If we don't own tommorow we can't control tomorrow. Sometimes we get fearful of the things we can't control. We can't worry about what's going to happen tomorrow. There is enough to worry about today much less spend all our energy worrying about something that hasn't happened.
We don't know the first thing about tomorrow
We aren't to boast about what we are going to do or not do tomorrow, either. It's not really wise to announce what the ministry is going to do without having the owner of tomorrow to back it up. Why? Because we don't own tomorrow, we don't know the first thing about tomorrow.
It's not what you know it's who you know right?
We know, nay we are related to the owner of tomorrow. How cool is that?
So what does the owner say?
My favorite is "Joy comes in the morning." The morning "joy" showed up on my doorstep I had never cried because of joy before. I didn't know what was going on with me. But the grass was greener that day, the sun was brighter, the sky was perfect. I can tell you the day before my only hope was that there would be a tomorrow, and the owner of tomorrow told me joy was coming.
Q4U: You got a tip from the owner of tomorrow? Let's hear it.
Do you ever have one of those songs that get stuck in your head, you hum it all day, you sing it in your sleep, you wake up singing it?
I do and this video pick of the week is it. It's a song that has been stuck in my head and my heart and I am grateful it wasn't "Row, row row your boat." We all need a song, we all need a stirring in our heart that draws us to the only place that matters, His presence.
There are times all is well, and then there are seasons it seems hurricane is an understatement.
There are times the situation seems so overwhelming, impossible to overcome. Sometimes we have to go toe to toe, eyeball to eyeball with "crazy." Here is what I do. I get up in the face of the enemy, I point my finger (it's the one time I can) and say "Back up Big Boy" and then I sing. Get your sing on, and let cancer know "Our God Reigns." You could go face to face with recession with "Great is Thy Faithfulness." When you heart can't take worrying about your prodigal son or daughter there is "I Have to Believe" by Rita Springer. Whatever your going through - your worship is warfare. Let's not forget the victory dance, that's a later post.
Theme song
This is the song I have been singing for months now. It has become my anthem, my theme song. No matter how crazy things get Holy Spirit shows up as the moment's worship leader and I sing "I Love Your Presence."
I was taught hospitality means making it hard for them to leave and easy for them to come back and is a backbone for every event you plan. That statement always intimidated me. It sounds like such a tall order. It doesn't have to be.
A couple, Tammy and Michelle from It's a Good Life, takes the pressure out of hospitality and makes it fun too. That makes it a double whammy. Yet there is more! They cook too! These two are better than a new ginseng knife.
Here is a short video from It's a Good Life. You know some speakers sing and speak, these two cook and speak, I love it! First glazing pork chops (grilling pineapples, who knew) and a message! How cool is that!
You can check Tammy Maltby out at her site for recipes, and tips to loving with your life at
Even super heroes have their moments. No matter how dressed up we are, no matter how many times you try to do the right thing, no matter how much study and effort you put into it there will always be a villain here and there to deal with. You could say a Superhero will have to save the villain every now and then. Have a great day and enjoy!
Got some Wonder Woman moments that well, weren't so wonderful. Leave a comment, it's okay we all have them.
I used to freeze up in front of people, one time I peed on myself I was so nervous. Yep, that was embarrassing.
Through God's grace and mercy I now speak sometimes 4-5 times a week. This is an area God has recently placed me in so I'm learning as much as I can about it. Presenting in front of people is something we can always get better at. Here are some tips some mentors have given me that really help.
Presentation
1- Get rid of the same ole same ole. Change things up. Do something different next time. There are times I sit instead of stand. Normally I am a pacer, but when I really want to connect, I mean really want to build a relationship with my audience I sit down. Sometimes I have to speak on the same thing over and over again, I change it up (same message different delivery) so I don't get bored with it!
2 - Put yourself out there and share your big dreams. It will inspire someone do something big too! Introduce something new, something outside the box, let them in on what’s going on.
3 - Show your curiosity and passion. If something gets you excited enough to jump up and down, it will probably motivate others to get excited too.
4 - Tell a story! I practice these stories on my kids, they have heard them all. Stay up to date with your stories. And more importantly let your stories have a point!
5 - Mention your heroes! Bring up your heroes and why they are your heroes. It reflects your core values and it helps people know what is important to you which builds connections. You can mention other people’s works, ideas even their preaching.
6 - Lose the ego! Listen to yourself and count how many “me” “myself” and “I” you have. Be transparent with people, you can mention your failures too. I personally would love to go to a conference called “FAILED!” and then listen to women of faith discuss their biggest fails.
8 - Laughter isgood medicine. You never know someone might get healed.
9 - No reading your presentation.
10 - No stealing time. Be respectful of the time allotted you. Be a good steward of other people’s time.
11 - Whatever feeds you will feed them. Study your Bible for you. Some of the best sermons I have ever preached were the ones I preached to myself.
12 - There's a difference between a sermon and a message from God. Deliver the message.
Sometimes it is just the one line, the one sentence that changes the whole thing. It could be that one word, delivered at the right moment with the Holy Spirit backing it up that makes all the difference in the world. We are all in this together. Each one of us doing our little part, put together makes a bigger picture of God's love.
What's some of the things that help you when you are in front of people making a presentation?
Sometimes as a leader we are the first out doing what some might think is ridiculous and totally far fetched. It is the first follower that makes it a movement. Take care of your first few, take them out to eat this week and give them a thank you card.
In some churches women's ministry is an after thought.
Some churches treat women's ministry as an accessory. You know the group of ladies that makes sure all the food is cooked, the place is cleaned and the kid's get their money for their big trip. I'm talking about real ministry. I have been asked, a few times, about why are we separating the women from the men in ministry. "Can't they all just go to the same things?" The very same people have no problem separating the youth from their parents. (that's a different post)
As a section representative for the Assembly of God, I meet with pastors and I hear their concerns about women's ministry, the good part, the bad part and even the ugly part, but isn't it the same concerns for every ministry?
I went to one church, a fairly large one, and met with the pastor. Right off the bat he said "We don't do women's ministry." It must have been the Holy Spirit because I could never come up with anything so clever, my reply was "So the women hang out in the parking lot waiting for their men to get out of church?" He chuckles, I chuckle and our conversation lasted two hours. The pastor realized whether there was a formal women's ministry or not in his church, women were ministering to each other. He also realized after looking at the demographics of his church, the majority of the congregation was women.
I am not saying women and men need to be completely separated. We need each other, it's the way God intended it to be. Discipleship and mentoring necessitates separate ministries. There are just some things that men don't get about us and that's okay.
Here is the video pic of the week (so many has asked for it). I believe it helps drive this point home.
When and what are those issues that would be better served by women? Yes, we need men's perspective (they have great perspective) how can we add value to the church when dealing with gender related issues?
Here's the video pick for the week. The story behind the song "God of the City." Sometimes we just need to step out and let God step in! Open our mouths and He will fill it with what He want's to say. Ministry isn't always going to go as planned, but how incredibly cool is it when it goes as God plans!!
