the cost of ministry....

***The mission of the Harbor Women’s Ministry is to provide varying opportunities for women to grow in love, knowledge, and application of God’s Word so that they reflect Christ as they serve Him in their families, church, workplace, and community.
Colossians 1:9-10 “…we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…”***

In the world of Women’s Ministry, Fall is a time of new beginnings. The ministry I oversee functions from Fall to Fall. So we are about to embark on some new things and I think it’s an exciting time!

We’re doing Beth Moore’s “Jesus the One and Only” study this Fall. Can’t wait! For Winter, I’m thinking we may do the revamped “Breaking Free”, a favorite of mine!

We’re having a Fall Kick-off event, with worship, teaching on Titus 2 by me, and fellowship while baking applie pies together. I am so blessed to have a great team that work so hard to make these events fun and meaningful! Can’t wait!

We’re heading towards a different type of Retreat for Spring. We are going to a professionally done one at a huge Christian camp in the mountains. We usually do ‘home grown’ retreats, so this will be a big treat and a chance for the usual ‘worker bees’ to rest and just participate like everyone else. Can’t wait!

And the other ministries are in full swing – our prayer ministries, meals ministry, and lots of other events to be announced. A great year ahead!

I am blessed to have such great ladies to partner with – we’re a team and I am so thankful for each of them.

If you are in Women’s Ministry, how about you?? What are you up to this year??

Now and then, someone will ask me what the biggest struggle is in Women’s Ministry. Honestly, it’s mostly blessings, but there are challenges in working with women. I can’t pick one, so I’ll pick two. ;)
1. Critical Spirits. Women are prone to complaining, and so often it is aimed at leadership. It sounds cliché, but it is so true, that “I can’t please everyone”. My own personal struggle is to guard against taking these darts aimed at me personally. God alone is the One Whose approval I seek, and I want to go where He leads me. And yet, I also want to remain teachable, always. There’s a fine line sometimes between helpful ‘feedback’ that comes from a proper motive, and criticism that comes from improper motives.
2. To keep my own walk with The Lord the main thing. If I ever catch myself out of balance, I need to refocus and refuel. Actually, I need to STAY fueled so that I don’t get to that point, but it can creep up on you before you notice sometimes. I don’t want to be so busy serving Jesus to women that I neglect Him in my own life.
What about you in your ministry, whatever your calling is? What is your biggest struggle (or two)??

Whatever the struggles, know this: You have to continually count the cost, and to be willing to sacrifice. Even if it means experiencing some lonliness, being misunderstood or judged harshly, losing some sleep and your free time, and sometimes even having to stand alone. When the cost feels like too much, remember this:

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.” (2 Cor. 4:7-12)

AMEN!

May you be blessed in your ministry this coming year!

convicted:

Why do people feel invisible?????

I posted a video on this blog a long time ago from Nicole Johnson entitled “Feeling Invisible” (check the archives back near the start of this blog). Since that time, I have left the post there so that people will land on it when they come here, or when they do a google search with the words ‘feeling invisible’.
I have been watching my feedjit (bottom of blog) quite often to see what brings people here and where they come from (your names don’t show – just your location). If someone came from google, I click on ‘google search’ in their feedjit, and it will take me to the google search page that shows me the words they actually googled that brought up my blog.
BY FAR, the most common google search that brings people to this blog are the exact words “FEELING INVISIBLE”. I find that so interesting. Why do so many people ‘feel invisible’?? Are these men, women, or both? What are they looking for…..maybe HOPE?? What is happening in their lives to make them feel so invisible that they are looking for answers on the internet?? I am intrigued by this.
I do hope that once they come to the blog, that they are watching Nicole’s video. It is profound. I hope that if they are believers, they realize that the unseen things they do in life do matter to God. If they are not believers, I hope they see that there is hope and that God created them for a purpose. I hope they snoop around elsewhere on the blog and find other things to encourage them, too. (makes me realize it is time to start updating this thing more often, with content that will help people!!!! I’ll work on that!).

If you are one of those who came here because you are feeling invisible, I would love for you to email me (go to my profile to do so) or leave a comment here. Tell me about it. What do you mean by ‘feeling invisible’? What makes you feel invisible, and what were you hoping to find by doing a google search about that topic?? And most importantly, have you found the answers you were looking for either here or elsewhere?? I am just curious to know. And also, every time I see that in feedjit, I lift a prayer for that person. If you are one of them, I have been praying for you. I don’t know your name, but God does. Know this: He loves you and to Him you are NOT invisible.

John 3:16 says it all.