Relevant Ministry Blog

Why does it have to be so hard?

2014-12-11T05:00:00.000-06:00

by Cyndi Coleman
As my “I-don’t-do-mornings” and “I-don’t-love-school tween” and I were racing to school one morning she moaned, “Why does school have to be so hard?” Granted, this was our first day back after Thanksgiving break, and none of “my people” (who live under my roof) felt up to our day’s demands; but her complaint disguised as a question deserved an answer. So, as we waited on a red light to turn green, I began, “Well, baby, it’s only hard because it’s all new. Next year, this hard stuff will be easier, and there will be new challenges. But ya gotta get this stuff nailed down first, so you’re ready.”

Isn’t all of life similar to this? As I look back over my life, I can see God leading me down dark and seemingly desolate paths. Those times were scary and full of new challenges (or opportunities depending on how you look at it); and those times prepared me for what was ahead. Of course, there were times, on those paths, when I darted away from God’s guidance. Those were undeniably the most devastating and destructive times, for I had truly lost all direction. Each of those times found me caught in an entanglement of hopelessness crying for my Savior.

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A Moment of Mercy

2014-12-04T05:00:00.000-06:00

by Cyndi Coleman
Sometimes, we may see disaster on the horizon and we spend time praying it will not happen to us. However, there are other times when disaster approaches so swiftly that we are only able to sit back and take in all the shock and hysteria that has come our way after it has passed. Still there are other times when we see that potential devastation has been averted. These are the times we should recognize that God has chosen, out of his sovereignty, to bless us with a moment of mercy we did not even know to ask for. As an illustration of what I’m writing about, I feel compelled to tell you about a time that still causes my heart to sink. I’m talking about a time when the potential devastation we avoided was only by the hand of God. It was a moment when he chose to show my family mercy. A moment we could have never seen coming.

A Thanksgiving Prayer

2014-11-27T05:00:00.000-06:00

by Pam Roth
Have you ever noticed how the Lord works in mysterious ways and how relevant His word is for us? Today, I found a prayer that I wrote over 30 years ago. Little did I know, when I wrote this prayer, that my children would be in their 40’s and that my husband and I would live 900 miles away from some of them when I discovered this prayer, again.

Heavenly Father,
As I think about the Thanksgiving season, help me to be thankful…I mean really thankful. I am truly grateful for your provision and my family.

Change the Channel!!!

2014-11-20T05:00:00.000-06:00

by Cyndi Coleman
A few days ago Catheryn, our youngest daughter, lost the remote to her tv. This was not the first time; it happens frequently - at least once a week. So, once again, Catheryn was lamenting the lost remote. She was frustrated because she could not change the channel - it was stuck, and she was, too. As I was plundering under stuffed animals and between Barbie dolls, trying to help her find it, I heard her exclaim, “I know! I can borrow Sissy’s remote!” Within 30 seconds she had asked her older sister, changed the channel, and was back to enjoying her TV time.

Do you ever feel like that? Like your life is stuck on the wrong channel and you’ve lost the remote? I know I have felt this way many times. Sometimes, I know that I get my heart stuck on something and I cannot seem to change it. No pun intended, but I’m definitely channeling something and it’s not positive! I get frustrated and get even more stuck. It can be a vicious and depressing cycle.

Just the slightest shift, part two

2014-11-13T05:00:00.000-06:00

click to read part one

by Naomi Widmer, guest writer
As I reflect back on when I first recognized a “kiss on the cheek from God,” I would have to say that it came on a frustrating August morning when God nudged Pam to call me. Unbeknownst to Pam, I had been silently calling out to God, asking for clarity and wise counsel. I am forever in awe of how God gently works with the wounded - sending one of His surrendered servants to reach out to help pull stuck feet out of the pit of despair.

Psalm 40:1-2, "I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along."

Just the slightest shift, part one

2014-11-06T05:00:00.000-06:00

by Naomi Widmer, guest writer

We are happy to introduce Naomi Widmer as our guest writer for the next two weeks. Naomi, along with her husband, Mark, have served faithfully in ministry for over 35 years. Naomi is a gifted musician and teacher. She has also served as a missionary in the Dominican Republic with her husband and currently they are serving in a Christian school in Romeoville, IL. Welcome Naomi to the Relevant Women blog!

Recently, I was asked the question, "Naomi, what is one thing you might be able to shift in your life this week to lighten the heaviness you currently have in your life? And, when you figure it out, send me an email!" When I got off the phone, I sat there feeling perplexed. I had no idea what could shift, short of quitting everything I was involved in, and hitting the road to find an illusive cabin in the woods!

As I sat there, I soon realized I had to get rid of all my pat answers or "christianese" statements. The truth is, I literally had to sit this one out by being still, leaning into God, and listening for His still small voice. This was the beginning of becoming aware of how God would perform these subtle shifts in my life. Honestly, to sit still and wait on God's gentle moving in my life is the opposite of my personality. If I see a problem, "I" want to fix it - solve it in three easy steps and be done with it! But from where I was sitting that day, it was evident my three-easy-step plan wasn’t going to work this time.

Finding peace in troubled times

2014-10-30T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Pam Roth
Have you found yourself saying, “I’m so tired of all of the negative news?” And then, there is the concern of life threatening diseases and constant financial concerns.

Gratefully, I am reminded that I do not need to be fixated and troubled by the unknown; but I need to be focused on what the Lord wants to teach me during this time. When I am alone and quiet, I find myself asking… “Is this a wake up call for me, for America?” “Am I putting too much trust in other things and not enough trust in God?” “Do I value my possessions more than I do my relationship with God?” “Where is all of this going?” And, “What will our lives be like in five to ten years from now?” These are hard questions, but questions I need to ask myself.

Decide to be near to God

2014-10-23T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
On a beautiful, sunny afternoon, I was reading on our back patio when I came upon a chapter about prayer and being near to God. Immediately, a particular Bible verse began to drift through my mind, “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8). While I paused to reminisce on this verse, I lifted up a half-hearted, weak prayer that went something like this, “Lord maybe you should come near to me, so I know where to find you.” I was not expecting an answer, but I got one. It was a shocking thought that consumed the rest of my afternoon. I felt God whisper to my soul, “You must come near to me because I am always near to you.” Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? Since this caught me off-guard, I spent the next several hours contemplating and praying through this contradictory thought.

No Quenching Allowed!

2014-10-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
“Do not quench the Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” Romans 1:16

Those who know me well would likely - no definitely - agree with this self-assessment: I am a very zealous person! Whatever I am passionate about consumes me and flows freely from within me. Since I am an extrovert, sometimes the things that are swirling inside of my head come gushing right out of my mouth. This can be both good and bad! And trust me, this has gotten me into, and out of, a lot of “interesting” conversations.
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A Much Appreciated Sabbatical

2014-10-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Pam Roth
Just about this time, several years ago, my husband and I took off for a week-long working sabbatical. The cabin we stayed in was nestled in the woods near a lake. Not far from the front porch of the cabin, you could see the lake on this beautiful piece of property. So one day, we took a pair of Adirondack chairs down to the shoreline to rest and watched the sunlight dancing on the lake. It was a picture perfect afternoon, and a great beginning to our little get away.

Have you ever felt the need to get off of the “carousel of life?” Does it seem like your life is spinning out of control? Or maybe you feel like you are just walking around in circles, not accomplishing anything. Perhaps you are exactly where we were. Nothing was really wrong – life had just been pulling us in so many different directions that it had been hard to stay focused on any one particular project. Specifically for me, the most important aspect of my life – my continued relationship with the Lord needed a time of renewal and both of us just need to find a quiet place to retreat.

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Circumstances

2014-10-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Heather Mason
Have you ever wondered what it really means to be a Christian? Does it mean now, your life here on earth is perfect? You will never experience pain, go through trials, or be disappointed?

Over four years ago, I made the decision to give my whole self to Christ and to live for him. He was my Savior and he died so I could be free from sin. John 3:16 tells us “For God so loved the world, he gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall never die but have eternal life.” Immediately after that, I was waiting for circumstances in our lives to line up perfectly and thought we were never going to have any struggles ever again.

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Delight or Duty?

2014-09-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
Last week we had an unusual night at our house. There were only two of us at home and we had nowhere we HAD to be. As I was sitting down to read, my younger daughter asked if I wanted to play a game with her. She lit up when I said, “yes.” I told her to get the game set up and I would join her in the den in just a moment.

I could see my daughter from where I was sitting. She was smiling; and skipping and singing while setting up our play area; and with great care, she set up each piece of the game. Her eagerness and excitement was a shining aura around her. As I watched her, my heart completely melted. I loved the fact she was delighted to play with me. I could sense it wasn’t the game; it was me. I felt wanted and needed and very loved. It felt so good. I smile, even now, remembering it. As I set my Bible aside to play with my daughter, a thought bolted through my head: “When was the last time I was that excited to spend some quality time with Jesus?”
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Discipleship, Devotion or Both?

2014-09-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
Discipleship or devotion? What’s the difference? Does it matter? Are they the same thing? Can one exist without the other? These were questions rolling around in my head when I misunderstood a text from a friend. A dear friend asked me to prepare a devotion for a retreat. When I asked if there was a specific focus or theme she shot back a few ideas. The text read, “How about discipleship or devotion?” I thought she meant those, together, as a topic. So I began thinking it through and researching it a bit. I felt a little confused though; thus the questions above.

Though I am familiar with both words, I looked up a definition to see their exact wordings. Sure, I know I should be a “disciple” of Jesus and I have a morning “devotion” time, but actual definitions can shed such light and bring perspective. So, here they are:

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Modern-Day Idolatry - Part 2

2014-09-04T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
So, how does a Bible believing, God-revering girl slip into idolatry? Unfortunately, very, very easily. Remember our definition of idolatry? “Whatever gets our firsts…” Whatever is a pretty inclusive word, isn’t it? So, let’s throw out a few things that just may be getting our firsts: our jobs, school, money, fashion (i.e. cars, clothes, shoes, etc), CELL PHONES, houses, TV, games…I’m sure you saw those coming… How about a few more: our children, our marriage, boyfriend/girlfriend, relationships, ministry, church, fitting in, feeling comfortable, feeling needed and wanted, being in charge, worry, a person, a pill, a possibility… the list goes on and on and varies from person to person.

Now, here’s the hardest part...may I suggest that we take a moment and put things on pause right here. Have any of these things ever so consumed you that the pursuit of them got your “firsts”
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Modern-Day Idolatry

2014-08-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
A few nights ago, during our time together as a family for devotions, we read a section in our book called, “Israel Forgets God.” It was a simple story - if we can call forgetting God simple - which introduces the cyclical faith of the Israelite people. As long as Moses and Joshua were alive, and leading the people of Israel - although, they would rebel against God from time to time - they would always return to him. However, there came a time after the death of Moses and later, with Joshua when those ways were forgotten. Judges 2:10 says, “After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers (died), another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the images of Baal (false gods).”
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Girlfriend Gossip

2014-08-21T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak at our women's Bible study. When I accepted, I did so with a previously written lesson in mind. I originally thought, “How awesome. I will use the lesson I prepared for a women’s retreat last spring. I may need to tweak it, but no big deal. Little work. Easy work. Done.” Or, so I thought. I tried and tried to tweak or adjust the lesson, but God clearly said, “Don’t you think you should ask me what I think?” Uh, oh… Obviously, with a question like that, the answer was clear, I was on the wrong path. So, he told me he wanted me to talk to the ladies about gossip. “Are you kidding me? No! I will not. I mean, that’s not really you, is it Lord? That is just some crazy thought in my head, right? They already know it’s bad. After all, everybody knows that. They’ll think I am judging them. Oh no! What if I have gossipped with some of them. How awkward.” I tried to talk my way out of it. However, God was persistent and so, I gave in and I nervously did research and with shaking hands and a rapid heartbeat I told the ladies what I discovered.

And now, I will share it with you. I know, I know, I didn’t want to hear it either. I have to admit, what I found in Scripture can seem harsh and shocking!

I guess I have always considered gossip as the “little white lie” of sins. Sure, it’s wrong, well, sometimes, right? Okay, so, it’s wrong, but it’s not that big of a deal. Now, those of us who have felt the sting, or crushing blow of gossip realize that it wasn’t little or white or innocent...and yes, it was a very big deal!

So, what is your personal definition of gossip? Pause. Think about it for a minute. Now, what is gossip, exactly?

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Faith is…waiting

2014-08-14T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Heather Mason
So you’ve made it through the storm. The uncomfortable event in your life is resolved and you begin living in your comfort zone once again. Have you ever found yourself living this way? The process of going through the struggle, making it through, growing closer to the Lord, and after some time your life is back to “normal.” Normal meaning, going about your days, possibly spending less and less time with God because, hey, everything is going great. Do I think it is wrong to be comfortable and enjoy the pleasures God has blessed us with? No, but I realize with me, I have a tendency to go through the motions of this life and spend less time with God when everything is good. Maybe even letting the faith that I built up through that last storm drift out of my memory. But, gratefully God has a way of reminding me.

Faith is…

2014-08-07T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Heather Mason
Faith is defined as complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

My husband was deployed overseas when he received news that his career in the Navy may be cut short, pending budget cuts. He waited days to tell me because he was afraid of my reaction. For both of us, it was a major surprise to see how incredibly calm I was. I remember telling him, “everything was going to be okay, just have faith.”

It would be seven months before we knew for sure if he still had a job. Month by month, my calmness faded; and before I knew it, I was taking things into my own hands, trying to make things happen. It got to the point, I encouraged my husband to retake an aptitude test, the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, to boost his scores; which would open up more job opportunities for him within the Navy. At the sixth month mark the answer was “no,” and it looked like he may need to start looking for a civilian job. Usually, that would be the end of this process; however, we had miscalculated and he received one more opportunity to be considered for a job. He was selected and was able to re-enlist in his current position and move forward with his career.

Re-enlistment Ceremony, Bahrain 2/14

Hanging Between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection

2014-07-31T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
As Christians, we spend much time talking about the crucifixion and the resurrection, and we should. After all, as Casting Crowns puts it in their song, “Oh Glorious Day,”

Living, He loved me, dying, He saved me.
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever…

These two events are what Jesus’ life was all about. The entire purpose of God wrapping himself in flesh was to come to Earth, to love us, to save us, and to justify us.

However, what we don’t usually spend much time thinking about, much less talking about, are the hours between these eternity-altering events. While those events are of utmost importance, I would like for us to focus on that span of time between the two events - the hours between the crucifixion and the resurrection. Have you ever paused to consider them? Those were some dark hours in many lives.

Although Jesus had told his disciples (and the women who also traveled with them) in no uncertain terms he would suffer and die; and then he would be raised three days later (Luke 9:22). However, once Jesus exhaled his last breath, and the tomb was sealed, their faith waned with panic and confusion set in.

“Wasn’t he God?”
“Wasn’t he all powerful?”
“Why didn’t he save himself?”
“What about the kingdom he talked about?”
“What now? Am I next?”

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Learning His Passion & LOVING IT!

2014-07-24T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
Although I was a cheerleader throughout middle and high school, I had very little understanding about how sports - football and basketball - were played. I knew when we made a touchdown or missed a free throw, but that was about it. I supported my friends and school with joy when we were up and felt sad when we were down. However, the truth be known, I was just a bystander, just another fan.

I always said I’d never marry a preacher or a coach because they are too consumed by their careers. Well, about 17 years ago I fell in love with a handsome football player who turned out to be a fantastic football coach - and my husband.

Prayer: Are you Baring Your Soul or Bargaining with God?

2014-07-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
Recently, I was praying for a friend of mine. There was a possible move in her future and this was the day the decision would be made by her husband’s employer. Since I cannot imagine life without her being around, my prayers were serious and offered several times. In prayer, mid-sentence I might add, I felt the Holy Spirit ask me if I trusted Him. I must admit, this caught me completely off guard! In the quiet, I felt Him nudging my heart with, “Trust me with your prayer. Trust me with the desires of your heart.”

At this point, I realized that I was bargaining with God. I was using lots of, “I really want this, but not if this or that” tucked tightly with, “if you do this, God, I will do this or that”. I was “dressing up” my request and bargaining with God to get what I wanted. I was, in my own way, explaining to God why what I wanted was best and why that should matter to Him. Ever been there?
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Disappointment HURTS!!!

2014-07-10T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
Sometimes believing God will handle a situation does not mean that a particular situation will turn out positively. Meaning what we want or desire may not be what happens. In fact, the outcome or results may actually bring a multitude of negative emotions: disappointment, sadness, anger, fear or a combination of these.

Disappointment can also lead us to a place of wandering as we wonder if somehow God has missed something. Does God realize how important this is to me - my family? Doesn’t God care about how much this hurts?! Isn’t God all-powerful?! How did he let this happen; more importantly, WHY did he allow this to happen?
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You are More

2014-07-04T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
When I was a little girl I wanted to be a princess so badly. Every princess movie and story completely inspired me. I felt that I was living an ordinary life, but I was made for more. I felt like I was created to live an exciting, adventurous life. So, I prepared myself and waited for my fairytale to begin. However, it didn’t take many years for me to realize I wasn’t perfect, I messed up a lot, and hurt the people I loved the most. I began to believe I wasn’t good enough or special enough for the childhood fantasy. No wonder it never came true.

Since I was nothing very unique or special, I decided to settle on whoever and whatever would give me the approval I was so desperate for.
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Fearful Buddy

2014-06-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
Our sweet and adorable lab, Buddy, is ridiculously scared of seemingly everything. A rain storm, train whistle, and even the weekly garbage trucks are enough to send him into fits of shaking, hiding, or attempts at running away.

I can understand the shaking and hiding, but the running away has always puzzled me. Why would he seek to run away from the safety of our home and out into the open where the scary noises or threatening weather is?

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Cloudy Waters

2014-06-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

Relevant Ministry Blog Schedule:
Tuesday - "About Spiritual Health in Life and Ministry"
Thursday - "About Relevant Women"

by Cyndi Coleman
We have a fish tank which is home to eight goldfish. It is quite relaxing to watch them swim around; however, there are times when we have to care for the fish by cleaning their tank.

Every once in awhile, the water gets cloudy and and that’s when we know it is time to clean the tank. That means we must drain it, clean it, rinse all the rocks, and refill it. Of course in this process, we have to relocate our fish. We wait to catch them until the water is relatively low; this cuts down on the chase somewhat. The poor little dears dart all over frantically trying to avoid the approaching net. One by one, we scoop them out and gently place them in their temporary holding tank.

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