Learning Lessons the Hard Way

Teaching. It’s what I do. During the week I am disguised as a high school teacher and on Sundays I teach a Sunday school class for women of all ages. My life is consumed with planning lessons and making sure my students comprehend whatever concept I’m presenting. High school is easy. I have state-mandated standards that I am required to follow to assure all students are being taught the same curriculum.

Sunday school is a little different though. Even though we have a set curriculum, teaching the Bible leaves a lot of room for life application. And life application is best taught when one has life experience to back it up.

For ten years I have been in leadership in women’s ministry - leading, teaching, and writing Bible studies. During those years I have poured my heart out to women encouraging them to keep their priorities in order – God first, husband second, children third, and then on to work, ministry, and other interests.

All the while I was teaching other women what to do, I’m not sure I did a very good job of practicing what I was preaching! You see, God has taken me down a path the last 3 years that I could have never envisioned, nor would I have gone if He had told me where we were going. My family experienced the economic crisis before anyone even mentioned the term “recession.” My husband lost two businesses in the process and our marriage was going right down with it.

After surviving one crisis after another, with each one individually being a major crisis by anyone’s standards, and making it by the grace of God, I have come to see God’s hand in the darkest of the nights. God faithfully provided financially for our family. He very intentionally placed mentors to encourage and guide me, and strong believers to intercede in prayer in the very midst of our shattered lives. Scriptures that I had known for years came alive as I claimed God’s promises with every breath I took.

Looking back over the past 3 years, I can see that God has taught me volumes about stewardship, forgiveness, and total dependence on Him, just to name a few lessons. Probably the hardest lesson I have had to learn is that I was not doing the very thing I not only knew to do, but taught others to do. We can’t always learn everything sitting in a Bible study. Sometimes we have to have the heart and physical experiences to go along with the head knowledge. By walking the road we have walked, my eyes have been opened to the times I missed ministering to my husband. My heart was opened to the times I placed ministry ahead of my husband and children.

I’m not going to back off from serving and using the gifts God has planted in me, but I am going to get it right this time. God is teaching me to re-evaluate and to be very intentional in where I serve – to balance meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of my family and to passionately fulfill my role in furthering the kingdom through teaching. When the lesson is all summed up, the final assessment is that I have realized to be the most effective and influential teacher, I simply first have to be a willing student.

Growing Up Into Him

As many of you probably already know, God has given me a great passion for women's ministry - including women of all ages - and especially the ones just a few steps behind where I am! Over the last few months I have watched time and time again on Sunday mornings as Bro.Tim baptizes former students of mine - or they join the church - or they have just came to faith. I have often lamented that I let many of my students slip through my fingers in the classroom - that I didn't live my faith out in front of them as I should have. God has impressed on me now that He is giving me another chance - this summer.

You are invited to join us this summer for the "Growing Up Into Him" Bible study. We will meet on 5 Wednesday nights this summer and childcare is available! We will have class on the weeks that Rebecca will be teaching the children ages 3 - 5th grade and of course there is always childcare for 2 and under. While this class will be directed at ladies younger than I am (and that's quite a few now! :-)) all are invited to join us and I always need extra words of wisdom. There will be no homework (Yeah?) but we will dig deep into God's word this summer to see what He has to say about several different topics:

"Growing Up Into Him" Ephesians 4: 15 - Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ."

Wed, June 10 - Intro, Testimony, Background, "Where did the time go?"

Wed, June 24 - "Serving, it's not Just for Tennis Players!"

Wed, July 1- "Tithing & Giving - Making Cents in God's Economy"

Wed, July 22 - "Dress to Impress - Our Outer Adornment"

Wed, August 5 - "Identity Theft - Taking Back Our Roles as Wives and Mothers"


We will meet from 6-7pm each week. If you are looking to grow in your faith, learn how to live out your faith in everyday life with real purpose instead of just coming to church on Sunday, and are looking for sweet friendship, you have found the right group! Please invite anyone you think might want to join us and of course email me if you have questions!

Praise of the Pines - Isaiah 55:12

Ever wondered why God put so many trees on earth? I think I have finally figured it out.

It's Isaiah 55:12 "...and all of the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Not only do the trees add beauty to the earth for us and provide us with natural resources (just for my economic students) but the trees exist to give praise to God. It makes me proud that Georgia has the 2nd greatest number of pine trees of all the fifty states!

Can't you just picture a couple of the tallest pine trees clapping their needles together and giving each other "knuckles" and "high fives" in praise and honor of the One who created them? Hey - maybe those "knuckles" and "high fives" are how the pine combs end up on the ground! What a thought!

So every time you see a tree swaying in the breeze (or a pine comb on the ground!) remember they exist for God's glory and return the glory back to Him. And guess what? So you and I are created for the same reason! Give up some clapping and high fives today in honor of the One who is worthy!

The First Step in the Right Direction

This week we began the Bible study, "The Frazzled Female" by Cindy Wood. About 25 or 30 ladies were willing to admit they were frazzled as they joined the class - including me the teacher! Our focus this week to begin "defrazzling" has been to make a conscious effort to have a consistent quiet time if we were not already, and if we were already having a quiet time, our goal was to really make it more effective.

Of course the place to begin was in Luke 10:38-42 with the story of Mary and Martha. After meditating on these verses the last couple of days, I really believe Martha started out on the right path. She welcomed Jesus into her home. That's really where we begin isn't it?

Welcoming Him into our lives - our marriages, our parenting, our careers, our relationships, our ministries...well, you get the idea. If you have ever heard me talk about my neighbors, you know that all are welcome on the culdesac. We are blessed with amazing friends around us - the kind you trust with the codes to get into your house. (I would say a key but Brian has never given me a key to this house!) We constantly borrow and share with each other - lawnmowers, milk, poundcakes, pools, children - even if the other one isn't home to get permission from, we know it's all good.

Welcoming....Martha started out right - she welcomed Jesus into her home. That word "welcome" translates "to receive." She "received" Jesus into her home. Wow...that makes a difference doesn't it? She didn't have a clue what she was really receiving.

The distractions came later so we'll talk about distractions another day.

For today - are you welcoming Him into every aspect of your life and your home? Are you receiving all He has to give?

A Cultured Pearl

Several weeks ago I attended a writer's conference at Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center, near Orlando, Florida, at the prodding of my husband Brian, and good friend Neal Cordle. There I met many amazing people - authors and editors alike - including an editor from Christian Broadcasting Network (cbn.com) who encouraged me to submit articles for publishing.

To my amazement, CBN accepted the first article I submited. It chronicles our struggle with Colby's poor eating habits. My purpose in writing this article was to encourage moms and give practical advice to those struggling with similar issues with their own children.

Feel free to share the article with anyone you think might benefit.

http://www.cbn.com/family/parenting/Griner_Picky_Eaters.aspx

Please comment your thoughts.