Studying: WOMEN CONNECTING WITH WOMEN by Verna Birkey.

Verna’s passion is to “equip women to become loving, caring friends, mentors, encouragers, and supporters to other women the Lord places in their sphere of influence.”

Verna wondered why it is that the world often turns to secular groups for support & comfort? Job labeled his religious friends “miserable comforters”. How can we become more of “Jesus with skin on” to others? Verna’s material reminds us of our ultimate goal which is to link up with other women to learn from each other. To encourage & nourish each other. Together learning truths that set us free. The study seeks to train & equip us to be all we were meant to be. I’ve used this study for 15 years, and have not yet found anything better.

With grace-filled wisdom and gentle humor, Verna relates the truth of life in Christ to our everyday lives.

She equips women to minister to others by first helping us to:
**Recognize it’s right ot take care of ourselves
**Identify and correct twisted thinking
**Learn how to draw appropriate boundaries
**Take steps to resolve conflicts
**Know how to listen and ask helpful questions
**Learn to communicate understanding

The next tele-study begins June 1st (Friday) Noon-1:30 p.m. CT
$39/month. 16 week study. ($9.00 early bird discount by midnight May 15).
Contact pam@loavesandfishescoaching.com for info and availability.

You will need the book AND the workbook for June 1st.
(Available through Amazon books.)

To register, contact: pam@loavesandfishescoaching.com
or comments below on blog post
or FB private message.

Parenting is hard work! We all need a little help!

Visit www.loavesandfishescoaching.com/blog/ to begin receiving Mom-2-Mom “Ten Tips to Inspire You to Greatness” in your parenting. And then…every few days another word of encouragement will slip into your Inbox until you have received all ten.

This blog post was set up especially for subscribers to the Mom-2-Mom. Encouragement for the Family Series: Ten Tips to Inspire You to Greatness! (If you’re here but haven’t yet subscribed, but like what you see, just put your name and email in the form over on the right, and you’ll begin receiving the tips, too!)

We all know that we each are even greater in our parenting when we share our collective wisdom and our time-tested knowledge. Here is a place to share what you have learned for the benefit of the rest of us. You have “bragging rights” here!

At the bottom of each email in the series you’ll find a link here. We’re hoping you won’t just read what others have posted, but that you’ll visit often to share… adding your own comments and wisdom. We truly do all need each other!

So don’t wait – jump right in! The water’s fine. Scroll down and leave a comment or two. Blessings to you.

Until next time,
Mom-2-Mom,
Pam Taylor
Christian Life Coach

P.S. It would be helpful to put the Tip #at the beginning of your comment if it addresses a specific one. Thanks!

Exclusively for women coaches: I have just the thing for a summer pick-me-up … refreshing your spirit and preparing you for the new beginnings that often come with the fall season.

Of course, there will be laughter and fun as we learn how to better live out God’s plan to be Titus 2 women in our circle of influence.

I’d like to extend a personal invitation to you to join me as we share with other coaches using a fantastic book I’ve used many times.
(Women Connecting with Women by Verna Birkey).

I’ve just recently been using it for a group study at my church and was delightedly reminded of the power and encouragement packed into this study. So I thought, “what better group to share this with than a group of Women Coaches?”

Group size is limited, so don’t delay.

Cost is $39 per month. That’s less than $10 per week!
($9.00 Discount for early registration by May 15!)

Contact me pam@loavesandfishescoaching.com

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen.”—Jude 24, 25, NAS

Today, at 6:40 a.m. (Earth-time) I stepped from your world into the peaceful beauty and splendor of Heaven.  It was an easy passing…there was a quietness and a calm in the air as I passed from one world and into the next.  It was a lovely journey.

King Jesus was on the Bema Seat.  I was not afraid to face Him.  We discussed my life and I quietly asked, “but Lord, what about when I…”

FORGIVEN

(In blood red)

suddenly appeared on my hand.  “Oh, my Lord,” I whispered, as He stepped down from the Bema Seat.  The jagged scars from the rough-hewn nails on His wrists made me weep as He wrapped His lovely arms around me.  That simple act of His hug has totally healed me of my earthly experiences.  Those beautiful scars!  I laid my head on His shoulder and wept for joy.  Such love.  I looked down and saw the scars on His feet…love marks to me.  Such glorious, pure, untainted, unconditional love.  I am in the home of the forgiven.

He placed a crown on my head. On me!  How could this be? And yet, it is true!  Glorious love!  Somehow, I don’t feel unworthy.  It feels natural to be here.  As though I have always been here.  Then I remember:  “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, NAS).

“Oh, my Lord…my glorious Lord!”  I fell before His feet.  I touched the scars.  “They are there because of my sin, not Yours!”  He lifted me up, and escorted me – His bride – to the banquet table.  “How is it possible, with so many others here, that I feel as though I am alone with You”?  I asked Him.  Those beautiful expressive eyes drew me closer – ever closer to an understanding of the purity that love can possess.

The clutter of the things that were important in my earth-life is gone. “Life is so simple here.  There is love and there is purpose; and I know that You have prepared this destiny especially for me.  You have used my earth-life to prepare me for what You were preparing for me – here – after the banquet.”

“I have been healed with Your loving embrace,” I whispered.  “Your banquet table has nourished me.  I have walked down the path with You – on Your arm as Your bride.  Oh, the wonder of it all!  Now, You have said that we have work to do – together – in every sense of the word.  You have made me worthy to be here and You have proved it by placing this crown on my head.”

I tried to kneel and He told me, “No, STAND before Me…I have made you worthy.”  So, I stood…in my glorified body – before King Jesus and He embraced me again, and said, “You have been faithful.  Well done, My lovely one.  My bride.  You are here, not for what you have done in My Name, but because you have loved my Glorious Appearing. That is all that I have required.  There is no need for My bride to ever fear My appearing.  You were created for this purpose.  Your earth-life was preparation for all of this.  I often told you, “I have My way.  You have yours.  Mine is better. You see…I was right.  My way is better.”

Then He said, “Here, My love…let Me show you how My Light sparkles through this bottle of your tears that I have kept.  Not one tear was lost…and see how they add to the beauty of Heaven—the home of the forgiven.  WELCOME HOME!”  

When I go to a store & the clerk/cashier is pleasant & helpful (and appreciates my humor):

1. I ask their name.

2. I tell them that I appreciated their (helpfulness or sense of humor or whatever).

3. I ask them for the name of their supervisor so I can tell the supervisor what a good job they did.

4. I ask where I can find their supervisor.

Then:

1. I seek out the supervisor.

2. (I smile inwardly as they tense up expecting a complaint.)

3. I tell them that I know that they are used to bad reports about employees, but…

4. I want to give a good report about (NAME) and that I think the employee deserves some kind of reward because they are good for business!

Then:

1. I watch the supervisor smile and relax a bit.

2. They ALWAYS thank me for taking the time.

I feel so happy after that.  It is one little thing that I can do to change my world into a little better place!

Here’s my challenge to you: Will you join me in the campaign to intentionally thank people for good service? I’m thinking that it doesn’t just stop at the employee and the supervisor. Don’t you think it’s a pretty good guess that they will treat everyone else in their path in a much kinder way as a result of being thanked?

You might even notice a bit of a spring in your own step as you walk to your car. And we might even catch you smiling throughout the day as you remember how good it felt to bring a bit of beauty to someone else’s day!

Try it. It’s addictive! The only thing it will cost you is a few minutes of time.

Pass this on and let’s see if we can start a “gratefulness revolution“! Share this blog post on FB and on LI and with your email lists. Think of the possibilities!

One person at a time…we can begin to change our world for the better! Are you up for the challenge??? I promise you it will be fun!

Then, use the comment box below to report back to the rest of us. We want to hear your story!

Normally, the cause is: I get a good idea and I spend a lot of time organizing and thinking of every possible scenario and then someone or something prevents it going forward and so I’ll find myself “clearing” with a good friend rather than talking to God about it; and so…since He is listening to my conversations anyway,  I get a check in my spirit. Hence…the Busted by God idea. Yup! He lets me know that He’s listening. Is He being mean? No! God is never mean! He’s just letting me know He loves me and wants what’s best for me! He feels that way about you, too!

Well, last Saturday, God went a step further…and I love it when this happens!

He is intimately involved in every detail of my life. I know that. But it’s really cool when He verifies that love in tangible ways. Ways I can’t ignore.

That morning, I had prayed “Lord Jesus, speak to me. I’m ready to listen and eager to obey.” Later in the day, I was on the phone sadly describing a disappointment to a friend and got that check in my spirit and continued to talk anyway. Someone had hurt me and I wanted sympathy. Suddenly, I realized it was nearly time to get to the church, since I was scheduled to assist with communion. So, I rushed off the phone to go get myself dressed and out the door.

Then, I heard that check in my spirit again and thought of my morning prayer, but I was short on time to talk with my Father and to hear what He had to say, so I rushed to the table where my Bible and study tools were still open from the morning. And grabbed up Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest all the while praying for God to “give me a word” that would direct my heart to Him and away from my complaints. So…he did just that!

I did what is known as “The Open Window Method”…open anywhere and expect God to speak. It’s normally just a lazy way to grab anything. I know. I know. Yes, I was taking the lazy way out. But speak He did! (I LOVE THIS!) I happened to open to June 17. The title was “The Uncritical Temper”. And the verse at the top was: “Judge not that ye be not judged.” (Matthew 7:1)  I laughed right out loud. Yup! Busted by God! Because He loves me.  So, my eyes fell down the page and focused on something I had previously highlighted: “There is always one fact more in every man’s case about which we know nothing…I have never met the man I could despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.”

Is that cool, or what?! Remember I was on my way to serve communion. It would NOT have been OK to have pride and criticism in my heart. Rather, I had opportunity to confess on my way there and to receive the forgiveness and cleansing promised.

Well, if you think that was the end of my Father’s lesson to me that evening, you are wrong. He gave me an opportunity to see if I took the lesson to heart…or had it merely been head knowledge.

As I passed one of the offering plates, a lady with great disdain on her face corrected me (it was so animated that everyone else knew what was happening). She had rebuked me for the way I was serving. Ahhh. I remembered my lesson. I had told God that morning that I was ready to listen. And I did. I felt His love. And I let Him love her by using me….and praying silently for her to be blessed. (BTW, I also prayed for Him to remind her that she, too, was about to take communion…just in case He was so busy with me that He forgot about her. )

There is yet another part of this…

It’s the part that happened after church. I walked over to her and thanked her for her help and told her that next time I would try to remember to do what she had suggested. That was definitely God loving her by using me. I would not have thought of doing that on my own.

Being Busted by God is a good thing! And when you are His child, it feels like LOVE!

Have you ever had a time that you were Busted by God?