Be Prayerful

"Pray continually...." 

I Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)

Lysa TerKeurst (2010) spoke of praying continually, but how does one pray continually? Praying continually hinges on realizing my utter dependence on God - continually. When I recognize my need for God, and when I realize that God desires to meet that need, then my weaknesses serve as a trigger to pray. My weaknesses are numerous, therefore I am in a perfect position to prayer continually (personal communication, TerKeurst, 2010).

For example, I have an addiction to food. To combat this addiction, I am choosing to participate in a restrictive diet for 40 days. Each time my stomach growls; each time my mouth waters; each time I long for food that I am choosing not eat at this time, I am seeking God to strengthen my resolve. It is continual - believe me!

Lysa TerKeurst (2010) reminds me that God longs to be my portion each day. By addressing my food addiction, I am placing myself in a position of weakness in order to experience God's power in my every day life.

What is your area of greatest need?

Will you allow your weaknesses 

to be a trigger to pray continually?

An Unusual Connection: Vampires, Lysa TerKeurst, & Beth Moore

What do Vampires, Lysa TerKeurst, & Beth Moore have in common?

When I am in connection with how God is working around me, Truth strikes me from multiple sources. Several months ago, I wrote a series of blogs relating to "The Twilight Series." I am currently reading Beth Moore's newest book "So Long Insecurity;" and, this week I am wrapping up an event featuring Lysa TerKeurst, as the speaker. I am home today, and happened upon Focus on the Family's broadcast entitled, "Navigating the Vampire Phenomenon, 1."

One of my biggest questions regarding "The Twilight Series" is the extreme obsession I see among very young girls, teenagers, young women, and middle-aged women. Females of all ages pour over these books (reading them many times over), see the movies with great anticipation and joy, and talk about the characters like they are real people. As I read Beth's discussion of insecurity, which includes many real-life examples of women who share, with intense honesty, their own struggles with insecurity, I can not help but wonder about how fiction like that of "The Twilight Series," negatively impacts woman's view of real life and love. As was stated in the broadcast above, I also can not help but question the source of need that this obsession represents.

Lysa TerKeurst points out (on her blog, in her spoken messages, and in her books) that humankind is created to crave. In Truth, God created us to crave Him! Yet, we attempt to meet that craving with everything but God, or a combination of things, along with a sprinkle of God. I attempt to fill my cravings for God with food, with work, with busy-ness, with service, with entertainment, with human comforts. I see a STRIKING CONNECTION between the insecurity of women, the innate pull of our cravings to be met with something or someone, and the obsession with vampires!

Don't label me "self-righteous." Though "The Twilight Series" has not sucked me in, I succumb to hundreds of other powerful (and inappropriate) cravings - not the least of which is food.  

Oh God, fill my life with You.

Move me to crave you first and foremost!

Allow every other pleasure to be enjoyed 

through the filter of Your perfect love for me,

 and Your complete fulfillment in me. 

Amen!

Messages From Heaven Via Humans

Open My Heart

Open my heart to Your Word; enlighten me.

Open my heart to Your Word,

And make me see

That all of life's meaning

Can be found in knowing You.

But how can I know You

If Your Word is not my rule?

Open my heart to Your Word;

Illumine me.

©2001, Geri Rosser

Dr. Geri Rosser led the students who provided praise and worship for the women's conference. They were FABULOUS! When I set this up with Geri, she did not want to intice the students with promises of an honorarium. She wanted them to participate with a heart of service. So, we surprised them each with a check at the end of the event. I love surprises!

Geri wrote the above chorus; it really touched my heart, and it is perfectly in line with the Truths God is teaching me. Thank you, Geri, for saying YES! to God.

How can I sum up Lysa TerKeurst's messages without "spilling the beans?" God is powerfully at work in her - using Lysa's body, mind, and soul to proclaim His message. My most profound comment is, "WOW!" :)

How many times a day/week/month/year do we find ourselves asking "Why, God?" Whether it is a personal hardship, the hardship of a close friend/family member, or a hardship of disasterous proportions, the "Why" questions of life are frequent. Lysa encouraged us to turn our thinking around.... Instead of asking "Why?" questions, talk to God:

"This is my reality, God.... What do You want me to do with it?"

I may be out-of-control of the circumstances, but (with God's help) I may be in-control of my reactions. Check in tomorrow for more!

Be joyful always; pray continually;

give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

She Speaks Conference

For many years, I have contemplated whether or not the Lord would have me speak and/or write for women. This potential area of ministry goes waaay back to my senior year of high school. I did not think of myself as a good speaker or writer back then - it was a stretch for me to come up with interesting content and delivery methods for my English classes. In addition, I had incredibly creative and funny classmates who entertained quite effectively! Two events truly changed my life towards the end of high school: 1) My senior English teacher praised my first term paper and suggested I submit it for publication (what???), and 2) I was appointed by the school faculty to present a short speech at my high school graduation. Evidently all I needed was a little encouragement!

During college I had many opportunities for public speaking, and each time I felt the power of the Holy Spirit directing my thoughts. I have this picture in my mind from those days to now: I am typing a presentation while the Holy Spirit sits on my shoulder whispering the words into my ear. These college experiences were inspirational and powerful for my personal growth. In my twenties, I faced a dry spell as I tried to figure how to live life in the real world. Opportunities to minister via the written or spoken word were not handed to me on a silver platter like they had been in high school and college.

As I entered my thirties, the doors for inspirational speaking and writing opened again. I have thoroughly enjoyed speaking at women's events on a causal basis. Most recently, I have begun writing this blog which, in and of itself, is a definite "God-thing." At the same time, I have no desire to push the idea of speaking and writing for women beyond the bounds of what God intends for me. My desire is to be obedient in the moment and wait for Him to open and close doors of ministry opportunity.

2 Timothy 1:6-8 stands out to me as I consider the phases of growth the Lord has brought me through:

"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So you must never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.... With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the proclamation of the Good News" (New Living Translation).

My purpose for writing this particular blog entry is for a submission in a blog contest - for those of you who are new to the bloggy world, I know this may sound a bit strange. Lysa TerKeurst of Proverbs 31 Ministries, writes a daily blog that I read. She also hosts an annual conference called She Speaks. I have known of this conference since its inception, but it has never fit into my budget to attend. Lysa announced a contest this week to promote She Speaks and to offer a scholarship for the event.

The She Speaks Conference is intended for Christian speakers, writers (even bloggers), and women's ministries leaders. In Lysa's invitation to attend she writes, "If you are like me, we share a passion to step out with messages God has placed on our hearts. Do you ever feel this way? Do you long to connect with women and bring them closer to the Heart of God?" My response to these questions is a resounding, "Yes!"

I am a women's ministries leader, a speaker, and a writer. I know the experience of not being able to stop the flow of God's Word coming from the Holy Spirit (i.e., sitting on my shoulder, whispering in my ear). I know the passion of leading women to the feet of Jesus. More than ever in my life, I feel an intense burn to fan the flames of the spiritual gifts God has given me. The world NEEDS Jesus; women NEED Jesus to find His Truth within our deceptive culture.

She Speaks offers sessions for attendees to learn the basics in preparing a message, as well as advanced marketing plans and publishing tips. Trends in women's ministry and clothing one's self in prayer are also covered. The event includes peer critique and evaluation. All in all, She Speaks sounds like a wonderful conference to test God's call and to learn valuable information about speaking, writing, and women's ministries. Whether or not I win a scholarship for 2009, I hope to attend this conference some day. It would be a tremendous blessing to attend She Speaks 2009 on a scholarship! Thank you for the opportunity to share a portion of my testimony.

For my regular reader's, it is Friday of Spring Break week and Steve's birthday, so we have some partying to prepare for in the Tracht household. Thank you for your encouragement during these last two weeks of craziness relating to retreat planning and Tyler's surgery. The Lord has brought healing to Tyler's body and my spirit. Thank You, Jesus!