Use What You Carry

For the last few days, God has been teaching me insights through the accounts of Moses in Exodus, where Moses is filled with doubt that he has what it takes to free the children of Israel. Moses had all kinds of excuses for why he’s not the guy. He reminded God that he isn’t well-spoken and Pharaoh wouldn't take him seriously. 

God met Moses at the burning bush and explained to Moses how He wanted to free the Israelites from captivity and usher them into a land flowing with milk and honey. He spelled everything out pretty well to Moses, yet Moses doubted his ability to lead this charge.

In Exodus 4:2, God asks Moses, “What is that you have in your hand?” God used the staff in Moses' hand to demonstrate His power to Moses. He showed him that a staff can turn into a snake and back to a staff again. 

What really jumped out to me as I was reading this passage was the question God asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” God obviously knew what Moses was holding, but He wanted Moses to acknowledge it. He was holding a staff that would lead his people to freedom.

Sometimes we are waiting for some big call or great purpose that God has for us, and we are on our knees interceding for God to reveal His plans, when what He really wants from us is to use what He has already placed in our hands.

For years, people would say to me: 

“I just sense so much peace coming from you.” 

“Your house feels so peaceful.” 

“When you speak, there is so much peace around you like an aura from God.”

I had difficulty understanding what they were saying. I’m just being me. I didn't recognize what I was carrying. God had placed something in my hands that He wanted to bless and multiply, but for years, I was oblivious to it.

A practice I facilitated at women’s retreats was to lead ladies through a soaking session for an hour. It was designed for them to rest in God's presence and to experience his love being poured out on them. There was so much favor in that hour. Women would be in tears as they sat in His presence. I would see them writing furiously in their journals. They would draw Holy Spirit-breathed pictures. They would be on their knees or lying on their bellies on the floor, just soaking up the goodness and kindness of the Lord. 

I quickly realized that God’s favor and blessing were all over these soaking sessions. I asked the Lord how he would like to expand and grow this so that more people could be touched by these moments with Him.

He gave me the idea to start hosting day retreats in my home that are not part of a weekend-long retreat. Just an event all on its own. A day retreat to bring rest for the body, peace for the spirit, and refreshment for the soul. 

This idea was something that I was already practicing in my own life and was the reason the “aura” of peace was around me. I turned what I was carrying into a ministry to honor God and expand His Kingdom. 

My question for you today is, what has God placed in your hands? Are you carrying a grace for something special? Uniquely God- breathed? Do people make comments about how you make something look so simple? 

My prayer for you would be to turn that God-breathed grace into a ministry to honor God and bring people into the fullness of His love. Use what you already carry!

The Emotional Journey of Holy Week

 

Easter is one of my favorite holidays. Celebrating the greatest day in history, combined with springtime, when nature exhibits new life budding from the musty earth after a season of dormancy, is incredibly invigorating to me. Bright colors and sweet fragrances that greet me just outside my door are such a bright spot in my day after a long, pallid winter. However, I often feel melancholy the week leading up to Easter. There are so many reminders of the anguish that someone very dear to my heart had to endure. I will always be incredibly grateful for the sacrifice Jesus made for me and the hardship He bore, but I really can’t spend much time concentrating on the details of that kind of suffering, especially when it’s concerning someone that I love.

I've always been a very empathetic person and naturally filled with compassion for people. My heart sometimes feels the hurt others are experiencing. I have learned over the years to balance the tension of living in the real world while shielding my heart from unnecessary pain.

I have never been particularly fond of going to see Passion Plays, or any kind of depiction of the crucifixion of Jesus. A few years ago, I sat through the movie “The Passion of the Christ” with my eyes closed during 90% of it, and the visualization of the story troubled me for days. I have come to accept this aspect of my personality and wiring, and have come to the realization that I just don't do well witnessing violence of any kind. However, I know that I can't fully celebrate Easter without observing the reality of the cross and participating in the fellowship of His suffering, as it says in Phil 3:10. So, during Holy Week I do a lot of reflecting on Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and my heart is very tender, compassionate and appreciative of what Jesus went through, the heaviness He carried, and the suffering and ridicule He endured. However, I keep my focus on Easter, when He rose again triumphantly, defeating the grave and defeating the one who thought he had the upper hand.

I pause in remembrance of the cross but keep my eyes focused on the miracle and the joy of the victorious and glorious RESURRECTION. 

Easter: The greatest day in history!!

Take the Trip. Do the Dance. Love Without Limits.

No, this is not a country song. At least not that I am aware of. It is, however, advice from a 63-year-old crazy lady. LOL

I was reminiscing this morning about the trips my husband and I took with our children when they were young. Yes, it was a lot of work to travel with kids. It wasn’t the dream vacation where you lie back in a hammock and drink margaritas. However, I will never regret the times that we invested in our children on the trips we took. Even when the fighting, the "he touched me" and the "are we there yet", felt overwhelming. 

We took them cross-country on a 5-week trip in a Class C Motorhome. It was the best trip ever. We had lots of adjustments to make living in such tight quarters, but we made it work. Was it hard? Yes! Was it worth it? Absolutely!

Travel when you have the chance. Don’t wait until you think your life will be more manageable, you lose 10 pounds, or you have the mortgage paid off. Save up some money and go. Many people wait until retirement to travel, when schedules are freer, and kids are out of the house. The problem with this is that retirement years often bring health problems that make travel more difficult. Travel when you are young and missing a night's sleep on an airplane isn’t going to put you out for a week, and eating too much international cuisine won't cause you intestinal discomfort for days. (If you know, you know.)

Take the trip!

Do the dance. We’ve all heard the saying dance like no one is watching. Just do it. Celebrate and dance and live your best life now. Don't wait until you know all the steps, are in the right crowd, or have the perfect shoes. Kick off the shoes...celebrate a wonderful life. Celebrate a great relationship with your spouse, a new marriage, or an adventurous trip!

Do the dance!

Love like Jesus loves. Love without inhibition, fear, or reservation. Love with freedom. Bless people with unexpected gifts. Help a homeless person or a single mom. Write somebody a note and let them know how much you appreciate them. Compliment someone on their beautiful smile. Give someone a hug. Don’t wait until a funeral to say something wonderful about a person. Let them know now how much they have meant to you. Don’t wait until you feel loved. Be the instigator. Love with abandon.

Love without limits!

Say yes to enjoying the life that you have been given.

Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Tired Feet, Thankful Heart: Finding Gratitude in the Journey

Last night I was praying for my sore foot and ankle and was feeling a bit discouraged with the pain I was having in both after a long day. I have had numerous issues with both of my feet and one ankle over the years, and I keep pressing on and pressing through. It is tough at times because of the fact that every movement affects your feet. When you feel pain with every step, it can suck the life and energy out of your spirit.

Last night, I had my red light therapy pad on my foot/ankle, and I was sitting there looking at my foot, reflecting on all the foot pain I have had over the years. All of a sudden, my spirit turned towards gratitude instead of despair. I began reflecting on all of the places my feet have taken me. My feet have walked the streets of Jerusalem, and they have taken me on hikes in the Swiss Alps. I have walked the streets of New York City...many miles of that city, I might add. I have had countless walks in my neighborhood, the beach, the mountains, Europe, South America, the US and the Canadian Rockies, and more.

(I will spare you all the photos I have taken over the years, of my feet in different places doing fun things.)

So what am I going to choose to focus on?

I can live in frustration that my foot/ankle pain limits me, or I can be exuberantly thankful for the life I have lived despite the pain.

I choose thankfulness. I will endeavor to keep my mind fixed on the beauty and not the disappointment. 

We all have those pains, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, that can suck the life and energy out of us. We all have the same choice. What will you choose to focus on?

Isaiah 40:31

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.”

Lockstep...trust-obey-stay in step

For years, I have been praying a prayer to the Lord that I would stay in step with Him. This has been my heart’s desire. I don’t want to jump ahead of His timing and force my will and attempt to push doors open before God is ready for them to be opened. And, I don’t want to lag behind when God opens a door, out of fear, unbelief, or thoughts of being unworthy or ill-equipped.

If you have been a faithful follower of my writings, you have probably picked up by now that I had many insecurities to overcome before I totally surrendered to the call of ministry. My sights weren’t set on pastoring…not in a million years. My husband failed to reveal his childhood impressions of a call to ministry while we were dating. Me, a pastor’s wife? That would have been laughable back in my young adult years! It’s a good thing I didn’t know any of this before we were married, because it could have made me run from a relationship with him.

Most people know me for my sweet demeanor and easy-going manner, but those who know me well know that I can have a slight rebellious streak and can be a bit edgy or feisty. In my mind, those traits didn’t translate well to a submissive, sweet, front row sitting, fish bowl living, life of a pastor/pastor’s wife.

But over the years, God softened my heart and made me see that He uses the most unlikely people to carry out His plan. His disciples had some rough edges, and so did/do I, and He helped me to see that He had a greater purpose for me than what I had ever dreamed.

Fast forward to today, where not only do my husband and I pastor a growing church, but we also oversee other pastors across the US. In each season along the way, we have had to learn not to push doors open when we sensed God was moving us in a specific direction, but wait for His timing and for his divine opening of each door. We (mostly me) also had to learn that sometimes God opens a door that we weren’t expecting, and it would require courage and faith to walk through those doors, even while questioning our ability to carry out this new call.

Thus, my prayer, stated at the beginning of this blog, developed. Lord, help me to stay in lockstep with you. Help me to wait on your timing and not jump ahead of you, and help me to not lag behind you, dragging my feet…digging my heels in when you call me into something new. Help me to run with you, arm in arm…lockstep. Courageously! Boldly! Filled with faith! Overflowing with confidence that you equip those you call, and you will never leave us or forsake us, wherever you take us. And as we trust you, obey you, and stay in step with you, you will lead us into the fulfillment of both our destiny and your greater purpose. 

 

Galatians 5:25 “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

 

When Women Lead Well

 

I have been in church leadership, in some capacity, for more than 30 years. I don’t pretend to be a leadership expert, nor do I claim to have all the answers for women aspiring to lead. What I do have are lessons learned through experience.

Over the years, I’ve led a mom’s ministry, a women’s ministry, and small groups. I currently serve as an elder, I’m a former associate pastor, and my husband and I have been in ministry together for 20 years, leading a growing church. I also serve on the DOVE USA Apostolic Team.

Along the way, I’ve observed women approach leadership in very different ways. I’ve seen women who undermine teams and lose influence, women who hold leadership titles but lack respect, and women who lead with excellence, humility, and strength. I’ve learned from all of them.

This post is my attempt to offer thoughtful guidance for women who aspire to leadership—or who are currently leading and want to grow—without making it overly long or complicated.

Be a Team Player, Not a Lobbyist

One of the most damaging behaviors I’ve seen is when someone disagrees with a team decision and then attempts to gather support outside the meeting to overturn it. This erodes trust quickly.

Leadership requires the ability to voice your opinion in the appropriate setting—and then support the decision once it’s made, even if it wasn’t your preference. Quietly influencing others afterward is not leadership; it’s manipulation.

Say Yes When Opportunity Knocks

I’ve heard women express frustration that more women aren’t seen on church platforms, yet when opportunities arise, they sometimes decline—out of fear, intimidation, or insecurity.

While those feelings are understandable, they can’t coexist with a call to lead. If we desire influence, we must be willing to step forward when invited. Saying no to opportunities and then criticizing leadership for gender imbalance creates unnecessary tension and undermines credibility.

Tough Skin, Soft Heart

Leadership requires both resilience and emotional maturity.

If criticism devastates you, if offense lingers, or if emotions derail your ability to lead, personal healing must come first. Unresolved wounds will surface in leadership and affect your team.

Healthy leaders can:

• receive constructive criticism

• process disappointment without offense

• remain steady when things don’t go their way

Be a problem solver, not a problem creator.

Communicate Clearly and Calmly

Well-respected female leaders learn how to be direct and decisive without being domineering. They communicate expectations clearly, calmly, and concisely.

Unfortunately, our culture often celebrates strong personalities in men while labeling women negatively for the same traits. That reality makes communication skills even more important. Mastery of calm, confident communication allows a woman to lead effectively without unnecessary friction.

Additionally, if you are a female working with mostly men, remember that men often don't connect with lengthy, flowery monologues. They typically relate well to the get-to-the-point kind of communication.

One very practical suggestion: as women, we need to be aware of the tonality of our voices. When we become animated or passionate, our voices can naturally rise in pitch. If we’re not mindful, that higher pitch can come across as shrill, which may be distracting or off-putting to the listener.

Learning to regulate our tone—slowing down, grounding our voice, and speaking with calm confidence—can significantly increase our influence and help our message be received the way we intend.

 Stop Trying to Control the Outcome

If you have a strong personality, you may be used to pushing until you get the result you want. That approach does not work in healthy leadership environments.

Leadership requires submitting to process:

• No means no

• Wait means wait

• A decision means the discussion is over

Manipulation, pressure, and control will eventually cost you influence.

Be Confident in Your God-Given Abilities

When you are asked to do something you know you’re capable of, step forward confidently. Don’t diminish yourself by assuming someone else would do it better.

Likewise, when you’re asked to do something that feels beyond you, but you sense God’s leading, trust Him to equip you. Confidence isn’t arrogance; it’s coming into agreement with what God has placed inside you.

Don’t Blame Gender for Every Closed Door

If an idea isn’t embraced by the team, accept the decision with humility. It may not have been the right idea—or the right timing. Not every “no” is rooted in gender bias, and defaulting to that assumption can hinder growth.

Strong leaders learn to receive feedback without defensiveness.

Leadership Requires Listening

Some women with strong personalities are accustomed to dominating an environment, often unintentionally. While that may function in personal relationships, it does not translate well into leadership.

Leadership requires listening to multiple voices, receiving feedback, and valuing collective wisdom. What works in one context will not always work in the church or corporate leadership setting.

Final Thought

Healthy leadership isn’t about control, validation, or recognition—it’s about trust, maturity, and service. Women who lead well embrace growth, welcome accountability, and walk confidently in who God has called them to be.

Pure and Blameless

 

So, here I am early on a Saturday morning, with something burning deeply in my heart. Sleep won’t come because this thought is burrowing into my spirit.

Pure and blameless. Pure and blameless. Pure and blameless!

No catchy title, no eloquent wording. Just pure and blameless. This isn't a topic that typically attracts readers, but I will leave that in the Lord's hands.

Last night, I was crying out to God for the heaviness I was feeling due to recent revelations of moral failures among prominent Ministry leaders.

For the last few weeks, I have been studying Philippians, and last night I opened my Bible to Philippians again. It’s a small book, but twice it uses the phrase, pure and blameless. Those three words just jumped out at me.

Philippians 1:9-11,  And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 2:14-15, Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”

I feel this so deeply in my spirit; it’s like a fire burning in my belly, an inner groaning of wanting to personally walk in greater purity and blamelessness, and also wanting to see the Church walk in greater purity and blamelessness. I have been praying and interceding for purity of heart and purity of mind in my own life and in the lives of other Christ followers.

Being in Christian ministry has its challenges and can be very difficult at times. The wider your audience, the larger the target on your back. The attacking arrows come from the enemy of our souls and also from sideline critics.

Satan's strategy is to kill, steal, and destroy, and he will do anything within his power to stop the work of expanding the kingdom of God. He deceivingly distracts and destroys the work of ministry by enticing leaders with power, influence, success, and many other fleshly desires.

It is not my job or anybody else’s job to judge a person‘s heart; that is up to God. However, when we see a person’s actions that don’t line up with the word of God, then we can tell by their fruit whether or not they are walking in purity and blamelessness.

My heart is grieved by what I see happening in the Church today. The division in the Church does not bless God's heart. We are divided by political beliefs, social justice, theology, and denominations. Social media has created a platform for divisive slander and finger-pointing. I personally feel that unless we are actively involved in a situation, we should be very careful with our words, because we have no way of knowing what is true and what is being misconstrued in the scandalmongering of social media.

By no means am I condoning inappropriate, immoral behavior, especially in the church. Church leaders are actually held to a higher standard and will be judged more harshly by God. But I want to be extremely careful that I do not get involved with slandering someone when I have no idea if the allegations are accurate or true.

Pure and blameless. Pure and blameless. Pure and blameless!

Lord...

May our motives be pure and blameless.

May our discernment be pure and blameless.

May our ministries be pure and blameless.

May our personal lives, our thoughts, and how we spend our time be pure and blameless.

May the way we deal with accolades, followers, and platforms be pure and blameless.

May our thoughts, words, and deeds be pure and blameless.

May we exercise sexual integrity, guarding our hearts, our minds, and our actions, being pure and blameless before you, Lord.

May we put before our eyes no vile thing...being totally, completely, pure and blameless before you.

Oh God, we need more of you. We need more time on our knees and less time arguing, pontificating, judging, and finger-pointing. God, make us desperate for you and purify us to be the perfect, spotless Bride that you are coming back for.