How often was my life happening so quickly that as I reacted to one thing the circumstances changed and just as I figured out 1 plan of action the opponents switched on me???? now this may just be a sign of my stage of life (or my age) but it is also sort of indicative of our culture. It is a hurry up and keep your eyes opened world we live in. If we blink we just might miss something. I finally decided today to just wait and get the final scores on the games of interest before I got too caught up in every game. Maybe I don’t have to keep up with everything. Maybe it’s ok to pick and choose what I spend my time and energy on so that i don’t get distracted by the inconsequential.

In 2011 I read through the Bible chronologically and over and over as I asked God to teach me from His Word I continually heard Him say “Just know me” and so that was my goal. As I stand at the threshold of 2012 and I hear from others what their goals are for the year or what their ‘word’ of the year is (these are all good things) I keep coming back to the word MORE. As God called me to know him better last year and as he revealed himself to me like never before, I find myself just wanting more and more of that. If I have to pick a word for the year I’m going with MORE and my goal for the year is to get More of Jesus.

Isn’t it cool that the more we know Him the more we want to know Him???? (who else can you say that about??)

That’s it for me. To know Him MORE and MORE until I develop the mind of Christ. (and I probably won’t watch the RedZone anymore!)

My prayer for you and me both is that we crave the Word and desire to know Him better and better in 2012. Nothing satisfies like Jesus. Taste and see that the Lord is good:) may we lead women around us to do the same…

JOYfully,
Rachel
what’s your word or goal for the new year???

Here’s the thing, there are so many verses in the Word that we are familiar with and maybe even have memorized but when we take them in their context we can find such better meaning and understanding. Check out the very next verse (the one I don’t have memorized but should) its verse 16 and it tells us how we can be like stars: as you hold out the word of life–in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. –alright stay with me on this—to ‘hold out the Word of life’ literally means: to have or hold upon, apply, to observe, attend to—to give attention to

Wow! that’s what I’m talking about. In our quest to be lights and to shine like stars–we must maintain a focus and be intentional about ‘holding forth’ the Word in our lives–we have to APPLY the Word to our lives daily.

I hear many many people talking about going deeper and so on in regard to Bible Study and teaching-the Truth is that it doesn’t get much deeper than “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength-and your neighbor as yourself” that’s pretty deep stuff and I wonder (if we want to make a Christmas application) how many of us have gotten caught up in our plans, our wants and our desires instead of asking what we can do for others or how we can put others first??

Let’s commit to being doers of the Word not just hearers especially in this season of ‘gimme gimme’ and ‘me first’…Jesus modeled the attitude we need to have and it’s described in the rest of Phil 2, read it there or watch my pastor’s sermon on the subject online but remember that we can shine like stars and have a HUGE impact if we keep holding forth the Word!!!!

Keep the faith:)
Rachel
#lightenupchallenge

Can I share with you something that I just read in Ephesians that really spoke to me? It was in chapters 4-6 where we are told not to give the devil a foothold then we see instructions for anger management (because we will have times that we get angry so how do we handle that in a godly way) and then the armor of God passage.

When you put all those together, it really boils down to some hard truth–when people get on our nerves or make us mad (can anyone relate?) how we respond will either allow the Enemy a place in our lives or not.

It seems to me that sometimes because of the amount of things that we have to get done in a day (have I mentioned that my shopping is not even close to done), that we have a short fuse with people about now. Sometimes it isn’t even about our busy day but how ridiculous some people we are in contact with act (that’s why we need to spread the lighten up challenge around:)

I love what the armor of God passage in Eph 6 has to say “Put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground, and when you have done everything—to stand”…wow!

How appropriate is that? I have a friend who always reminds me when situations come up that frustrate me-”remember who the Enemy is”–that’s such good advice and lines up exactly with Ephesians. Who is our battle against? not the person in the next car, not the obnoxious shopper near you, not the stressed out store employee,not your boss—especially not fellow believers—we have one Enemy and when we put on the full armor of God then we will be able to stand against His schemes and be the lights that we are called to be.

Take a few minutes to check out Eph 5-6 today. Pray that armor onto your life and “be strong in the Lord and His mighty power”

JOYfully,
Rachel

ps–a friend told me in a meeting yesterday that her kids have been loving the lighten up challenge book and that they look forward to reading the verses together on the way to school as they talk about being a light! -that is such a good idea to do with your kids and what a blessing to hear how God is using His Word:)

We are probably all familiar with the story of Martha and Mary, if not don’t feel bad but go read it in Luke 10. Usually a sermon on them will boil down to bad Martha and good Mary and which are you?

That wasn’t my take away on Sunday at all. In a busy season full of Martha-ish moments that tries to drown out the Mary like opportunities–that is exactly what we can NOT let happen. There are so many good things about both sisters and instead of laying out a competition between the two, isn’t the greater message one that says “Before you can be an effective Martha, you must be a Mary”. Truly–’being’ comes before ‘doing’, in the dictionary and spiritually.

As we go about leading and serving those in our lives this Christmas season, we will be the best lights for Christ if we have taken enough time like Mary did–to sit at His feet and learn, worship or just be still in His presence.

Notice that Martha was busy and distracted doing good things, she wasn’t out at a bar or surfing the internet illicitly.(She could have been a women’s ministry leader or minister’s wife) Good things can be the enemy of God’s things if we let them. Beware and be intentional to ‘be’ what Christ has called you to ‘be’ before you get busy ‘doing’ all the things that need to be done.

JOYfully,
Rachel
ps-chime in and share your best tip on ‘Mary’ moments in the midst of a ‘Martha’ season!

#lightenupchallenge—for cute t-shirts and a flip book available to order go over to rachellovingood blog:) and Merry Christmas!!!

see what these shirts have to do with making this holiday season different than the rest…check out this link

http://rachellovingood.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/taking-back-christmas/#comment-248

I know that God doesn’t laugh about it and I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t either. The media is full of news about this break up—people are joking about the short length of the marriage and that is so very sad. On more than one front. News- supposedly hard news agencies are reporting about this celebrity relationship and the implications of the divorce in the same breath as presidential situations and world economic crisis—really???? we are listening to people discuss how this is going to affect Kim’s image?!?! have we lost our minds? Does the image of a reality TV star rate the same amount of air time as troops overseas, wall street, presidential race, and all that???

It seems to me that reality TV stars have no sense of what reality is and the American public is just jumping right in. Some people have been quoted as saying these things “it (the divorce) is something that just didn’t work out. It’s better that they got out now”–really? you can say that something as serious and with as deep a commitment as marriage should have just didn’t work out after less than 3 months??? or what about this “they gave it a shot” how much of a ‘shot’ does a marriage deserve?…72 days isn’t even enough time to get a closet sorted out much less to give marriage a shot.

And that may be where much of the problem is—our society is full of people who are ‘giving marriage a shot’–it was designed to be a life long commitment between a man and a woman–NOT something that happens in a basketball game where you score 2 or 3 points.

Marriage is tough enough when you do it God’s way–it’s worth it but it’s tough sometimes…I’m afraid that when we begin to buy into this “give it a shot’ mentality that it may very well become impossible. Sadly, Christ followers are being just as deceived by our media and culture as those who don’t know Him. When was the last time you laughed about a marriage breaking up? or about some type of sin? —-remember (and I’m talking to myself too) when we laugh at sin we start to become desensitized to it and when we become desensitized to it there is no telling what all can happen.

I’m saddened by another marriage ending. It makes me more and more thankful for a husband who sticks by me even when it can’t be easy and more and more grateful for the examples I see of men and women who love each other through sickness and heath, tho richer or poorer–till death parts them…..may God give us grace to love each other and encourage one another and maybe even to be that person who says “You can make your marriage work. Trust God. Follow His plan and stick with it. Don’t give it a shot. Make it last.”

As leaders in ministry, what are we doing to teach women that God’s word is counter culture and they need to learn to stand on the Word even when it goes against common thought?? Do we speak the truth in love or just laugh off wrong thinking? I think He has called us to more…more prayer, more faith, more sharing our faith, more than the world settles for, more of Him.

I can’t laugh about some things…and I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t:)

You can take that previous paragraph a bit tongue in cheek and although there are many ways in which technology has had a negative impact (if I hear about another person who leaves their family because they reconnect with an old high school friend I’m gonna scream) but the truth is that technology is a tool and we are all responsible for how we choose to use it. Just like anything else it can be positive or negative–our choice.

One choice that we don’t really have is to ignore technology and hope that it goes away (can you imagine people giving up their iphones?!) if you really think that can happen be sure and post a blog on what the world looks like through the sand where you have your head buried:)

Jeff, my sweet hubby, and I were out on a walk last Sunday afternoon. It was a bright, beautiful, sunny day. We were walking and talking and every kid in the neighborhood was out playing or riding bikes-it was feeling a little like Mayberry…until we happened by a group of kids with bicycles gathered in a group on the sidewalk. They were inspecting one kid’s bike and the comments were flying around as they dissected the situation. We heard one kid say “the tire is just flat” to which another immediately responded “better just call onstar” they were dead serious. Jeff and I looked at each other with “did that just happen?” looks on our faces and laughed our heads off.

We kept walking and reflecting on what a different world we live in today. Not worse-just different. These are the times we live in, the question is “how will we respond as people who want to make a difference and share the gospel with a lost and dying world?”

It’s not Mayberry but people are still people and they still need Jesus. What are we willing to do to make sure they hear about His love and grace??? I guess I can remember one more password….

This year I have been convicted and inspired to do something more. Together with some friends, we planned out a holiday themed event that is designed to help women ‘lighten up and reclaim the holidays’. We made a schedule, great graphics for shirts etc and I have prepared a teaching time all designed to bring Jesus back in to the main focus of the holiday season (meaning Thanksgiving to New Years).

There are two versions available for booking. One that is way heavier on the funny—with a straight up gospel presentation to conclude. The goal with this is to invite all kinds of women from the community from lost to unchurched to regular attenders, then get them laughing and relaxing so that they are more open to hearing the gospel. People actually seem more receptive to hearing about Jesus during this time of year so why not invite them to church and give them an opportunity to respond to the gospel???

The second version also uses humor but has more biblical teaching on Jesus the light of the world and will challenge women to shine brighter and ‘lighten up’ the places they go.

If this is something you may be interested in for your church or community group email my friend cindy@rachellovingood.com for more information and to see dates available.

If its not for you I would ask you to pray for us and specifically for “Lighten Up” that Jesus would be made famous and women would come to know Him and know Him better through it!

JOYfully,
Rachel

ps here are the graphics we are using–can’t you see this on some super cute shirts??? (available soon)

It was such a blessing to be part of this group and to get to minister to all the sweet, godly ladies who are serving our big God in Big Sky country!

Although I had the opportunity to speak to the women, God taught me a few things myself. Does that happen to you as much as me? Whenever I study and prepare to teach, I invariably find more and more lessons for me…isn’t that cool?

I think that’s one of my favorite things about leadership in ministry. If we will submerge ourselves into the Word we will always find it to be relevant to our own lives.

The big lessons for me had to do with how big God is–do I ever limit what He does by my own low expectations? and how much I love and respect women everywhere who do what I do!!!! We are all so similar and yet so unique–I love each of you and am so thankful that God brings us into each other’s lives in His timing.

What has He been teaching you lately? Are you studying to teach or so that your own life will be transformed and then you can share about your own life change? Knowing the answers to these will make all the difference:)

JOYfully,
Rachel