Still in it to Win

I truly believe that for many, this is a season of increase. I believe that the past few months have been really hard, but it’s only because God is preparing His children for the greatness that is to come.

I recently attended a revival at my church, and the word we felt impressed upon is “DOUBLE.” I believe this is the end of our rough season and God just want’s to see who is still in it to win. He is looking for teens that will hold fast to His promises and not grow weary; which I will admit isn’t me at times. But if we hold strong, He is going to pour out a double blessing! Read more

As They Were Going

When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. Luke 17:14 NAS

Though brief, Luke gives us a clear picture of what James exhorts the Church in his letter. He tells us that those who hear only–are somehow misleading, even deceiving themselves. In so doing, they are missing out on the fullness of promise. These are those who we hear saying, “Oh, I tried that and it just didn’t work for me.”

But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.  James 1:22

The lepers received in the doing. The clear implication is that, in doubt, they would not have received, being what James tells us is a double-minded man, unable to receive and would have gone away, not only still leprous, with a wrong understanding of God – deluded. (James 1:6-8)

Read more

God’s Secret Law of Seed Time and Harvest

by Ann Stewart

The Kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed which, when sown, grows into a big tree that produces shade and fruit for the birds. (Luke 13: 18-19)

To every man is given a measure of faith (Rom. 12: 3) If you have faith in God, everything you desire and declare out loud shall be done (Mark 11: 22 – 25) in the Name of the Lord. It pleases Him to give you the Kingdom. Read more

A UNA MUJER QUE ATRAVIESA HORRENDA LUCHA

Mujer:

Tú no estás sola. Te puede faltar tu esposo, amigos, hijos y aún familiares.

Pero aunque sientas que todos te han abandonado, recuerda que Dios nunca te ha dejado. Él no te desampara porque es quien te está dando las fuerzas para que puedas continuar. Él te acompaña en las noches cuando desolada lloras queriendo morir o desaparecer. Read more

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

1 cup pumpkin
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar, milk, eggs, orange zest and butter. Combine dry ingredients; stir into pumpkin mixture. Fold in walnuts and cranberries. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 70 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool.

The Commanded Blessing

by Wanda K. Harris (Author)

Do you know Gods plan for your life? Are you wandering around aimlessly lost, wondering what Gods plan is for your life or feeling defeated and ready to throw in the towel? If so, your wandering days are over! Your life matters to God and today as you step out in faith to seek Gods direction in your life and/or ministry, youve positioned yourself on the right path toward discovering His provision to live a powerful life! In her timely release, The Commanded Blessing, Rev. Wanda Harris shares the life of Elijah and how God supernaturally provided for him as he discovered and fulfilled Gods plan for his life even when he became discouraged and was ready to give up on life. Through personal testimonies and biblical teaching, this The Commanded Blessing explains through observing the life of Elijah how you, too, can discover Gods blessings of provision commanded just for you to live a powerful life and fulfill your destiny.

Why Do I Do What I Do?

by Kimberly Davidson

If your mind was a movie screen for everyone to view, what would they see? Would your screenplay be rated G, R, or NC-17? The Apostle Paul confessed, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do. I have the desire to carry out good but cannot carry it out” (Romans 7:15; 18).

Ever feel this way? Maybe everyday! Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do.” If we want to understand why we do what we don’t want to do, why we think and act negatively, then we must come to the realization we do not understand ourselves as well as we think we do.

Even as a Christian, my mind continued to create negative thoughts, which translated into bad feelings and behaviors. Not only was my mind and heart tormented, but so was my physical body. I was diagnosed with lupus, gastritis, and shingles. No question, what you think influences your biological body. Toxic thinking can manifest itself in bodily symptoms such as cancer, diabetes, allergies, to name a few.1

Looking at the different personality roles we have created in life allows us to better understand why we do what we do, so we might choose better alternatives. We all begin life hardwired with a soul. As life unfolds, we collect psychological data in the form of experiences (a process that starts in the womb). As we absorb experiences, they are transformed into memories, which shape our learned responses, which, in turn, affect what we make of new experiences. We see this when young babies and their mothers interact.

As we grow up our personality starts to take form and we develop multiple roles over time. I start as a child creating roles in response to my relationship with my parents and my birth order. I form new roles as I begin to interact and relate in school and move forward with life. Today my roles are wife, daughter, women’s pastor, step-grandmother, friend, sister, and God’s daughter. I act differently depending on what role I’m playing.

The ability to play roles is part of the normal person’s ability for relating with others. Jesus had different personality roles. One moment he is lambasting the Pharisees with words intended to break their hardened hearts, then we see him comforting a child, and the next minute he is lovingly disciplining and teaching an adulterous woman.

When I first encounter the heavenly Father, I may try to relate to him through one of my existing roles, often the one formed in response to my earthly father—the daughter role. Some of us come into a new relationship with God and have a flawed image or expectation of him.

One reason we hold false perceptions of God is our tendency to project onto God the unloving characteristics of the people we look up to, who is usually our earthly dad. If my dad abused me in any form, then God most likely is demanding or angry or remote. It will be hard for me to relate to God lovingly.

The roles we develop are in response to other people (usually our parents) who have expectations for us and reward specific behaviors. If the expectations were not met, we were punished in some way. Then we develop a role that will exist in conflict, like the perfectionist, performer, or the victim.

My father has a powerful choleric temperament (meaning self-confident, likes to be in control and make all the decisions). To please him, a leading role emerged—the compliant, people-pleaser, which I’ll call Role A. I also lived in several communities where women were defined by their perfected “Cover Girl” mask. In order to be accepted another role emerged, Role B—the (perceived) perfect Kimberly. Unconsciously, I fought against these roles so I created a new role, my rebel, suppressed role, Role C.

When Role C, gets out, it rebels because it’s impossible to maintain the people-pleaser, perfect Cover Girl mask. It binges on food and alcohol and likes to party, because it doesn’t get what it’s seeking. Once the toxic episode subsides, the rebellious woman feels guilty and ashamed and retreats. Role A, the dominant survival personality, then comes out.

Personality roles change to cope with different situations. Even my husband has a different role when he is around my dad. When he feels confronted, a new role emerges—one I don’t particularly like. As he puts it, it’s his “survival-male” role. (By the way, I love my dad. He’s a wonderful man.) Most of us have developed a survival personality, a Cover Girl mask, which makes us feel in control.

Our primary role may change suddenly. A daughter may have to take on the primary role of mother if her mother dies or becomes incapacitated. Talk about super-sizing your emotions! Life is constantly distracting and pressing our buttons, usually when we least expect it.

Are you beginning to understand why you do what you do? We are also made up of all of our memories and life experiences that are responsible for our sense of identity and the way we interact with others. Personally, my memory bank contains a lot of data labeled “rejection” which causes me unconsciously to put up walls. What I never realized is that these walls gave me an illusion of safety. What they really did was prevent me from getting what I needed to become whole.

When I am born-again, my heavenly Father calls me into relationship with him. I have a new role as God’s daughter. This new part of my personality is “born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). My old life was centered around myself and hiding my problems. There is a new me existing in intimacy with the newly indwelling Spirit of God.

I am a new creation because Jesus lives in me (John 14:20). God himself is now working in me. That takes the pressure off us. God is now our image manager. But, we still have to do something: submit in complete dependence so the Holy Spirit can do his work. When we do, we find God putting us in places and situations we never dreamed of. The whole truth of our identification and image is achieved when we set our entire heart and mind on Jesus Christ.

Kimberly Davidson received her MA in specialized ministry from Western Seminary and BA in health sciences and nutrition from the University of Iowa. She is a biblical counselor and coach, and founder of Olive Branch Outreach. Kimberly speaks at church conferences and schools to reach youth and women with her messages and offers dynamic workshops on issues such as spiritual transformation, mind renewal, low self-esteem, and negative body image. She is the author of Breaking the Cover Girl Mask, I’m God’s Girl? Why Can’t I Feel It? and I’m Beautiful? Why Can’t I See It?

Inspirational Ink: Insight for a Woman’s Life

WHAT I LEARNED FROM SUNDAY BASKET MEETING

by Tammi Ector Fisse

Throughout my childhood, autumn meant time for Sunday Basket Meeting. Less country folk may have referred to it as our family reunion. Although my brother and I were city kids and far too cool to let on that a trip to a backwoods town in Kentucky was anything special, on the morning of the trip excitement swirled around us, tangible as the leaves falling from the trees. Still, we were Cincinnatians and had an image to maintain. Little did we know it, but we “city slickers” could stand to learn a lesson or two from our “country bumpkin” cousins. Read more

2009 Fall Makeup Trends

Fall is here and we’ve put away our sandals and sun dresses in exchange for cashmere cardigans, wool coats and knee high boots. So what is the best makeup look to compliment the 2009 fall/winter season? CLICK HERE to take a look at this years color palette for the season. Read more

Transform Your Workouts into Worship!

Have you ever said this, “I don’t have TIME to exercise”? Some of us have said that more than once! In reality, it’s not about having time to exercise (we all have the same 24 hours each day); we need to make time to exercise if we want to be healthy. Read more

Next Page »