Ministry127 | Ladies Ministry

Failing Forward

Terrie Chappell — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:12:09 +0000

When I was a teenager, our school participated in the presidential fitness test program. We did sit-ups and pull-ups, ran the fifty-yard dash, stretched our fingers past our toes, and accomplished a whole list of other exercises.

The long jump, however, is the event that will be forever impressed on my memory. The first time I jumped, I actually fell backward—one inch. I tried again, and again I fell. But this time I fell forward, and the lady measured the jump from where my feet were—zero inches!

I may not have been a star jumper, but I sure would rather fall forward than to fall backward.

In our Christian walk, we each fall. I wish we didn’t. I wish I could give you a lesson on how to never fail. That would, however, present some challenges, the first being that I’m not in the least qualified to write it. The second challenge is that no one else is, either.

But, since we all fail (repeatedly), wouldn’t it be great if each time, we could fall forward—learning from our mistakes and gaining ground even by failure? Believe it or not, there is a way to fail successfully.

Here are a few ways you can make failure a learning experience:

Learn to Ask the Right Question

One of the greatest assets to learning is a wisely-worded question. Too often, we ask ourselves the wrong questions when we fail, and in so doing, we are distracted from discovering the correct answers.

Our typical question is, “Why did I do that?” But this question (and the self-condemnation with which we ask it) rarely leads us to a profitable conclusion. What if instead we asked, “What lessons can I learn from this failure?” The very nature of this question leads to growth, rather than to continuing defeat.

Change Your Expectations

Why is it that when we fail once, we automatically assume we will fail again?

We must choose a different line of thinking. Most of us naturally default to an assumption such as “I’m a failure, and I’ll never be good at anything.” This, however, is pure assumption. The problem is that we usually get what we expect.

When I enrolled as a freshman in college, I was discouraged to learn that Speech 101 was a required class for every major. Right from the start, I knew I couldn’t give a speech—and my negative attitude soon validated itself. When my turn came to give my speech in class, I got no further than my first line before I sat down in defeat. Over and over I had told myself, “I can’t do this.” I convinced myself so thoroughly that I really couldn’t do it.

Sooner or later, we’re going to get what we expect. If you assume you will fail, you will. But if you expect to succeed, you will have the freedom to learn from your failure and use it as an asset on the road to success.

Adjust Your Vocabulary

One of the saddest phrases in our language is if only. After Peter failed his Lord, he could have repeated this phrase to himself a thousand times, “If only I hadn’t denied Christ…If only I hadn’t followed afar off…If only I hadn’t cursed the Lord….”

Perhaps you’ve repeated a similar phrase. “If only I hadn’t said that.” “If only I wouldn’t have lost my temper.” “If only I had kept my promise.”

How do you think it would impact our future success if we replaced the words “if only” with the phrase “next time I will”? “Next time my preschooler soaks the dishcloth in the toilet, I’ll lovingly train him, rather than lose my temper.” “Next time my teenager is frustrated with his homework, I’ll listen.”

Dwelling on “if only” subverts your attention from the present, causing you to miss today’s opportunities for success. “Next time I will” positions you for growth.

Appreciate the Value of Failure

Failure may be costly, but it is also precious when it drives us to the Lord. Some failures, such as Peter’s, are the result of sin. When this is the case, thank the Lord for intervening in your life through allowing you to feel the consequences of your sin and thus bringing you back to Himself. Truly, it is far better to fail by sinning and then return to the Lord than to succeed in wrongdoing and spend a longer time away from Christ.

Some failures are simply the result of poor judgment, undeveloped skills, or undeveloped methods. In these cases, remember that each failure brings you that much closer to success.

This article is an excerpt from The Choice Is Yours by Terrie Chappell.

A Protected Life

Valerie Creed — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:28:30 +0000

“Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Hebrews 1:14

When was the last time you saw the hand of God protecting you from harm? How many times are we oblivious to His unseen hand moving on our behalf? Only eternity will tell what He mobilized to defend us and to keep us safe.

I had just closed my front door when a threatening growl behind me made me turn with a start. A white blur shot around the corner of my house racing directly at me. Fear caught in my throat. I desperately prayed as the white, wolf-like beast stopped just feet from me with quivering raised haunches and foam forming at his mouth. I knew the sign of a rabid animal; here was living proof. Keeping my eyes on his bared fangs, I slowly backed up toward my vehicle. “Go home,” I commanded. My outstretched hand felt the latch which I warily opened, scooting toward my safety. It all happened so fast after that. I slid into the driver’s seat and slammed the door just as the monster lunged at my window clawing and snarling. I found out later, that my neighbor was also attacked, and defended himself with a lid from a trashcan. Animal control officers came quickly and tranquilized the dog. I was grateful for God’s protection.

I was around eight-years-old when I believed I was going to die. My recent swimming safety course flooded my mind. I could not breathe as the rapids plummeted me to the bottom of the river, grazing my body on the boulders and river-bottom muck. Wearing my inner tube, I had been eagerly wading along the rickety fence which poked out of the water. It was built to dam the river and create the rapids which rushed out the opening along the opposite shore. Something had grabbed at my legs and sucked me out of my tube and down deeper into the water. I felt myself being pulled through the broken fence near the bottom of the river and spit out into the surging rapids. My lungs felt like they were exploding. Everything was a blur for what seemed like an eternity until I finally split the surface, gasping and calling for help.

Looking back now, I understand God loved me even as a little girl who had not yet trusted Christ as my Saviour. He knew I would become an heir of salvation, and He had plans for my life. Yes, God protects His own; but what about the times when God’s protection seems to have gone awry? God’s grace steps in then, and we find security in His strength.

God’s grace stepped in after my brother was shot during a robbery, and left to die while working late hours at a gas station to pay his way through Bible college. Today, he is pastoring Crossroads Baptist Church in Dothan, Alabama. God’s grace stepped in when my sister and husband watched their home and belongings destroyed in a fire. Today, they are endeavoring to start a Baptist church in McKinney, Texas. God’s grace steps in when Christians are called upon to give their lives as martyrs for their faith.

When your life’s story is written, what drama will unveil God’s hand of protection; or what trial will reveal His strengthening grace which stepped in to embrace your broken heart? Think back and thank Him today. God is so good!

Are You Securely Fastened to the Rock?

Valerie Creed — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:53:48 +0000

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” Matthew 7:24–25

I am grateful I am founded upon the Rock—I have security in my storm. How many times has a fearful soul desired that comfort in his brewing storm?

I am reminded of a lighthouse resembling an iron skeleton that once stood far out at sea about eight miles east of Boston, Massachusetts. Its name was the Minot’s Ledge. The keepers inside this lighthouse always trembled when a stormy tempest swept their way and swayed their seventy-five foot home. Many keepers quickly resigned their post in fear for their lives. A lone bottle was found near this spot bobbing in the aftermath of a violent storm. Words of anguish leapt off the marred slip of paper pulled from its glass encasement: “The lighthouse won’t stand over the night. She shakes two feet each way now.” These were the last words of Joseph Wilson, the assistant lighthouse keeper at Minot’s Ledge, who was swept away in the storm.

The original Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse was destroyed during that storm in 1851. Unfortunately its base was not built strong enough to withstand the raging seas. It was replaced in 1860 by a lighthouse that still stands today. This structure has withstood over 150 years of hurricanes and crashing seas due in part to its solid granite base.

Are you fastened to the Rock? We are not promised a life without storms, but we are promised a Rock to rest upon until it is over. How secure are you?

Ladies Ministry Idea 4—Celebrate a New Day

Terrie Chappell — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:23:08 +0000

This ladies event was used for a Ladies Night Out we organized here at Lancaster Baptist Church. The title of this event was Celebrate a New Day using the theme of Happy Birthday.

Below you will find many of the resources we used for this event.

Birthday Cake Relay.mp4

Cake in a Cup Recipe.pdf

Cake in a Cup Tag.pdf

Half Sheet Letterhead.pdf

Image-Birthday Party.jpg

Image-Celebrate.jpg

PowerPoint-Songs.ppt

PowerPoint-Trivia.ppt

Bold to Ask

Becky Calvert — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 01:45:22 +0000

When our youngest child, Julia, had mastered the age of four, she was eagerly anticipating her fifth birthday. She had seen enough fifth birthdays to know it was something to look forward to. In some mysterious way, she had come to believe that 5-year-olds are BIG KIDS.

In the run-up to her big day, she would ask me each morning “Mommy, how many days ’til my birthday?” To which I would respond with the appropriate number. Most of the fun of this birthday was the talking, planning, and anticipation of it, and we did all of these in abundance.

Like any other mom, I think I know my children very well. However, as they get older, we spend less and less time together. That’s as it should be, but it means there may be events in their lives of which I am not aware.

For anyone who knows our little princess Julia, they know that she has never met a stranger. She loves people and talks to anyone and everyone. I have often praised the Lord for this trait, as it opens many doors to talk about Him. It also means I have to keep a very close eye on her when we are anywhere besides church. Even there her outgoing personality takes her to unexpected (for me) places as I soon discovered on her 5th birthday.

Finally, the big day dawned: April 24! Because Julia attended K-4, I took cupcakes and balloons to school to celebrate. When it was all over, Julia carried a very large teddy bear to the car. I began to ask her about her day, and I also inquired about the bear.

“Julia, that is such a nice, big bear. Who gave him to you?”

“Mr. Thal. He told me happy birthday.”

“Wow! That was so nice. We’ll have to thank him!”

“I already did, Mommy.”

Here, I must confess to being distracted by daily living and not investigating more thoroughly. As much as we love Mr. Thal, who works on our church staff and in our academy, he is not related to us. So how would he know it was Julia’s birthday? Beyond that, how would he know what to give her? Many other questions probably should have been asked.

Several days passed before I ran into Mr. Thal at school and thanked him for my daughter’s gift.

“Julia loves the teddy bear! She sleeps with him. But, how did you know it was her birthday?”

“Oh, she told me. She came into my office, told me her birthday was coming, and when I asked her what she wanted she spread her arms and said, ‘A teddy bear this big!’”

To say that I was mortified would be an understatement. It had been a very long time since I felt so embarrassed. What to say? A lame “Oh” was all I could manage.

Mr. Thal got a laugh out of the whole thing, and he was happy to be gracious and kind to a little girl. Once I worked past my humiliation, the episode taught me a big lesson.

I have such vast resources at my disposal and yet so often I do without, just “getting by.” My heavenly Father wants me to do better. I am His child, He loves me, and if I would just ask Him, I feel confident there is so much more He would do for me. I sometimes feel my requests aren’t significant enough, or that somehow I am selfish if I ask for things for myself. But, being a parent, I should know better!! I love doing things for my children. I want them to be happy, and to have what they need. How could my Heavenly Father do any less for His children? For me? Hebrews 4:16 comes to mind: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

During my moments with the Lord, when I lack boldness, the image of Julia with her little arms spread encourages me. I am learning to ask. My Father wants me to acknowledge my need, abandon my self-consciousness, and just ask Him for what I need. He is God. He can handle it.

A Radiant Life

Valerie Creed — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:43:03 +0000

“I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.” Daniel 5:14

Daniel’s testimony was that light could be seen in his life—the light of God. Our world is definitely a dark place. If ever a light could shine brightly, it is today. What affects my brilliance as I let my little light shine?

Light is a wonderful thing. This energizing, warming phenomenon makes God’s creation sparkle before us. Although our human eyes are limited in viewing many colors of the electromagnetic spectrum, God’s rainbow of colors still bursts in brilliance. These beautiful colors shine even brighter when they are reflected from a clean, clear object like the Swarovski crystals hanging in my kitchen window. What a joy to start my day counting rainbows!

Light’s reflective power is also affected by colors. A dark surface mainly absorbs the light causing a heating effect upon the object. How miserable dark clothing makes one on a very hot day. How miserable the Christian is who lives in the darkness of sin and does not reflect the glory of God in his life. The heating effects of reaping to the flesh are just expected results from God’s spiritual physics course. The brighter the white is; the cooler and more refreshing the light is.

Others can detect your lifestyle by the colors they see in your life. The mixing of all the visible frequencies of light is seen in the pure color of white. A life of righteousness is seen as it reflects the total frequencies of God’s radiant light. A whiter-than-snow life is a living testament to the reflective power of light coming from your heavenly Source. On the other hand, no light of any frequency causes the mental perception of a black color. A life of sin is like a dark, gloomy existence—clouding and casting shadows. The worst terror in hell will be the blackness of darkness caused by the absence of light; the absence of the presence of God. The flames will be there, but they will burn forever in a vast expanse of darkness.

Those around us so desperately need to be bathed in God’s comforting light. Jesus Christ is the Light of the world; revealing the glory of God. His life was pure and holy; shining brightly on all who entered His presence. His children have entered His light and must continue reflecting His glory to a world lost in the darkness of sin. What picture are you projecting for others around you?

Your face can truly shine with the glory of God. As a teenager, my mother drove me to work and prayed with me before I hopped out of the car. She specifically prayed my face would shine with the love of Christ. I was amazed when a customer commented, “Your countenance is just glowing today!” You can be sure I have prayed that prayer for myself and others down through the years. Moses needed a veil over his glowing face after meeting with God. How many people have basked in your radiance because you have met with God? Let’s penetrate the darkness and win others for Christ because He has allowed us to be a warming, energizing phenomenon for His glory!

Turning Fear into Faith

Teri Dorrell — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 02:00:10 +0000

As a little girl I remember fearing that something or someone was under my bed. I found myself running and jumping into bed every night and then willing myself to hang over the bed and look under it so that I could go to sleep without fearing that something or someone was going to get me. I look back now and realize how silly that fear was, but many times over the years I have let other fears take its place. Fear of not passing a test, fear of leaving home to go off to college, fear of marriage, fear of having children, fear of not having enough money to pay the bills, fear of tithing, fear of Oklahoma weather, and the list could go on and on. Simply put, it is easy for us women to struggle with fear.

There are many promises from God’s Word dealing with fear. Two of my favorite verses are Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Another one is Psalm 118:8: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”

Trust is a daily part of our lives. We trust that our alarm clocks will go off. We trust that we will have a hot shower each morning. We trust that our chairs will hold us when we sit down. We trust that the gallon of milk will be good. We trust that the bank will keep our money. There are so many things we don’t even think about that we put our trust in daily. None of those things love us or even care about us, but we trust them.

How much greater is our Heavenly Father who loves us, and gave His life for us, and promises to take care of all our needs. I don’t know how many nights or perhaps months that I let my fear of something being under my bed control me. Even though we can all laugh at that now, it was real to me as a little girl. I can still remember the night I decided I had had enough. I was just going to force myself to trust in the Lord and slowly walk to my bed, get in, turn off the light, and just go to bed. I was going to have more faith than fear. I would like to tell you all the fears just instantly went away, but they did not. It took many nights of faith before I could just go to bed.

I wouldn’t be honest if I said, “I no longer have any fears.” They often sneak in, and the Lord patiently reminds me that He loves me and will take care of the fears if I will simply obey Him and have more faith than fear. I don’t know what fears you may be dealing with, but remember He is faithful and true, and what He has promised that will He do.

Are You Equipped with the Armour of God?

Beth Jessup — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 03:39:47 +0000

When we look around us in these days in which we find ourselves living, we see people who are hurting, looking for answers, and searching for the truth. As wives and mothers, we have so many opportunities to pass out a tract, to speak a kind word to another lady, or to do a kind deed for someone. We are all commanded to go and tell the good news of the Gospel of Christ to those we know or meet along life’s journey.

We have been in several mission conferences this fall, and again the Lord has challenged our hearts to share the Gospel more faithfully. We often need to refresh ourselves for the need that is all around us. Recently, I was in a conference and I shared Ephesians 6: 10-20 with the ladies. We are reminded that we are in a battle for the Lord. Even as wives and mothers, we are to be prepared for this battle. We must all do our part to get the Gospel out and see souls saved.

Verse thirteen of this chapter says, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.” If we are going to be prepared to stand, we must put on the armour of God’s Word in our lives. We need to have a daily walk with the Lord in Bible reading and prayer. We should also surrender to do whatever God asks of us each day. We should want to be like Christ and reflect His love through our lives. Another thing is that we should make sure our lives are clean and pure each day by keeping short sin accounts. Not allowing sin to reign in our lives, but allowing the convicting power of God to change our lives will cause us to be more like Him each day. Have we “done all to stand”? If we are cultivating our relationship with the Lord, we will be able and ready to stand and help others to know Christ.

“Having your loins gird about with truth.” We have the truth of the Word of God that is without error. We should make special efforts to know our Bible so that we will have the Word of God to speak for us. What about the “breastplate of righteousness”? Are we protecting our hearts? Proverbs 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Verse fifteen talks about our feet. Are our, “Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace”? When I think about feet, I think about getting up and walking. We need to be prepared to go and share the Gospel. I think about my daughter, Susanna, when I read this, because she is a soul-conscious individual. I don’t think I have ever been out and about with her that she did not pass out tracts. We need to have the right tools with Gospel tracts and our Bible. A soul-winner’s New Testament will fit in our purse with room to spare!

Verse sixteen talks about our “shield of faith.” Through faith in God we can do things we couldn’t have even imagined doing on our own. The wicked one will do all he can to discourage and cause us to waver in our faith in God. We need to go out and believe that God will give us opportunities to speak for Him and know what to say.

The “helmet of salvation” is the assurance of our salvation. We can know for sure that we are going to Heaven because God says in 1 John 5:13, “That ye may know that ye have eternal life.” Oh, what a promise that we can cleave to in this day and age we live! We do not need to wonder or hope for this but we can “know.”

Verse seventeen says, “The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Again, we find the most important tool—the Word of God. Along with this, we need to be, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,” by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead in our lives as we go to talk to people about our Saviour. Then in verse nineteen and twenty “…that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador…”

We can seem to always have something to say until we get ready to present the Gospel to someone. Our mouth gets dry, and it seems like we can’t find the right words. The truth is we can’t do this in our power, but we can through the power of God. Let’s trust Him to put the words in our mouth to get His Gospel spread. As wives and mothers, let’s not let opportunities pass us by that can make a difference for a neighbor, someone we meet in a grocery store or a department store, or even when we go to the park and talk to other mothers with children. Let’s all do our part for eternity!

Tried By Fire

Beth Jessup — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 23:57:05 +0000

The words and music of “God’s Refining Fire” by Mac Lynch have 1 Peter 1:7 as their foundation. I don’t know what kind of trials he had in his life, but this song has always been a blessing to me. I am blessed when a song says something that can help me along the way as I try to serve the Lord. The words are as follows:

O Lord, we pray, “Thy will be done,” or “Master, here am I.”
We pray You’d do a mighty work that to the flesh we’d die.
And when the answer comes to us in form of trial and test
We fail to see Your loving hand, Refining fire is best.

Chorus
God’s refining fire. God’s refining fire.
May it purge me now and make of me what You require.
O Lord feed the fire, Your refining fire.
Now as gold and silver must be tried,
Lord, may my heart be purified.
Lord send your great refining fire.

That I may stand when You appear, abide ‘til Your return,
O place the fire perfectly that all the dross be burned.
Whether furnace of affliction Lord, or unfulfilled desire,
Bring forth a vessel pure and tried by Your refining fire.

As I write this article, my husband and I have found ourselves in the midst of a refining fire in our lives! My husband has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. This undoubtedly is the hottest fire that we have been through in nearly forty years of walking through this life together. God has been faithful not to allow us to go through this fire alone; He has promised to be with us all the way.

In 1992, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Many hundreds of God’s people were praying for us as we claimed Isaiah 43:1b-3a which says: “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God.”

Those verses have helped us through other trials as well. We know that nothing comes into our lives except by the hand of God. We realize that we are only clay in the Potter’s hands, and we will trust Him to do what is best in our lives. His will and His way are always best and perfect for us. Even when the waters get deep all around us and the smoke from the fire nearly blinds our eyes, we have tried to stay focused on the Lord Jesus and His goodness and mercy to us.

Lamentations 3:22 says: “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” It is because of our Heavenly Father’s promises in which we trust, that the waters we find ourselves wading through dry up a bit, and also our eyes get a little clearer from the tears and smoke, so that we can become stronger in our faith and trust in God.

Through the refining fire we can have a much closer walk with our Lord. Our relationship with Christ is strengthened. He becomes more real to us as we study what He has for us in His Word. We need to let God be God and allow His Word to speak to our hearts every day and let Him work in our lives for His glory.

In this refining fire, we can find ourselves more surrendered in serving our Saviour. Our love for Him increases because of our trial. We must use every trial as a stepping stone to teach us to become better believers with stronger principles and standards to live by than ever before. Some Christians allow trials to make them bitter instead of better. It must grieve our Lord’s heart to see His servants become bitter. Don’t be bitter. It is a disease that will eat up your life. You will not be able to be used of God and you will be miserable.

It is our desire that the Lord would purge us and make us better servants for Him. It is our prayer that our hearts would be purified through this refining fire in our life at this time. 1 Peter 1:7 says: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto the praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”

I can’t leave you hanging about our experience in 1992. God miraculously took away the cancer! After my surgery, the doctor told us he could not find cancer in any of the tissue he removed from around the tumor nor could he find cancer in the tumor that he had aspirated cells from before surgery. Everyday I praise God for the way He worked in our lives through that trial, and I think we can say that He has definitely increased our faith to trust Him through this “refining fire!”

Optimal Performance

Valerie Creed — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 02:35:21 +0000

To be a happy Christian, you must have a spiritual homeostatic equilibrium. This is a steady state of maintaining your optimal point or point of finest functioning for the Lord. If a muscle cell in your body is exposed to temperatures above or below your optimal point for physical performance (98.6 F), you shiver to bring your temperature up or perspire to bring it down.

In the Christian life, sometimes our equilibrium is off balance with a cold heart toward the things of God. God turns up the heat through trials to bring us back to our best optimal point of functioning for Him. When we are too zealous and jump ahead of His will, He might have to cool us down so we can be still and know that He is God. It is all for our good.

Sometimes we still do not submit to this care and enter a range of tolerance. This range of tolerance is when an organism remains alive but is not functioning properly. The farther from the optimal range the living organism is, the more poorly it functions. The limit of tolerance will soon be reached if the direction is not changed. This limit of tolerance ends in death. If you are a child of God, your soul will live forever with Him; but stretching God’s mercy to the limit of tolerance may end in a death of a testimony for the Lord.

Your spiritual homeostasis is at the top of God’s priority list for you. You must abide in God’s Word and listen to His Spirit. I want to be at the point of finest functioning for my Lord. How about you?