Busy, Happy Woman LLC

Have you ever experienced someone "throwing up" on you? I'm not talking about someone who is sick. What I'm talking about is the person who starts a conversation and spends the next 15 or 20 minutes telling you all the mess that is in their life. They barely take a breath between sentences and they have no intention of letting you say anything. They don't want advice or anything related to common sense. All they want to do is "throw up" and when they are done, they walk away and leave you questioning "What just happened?" The Bible tells us to confess our faults and to pray for each other so that we can be healed (James 5:16a). There is a godly purpose behind these kinds of conversations. Sharing our struggles and praying together gives us the strength to overcome the struggles. This one of the benefits of having other believers in our lives. We hold ourselves and each other accountable.  Confession with accountability is totally different than...

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13 NKJV) is often misquoted by believers. The context is frequently one in which the believer is encouraging themselves related to a task that is proving challenging. The thought is that everything will work out the way they want it to because of Christ's presence in their lives. However, when one reads the verse in context, we come away with a very different perspective.  Faith is not a "magic wand" that causes God to do whatever we want. When we read the verse 12 we find that the Apostle Paul lets us know what faith really is. He speaks of being brought low ("abased") and of having abundance. He reports he has learned in every situation, whether he has more than enough or if he hasn't had a meal in a while; whether every need is met...or not...that he can make it! Through his faith in Christ.  Faith is not about getting the answer or results we want. Faith is about believing t...

Today our congregation celebrated my husband's 21st year pastoring and my 7th year pastoring alongside him. Twenty-one years as a pastor is remarkable and especially so because my husband has NEVER received a salary. He has always worked fulltime along with pastoring. I also work fulltime and pastor. We know our members care about us: they went all out to demonstrate what we mean to them. We walked into the sanctuary that had been transformed for the celebration. Love was obvious in every detail. The order of service included a poem, praise dance, Bible verses recited from memory from the youth, and three "mini sermons" from out ministry team. The presence and power of God was palpable. After worship we were given gifts, an offering (that we KNOW was a SACRIFICE), and a delicious dinner had been prepared. We were so blessed by everyone's participation and all the effort that was obvious in everything. The most precious part of today however, was not in the preparation...

"And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone." Matthew 14:23 KJV One week ago I left home frazzled. The increasing demands of work, and my commitment to ministry, had me running at top speed for several months. When I started my SUV to begin the eight hour drive to Ohio, my prayer was "Lord, please bless my time away." The Lord heard my prayer and answered in a way that was beyond my expectation--the way God always does. Last year, one of my daughters had decided to "up-size" and bought an older home that had been designed by an engineer. The home includes a sunroom with a vaulted ceiling, skylights, and windows that give a panoramic view of the large back yard. I saw the sunroom when my daughter first moved in. What I saw when I arrived this time was a true transformation: the best word to describe the transformation is "sanctuary." Everyday since I arrived...