Blog craziness!

I am so sorry that I have been so long in posting! Girls, I have started a new ladies only Life group called Thrive! This is the first ladies only Life group and we are having a great time. We started with 9 ladies the first Sunday and added 5 more the next and last week we added 3 more! We are going to have to move rooms in our first month of meeting together!

We are about to start our new curriculum called Explore The Bible. We will be studying 1 & 2 Samuel and I can't wait! Right now we are in Exodus 16 really getting passionate about being in God's Word every single day of our lives. We are reminding ourselves that our cup must be filled every morning with God...or else we will try to shove something or someone else into that place. They don't ever fit! Our ladies got their very own "cup" last week to put beside their beds or next to their sinks...or on top of their alarm clocks to remind them to start their mornings filling their cups with God!

We all know it's not going to be easy. But, after 6 1/2 years of feasting on the "manna" of God's Word and my precious time with Jesus every day...I will never be the same!

What does all this have to do with my not posting here? Well, I began a blog for my class to walk the journey of gather manna together! I am now taking our Sunday lessons and doing a daily devotion for the ladies to study each day. We don't want to just show up on Sundays dry as a bone! We want to be THRIVING every single day! Our blog is:

www.thriving365.blogspot.com.

So, this blog will mirror our class blog. You are welcomed here...and there! But, I must warn you that you will see the same material in each place. Starting Sunday, we will all be journeying together through 1 & 2 Samuel. I can't wait!

I must warn you that I will be in Europe for 10 days...and then in Disney. My plan is to prepost (automatic posting) for the times I will be out of internet access. I pray that it works like I plan! So, let's get going together!

Today I received an email from the group in Poland where I will be speaking on September 13th has a woman who translated Christian books into Polish. So they emailed today and asked for permission to translate Satisfy Our Souls into Polish! I was so excited!!!

So, I have been busily on the phone to find out if we can get that to them before I go in TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY! I still can't believe that it is already upon me. But, God is so awesome to work all these things for His glory! It continues to show me day after day, that He is doing more than I could think or imagine. I could never come up with the connections and things He plans...and that puts me out of the picture and Him in the spotlight! That's exactly as it should be.

On Sunday, we had the Lord's Supper and something very interesting happened to me. As I heard the words about the body and the blood I began to literally yearn to be with Christ! I have always known that to be with Christ in heaven is the ultimate hope...that it is truly gain. But, I can say for this was a times that tears flowed because I physically yearned to see the Christ I have loved for so long.

These past 6 years daily in the God's Word have done something amazing...well lots of things that are amazing! As I have read, studied, prayed, and applied God's Word to my life every day Christ (the Word made flesh) has truly become the love of my life. I mean that.

I didn't set out to "fall in love with Christ." I didn't set out to know more about Christ. I didn't set out to be more like Christ. I started out DESPERATE. I clung to His Word because I had tried every other Bible study, conference, church service, worship CD and friendship. They didn't work! I started out starving and dying of thirst. Then, day after day I began to be quenched by the Bread of Life and the Living Water...Jesus Christ.

As tears flowed on Sunday, I realized something very important had happened. I had begun to hunger and thirst for Christ. I was completely shocked...isn't that crazy? It's just that day by day eating the manna of God's Word gave me a craving for only Him. It's been hard. It's been long...and continues daily until I meet Him face to face. But, it's been perfectly enough...just right!Sunday was a treasured day for me. I could truly drink that little cup of grape juice and the little white cracker...in remembrance of Him. Because I have walked and talked and cried and laughed and sang and danced and mourned and rejoiced and learned and been rebuked by Him day after day. What a journey! What a ride!

I can truthfully say that I physically yearn for seeing this Christ that I have loved for so many years...I can't wait. But, until then...I will remember Him. Not just with the juice and the crackers a few times a year, but every moment I open my weathered Bible and hear His familiar voice rush over me.I remember You, Jesus with all the love I can understand. You are truly the Word made flesh. What a gift to love you and remember you.

Atlanta Live Information

Many of you have asked me what channel that Atlanta Live is on for your individual cable or satellite companies. The producer emailed me some information on that yesterday. Here are the channels:

Comcast - Channel 2


Charter - Channel 13/14


DISH - Channel 97


Direct TV - Channel 57

That is the information that I have right now! Thanks for praying for me this week...it has been great to know you are lifting me up. What a blessing you are to my life!

Atlanta LIVE: Thursday 7-9pm

Please pray for me as I am doing a live TV interview on Thursday, August 21 from 7-9pm. It is on Atlanta LIVE channel 57 WATC. They take 7-9pm each night to interview authors, artists, actors, leaders, etc. Someone met me at the International Christian Retail Show and passed my name along as a potential interview.

Please pray that I will speak clearly and that I will listen closely to what God has to say throughout my time there. I am humbled and thrilled to be able to share the journey God is taking myself and our ministry on with others.

Thank you for continuing to journey alongside this ministry. God is moving daily and I am just hanging on for the ride of a lifetime! Your ride looks different, but it is awesome too! Know that though our lives may look very different, we can THRIVE each day through the power of God's Word in our lives!

I pray that your week is beginning in the power of God's life-breathing words. If not, I encourage you to make it a priority today! You won't be sorry!

Blessings,
Frances

Desert Devotion: Matthew 26:74

"Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!"

Matthew 26:74

Father, my heart grieves for those all around this world who "don't know the man." Lord, I know that there are days after days that my life calls curses down on myself and swears to those all around that "I don't know the man."

Lord, please forgive the times that I fail to share the Good News of your gospel with those around me. Forgive the times when the foolish ways I spend my time tells those around me that I truly love myself and this world more than the things that are eternal. Please forgive the people I neglect due to busy appointments, phone calls, emails, blogs, and mindless time stealers. Lord, I am nothing without you!

Lord, as I hear the desperation in Peter's voice and see the anger welling up inside of him, I remember that you had amazing things planned for this man. This was a great sifting...of things that had to go. Lord, I know that kind of sifting. I have felt that full shaking of my world and the detestable things that it brought to the surface.

Thank you Lord for still loving me. Thank you for always forgiving me. Thank you for scandalously using me day after day in your work. Thank you for sifting those things that are literally ruining my life out of me every day and replacing them with your life-giving Word. Oh, how I cling to it moment after moment. As I breathe in and out it cleanses me. Without you I am nothing at all.

Father, may I learn afresh from this passage and have eyes for those who still today truly "don't know the man" who gives us life and breath and our being. I love you Jesus...may my life reflect that today.

In Christ's name...who is Author and Perfecter of our faith...amen.,

What Jesus Demands from the World

I am in the midst of reading the book "What Jesus Demands from the World" by John Piper. There is a quote that I simply want to share with you that I have been reminded of each day...

"The entire life and work of Jesus is one great argument why we should listen to his word. Page after page of the New Testament Gospels pile up reasons to turn off the television and listen to Jesus (pg. 56)".

What a conviction! What a challenge! What a Truth! I have been in the book of Matthew now for over 3 months. I have been in Matthew 26 for about 8 days and I am quickly approaching the crucifixion of Christ. I am now sitting beside Peter as he has followed Jesus at a distance and is sitting among the guards. This passage rings in my ears today:

"Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end." Matthew 26:56-58

Peter has heard the words of Jesus day after day. He has followed Him, seen Him transfigured in all His glory, broken bread with Him, loved Him, shared his home with Jesus. Yet, at this point he follows at a distance...sits among the guards and waits to see the end.

I pray today that I would not follow at a distance. I pray that I would cling to the life-giving words of Jesus Christ. I pray that I will turn off those distractions and attention grabbers of this world and listen to the words of Christ again and again and again. I pray that I would be changed moment by moment by those words.

I confess that all too often I hear His words and see His power...but am found following slowly, lacking faith to walk beside Him down the road to sacrifice and death. I simply want to take my seat and wait to see what will happen before I go jumping out in faith. I wait to see the end.

Today, Jesus reminds me that I HAVE seen the end! I have the precious Bible that is the full revelation of the story! I have seen with eyes of faith his life, death, and Resurrection. Yet, I must allow that to propel me daily into a life that walks in step with Him instead of at a distance. I can walk in step with Christ because the battle has been won...the story is victorious...I have seen the end!

Today, I pray that you will join me in turning from those things that grab your time and attention and listen to Jesus. Today, don't follow at a distance. Don't let His words fall on you today and remain unchanged. Let's walk day by day in step with Jesus as we listen intently with ears to hear! That is my prayer today!

Desert Devotion: Matthew 26:56

"But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled." Matthew 26:56

Father, today help me to not desert and flee because of the things You reveal about Yourself in Your Word. Lord, please may I read Your words and love them dearly...not because they are easy and appease my flesh, but because they are freedom and life. Jesus, please help me to remain in You daily by loving and savoring Your Word.

Your words rebuke me, discipline me, challenge me, and train me. None of which are easy to bear each day, but each are necessary to run the race You have marked out for me. Lord, bring me to the end of myself through Your words. Challenge those thoughts of You that make You small, manageable, trite, and powerless. May I look deeply into Your words and see the heart of my Savior. May I delight in them day and night, day and night, day and night.

Jesus, I am sorry when You speak Truth into my self-ridden life and I run as far away as my bonded feet can carry me. Forgive me when I shrug it off, make it common, and simply live as if I had never encountered it. Help my faith to increase so that I can stand and obey even in the face of difficult trials and tribulations. May Your Word be my foundation when the storms come and rock my world.

Lord, thank You for living Your life as the Word. Thank You for showing me that through You all things are possible. Thank You for giving Your life so "that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." May my life also resound that...

Desert Devotion: Matthew 26:40

"And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping." Matthew 26:40

The past two weeks have been a restful change for our family. We have slowed down from the crazy months of June and July. We are enjoying August as our last month before our online academy starts in the middle of September. I have joyfully slipped back into the quiet life of a stay-at-home mom.

But, as I got up early this morning to spend time with the Lord before church He spoke to my heart about something I have known was brewing in my life. Tears are forming in my eyes as I write this because of the struggle.

I this passage the disciples were asked repeatedly by Jesus to stay awake and pray with him. He would steal away during those time to pray privately with his Father only to return to find them sleeping soundly. He again would ask them to awaken and pray...to be diligent about the relationship and request He had made of them. But, when He was away they would return to their slumber.

**(this was deleted accidentally earlier!)***

I love being at home. I enjoy the times where we play together, relax together, and worship together. I love being a stay-at-home mom...and I have over the years begun to really love that God has, for now, called me to homeschool. So, when the days are calm and I am able to just spend the days and evenings with my family and friends...I deep down inside begin to slumber a little bit in the ministry area of my life. Sometimes, I wish it would all go away sometimes and I could stay snuggled in my home life all the time. I cuddle in and want to pull the covers over my head and let the ministry part of my life take a good long nap for a while.

But, when I get in that car or plane and begin ministering to women all over this globe...it is like a yoke that I was created to wear...just like that yoke of being a wife, mother, friend, and church member. They both fit so perfectly and I am totally in the Spirit attending them both. I don't understand it, but am working to walk this journey in faith believing it is possible. I am striving to believe what our mission statement is for DFM...that I can THRIVE in them both...as long as the Lord leads.

So, as I see those disciples falling asleep in their commission to pray with Jesus...to join Him where He leads...I relate. They had just been a part of a very intimate time filled with love and passion as they observed the Lord's supper with Jesus. But, as the meal came to an end, the hymns were sung, and the others headed home...Peter and the sons of Zebedee were asked to join Jesus in another mission. They were asked to go a little longer to another place. But, they missed out on this journey with Christ because they were sleeping. They missed the chance to pray with Jesus!

I don't want to be a woman with two different identities. I want to be a woman that joins Jesus in the comfy, intimate, loving times where I am with those that I tenderly love the most. But, I also want to be wide awake when Jesus calls me to join Him in a mission to strengthen my sisters whom I love so dearly too...no matter where that is!

I know you each deal with this type of thing. We all struggle to live in balance! We are wives, mothers, co-workers, friends, siblings, children, church members, ministers, students, etc. We all juggle staying attentive to Jesus in all those areas, I'm sure. But, let's seek to allow God to keep us THRIVING in each instead of slumbering in one or more of those areas. I want to be wide awake for whatever Jesus is up to...or whatever He asks for me to join Him in doing! I don't want to miss a thing!