Good Monday Morning!
I hope you’re off to a great start into this beautiful new day!?
I shared on Facebook yesterday, my thoughts after having been among my faith family. But then last night, oh my gracious…as I was able to listen to my dear friend and mentor, Miss Nan Thompson (in photo), teach, well, I knew that there was an “affirming purpose” to my Sunday. As I listened to her teach, so much that the Lord has been revealing to me personally in the Bible was not only affirmed, but was even more rejuvenated in me!! She taught things last night in Mississippi that you could have heard a pin drop in that place. Everyone of us was hushed simply because of being in awe of all the truth we were hearing. She has written a book titled, “God’s Events Now and Forever,” that I would HIGHLY encourage you to get a copy for yourself, and maybe even for a friend or family member. But after the incredible Sunday morning we had, and after hearing Miss Nan teach last night, I just felt compelled to share this with you…and tag on a challenge at the end:
Just feeling very full right now…had a great morning with friends in learning how to “practically” put to use prayers and instructions in God’s Word that speak on how we use (steward) our “time.” Just how we are to live, “making the most of every opportunity” (Ephesians 5:15-16), and make Psalm 90:12 our daily prayer. We talked about how the use of clocks and calendars are a huge part in doing that, and how to use them well. We talked about “work” and how work and worship are not mutually exclusive, but that our work IS a form of worship. We learned how to make not just good use of time, but the best use, and why even Jesus mentioned over and over and over again references to “time.” We studied how to be a good steward (manager) of our greatest asset – the hours, minutes, seconds of our day – as women, homemakers, wives, mothers, grandmothers, singles. And the truth is….every point we discussed has it’s foundation in Scripture. It was a full and wonderful time of bible study with some of the sweetest most amazing women! Women are tired, overcommitted, overwhelmed and feel unsatisfied so much of the time, and today’s lesson addressed all that.
THEN we went into the worship center and heard THE MOST powerful message on the very same things….being watchful and alert, being workers…and understanding that “being about our Father’s business” means we will have a driving cause in our life … a cause that is WHY we get up every day. For Rip and I, our feet hit the floor with a mission and a passion about them. We crave being a worker in the advancing the Kingdom of God and in the day to day walks of our life.
Such a perfectly timed message this morning….and as we listened, Rip and I both looked at each other and smiled because if anyone ever wants to know WHY we make our cheesy videos, why we long to encourage people, why we are devoted to doing life with people, very vocal in sharing the truth of the gospel of Christ and His love, in sharing the instructions of God, in encouraging a life lived within the framework of the Bible’s holy boundaries and freedoms, and what it means to be so in love with Jesus, then today’s message summarized it all!
Our life verse and our small group life verse was founded on: “Don’t forsake the assembling together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another, and ALL THE MORE as you see the Day approaching,” Heb. 10:24-25. All the more literally means…..more and more and more and more! Our assembling together and our encouraging one another will be imperative more and more and more!
Jesus …. HE IS WHY we cook, clean, work, witness, talk, listen, care……Jesus is why we love our mornings and thank Him at the end of the day. Rip and I decided a LONG time ago that until we get to see Jesus face to face, we want to know Him more and more every day, share Him with as many people as He brings in our paths and serve Him in serving others…to the point of exhaustion if need be! It’s a wonderful life with Jesus, even as we face difficult challenges, heartaches, and disappointments. We love the grace of God…the grace that allows us to lift our heads and seek His face, and keep pushing back our sleeves in ministering to people with such intentionality!! We love it! WE LOVE IT!! It’s Life! It’s abundant life to us. We feel RICH! So very rich just having the privilege to know Him, worship, pray, and give to people as tirelessly as we can. God is our portion, our strength and the reason Rip and I feel so passionate and driven to keep goin’…..and it’s so humbling to be able to!
Friends, here’s what I am longing to challenge all of us to do this week….wake up each day and put on the armor of God. Let this be first, before our day gets going and we are caught up in the routines of our day. Then, move forward into a new day of being about our Father’s business. If you aren’t sure what the armor of God is and why we have been instructed to “wear” this holy armor, here is a great message that you can read by John MacArthur that will help to understand it very well.
It’s going to be a glorious day, ladies…and if you have any questions at all on how to use clocks and calendars in your stage and season of life, please contact me. It’s why I’m here…to help you in any way I can. I would absolutely LOVE to help you gain control of your life instead of your life controlling you. I would LOVE to help you experience productivity and peace in place of living busy, pressured and panicky lives. With some simple, and I mean very simple tweaks to your use of time and how you approach your days, you can begin experiencing in your life and in your family’s life a new pace of life that will impact every part of your life. Or, get a copy of Robert Morgan’s book, “Mastering Life Before It’s Too Late – 10 Biblical Strategies for a Lifetime of Purpose.”
Love you dear, dear, dearly,
lisa
