What Women Want

Fabulous and Favored - Hidden In Plain Sight....

2012-02-21T08:14:00.000-08:00

sday, February 21, 2012
Fabulous and Favored

When we think of the words, "Fabulous and Favored", all sorts of things come to mind. We think of women that are stylish, wealthy, kind, self-assured........normally all the things we don't think we are. However, I want to challenge you to look beyond where you are and realize that God has placed "fabulous and favored" inside of you.

Joshua 2 tell us of a woman that initially doesn't look fabulous or favored; however, when we examine her a bit closer, we find she is fabulous and favored - it's just hidden. Let's look at six qualities that made this woman fabulous and favored.

1. Courage - Rahab had courage. She built something out of her life even though she should have been hidden. Many times we think people are only courageous if they look "blessed". This isn't true. It takes courage to function and survive in dysfunction. Rahab learned courage in her situation. She learned to go to the well everyday and draw water, even though she was faced with rejection. She spoke with people everyday, even though she should have been an outcast. Rahab had the courage to develop a career - even though it wasn't one we might have chosen. The courage that Rahab developed in her dysfunction helped her discover her destiny. She drew on that courage when she hid the spies, talked to the king's soldiers, left the red cord out her window and when she stepped out of her home on the day the walls fell. Beyond that she took that courage with her into the camp of the Israelites and she drew on it to create a new life. A Fabulous and Favored woman has courage even when it is distorted.
2. Faith - Rahab heard the reports of what God had done for the Israelites and she believed it! Beyond believing Rahab acted on it. Faith is the combination of believing in your heart, confessing it with your mouth AND acting on what you say. Faith is an action word. Rahab took what she heard about God and implemented a plan to trust Him. Faith is more than your words. Faith will make you act. Rahab prepared her family, she walked out when the walls fell and she chose to live a new life - by faith. Faith is a characteristic of a Fabulous and Favored woman.

3. Patience - Rahab had the patience to wait and trust God between the time the promise was made and the deliverance took place. She had the patience to not give up or give in to the naysayers, the pressure of the king, the feeling of disappointment when they didn't come in her timing. She also didn't get discouraged when she saw her deliverer come - and then leave - six days in a row. She had the patience to wait and watch God move. A fabulous and favored woman is a patient woman.

4. Obedience - Rahab was obedient. She kept her word. She obeyed the instruction of the spies. She did exactly as they said - and she received her deliverance. She didn't try to change the directions in mid-stream. She was obedient regardless of the risks - would people know something was going on by leaving the red cord out? What about her family? Why this reconciliation so soon and sudden? Were the risks worth the obedience? Absolutely! A fabulous and favored woman is a obedience to the word of the Lord.

5. Compassion - Rabah was compassionate. When she made the arrangement with the spies she could have thought of only herself, but she didn't. She considered her family and made provision for them. It wasn't easy for Rahab - her family knew who she was, but now she had to tell them she was going to be their deliverer - from hooker to deliverer - really? She didn't consider her reputation or her current relationships with them, she considered their future and their deliverance. Our families need us to consider their future. They need us to reconcile and love them in-spite of what is going on now and realize that the future is bigger than the here and now. Be a minister of reconciliation. Bring restoration. Be a woman of compassion - your family's future depends on it. A Fabulous and Favored woman is a woman of compassion.

6. She had the ability to produce a future - Inside of Rahab was the ability to produce a kinsman redeemer. She possessed the key to someone else's future. Rahab was the mother of Boaz - Ruth's kinsman redeemer - Kind David's great grandfather. Rahab is in the lineage of Jesus. All the qualities that she possessed in her dysfunction, God used to produce life in her destiny. A Fabulous and Favored Woman produces life - destiny.

No matter where you are today, God can use you and the gifts and talents that are in you for His glory. He loves us enough not to leave us in our dysfunction. He wants us to trust Him and believe Him and come out into the destiny that He has for us. Don't allow the enemy to tell you that all is lost because of your situation! This is just a bump in the road.....it's not your final destination. Know today that you are fabulous and favored and He loves you - even in your dysfunction!

The Outsiders

2011-07-08T05:14:00.000-07:00

My heart is overwhelmed with the Word of God this morning. He is so clear as to what He wants of us and what He expects from us, how can we be so blind to continuously miss it?

God is calling and gathering those that no one wants or expects. We as those that consider ourselves "insiders", better get ready to accept, embrace, welcome and train those we would consider "outsiders". God is bringing them and we are responsible for how we treat them. We are responsible to love them, treat them with respect and dignity and great compassion.

You see, we "insiders" don't have a monopoly on God or on His blessings. Actually, He likes and embraces the "outsiders". He makes special promises to them that He hasn't made to those of the household of righteousness.

I am just naive enough to believe that if God wants and loves the outsiders, and wants them treated a certain way, then that's what I am going to do. Love them, treat them well, respect and honor them and never make them feel "less than". If I do this, God will continue to send more my way......that to me sounds like a harvest!

Just take a look at scripture to find out how God really feels about those that we consider "less than"...

Isaiah 56 - Message

Salvation Is Just Around the Corner

^1-3 God's Message: "Guard my common good:
   Do what's right and do it in the right way,
For salvation is just around the corner,
   my setting-things-right is about to go into action.
How blessed are you who enter into these things,
   you men and women who embrace them,
Who keep Sabbath and don't defile it,
   who watch your step and don't do anything evil!
Make sure no outsider who now follows God
   ever has occasion to say, 'God put me in second-class.
   I don't really belong.'
And make sure no physically mutilated person
   is ever made to think, 'I'm damaged goods.
   I don't really belong.'"

^4-5For God says:   "To the mutilated who keep my Sabbaths
   and choose what delights me
   and keep a firm grip on my covenant,
I'll provide them an honored place
   in my family and within my city,
   even more honored than that of sons and daughters.
I'll confer permanent honors on them
   that will never be revoked.
^6-8"And as for the outsiders who now follow me,
   working for me, loving my name,
   and wanting to be my servants—
All who keep Sabbath and don't defile it,
   holding fast to my covenant—
I'll bring them to my holy mountain
   and give them joy in my house of prayer.
They'll be welcome to worship the same as the 'insiders,'
   to bring burnt offerings and sacrifices to my altar.
Oh yes, my house of worship
   will be known as a house of prayer for all people."
The Decree of the Master, God himself,
   who gathers in the exiles of Israel:
"I will gather others also,
   gather them in with those already gathered."

I pray that God will help us to change our perspective on how to love and reach people. After all, we were once strangers and wanderers and He gathered us to Himself and planted us inside His family, maybe we should do the same for others.........just a thought......

"Least of These...."

2011-07-05T05:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've written, but something is stirring in me this morning and I can not shake it. I have been thinking about practical Christianity and walking out what I say I believe. It seems I have become self-absorbed and selfish in my faith. That's not a pity, false humility statement - it is true confession......how do I know? I have been comparing my life activities to what the Word of God has to say and I've come up short!

Here's what I've been discovering and what has really hit home with me lately - we can talk about God and church, we can have deep theological conversations or we become "too heavenly minded to be any earthly good" (a quote from my 25 year old). However, when I look around me I see that those I'm having the conversations with are "full/fat" on the Word already and it is becoming gluttony - while we have people all around us that are being ignored. I think the reason is this: these are the people we are comfortable with. They don't challenge our faith, they don't look different or act different, they aren't "out of our comfort zone".

I just want to get on my rooftop and shout - WAKE UP CHRISTIANS!!!! Stop ignoring the unsaved, the unlovable, the undiscipled, the lost and the hopeless!!!! Come out of your private circles and church clicks and see those around you that need all this knowledge and revelation and wisdom that you have!!!!!

I know I sound like I am ranting and maybe I am, but honestly, I am heartbroken to realize what I have started to become - complacent, comfortable, haughty, arrogant and blind to those around me that are needing the Jesus that has changed my life and made me whole. I'm being challenged. I am being confronted by the Spirit of God. I am willing to change and live life outside of my comfort zone if it means that I am doing the will of God and being His hands and His feet. So, if you are willing and you want to change, let's do it together; however, if you just want what you have and you are comfortable where you are and with who you are with - I'll see you around. I'm done with complacent Christianity and so called "church". There are people who need Jesus and I have to go get them and love them and reach out to them - starting today!

Here's my prayer for you and for me: Father, forgive me! Forgive my blindness, my conceit, my selfishness. Remove the blinders from my eyes. Help me to see those around me. Help me to recognize those in need. Help me to be Jesus with skin. I surrender my life for the one you have chosen for me. I give myself away, so you can use me. I ask you to bring those that have been ignored, abused, considered less than into my path. I ask you to help me to minister Jesus to them in a very practical way so they will see that you love them. Help me to lead them to you!

If you think I'm over reacting or just being dramatic, here's a thought - read the scripture for yourself and see what Jesus has to say about it. After all, he's the ultimate authority.......

Matthew 25:31-46

The Message (MSG)

The Sheep and the Goats

^31-33"When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

^34-36"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

   I was hungry and you fed me,
   I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
   I was homeless and you gave me a room,
   I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
   I was sick and you stopped to visit,
   I was in prison and you came to me.'

^37-40"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'

^41-43"Then he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on his left, and say, 'Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—

   I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
   I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
   I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
   I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
   Sick and in prison, and you never visited.'

⁴⁴"Then those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?'

⁴⁵"He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.'

⁴⁶

Why Should Others Follow You?

2011-03-08T05:35:00.000-08:00

In the previous article, we discussed "Come Follow Me". We talked about the motives and mindsets. We asked ourselves some tough questions. Hopefully, we found some honest answers.

Today, I think the thought has to be, what made Jesus so confident that He could tell others, "Come follow Me and I will make you fishers of men"? Lay aside the fact that He was 100% God. He was all powerful, stepped out of heaven and came to earth to redeem us - the one and only son of the Most High God, born of a virgin - skip all of that. We also have to remember that He was 100% man! Tempted like we are, flesh and bone. Emotions, a will, the ability to make decisions - human. In light of that perspective - what made Him confident enough to tell these men - not children, not weaklings - men. Fishermen, in fact. Strong, rugged, stinky, hard working - men. What did He know that they didn't? Why was He so confident that He could look at them, call them out, interrupt them from their routine, approach them even though their father was with them and tell them - "Come, follow Me"?

Jesus had been through a process. He had been trained by His mother, told that He was the Messiah. He knew inside of Himself that He was the King of Kings. He submitted to every form of authority over Him. He traveled to the synagogue, He played with the other kids, He learned to follow and obey His parents. He then submitted to baptism and honored John the Baptist's position as His forerunner. He followed the Spirit's leading into the wilderness. He fasted, He prayed, He was tempted - and He stood on the Word. Jesus had been through some stuff before He ever invited people to follow Him. He wasn't a novice.

Interestingly enough, Jesus went to Capernaum after He heard that John the Baptist had been put in prison and He decided to make Capernaum His new home base. Scripture says He began preaching before He ever called his disciples to follow Him. I believe this is a principle - one that we sometimes get backwards. Many times we want to assemble a team and then go do something. However, I believe the way Jesus did it is the best way. He established Himself by just doing what He knew He was called to do - by Himself. No assistant, no helper, no person to carry His robe. He just went about preaching. He didn't ask for permission. He didn't seek approval. He just did it! Right where He was.

If we are going to ask people to follow us, we need to have a track record. We need to be doing what God has called us to do. We need to be living our life in such a way that it makes it easy for people to follow us because we have already established ourselves as the leader. Jesus was a great leader because He was a great follower. He did nothing without the Father's instructions. It was recognizable in Jesus' life that He was the leader. He knew where He was going. He knew His assignment. He was going whether anyone followed or not. Process and persistence - He knew who He was and where He had been and where He was going.

Too many people want others to follow them because they have a "vision" for something great, but they have not been through the process nor do they know how to accomplish the vision - no plan. They may have charisma, they may have personality - but what about integrity, character, direction, testimony.....Jesus showed us that it takes all of those things in order to be able to be bold enough to say, "Come follow me"!

Process and persistence. Keys to boldness. Keys to success. Keys to leadership. So, here are the tough questions: Have you been a good follower, so you can be a good leader? Have you been through the process or preparation? Did you pass the tests? Do you know where you've been and where you're going? Are you bold enough to tell others that you can be trusted enough to be followed?

I am asking myself these same questions. When Christ calls us to lead, we are responsible to lead as He did. We must know who we are following in order for us to have the boldness to have others follow us. Our challenge is to follow Christ as we ask others to follow us.

Come Follow Me

2011-03-07T06:18:00.000-08:00

How many times have you followed someone somewhere? The reasons you followed may vary: some follow others because they don't know the way, some follow because they don't want to lead, some follow because the leader insists, some follow just for the adventure. There are many reasons we follow. Some good and some not so good. During my reading this week and during my life this week, I keep hearing these words, "Follow me". Sometimes I was saying them and sometimes I was hearing them. It made me reflect on their meaning and it made me ask a few questions. I want to share that with you and see if you may feel the same way.

First of all, many times this week, I heard myself saying, "just follow me" or "I'll drive" or "I know how to get there". Those are really powerful words that we sometimes take for granted the implication. To ask someone or a group of people to follow you is a power that not everyone is comfortable with or quite frankly that everyone should have. As I reflected on these phrases I began to realize that I was asking people to trust my leadership ability. I was asking them to have confidence in me. Trust me. When we look at that in its full context we begin to realize that we are asking people to surrender their will to ours, their way to ours and their desires to ours. It could be as simple as they would have taken a different route to the destination had they been driving or it could be as life altering as them trusting our interpretation of scripture for their future and destiny (eternity).

I believe in asking myself tough questions. I believe that it is only by facing the inward motives of my heart that I can truly walk the life I was designed to live. So, I want to ask you to consider these questions. I want you to consider who you are asking to follow you, why you are asking them to follow you, how you are asking them to follow you, where you are asking them to follow you.

Where we want people to follow us and how we want them follow us and most importantly WHY do we want them to follow us are questions that we must ask ourselves daily. Am I giving people a good reason to follow? Where am I going that others need to come to? Is there a reason I want them to follow a certain way? Why - what makes the place I am going so much better than where they are now? Am I asking them to follow me for wrong motives? Am I asking them to follow me because I think it would be good for them? Too many times, we ask people to follow us - but we don't know why. We ask them to trust us - but we don't know why.

Very specifically, Jesus told his first disciples, "Come, follow me". He knew why. He knew where. He knew when. He knew how. The first thing Jesus told them was the why - "I will make you fishers of men." He wanted them to use their gifts and talents and abilities to build the Kingdom of God. He related to them where they were. He told them their purpose. He didn't tell them the how and the where but He did tell them the why and the when - "Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Come - now, leave your familiar setting, follow me - what they would be doing, make you fishers of men - why they needed to leave and follow.

Today, ask yourself this question - who is following me? Where am I leading them? What example am I setting? Do I know where I'm going? Can I help them reach their destination?

These questions are applicable to every area of life. If you are a mom, you are leading your children. If you are a dad, you are leading your family. If you have breath in your body - someone is following you. Where are you leading them? Realize it is a privilege and an honor to have people follow you. They are placing their trust and confidence in you. You were called to have others follow. Enjoy the trip!

The Fabric of our Lives.....

2010-12-09T04:56:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to share with a group of women about the lies that the enemy tell us and how to get loose from them. This picture is a visual account of the many lies that the enemy has told me through the years - and I believed them.

You see, he is the accuser. He is the one that speaks against our lives and our destiny - not the one that speaks for us. He has a sly way of infiltrating our thought life. Most of the time, people can't "see" our issues, but they can "hear" them in everything we say and they can "feel" them in everything we do.

I don't know how you got your lies. Was there someone that labeled you a certain way? Was there guilt that came from something you did or did not do? Was there a small, tiny seed of fear planted into your life a long time ago? What ever the way the lies came to you, they were all written by the same author. The Enemy, the Devil, Satan. The father of lies. The accuser of the brethren, the adversary, the thief, the destroyer, the murderer. Are you allowing him to write your story? If so, I urge you to change authors today!

So, now you know that everyone has something they are dealing with. I want to encourage you to label yours. Really identify what is in your thought closet. Dig around in your mind and pull out all those negative words or labels and lay them out for you to see. I will suggest to you, once they are brought out into the light, they lose their power. Once they are confronted and exposed, they lose their power. How come, because the light of truth has shined upon them.

Alright, they are laid out before you. You have identified them. Now I want you to pick them up and bring them to Jesus. I want you to ask Him specifically what he thinks about that label in relationship to your life and who you are in Him. If you will ask Him, He will show you through His Word how He sees you. There is power in learning who you are in Christ. You see, I believe you will be surprised to find out how disgusted those labels make Him.

Here are a few resources for you to go to in order to find scripture that tells you who you are and how God sees you:

You are His daughter, created in His image, a princess. He loves you. He realizes that the enemy has been wanting to destroy you with your thought closet. He has been waiting for you to ask for a make-over!

OK, you have taken the first two steps: identified the lies and found truth statements from the scripture. Now you can make progress. Next time we will discuss the next steps in over coming the fabric of our lives. Applying the Word to your life in a practical way and pulling down the falsehoods of your life.

In the next week, start meditating on the following verse. Start deciphering what this verse actually says. When you do, you will start to change the way you think.

"May the words of MY mouth, and these meditations of MY heart, be acceptable in YOUR sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14

Be Encouraged,
Stephanie!

Do You Want to Stay Another Day?

2010-11-09T04:59:00.000-08:00

Life can be hectic and crazy and comfortably usual. Some routine and some form of similiarity is a good thing. However; I have discovered you can have "too much" of a good thing! I mean, hey, chocolate - it's a good thing. Coffee is a good thing. Coconut cream pie is a good thing....get the point - too much is not good for you.

It is easy to get caught up in the demands of our lives. You wear many hats. You are a mom, a wife, a student, a teacher, a cook, a maid, a friend, a lover, a counselor, an employee, an employer......all of which are good things. Everyone around you places demands on your life. Somedays you don't even want to get out of the bed; for many reasons, but the most obvious is because you have to make it up! The "maid" demand.

I have come to realize that some of us are just going through the motions of living. We are not living because we are not dreaming. We are not pursuing anything. We are marking off time. We lose our sense of destiny, our sense of meaning and purpose. How sad! You were not put here to just spend your life without purpose. You have a purpose. You have a Big Dream. But something is keeping you from embracing and pursuing it.

Bruce Wilkinson, in his book, The Dream Giver offers five deadly misconceptions that trap us and keep us living where and how we are - without purpose.

"I don't have a dream"
"I have to invent my dream"
"I have a dream, but it is not important"
"I have a dream, but it is up to God to make it happen"
"I had a dream, but it's too late"

If you are not pursuing your dream, do any of these resonate in you? You may need to take a self-examination to see which one applies. I am confident that one of them will. You can look at your actions and they will usually show you the result of what you believe. These misconceptions are a trap. If you are caught in one of them, you will never leave your land of Familiar. You will stay another day, and another day, and another day until your life has passed you by.

However, there is good news! Today we are going to dispel the myths and lies of these misconceptions. Get ready to pack your backs - you are going to want to leave Familiar by the time we are done. Here are the truths:

You do have a Dream! Did God have a dream when He created the earth and filled it with all of the wonders we see today? If you answered yes, you are correct - guess what - you and I are created in His image and His likeness. We are just like Him. It is in our DNA to dream!

You don't have to Invent Your Dream! "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Ps. 139:16 says God wrote the dream for us before we ever came to earth! Just like your eye color and your hair color was predetermined, so is your dream. God has placed it in your heart. You don't have to invent it. You may have to take the time to discover it - but it is there.

Your Dream is Unique and Important! Remember that the reason He has given us dreams is to be part of His Big Dream. Every piece is important. Your dream is no less important than anyone else's. You are vital to the big picture. Remember that someone else's dream may depend on you fulfilling their dream.

Your Dream is Yours to Act On! This is huge! God is waiting for you to value the gifts and talents He has placed inside of you enough to live in them! This is where most dreamers get trapped. We have to realize that it is not going to fall out of the sky and hit us on the head all wrapped in a nice gold package with a big silver bow! We are required to work at it. We are required to put our hands to it. We are required to make the phone calls and the visits and write the chapters. God has given you talents and abilities - now act on them! He has equipped you with everything you need in order to succeed!

It is NEVER too late!! Moses is a prime example. Caleb is a prime example - at 80 and 85 these two men accomplished more than they had the 80 years prior! Don't give up on your dream!!

Well, the lies have been revealed and the traps have been unlocked. Now you have a choice. Do you want to stay another day in Familiar? Do you want to continue just letting life pass you by? Do you want to stay trapped in the lies that keep you where you are? You have to decide. The choice is yours.

Stay another day or take the next step?

From Dream to Reality

2010-11-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

Well, the dream is getting closer. You are walking a path that has taken you down many unexpected roads. You have encountered border bullies, border busters, champions, wasteland, sanctuary, giants and now you are looking at the land of Anybodies.

Rich Wilkinson, in his book The Dream Giver, indicates this is a land that we all come to. It is a place where there are hurting and wounded people. It's a place where there are happy and satisfied people. It is a land where we wonder and explore and meet people. At first, we just believe we are passing through. We are off to reach our Big Dream.

However, maybe the Land of Anybodies is not temporary. Maybe you begin to see needs and realize that the anybodies need your gifts and talents. You begin to recognize the potential in this land and you begin to realize that this is your Promise Land - but it is your job to develop it to look like your Big Dream. You see all the needs - and yet, all the potential. The Dream Giver begins to reveal to you that you don't arrive at your Promise Land to see a completed dream. You arrive in your Promise Land to develop and live your Big Dream.

How do you develop your Dream? You start by meeting the need of the person closest to you and then the person next to him, and then the person next to him......pretty soon, your influence on the lives of others will develop into your big dream. Then as you begin to see needs that you don't have the ability to meet, the Dream Giver will connect you to other dreamers that will have new resources and talents that will help you build. After a time, you will look and realize you have been living in your Promise Land and your Big Dream will take shape.

Our dreams and our plans are like anything else. They take time to develop. How you start is not how it will look in the end. It takes time. It takes diligence. It takes focus. Don't give up in the Land of Promise just because it doesn't look the way you thought it would. It will if you will just take the time to live it out.

One other thought about living out your dream is this - there is more to it than you can imagine. The Dream Giver allows us to see as much as we can handle. Your dream will never be "completed" or "finished" because the Dream Giver will continue creating and designing your dream right in front of you. There will be aspects you have not thought of. There will be people you didn't know needed your gift. There will always be something new on the horizon.

Live out your dream! Don't give up. Don't become discouraged. Don't throw in the towel. There are people out there waiting for the dream inside of you to be fulfilled because they need what you have. Be someone's Champion. God desires for you to fulfill every dream and plan that He has placed in you. He created you to live life to the fullest! So go Dream Big! Go fulfill Big Dreams! Go help someone else fulfill their Big Dream! There's a great big world out there just waiting for you! Go get it!!!

Be Encouraged,
Steph

The Deam vs. The Giver of the Dream

2010-10-25T04:03:00.000-07:00

"For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess." Deuteronomy 30:16

I hope you are enjoying learning about the process of fulfilling your dreams. Are you beginning to see them take shape? Are they becoming more clear? Have you entered the Wasteland and are now beginning to see the Wonderland? I hope so. My desire is for you to fulfill every dream that God has placed in your heart!

The next step when you come through the Wasteland is to come to Sanctuary. Rich Wilkinson, the author of The Dream Giver says this is the place where you are engulfed in the love of Christ like never before. He washes out the darkness in you and places His light and His glory. It is a place where peace begins to settle over your dream. God's love so encompasses you in Sanctuary that you begin to fall in love with Jesus all over again. You have always loved Him, but this is a time of refreshing. This is a time of renewal. After your time in Sanctuary you feel like you can conquer the world and you are ready to fulfill anything the Dream Giver asks you to do. What a great place!

This is the time when the decision to really fulfill your dream is going to be made. Up until now, it has been all about you and your dream. At this crossroads, the Dream Giver is going to ask you to do something that seems impossible. He is going to ask you to give up your dream for Him. Here is where the real decisions are made. Scripture says that He sees the "intent of the heart." He knows our motives. He knows why we are doing what we are doing. This is where the refinement happens.

Many times in scripture, great men and women of faith are asked to give up their dreams and ambitions. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son of promise - Isaac, Peter was asked to lay down his dream and beliefs and go to Cornelius' home - why? For the love of the Dream Giver. For the bigger picture. We must realize that when this time comes, it is not to punish us or dishearten us - it is to enlarge us!

This is a time of self-examination. Why are you doing what you are doing? Is it for position? Prestige? Power? Self-fulfillment? Ask yourself these questions. Know why you do what you do. This type of self-examination will help you on this journey. It will help you fulfill your dream with excellence. If you will stop and take the time to get in His presence and ask Him to examine your heart and be honest with yourself, you will be able to fulfill the dream without difficulty and turmoil.

We must keep our motives pure, our intentions right and our vision clear. Our dreams are not about us. They are about joining His bigger dream and vision. He calls us to love Him - first and foremost. He calls us to serve him - first and foremost. He calls us to rely on Him and trust Him. He is trustworthy. If He is asking for your dream, don't be afraid to say "Yes"! He will not forsake you or leave you. He will give you peace like you have never known and He will guide you in your next step and give you the land that He has promised you.

Trust Him!

From Wasteland to Wonderland

2010-10-20T05:47:00.000-07:00

We have been discussing Bruce Wilkinson's book, The Dream Giver. Honestly, it is so rich and so full of nuggets that will help each of us discover and develop our dreams. Last time we talked about the process of writing your dream out. I really hope you did that. Did it give you clarity? Did it reveal to you things you had not thought about? It is so important that we write down our dreams and goals.

So, once we decide we have a dream, now it is time to fulfill it. There is an excitement on the inside that rises within you and motivates you to move forward. When you decide to move forward, to change what you have always done - expect a little opposition. This opposition comes because people love you but do't really understand where you are headed. They are afraid of failure or disappointment for you. These people are called, "Border Bullies". Most of the time, they are people that have not fulfilled their dreams. They are people that are afraid to leave their comfort zone. They may have been convinced by other bullies that they couldn't go forward and fulfill their dreams. It takes wisdom to know how to handle a Border Bully. This is your first opportunity to turn challenges into channels of blessings. Talk to your Border Bullies. Listen to their concerns. They may have valid points that you have not thought of. They may give you insight to things you may face ahead. Listen and pray. I have found this is the reason that I write my plan and vision. It gives me personal clarity and it allows others to know that I am serious and have thought through my decisions. You will convince some of the Bullies that you are right and that you shoud go forward; however, others will be too steeped in fear and doubt to ever believe that you could fulfill all that God has put in your heart.

As you leave the land of Familiar and cross the Wide Waters and face your bullies, you will next come to a land that you believe is the the Promised Land. You will be so excited and you will think, "this is it, I have arrived!". Hold on to your hat.....you've just stepped into the Wasteland. The Wasteland is the place where you are sure your dream is going to come to fruition. It's the place that you are confident you will fulfill everything. It's the place where you enjoy the provision that you have brought along. You walk and when you get thirsty, you drink out of your bottled water from Familiar, when you get hungry, you open your package of prepared foods that you brought from Familiar. It's the place where the thought of your dream keeps you going.

But then something happens......you open your package of prepared food and it's empty. You drank your last bottled water yesterday. Now you are tired, you've walked a while carrying all of your provisions. It's hot, you see no place to settle in, you feel like you are spinning your wheels and now you are out of provisions and resources. Everything you brought with you is empty.

You go a little further and find a little stream of water. You find food in the bushes. You find a shady spot. You are praying and believing God. You are calling out and speaking those things that you know to speak. You are working diligently to make everything happen - have you been there? Maybe you are there now. Are you asking yourself, "Where are you God?" "Did I miss you"? Where are you God??? These are the long days. These are the days that you begin to doubt that you made the right decision. This is harder and lonelier that you expected. These are the days that you try every shortcut and everything that looks like the right path. These are the days when your steps become blurred and you choose to get off the path to find a better road. These are the days when anger begins to boil inside. Sound familiar???

Just then, an unexpected visitor named Faith shows up and asks you what is going on. She listens as you tell her that your provisions have gone dry. She listens as you tell her that just in time you found water. Just in time, you found food. Just in time, you found a shade tree. She listens as you tell her that the Dream Giver has not shown up! She listens as you tell her that you want to go back to Familiar. She can't help you get back. She can't help you retreat. She gives you the choice to follow her in a direction that you "know" is wrong or stay in the Wasteland and try to figure it out on your own.

The Wasteland is the place that you come to the end of your provision, the end of your knowledge of the direction you should take, the end of your dream. It's the place where the Dream Giver gives you the opportunity to follow by faith or by sight. It is the place where your love for and trust in the Dream Giver becomes bigger than your dream. The Wasteland is the place where you are changed. It's the land of preparation. In the Wasteland you will meet people that are going in the opposite direction of Faith and back to Familiar. You get the choice whether to join them or keep going.

Maybe you are in the Wastland today. You thought when you discovered your dream and made a plan that it would have already happened and you would be living in the Promised Land. Maybe discouragement or disappointment has tried to overwhelm you. Don't be discouraged! Don't be down! God has not forgotten you! He's preparing you for the great things ahead. Here are some truths about the Wasteland:

After crossing the Waters, you thought your Dream was just around the corner.
You may be disappointed by the delay.
You may have doubts about the Dream Giver.
The Wasteland was not a Waste! It will teach you trust - even when he's nowhere in sight.
You are stronger now!

Allow the Wasteland to become your Wonderland. Learn from every experience. Learn to trust the Dream Giver. He is building character and strength in you. Be encouraged and don't give up. This is your opportunity to discover the provision of the Dream Giver. Let Him become Wonderful in your Wonderland!

Living Your Dreams

2010-10-11T04:34:00.000-07:00

I found or should I say, came across in a pile of other books, one of my favorite books last week. It is called, "The Dream Giver", by Bruce Wilkinson. He is the author of the book, "Prayer of Jabez" and "Secrets of the Vine". His writing is profound and pointed, yet simple enough for me to understand it!

In his book "The Dream Giver" he writes about a character named Ordinary that lives in the land of Familiar. Ordinary decides to take the road to his destiny. There are many elements about the journey that I want us to discuss over the next few weeks. The first is recognizing your dream and writing it down.

Ordinary grows up and moves out on his own and starts his life. One evening he is given a dream by the Dream Giver. This dream makes him excited and allows him to start thinking about what he is to do with his future. He begins dreaming about his destiny. He begins to realize and believe he was born for this - this is his purpose in life! A destiny is more than a destination - it is a Land of Promise where you fulfill the dreams of your heart. Every person on the planet has a destiny! You were created for greatness! You have to begin to believe that you were created for more than just yourself.

What is your destiny? What does your land look like? If you could describe it, what would it look like? Scripture says to write the vision and make it plain, so those that come after you can read the map. Writing it down does two things for you - first, it makes it real for yourself. You know what it looks like, how it feels, how it smells, it gives you something you can see so you know when you arrive. It is like going to a vacation destination. You have seen pictures, so you know when you arrive. The journey there is only the beginning - you get to live it out and experience new things in the Land of Promise.

Secondly, writing it out allows others to know where you are going. They can encourage you, help you to avoid pitfalls, help you to fight the Border Bullies and the Giants. It leaves a trail for others coming out of Familiar to have a path to follow. We are not called to live life alone. We are called to do life together! Your dreams are going to require other people to be involved. Your dreams should be big enough that you can't do them on your own. If they are not too big for you to do alone - they are too small.

Here's your assignment - should you choose to leave the Land of Familiar:

Write your dream down - describe it to the fullest degree possible. Ask the Lord to help you by showing you exactly what He wants you to do.
Develop a plan of action - what steps will you need to take in order to get where you are going.
Think about what type of friends you are going to need in order to accomplish your dream. Do you need an encourager, a rule follower, a technically inclined friend, a creative artsy friend....what will you need?
Pray and Prepare - lay your dream out before the Lord. Ask Him to show you what you need to do in order to start your journey out of Familiar and into the Land of Promise.

This is the first step out of the Land of Familiar. You can do it! God has called you for this time and this purpose! "Have I not told you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go!" Joshua 1:9

Be Encouraged!
Stephanie

8 Essential Friendships of Women

2010-10-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

Friendships plays an intregral role in the life and health of women. Most of the time women tell me they only have one or two friends. According to a recent article in Prevention magazine, there are 8 Essential Friendships every woman should have.

1. A Childhood Friend - hey she remembers your crazy, fun side - before children, husbands, obligations. She can make you giggle just like when you were a teenager. She remembers all the good and the bad and loves you anyway.

2. A New Friend - we get stuck in a rut. We do the same thing over and over. What we have to remember is there is a whole world out there, outside of our routine. New friends bring us new perspective, new activities and new interests. They help our creativity.

3. A Workout Friend - this is the one that drags you off the sofa and makes you walk around your neighborhood or go to the gym - even when you would rather not. Exercise is important in a woman's life. It is good as as stress reliever and has many health benefits.

4. A Spiritual Friend - sounds simple enough. However, while everyone says they are spiritual, not everyone is going to have a connection with God. You need a friend that knows the Word of God and can speak it into any situation. It doesn't mean she's flakey or far out, it just means she has a real relationship with Jesus. Our spiritual life is directly connected to our physical life. Both have to be healthy.

5. A Younger Friend - there are younger women out there who are wondering how you juggled your career, your home, your children, your extended family and your social life without losing your mind!!!! Hey, someone needs to be teaching and training the younger women how to make a difference in their sphere of influence. They are going to come behind us and do things that will either take them further or set them back. Let's set them up for success by sharing ourselves with them.

6. Your Husband's Friends - it is important that you become friends with your husband's friends. Women who are involved socially with her husband's friends, statistically have a happier marriage. Know the guys names. Invite them over to have dinner with you and your husband. Invite them over to watch football. Know and welcome your husband's friends. It will make him happier and in turn, you will be happier.

7. Your Mom - the influence of a mom can never be replaced in your life. She is the one constant. You may no longer have her around, but she is always influencing you. If your relationship with your mom is not good or strong, I encourage you to work on it. Have a mom in your life. They will nurture you, correct you, laugh with you, cry with you and protect you no matter what.

8. Yourself - most women would drop everything if their friend needed them, yet, we won't take care of ourselves. We need to be kind to ourselves. We need to love ourselves. We need to treat ourselves like we treat our best friend. Learning to love yourself will help you love everyone else.

I didn't realize I needed all of these until I read the article. It makes sense. Women need other women. In a healthy relationship, both friends flourish. So, today, make it your plan and your purpose to collect your 8 Essential friends. While you are at it, pick up a few more - the more the merrier!

Remember, if you have a group of friends and you want to celebrate your friendship, we can plan a W4 weekend for you. Contact us @ W4bridge@yahoo.com and we will start planning a weekend to remember!

All New Blog!

2010-08-24T17:42:00.000-07:00

Hey Ladies,

Just a brief introduction to W4. W4 was birthed because a friend and I kept hearing women say things like, "I really need a break", "I don't know what I'm supposed to do with my life", "I want to do something fun with the girls one weekend", "I need some advice. . . ." So, after much prayer and thought, we launched W4. It is the "What Women Want Weekends". We realized we needed an opportunity for women to share their concerns or issues and get some advice in between attending the W4, so we are launching the W4Bridge blog.

This is a place where you can join the discussion, ask questions, get and give advice and build relationships from the comfort of home! Be watching for the the weekly posts and join in the conversations. Let us know how we can help you or topics you would like to discuss: parenting, marriage, balance, finances, spiritual life. . . . whatever it is, we are here to help.

Also, you can get a group of girlfriends or family together and have a W4. Just contact us and we will plan it just for your group. We will be having our next W4 in January called, "New Year, New You". We will help you relax, discover your passion and put a plan in place to achieve all that is in your heart to do! Space will be limited, so you will want to sign up early.

We are excited to get started and see all the great relationships we will build!