Another check off my 'to do' List!

I will never forget how I felt when I stepped onto the stage to speak at my first ever Women's Tea. I was asked to speak (along with my best friend) by my dear, precious Jean who was my spiritual mentor for many years when I attended my church in my hometown as a youth, teen and young married woman. She is the "mom" of the High School ministry then and still serving the Lord in that ministry as well as the Women's Ministry Director.
The first time she sent me the email asking, "Do you speak?" I had to hesitate and really think about what my answer was going to be. I have done almost everything in my ministry and Life Coaching biz that I had sought out to accomplish, all but one thing I had on my "someday I will do" list. That was to "speak at a Retreat or Women's ministry event".  When I wrote that 'to do list' I was writing it stating my dreams and goals and what I felt God is calling me to do, not because I felt worthy, equipped or able to. To be quite honest, I am not the best at getting up to a microphone at all, and to be really honest, I don't think I should be on a stage speaking, I feel I stutter a bit, I know I ramble, and I also am aware that I have a little stage fright.
Well, I finally responded to my dear friend and spiritual mentor and told her, "yes!" I will speak for their Tea. Then I asked her after I said yes, how many women will be there in attendance? She told me roughly 200-270. My mind immediately went to "wow Lord, I was thinking 20-40 for my first speaker invite, not almost 300!" I then got instant butterflies in my stomach and also floods of doubt mixed with total and complete joy! I started to pray about this, and asking God to confirm to me that I should still do this.  I was searching for a scripture verse or passage to encourage me about this leap of faith, with mostly the feeling of thinking I should back out, for I began to compare myself, beat myself up about the many reasons why I am not capable or able to speak publicly, until the Lord did end up confirming it with the following verse at that moment in Jeremiah 1:9, "Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, "behold, I have put my words in your mouth." At this moment I realized that He was going to guide and direct my note taking, my ideas of what to share on the stage with the women. I felt a sense of peace, joy and excitement for my faith, my story and my passion for ministry. I re-wrote my entire 'speech' and allowed the Holy Spirit to breathe in me as to what to prepare for my 20 minutes on stage.
When I got to the day to be a part of this event ministry, I was introduced and all fear and anxiety left me, I got on stage and shared my new "notes" from my heart. I know I was rusty and new, and I am sure it showed, but suddenly I didn't care. God had taken over, he was showing me what to say and I real and raw in my life's journey.
I share this story with you because I feel very passionately that we have to write out our dreams and passions and always challenge our faith. If I had said "no" to this Tea speaking invitation, I would be giving in to fear and lack of confidence. In Proverbs 29:18 it says, "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained." Also, in Habakkuk 2:2, The the Lord answered me and said, Record the vision and write it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run."
We have to write down our visions, our dreams and keep checking them off one by one when we accomplish each one. If you doubt yourself, it's not of faith, we are meant to get out of the boat of fear and plunge into the waters of faith.
What is on your check list of passions and things to accomplish for His kingdom, for your own personal growth or life? Why not start today with the list!

Making the Choice to Rejoice

                                                   
                                                        

Phil 4:4 says: "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say rejoice!" In the original language this is written in the imperative, meaning that it is a command, not simply a suggestion, or an option. It is an act of our will, not merely an emotional response. So what does it mean to rejoice? How can we rejoice even in the midst of extremely difficult circumstances? I look forward to hearing some of your thoughts and encouragement on this subject over the next few weeks. In looking up the word rejoice, I found that it means to "take joy in something or someone, focus on the joyful aspect of something; to enjoy." The verse says rejoice IN THE LORD. We may not be rejoicing in a circumstance, but we can rejoice in the Lord in the midst of that difficult, by focusing on Him and His unchanging character. When we choose to do this as an act of obedience to Him, He gives us true joy. ALWAYS really does mean in every circumstance. When we choose to praise Him, we invite His powerful Presence into our circumstances. "He inhabits the praises of His people." He will use even our suffering for His glory of we are faithful to obey Him in the midst of it. What are you facing today? How can we encourage you to rejoice in the Lord? 
By Katherine Fellrath
(blog contributor from Choosing Joy Women's Ministries)https://www.facebook.com/pages/Choosing-Joy-Womens-Ministry/199338723598608

Diary Of A Retired Homeschool Mom

I will never forget a meeting I attended in the 90's. My son was only 2 and I went to a "home school mom support meeting." I sat there along with my sister Cathy. She was looking into the possibility of home schooling for her daughter Sarah. Sarah was 5 and going into Kindergarten. I have to be honest, I immediately was turned off to the idea of ever homeschooling my kids in the future based on this meeting. No offense, and I don't mean to judge off mere appearance, but this was the scariest meeting I had ever attended! All the moms looked very depressed, they seemed over-worked and stressed out, wearing no make up and hair was tied up in ponytails or at least that is what I remember. I recall saying as we exited the church building where this meeting was held, "I will NEVER home school!"
Jumping ahead a whole decade to about 2004, I found myself in a situation where the only choice for our family was to home school. Our move to Southern California, the new schools and different curriculum and my husband's new job with tough hours made it very apparent that this was the direction the Lord was leading me to. I sincerely always looked at myself as someone who couldn't do something like that, and after all, I was the one who was scared to death of it after that very strange meeting in the early 90's that had stayed with my all these years.
I recently graduated my youngest son from High School, and homeschooling is over. Reflecting back the 9 years of devotion to my son's education through home school were the best years of my life.  To think that I thought I would hate it, wasn't cut out for it, wasn't smart enough to do it, all I used to think was can't, won't, don't. To my surprise my disbelief  my insecurities turned into being the most interesting, fulfilling, joyful, intriguing, life altering, educational and spiritual times of my life!

Is there something you are saying a big fat NO to? Be careful, because the very thing that intimidates you could soon become your best attribute yet. Never doubt yourself, or maybe I should say, be prepared for a journey down a path you always thought was not for you. Most of all, trust in yourself to try new and challenging things, and don't judge a book by it's cover, or at least a meeting by your first impressions!

Verse of encouragement: Hebrews 10:35-36 "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."