The Original Birth Father

Imagine yourself standing on the curb holding your precious child. Look down and see the round cheeks of your baby, the bow-tie lips, and wisps of hair. Do you remember those days? Do you remember how your baby smelled? Now you see a school bus has arrived. It doesn't have any identifiers on it. The windows are tinted, and you don't see the bus driver. You don't even know where the bus is going. All you know is that in order for this precious baby you love so much to have any chance of a decent life you have to put your baby on that bus. You don't know if you will ever see that baby again. What is it that you feel? Is it overwhelming sadness or grief? With tears streaming down your face, you study your cherub's face and features, hoping that maybe one day, just maybe, you'll recognize the sweet face again. Many of you moms are saying or thinking right now, "There's no way I'd put my baby on that bus." But what if you had no way of feeding and clothing your baby? What if you didn't have a roof over your own head? Times are tough right now, ladies. What if you didn't have a job or health coverage for a baby who needed it? The bus offered that security for your baby. Could you then? How destitute would you have to be before you placed your baby with someone else for them to adopt and rear as their own? How destitute would you have to be?
 It's a gut-wrenching decision. You say or you think this doesn't happen; this isn't real life. But for many women who choose to place their babies for adoption, that is exactly what it feels like. Women who chose open adoption have a little more security and knowledge about where their baby is and who is loving their baby. Some even get to see their baby grow up. The act of a birth parent to place their baby for adoption is the most self-sacrificing and self-less kind of love. It is second to laying down your life, and there is only one who has done both. You see, our heavenly Father is the original Birth Father. He chose who would be the earthly parents for Jesus. I can tell you from personal experience, it is an extremely humbling moment when another woman asks you to raise her unborn child. Mary was already a humble servant of the Lord. I cannot begin to imagine all the emotions she must have felt and gone through, knowing she had been chosen and at such a young, vulnerable age. There is also great joy as well as uncertainty that comes with being a chosen parent. You not only want to be a great parent because you love your baby with all your heart but because you want to show this birth parent that they made a good choice. And how rewarding it is to hear that birth parent tell you, you are doing a good job. To hear them say, "I made a good decision in choosing you," is just an unexplainable reward. I wonder if God gave her some reassurances from time-to-time.


The thing about God being the original Birth Father is that He did it knowing that His only Son would have to die a tortuous death. I'm sorry, but I couldn't put either one of my children on the bus I described if I knew that kind of end would come to my baby. Do you see the face of your baby? God chose to come to earth in the form of a baby. Thirty-three years must have flown by. It must have felt as if Jesus was born one day, and the next day was Calvary. How did He not live in dread? I'll tell you how. Somehow His love for you, His love for me is so great that He was willing to sacrifice One for the good of many. He realized the pain He would endure was temporary and that there was good that would come from it. No, not good. Great things would come from His birth, death, and resurrection. Great things for us, His adopted children.
If God's first act of choosing adoptive parents wasn't a big enough act of love for you, then the cross definitely is. And if you put the two together, you have to agree that it is an overwhelming, all-consuming kind of love. My question for you is this: What are you doing with His
love? Were His sacrifices for nothing? This kind of love is to be shared. It is to be on purpose. Take time this holiday season to love on the unlovely, to love on the unsuspecting. Take time this holiday to make contact with that checker at the store, the person who takes out your groceries, the one who waits on your table. Let's show them why we love this season and why we choose to say, "Merry Christmas." We have much to be thankful for, and I am thankful for each of you.

 His Daughter,



Kristy

The Time of the Year

This is my all-time, most favorite time of the year. I love everything about it – the cool weather, football, the changing of the leaves, Thanksgiving followed by Christmas which means good food, family and friends. I do have to admit I have to do an attitude check from time-to-time because my focus gets off what is important which usually means I've put the focus on myself. My feelings get hurt. I get tired, snappy, short or make caddy remarks that have no business being said much less being thought. Anybody with me? Sometimes we get caught up in keeping score: "Well, I brought this last time," or "This is my responsibility: I do it every year." When I hear those kind of words come out of someone it makes me wonder about their heart and their focus.

It isn't for us to keep score. That's not your job or mine. Proverbs 20:27 says, "God is in charge of human life, watching and examining us inside and out." (The Message translation) When we allow God to keep score and deal with things, then we are able to maintain our focus on what is important like loving on others and serving others, we find our attitude changes, our burdens lifted. And wouldn't that make for a much more pleasant holiday season for everyone?

Each of us is a precious daughter of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let's be gracious daughters of the King as well exercising mercy, extending love and a willing hand with a gentle spirit, emulating His generosity, and executing Christ-like behavior not only in actions but in speech as well. Look for opportunities to practice your precious, princess-self remembering you represent your Father.

Love to you all.

His Daughter,

 

Kristy

A Wayward Friend or Child

Who is a score keeper? Who is a keeper of wrongs? I have to admit early on in my marriage not only was I a score keeper, but after arguing with attorneys all day, I took that skill home and would annihilate any argument my husband might have tried with me. I realized once during the middle of an argument when I was on point number two just what I was doing.

Today as part of my quiet time, I went to www.Biblegateway.com and read the verses for today. I chose to read it in The Message. Ezekial 20 talks about God and how His children rebelled against Him. More than once it reads, "I seriously considered inflicting my anger on them in force there in Egypt. Then I thought better of it. I acted out of who I was, not by how I felt." (OH, Lord, I want to act out of whose I am instead of how I feel!) God is the ultimate score keeper. In another Bible study I read today, it said God didn't explain Himself. He let the repercussions fall as they may or allowed the problem to work itself out in instances.

Time after time the children of God rebelled. Then the next generation arose, and they rebelled time after time. God got His fill and ended up showing His strength and flexing His proverbial muscle. Even God reached His maximum tolerance level with His chosen children. They were out from under His protection. He separated them, spread them apart, and then His sword went into motion. I don't pretend to know what it's like to have a child go away from the way of God, and I hope I never have to because I've seen heart-broken mommas and the grief caused by a wayward child. Sometimes it's not a child. Sometimes it is a spouse or friend.

I would like to encourage you to read James 5. It talks about our speech and how we are to speak to one another, and then I challenge you to claim James 5:17, "The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with." (The Message) I absolutely love that verse.

Please read the words to a Casting Crowns' song "Prayer for a Friend": (Pray it for your friend or child who needs to return to God).

    Lord, I lift my child to You.

    I've done all that I know to do.

 

    Lord, I lift my child up to You.

    Complicated circumstances have clouded her view.

 

    Lord, I lift my child up to You.

    I fear that I won't have the words that she needs to hear.

    I pray for Your wisdom, oh, God, and a heart that's sincere.

    I know she means much more to You.

    So, Lord, I lift my child up to You.

 

    I want so much to help her, but this is something she has to do.

    Lord, I lift my child up to You.

    There's a way that seems so right to her.

    But You know where that leads.

    She's becoming a puppet of the world, too blind to see the strings.

    Lord, I lift my child up to You.

God is in the miracle-working business, and this is the season for miracles. It's also the season to believe.

Love to you all,

 

Kristy

What Are Your Traditions and Family Recipes?

I would love to get some ideas from you. What are some of your holiday traditions? What are some of your favorite recipes? We have a Beth Moore book to give away.

One of our traditions I started after a friend told me she did it. When she would set up the Nativity Scene, she wouldn't put out the Baby Jesus. Baby Jesus would come out Christmas morning. They would sing "Happy Birthday," and it helped them focus on the real meaning of Christmas.

How do you keep your focus and your family's focus on the real meaning of the holidays whether it is Thanksgiving or Christmas?

Help me out, ladies.

I Choose Joy

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:1-3



I love the word "joy." As a matter of fact, if Patrick were to say we could adopt again (after I picked myself up off the floor and had him repeat himself then write it in blood), I would heavily consider the name "Joy." If not for a first name, most definitely the middle.
 Do you know when you appreciate joy the most? During a trial or after a trial or difficult time in your life. The depth of joy can be directly related to how deep the trial or difficult time through which God has delivered you.

My family loves to laugh. We laugh at each other. We look for things to laugh at. Storytelling that makes others laugh is a gift of my daddy's. We find humor in the things our children do like when Pearce got a "C" in conduct for making "gassy" noises on his arm. But there was a time that we struggled with finding humor.

2007 was a dark year for us, but in January of 2008 we had a celebration party rejoicing that God had allowed us to survive, and He worked it all out for our good. In 2007, we had to search for joy, search for something to laugh about, search for humor. Some of the best pictures of 2007 were when Honey (my mom) brought out her "cranial prostheses" (that's fancy talk for "wigs"), and we let the kids try them on. Pearce looked like a blond, Hispanic Starsky or Hutch, and Madeleine and Erin had a ball. In turn, we found ourselves smiling and then laughing.

 Something I've discovered about joy is that people are drawn to it. When I walk around with a smile on my face--a genuine smile--for some reason I get asked, "What are you up to?" They want to know how I got that smile on my face. They want to know why I have a smile on my face.

Smiles are infectious. You can't help yourself. If someone smiles at you, you smile back (Your momma raised you with good manners, didn't she?).

 Since starting this women's ministry, more and more women are opening their hearts and sharing their burdens. We are connecting these women to other women to encourage and pray for them. But the bottom line is that joy is a choice. Sometimes it is down-right hard, if not difficult, to get out of the bed in the morning because of all the weight on your shoulders. Sometimes it is difficult to leave that relationship at the feet of Jesus. Sometimes it is difficult to get up and do the same thing day after day feeling unappreciated, unvalued, uncherished. It is then that we have to CHOOSE JOY.

 In 2007, my sister and I surprised my mom with something or someone at every chemo treatment she received. I don't tell you that to pat myself on the back. I tell you that because that was a way we CHOSE JOY. The last chemo session I wanted to find a quartet to go and sing, "Victory in Jesus," but my budget was $0. You know what God provided? A small choir of about 15 people singing praise and worship songs while she received her last round of chemo. Truth be known, before it was all said and done, several nurses had joined in, family members of other patients had joined in, and some of the patients on that ward had joined in. They were making a choice--choice to exercise JOY.

 Whatever your excuse is as to why you don't have joy, throw it out the window. Throw it out! Daddy says, "Excuses are like bellybuttons; everyone has one." Get rid of your excuse and choose joy.

 Joyfully His Daughter,


Kristy

Are You Where You Are Supposed to Be?

"There's a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again – it leads straight to hell. Sure, those people appear to be having a good time, but all that laughter will end in heartbreak." Proverbs 14: 23-13 The Message

Have you ever been toodling along in life thinking everything is just ducky when there is a snag or a bump in the road that rattles you out of your state of unawareness? Has God ever used someone who He obviously brought into your life for a reason in order to snap you back into His reality?

How often has contentment in my life allowed me not to see what God was wanting me to see. How often has complacency in my spiritual life cheated me of being a blessing to someone else and even receiving a blessing. Contentment and complacency may appear benign but it is the beginning of malignancy that leads to stagnation in our lives. As Pastor Rick once said, "That's a pool of water I don't want to swim in." Give me the Living Word. Give me the Word that is God-inspired and speaks to me in ways I am not always aware of.

It's not enough to come to church on Sunday morning. It's not enough for us to have quiet times with God because if truth be known, if our walk is as it should be and we are having that quiet time with God daily, we will be producing fruit. We will be actively involved in our churches using our spiritual gifts and talents He has so graciously and generously provided in order to serve others as Christ did. There is a way that seems right to man, but it will lead to death. Actions are not the way we get to heaven, but they are result of the work that God is doing in us. What do your actions say about God's working in you? What are my actions saying about God's work in my life?

Ladies, you are too precious to God, and I don't want you to miss out on one blessing He has in store for you. Find your place of service and get thee there and serve Him with your whole heart.

Love ya'll,

 

Kristy

When Peace Is What You Need ("When Peace Like a River")

Has anyone ever stood on your last nerve? There are days when I feel like someone isn't only standing on it, but they are wearing cleats jumping up and down on it!  There is a constant assault, a barrage of stimuli, people, or junk wearing you down sometimes a little bit at a time and at others it is taking chunks from your heart and mind causing rock slides of emotions, instability, and stress.

P  E  A  C  E

Do you ever crave peace? "When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, 'It is well. It is well with my soul'."

Peace. I desire peace.

I love having one-to-one encounters with women because it allows them to share their heart with me and trust me with what they are going through. Ladies, I don't take it lightly or light-heartedly. Your confidences I keep. But one thing that has been a common thread throughout this week with the women I've met or talked to is the trials they are going through, the difficulty. John 16:33 says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble." (Ain't that the truth?) "But take heart! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD."  (Praise the Lord!)

There is victory and peace in Christ. What we go through in this life is temporary. It is but for a season. (Granted some of those seasons feel like the drought will last forever, or in Louisiana the floodwaters will last forever, but in truth, it doesn't.) I Peter 3:11 says I must "seek peace and pursue it." If we are seeking and pursuing peace, can we have our focus on other things like the problems and the things that weigh us down? He also says if we will seek Him we will find Him (MT7:7). He is the perfector or finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2). He is the one who provides the peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7).

Peace is a process.

But once we seek Him and pursue Him who gives peace then we have to be willing to release our grip on what is causing us grief, turmoil difficulty and trouble. We have to release it to Him and trust that He knows what is best and that He, and HE ALONE, will work it all out for our good (Rms 8:28).  We have to be willing to give it up, lay it down, and when we do, we find rest (Matt 11:28-30). We have to trust in order to find peace. Does that scare any of you?

Philippians 4:7 says, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Peace affects your heart AND your mind, and the only one who can provide that to you is your Maker, your heavenly Father. I don't know about you, but my mind is a scary place because I can fester, mull, fret and all sorts of things that are not peaceful. I have to release it. Lay it back down at the foot of the cross. Tell God I trust Him, and it is well with my soul that He is in control.

Then the last part of the peace process is to be thankful. Finding something to be thankful for during the difficult times can be difficult at best sometimes, but Colossians 3: 15 says, " Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Be thankful. Paul wrote that in all things we are to give thanks...that, girlfriend, can be hard to do at times, but it is a crucial part of having peace.

Thank you, God, for bringing me through. Thank you, God, for providing. Thank you, God, for never leaving me nor forsaking me even when I get stuck or try to work it out on my own. Thank you, God, for your unconditional love and forgiveness. Thank you. Living a life of gratitude leads us to be able to say "It is well with my soul." 

 "It Is Well"   -- Awesome  -- Please click on link

Amazing Stories (Encouragement)

We have some of the most phenomenal women in our church. Just since I started leading the Women IN Ministry, I've had opportunities to meet women one-on-one and hear their stories. EVERY WOMAN HAS HER OWN STORY! You have your own story. And I find each story and each woman fascinating.

Some women have endured abuse, divorce, addiction, defeat, neglect, grief, loss of a child, illness, and so many things that would blow your mind if you heard, and yet they don't know how awesome their own story is. The women who have been bold enough to trust me with their stories always include how God brought them through it, how they can now see God's hand working it out for her good. That gives me goose bumps. Our God is alive and working it out in our lives every day if we just WAKE UP! (To quote Pastor Rick)

Then I am so honored when these women tell me they are willing to share their stories with another woman who may be going through a similar situation. I love that. How generous our women are. How generous our God is.

If you have a story you are willing to share with another woman who may be going through the same thing, I'd love to talk to you or you can write me at Kmullins@calvaryshreveport.org.

In all of our journeys, in all of our stories along the way we have all needed encouragement. Haven't we? I know I have. There have been times when I couldn't find anything to be thankful for, and God was faithful to provide someone to stand in the gap for me. Then He was faithful and provided someone along the way to encourage me.

Ladies, I don't know about you, but there are some Sunday mornings when I am not in the frame of mind to go into worship. I've had a hard, trying week. I've had to referee at least one fight that morning before leaving the house. I'm sure I've torn the house apart looking, searching for the boy's shoes or underwear. And the truth is I'm just worn slap thin. If that is you or if that is a girlfriend sitting beside you during Sunday school, discretely step out of your Sunday school class and head to the Women IN Ministry office.

The Women IN Ministry office is the office across the foyer from Sunni's large desk. This office is going to be open, and there is going to be a growing, godly lady who will be in there to listen to you, to pray with you, and to encourage you. It takes only about 15 minutes, maybe 20 at the most.

Will you have the courage to share you heart with another woman? Will you allow her to encourage you? Wouldn't you get more out of worship if your heart and mind were focused and encouraged? Yes, it would.

Your story, your relationship to God is precious. Sometimes we just need a little encouragement along the way. I hope you take this opportunity to do something for yourself. You deserve it.

Zip Yo' Lip

"Do everything without complaining or arguing." (Philippians 2:14)

Do I have your attention? 

Have you ever wanted to tell someone, "Put your big girl panties on and deal with it!" or "If you're so miserable, then leave!" I have to say that I have, especially with the professional complainers and whiners (as if they don't have anything better to do with their time).  I want to say, "Get a life!" or "Get happy in the same pants you got mad in!" or "If there is a problem, then be the solution not another problem."

I quote this verse to my kids on occasions only for God to remind me of it later that same day when I complain.

We all have things we struggle with, don't like, or want to change, but we're told in God's Word to do EVERYTHING without complaining. You have something negative to say about someone or something -- ZIP YO' LIP!

By refusing to ZIP THE LIP, we are refusing to submit to God's authority, and that, girlfriend, is not a place I care to tread. And I don't want any of my gal pals there either.

"Submit" is a difficult word. It requires humility. It requires us to give up our own agenda, our own actions based on our opinion, and requires us to follow and be obedient to His will, His plan. 

Maybe when we open our mouths to complain, we should retrain ourselves with another verse in the Bible -- "Pray continually."
(1 Thessalonians 5:25)  Pray for the situation you are wanting to complain about. Pray for the person you are wanting to complain about. Prayer changes things. Prayer changes people...especially the one doing the praying.

I guess the reason I write this is because God has dealt with me on this subject from time-to-time, and if you can learn it at my expense, please do because I don't want someone else to have to go through it as well.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing" (I Thessalonians 5:11)

His Daughter,

Kristy

"Sunday Face"

Have you ever laughed at someone just to go and do something as foolish or goofy yourself? One night I was watching the Discovery Channel. It was one of their E.R. shows, and this lady had accidentally been putting her husbands Nitroglycerin ointment on his hemorrhoids, and his hemorrhoid medicine on his heart. It almost cost him his life. I laughed thinking, "How could you possible confuse those two?"

The very next morning I was getting ready for work and before putting on my make-up, I realized I had put my lip ointment that plumps and prevents my lipstick from running under my eyes -- GREAT! Now my eyes would be puffy all day long. My under-eye treatment was to reduce puffiness, lines and lighten any circles under my eyes had been applied to my lips -- GREAT! My lips would be pencil thin (SOOO attractive). It would be interesting to see how the rest of my make-up would look by the time I'd get done.

It reminded me of the time when I was a newlywed living in Dallas and work required I wear dresses or suits. I'd get dressed the same way every day. Under garments first (That makes sense, right?), then I'd try to figure our what I'd wear for the day. One morning I had gone to work, had been social speaking to almost everyone in the office, worked some files, went to the restroom and the breakroom, but it wasn't until I went back to my desk that my support person told me I needed to go home at lunch. I said, "Why? What's wrong?" That's when she informed me that she could tell I was wearing hot-pink panties under my white dress! I sat down the rest of the morning and tried to make my exit as uneventful as possible.

We try so hard sometimes to put on a good face, to have the right look especially when it comes to going to church. But how many times have we already had an altercation, had to referee a disagreement, had a bad hair day, couldn't find a shoe, etc., before we ever enter the premise of the church only to slap on a happy face right before entering the doors. Sometimes we enter the sanctuary or our small group room with so much baggage that our hearts aren't prepared to praise and worship. We are doing it because it is the right thing to do. We are doing it out of obligation. We aren't doing it out of our relationship with God. We aren't doing it because we are prepared to enter His presence expecting a word or touch from Him.

I remember there was one Sunday I had to leave during the middle of the Sunday school lesson. I just couldn't hold it together any longer. I drove home crying my heart out to God under such conviction, and I met God at my kitchen table. It wasn't pleasant, but it was necessary. There have been times when I just wanted "to unload," "to be heard," or "to be encouraged and loved on," but I didn't get it at church. You know why? It wasn't the people at church fault. It was mine. It was pride. I didn't reach out and tell someone I needed help. I didn't find a godly, growing lady to take aside to say, "Would you please pray for me, I'm struggling?" Why didn't I? Why don't you? Healing, support and encouragement is a person away...God can use godly, growing women to touch the lives of other women.

If a wise, godly, growing lady were available during the Sunday school hour in the Women IN Ministry office, I wonder how many visitors would she have? Who would have the courage to share their heart with another woman of such class, wisdom and character? This is something I've been praying about. I'd love to have your feedback. Words are one thing. Action is another.

Real worship begins when we let down our defenses, when we lay down our burdens at the foot of the cross and live as if God has already handled it. Sometimes we may just need a little help doing it. And God isn't all that impressed with how your make-up, hair or clothes appear. He is more concerned with your heart.

Mistaken Identity

I love this project. I went to El Salvador and worked with our missionary and his wife this summer encouraging women, and I have to say the orphanage broke my heart. It was all I could do to not to burst into tears and pack two of them away in my luggage to bring home. I looked down into their faces and saw my son's who is Mexican not Salvadoran, but the coloring is similar.

When my son Pearce saw this photo that went out on postcards to all our members, he saw something I hadn 't seen before and unfortunately this photo cuts it off. In the right portion of this picture is a little boy dressed in shorts and some stars have been placed around him. Pearce studied the picture and said, "Mom, this is me!" Sunni was there and told him those were children from the orphanage in El Salvador. Pearce's next question --  "Then why am I there?"

I tried to explain that it wasn't him, but he didn't want to be confused with the facts, so I told him the stars around him was fairy dust. Sunni piped in saying Pearce went to El Salvador when he slept at night. My children aren't warped for no reason!

Have you ever heard that everyone has a twin somewhere? When I was in high school there was another teen with dark, big hair (it was the 80s after all), fair complexion, and pencil thin who attended church with me. My dad one time walked up from behind put his arm around her shoulder and started walking with her. It wasn't until he looked down into her face that he realized it wasn't me. Fortunately, she knew how goofy my daddy was and thought it was quite funny. During college, I was told there was a waitress at Clancy's (A restaurant that use to be on Youree that I loved!) that was my twin. I never spotted her.

Pearce's mistakenly identifying himself in the picture and my memories got me to thinking about mistaken identities. Peter was hoping that people wouldn't identify him as being a follower of Christ, but it was undeniable. Even though he tried three times. Have you ever been identified when you were in a moment in the flesh? What do you do? Do you back out of it and act like it never happened? Do you pretend what you did was okay?

I make my children go back and apologize when they have acted in a way that is not appropriate or respectful. Should I go back and apologize to the person who saw me acting in the flesh or when I was acting too big for my britches like my momma use to say? How humbling that would be if we practiced that. To humble means to lower ourselves. When was the last time you lowered yourself, humbled yourself before the Lord so that others could see Christ's identity in you? When was the last time you acted in the flesh and God did the humbling? I would much rather humble myself than have anyone humble me.

See here's the thing, we can't live like Christ is the center of our world, the Rock of our foundation and others not know it. Are Christians perfect? ABSOLUTELY NOT! If they were perfect they wouldn't need a Saviour! But when we mess things up, we should handle it differently. We shouldn't wish and hope that people don't identify us as a Christian when we get all up in someone's business. We should do our best to act in a manner pleasing to God, and when we mess up, own up. Take possession of it. Humble ourselves. Apologize for not being the example we need to be.

Let me encourage you to wear the title of Christian with humility. Serve in humility, and when we royally screw things up like I am proned to do (After all, if you do something, do it well!), apologize and show there is a difference between being a growing, active Christian than others in the world. People are watching to see if we are going to be Christ-like. We may be the only Jesus they will ever see. Who will others identify you with?

Just some questions to ponder.

His Daughter,

Kristy Mullins

Question

If you are on Facebook, you may have seen or taken the quiz about what Biblical character are you most like. I'd like to know the answer to that question and the why or what characteristics make you like that person. It will be interesting to see the answers. We have an Avalon CD to give away to one who answers the question. We'll put your names in a hat and pull one. So let's get started.

5K and Forward

For those of you who don’t know me and my family, we are all very sports-oriented, and I am a runner in training. When I first began running, it was oooh sooo hard. Often times, I wondered if I would ever get stronger and if my runs would ever get easier. I set my goal (1 mile), and my desire to reach my goal kept me enduring the challenge even when I wanted to give up.

First , I just ran. But then I realized that to get better, I needed more knowledge, so I read, researched, studied, and talked to other runners who were more experienced. I ran with friends, signed up for races, placed myself around others which, in turn, motivated me and kept me wanting more. I began to understand what was needed in order to reach my goal. I became better and stronger, and what started out as just one mile became two, then three, five, nine and now 13.1--or the ½ marathon. Because of effort, time, perseverance and my heart’s desire, I realized that what once was so difficult had become easier. I was able to reach beyond my initial goal. Wow, had I actually made it this far?

My runs became more fulfilling. Fulfilling in the sense that running was time I spent with my Lord, thanking Him for the beauty around me, focusing on my life’s purpose and praying for myself and others. I realized that if I had the “heart” to succeed in running, how much better I could be in God’s work if only I channeled that same desire to build my relationship with God. What would His goal be for me? What would His distance be for me? What is my life’s purpose from Him? The motivation I got when I thought of my heart’s desire to live for Him combined with His almighty power PUMPED ME UP! Wow, with that combination, things could really get done!

I don’t know about you, but I truly do believe God can move mountains. I desired to be in His presence and have His almighty power work in me. I desired to know what He had in store for me. As with running or any sport, if you don’t have the heart, you will be just mediocre or “middle-of-the-road,” but if you have the heart, you go beyond the norm, being extraordinary, superb, first-rate! I wanted to be first-rate in my service for God. I surrendered to Him, and things began to take shape. God began giving me direction and understanding of where and what He was wanting me to be doing. My God-given gift began to surface. With God’s help, I was running in the right direction and placing myself around others who were teaching me, motivating me to use my desire and passion to help connect with women in crises, women who suffered heartache, felt jaded, alone, helpless, going down, and unnoticed.

Now, as with running, I am increasing my distance in God’s purpose of my life, and so can you. With God’s help, you can begin to use your God-given gifts. Although there will be challenges along the way, God will steer you, and other Christians will motivate you to stay on the path. We will gain the strength we need to persevere and never give up. We, as Christian women, just need to start, set out, get moving in the right direction. With God as our coach, we will become better and stronger, and we will be able to reach beyond what we ever imagined we could do. God desires that we run the race for Him and take others along with us. As Nike states, “Just Do It.” Join in the run for connecting the hearts of women by using your God-given gift . When our work on this earth is done, then the final race will have been run, and will all cross the finish line together. We will all be winners!!


By:  Donna Melancon

Builders, Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y -- Which Are You? What do you want to do?

Thank you all who were part of the churchwide, women's Sunday school hour. It went by so quickly that I'm not sure where all the time went.

Several ladies have been interested in the generation information that I've been taught or read about, so I thought I would share a little more with you.

The Builders (1901 -- 1942)

• Also known as "The Greatest Generation" (Tom Brokaw)
• Experienced -- WWII, the Depression, the invention of FM radio
• This is a loyal group of ladies who appreciate being respected and want to be communicated to on a personal level.

Gen Y (1981 -- 2002)

• Experienced -- Waco Compound, OK bombing, Columbine, 911, 1/2 parents are divorced, latch-key kids
• This group is outside the church walls. They are searching for their identity and for their life paths, careers and mates.
• This group loves a cause.
• They are also a "green" generation.
• She wants to be mentored but not just by one woman, but by many. She wants to know each of their stories.
• This group wants to meet outside the church.

Generation X (1961 -- 1981)

• aka The "Me" Generation
• Experienced: End of Cold War, 1st Female Justice, 2 Shuttle Incidents, Brady Bunch, Color TV, MTV, the invention of the microwave
• This is a creative generation but often are over-committed.
• We are called the "Me" generation because we get wrapped up in me, my, and mine. We talk to and sit with our girlfriends. We do things for our kids. We don't extend our borders to reach out to others.
• We need to put our big girl panties on.
• God has given each of us gifts to use inside the body of Christ, the church not just within our social circle. Let's use them.

Baby Boomers (1943 -- 1960)

• Also known as the "Sandwich" Generation because they are parenting their parents and often times may have children at home or have children returning home
• Experienced -- Vietnam, Anti-war sentiment, MLK, Beatles, Woodstock, the invention of TV and air conditioning -- WOOHOO! Thank you, Boomers.
• Biggest population -- The information I've read put this group from 72-76 million people strong
• They started retiring in 2008
• They are "hoverers." When their adult children have problems, they hover over them until it is worked out, and then they leave.
• As Mrs. Peggy said it's a generation of women who are in the process of reinventing themselves.
• Some have said this generation has been catered to since they are the largest.

The bottom line is this every generation is needed in order to make this ministry a success.

I explained how having a "Lost Arts" night might result into some small groups getting together to crochette, knit, quilt and how those groups could be used to minister to other women. This is just one example of how we can be ministering to other women.

Continue to check out the blog site because we will post upcoming events on the sidebar. If you can't find the blogsite, you can go to the church's website, and there is a button that will connect you to the blog. Once there, please become a follower, so we know who we are writing for and who is getting information.

Please continue to pray for this group of women who are seeking God's will for this ministry. We do not want to get ahead of Him in any way.

Thanks again for coming.

His Daughter,

Kristy

WELCOME

Welcome to the Women IN Ministry blog site of Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana. You can learn more about our church, services, academy, and sports by clicking on Calvary's logo on the right.

We are so excited you are visiting our site. The women on our team will strive to keep our blog current, relevant, and up-to-date. Our goal is to make weekly entries that will inspire you, encourage you, cause you to reflect, help you to grow in your faith, and inform you of social and civic issues. We will also list our events on the side column.

We covet your prayers, and if you visit our site, please sign in and let us know who you are. If you visit us regularly, please become a "follower," so we will know the audience for whom we are writing. Your comments are desired as well; we will review them and post a selection of them.

We believe this will be a fun way to keep in touch. You will be able to send this blog to your Twitter or Facebook page by using the button on the lower right column. You can also e-mail it to a friend if you like. We will have polls and ways to win things. Doesn't that sound like fun? If you would like to donate something for our readers to win, please contact Sunni at (318) 687-4920.

Be sure to check back soon!

His Daughter,

Kristy Mullins