women's ministry in my life...

This morning I will be speaking at our church women's brunch.  Here is a summary on what I'll be covering...

freedictionary.com defines ministry as: the act of serving.  So women's ministry would then be the act of serving women.  I believe this includes women both inside and outside the church.

Ministry isn't something that happens at a certain time, place, or event, but it's something that we are... our lives are ministry. Ministry isn't about a program or formula, but about using our creativity and gifts for the good of others.

Ministry may take the form of hospitality, it may be organizing a group of people together, it may be sharing the Gospel, an encouraging word, or meeting the needs of someone we encounter along the way of our everyday life.  We are all ministers of the Gospel.

I was asked to share some examples of what that looks like in my life, how I do ministry, and stories of that playing out...

Here are a few examples from over the years of how I've organized groups of women together;
-used to hold a monthly Craft Night where ladies could bring their own project to work on while enjoying food and conversation with each other... since this was not held at my house I was comfortable advertising this on Craigslist, flyers in coffee shops, open FB groups etc.
-I used to organize the ladies from our community group used to get together once a month for some sharing/ encouragement/ girl time without having the guys around... this has gotten a lot less frequent as our lives have gotten more busy, and most of us have had children, but we still try to do it when we can
-we host singles/ couples in our home for dinner on average of 1-2 night a week
-most weeks I plan a weekly zoo or Chick Fil A trip for stay-at-home moms and their kiddos to get together
-organize groups of women to attend a local Turkish Cooking Class... all of the women who teach these classes are Muslim, and open to inter-faith dialogues, so over the years several of us have had the chance to share the Gospel with some one these women, and if nothing else educate each other on our beliefs, culture, etc. and tear down some of the negative walls that exist between Muslims and Christians, particularly American Christians
-ladies board game nights at our house
-yearly ladies blueberry picking trip to a farm on the Northshore
-send weekly texts to ladies from our community group and our Pastor's wives to encourage them and find out how I can be praying for them
-Bible studies

I also know of ladies who have organized artists retreats, running groups, worship nights, and various other events.  I know a stay-at-home mom who bakes goodies every Monday morning to send to work with her husband for his co-workers, to her kids schools for the teachers, and to leave in the mailbox for her mailman.  I know a group of young adult ladies who got together and started their own monthly breakfast cafe for the homeless in New Orleans, where people are served restaurant style.  Get to know your neighbors and the people around you... bring housewarming gifts to new neighbors, Christmas or holiday treats to your neighbors.  There are no limits to the creativity of how you can bring people together or do ministry... work off of your talents, passions, interests, and skills.  Not everyone is a planner/ organizer, so organizing big groups of people won't be for everyone, but each of us is equipped with some gifts to use.

For me, this looks like taking my son to the parks in our neighborhood, going on walks through the neighborhood and engaging our neighbors in conversation.  Knowing them, and knowing their needs.  Over the last few years my neighbors have continued to warm up to us, at first they wouldn't even let me in their homes, and now they invite me in and give me hugs and kisses.  This has brought up several opportunities for ministry... my husband has had the chance to pray with multiple neighbors over the last month.  Our community group has provided Christmas dinner for 3 of my poor neighbors for the past 2 years.  Because we know them, we know their needs, and we are able to meet their needs provisionally, emotionally, and spiritually.  One former neighbor used to come over almost weekly for tea, and would comment to me that I was the first neighbor that she had who actually tried to get to know her.  I would text her weekly when I was going to the grocery store to see if she needed anything, and sometimes pick up additional items for her while I was there. 

Also, one encouragement that I've learned from... it's not about numbers.  Don't get caught up in worrying about how many people come to each event, remember the shepherd would leave the 99 to go after the 1 who was lost.  A few years ago, one craft night that I hosted, only 1 person showed up.  I was defeated thinking that it was a failure, basing my "success" on numbers, but God knew exactly what He was doing bringing only 1 person there that evening.  And after some crafty time with the 1 lady who did come the Lord gave my friend a huge burden to confess to me a particular crippling sin/ stronghold in her life and I had the opportunity to encourage, speak truth to, and pray with her right then and there... all of which would not have happened had other people shown up that night. 

Often as women we can tend to be a Martha and not a Mary... to get caught up in the wrong things... the plans and details, rather than our relationship with Christ, and to others.  Plans and details are good, but Christ is better and the only thing that is important.  It's not about having the perfect event, the food, decorations, activities etc., it is about having the Holy Spirit, in a relationship, listening to Him and His promptings and using our passions and giftings for His glory, wherever we are.  It's about doing all that we do to the glory of God, in relationship with Him, being His Light to each and every person we encounter and being faithful stewards of every resource He gives us.

It's about being fully present, available, and engaged where we are, and not adding more activities to our calendar.  It's about having the margin and time in our schedules to be the church, and not about having so many church activities on our schedules that we don't have any time left to be in the world.  It's about being in our neighborhoods, offices, places of interest (gyms, spas, restaurants etc.) as ambassadors for the Kingdom, as Light in the darkness.

35 weeks

 (sorry for the blurry picture)

Here is what is going on with Elisha this week according to babycenter.com;

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Your uterus — which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived — now reaches up under your rib cage. If you could peek inside your womb, you'd see that there's more baby than amniotic fluid in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your other internal organs, too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and may be dealing with heartburn and other gastrointestinal distress. If you're not grappling with these annoyances, you're one of the lucky few.

From here on out, you'll start seeing your practitioner every week.

So I haven't been as regular as keeping up with this as my last pregnancy.  I guess my busy 2 year old, and the baby I watch keep me more busy than my 40 hour a week job during my last pregnancy.  I think I missed 3 weeks since my last prego post, but really, I'm sure that not that many people care to see and hear exactly how I am doing each week.  

35 weeks?!  When did that happen?  This pregnancy has FLOWN by and is almost over!  I feel like I haven't even done anything to get ready, since we are just using everything that we already had from Noah.  Now that my baby shower has happened it seems a little more real though.  

I'm still feeling good... not overly tired, although I do sleep a little later than I would if I wasn't prego.  No complications (swelling, heartburn etc.).  Just pretty large, and not quite so easy to get out of bed, or off the floor right now, or bend down to pick things up.

I've had a bunch of Braxton Hicks contractions this time around, and never had a single one with Noah.  I'm hoping that means that I have a better chance of actually going into real labor with Elisha on my own than I did with Noah... but I'd be happy if he'd still hang out in the womb at least 2 more weeks.

Sausage Balls

I made these sausage balls for our brunch at church tomorrow.  They turned out great, but who can go wrong with sausage, cheese, and carbs?  This is the most basic recipe, which was great cause I had a bunch of food to make for the brunch and a family reunion tomorrow.  Next time I think I'd try this a little more complicated Martha Stewart version, and maybe use turkey sausage instead of pork to reduce a little of the fat.

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups

I made these smoked salmon cucumber cups for a ladies brunch at church.  I thought they were great, and easy to throw together.  I did add 1/4 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper to the filling.

Lazy Lasagna/ Baked Ravioli

I made this lazy lasagna (baked ravioli).  The only thing that I did different was to use Italian turkey sausage instead of the ground beef, because I tend to prefer sausage in my lasagna.  This is so simple to throw together and makes for a great weeknight meal with all the flavors of lasagna, but only a small portion of the work.

::this week::

praising:  Salvation, freedom, healing, and victory that are found in Jesus!  That there is no guilt/ condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1).  That I am more than a conqueror through Christ (Romans 8:37). 

praying:  for breakthrough... for some walls to be torn down that I've had up with the Lord and others.

thankful for:  all the great love, encouragement, and gifts I got at my baby shower.  amazing friends and family who made all that possible. 

listening:  lots of Kim Walker-Smith, particularly "I Need You More"

"I need You more, more than yesterday, I need You Lord, more than words can say, I need You more than ever before, I need You Lord"

reading:  Psalms, Daniel, Matthew, Your Power in the Holy Spirit by John G Lake

cooking:  smoked salmon stuffed cucumber cups, sausage balls, pizza, baked oatmeal, wasabi noodles, tabbouleh, warm dijon potato salad

doing:  ladies Bible study.  community group.  dinner with friends.  zoo trip.  planning, helping with, and speaking at a ladies brunch at church.  yearly Mangerchine family reunion.

pondering:

"Don't just read your Bible, do your Bible."  (paraphrased from a Danny Silk sermon)... reminds me of James 1:22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.  I want to have faith for, and live out every reality I read in Scripture... healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead, making disciples of all nations...

The 5 times (v 1:20, 2:12, 2:13, 2:19, 2:22) in Matthew 1-2 that God spoke to people through dreams... and they had to act in faith in response to a DREAM.  What faith it takes to take action based on a dream.  Am I in tune with how the Lord may be using my dreams to speak to me?

Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”  So thankful to serve a God who did speak, but that continues to speak (words that PROCEED) to His people!

The temptation in Matthew 4... Satan uses Scripture to tempt Jesus, Jesus fights Satan with more Scripture.  Great example (Satan using it out of context to Jesus) of how dangerous Scripture taken out of context is... how Scripture can be used against us in the hands of the enemy.  How much my heart needs to be guarded and saturated with Truth so that I can recognize the lies.

Each of the disciples/ fishermen in Matthew 4 being immediately willing to get up and follow Jesus without question, delay, or getting their details in order.  Oh how I long to so immediately follow His every invitation without question.

meditating:  Psalm 63:1-8  O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.  My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.  I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory^.  Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night^.  Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.

Beautiful!  Breathes life into me!  

Psalm 65:12 The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy.

He promises to take our dry and bareness and turn it into a lush pasture, blossoming with joy!

::this week::

praising:  continued ministry opportunities for Jeremy, the Lord using Him to share Jesus, love, heal, and bless many people this week.  the Lord's goodness... He is so perfect, so good, so true, such a good Father, such a good giver of gifts

praying:  for those around me... a new level of breakthrough and revelation from God for me... our city... our nation... the world

listening:   Set a Fire by Will Reagan... over and over again... cannot get enough of this song.  "Set a fire down in my heart, that I can't contain, I can't control, I want more of you God...".  YES!!!!!

thankful for:  books, friends, Monday morning ladies Bible study, the Word, God's faithfulness and grace, the Holy Spirit, nice weather, the zoo & our zoo pass, our city, our freedom... in this country, and in Christ

reading:  Job, Daniel, Psalms, Your Power in the Holy Spirit by John G Lake

cooking:  lazy girl's lasagna, shrimp and grits casserole, sausage potato bake, korean beef, pizza, some type of baked oatmeal or pancakes, salad with ginger dressing, chai bars, broccoli prepared using the sauce and method of my Chinese green beans

doing:  ladies Bible study.  community group.  some walk and coffee dates with friends.  dinner with friends.  brunch on the Northshore with some amazing men and women of God.  my baby shower.

pondering: Ezekiel 44:23 They will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is common, what is ceremonially clean and unclean.

It continues to be a theme and passion for me this year to set myself apart from what may be considered "normal" or "common" behavior, even Christian behavior, and to instead pursue complete holiness... not just settling for something less because that's what others are doing.  Normal or common behavior isn't necessary holy, or "best" behavior... though all things are permissible, not all are beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)... Christians are to be set apart, holy, a royal priesthood, and I'm tired of acting in ways that contradict that... it's not who I am, it's not who Christ is in me!

meditating on:  Psalm 56:4 I praise God for what he has promised.  I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?  What can mere mortals do to me?