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As I pray for my friend, Val, to receive healing and joy, I will also pray for myself.
I'm actually extremely happy! :D
I just need God to be more clear about my purpose at church. I have never felt more disconnected!!! I thought I was supposed to work with the women, but I don't see how that's possible at the moment. I'm doing much more ministry with my on-line friends than I do at church.
On a happy note: School starts Monday! I will have meetings all day today, tomorrow, and Friday, so I'll try to pay attention. ;o) Ron Clark will be our speaker at convocation; they made a movie about him teaching in New York City. You might remember the clips that showed him learning how to double-dutch with some of his students. I saw him speak in Cleveland, and he'll probably be as hyper as ever!
My friend, Rob, stopped by my classroom yesterday. Niiice. Maybe I'll get to see him today too.
"Your Will" by Men of Standard just started playing!!! Yes, Lord, I'm staying in Your will! ;o)
Well, gotta get ready for "work." :D
I haven't felt comfortable moving in leadership at church since I left abruptly for six weeks. In fact, I really don't want to do what I did before; it was way too stressful, and people were way too critical. It's sad, though; I really have a heart for ministry. In fact, two women said on Sunday, "You know, Michelle, you should go to school and start preaching!"
You have no idea how much I would love to do that!
But I don't have the finances for more college classes right now, and I'm not sure I want to (or am supposed to) return to leadership at my own church. We'll have to see what God says on that one.
But guess what!
Some of the women I prayed with during "The 99" want to keep in touch! I'm definitely going to keep e-mailing, praying for, and encouraging them!
That experience has helped me to be much more bold than ever about sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. I was "bold" before, but not always about praying and witnessing.
That said, I have begun a mini-ministry on-line! God has been putting people on my mind, so I've been e-mailing them and praying for them that way. My goodness! The response has been amazing! Even the folks who I thought might be irritated or a little offended are totally welcoming prayer!
I'm just super duper happy right now! God is wonderful, isn't He!?!?!?!
We're having leftover chicken, but I think I'll make some homemade biscuits to go with it. I also want to make some corn on the cob. Have a great day!
Remember "The 99"? Well, I had to do follow ups with those who did not already have a church, and I finally finished this afternoon. I feel so honored to share with you that God allowed me to pray with 173 women during my experience with "The 99," and 31 of them accepted Christ for the first time!
I got to witness 31 women give their lives to the Lord for the first time!!!! WOOO HOOO!!!!!
If you're in town, stop by my church at 7:00 on Friday. Check out First Baptist Church for information about our pastor, programs, or directions. Have a great day!
I met these women tonight, and they blessed my socks off!
Tanna is an extremely outgoing, lovable gal who chatted with me during The 99.
Sharon is a woman I prayed for, but I was surprised when she launched into her own, anointed prayer for ME when I finished!!! Wow!!!!
I am exhausted, or I'd write a lot more. Sweet dreams!
Let me confess something to you: I have been running from leading a women's ministry in my church.
Did I mention that God was not impressed with my tantrum? :D Since I ran, he had to chase me down....and plop several ministry opportunities in my lap simultaneously.
Ladies, I am sooooooooooo excited!!!!! I just spent an hour worshiping the Lord and praying, and the Holy Spirit hugged me the whole time! Woo hoo!
So I called my Pastor to broach the subject (women's ministry) and share a little bit of what God has been speaking to me, so we're going to talk about that tomorrow.
I can't wait to see what God is up to!!!
Any prayer requests? I'm in the mood to do some serious prayin' in the days to come, and I'd love to include your name! :o) If you're going through something traumatic, please know that you are NOT alone! Keep your chin up; God loves you bunches!!!
I spent my Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings ministering to people who've never had a relationship with the Lord. I also prayed for some folks who were already Christians but had some prayer requests.
Wow.
I also had a pleasant surprise! After I prayed with one young lady, she said, "You are an amazing prayer warrior! Now let me pray for you..."
She hit on some personal issues that I definitely struggle to handle, but she didn't know me at all. That's how I know God was moving! And the atmosphere was so charged with the love of God! If I remember correctly, "The 99" has successfully worked with folks from 30 area churches to lead almost 3,000 people to the Lord over a period of 6 days! WOOO HOOO!!!!!
You have no idea how this experience has humbled me.
Yes, I have been praying for people for several years, but I had only led a couple of folks to the Lord before this experience. I haven't counted, but I think I've had the privilege of personally leading at least 50 people to Jesus Christ!!!! I'm so excited! I am definitely going to be much more bold in the future.
We aren't allowed to take pictures, or I'd give you a tour. :o) Keep your eyes open; if "The 99" comes to your city, GO!!! Volunteer to do make-up, counsel lost souls, act in the realistic theater productions, make reminder phone calls to the volunteers, or help in any way you feel you can contribute. I guarantee your life will be more fulfilling if you do! God bless!
Love,
Michelle
P. S. : If you have no idea what it means to be "saved" and have questions about salvation, PLEASE leave a comment! I'd love to talk to you about it!
Thought-provoking, isn't it?
I prayed with 16 people this evening, and three of them came to Christ for the first time!
WOOO HOOOO!!!! Heaven got a little bit bigger tonight!
There were around 100 counselors eager to pray with folks, and I had a BLAST!!!!
I will definitely go back tomorrow evening. Pray for the counselors, please. I'm specifically asking for wisdom and discernment to pray effectively for these precious souls. Thanks!
Let's pray:
Thank you, Lord, for an amazing night! I thoroughly enjoyed ministering to hurting hearts, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to pray for so many folks, including two married couples. God, you are so amazing! Please use all of us tomorrow and soften hearts to be ready to accept you as Savior! In Jesus' name, amen!
Tonight is the first night of "the 99," and I'm psyched! I can't wait to counsel folks who have never accepted Christ into their hearts! It's going to be incredible!
I was speaking with a fellow counselor last night before group prayer, and she was feeling intimidated because she can't quote scripture very well. I told her, "You know, I don't think that's important at all. Before I knew the Lord well, I couldn't care less if people could recite scripture. I knew people who could do that but were mean and judgmental. What caught my attention were the folks who exhibited God's love, and you do that just fine!"
She felt a lot better at the end of the evening when we walked together to the parking lot. :D
I'm a morning person, so I'm going to take a nap later so that I won't yawn while I'm trying to lead people to the Lord at midnight (or later). ;o)
Have a beautiful day, my friend!
I spent an extra hour in the grocery store this evening. :o)
Yep, God gave me a chance to minister to someone who was hurting. By the end of the conversation, she was laughing! God is awesome!
I feel great! I can't even describe how free and exhilarated I am at this moment. Wow.
My day at work was awesome too. One of the assistant principals tried to get me in trouble on Friday (after being a dork himself and attempting to "correct" me in front of my class). On Friday, I could have dwelled on it and stewed all weekend, but God had me re-focus my thinking. I had planned to go to the Relay for Life, so I kept my mind on those cancer survivors who continue to need prayer.
This morning the Lord led me to stay positive, so I spent a few bucks on thank you cards, packs of bubble gum, and some 100-calorie bags of chocolate covered pretzels. I wrote an individualized thank you note to each of the principals who have helped me this year. I encouraged them and deliberately mentioned specific acts of kindness they had shown me.
That made their day! It was so cute to see their faces light up when they saw me. Isn't God amazing? Instead of letting me whine and complain (which is exactly what I had planned to do), the Lord nudged me to be a blessing instead. That, my friends, was MUCH more fun!
My principal wanted to know exactly what happened on Friday, and I told her. I also explained that I didn't expect her to do anything about it since I'm a big girl; I simply wanted her to know that I wouldn't be as polite if he ever did that to me again. She said, "Oh no, I am going to do something. We (principals) have a meeting today, and I will make sure he doesn't treat you that way again."
Today I lived the scripture, "All things work for the good of those who love the Lord!"
Ha! I love it!
Then I got a hug from her (not a reprimand or a write-up) and was thanked for all of my hard work.
So there, devil! God is always in control!
I'm also getting pretty excited about starting class next week. It will, no doubt, be difficult to keep up with grading, lesson plans and my graduate work, but I'm sure God will help me. I'll keep you posted.
Keep me in your prayers, especially next week, okay?
You will definitely be in my mine. God bless you, my friend.
Today was a long day.
We taught as usual, but then we had parent-teacher conferences until the early evening.
Afterwards, a few of my fellow teacher-friends decided to go out for a drink to celebrate my buddy's birthday. I'm not really a drinker, but I tagged along and enjoyed some ginger ale.
Yum! I haven't had ginger ale in quite a while. :o)
As I laughed and enjoyed some adult conversation (as opposed to the adolescent banter I hear every day), a colleague and dear friend began sharing about some personal troubles. Yep, folks, I did some ministry in the middle of a bar surrounded by a biker gang.
Doesn't that sound just like God????
I'm tired, but oh-so-content! Let's pray:
God, thank you for such a lovely (albeit long) evening! The day went smoothly, conferences were pleasant, two different prayer times with my pastor were peaceful and relaxing, and the fellowship with my friends and coworkers was exceptional. I pray that my words blessed my buddy tonight. Lord, I pray that he feels your peace as he falls asleep, and please let him have a spectacular morning with you. In Jesus' name, amen!
This morning's prayer was incredibly encouraging for me. I was able to listen as a pastor shared his reason for being absent from a prayer group the previous evening: he made his family a priority, and he chose to enjoy some family time since his daughter was going out of town soon.
Wow.
I would have given ANYTHING to have my Dad put me first once in a while. I know that he loved me, and I'm sure that he's in heaven right now because he gave his life to Christ when I was a teenager.
Still, it would have been nice if he had shown me (by spending time with me) that he cared.
Brion is a blessed little girl to have a father who doesn't allow ministry to overshadow his responsibilities to his family.
After all, we should be able to minister to our own families before anyone else, right?
I give my boys a great deal of freedom as long as they don't cross the boundaries I've set. However, we still do things together as a family, and I'm pleased to say that my son gave me a kiss in front of his friends yesterday. WOO HOO!!!!! I was beginning to think they were choosing friends over me because they didn't want to be "Mama's boys," but I think they're simply stretching their wings a bit. In a few short years, (less than five....Lord, help me!) they will be out on their own.
What will I do then? When I'm not doing ministry-related activities or working, then I'm cooking, cleaning, fussing at them to get their homework done, etc. When they leave, that "empty nest" feeling will smack me upside the head.
Oh boy....
Instead of worrying, I'll just try harder to enjoy this time. They grow so quickly, don't they?
Happy thoughts....happy thoughts....
Ummm....
Oh yeah! School was canceled today since our basketball team made the semi-playoffs. They will hit the court at 5:15 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio, and a huge chunk of our staff and students are traveling to support them. I, on the other hand, am typing this blog before getting our church bulletin done. I usually type the bulletin on Saturdays, but we have a funeral tomorrow morning. Sunday is full because we'll have our regular morning service in addition to an evening one in Alliance, Ohio.
Let's pray:
Father, thank you for such a moving, enjoyable, anointed prayer time this morning with my friends. We only gather for an hour, but it goes so quickly! I kept wanting to pray about more stuff, but I didn't want to interrupt other folks. Isn't that wonderful, Lord? We're all looking forward to time with you in prayer! :o)
Please be with the Coach, who is a dear friend of mine. He's such a sweet person, God! After the pep rally, I was rushing across the school to my classroom when someone tapped my shoulder: it was Steve! He's so excited, God, and I pray that you keep them safe as they travel this weekend. Even if we don't win, we know that you have placed Steve in the lives of these players because he is a strong role model, someone who doesn't just give lip juice but actually lives the life of a godly, friendly, kind gentleman. Be with him as he coaches the team and mentors them, perhaps even as father-figure, and allow them to be proud of coming this far, even if they don't win the game. If they are trimuphant, Lord, please don't let them come back cocky and arrogant. Instead, help them to stay humble and lovable.
I also want to thank you, Lord, for relieving the pressure I've been feeling about some personal issues. You are so wonderful! I pray for the administration, staff, and students in our school district, and I also thank you for the testimonies of some folks who were bursting to share stories of answered prayer! That's so exciting, Lord!
I love you, Jesus, and I hope you stick close to my side over the next few days. Holy Spirit, please comfort my friend who lost his mother this week. Help him and his sister to feel your peace, in Jesus' name. Amen.
I am going to try to balance all that God has for me to do with all that I want to do. I have a track record of jumping into a gazillion projects (and doing a half-way decent if not "good" job at all of them at the expense of sleep and family time).
But I agreed to join a group that will meet this afternoon. The good news is that I'll regularly see some friends that I usually can't see. More good news is that we'll have supper together and then attend a worship service. It's soooo much fun to worship God, isn't it?
Even more good news is that I'm no longer running from a call to teach the word of God. Some people might call it a call to "preach," but I'm not ready for that word yet. I entertained the possibility of getting licensed at my church, but after talking to my pastor I prefer waiting. Maybe I'll never get licensed, and that's fine.
I have no idea what God has in store as far as ministry, but I do know that I love teaching the women's Bible study. I was a bit sad when pastor asked to keep the women and men together for a while, but he knows what he's doing. Maybe that's a good thing; I'll have more freedom to not go if I'm swamped with paperwork when I return to teaching next week.
For a while I was at church four days per week: Sunday (worship), Tuesday (T.O.P.S.), Wednesday (teach Women's Bible study), and Saturday (type the bulletin). I think I'll take the boys to youth group on Tuesday and use that time to type the bulletin. If Pastor teaches the Wednesday night Bible studies, then I'll only need to be at church two days per week until the summer, when I can resume everything. Life gets hectic when I have a full-time job (and three part-time jobs) while trying to juggle ministry stuff.
I'll pray some more about it.
Good morning!
I only have one resolution for 2009: to become a better woman, whatever that looks like.
I have been in physical pain off and on since last week because of my own stupidity. I was feeling rather well, and for a moment I forgot that I recently had surgery. As I straightened the office at church, I saw an unopened box of copy paper that had been sitting on a desk for a few days. Without thinking, I picked it up and carried it to the counter to put the reams in the cabinet.
You can probably figure out the rest.
I have been trying to rest this week, and I'm afraid to exercise because I don't want to feel any more pain. Maybe I'll start walking next week.
Weight loss is usually my only goal, but this year it will only be part of my journey. I'm still going to cook healthy meals and try to stay away from fattening foods, but exercise needs to be a daily part of my routine too.
My boys have lost quite a bit of weight because of their active lifestyles and my conscious effort this year to buy foods that will nourish our bodies. In fact, I'm so blessed when they go to the store with me. Instead of asking for chips or candy, they beg for yogurt and strip cheese! (Really! I'm not making this up!)
Last night I didn't feel particularly well, so I made a simple dinner. I cooked the leftover Christmas turkey in a pan with two tablespoons of canola oil, some Mrs. Dash seasoning, and a jar of roasted red bell peppers, which I sliced. I didn't use any salt or butter. I poured that mixture over some noodles, and voila! We enjoyed a healthy, easy to make, quick supper. My boys LOVED it!
I have already begun reading my Bible more often, and I'm enjoying my time with God. I definitely need to continue spending time with him, even when life gets hectic.
I loved preaching on Sunday, so I'm hoping that I'll get to do that again in 2009. If not, the ladies at church will keep me busy with the women's Bible study. They are wonderful, and I love them dearly.
What will you focus on in the new year?
So....
I have played "Mama" to quite a few of my colleagues this week, and it's nice to know that they trust me.
It's even nicer to know that, even in the midst of my own chaos, I have a calming effect on others. (Trust me...it has NOT always been that way!)
I almost jumped into "Momma mode" with a total stranger last night.
She was yelling at the cashier for NO REASON. I kid you not. I think she needed some meds or something. Everybody heard every word she said, and she threatened to try to get the cashier in trouble by calling the manager and store owner.
Have I told you that I hate bullies? It is such a struggle not to intervene, even when I don't know the individuals.
As I turned to watch this chick put on a show (in front of her own two children, who no doubt are learning this behavior), I began to tire of her verbal abuse and was about to do something about it when my son grabbed my purse and said, "No, Mom."
Well, all I was going to do is ask her if I could have a word with her in private. Then I would deal with her exactly as I do any irate, frustrated kid: get down to the nitty gritty of what's causing the unacceptable behavior. Hurting people hurt people, and I have a hunch she was in emotional pain.
How cool would it have been to talk to her and , quite possibly, end up bringing her to Bible study next Monday?
Alas, my son was mortified, and the more I listened to this lady, the more she seemed a bit crazy. But prayer changes things, doesn't it?
Unfortunately, she left before I made up my mind what to do. If my son hadn't been with me, it would have been a no-brainer. I didn't want to make him uncomfortable, though. Besides, what if God was speaking to his heart and trying to prevent me from getting into a tango with a serial killer? You never know.
Pray for her, ok?
Let me leave you on a happy note: Of 165 kids, 163 are passing (and 69 are A's)! Woo hoo!!!!!!
I'm determined; just once I'd like to see everyone pass. I won't lie though; if they earn an F, well....
Well, I certainly can tell that someone has been praying for me! :o)
The women's Bible study went extremely well this evening, and we went over our 1-hour time limit because there were so many questions! Yay!!!! I didn't have an answer for one of them, so I'll have to wait for my pastor to come back from vacation to see if he can elaborate.
One young lady said, "You know, I was so tired and had talked myself out of coming tonight. But I'm so glad that I'm here!" Double yay!!!!!
Then, as I washed the dishes and cleaned the stove before coming downstairs to blog and type an important letter, my son said, "You know, Mom, do you realize that you're doing single-handedly what it took Grandma and Grandpa two people to do? Grandma said you might be feeling like a failure, and she was crying tonight because she said that you treat her well, and it hurts her to see bad things happen to you all the time. And Mom, you're not a failure! You're raising two teenage boys all by yourself, and you're not a failure."
Wow.
All of that from child #1?
You KNOW that's God, especially after this weekend!
The beauty of it all is that he sincerely meant it. He smiled and cheerfully helped me in the kitchen, and I'm so grateful for such a quick answer to prayer. THIS is the child I know and love!!!!!!
God really DOES answer prayer, doesn't He? I prayed for myself tonight at the Women's Bible study, and I hope that my son will see answers to those prayers too.
Peace.
I get to meet with the ladies tonight, and that's always fun!
This week should go pretty quickly since we only have four days of school. Friday is NEOEA Day (Northeastern Ohio Education Association Day). That means the kids are off from school while teachers across Ohio will attend workshops.
I started Weight Watchers again too. [I'm not paying for meetings, though, since I already know the plan backwards and forwards.] As I stated in an earlier post, my little one had me stressed out this weekend...and I ended up gaining six pounds.
I need to structure myself. As long as I keep track of every single morsel I put in my mouth, I should be fine. I need to start NOW, though, since Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner!
This time around, I'm not going to worry about getting into a size 6 or 8 as quickly as possible. Instead, I'm going to take baby steps. It may take me a year, but I'd rather have regular, slow progress than a quick weight loss that results in gaining the weight back. Please pray for me, ok?
I have to get ready for work. But my lunch is already packed! :o)
May you have a blessed week!
This is my beautiful Momma leaning on my car. Once in a while, when I have some free time on a Saturday morning, I treat her to breakfast at Perkins. She LOVES steak omelets, although she can never eat such a huge plate of food. This past Saturday I had one of those wonderful opportunities to chit chat with her for a whole hour. While we were waiting to be seated, I ran into some old students (who are in their mid-twenties now):
I had a better picture, but it included a child...I'd rather not post that one.
On a happy note, these girls are a hoot! I love them! They ALWAYS made me smile with their energy and silliness. Some things never change...
This morning I spoke with a friend of mine concerning an opportunity to lead worship. We got goosebumps as we shared ideas/visions about ministry, and I can't wait to see what God is going to do next!
I will keep you posted. I hope you have a fabulous evening!
Hi guys! I'm in a pretty chipper mood, and I praise God for that!
Deep down, though, I'm still battling some stuff. Please pray for me, ok? I'm pretty sure it's just a plain 'ol attack of the enemy, but he's playing dirty.
I suppose it's silly to expect him to play any other way.
I need to get it together before 6:00 this evening, though, when I have to teach the women at Bible study. How will I be able to minister to their hurts and wounds if I'm aching?
For those of you in ministry: how do you cope? I welcome any input. I doubt that there are very many women's ministry folks reading this blog, so your ideas are incredibly valuable at the moment. I'm still "pressing toward the mark," but I'm getting really tired. The work itself is fine, but the emotional and spiritual aspects of ministry are kicking my behind. There are also two personal issues that have my head spinning. Don't be offended because I'm keeping them private; I just don't know if any students have found this blog yet....hence my hesitance on sharing details. :o)
I will write again soon. Love you.
Last weekend was pretty cool.
One of my friends leaned in and said, "Hey, girl, I heard you're gonna be ordained soon!"
I caught my breath as quickly as I could, and then I replied, "Well, I think I need to get licensed first!"
For years I've had dreams of me teaching and preaching, and it's a bit unnerving to see the possibility becoming more real. The thought of giving a sermon is both terrifying and electrifying.
What if I royally screw up?
What if I can't handle the pressure when folks feel inclined to critique every word, or worse yet, misinterpret what I'm trying to say?
But then again....what if I ignore what God is calling me to do?
Maybe I'll take a class to see what seminary is like. It'll have to wait until next summer when I have much more free time. We'll see...
Hi (especially to Kim)! :o)
It's been a crazy week so far:
SUNDAY: It took me a little over an hour to get to the car after service because I had some opportunities to listen when a few women (one at a time of course) needed to talk. I think God's going to do some pretty cool stuff in their lives!
LABOR DAY: I watched a few minutes of the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon and then worked at church, but I didn't have enough time to finish everything I wanted to do. In the morning my buddy, Tim F., fixed a leaky hose on my central air unit AND showed me how to clean a part on my furnace [to make it work better in the fall]. Yay! And he even bought the parts to get the job done. I love him and his gorgeous wife. They rock!
TODAY: I met my students for the first time. They are awesome! Of six classes and approximately 155 kids, only one student had an attitude. One outta 155 ain't bad, eh?
The new classroom is equipped with a microphone that I wear around my neck. That is the coolest toy! I didn't have the nerve to try it until 5th period, but I'm hooked! I'll be firing up that baby every period every day!!! I'll have to remember to get a picture of all the electronic gadgets, including the mike.
When I was having a difficult time last year, my Pastor came and prayed with me. The results were amazing! After prayer, my students were behaving, I didn't need to remove anyone for inappropriate comments (profanity had been a problem), and they were all on task. I asked Pastor to come pray with me this year too, so we busted out the oil this afternoon and went to town praying for everybody who came to mind.
I left work at 5:25 and barely made it to a women's meeting for another church. I bought a ticket to a catered dinner where we watched One Night with the King. Have you ever seen that movie? I love it! It's the story of Esther, who is actually a Jew named Hadassah. I HIGHLY recommend this movie.
As I exited my car, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. At first, I thought it might be a mouse running up the side of the garage. Upon closer inspection I realized it was something else...the biggest spider I've ever seen in my life. He must have eaten a small dog for supper tonight!
Ick!!!!
This is one of those times I wish my brother lived a little closer so he could pop over and kill it for me.
Alas, there was no one to call, so I took off my sandal and smacked it.
Would you believe that sucker kept crawling?!?!?! Ewwwwwww!!!! I had to put my shoe back on and stomp before it finally died.
I itch everywhere just thinking about it!
Since I need to get to sleep soon, I'll have to think happy thoughts to push out the creepy ones. Let's see....I like rainbows....and roses (although I'm highly allergic), and Christmas lights...
