A Christ-Centered Christmas

Please pray for me tonight as I will share at a Ladies' Night Out on creating a Christ-Centered Christmas. I am very excited about this topic and sharing the ideas from women around the US who have emailed their own ways they make Christ the center of the season. I will be posting several ideas over the next weeks that were shared with me. I want us all to pray and ask God how He wants us to focus our homes, families, and lives on Him throughout the year and especially during the time called Advent that we celebrate His birth! Have a wonderful day!

Thoughts...

On my Google homepage, I have My Utmost for His Highest on there and it updates me every morning so that I can read it. Over the weekend, I did not read over the passages so I took a few quiet moments this morning to read them.

I have to tell you that BOTH of them were amazing! If you have never read this book, I highly suggest that you go to this site and read a passage each day. They are convicting and really hit home each day for me. I have my daily time alone with God in His Word (still in the book of Mark!), but I love reading Oswald Chambers and the challenges he gives to our daily lives.

Check out his bio below and then take a few moments to read the past few days passages. I pray that you will find a fresh conviction and challenge from God's Word and the exhortation of Chambers...I know I sure have!!!

Here is the link for daily devotions:

http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php


Oswald Chambers Story

Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was born July 24, 1874, in Aberdeen, Scotland. Converted in his teen years under the ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, he studied art and archaeology at the University of Edinburgh before answering a call from God to the Christian ministry. He then studied theology at Dunoon College. From 1906-1910 he conducted an itinerant Bible-teaching ministry in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

In 1910, Chambers married Gertrude Hobbs. They had one daughter, Kathleen.
In 1911 he founded and became principal of the Bible Training College in Clapham, London, where he lectured until the school was closed in 1915 because of World War I. In October 1915 he sailed for Zeitoun, Egypt (near Cairo), where he ministered to troops from Australia and New Zealand as a YMCA chaplain. He died there November 15, 1917, following surgery for a ruptured appendix.

Although Oswald Chambers wrote only one book, Baffled to Fight Better, more than thirty titles bear his name. With this one exception, published works were compiled by Mrs. Chambers, a court stenographer, from her verbatim shorthand notes of his messages taken during their seven years of marriage. For half a century following her husband's death she labored to give his words to the world.

My Utmost For His Highest, his best-known book, has been continuously in print in the United States since 1935 and remains in the top ten titles of the religious book bestseller list with millions of copies in print. It has become a Christian classic.

More thoughts...

Last night in bed, God brought more insight about yesterday's passage. He reminded me that in the times He seems to turning over the tables of procrastination, pride, self-centeredness, doubt, worry, and laziness and running out the judgemental thoughts, careless words, and impatience in my "temple"...He is teaching me more about Himself. He is reminding me that I am to focus on Him alone through prayer and His Word.

Last night, it was a wonderful reminder that discipline is good for my soul. He is not in a fit of rage and righteous anger (as I always imagined in my mind when reading this passage). He is purposeful and He is teaching. What an awesome example for myself. What a great reminder about discipline!

So, even if today it seems like the tables of your life are being turned over, that Jesus is running out the sin that so easily entangles, and He is blocking those thoughts, actions, and words that do not glorify Him in your life today. Take heart! Be encouraged! He is teaching us more about Himself...and ourselves. He is pointing us to Himself and teaching us how to be a people of the Word and of prayer.

That you Jesus for that reminder last night. Thank you for your Word and reminding me to be a woman of both your Word and prayer. When those things are first in my life...those strongholds must break down and evil will flee. Thank you for loving me enough to turn over a few tables in my heart today!

Mark 10:15-19

"And as he taught them..."

This is the story of Jesus reaching Jerusalem with his disciples and seeing the moneychangers and those selling doves in the temple courts. He drives them out and turns over tables and benches! I had read all of that and knew it well as I read over these passages. But, since I take the Word of God very slowly and meditate on each part of the passage, I saw something that I had never seen before today.

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As he turned over tables and benches and blocked people from carrying their merchandise into the temple courts...it says he taught them. That really made me think and meditate today. I had always thought of this time as Jesus really getting angry. In my mind I saw Him full of righteous anger...but very emotional and definitely NOT teaching these people. Oh, what a wonderful little insight I got today into my Lord Jesus.

Though He is disciplining...He is teaching. I need this lesson today! My life is a teaching lesson...in everything I do. Those around me (my children, friends, the lost world) should not see my life as simply an emotional reaction to life! As Jesus entered this situation, He took action to discipline and rebuke...but He was teaching them through scripture WHY He was doing this.

I had never seen that little phrase before and it really challenges me - especially with my own children. Lord, may I use each moment of discipline and rebuke as chance to teach my girls more about you through scripture. May I follow your example of teaching today. May I not simply live a reactive life...but a life rooted in your word that uses every situation to point people to You alone. Thank you for your Word today...it is my life!

Central Asia Summit!

On Thursday and Friday of this week, some friends and I headed to the Central Asia Summit offerend at Eastside Baptist Church. It was AWESOME! We had an amazing time of learning, interacting, sharing...and more learning! We each were challenged in many ways and encouraged to continue to reach out to those around us with the love of Christ.

This was a representation of a mosque. It has lots of facts about Islam. It was very informative. We had the opportunity to go to a session by an Iranian man who was a Muslim. He is not a believer and he came to share his story and all about Islam. It was great to hear from someone who was raised in that religion and who still ministers to those in Central Asia. It was a powerful time.They had several "snapshots"of Central Asia all over the buildingwhere we could learn all about life in the countires found there. This is a yurt and I decided that I could SO live in a yurt! I could so dig the nomadic lifestyle.This was a room that impacted me the most. We entered this room and there were walls filled with black squares. On those squares where people groups all over Central Asia. They told the population and the number of believers. Most of the had populations of around 1 million with 0 believers. It made me cry as I walked to each square and prayed over them.

This was in the center of the room. It symbolized the thousands of people...with only one light glowing. The rest of the candles are waiting to be lit. It was a powerful symbol to me. That night Paula, Rhonda and I went to a Muslim tea. It was for all the women to attend and it allowed us to learn about Muslim women and how we can love them. We each got to have a scarf to cover our heads as we entered. We took off our shoes and found a table (on the floor) where we sat and met with a woman who lives in Central Asia. Our hostess ministered to the Afghan people. She shared tea and life with us.

This was an amazing event and I can't wait to have one of my own very soon! I love tea and it reminded me that as I share tea...I can share LIFE with ladies. I am praying that God will show me those in my apartment complex and neighborhood and community that I can share LIFE!

It was a great Summit and I am challenged again to reach out daily with the love of Christ. Right now I am memorizing and trying to apply Mark 10:43-45:

"If any among you would be first, (s)he must be a servant. If any among you would be great, she must be a slave to all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many."

For the past 2 weeks, I have asked God to make this true in my life EVERY day. Moment by moment He is putting this question in my mind:

"How can I serve ____ today?"

This is asked about my husband, my children, my family, my church, my friends, and those I come into contact with each day. It is a HUGE challenge! I am finding how much I desire to be served each day. But, God's Word is refining that part of my life day by day. I have been on that verse for 2 weeks and I am still working on making it an active part of my life. I love the Word of God!!!

Thanks Shannon, Paula, and Rhonda for sharing this awesome weekend! It wouldn't have been the same without you guys. What a blessing you are to me!

Central Asia Summit

Today I am headed with 3 other ladies to the Central Asia Summit. This is going to be a wonderful time of focused time learning about the Muslim influences in that area. We will have the opportunity to meet many people in that region and also attend several Equipping Tracks. We choose 4 tracks that will help us to learn about the roles of women in that region and ways we can become Kingdom Women.

I am thrilled to be going with some wonderful friends and hearing from Paula Hemphill as she and her daughter are a big part of the women's track they are offering. They also have an amazing Muslim Women's Tea experience tonight! This is a way that we can focus our prayers on the Muslim world as we pray for Jesus Christ to become a treasure to them. We ask that the veil of unbelief be lifted from their lives as we focus on ways to interact and share with Muslim women. We want to "Share Tea & Share Life" with them!

Please keep us in your prayers as we attend this summit. We desire that God speaks personally to each of us. We know that God's heart is for the nations and we want to be a part of that heart this weekend...and every day!

Mark 10:43-45

"But, whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be a bondservant to all. For even the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and be a ransom for many." Mark 10:43-45

Am I more concerned with being served today or serving others?

Am I truly a bondservant to all?

Do I truly seek to serve in every area of my life?

Is my service motivated out of a love of Christ and a joyful response to His death for my sins on the cross to pay my ransom?

Am I humble enough to serve even when I am not served?

Do I seek first to serve in my marriage...or to be served first?

Am I a servant in parenting my children?

Am I serving others in my job out of an overflow of a gratitude for the way Christ chose to serve the world by His death and Resurrection?

How am I being a bondservant to all...those around me today that I come into contact with all around me?

Take time to confess the areas of your life where you desire more to be served than to serve. Confess pride and selfishness. Allow God to penetrate your heart and life with His Word today. Enjoy applying His Word to your life and meditate on it all day today! May you be satisfied in His Word this morning in order to truly become a servant to all!

Thrive!
Frances

Georgia Baptist Convention

Today was a great time of fellowship as a friend and I attended the annual Georgia Baptist Convention Ministers' Wives luncheon! We enjoyed a wonderful lunch and a table full of ministers' wives that we were able to meet. We also had a great music group from Hebron Baptist Church called By Design that shared in song and Anne Wright brought a message of God's provision in suffering.

Please keep me in prayer as I was presented as president-elect for the GBC Ministers' Wives for 2009 and will become president in 2010. It is a privilege to serve the ladies of Georgia and begin to mobilize them for missions! I also got a special treat by getting to see Barabara Curnutt again today at the luncheon. She was there to represent WMU and Women's Enrichment Ministries. I just love her and her heart for women in missions!

Thank you for constantly supporting this ministry in prayer. God is connecting so many women to dive into His Word and to minister to the world! I am so thrilled to know these women and to serve them. It was a wonderful luncheon and completely sold out attendance was awesome!

Great Meeting!

Today I had the amazing opportunity to meet with Paula Hemphill, Beth Ann Williams, and Barbara Curnutt from the WMU and Women's Enrichment today. Paula had set up this meeting and we had the best time sharing and brainstorming how to mobilize and minister to the women of Georgia...and the world! These women are leaders in women's ministry for the Georgia Baptist Convention and work passionately to love women.

It was awesome to sit and share with these ladies for over 2 hours! We had Bibles out sharing verses that God had placed on our hearts, shared our stories and passions, looked at the hard facts about where women are in our country and world are right now and how we can minister and mobilize them for Kingdom growth!

I look forward to what God is up to in 2009 and 2010 through these partnerships. We will be working on a few things that are in the "embryo" stage right now to truly give women a place to minister to other women personally. I am very excited and honored to be among such passionate women!

Barbara was truly a gift! She and I connected in an instant and I look forward to working and learning with her. She already has blessed my life!! It was wonderful to meet Beth Ann and we have 2 girls about the same age. It was wonderful to talk openly about women our age and how to encourage and exhort them! As always, it was great see Paula and reconnect after our recent trip to Poland. Happy Birthday, Paula!

Please continue to pray for me and Desert Flower Ministries as we see where and what God has for us in the coming years. He is placing me in new areas among awesome women that I will glean so much from. I just pray that I can be a servant in some way to these ladies as they share with me the needs of Georgia.

Have a great weekend!
Frances

James 3: A Story

This video was produced by Desiring God Ministries for a conference called "The Power of Words and the Wonder of God." My friend Chad placed this on his blog and I was blown away! I was convicted of my own use of words and my worship of God. I pray that this will touch you as it did me today.

Rejoicing on election day!

I sent out a wonderful God-centered article on voting last week to several of my friends. I will share it below. It conveys the exact discussion Jay and I had last night together on our home date night. Today, some will be happy and some will be disappointed in our new president. But, this is a wonderful opportunity to show the world that God is our true King and He is in control! We can trust in His plan...not one of a president.

Our job is to be faithful in our freedom to vote in a way that we believe lines up with God's Word, and then place all our faith and trust in God alone! So REJOICE today! Rejoice and be glad even if those you voted for do not win this election. God is seated on His throne, high and lifted up!

Take time today to read 1 Samuel if you get a chance. Take notice of how David responds to Saul and the attitude of his heart. It's an amazing challenge to us right now! God's Word is so very relevant, isn't it? I am SOOO grateful that we have been walking through these passages in our LIFE group for the past month, and our group of ladies are ready to rejoice in God alone today! We know that God is the one who orders our steps and our lives. What a peace that passes all understanding!

Take the chance today to share that joy with someone...trust me everyone will be talking about it today:) Be a little salt in an uncertain and fearful world. Walk in faith...because that alone pleases God. Enjoy today and take time to share the Prince of Peace, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords with someone else today. What a great God we serve!

Please take a moment to read this article:
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2008/3347/

Rejoicing on election day,
Frances

Prayer Item

Please keep me in your prayers this week as I am honored to meet with the WMU executives on Friday with Paula Hemphill. I know it will be an amazing time of encouragement as I hear how God is moving among the women of Georgia! I know that God has a unique plan for women reaching women both in this country and across the world. I am so grateful that God has allowed me to be a part of that vision.

So, keep me in your prayers as I meet with these wonderful women and that God would show us direction in mobilizing women for kingdom growth! Thanks to all of you who intercede for me and this ministry. You are a blessing!

Thrive!
Frances

2 Samuel 2

Take time today to read 2 Samuel 2.

What are some things that stand out to you personally about this passage?

Look closely at verses 1-4.

What about this conversation draws your attention?

I love the fact that David inquired of the Lord...and believed that He would answer him! And God does answer Him directly! How precious is the honor of prayer and talking with the God of the universe!!!

I walk early in the mornings...it is my favorite time of the day. I love being outdoors and I almost burst literally from trying to drink everything of God's creation and world in! I ask Him every day why I can't just bottle it up and enjoy it all day long...ah, the voice of a true addict! And every morning He replies to my request...then you would worship that feeling instead of ME...and He is right.

During these walks each day, I pray for 30-40 minutes talking with God about those things that are on my mind, my agenda,and my heart. Now, you have to understand that though I have been deeply entrenched in God's Word for 6 1/2 years consistently...I have struggled with intercession and prayer.

But, now during these walks I have experienced time with My Father in such a powerful way. I talk to Him and day by day I hear His voice answering. He convicts me, rebukes me, encourages me, and teaches me. He is real in those times of prayer and that changes me each day.

Today, perhaps you are like me and have struggled to pray as if God really hears and answers. Take encouragement from David in this passage and believe Him! He will answer...maybe not in our time or the way we would like! Let's make sure today that we are seeking God's direction in our day. Let's feast on His Word and talk with Him about those questions, hurts, frustrations, and confusing things we are going through today. I love to hear God answer His children and this passage reminds me that He is personally involved in this relationship!

2 Samuel 1

Hi ladies! I pray that you are allowing God's Word to fill your cup daily through His Word each morning. I am enjoying the book of Mark in my personal time with the Lord, but also enjoying a look back at 1&2 Samuel too.

Take time today to read over 2 Samuel 1. We are traveling along with David's life and see now that he finds himself in deep loss in this chapter over his beloved friend Jonathan. But, we also see him mourning over Saul...the man who hated him.

Look specifically at verse 24.

What do you notice here?

I am still amazed at David's heart. Saul wanted to kill David. He sought every way to hunt him down and kill him...yet here David is telling Israel to week over Saul because he was a wonderful provider and protector!

What perspective! I was challenged by that today. I pray that today I will follow Christ's words when He told each of us to love our enemies and to do good to those that desire to hurt us. That takes putting aside our rights, pride, selfishness, and emotional outbursts in order to truly love others the way Christ loved us.

Take time today to look at the way you view those who are not kind to you or treat you unfairly. Do we truly follow Christ in loving those who hate us...and do good to them? David honored Saul during his life and even now in his death. He showed love to Saul even when Saul was plotting his death!

Ask God to change that heart attitude in your life today and allow Him to bring His love to those unkind and hurtful relationships. He will do it!

Encouragement from long ago...

I read this devotion this morning from My Utmost for His Highest. It not only challenged me, but also was so encouraging! This was written years ago...and still it resounds in our own ministry today. Our call is THRIVE each day of our lives, instead of surviving it by the daily power of God's Word in our lives.

There was nothing of the nature of impulsive or thoughtless action about our Lord, but only a calm strength that never got into a panic. Most of us develop our Christianity along the lines of our own nature, not along the lines of God’s nature.

Impulsiveness is a trait of the natural life, and our Lord always ignores it, because it hinders the development of the life of a disciple. Watch how the Spirit of God gives a sense of restraint to impulsiveness, suddenly bringing us a feeling of self-conscious foolishness, which makes us instantly want to vindicate ourselves. Impulsiveness is all right in a child, but is disastrous in a man or woman—an impulsive adult is always a spoiled person. Impulsiveness needs to be trained into intuition through discipline.

Discipleship is built entirely on the supernatural grace of God. Walking on water is easy to someone with impulsive boldness, but walking on dry land as a disciple of Jesus Christ is something altogether different. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, but he "followed Him at a distance" on dry land ( Mark 14:54 ).

We do not need the grace of God to withstand crises—human nature and pride are sufficient for us to face the stress and strain magnificently. But it does require the supernatural grace of God to live twenty-four hours of every day as a saint, going through drudgery, and living an ordinary, unnoticed, and ignored existence as a disciple of Jesus. It is ingrained in us that we have to do exceptional things for God—but we do not. We have to be exceptional in the ordinary things of life, and holy on the ordinary streets, among ordinary people—and this is not learned in five minutes.

Thrive!
Frances

Foundation Bible Series...launched!

First, I want to thank you for your prayers while I was in New Mexico this past weekend. It was a wonderful time with a totally terrific group of women. They were truly a blessing to me and I pray that I get to see some of them again one day! I will begin to share a few recaps of the recent retreats as soon as I can so that you may see the fruits of your prayers. Please know that you journey with me each time and you are a vital part of this ministry!

Tonight, I was thrilled to join a group of ladies that are going to be going through Foundation Bible Series for the very first time!!! What troopers they are:)

Ginger and I have been working, praying, and writing for almost 2 years on this series and we are giddy with excitement to finally share this with real women! We can't wait to start the journey!!

Please pray for us as we take this journey, and let us know if you have a group that would be interested going through this series. We have lots of detailed information on this site under resources that introduces this approach to studying God's Word. We will be taking a ride through the book of Genesis and I promise it will be unlike any journey you've been on before!

Please let us know if you have any questions that we can answer about this study and we look forward to sharing more as we continue!

Thrive,
Frances

Please Pray...

Tomorrow, I will be heading to New Mexico to lead a retreat. I am thrilled to have the chance to share with this precious group of women who have been going through Satisfy Our Souls for the past 6 weeks. I am coming to wrap up their study and to take them to the next step!

Please pray for safe travel, wonderful fellowship, and good rest for everyone! This is a longer retreat and I won't be home until Sunday night. I pray that each of us will encounter the power of God through His Word this weekend.

Thank you for your prayers and support. You are such a blessing to me...

Thrive!

Frances

Poland Recap #3

After we had a wonderful lunch, we headed to meet the pastor and wife that had partnered with our friends to reach outo Olztyn with the love of Christ. We were invited into their home, which was part of the church. It had one room that had a bed, table, and a wardrobe. It also had a small desk on the wall and a HUGE wall heater (they are very big over there because they burn coal). Then, the other room was a small kitchen with a tiny bathroom attached. That was it...and she is pregnant with their first baby!

They brought us into their home and served us food fit for queens. She had baked an amazing cake with fabulous hot tea (I was in heaven in Europe because they love hot tea more than I do!). It was on china plates and so beautiful. She was the picture of a servant.

And she had two little helpers who were 8 years old. They are two little girls who come to the Sunday School that they have in their bedroom while the parents are upstairs in the one room church. They served us tea and cake. They took the dishes away and washed them while we talked. They were the sweetest little girls and you could tell that they had learned so much from their mentor!

Arent' they just the cutest things ever? All three of them! She and her husband had just been voted on to take over the pulpit from the pastor (in the photo above with them) who is retiring. But, he still remains a mentor to the family.

Then, after hearing about their ministry and a few songs from the girls that they learned in Sunday School (video below), we headed off to meet some people in his church. They had invited us into their meager homes with love! It was awesome!!

Home after home were heard amazing stories of God's love and how He is working in Poland. We were offered amazing dishes and lots of tea...much to my delight!! This is a very traditional dish called Bigos...made with sauerkraut and vinegar. It was yummy! But, my favorite food from Poland were the Pieroges. Wow are they awesome!

After we had made several visits, we headed back to their little home and found his wife (I am not using names because I don't want to compromise their ministry) had gone to pick mushrooms...in the wild. Now, this woman had baked a cake, was disciplining young girls on how to serve and show hospitality, is a pastor's wife...and the girl picks mushrooms to cook with! It puts American women to shame...or at least puts me to shame! May I remind you that she is PREGNANT!

They have a beautiful garden in the back of the church where she grows much of their food. They have bees for their honey and apples, pears, etc to eat. She is the proverbs 31 girl!

Then, as if her day hadn't been long enough...we all load up in the van and go to meet this precious women. She is the "mayor" of this town. She is not a believer, but was extremely open to God as we met and shared with her. She invited us into her home and allowed us to share our hearts with her. It was all in Polish and was a wonderful night just to see and hear the missionaries share in Polish...and translate for us at times. We look forward to what God is going to do through those relationships He is bridging.

We fell into bed that night and were grateful again for Aletha's hospitality. Her home was a haven to rest and unwind after such a busy and terrific day!

This video is precious. You may remember the song that says:

"Read your Bible, pray everyday, pray every day, pray everyday

Read your Bible, pray everyday...and you'll grow, grow, grow.

Don't read your Bible, forget to pray, forget to pray, forget to pray.

Don't read your Bible, forget to pray and you'll shrink, shrink, shrink."

This is that song in Polish and shows how sweet their little Sunday School class must be. You can see in the video that the outside of the wardrobe is used as a Sunday School board and their bed is where the kids sit. It really showed me that ministry is our of their hearts and serving God is the center of their lives. I am challenged by this young couple.

Poland Recap #2

After we spent 2 days in Prague, our team got up at 3:30am and headed to the airport to fly to Krakow, Poland. We got there just in time for church (in Polish) and met lots of great people! We were very tired, but enjoyed the service. That night, we went back to the church for the International service. This consisted mostly of English speaking Polish people and the personnel that lives and works there. Our team helped with Sunday School for the children. It was great to spend time with their kids and it was wonderful to have 2 retired teachers on our team! Kay and Lynn did wonderful and I enjoyed playing with the kids.The next morning we were off to the train station to ride to Olztyn. We were to meet and see the ministry that is going on in this extremely Catholic area of Poland.We were met by the Olztyn team ladies and a wonderful meal made for us by one of the journey girls. It was a great time of fellowship, prayer, and encouragement. We were blessed to stay that evening (Paula and I) with Aletha who is in the front in the green. This is her apartment and she graciously opened her home to us! We had Internet, wonderful food, and great talks. We loved Aletha!!!The next morning we went to the site of the only Vatican approved sighting of Mary in Poland. We got to see first hand the hold the Catholic Church has on the people of Poland. Many in my family are Catholic and I was raised in the Catholic church. It was a personal journey of prayer for those in our world who are not in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

This was the plague that was found at the sight of Mary.
At this location you can see the people gathering the holy water in bottles. Some even used their empty Dasani water bottles. Several literally bathed themselves in the water that they believed sprang from the ground in front of the tree Mary was seen in.We then walked into the church that was erected near the tree. Here you can see the machine where you pay to have "candles" lit for those you are praying for and those you love.
After a time of prayerwalking in this area, we headed to a beautiful sight for lunch! It was an amazing place with authentic food and wonderful flowers. It was quite chilly that day and it felt like fall! They were even filming a Polish cooking show that day...it was that pretty of a spot!

Prague

I began my trip with Women of Hope from Atlanta and flew directly to Frankfurt, Germany. I arrived and had about 5 hours before I got a chance to meet the Women of Hope team! It was wonderful to finally meet women I had been having conference calls with for 6 weeks! It was awesome to put faces with the sweet voices!

Then, we all boarded a plane and headed to Prague in the Czech Republic. This is where we would have the chance to hear about what God is doing in the Central and Eastern Europe area. We enjoyed time of fellowship and had the chance to be trained in the history of the CEE region.

We also had the opportunity to prayer walk the Prague area. It was a powerful time! I loved hearing from the leaders of this region personally and to hear their hearts for God's glory.

Afterwards, we had the opportunity to see the city and enjoy the beauty of this area. We went over the very famous Charles Bridge. It was absolutely gorgeous!

Here are some of my precious sisters on Women of Hope! We had such a great time getting to know each other and sharing Christ with those around us!

Prague is a beautiful city filled with wonderful old buildings and architecture. But, it is also full of people merely interested in money, themselves, and "religion." The apathy here was truly obvious as we prayer walked and as we heard from the field workers here.

Though the city has many statues of religious events and people, there is still a disconnect from the vibrant relationship Jesus offers each of us. He promises us we can have life to the full...but most people here are just living for self and claiming religion that is merely on the outside and not the inside.

It was wonderful to be a full team for the two days we were in Prague. The next morning, our Poland team had to get up at 3:30am to board a flight to Krakow, Poland! It was like we never went to sleep because Prague is a city that never sleeps like New York. And in Europe, many places do not have air conditioning (like our hotel) and we slept with the windows opened and heard the LOUD party each night! So, we were pretty tired our first few days there.

But, the fellowship was so sweet and our prayer time together as a team was wonderful! I would not be able to see these ladies from the other teams again, because I left directly from Krakow to head to Disney to be with my family. So, these days were precious and too short!

This Weekends Event

Hi Girls! Please pray for me as I am headed to Alabama to lead a ladies retreat for Liberty Park Baptist Church. I will be sharing in sessions from Satisfy Our Souls on Friday night and Saturday. They are looking to begin the study in the Fall after the retreat so I am excited to share and get to know each of these ladies.

I will be posting reflections from my trip to Poland beginning on Monday. I have been busy preparing for this retreat and processing all that God did there and I am anxious to share with you. Thank you for hanging in there with me as i have been very busy the past few weeks with travel, beginning homeschooling, and preparing for two upcoming retreats. I want to thank each of you for praying for me while i travel and encourage women to thrive in this life instead of survive it!

I love you all!

Weekend Reading!

Hey girls! Well, this weekend...you have more reading. Next week, starting on Monday, we will be in 1 Samuel 7...I know it's crazy! I can't just skip around like that, so I wanted you to get a jump start on your reading.

You have today, Saturday, and Sunday to read chapters 4-7. Take time each day to read a chapter. Journal your thoughts and answer these questions:

What sticks out to you in this passage?

What do you think God is saying to you personally today through these verses?

How will you be different because of what you read today?

How will you apply this to your life today and everyday?

Have a great weekend in the Word! You will be ready for Monday's devotion...I'll see you then!

I love you...

Thrive!
Frances

1 Samuel 3:19- 4:1

Quiet your heart before God today. Allow Him to clear your mind of the things to be done today...and focus on Him alone.

Read 1 Samuel 3:19- 4:1.

What are your thoughts on these verses?

How do they apply to your life today?

How will your life be different because of what God spoke to you today?

Samuel continued to grow in the Word of the Lord. His words affected those all over Israel!

Take special time today to think about how you are growing.

In your journal, reflect on what God is teaching you. Share how He is changing you and how you are growing in His Word. Reflect on how God is changing you.

Allow today to be a time of recounting God's goodness in your journey. Share also the areas you feel God is wanting you to grow more. Give Him those areas so that you may THRIVE in this life...in every thing!

I love you girls...

Thrive!
Frances

1 Samuel 3:15-18

Happy Wednesday to you! It's the middle of the week, and many times this is a day where we are feeling the pressures of the week. Take time to release the cares of today and allow this time to be calm. Allow God to give you a peace and ask Him to speak clearly to you through His Word today.

Read 1 Samuel 3:15-18.

What do you think God is saying to your own life today?

How will your life be different today because of what God has said to you today?

Sometimes it is hard to share with others about God isn't it? It's hard at times to share what He has said to our hearts because we are afraid that they won't understand. We are afraid of what they will think of us. We are worried that they will reject God and us if we share our hearts.

Samuel was afraid to tell Eli what had happened. I can relate to that! Can't you? Many times as God is changing us, growing us, and speaking to us we fear that others will not understand. We fear that they will think we are "Jesus freaks" or are religious fanatics. We are worried about how this will affect our relationship with those we love.

But, that is exactly what Satan wants us to fear. It is true that some people around us will not understand. Others may reject us. But, God will take care of our every need! Journeying with His is never an easy road, but it is the ONLY one that will truly satisfy our souls. Satan wants you to fear being alone and rejected...when the Truth is that you are loved and redeemed by the Almighty God of the universe!

When Samuel spoke up...Eli responded in confirmation! He tells Samuel that it was the Lord and that He would do what is good! How true this is.

So many times I miss the JOY of sharing with others because of fear! I'm wanting people to like me more than I want them to know the goodness of God. There are times when I am just thinking about messing it up, letting God down, turning them off forever, or just worried they will think I am a freak. I hate to admit that, but it's true!

Today, I am reminded that I need to walk in faith and courage! I am a child of God and He is the one who will do what He thinks is good. I must simply obey! I must share His love and Word with those around me as He leads. I must not believe the lie of fear anymore!

Take time to share your fears with sharing His love, salvation, and Word with others to God. Allow Him to speak personally to you right now. Ask Him for courage to live in FAITH today!

I love you girls...

Thrive!
Frances

1 Samuel 3:7-10

Start your time with prayer. Ask God to speak to you today through His Word. Open your heart and mind to His transforming power.

Read 1 Samuel 3:7-10.

Share what pricked your heart today through these verse.

What word(s) stick out in your reading?

What do you think God is saying to you personally through them?

Today we are going to follow the advice of Eli for our own lives. We are going to spend today listening to God. We have heard from Him through His Word, and now we want to hear from Him personally as we apply Truth to our lives today. Spend this time in a place where you can listen to God. Open up your life and allow Him to change, heal, and cleanse you in a fresh way.

Journal about your time and share it with us in the comment box!

I love you girls...

Thrive!
Frances

1 Samuel 3:1-6

Welcome to another week! What a wonderful day to begin with God's Word filling us to overflowing. Please begin today worshipping God for all the wonderful daily ways He speaks to us. Thank Him for His Word!

Read 1 Samuel 3:1-6.

What are a few things that touched your heart through this passage?

What verse(s) meant the most to you today?

Why?

What do you think God is saying in your life today?

How will your life change today because of this passage?

The Lord was talking to Samuel and he didn't even know it! Now, we all might be shaking our heads and laugh at the how dense Samuel seems to be. But, I know that I can relate to this situation in my own life!

I know there are so very many times when I know that the Lord is speaking to me...but I look to other people! For most of my life, God would use people around me like wonderful teachers, preachers, conference speakers, worship leaders, and friends to speak His Word to my heart. But, instead of running to God and sitting at His feet, I ran to MORE conferences, church services, worship experiences, and Bible Studies. I wanted to hear a person...instead of hearing from God myself.

Samuel thinks he is hearing from Eli, but actually He is hearing God's own voice. We hear His voice each time that we open up His Word. He speaks directly to our hearts and changes us daily if we meet Him there.

Have you ever wanted to put a person in God's place?

Have you wanted to hear what a person has to say instead of hearing from God's Word yourself?

Do you spend more time sharing with others what is going on in your life than with God?

Take time right now to talk to God about those things. It's not that Samuel was trying to run FROM God...he was just running TO the wrong person. We must spend every morning running TO God!

Thrive

Hello From Poland!

Hello friends.....I am trying to post updates from Frances, but I am having a hard time getting them from the e-mails to her blog. Sorry for the crazy spacing! Please keep Frances and her team in your prayers!

Mary




> Hi everyone! I am writing to you today from Krakow, Poland. We got up at
> 3:30am this morning to catch a flight to Krakow, Poland and we arrived
> just in time to head over to a Polish church service! Needless to say, we
> all were extremely tired, but had a wonderful time worshiping with them.
>
> We had a great lunch and have now settled into an apartment that is using
> as an office also. We have the windows opened (they don't use air
> conditioning over here anywhere) and everyone it sleeping with the breeze
> blowing. I just took a short nap, and couldn't wait to send you an update!
>
> We have had a great time so far! I am only sad that I won't get a chance
> to meet back up with the entire team in Prague for debriefing...because I
> will be leaving early to meet my sweet family in Disney! I am VERY excited
> about that!!!
>
> I will catch you up...
>
> Thursday:
> I set out on my 10 hour flight to Frankfurt and had a great flight! It was
> so cool that God sat me next to an Indian man from Hyderabad...the only
> Indian city I have ever been to! And the neatest thing was that he totally
> witnessed to me! He was bubbling over and turned to me to see if I knew
> where I would go if the plane didn't make it to our destination (I was a
> little worried he knew something I didn't!).
>
> I got to Frankfurt perfectly and had a 5 hour layover until I met the rest
> of the Women of Hope team. We enjoyed a few short moments to chat...and
> then headed onto our final leg of the flight to Prague (Czech republic).
>
> Friday:
> We got to Prague (gorgeous from the air and on the ground!). It has the
> precious red roofs and lots of farms...but them all of the sudden Prague
> shows up! It a great city filled with old and new.
>
> We got through customs with everyone's luggage and then headed to the
> hotel. We went to dinner together at a nearby mall and got to know our
> field personnel! They are amazing and we love them!
>
> Saturday:
> We headed over to the city center and met for our Central & Eastern Europe
> overview. We learned about the strategy to share Christ with this very
> atheistic (though they claim to be Roman Catholic sometimes) city. We
> heard from all the regions personally from field personnel from the Baltic
> region, Russia, and our region which includes Poland. It is a vast land
> area to reach with the love of Jesus Christ!
>
> We then prayer walked parts of Prague! It was quite powerful to see the
> city and to see the vast apathy to spiritual things. We then took the
> evening to sight see and enjoyed a great Czech meal.
>
> And that brings up to today! We have gotten very little sleep due to the
> constant party that is going on in Prague at all hours of the night! It's
> like trying to sleep in New York City with your windows opened!
>
> Prayer Requests:
>
> Pray for good sleep tonight as we have a hectic week ahead and are already
> starting out very tired!
>
> We leave tomorrow on the train for Olzsten. We will be on the train for 7
> hours leaving around 9:55am. We will be meeting with more people sharing
> Christ!
>
> We have 2 women whose luggage has not arrived so please pray for them as
> they are only dressed in church clothes...pray that it comes quickly!
>
> We have a busy week...so please pray that we stay focused on God and what
> He is doing in this amazing region of the World. May He alone be our sole
> desire!
>
> I am so grateful for you all! We are now in a place where we can send
> emails (except for tomorrow and Tuesday while in Olzten). So, I'll try to
> email again soon to give you an update and new prayer requests. I love you
> all and thank you so very much for you support on this journey!
>
> Thriving in Poland!
> Frances
>

Weekend Reading!

The way this new curriculum works, it doesn't work through the entire book of 1 Samuel chapter by chapter. But, I don't want you to miss out on any of the wonderful verses! So, on the weekends, I will give you some reading on your own to prepare for the coming week.

This reading will not be applicable to Sunday's lesson...it is in preparation for Monday and the week following. It will just be like getting ahead! Monday - Friday's devotions are to prepare you for discussion on Sunday...the weekend reading is just if you want to read through all the material!

Read 1 Samuel 2.

Enjoy...

Thrive!
Frances

Frances is in Prague

Hello dear friends. Frances has safely arrived in Prague at 5:30 (11:30 AM Eastern Time). All is going as planned....so far, so good. Please keep her team in your prayers. I will post any updates as I receive them.

1 Samuel 1:20-28

Good morning girls! Start your time with prayer. Concentrate today on your family in prayer. Take special time to take the needs of each member before the Lord. Share all your hopes, desires, concerns, and worries with God this morning.

Read 1 Samuel 1:20-28.

List a few things that really speak to you today in these verse.


What do these things say to you...how will your life be different because of what you read today?

What is God saying to you about your own family?


There is so much in this passage! It would take us a week to look at all the wonderful things in these verses. But today, we are going to focus on how Hannah literally gave over her only son to God's service. She gave him to full time service at the temple with Eli.

Can you imagine that? Can you imagine leaving your only child...the one you had desired and prayed for so deeply? Can you even begin to think about how Hannah felt as she walked away from the temple leaving her little boy there...for good?

What an example to us! Even if you don't have children, we all can glean from this passage. God has to be the one who completely fills us...not our families, husbands, children, co-workers, or friends. We must be willing to leave those people in the Lord's hands and trust Him with their care. He loves them far greater than we could imagine. His love is perfect for them. His love satisfies them completely.

The greatest way we can truly love those around us, is to trust them to a perfect God. Hannah leaving long prayed for son at the temple, is an example of how we should leave those we love the most in the hands of God. We can trust Him to do the very best. Though, many times it doesn't LOOK best to us! Each day, I'm sure Hannah didn't FEEL like leaving her beloved son was best. But, she knew that he was where God wanted Him.

Are there people in your life that you are holding back from God in your heart?

Do you trust Him with those precious people?

Take time right now to release your lack of faith right now. Believe what God tells us in His Word...that He loves us all so much that He sent His only Son to die for our sin! What an example of love and pain. Thank Him for those relationships, but allow God to be your only source of satisfaction today!

1 Samuel 1:20-28

Good morning girls! Start your time with prayer. Concentrate today on your family in prayer. Take special time to take the needs of each member before the Lord. Share all your hopes, desires, concerns, and worries with God this morning.

Read 1 Samuel 1:20-28.

List a few things that really speak to you today in these verse.


What do these things say to you...how will your life be different because of what you read today?

What is God saying to you about your own family?


There is so much in this passage! It would take us a week to look at all the wonderful things in these verses. But today, we are going to focus on how Hannah literally gave over her only son to God's service. She gave him to full time service at the temple with Eli.

Can you imagine that? Can you imagine leaving your only child...the one you had desired and prayed for so deeply? Can you even begin to think about how Hannah felt as she walked away from the temple leaving her little boy there...for good?

What an example to us! Even if you don't have children, we all can glean from this passage. God has to be the one who completely fills us...not our families, husbands, children, co-workers, or friends. We must be willing to leave those people in the Lord's hands and trust Him with their care. He loves them far greater than we could imagine. His love is perfect for them. His love satisfies them completely.

The greatest way we can truly love those around us, is to trust them to a perfect God. Hannah leaving long prayed for son at the temple, is an example of how we should leave those we love the most in the hands of God. We can trust Him to do the very best. Though, many times it doesn't LOOK best to us! Each day, I'm sure Hannah didn't FEEL like leaving her beloved son was best. But, she knew that he was where God wanted Him.

Are there people in your life that you are holding back from God in your heart?

Do you trust Him with those precious people?

Take time right now to release your lack of faith right now. Believe what God tells us in His Word...that He loves us all so much that He sent His only Son to die for our sin! What an example of love and pain. Thank Him for those relationships, but allow God to be your only source of satisfaction today!

Please Pray!

I am leaving for Prague and Poland tomorrow at 6pm! I am very excited to meet my team members and look forward to putting faces with voices I have shared conference calls with for the past 2 months.

I will be posting my prayer guide that will be sent to us today! This will guide you to pray for me and the team as we encourage women leaders in Central and Eastern Europe. Thank you for joining me on this journey!

I am now trying to operate 3 blogs! I forgot that I didn't post the devotions in 1 Samuel here this week! I am so very sorry! I will be posting them back to back so that you can read what I have posted on my Life group blog this week.

I will not have Internet access this coming week, so I can't answer emails. I will miss the contact with everyone, but look forward to hear what God is up to in your lives when I return!

So, enjoy several back posts from 1 Samuel today...take them day by day! Enjoy God this week!

THRIVE!
Frances

1 Samuel 1:1-2

Take a few moments today to quiet your heart in prayer. Find a quiet spot that you can steal away and focus on God and what He wants to say to you today. Open up to God as you would a loved one sitting with you over a steaming cup of hot tea. Rest in these moments knowing that God loves you and desires you.

Read 1 Samuel 1:1-2.

What sticks out to you in these verses?Look at the words..."And Hannah had none."

How do you think Hannah felt?

What are your thoughts on this situation?

Hannah didn't have children while her husbands other wife did. We know that in Biblical times barren women were ridiculed and seen as less important than those who could give their husbands children. But, even today as women it would be difficult to not have children if we desired that in our lives. Can you feel the weight of those words now..."and Hannah had none"?

You may have children today, but there is something in all of our lives that we desire. Perhaps we desire love from a parent that we have "had none" growing up. Maybe we desire a godly marriage that doesn't exist right now. We might desire a thriving spiritual life.What do you deeply desire that you do not feel that you have right now in your life?

We must take that opportunity in that desire and need to fellowship with God in prayer over that. We will see the passionate prayer that came from a desperate desire in Hannah's life. We will see that Hannah took that desire to God with a groaning so deep that others thought she was either insane or drunk.Take time today to those deep desires to God. He will answer you. He will change you. He will give you the desires of your heart...either through a "yes" or by filling your heart with Himself so that your desire is met.

Journal a few moments on your own personal thoughts. What is God saying to you right now? What desires do you need to share with Him? Allow Him to fill your cup today!Share your thoughts with us! We want to hear from you today. Encourage us with what God is saying to you!I love you all and will miss you terribly! Thank you for being in this class and for sharing your life with me. I am so glad God has brought us together for this journey in thriving everyday!

THRIVE!
Frances

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!

Please Join My Prayer Team!

I am excited to share a wonderful opportunity I have been invited to be a part of September 4-15th. About a month ago, I was invited by Paula Hemphill, Women's Mobilization Director for the International Mission Board, to join their vision trip to Central & Eastern Europe (CEE). I was humbled and thrilled to be asked to join this group of women's leaders from around the United States.

The reason I am writing to you all today, is that I greatly desire your prayers as we prepare to leave, while we are traveling, as we minister there in Central & Eastern Europe, and as we travel home. Many of you have journey with me to India and Africa and I covet you each as not only friends but partners along the road!

This trip is designed to meet the many regional officers positioned in the Prague, Russia, the Ukraine, and Poland. Our group of 14 will travel to Prague to meet those who are in leadership over this vast region and hear about all the things God is doing. We will be blessed to meet women who are making an impact all over CEE!

After we have met and ministered in Prague, we will divide into smaller teams and leave for our specified regions. I will be with Paula Hemphill in Krakow, Poland for the remainder of the trip. We will be working in the rural areas with women and ministering to the poor of Poland. We will also have the opportunity to prayer walk in Auschwitz, Poland and meet with various ladies who minister among the Jewish people.

Finally, I covet your prayer covering as I will be speaking at a women's conference in Krakow while we are there. I am seeking God's guidance on the words that He would have me bring to these precious women. As you can see, I will need you to work over time!!

Here is a quick list of my prayer needs at this time:

*Glory be brought to God only through every day we prepare, travel, and return!
*Focus personally on daily devotion to God's Word, prayer, Bible study, and witnessing.
*Increased faith that God will provide the financial needs for my trip.
*A continued spirit of unity in our group...as we will not meet until we arrive in Prague.
*Travel mercies and health from September 4-15th.
*Opportunities to encourage, exhort, share, minister, witness, and love those of Central & Eastern Europe.
*Divine appointments throughout our journey!
*God's Word to be proclaimed through me as I speak to the ladies of Poland.

Thank you so much for joining me again on God's journey! I am so blessed to have people like you in my life. I am humbled at the support and friendship you have been!
If you have any questions or comments, please email me at frances@desertflowerministries.com. I look forward to sharing what God does in the days ahead!

Sorry for the delay!

I am so sorry for the delay in posting! For some reason I have not been able to access my blog dashboard for this site. But, my husband figured it out and I am so grateful! Thank you for hanging in there with me while we got this fixed!

I am so thrilled that in two weeks we are starting our new ladies' Life Group called Thrive! at Noonday Baptist Church! It will be an amazing time in God's Word with worship and small group discussion. We are all getting pumped up about it as it gets closer! If you or anyone that you know is interested in this class, please contact us on the contact page. We would love to get you more information about this.

The kickoff is August 10th, so please lift us up as we get ready and get the word out! We've already had emails and interest in it...so we just can't wait to start! I will have a Desert Devotion tomorrow as I get back into life after ICRS. We are still catching up and processing all that God did there. He has taught me so much about Himself and His goodness through this summer. I can't wait for the fall!

Thanks for traveling this journey with us. Leave us a comment anytime to let us know what God is doing in your journey today...I'd love to share that with you!

Blessings,

Frances

Desert Devotion: July 21, 2008

"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you." Matthew 25:24-25

As I was reading and studying this very familiar parable this morning, God was so gracious to point out something new to me! As I looked at the response of the last servant who only received one talent and went on to bury that talent of money instead of investing it, I saw that he was afraid. He shared that he saw a skewed picture of his master and he was afraid. So, he hid the money (a talent is about 20 years of wages for one man) in the ground until his master returned.

So many times in my life I have found myself afraid of doing something wrong, sharing the Gospel in the wrong way, and disappointing God. So, in those times I seem to just freeze. I don't do much of anything...for fear of doing anything wrong. But, that fear is wrong!

God has given us a gift more valuable than any wage for a job...no matter how large! He has given us eternal life through Jesus Christ. He has given us a gift that changes not only our live here daily, but our eternal destination! We can not be afraid, because the battle has already been won and Jesus Christ was victorious over sin.

When we have a correct view and faith in who Jesus Christ is and what He his worth is, then we will cease fear and run boldly to those around us to share what He has done. Today, as I looked at my own life, I see traces of fear. After experiencing such a powerful week of God's grace, leading, blessing, and glory I came home and was in fear! I was afraid of God leading places I was too scared to go. I'm not speaking of locations I fear...but of what God is giving me to do while I am here on this earth. Things I know I can't do and that is scary in my flesh. That is where I struggle...in feeling overwhelmed by God's goodness to me.

But, today I saw the horrible result of fear. It chokes out those precious blessings God gives. It angers God because it keeps me from living the life of faith that pleases Him. It affects the witness I have. It's sin.

Today, I am seeking to live a life of faith. I pray that I will be faithful in little! I pray that I will exchange fear for faith today! The Master is coming back and I want to be multiplying His kingdom in faith. May I share boldly today...

ICRS Recap

Well, I have caught up on some much needed sleep and spent tons of time with my girls over the past 2 days (though Anli came home sick...she is much better now). I have cried (in the good way over God's kindness to me) and spent time in God's Word processing all that happened this past week.I don't think I can go over everything, so this will be a simple recap of the week. We were so very busy that we forgot to take pictures most of the time! I know, I'm not sure what happened to my brain. But, I did get a few that will help me share about the week.

Sunday was an amazing day of worship! We enjoyed challenging words from Anne Graham Lotz about keeping Jesus the focal of our lives, ministries, and jobs. It was great to get the chance to meet so many people and worship with them. There were over 50 countries represented at this convention! What an opportunity to see a little glimpse of heaven as we worshipped together raising hands and lifting voices to God Almighty!

I told you that as I went to the restroom before the service began...I met with Karen Kingsbury and her mom. We visited for a while and enjoyed sharing what God was doing in our lives. She was truly amazing in her humility and love of others (see former post).

That night we went to a concert that featured Nicole C. Mullen. They had lots of artists share about the power of music in their lives...along with retail owners who shared stories about people who were affected by the music lyrics of certain song. It was very powerful to hear those stories and worship together again. Nicole sings "Redeemer" here and it brought the house down!

OK, you HAVE to get this CD when it comes out. This band is a family who are all classically trained musicians...two from Julliard. They sing and play all sorts of instruments desiring to "bring the Renaissance of music back to the church. " They are the Annie Moses Band and their Christmas CD is due out in November.

Jeremy Camp was awesome and the testimony he has of loosing his first wife is inspiring to us all. He was much more than a musician...he was an encourager.The floor was always buzzing as over 10,000 people, 500 retailers, and 50 countries were represented. It was organized chaos...and so much fun!

This is just one of the numerous examples God gave me to individually share His work in my life and our ministry. This sweet lady ran up to me after the book signing was over and asked if we could talk and if there were any books left. God truly blessed our time. I will share tomorrow the amazing things God taught me this trip. I have shared a few things and I want to expand on those deeply. I have been changed by those things God shared with me. This is photo of the intimacy God brought to such a huge convention.

Here is the only photo of any book signing. This was the last lady that came through...and Jay was able to run out of the booth and get a photo of this sweet lady. It was really busy during both signings (we signed over 150 books in one hour...that's about 1 book every 15 seconds). So we didn't have time for photos and videos. It never even crossed our minds! We were just so thrilled to have the honor of meeting that many people and talking with them for just a brief moment. It was humbling and joyous to see God's work all over the globe!