How to Hear God in Our Lives: 1 Samuel 3:1–10

by Angela Girdley

 

I remember a cute little puppet skit about the story of Samuel. The puppet, little Sally, told how Hannah had prayed for a little boy, and when God granted her request, Hannah took Samuel to the Temple as thanksgiving. Sally explained how Samuel heard God’s voice and Eli’s direction to listen and obey. Then, at the end of the story, little Sally asked the audience, “Do you know why Samuel could hear God’s voice?” After the audience dutifully responded why, Sally declared, “Because he learned from his Mama to love God and be obedient to God.” This was a childlike reminder of God’s presence in our lives and our privilege and obligation to listen and obey.

 

I think most of us who are believers long for the kind of encounter that Samuel had. Maybe we couldn’t handle it, I don’t know, but it would be nice to see wouldn’t it? There is an interesting little detail in this story compared against the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Notice verse 1: the word of the Lord was rare in those days. Hmm. Fast forward to the New Testament, and Jesus told us about the sower who spread lots of seeds (the Word of the kingdom). And, even more, after the resurrection, Jesus tells us He is always with us and the Holy Spirit will be our companion.

 

The New Testament assures us that God’s Word is not rare. It might feel like it is when we are desperate or earnestly seeking a specific prayer request. But it could be we are just not listening in all the right places. Let’s walk through a few passages that pertain to God’s message to His believers. Read each passage and think about the questions offered.

 

Nehemiah 1:1—2:6. What caused Nehemiah to stop and pray? What did Nehemiah feel called to do?

 

Many times, events or circumstances in our lives cause us to stop and reflect about life. God uses these times to speak to us about our relationship with Him. Has God ever used an event in your life to give you a message?

 

1 Kings 19:11–14. What transpired while Elijah was on the mountain? How did God’s word eventually come to Elijah?

 

Just the opposite of Nehemiah, God’s particular message to Elijah came in the quiet or “still, small voice.” Sometimes, it is through quite reflection that we hear God best.

 

Acts 8:27-36. How did the message of God come to the eunuch? What was the result?

 

When people are open to hearing God, He uses them to speak to others. Has God’s message ever come to you through another person’s faithfulness? Has God ever used you to speak to someone else? How did that feel?

 

2 Timothy 3:16. What does this passage say about God’s Word?

 

The Bible is amazing in its power to speak, minister, and guide us. How has God used Scripture to lead you to His will?

 

Proverbs 3:5-6. What do you think it means by “He will direct your paths?”

 

When people recognize God’s leadership in their lives, they often say that God is “opening or closing doors” for them. Have you ever felt that God helped you make a decision based on opportunities that opened or closed?

 

Think back over your life and meditate on these Scriptures. How has God spoken in your life? Where do you need to be more open or listening—events, quiet reflection, personal encounters with believers, Scripture memory and meditation, or seeing opened and closed doors?

 

I pray that when I encounter God’s Word I will respond just like Samuel and say, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam. 3:10).

 

Angela Girdley lives on beautiful Barren River Lake in Kentucky and teaches college leadership and education classes. She humbly desires a fertile heart to hear God every time He speaks to her . . . and a courageous spirit to be a doer of that word.

The first Monday of November each year has been set aside to celebrate the

Baptist Women’s Day of Prayer. This year it will be celebrated on November 1,

2010. Over the past 50 plus years this day has brought together Baptist women

from around the world to pray and to give so that our world will be impacted

for Christ.

This years theme is "In Step with the Spirit" based on Galatians 5:25;

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

The state of women in the world makes it essential for Baptist women to be

In Step with the Spirit. The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World gives the

following statistical information.

• Each year, about 200 million women become pregnant; for over half a million of

them, this will kill them.

• Domestic violence is the most ubiquitous constant in women’s lives around

the world. There is virtually no place where it is not a significant problem, and

women of no race, class, or age are exempt from its reach.

• IDP is short for “internally displaced person”. Some 25 million people

worldwide currently live in situations of internal displacement as a result of

conflicts or human rights violations. They were forced to flee their homes

because their lives were at danger, but unlike refugees they did not cross

international borders.

• Women’s bodies are commodities in the global sex trade, a multibillion dollar

industry.

• Over 40 million people in the world are HIV infected. More than half are women.

These statistics are alarming and a call to Baptist women to be In Step with the

Spirit as we stand together, grow in effectiveness, and impact our world for Christ.

Patsy Davis

Executive Director

BWA Women’s Department

Please join us for the 2010 Baptist Women World Day of Prayer.

When: Monday, November 1 10:30 AM

Where: New Harmony Baptist Church

Please bring a potluck item!

Also...

Come and order your WorldCrafts gifts for Christmas!

Friday Fabulous Faith

If you have the time, please read the remarkable story below. You will remember it from a few years back. What an amazing story of faith and strength. When you are in a time of persecution, how do you share Christ? Are you fearful? It would be difficult for most of us, but God has the ability to fill us with God-sized strength and faith! Start daily by exercising your faith and building the spiritual muscles you might need to fight off sinful enemies!

The Gift of a Second Chance | Kyria

My Mission Monday

Shining a Light on Bullying

by Ella Robinson

Practically every student, at some time during his or her school years, will experience bullying either as a target or as a witness. Exposure to this intentionally aggressive behavior negatively influences a child’s social development. The person being bullied often experiences low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. On the other hand, the person doing the bullying is at a high risk for developing violent, delinquent, and criminal behaviors.

There are several ways you can help combat this negative behavior and its consequences. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

Sponsor an Information Forum for parents in your church.

Although they may have experienced it themselves, parents and other adults often give poor advice to children when discussing incidences of bullying. Consider sponsoring a forum where parents and other adults in your church can learn the best ways to help children with the issues of bullying.

Decide on information you will present and guest speakers you could invite, and then talk with your pastor and church staff about your ideas. Be prepared to suggest a date and time for the event, and have a list of materials, supplies, refreshments, and so forth that you would like to provide for participants. If your idea is approved, work closely with professionals in your community, including educators, counselors, physicians, and law enforcement personnel to develop a meaningful forum.

Begin a Shine a Light on Bullies campaign for children in your church.

Bullies thrive in the dark; bring them out into the light and they disappear. Many victims of bullying are embarrassed and scared to tell anyone about what they are experiencing. The more they keep quiet about their encounters with the bully, the stronger the bully becomes. The point of this campaign is to empower students to face bullies with courage and love.

Include in your campaign a series of posters and/or bulletin boards, skits, and round table discussions related to the issue of bullying. Research the topic well, and do not promote risky behavior. However, reassure victims of bullying that they are people of worth, and episodes of bullying are not their fault. And, just as important, help them to understand that even though the bully is behaving badly, that bully is a child of God.

Focus on the bully.

Some children bully without even realizing what they are doing. They may be lashing out at others because of negative situations in their own lives. Work with the principal and teachers at a local school to develop a plan for talking with children who are bullying. Set up a time when you can meet individually with a child who is bullying.

Help the child understand what bullying means, and then develop a plan to increase the student’s self-esteem so that he or she will not feel the need to bully. Invite the child to participate in fun activities at your church and help him or her make friends.

Create anti-bullying resources.

Studies indicate that schools with high incidences of bullying are perceived to be unsafe. Work with a local school to prevent or turn around this perception. Involve your pastor, church staff, and the school’s principal and teachers in your plan for creating anti-bullying resources such as an anti-bullying telephone helpline, an anti-bullying Web site, and a bully box (a secure, locked box where students can place anonymous notes to alert the school staff about bullying episodes).

When these resources are in place, help the school inform students about the available resources and how to use them properly.

Learn more about bullying and find ideas for planning your ministry event at the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) National Bullying Prevention Campaign Web site at stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov.

Ella Robinson lives in Pleasant Grove, Alabama, where she and her two cats participate in the sport of bird watching from the living room window.

My Mission for the Week!

Make sure your children or grandchildren's school has a program in place to prevent bullying in the schools. Teach your children how to turn to God when they feel as thought they have no where else to turn. Remind them that many great men and women of the bible were bullied for their convictions.

My Mission Monday

Loving the Marginalized: A Call to Reach Out

by Lindsey Dugué


From B.C. to A.D., believers are called to reach out to everyone—including those on the outskirts of society.

Since the very beginning, society always had its black sheep. In biblical times, people were outcast because of their race (the Samaritans), their faith (brand new Christians from surrounding cultures), and their socioeconomic and/or health status (the poor and the lepers who sat at the temple gates, the blind men at the pool). A plethora of things could get someone sent from society with no one to speak for them.

Today in 2010, we do the very same things. In “the land of the free,” we still segregate our neighborhoods and schools. We struggle over immigration issues and whether or not a different faith or denomination should show up in the community. We don’t make solutions for many who are marginalized, only patches or band-aids to temporarily fix problems.

Why do we do this? It’s easier for many to think about our problems than those of someone else, especially someone on the other side of the globe, a typical “out of sight, out of mind” scenario. Perhaps we fear that if we involve ourselves in others’ lives in a comforting, helpful, or advocating way, we’ll receive the same maltreatment they get on a regular basis.

Romans 10:12–15 states that all are welcome into the family of God. “The same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” It also [strongly] encourages believers to get out and tell everyone about Him. “And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent?” What does this have to do with us?

For believers, it has everything to do with us! The gospel is inclusive in that whoever chooses to believe in Christ and confess Him as Lord can be saved (John 3:16,21), but it is also exclusive: those who do believe are not condemned, but those who choose not to believe are left in darkness (John 3:18,20).

In short, it’s our business to be sure that everyone has an opportunity to choose Christ by sharing the Word with others any chance we get.

Consider some outcasts scattered throughout the Bible. If God can change lives through these two and so many others, imagine what God could do through you!

*Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son, a fact that didn’t go over well with his brothers, and yet God had an amazing plan that would bring reconciliation to his family (Gen. 37,39–47),

*In John 4, the woman that Jesus met at the well was there because she (a) was a Samaritan—Jews and Samaritans did not get along—and (b) had a bad reputation because she had been married five times and the man she was living with wasn’t her husband. Still, Jesus opened a lifeline for her to meet the One who could offer her living water and life in Christ—and she took it. Because of her testimony in the town, many came to believe in Jesus as Savior.

Take some time today to pray about ways you can minister to or serve people that are stuck in the margins of society. Taking a step out of your comfort zone may be the key to someone entering the family of God.

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40).

Lindsey Dugué struggles with her comfort zone in Chicago, where she lives with her husband. You can keep up with her at thegreycity.blogspot.com.

Friday Fabulous Faith and Fun!

Unless you have an untapped gold mine located in your back yard, you are feeling the pressure of our strained economy. Your family may be financially responsible, but it is hard to ignore the rising gas, utility, and food prices. If you have ever lived on mac n' cheese and hot dogs, you know it can be a difficult for any family. These days, you may know someone touched by unemployment or a financial crunch. God doesn't ignore the pain and worry of financial matters. Look to Him for guidance and support. Search out close friends for advice. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Christian brothers and sisters can often be the cement under our shaky lives. Read below! Have a blessed week!

Four Prayers for Your Financial Crisis | Kyria

Friday Fabulous Faith and Fun!

A pack of mules...

About a year ago, I got into an argument with my 10 year old. It was ugly. Standing face-to-face, inches apart, hands on hips, we looked like two kids fighting over who was next in line at the swing set. My husband came down the hall, jumped in between us and demanded an explanation. Both my daughter and I pointed at each and said, "It's her..." ! Minutes later, I was lectured by my husband that someone had to be the adult and I really should go and apologize. I shared a few choice words with him and then begrudgingly headed down the hall to my daughter's bedroom.

I am so very glad that my God is a stubborn God. He absolutely never backs down! He stands with His arms out and waits so patiently for me to come to Him. He refuses to allow me to blur the lines between sin and righteousness and He will forever forgive me. God faced the Israelites on so many occasions and in the staring match of the universe, He caused them to blink.

Psalm 78:8

They would not be like their forefathers--a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.

Never backing down, God knew what was right and and what was best for His chosen people. And, talk about forgiveness....Could these people been given more chances? In your daily life, you might want to stand up and fight with your desires and pride. Be prepared to face the One who loves you most. Thankfully, He will stand face-to-face with you and demand your loyalty and your love! He has the patience to wait and to God...we are worth it!

Hosea 4:16 The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. How then can the LORD pasture them like lambs in a meadow?

My Mission Monday

Please join us at the West Union Baptist Association building as we celebrate a new, little blessing.

What: A drop-in baby shower for the Northcutts

Who: Ben and Jess Northcutt are missionaries here in Paducah and are expecting their second child, a little baby boy.

When: Tuesday night from 6:00-8:00 pm.

Come meet the Northcutts and let them know you are praying for their family and mission work.

Friday Fabulous Faith and Fun!

Wrapped in Gold

Our beauty is a reflection of God's brilliance

Thanks to the media, American women's definition of beauty has scaled to impossible heights, mostly achievable through severe diets, hyper exercises, and a scalpel or three. We define beauty by perfection of form and feature, and few of us measure up. Seeking to bridge this gap, last year Americans spent $3.4 billion on cosmetic surgery.

Despite the trends, we don't need more procedures or miracle diets; we need a new understanding of beauty. True beauty should reflect something greater than itself. God intends beauty—both internal and external—to reflect his brilliance and draw us closer to him

God's Temple

In Old Testament times, temple furnishings were wrapped in gold and brass. So when the candles and oil lamps burned, the brilliance within the temple must have made the Israelites wish for sunglasses. The building's glowing, gold tones reflected God's bright, "Shekinah-glory" presence. Surely God designed the temple so lavishly to mirror his beauty. Physical, structural beauty became an icon, a sign pointing to him.

In the same way, our faces, bodies, and outward appearance are icons or signs directing other people's attention beyond our own forms to God. In fact, the apostle Paul tells us our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). All the more reason to pay attention to the skin and bones that house God.

So then, nothing is wrong with looking good—for the right reasons.

We care for our bodies not so others approve, love, marry, or hire us. Instead, we care for our bodies because, as a T-shirt says, "If you don't take care of your body, where will you live?" Somewhere between ignoring and obsessing lies good self-care: exercising regularly, eating well, sleeping enough, dressing attractively but not seductively. Then we can carry the Holy Spirit in healthy, pure bodies. And as we care for our bodies, our external "glory" will point to an even greater glory: God's.

Appropriate body-care also allows us to pay attention to ourselves, confident we're our healthiest, best selves so we can then forget about ourselves and be present to others.

In Psalm 45, the psalmist presents a king and his bride with an ode: "At Your right hand stands the queen in gold … " (v. 9, NASB). She, like the temple furnishings, is wrapped in gold.

But surely her husband's feelings reflect more than just appreciation for attire. The psalmist continues in verse 11: "The king is wild for you" (The Message). "Enthralled," reads the NIV.

That kind of love is enough to make someone feel beautiful.

A woman is beautiful not because of who she is (her looks or roles), but because of Whose she is. As we learn to live in the midst of God's "wild about us" love, we're transformed. We become fully alive and impossibly beautiful.

Our Past Doesn't Define Us

How we actually look is less important than how we think we look. But negative voices and experiences can sometimes shadow our perceptions. We enter a beautifying love relationship to God with memories that haunt us, taunt us, remind us how we're unlovable. A world's worth of cosmetics, exercise, and surgery can't camouflage a wounded spirit. So many women carry inner brokenness from living in a broken world, surrounded by people who love imperfectly. These women don't know they're lovely. Perhaps other people took advantage of them; perhaps their external beauty put them in dangerous places; perhaps their family members or husbands didn't respect, love, and honor them.

My friend Shireen is a curly-haired brunette with Bambi eyes and high spirits. But her father's incestuous advances during her childhood made her want to disappear—and disappear she did behind 100 extra pounds of weight. She wouldn't consider herself lovely now, even though she truly is.

In Psalm 45:10, the psalmist says to the bride, "Forget your people and your father's house." For Shireen to heal and become the beautiful woman God created her to be, she has to put the past in its place: the past. By beginning to recognize the cost of past—and present—pain, by learning to forgive the offender, by starting to seek restoration and support, healing works its way out in the form of loveliness. The apostle Peter calls this captivating, holy beauty "the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in" (1 Peter 3:4, The Message).

True beauty radiates outward from a heart of "gold" and wraps us in gold, reflecting not manufactured beauty but God's transforming love. As a result of that security, we see ourselves as beautiful and become more so—externally and internally—every day.

Becoming Refined

When I saw my friend Lynna years ago, I noticed family problems had drained the light from her face. She personified despondency, as though she were dying minute by minute. When I saw her recently, however, I barely recognized her. Her outward appearance—weight and hair color—was the same. But something inside her radiated beauty.

"You're glowing!" I said.

Her smile lit the room. "I've had some breakthroughs in counseling, and finally discovered how much Jesus loves me." That comment sounds trite—until you see her. She could run day spas out of business with that kind of testimonial.

She shone like the temple, like the king's bride who wore gold, like Job who said, "When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold" (23:10).

Women who know they're truly loved, become lovely. And being truly, perfectly loved comes indirectly through imperfect people—but directly from God.

Let God wrap you in gold today. Because that's what happens when you realize the King is wild about you.

Jane Rubietta, an author and speaker, lives in Illinois. She is author of Come Closer: A Call to Life, Love, and Breakfast on the Beach (WaterBrook).

Friday Fabulous Faith and Fun!

Our Life with Teenagers

By Beth Holmes

I think it started with the colorful array of pinwheels strategically placed all over the front yard. As the months passed, more “gifts” randomly appeared—ping-pong balls in the mailbox, popsicle sticks spelling out our names on the driveway, and photos of notable religious leaders taped to the garage door are just a few of the surprises we found waiting for us.

I don’t know why this group of teenagers decided to adopt my husband and me, but I’m thankful that they did. Although we don’t have children of our own, we have found that we can influence members of the next generation for Christ by becoming friends with children and teenagers in our church and community.

Friday Nights with the Girls

The typical group on a Friday night consists of the same three girls who you might call the ringleaders. We don’t do anything overly exciting when they show up. We might play a card or board game or make hot chocolate. Sometimes they bring other friends with them, and sometimes they come alone. They almost never call because they know that if we are at home, the door will be open.

All they seem to want from us is our time and friendship, and sometimes a listening ear. We don’t lecture them about their lives, but they know that if they need someone to talk to they can come to us. We have celebrated with them in their victories, and we have dried their tears when they’ve learned that life doesn’t always work out the way they dreamed.

Passing on the Faith

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Tim. 2:1–2).

When my husband and I were teenagers and young adults, we each had people who were willing to invest themselves in our futures. In my husband’s case, a pastor who saw God’s hand on him mentored him in the ways of the ministry. In my case, my pastor’s wife (and best friend’s mother) taught me what it meant to show hospitality to teenagers.

We are making a deliberate attempt to be this kind of example to the children and teenagers in our circle of influence. Here are some of the things that we have learned:

* You don’t have to have the latest technology or gadgets to fit in with teenagers. All they really want from you is your time and a listening ear.

* You do need to be real and open in order for kids to trust you.Children can spot a fake a mile away, and they won’t care about anything you tell them until you are honest with them. Obviously, some boundaries need to be observed. We don’t share everything in our lives with these teens, but we do try to let them know that we understand when things in their lives aren’t good.

* Youth want you to love them for who they are right now, not for who you want them to become. We let teenagers come into our home, warts and all. They aren’t perfect, but neither are we. We pray that our example will reflect our perfect Lord to them.

* Open the door, put out the welcome mat, spread the word, and they will come. Don’t feel like you need to force them into an organized activity. Just be available.

Inviting children and teens into your life can be an amazing experience, whether or not you have children of your own. They keep you real—and they keep you on your knees in prayer and in the Word as you realize the importance and responsibility of giving them wise counsel.

And most importantly, they keep things fun! So, who’s up for some hot chocolate and a game of Monopoly?

Beth Holmes also has the opportunity to influence teenagers in the chorus at Apollo High School in Owensboro, Kentucky where she plays the piano for the chorus classes.

My Mission Monday

http://www.kybaptist.org/web/video/open%20_%20Why_v4_MPEG1_640x480DK.mpg

Why give? Click on the link above and watch why it is so important for Christians to support Kentucky missions.

My mission for the week...

Put back a $1 every day until mid-September and give your offering to the Eliza Broadus State mission offering.

Friday Fabulous Faith and Fun!

Today I had the true blessing of meeting a "Golden" friend for breakfast, a "Golden" friend being anyone who has absolutely increased in value as time has gone by! Her white hair just a reminder of what a true angel she really is. Her wisdom is certainly priceless and I treasure being in her presence. I can only hope she feels the same way about her younger coffee-buddy!

Daniel 12:3 states..."Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever."

I thank God for leading people with wisdom into my path. God wants me to listen and to learn. How often, we put up a barrier between generations, neither giving any wiggle room to change or tradition. And, we are both wrong! I personally have so much to learn from my seasoned sisters in Christ. I pray my ears to be opened and my heart to be softened. I pray my older friends will see that we have the same passion for God but just want to express it in new and fresh ways. How we can be so helpful to each other! This week, pray that God leads those who have great wisdom to you. Pray that ears be opened and hearts be understanding. Take care of those who are older because one day you may yearn to have a young friend who finds you interesting and wise. For your enjoyment, watch below! We could all use a little wise cooking in this day and age!

My Mission Monday

Missions is What You Make It

by Kaci Lane Hindman

What first comes to mind when you hear the word missions? Most of you probably picture people ministering to the hungry and homeless in a Third World country. And, if you had asked me this question a few years ago, I would have said the same. In fact, I actually felt guilty having not gone on an actual missions trip, which I thought required a passport and people who don’t primarily speak English.

But, what if I told you that missions is whatever you make it? As long as you share the love of Christ to others needing to hear His message of hope, you are doing missions. Feel relieved? I know I did once God showed me this truth about ministering to others.

But how do you know what type of missions work is right for you? Of course you should do what you feel God leading you to do for Him. However, we know that He oftentimes wants us to take the initiative and start stepping out in faith while He is working in us and through us. The following tips will help you discover the type of missions work in which you will best serve others:

Use your passions: What drives you? If you enjoy something, thinking or talking about it often, use that knowledge by helping others in that area. Do you enjoy sports? Volunteer at a local gym or school helping children of any age interact with others and gain confidence through sports. Or maybe you love fashion. Then, organize a clothing drive for those less fortunate or donate an old bridesmaid dress for a girl who cannot afford a prom dress. Maybe you can use your professional experience to help prepare other women for job interviews. You can use the everyday actions in your life to help others.

Use your talents: What do you naturally do well? Maybe you bake like Betty Crocker (instead of using Betty Crocker like I do). Consider a meal ministry. You could bake dishes or desserts for a family going through a hard time or for the local hospice. When someone is in hospice care, his or her family usually stays around the clock and would gladly welcome homemade meals.

Maybe you are great with budgeting expenses and saving money. Mentor young adults and newly married couples on responsible financial habits. You could even help those currently in debt and wanting to break free to become good stewards of their money.

Use your experiences: What have you struggled with or endured in life? Anything from substance abuse to self-confidence issues cause fear and defeat in people’s lives. Maybe your parents went through a messy divorce or one of them died when you were young. Use your experience to mentor someone younger living in a single-parent home. Maybe you know what it feels like to lose your job. Minister to others going through the same difficulties, showing them that God is still there, and better days will come.

Use your environment: What needs seem evident in your community? Look for needs around your workplace, church family, neighborhood, and even farther. If you live in a large city, gangs and crime may be a big issue needing to be addressed. In a rural area, young people just want something to do. Get with others to start community events for safe, fun alternatives to other activities.

By going through these same points, I discovered the two missions areas I currently serve: literacy education and self-acceptance for young women. For example, I am passionate about health, reading, and writing. My talents include communicating both through written means and verbally.

As for experience, I work as an editor and writer and studied journalism and English in college. I also dealt with an eating disorder for many years. I grew up in a small town where many people did not get the chance to finish their education. I now live in a college town with many young girls facing the same insecurities I once faced. As a result, I now tutor GED candidates and others in reading and writing. I also speak with young women about eating disorders and self-esteem.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Remember, God not only needs people at the ends of earth, but everywhere. So start sharing the gospel in your Jerusalem today!

Kaci Lane Hindman works as the production editor for The University of Alabama Press. She enjoys reading, writing, running, and working out. In Dying to Be Thin, Kaci used her writing skills to share her story of struggling with anorexia and how she found hope in the one true hope—God—when every other effort of recovery failed. To learn more about Kaci and how to contact her, visit www.kacilane.com.

My Mission for the Week...

Use every opportunity during your week to share the word of God and you have done missions! It doesn't require a passport to be a missionary! Share at Wal-Mart by offering a kind word, invite a friend to church, minister to the hurt by using scripture and your testimony...Remind your children that school is a one, big mission field!

...Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!' John 4:35b

Friday Fabulous Faith and Fun!

Rolling around with the WORD!

Below is one of those contagious viral animal videos. I love watching them. Animals are so funny! The cat below just can't figure out what the watermelon is all about. It looks fun so the cat just rolls it around. The animal has no idea what is inside...a cool, fruity treat (granted I have never met a cat who eats watermelon)! The other day at church, I was looking down at my dear Bible. I am so careful to not get it dirty or tear a page. I carry it with me a lot and it is always in eye shot at the house. But, how often do I truly attack it and learn what it says. I think our Bibles are a lot like that watermelon...we roll them around a bit, take a few meager bites, and often just walk away when we get bored or frustrated. We think we have a grasp on it but it takes more than a little batting at it to truly figure it out. This week, take a few moments to open the word and treasure the sweet fruit inside.

1 Peter 2:2

As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. (NKJV)

My Mission Monday

Young Women Making a Difference for Christ Through Singing

by Mary Jean Baxley

There are many young women everywhere helping at home, in their community, and in their church. Some are spreading God’s Word by singing. They travel around the country on buses with family or a group of other Christian singers.

“Jesus calls us to do what we are doing to spread the Word. The Bible says that we are to go into all the world and spread the gospel,” said Gabrielle Allen. Gabrielle, age 16 of Branson, Missouri, travels with her family 11 months out of the year singing at concerts. There are 8 children in her family, from ages 4 to 19.

Gabrielle and her family recently returned from Guatemala with Compassion International. They sponsor 9 children. Gabrielle sponsors 2 deaf girls, but she did not let their hearing impairment limit communication. She has been doing sign language for 10 years. She signs at churches and concerts, and on their DVD, On Stage in Arizona(www.allenministries.com or allenministries@juno.com).

Victoria Huggins of St. Paul, North Carolina, is another remarkable 16-year-old. She has appeared at Bill Gaither concerts, Alabama Theatre productions at Myrtle Beach, the National Gospel Quartet Convention, and with Abraham Productions concerts around the country. In September 2004, she sang at the National Mall in Washington, DC, for the dedication of the Native American Museum of the Smithsonian Institute.

“The main thing that keeps me grounded and focused is my family and my prayer life because if you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus and your family, then you are running on empty. I love Philippians 4:13, because whatever you are going through, it encourages you and you know you can accomplish all things with Jesus. Her most requested songs are “Jesus Is In This House” and “Sky Full of Angels.” She travels with her mother, Beverly, on a bus spreading God’s Word (www.victoriahuggins.net or hugginsbv@aol.com).

The Standridge sisters of Garden City, South Carolina, have been singing and playing musical instruments with their parents since they were preschoolers. Carter Ann is 18 and Oliver is 15. Oliver said, “My music keeps me grounded in the Lord. I think we should all keep focused on what we are supposed to do and not let other kids influence us in the wrong way.”

One of Carter Ann’s favorite songs, “They Did Not Know,” was written by her mother, Jan. She looks to Psalm 91 for guidance. Both girls play piano, violin, mandolin, and the guitar (thestandridges@hotmail.com).

Susan Whisnant is the daughter of Pastor Roland and Carol Dry of Rock Hill, South Carolina. She started singing with her parents when she was 12. She now sings with her husband and their group, The Whisnants. “It’s an honor to travel on the bus with my husband and our two sons, Ethan and Austen.

“We serve a God that forgives and is able to do more than we can ever think or ask with His help. If you are discouraged He is the encourager. If you are broken, then He specializes in mending people. I want people to serve the Lord with whatever gift they have—use it for His glory. It can be singing, praying, helping families in need, doing things in your community and church. No deed of goodness is too small if it helps another,’’ said Susan (Susan@Whisnants.com).

Brooke Cason of Aragon, Georgia, sings with her family group, New Desire. She juggles many duties as wife to Labron, mother to Caleb, singer, book author, and women’s conference speaker. But her favorite title is Christian.

“I hope young women everywhere know that no matter what life may hand them, God is so almighty that He will perform miracles. God is greater than any battle that can consume them. Surrender to whatever God wants of your life, and allow Him to have full control over every aspect of your life. Just remember—He promises to never leave or forsake us,” said Brooke (www.newdesire.org or brooke@newdesire.org).

My Mission for the Week....

Please check out the following website to learn more about Christmas in August. If you and your family feel led to give, there are missionary names and need lists by the North American Mission Board. Simply pack up those items and mail them to the addresses listed.

http://www.namb.net/site/c.9qKILUOzEpH/b.836025/k.D98A/Christmas_in_August.htm

Friday Fabulous Faith!

Praying for raindrops!

Last night, I heard the most beautiful sound in the entire world...thunder. I wasn't sure if we would get much rain but I didn't care. It was the hope of rain that made me delighted. We ended up with a few raindrops but certainly not enough to undo the damage that my front yard has endured from weeks of stifling heat. If life can be like a drought, isn't God just that awesome thunder! We may not always get the rainfall we need at the moment, but the thunder and dark clouds fill us with hope of a much needed spiritual drink. I went outside after that small rain and looked up in the sky just in time to witness a beautiful double rainbow. "I'm still here, " my God spoke, "and I promise to send you more!"

Many of you may already know this amazing story of faith below...

but it is worth remembering!

Wednesday Wisdom

Every feel like your having a JOB kind of day? Often our problems are not as severe as in the article below. But, I believe that God wants to heal us even in the most mundane of trials. A dear friend once told me, "If it bothers you, then it bothers me...so I will pray that God helps you through this day." I think I was just stressed out about housekeeping, but it felt good to know that a friend cared and that my God cares even about the small things. When a large, unthinkable disaster strikes, how can God lead us through the "dark valley" that we are in? One of my favorite scriptures...

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:17)

Cry out to the one who can heal us both physically and mentally! He wants to listen and help!

Read the article below from Kyria magazine...

A Woman Called Job | Kyria

My Mission Monday

Journeymen in India: Two Years of Touching Lives

[1]

“If you can get a person’s heart turned to missions when he’s young, it’s an age when he can make a difference with his life,” states Kerry Corliss*, a missionary in India.

“That person can become a ‘global citizen’ that will impact the world both now and after his two-year experience, whether he or she ends up as an accountant in America or as a missionary.” Kerry, along with her husband, coordinates training for the two-year Journeyman program. During the two-year period, the journeymen are exposed to the major religions of India. The personnel take them to places of worship and help them to learn the culture and language.

Kerry says that they have unofficially partnered with East Cooper Baptist Church in South Carolina for the past three to four years. “The pastor,” relays Kerry, “was a journeyman in the past. He has chosen to invest in the journeymen of South Asia. He also gets college students of his church to do summer work, Hands-On, which is ‘a program for students that are taking a semester during college to come out and work.’ He hopes that they will become journeymen.”

Among the struggles the personnel and journeymen face in India are power outages, water shortages, learning a new language, and living in a big city with traffic and noise issues. Please pray for missionary Kerry, the personnel, and the journeymen.

*Name changed.

My mission for the week...

Make a sacrifice this week! Take some money you would have spent on extras and put it into an envelope marked "Missions". Keep adding until you hear of a group/person in your church/community who is going on a mission trip. Your gift of money may be greatly needed for trip expenses or can be used on the mission field.

Wednesday Wisdom

Close Encounters with a Snake | Kyria

Click on the link above for a great article on fear from Kyria Magazine (formerly Today's Christian Woman)!

2 Timothy 1:7: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (NKJV).

Give us your wisdom...How do you deal with fear? Share a fearful moment and how God has taken care of your through it!