the responsibility, the critics, the logistics. One thing is for sure though, you are bearing fruit, fruit that will last. I am grateful to be a part of it and to watch a movement of God! I am grateful that watching God work through you encourages me to say "YES" as well!!

And GOD gets ALL the Glory!!

My Sore Toe

2008-01-07T11:35:00.000-05:00

Hey the title got your attention didn't it? Here is the deal. I have NO clue what happened. All of a sudden horrible pain in my toe next to my pinky toe. I guess you'd call it the ring finger toe? It looks pretty useless if you ask me. Yet when it hurts it throws off your entire walk and your whole body.

"Funny" that today I was reading 1Corinthians 12:12-26. We are all part of one body! Jump to verse 26: If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Oh my body is suffering! Its as if I don't have a toe nail. SO I hobble along in flip flops in January...I HATE COLD FEET. How many Christians are hobbling through life today?

But isn't God just showing me through HIS word and through my circumstance that when one member suffers we all suffer. We are not able to accomplish all we were called to do and therefore we can't function at maximum capacity. Function for the advancement of HIS Kingdom I mean.

Who in the body do you know that is suffering? What can YOU do to comfort them with the same comfort that you received from God? There is nothing that hurts too much that Jesus can't heal. Show the hurting body who HE really is and you will walk, skip and jump with joy!

My Gift #2

2007-12-30T16:41:00.000-05:00

I am very excited! My family has not been to Disney World in a long time. With the kids at their current ages it should be SO MUCH more fun! Thank you to my husband who has a business trip in Orlando in February! HURRAY we can tag along! Thank you to my parents who will drive with me and my 3 children! Thank you to my uncle who works there!!

I can't wait!

PMA #2

2007-12-29T14:21:00.000-05:00

** The author of this letter's name has been changed for privacy sake**

Dear Mrs. Shea,

Thank you for being a chaperon on our trip to Camp Thunderbird. I really enjoyed going on the zip line because it was so thrilling, 70 mph! But I might not have done it if you didn't teach me positive mental attitude. Positive mental attitude helped me out on a lot of things, otherwise I probably would not have done most of the activities. Canoing was also one of my favorite events, even though we got stuck a lot. One of my favorite activities was wilderness survival. It was so much fun because we made a fire and I was in charge of it. You also helped me a lot. You made the whole trip special for me because you always encouraged me. I am really glad you came to help out at Camp Thunderbird because you made the whole trip fun! So, thank you.

Sincerely,
"Sam"

May this new year of 2008 be filled with PMA! If it can make a difference in this 10 year old, what can it do for you? 2008 is known as the "year of new beginnings". May you "rise above" all that surrounds you and positively embrace God's Truth for your life!

Have a TRUTH filled New Year!
Lisa

My Gift

2007-12-27T11:17:00.000-05:00

Camping #3

Dear Mom,

Thank you for coming to camp Thunderbird. I had so much fun on the zip line with you. I liked when you pretended you were on a bike. That was funny! Thanks for taking pictures of me on the rock climbing thing. I liked how you just kept cheering me on and keeping me company. I think you were the best chaperon there. I had a blast!!!

Love,
Sydney

"PMA"

2007-12-19T11:59:00.000-05:00

Camping entry #2:

Now I admit that I did not have a great attitude about our camping trip (see prior post). Well, until I found out about the great weather. I will say though that I did ask God to speak to me while He had me out there in the wilderness. He did.

When I got on the bus to head to camp, I was accompanied by several adult chaperones and about thirty fifth graders. One of the adult's arrived and immediately began speaking ill will. Pretty much everything they flew from this person's mouth was about illness, pain, kids being in trouble, calling the school to have kids picked up....etc. Now first I was somewhat happy to see someone who was more of a not so "happy camper" than me. Well I felt less guilty for my attitude. Then I was very sad for this person. Their attitude was made up before we left the parking lot. I was able to share with the 3 girls crammed in my seat, that we should not speak so negatively. These are biblical lessons. The bible tells us that our tongue is hard to tame and that out of the heart the mouth speaks. We are warned in Proverbs and in the book of James about bridling our tongue.

Being a bible encourager I took this as a sharing opportunity and prayed it would impact three young lives. Of course my daughter rolled her eyes at me, but hey this was a valuable lesson and God's word never returns void!

Later that day came "Wilderness Survival". The camp counselor asked the kids to name what we MUST have within the first 3 seconds of discovering we are trapped in the wilderness in order to survive. Air, water, shelter came AFTER this vital need. That need: PMA.
Your "POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE" in the first 3 seconds of a crisis will frame how you handle a situation. HMMM a biblical principle for sure! You should have seen the look on the girls faces when I gave them the thumbs up and the "I told you so".

God just confirmed to them and to me the importance of thinking and speaking positively for proper survival! Remember, don't make assumptions based on how things appear.
Call those things that are not as though they were! Speak words of faith and His Truth. When we rely on what God says we will have all the PMA we need for our survival in our own wilderness!

LET 'er ZZZZIP

2007-12-17T22:57:00.000-05:00

I am back from the camp out AND PRAISE GOD I HAD FUN!!! For those of you who don't know me...I dislike camping, unless it is in a nice hotel. I HATE cold weather which is why I moved to NC from Buffalo NY! Worse yet, I HATE sleepovers with young girls who don't sleep. I NEED SLEEP. My daughter begged me to be a chaperone on this field trip. SO I filled out the form because I want her to SEE my love in action. I then begged everyone I know who prays...to stop laughing and pray!

Camping in December in 70+ degree weather, doing challenging obstacle courses, being a co-chaperone with a Girl scout leader who LOVES kids and camping….WHO SAYS GOD does not do miracles??? THANK YOU LORD!!

Lesson #1:
Prayer works!...COME ON...70+ degrees in DECEMBER!!!

Lesson #2:
Having a decent attitude is important. The weather forecast took care of one concern so I lightened up ALOT! Find out one good thing and focus on that. Then find someone more miserable than you are (there WAS one...she obviously did not appreciate the weather). It makes you realize how bad your attitude looked to others. Then pray for them!

Lesson #3: Ask God to speak to you about why HE has you somewhere you may not want to be. THEN GO and THEN LISTEN! This makes you more spiritually aware of what God may be inviting you to do!

Lesson #4:
The zip line.
As I was pushed off a 35 feet ledge to do the “zip line” in VERY high winds I felt ..FEAR. BUT I always wanted to do it so they strapped the protective gear on me. I saw the beauty of the lake and the soon to be setting sun and I was in awe of all God does for us. Once pushed off the ledge (sometimes we need a push because we aren’t brave enough to jump on our own), I felt for a few seconds what it was like to free fall. You are helpless. Then boom you are caught by the harness and you glide like a bird through the air. Isn’t that just like God? You need the push to do what He has asked you to do, you feel like you are free falling and then just when you think you will crash, He catches you and you begin to soar!!!! I was SO glad I did it! When you take the plunge for God, you will be glad you did too!!

Thank you for asking me to go Sydney! It was a blast!

Which One Will She Choose?

2007-12-10T22:30:00.000-05:00

I never watch TV. It seems so pointless when I have a husband and 3 kids and a slew of emails who wait for my attention. Tonight, I got hooked. I am supposed to be packing for a 3 day camping trip with my daughter's 5th grade class. Yes I know it is 2 weeks before Christmas don't remind me. PRAISE GOD it will be in the 70's!!!

SO while I am slowly packing I get hooked on a show on HGTV that my husband turned to as he left the room. Have you seen it? They look at 3 houses. One is beyond budget and 2 are in the buyers price range. This single girl has 3 choices. She could have the smaller newer one for more $, it was her taste and in move in condition . She could have one right in the middle of her price range but there is a college in the backyard OR she could choose the older bigger, needing newer everything house.

I was pleased she did not pick the "party" house with the college in the backyard. That seems like it could be fun, but we know that would get old after awhile. I was hoping she would go with the first choice. She was a pack rat and it had a bedroom converted into a closet. It also had a safe garage. It suited her perfectly and was just a bit out of her range. Now I am not saying we should spend foolishly, I am just making a point.

What does she do? She settles. She picks the one her dad had concerns about regarding the heat. Gee, has anyone who loves you had "concerns"? She picks the one she could afford "even though" the bedroom wasn't big enough, the kitchen needed remodeling and the appliances were old. She couldn't wait for the best fit, she settled.

As she sat on her couch in her "new living room" she did not convince me she was excited about her choice. Her bedroom was smaller than the one she had before and the entire place was a "work in progress". Isn't that like a lot of women with the men they marry? Instead of praying and asking God for the right man, instead of being patient, they settle and marry "the work in progress" because it should "make them happy" and it doesn't cost as much ....in the beginning.

We know that we are all works in progress, but when we marry with the thoughts of changing someone it isn't the smartest move. It is better to hold out and persevere for "Mr. Right" than to settle for less than God's choice for you.

Oh and if you think you made that mistake, I have GREAT NEWS! God is in the remodeling business. Head to this website and God will tear down some walls and Christ will build you a new foundation! It's as simple as this.

Rocks and Duct Tape

2007-12-06T13:43:00.000-05:00

I am sure my small group thought I was nuts last night when I asked them to duct tape a rock to the bottom of their shoe. I love visual exercises, you tend to remember them more than words sometimes.

SO our topic for the evening was Focus on God for Truth. God "downloaded" this idea into my head as I prayed for my Pastor on Sunday. Now 143 people were saved this Sunday so GOD WAS IN THE HOUSE! I took that the idea was from HIM and went with it. After all if it was my idea I would have dismissed it as "too weird". (Side note: I did mention to God that I was praying for Pastor and I felt guilty getting info for my group during that time. He rebuked me and reminded me that He is quite capable of hearing prayers and speaking to His children at the same time. Oh right, point noted).

12 women sat for over 1 1/2 hours with a rock taped to the bottom of their shoe. WHY? To illustrate what it means to stand firm on the rock of Jesus Christ. No matter what we go through in our lives..NO MATTER WHAT...Christians should stand firm on Jesus. Why the tape? So you stick. Don't you see when times get tough in marriage, in jobs, in relationships, people begin to doubt God? They doubt who HE is and WHAT HE can do. Why is it that Christians divorce at the same rate as non Christians...That is just one example. God was VERY helpful when He spoke to me about the TAPE. T- is for TRUTH stick to what the bible says in your situation...no matter what. A- Accountability partners are needed when it gets rough. They will hold you to those promises and remind you of who GOD is and what HE wants you to do. P- Prayer and Passion. Prayer is powerful and as you commune with Your Father your passion for Him will sore, making you more determined to listen to Him. E- Eager expectation for what God WILL do in your situation. When all of these things are present then when the storm comes your house will not fall as if built on sand, but it will stand because it is built on the ROCK of Jesus.

My friend Amy K. mentioned today how she loved the exercise(phew I confess I did have some doubts how this would go over). She said after awhile it was really uncomfortable and she thought it weighed her down. She had the revelation that she was actually grounded and that standing firm on the rock of Christ is not always a comfortable thing to do. How awesome that God speaks to us in so many ways!

Oh one more thing. Monday when I asked God if He REALLY wanted me to tape rocks to the women's shoes...He responded with this.

If you are having any doubts on what to do, go tape a rock to the bottom of your shoe and sit for awhile with HIS Word. Call your accountability partner, pray and wait in eager expectation. I know for a fact HE will speak to you!

Thanks God, YOU ROCK and I'm definitely stuck on that!

Floss or Die

2007-12-03T09:14:00.000-05:00

You know I am growing to hate the dentist. Really. From the time they numbed and drilled both sides of my brain, I mean mouth and my tongue swelled so I could not breathe, to this last visit. It went something like this:

"Have you been flossing regularly?" .....side note: 1)the hygienist knows by what she sees that I don't floss "regularly". She knows that in 6 months I flossed...THAT morning just so I could say "I floss". 2) I love God and I am in ministry and I desire to be obedient and never lie. SO my response was "not as regularly as I should."

That did it. Many tools in my mouth and I got lectured on flossing. "your gums are red and inflamed, had you flossed they would not bleed so much". WOW I felt like a dirty grimy slob. Then the kicker, "you know the number one killer in women is heart disease and that can come from bacteria in your gums from lack of flossing."

WHAT???? SO when I was able to rinse and spit I responded with, "so what you are telling me is: floss or die?" "Well yes" she said.

OK.....is that a BIT much? I will admit I am flossing daily now. Not because I could die but just to prove to the dentist that I can do it. I really wanted to ask her if
she knew Jesus. Then I could say "Jesus or Die right back at you." I didn't though. I would rather do it in a more positive uplifting encouraging way.

There really is no purpose for this post other than to remind you to floss and to consider HOW we encourage each other to do the right thing.

Gotta go floss.

Leadership 101

2007-11-19T22:18:00.000-05:00

I had a great brainstorming session tonight which included a Starbuck's lesson on latte's w/ whip. I am branching out!!! I have been a solid "nothing but a mocha frappaccino girl" for ten years. I broke out w/ a peppermint latte! I'm FREE. It was "delish".

As a small group leader I often pray, wonder, worry & contemplate if I am doing enough to facilitate life change. Am I bold enough in speaking Truth? Am I compassionate enough? Do I empathize enough? Am I tough enough? Questions like "if someone openly advertises their sin to the group...do I openly tell them they are being a fool?" OK that is where I pray for compassion. Don't get me wrong, I am not perfect and I will never claim to be. But some times people will justify their sin and really believe it is honest, normal, accepted behavior. Speaking Truth in love is not always pretty, lets face it. It is, however, what we are called to do.

Is it harsh to say "so you just choose to be disobedient?" Well, I have decided to try this approach. If someone is in a real life mess ask them the question "Do you want to be made well? If they say YES..PRAISE GOD! Then tell them to pick up their mat and walk.
To one, that could be discussing their salvation, to another showing them where they are being disobedient in the Word. Someone may need to forgive someone or seek forgiveness.

The great thing about this is 1) It asks a question that really needs to be answered. If they say no, all you can do is pray for them until God softens their heart.
We NEVER go wrong pointing people to Jesus. We never go wrong pointing them to God's Word. As leaders we must live our lives intentionally and show others who Christ is to us. But it is the power of God that will begin a life transformation.

So if you are mentoring someone in a really tough spot....ask them if they want to be made well. Each person's paralysis and how they pick up their mat will be different, but God placed you as a leader to point the WAY, then let HIM do the rest!

Just DO it

2007-11-14T10:56:00.000-05:00

I love the book of James. It is a small 5 chapter book of the bible but it is SO packed with wisdom!! I read it again this morning as a reminder of how God wants me to actually act. It is filled with insights like, being merciful instead of judging. I like the verse that says the tongue is a consuming fire that needs taming. It talks about not being double minded and how Go called Abraham his friend because Abraham had FAITH and acted on it! Faith without works is dead! Which translates to me that is like having no faith. You also won't have the promises of God come alive in your life if you don't ACT on the promises of God. Does that make sense?

I came up w/...well God gave me this acronym, DO as in D. O. and it stands for DETERMINED OBEDIENCE. We need to be DETERMINED to obey God. No matter what our circumstance, no matter how we feel, no matter what others say, no matter what our small minds think. Why? Because God honors a heart that obeys. God moves when faith and action go together. God is blessed when we do what He says and love Him above all else. I want to be a "doer" of the word, and then wait and see what only God can do!

I want to encourage you today to just "DO" it! Be determined, set your eyes on the prize and persevere no matter what. Then see what your friend, GOD, will DO with THAT!!!

Is God your Life or your hobbie?

2007-11-04T19:06:00.000-05:00

That thought popped into my head tonight as I was thinking about the wives group I lead. They all love Jesus. I think every Christian would say that they do. To what degree does that love go though? Do you love Jesus enough to just show up to church on Sunday? Maybe you even go so far as join a bible study. What about feeding Thanksgiving turkeys to the homeless because it fits the "WWJD" mold. All of these things are very good things, but doesn't Jesus want more for us?

Now maybe you go so far as to allow the Spirit to convict you and you refrain from swearing, drinking too much or gossiping. That is good too.

When God is your life though, something really shifts. We still sin because our flesh is weak, but we have a deep desire to follow HIM at all cost. When we sin we repent and seek forgiveness. When we are offended we choose Teflon (see prior post).

The key factor, I think, to having God be your life and not just a hobbie is when things get tough. Do you step out in faith when God prompts you to, even when you don't know the outcome? Do you choose to act in obedience even when you don't feel like? Do you let some friendships go because they aren't healthy. Do you risk being seen as a freak? Do you fight through that stronghold because you KNOW that Jesus wants you FREE? Do you refuse to be a victim because God said you are a victor because of Jesus?

When something is your life you give your all. The fruit you bear will be more abundant too. It's a choice you have to make. If you love Jesus and know His Spirit dwells in you, ask HIM if He's your life or your hobbie, He'll tell you!

Teflon

2007-11-03T11:36:00.000-05:00

WOW....its been quite awhile!

For the months that I have been on "blog hiatus" I have been thinking about what it really means to follow Jesus. The inspiring word from God that came to me was "TEFLON".
Hmmm.....How profound!!!!

A Teflon pan's great function is that "stuff doesn't stick". Have you been offended? Don't let it stick or bitterness will set in. Forgive quickly and with meaning so you won't be scraping the residue after its long been hardened. You risk scratching the surface and causing permanent damage. Yes sometimes we need to soak what has burned on for a bit. That helps. We must be sure though we are soaking our offense in the powerful Word of God not in the opinions of others or in our own feelings.

"See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." - Hebrews 12:15

God's grace is desperately needed. It should be applied instantly to something that could fester into bitterness and resentment. Notice how bitterness "defiles many". It doesn't just work on you but affects others too. That diminishes the power and testimony of Christ in your life. The next time you pull out that pan w/ the scratched surface, thats the first place other food sticks isn't it?

Will people hurt us, yes. Stuff can stick, but it is up to us to decide what surface we have. It is up to us to decide how long it will stay there. We decide what to use to try and remove it. Will people cause us pain, yes. But deciding to be Teflon and choosing the coating of Jesus will bring us spiritual strength, stronger faith and a more authentic walk.

The enemy does his very best to keep stuff stuck to us. Our wounds will inhibit all that God has in store for us. So make the decision today. Overlook that offense, forgive or seek forgiveness and let grace abound!

The next time a fiery dart is thrown your way...think "Teflon" and let it slide.

You Are Chosen

2007-07-08T13:13:00.000-05:00

My family and I just got back from a week at the beach. I LOVE the beach. To me it is heaven on earth. I could sit and watch the waves all day. I feel closest to God there. I realize how big God is. The vast ocean, sky, and that God knows every grain of sand. It just amazes me. Then to think that a God who hung the moon and the stars over this beautiful scene cares so much about us. WOW.

I was feeling very frazzled when we arrived. Thankfully my kids are at easier ages and I was able to actually relax. I feel like the person I used to be a long time ago, not the short tempered impatient over exhausted shell of a human being I transformed into over the last few weeks. YES the one who wants to be Ruth Graham Jr. (see prior blog entry) actually felt more like Roseanne Barr in her sitcom "Roseanne".

I spent quality time with God on my walks and when I my lounged in a hammock (heavenly!). I realized His love for me flaws and all. He is merciful and forgiving and He restores and refreshes! He revealed a scripture that took on a new fresh meaning to me. THANK YOU LORD!!

Maybe you can't get away for a week at the beach or in the mountains or where your "heaven on earth" is. God is everywhere though and He will meet you where you are. Hide in the closet or bathroom and call on Him. Turn off your radio while you drive or your iPOD when you workout. He will come through. I forget that when I get swamped with the duties of life. When that happens everyone around me suffers and I really don't like myself much.

No matter how hectic or crazy things can get, make time for God. I will be spending some time in John 15 . Realize you need to be connected to the vine! Understand that you did not choose God. He chose YOU and appointed you to bear fruit, fruit that will last (John 15:16). A plant apart from the vine doesn't bear anything. He chose you with all of your flaws and shortcomings. He is merciful and loving and forgiving when you fail. Dwell on the truth that He loves you and even if your attitude and actions resemble something from a scary movie you can ask Him to forgive you and you can start over again. Just remember to stay connected!

Ruth Bell Graham

2007-06-15T21:02:00.000-05:00

“Ruth was my life partner, and we were called by God as a team,” Billy Graham said in a statement. “No one else could have borne the load that she carried. She was a vital and integral part of our ministry, and my work through the years would have been impossible without her encouragement and support.

“I am so grateful to the Lord that He gave me Ruth, and especially for these last few years we’ve had in the mountains together. We’ve rekindled the romance of our youth, and my love for her continued to grow deeper every day. I will miss her terribly, and look forward even more to the day I can join her in Heaven.”
The Rev. Billy Graham
(Assoc. Press)

I am in awe of Ruth Bell Graham. I admire her devotion to the Lord, her strength, and her gentle spirit. What most struck me though was when I heard Rev. Graham say that Ruth was the greatest Christian he had ever known. In all of his travels, in all of his associations his wife was the greatest Christian he had ever known.

Most of us aren't married to worldwide evangelists, but would our husbands say that about us? It was said that she would become so lonely sometimes she would sleep with his tweed jacket for comfort. Her children said she was pretty much a single mother. She said she was called to this position even though initially she thought of being an unmarried missionary. The Graham's always believed they were a team. She would provide fresh ideas and Billy would write his messages. She named "The Hour of Decision". She was also instrumental in him writing "Peace with God".

How many of us see our lives as a calling? Do we support our husbands even if we are lonely sometimes and feel like single mothers? Do we provide fresh ideas and support and edify our men? Or do we nag and complain? Have we rekindled the love of our youth (Billy says it can be done). Ruth was never known to complain. When asked if she ever considered divorce however she said, "divorce no, murder yes". SO you see she had her struggles, but her son said her strength came from the scriptures.

In case you think her life was perfect, Here is an excerpt from her journal in 1957:

“Four full-blooded little Grahams,” the young mother wrote in her journal. “ I feel this a.m. it’s gotten quite beyond me. They fight, they yell, they answer back. Breakfast is dreadful ... Now they’ve gone off to school looking nice enough (for once) and with a good breakfast but with the scrappiest of family prayers ... Grumbling, interrupting, slurring one another, impudent to me. So now they’re off, I’m in bed with my Bible thinking it through—or rather, trying to.”Ruth Bell Graham wrote this while her husband Billy Graham was off crusading in New York City. (Newsweek beliefs, June 14, 2007)

To me this sounds alot like my mornings, except I don't go back to bed with my bible, maybe I should! I am encouraged that she felt like I do many mornings.

Mrs. Graham, I honor your life and pray that I too will be the greatest Christian my husband has ever known. I pray my children will see that my strength comes from the scriptures. I know your children had their struggles yet you said they were your pride and joy. They now are all serving the Lord. I pray that I will always SHOW my children unconditional love, always point them to Jesus and trust God's plan for their lives. The world has lost a strong woman of faith and integrity. I love how you were fiesty and strong willed, yet allowed your husband to lead. Heaven is rejoicing in your coming home. Thank you Mrs. Graham for setting an example that I hope every Christian woman will follow.

ANTICIPATION

2007-06-13T10:41:00.001-05:00

One of my spiritual mentors received a word from the Lord for me ahwile back. I LOVE that when it happens. He called to say that God told him that I would receive the desires of my heart shortly. I was very excited. My excitement however immediately was replaced with, "what does that mean?" and "which desires?". I have alot of them.....

I then started playing the guessing game. Well, will it have to do with my desires for my family? Will it have to do with my ministry? What, when, where, how?
Then I realized God's definition of shortly is alot different from mine. To me, shortly is no more than a few days. To God 1,000 years is a day and a day is a 1,000 years. Then I got discouraged.

God's Word says if we delight in Him He will give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4). I already KNEW that, but why would God want me to specifically know that from my friend? All I could do was ask GOD.

My question went something like this, "God why would you have him tell me that when you know how it will drive me crazy wondering what you mean? Why get my hopes up when I don't know what, where, when or how?"

God's response to me was a great revelation. He answered with "I want my children to wait in eager anticipation for all that I am going to do." WOW God THAT is REALLY GOOD! So good that I had to share it. The other great thing is that it is very biblical! Psalm 27:14 in the Amplified bible says, "Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord."

As His children we are called to live by faith and we trust in Him. So no matter what situation you find yourself in if you are being obedient then you can eagerly expect God to do something amazing! From my experience He may even give you some desires of your heart that you did not even realize you had! SO GET EXCITED!!

Busy Busy

2007-06-05T19:11:00.000-05:00

Ok I have been out of touch for awhile! Where to begin..... Well I mentioned that on Mother's Day our church baptized 209 people. The following week we did it again and between our 2 campuses about 426 were baptized! That was amazing!

My mom came into town during that time. My parents and grandpa are moving here. HURRAYYYY!!! SO my mom was house hunting and bought one. I wish I could say it was as easy as that sentenced sounded. We then went to Boone to see Beth Moore. If I can remember it all I will do a seperate post on that. The Blessings of Asher. Very interesting. Seeing her up close (I could have touched her) was incredible! Does she realize someday we will be friends?? No I am not a stalker, just a wishful prayer (Ephesians 3:20).

We celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. THANK YOU LORD!!! My kids are finishing up school, they are all on the swim team which is too cute for words. I had a great meeting with a wonderful woman from Love and Respect Ministries yesterday. I invited all of the "Great Wives God's Way" graduates and 16 people came. It was a great time of sharing.

SO I have been out of touch and very busy. All with good things. Yet I have been feeling very sluggish. As if I was walking through quick sand that is over my head. WHAT is that?? I just want to go to bed for a week or three. This great man of God, Derwin Gray, once said "BUSY" means being under satan's yoke. I think that is true. When we busy ourselves with all sorts of things, even good things, we get drained. I had some "God time" but not as much as I like. I did not intentionally fill my tank with the proper amount of His Spirit to begin each day.

I am thankful for a forgiving & merciful God. HE is always there ready to meet us when we seek Him with all of our hearts. He is faithful too. I saw His hand many times throughout these few weeks even when I was looking more to my "to do" list than to Him. SO when I am sluggish and tired I will lean on this. I will also make my time with Him more of a priortity so that being too busy won't suck me into the quick sand of life!

My Mother's Day

2007-05-13T20:18:00.000-05:00

I am exhausted. What a Mother's Day!!! It was definitely NOT typical and it was beyond joyful. I usually hope for breakfast in bed. It is "fun" to hear Mike and the kids trying to pull it all off. I live with 4 leaders of all different ages. Watching them all delegate to each other can be .....chaotic...??....!!!

I was up very early though. And took my post at church for all three of our Sunday services. A few weeks ago I was asked to help out with a "top secret" event planned at Elevation Church. The event pretty much can be summed up by this scripture.

So in stroll these wonderful unsuspecting people, many dressed in their Mother's Day best and they were given an opportunity to outwardly display their faith in Christ. 209 responded!! TWO HUNDRED AND NINE!!! This was not announced in advance either!! All the details were taken care of. Clothes, hair dryers, towels, flip flops, shampoo, gel...etc.

It was awesome! Tears of joy, cheering, applause...INCREDIBLE!!!

My kids were great and adjusted well to the change in our Mother's Day routine. I told them I will be very happy next weekend to eat my breakfast in bed and any other weekend they'd like to do it!!!! We ate lunch at IHOP (I let the kids pick) and I got my much desired nap. The day was topped off with a poem Sydney wrote for me:

MY MOM
My Mom Lisa
Mom of wishes
Who needs a vacation
Who loves Jesus
Who sees my future
Who wonders of being a speaker
Who dreams of being on a cruise
Who gives love to everyone
Who wishes of getting another rottweiler
Loved by Sydney

This brought me to tears. My daughter KNOWS I have hopes and prayers for her future. She KNOWS I love Jesus. She sees me giving love to people even if getting breakfast in bed seemed more relaxing. I was overjoyed to see God draw 209 to be baptized. I was blown away when it looked like there was no way we would have the right amount of a certain size clothes."Somehow" God multiplied them and there was "just the right amount".(We stood in awe in the changing room...speechless...NO JOKE).

It was this poem though that touched me the most. My kids are seeing what is really important. As I follow Jesus I will be equipped to be the best mom I can be. Knowing that makes it a VERY Happy Mother's Day!

Syndey, Samantha and Matthew, mommy LOVES you and I thank God for you!!!

Now about that vacation......

WHAT IF.......

2007-04-29T21:36:00.000-05:00

Did you ever wonder about what it is that you were created to do? Do you ever think, I was put on this earth to ______. Are you stumbling and fumbling through life in survival mode? Maybe you are skating through life and you are successful by the world's standards, yet something is missing or just not quite right.

I am leading a bible study with the book "CHAZOWN" by Craig Groeshel. I belong to an awesome church where we are greatly inspired to be who God created us to be. My pastor challenges us to step out of our comfort zone and dig out that ridiculous God given dream we have buried deep down for so long. God uses him to wake us up to GOD's reality!

So here is my question for you. Are you intentional about your purpose or intentional about mere survival? Unsure what your God given calling and destiny is? Well, start in prayer and ask HIM. Write down your dreams even if they sound silly and unobtainable. Read Chazown. Jot down your talents and gifts. Open your mind up to the fact you also have talents you haven't tapped into yet. Then consider your past experiences good and bad......battle scars make a great springboard for who you will identify with and who you can reach for God.

Then consider your biggest fears. I will share mine. I struggle with what people think. I never liked being vunerable especially in a group of women. I went to an all girl high school, need I say more? I always hated public speaking. Oral book reports in the 6th grade made me ill. Then God got a hold of me and when you put together my experiences and the gifts HE has given me....I know that I know I am called to speak to & encourage women who are struggling w/ marriage and relationships. To do that I have to be open and honest about who I am and how I feel....yes I have to be transparent and vulnerable.

Guess what? I LOVE IT, God shows up, it blesses me, I am energized my it, I was created to do it! So what the enemy wants to intimidate you with, GOD has already perpared you to do it! All you need is FAITH. When HE calls HE always equips!

So what is it in your life that keeps you from stepping out into your destiny? Fear of failure? Lack of finances? What others will think? I think you should ask yourself a better question. "What if......?"

Can You Here ME Now Part 2

2007-04-22T21:23:00.000-05:00

John 10:27 says "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."
If you clicked on the title of "Can You Here ME Now Part 1" it would have linked you to this passage.

How can we "hear" God's voice? The book of Matthew tells us that John the Baptist heard God's audible voice when he was baptizing Jesus. God spoke in a big way! God still speaks today. HE could do it audibly of course, but what about that still small voice? Sometimes we think it is our conscience, but who convicts us of our wrong doing to begin with? That would be God through His Holy Spirit.

Now I shared with you my fun T shirt experiences and my friends will back me up that the stories are all true and I am not a complete nut. Maybe just a partial one! I will share some ways that God has spoken to my heart and try to explain it the best way I can.

One example was when I was going through my troubled marriage. My first instinct was to leave. I was having thoughts in my head that said the kids would be better off if Mike & I divorced. I remember crying telling God that I did not understand why He would help me recover from my first bad marriage only to lead me to this one. Yet in that I told HIM I believed HE saved me before and HE would do it again. The "thought" that came over me was a deep impression from my gut that flowed upward to my mind. It was loving and gentle but very firm "inner voice" that said "Lisa how will you look your 3 children in the eyes in years to come and when they ask you 'mommy why couldn't you try one more time with daddy?' How are you going to say you couldn't? How are you going to raise Christian children to trust ME when you don't trust ME with your marriage?"

Here is how I KNOW that was God: Because it hit me in the gut, it washed me with peace, it gave me hope in a terrible situation. It was contrary to what my natural instinct thought I should do. Also God said "ME". I knew that I knew it was not my own thoughts but those of a loving, merciful God. Also most importantly it lined up with God's Word, the bible, because it was telling me to trust God in my marriage!

Since that time I have heard many other things, such as "Rise Above" which popped in my head in the shower which was confirmed by a Billboard (see Part 1). So again I learned that that "thought" was God. Sometimes He speaks softly, other times deeper and louder to your spirit and your heart. I am convinced that as you listen to HIM and "practice" you will learn how to hear His voice regularly.

There was another time I was finally alone and planning to run some much needed errands. I again was upset that my marriage was in such a bad place. I wondered if God was hearing me at all. I felt this urge to drive to our church's prayer room. I did not have the time or the energy but could not get the thought to leave me. I went in and knelt down feeling rather foolish to be honest. Why would I have to be in the prayer room when I could pray in my car? I happened to kneel where the prayer list was laid out for the intercessors (people who pray for others). I glanced down to see MY prayer request I sent in a few days earlier, ON TOP of a large pile of other prayer requests! I left there with a renewed hope and joy in my heart that God did hear me and He was in control.

One time Mike was helping a man in a parking lot who was having chest pains. He said "Lisa I just felt like I should have prayed for that man." Mike wasn't comfortable at that time just praying for someone he did not know, so afterward he felt very bad that he didn't. I explained that the kids and I did while we waited in the van, but explained "that was God telling you to pray, when you hear that voice again, you will know it was Him." So it was a strong impression that told Mike something contrary to his natural tendencies and that too lined up w/ scripture.
(Side note: It was a heart attack and Praise God "George" survived!!)

As we "tune in" and listen we will have a sense of peace knowing that even if our sitauation is difficult we are never alone. That if we "tune in" we will be led by God. (John 16:13-15)

Can You Hear ME Now? Part 1

2007-04-20T14:04:00.000-05:00

When I was in the 6th grade I remember thinking, "why would God speak back then and not now?" If He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, then He should still speak today.

Of course He speaks through His Word the bible. All scripture is God-breathed (2Timothy 3:16). I love how we can read a scripture one time and it says one thing and another time something else is revealed! But God is not in a box and He can use other means to get our attention.

My friends laugh at me because God speaks to me ALOT through T shirts. HEY, if He can create the earth and everything in it, then surely He can speak via a t-shirt or two! Need some examples? GOOD I was hoping you would!

1) When I was at a red light telling God I could not do the "respect stuff" in my marriage, it was too hard; a jogger ran by with this printed on her back!

2) When I was debating becoming a Southern Living at HOME consultant for extra $$ and to help with my public speaking for the ministry, I was in an Outback Steakhouse 45 minutes away when I turned around to see the lady behind me wearing a SLAH shirt. OK I had NEVER seen one before and have not seen anyone wear one since! Yes I joined and it was a great experience! I met one of my dearest godliest friends through it!

Still skeptical? OK.

3) While driving through WV I was wondering why God chose me to start this ministry or any ministry for that matter. A girl in a McDonald's playground had this on her shirt to answer my question.

4) God then took bigger measure when I was wondering about the name Rise Above Ministry. In Pittsburg on a BILLBOARD was a picture of the 16 year old surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack. It said "Me Quit?, Never" "RISE ABOVE". Did you know she is a Christian? Obviously God said "yes that is the name" and here we are!

There are several others, but God may not use a T shirt for you. I always pray for Him to make things VERY obvious so I don't miss Him. He may use a person to speak to you, a song (I did not know how many had "rise above" in them until I listened to Him on the name of the ministry). He may use your pastor or priest. You may find that page in the book that just "jumped off the shelf" that ministers to you. If you doubt it is God, ask Him to confirm it. He is always faithful. Stayed tuned for Part 2 on how I "hear" His still soft voice when a T shirt can't to be found!

Florida Trees Don't Move

2007-04-09T12:41:00.000-05:00

That was the brilliant statement made by some guy after we crashed into a tree in FL last week. Here we were in a great restaurant watching dolphins for 45 minutes when raw sewage started to pour out of the restrooms....luckily we had finished our meal!!

SO as we were trying to escape the flowing river of yuck, we hop in the van for a quick get a way. All of us were focused on the plumbing trucks. Mike turned back just in time to miss the tree. HOWEVER the trunk of the tree had a knot in it. That knot went thru our back window......thankfully my van was not full of people and the back row was empty!!

The next day we drove back to NC w/ a plastic shower curtain duct taped to the van. That lasted about 45 minutes. The rain held off and we drove home (7 1/2 hours) w/ no back window. Ahh the memories our kids will have of that one!

Then I wondered...why God? why the "stupid tax"? $331 that we could use for something else? No one was hurt, praise God! But why? Maybe it was to remind us to always be careful and ALWAYS keep an eye on where you are going. $331 for our window was better than ER bills if it had been a person. It is better than hitting another car and having to pay for damage to 2. It may have been what detained us just those few extra minutes that saved us from a worse accident....Only God knows.

SO I rose above the broken window and the cranky husband (he was not happy about his error) and thought about how our kids will laugh remembering mommy holding onto a plastic shower curtain as it was blowing off the van at 80 mph on I-95. I chose to think that God somehow did or will used it for our good as His Word says "all things work for good..."

We all make mistakes and we can chose to learn from them so they don't get the best of us!

EGG DROP!!!!

2007-04-05T15:15:00.000-05:00

Well I am back from Florida! I will share how I rose above a restaurant w/ a sewage back up problem and a big tree in the middle of a parking lot a bit later ..But.....THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT!!!!!!

WHAT DO 50,000 EGGS AND A HELICOPTER HAVE IN COMMON?????

THIS SATURDAY APRIL 7th AT PORTER RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL, 2839 Ridge Rd. Indian Land NC ...register at 10 am. Egg Drop at 11 am!!!!! For kids 12 and under. Children ages 1-4 will have Eggland with age appropriate prizes!!
Check out the info at this website!

GREAT PRIZES!!!! Such as a Sony PLAYSTATION, XBox 360, iPODS, Nintendo Wii's and 1000 of other prizes!!! GREAT FUN!!! GREAT CHURCH WHY??? Because we serve a GREAT GOD!!!

DO NOT MISS THIS! Just Don't!! IT WILL BE THAT AWESOME! We missed it last year and we have regretted it! Not this year my friend NO WAY!!

MARCH MADNESS

2007-03-26T22:14:00.000-05:00

My husband is a HUGE College Basketball fan! I knew that when I met him. I even was "coached" by male co workers on how to talk "basketballese". I played the pools in the office. I started to like March Madness.....but now its different.

This year has been a "MAD" March. "Mad" in a crazy "God is awesome" and "this is either God or insanity" sort of way. Let me recap it for you.

1) My husband chose to attend a leadership conference over an NCAA game...Completely mad....(don't you DARE dog him out about it either...it was AWESOME...just shows he is a man who honors God. Plus I fight like a girl so watch out :))

2) I was at a leadership conference WITH my husband when 3 years ago we were in a counselor's office and I was told to "throw him out" to get his attention. I did not listen to that advise but listened to this instead.

3) My friend's husband accepted Christ...we prayed for about 2 years. He was baptized w/ her and their son and his dad...3 generations together....we knew God could do it but when He DID....more jump up and down,scream, cry and laugh "madness".

4) God has led me to a church that fires my spirit and makes me want to pursue God for all He has planned for me....a church can do that?? No GOD does that but its important to find the right church. Pray about it . When you are connected with the right pastor and the vision for that church...not the programs you are used to or the traditions but when there is a spiritual connection, something happens. Your life changes ...Positive Madness.

I remember telling a dear mentor friend (I have several, they are great...go get some if you don't) how I did not want to keep "bragging" on all God was doing. She said something that stuck with me. "Every week people stand up and cheer their favorite sports teams, they go crazy, the jump up and down. It is a shame that more Christians don't give God that kind of enthusiasm & praise." I am going to keep cheering for the ONE who wins every time!

So Lord THANK YOU for my March's "Madness". You orchestarted every detail to show me who YOU ARE and I give YOU all the honor and credit. Thank You that I can be a raving lunatic watching "The Big Dance" that you call your Kingdom on earth. In case you are wondering I am the one cheering "GO GOD".

Steve & Barry's

2007-03-23T15:01:00.000-05:00

Why is shopping such a challenge? It wasn't even the fact that I attempted it w/ my 3 children while they were off of school. Which, by the way, I don't understand. Had it been next Friday we would have had 1 extra day in Florida....ok back to shopping.....

This was my second trip to the BRAND NEW STEVE & BARRY'S.....the first time did not go well. After searching and trying on several items while trying to keep my 5 yr old son happy, I found what I wanted. $60 worth of clothes (alot of clothes...great deals...very inexpensive...I am all over that!) The customer service was in need of an injection of ....happiness. We were the only ones there. It was hard to find help and I was greeted at the register with a minor hand motion...no words...no smile. Now I understand bad days like the rest of you. This is a brand new store though.....OK it gets better. I hand over my Visa Gift card...They don't take it!...now they take Visa, they take debit cards, they take their gift cards...but NO Visa gift cards.....so there I left the entire 45 minutes worth of clothing and I walked out.

One week later I am thinking about that $5 long sleeve white t shirt that I have "needed" all winter. I ignore the fact that its EIGHTY degrees and I have THREE children with me and head across town, like an IDIOT.

Gee...long lines at the cash registers, I think to myself. WARNING....don't assume its because there is no school and it is an inexpensive BRAND NEW store that caused the lines. After trying to "relocate" the clothes I did not buy last week (no luck except the T shirt...praise God), I head to the long line...."its ok" I say to myself, they have several cashiers. HA HA HA HA HAAAAA. No the computers were down and they were HAND WRITING receipts. People had 10-15 items....I had THREE children with me ....then I heard words that almost made my head explode..."CREDIT CARDS MAY BE FASTER"......AHHHHHH I HAD CASH. OK breathe...breathe....breathe. The woman behind me mentioned she had tried to return her items 4 times and left the store....I told her she should call it a wash and just leave the stuff there. The refund was not worth the insanity.

God is GREAT though. One of my spiritual mentors came into the store. It was like an angel descending from above to keep me from losing it.

So I got my $5 t shirt and the kids got a few things and we left. We won't be back. It is not worth the drive or the "savings" to get my blood pressure up or the temptation to cause me to "lose my Christianity" . Sorry Steve sorry Barry. But that is how I will rise above that. You know the life lesson here is deep: sometimes trying to take the cheap way out of things isn't always the wisest!

I also know this promise: Romans 5:3-5(NIV)

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

So I considered this a spiritual agility test. So actually, thanks Steve & Barry God used you today to build some character in the Shea family!!!!

PS:I hope you don't think I am criticizing, (see prior post), this was just my honest experience. And remember constructive criticism can be a good thing :)

Rise Above Criticism

2007-03-21T21:41:00.000-05:00

This is a tough one. I HATE being criticized. I think it comes from childhood wounds from the playground or something. Even constructive criticism stings doesn't it? I think we just want everyone to think we are great. The truth is, many don't and won't. Some will tear you apart just to make themselves feel better and others actually think they are doing you a favor. Why do we forget that it doesn't matter? We should get our accolades from God not man anyway. Don't get me wrong, we NEED people to help us out sometimes and God will use people to keep us on track. We just need to be selective and trust who we really listen to.

I think it is so easy to fall into the trap of defending yourself. Now of course if you are accused of something horrible that you did not do....fight for the truth with grace and love. If you did do something horrible, admit it and repent! What I am referring to are those comments that are made by people who don't know you very well or don't know you at all. If you have integrity, if you seek God and hear HIS direction for your life then the great news is...HE is your vindicator. I love what it says in Exodus 14:14 "The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still". Now that is one set of muscles that I want watching my back!

Public ministry can be very difficult. Things you say are taken out of context or things written are misconstrued. It is "funny" how many times God will use people w/ insecurities to be in the public eye for His service. I think that keeps you humble....but it also leaves room for the enemy to get in, if you let him. You have to check yourself from not becoming prideful yet not let the negative comments destroy your God given focus and throw you off track.

As Easter approaches I think the best reminder of letting God have the last word is in Acts 8:32 "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth."
This is very hard to do when we are unjustly accused of something. Or when we just want to clarify our point of view. Maybe we just want validation. But Christians have the power of the Holy Spirit in them. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead! Ephesians 1:18-20 says "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead...."

If the Holy Spirit can raise Jesus from the dead then the Holy Spirit can guide you in keeping still and remaining silent. Let GOD fight your battles, He wins everytime!

UNLEASHED

2007-03-16T16:00:00.000-05:00

Mike & I returned from a great all day leadership conference called "UNLEASH" at Newspring Church (www.newspring.cc) in Anderson, SC. We went w/ other Elevation (www.elevationchurch.org) leaders and it was amazing! 50 FUN God loving enthusiastic "Elevators" in matching t-shirts hop off a bus to be encouraged in our church growth. Sr. Pastors "own the vision" which comes from God. That's right the man in charge of the building gets his "stuff" from the man upstairs. My Sr. Pastor Steven Furtick (www.stevenfurtick.com) rocks and his vision is right from Heaven. Not only that his vision "coincidently" matches what God has put on my heart over the last few years!!.....Just look "Elevation" and "Rise Above Ministry". Our Church's motto is to reach people far from God and bring them into the abundant life in Christ. OK....we started attending in November. Since August God has given me John 10:10 a total so far of 62 times!! "The enemy comes to steal kill and destroy but I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly".......hmm abundant life in Christ....coincidence ...NOT! Who says God doesn't speak today??

The very first sermon Pastor preached was Feb 2006. I did not know the church even existed. He preached on who we are in Christ (From the series Core 1-6 check iTunes Elevation Church). At that time I was teaching a marriage bible study and alot of it was who we are in Christ!

So it is very easy for me to support my pastor and the vision God gave him. God was preparing me to support this vision by stirring the same thoughts and giving me the same burden. What an honor to support and help fuel GOD's idea! "UNLEASH" confirmed that too! There is a God given vision and then a team who supports it. Watching Newspring in action w/ 9000 church members was awesome...knowing Elevation will explode even more and being a part of God's work is SO EXCITING!

Thanks for including me in the conference Elevation! I am "unleashed" and ready for the ride of my life!!

God Know's My Heart

2007-03-12T15:25:00.000-05:00

This has got to be one of those "christianese" statements that has haunted me this past week. Whenever someone says it I believe they think it is a "good thing". To me it is scary. You see God knows our hearts better than WE know our hearts. God has a way of revealing our hearts to us so that we can seek forgiveness and by His grace & His power we can change. Be careful when you say that phrase, using it as an excuse when you don't have the courage to step out in faith is deceptive to you and others.

You see it is NOT OK with God if you know you should do something but you doubt or fear that you can't. You may know you should be respectful to your husband, but not do it because of fear of rejection or being made a fool of. You may know that you need to focus on God's promises for a situation but you give up because you don't see change quick enough or it is too hard. What if Esther said to Mordecai "God knows my heart. I want to plead for the Jews, but it will be too hard for me to approach the King. I could lose my life." Sorry, God wouldn't have given her a thumbs up because she "meant well" but did not follow through.

What if David would have said "God knows in my heart I want to kill Goliath, but he is just too big." What about Mary, "God knows deep down I would love to be the virgin mother of Jesus, but my reputation is going to take a beating. It is OK though because God knows my heart". What about Jesus himself? "God knows my heart but now that I think about it, crucifiction while being insulted and spit at, can't do it."

There comes a point in time when we need to realize God DOES know our hearts. He also knows our potential in Him and He knows what hinders us. Sometimes we need to fight the good fight of faith. Scripture tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). So knowing about faith and acting in faith are two very different things! Pastor Jim Cymbala in his book "Fresh Faith" says we only have as much of God as our faith permits. The promises of God are appropriated only by faith. He states that God is looking for people who will take Him at His Word no matter what the circumstances. Anyone in the bible that experienced the mighty hand of God ACTED on faith.

Don't use "God knows my heart" as an excuse not to step out in faith. Chances are God will allow more circumstances to show YOU the heart that He knows you really have. James 1:6-8 says that we should believe in God and not doubt or we are like a wave in the sea being tossed about. That man will not receive because he is double minded and unstable in all he does. Make the decision to align your head and your heart to grasp God's Word today!!

You Have to Start Somewhere

2007-03-06T15:20:00.000-05:00

My very audio/visual technically talented brother would be proud of me! I am an official "blogger" . Why is my face so big over to the right.....yikes. I will need help w/ that....minimizing I mean...can't do much w/ what God gave me :)

Thanks to some great encouragers especially my husband this blog is here. Because some people think I have a neat perspective on things and because I think WAY TO MUCH I can now share my thoughts here!

My purpose is to share my life as a wife and mom of 3 great kids while applying God's promises to my circumstances. I made a decision along time ago to choose what God says regardless of what a situation looks like. So I hope that this will encourage you to Trust in God no matter what!

For more info on what Rise Above Ministry is all about check out www.riseaboveministry.com We take prayer requests, you can read a shortened version of my testimony and learn how to replace your negative thinking with the words of a very positive God!!

I look forward to sharing life with you!