While preparing for our family vacation the report of a storm came across the television. The weather reported that a storm was located in the Gulf and had set its course for our City. If this were true it meant the cancelation of our vacation and disappointing my grandchildren. Needless to say, we were not happy. We prepare for this vacation every summer with great anticipation. Along with the report of the storm came the news of it possibly causing the same damage that occurred during the Great Flood of 2016. If this were not bad enough it had already gained momentum to become a hurricane. We immediately stopped what we were doing and began to prepare for war. We stocked our home with the proper goods and loaded up on sandbags.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we knew that we must prepare spiritually also. The hurricane was moving at a slow pace and heading right for Baton Rouge. I thought of Ephesians 6:13 (NLT) which says, put on every piece of God’s armor so we will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil, then after the battle you will be standing firm.
In 2 Chronicles 2:20 during the time of King Jehoshaphat’s reign, he was faced with a vast army declaring war against the nation of Israel. 2 Chronicles 20:4 says, King Jehoshaphat was terrified by the news and begged the Lord for guidance.
I believe all of the believers came on one accord seeking the Lord’s help against Hurricane Barry. The eye of the storm was aimed right toward us. 2 Chronicles 20:12 says, we are powerless against the mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do but we are looking to you for help. This was the scripture King Jehoshaphat relied on for strength. The Lord responded to them by saying be not discouraged, and be not afraid this battle is not yours but God’s. The Lord exposed the direction that the army was coming from.
After reading this powerful example, of the faithfulness of God, during that time in Israel’s history, it’s encouraging to know, God is the same God yesterday today and forever, Hebrews 13:8. As we watched Hurricane Barry slowly take on a new direction, it was very clear that the Lord had gotten the victory as it was later reported that the storm had moved over slightly taking on a new course. We had prepared for war but didn’t have to fight because God is King over the flood and He had prevailed. The king in our story was told by the Lord to tell the people, “Praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever”. This is our battle position today. We lift our hands to God in surrender. We give Him the praise because His mercy endures forever. We know that He alone has the answer to the problem. He wins the victory time after time, after time.
The Boudreaux Family, Saintil, Micha, Jessica, Megan, Josh and Gabby
Megan Boudreaux never expected to return to Haiti. When she volunteered for a brief trip with Our Lady of the Lake Foundation, she came home overwhelmed. “It was crazy, and I thought I could never live here,” she said. But she couldn’t get Haiti out of her mind…or out of her dreams.
At age 24, she sold everything and planted her life in Haiti, the most economically deprived country in the Western hemisphere, and the site of a devastating magnitude 7.0 earthquake only a year earlier. Her new home in Gressier was ten miles from the earthquake’s epicenter. Nearby, Bellevue Mountain, also known as Voodoo Mountain, inspired fear in local residents for the ongoing practice of animal sacrifice. That was 2011.
Eight years later, the nonprofit she founded, Respire Haiti, provides schooling for 540 children, 60% of whom are former child slaves. Some 140 Haitian employees run the school, medical clinic, counseling service and micro-finance program for small business development.
After a year’s respite in her native Lafayette, and the birth of their daughter, Megan and husband Josh Anderson fly back into Port-au-Prince this week. They plan to expand the micro-finance program, and eventually, start a church that welcomes people affected by economic distress, abandonment and child slavery. Their strategy is simple: commit to obey God, and be quiet and listen for his direction.
As soon as she took the first step of obedience in 2011, Megan met a child who would define much of her ministry. “I didn’t have a plan, but the Lord just kept unfolding these little things,” she said. On Bellevue Mountain, she saw a bird and a little girl with a bunch of rocks in her hand. “She was throwing rocks at the bird because she was hungry, and she was going to eat the bird.” So, Megan bought food, teamed up with a friend who cooked local dishes and handed out meals from the back of a flatbed truck.
Later, she observed that the same little girl was constantly busy with chores. One day, she followed her from the market to her tent-house where she faced piles of dishes to wash. Megan googled “Haiti” and “slaves.” She was stunned to learn that there were half a million Restaveks – child slaves – in Haiti.
“They are basically domestic workers, kids that have been given to other families or kidnapped or taken from their home, and they just do all of the work,” Megan said. “That was the moment I remember looking at this little girl and going – she’s not in school. She’s six years old and she doesn’t even know how to hold a pencil.” The next logical step was to start a school.
When Bellevue Mountain was selected as the school site, one of the women helping with paperwork burst into tears. “She said, ‘We have gone up on this mountain every single Sunday for 12 years to pray for you,” Megan said. “Bellevue Mountain used to be where they would do voodoo sacrificing and ceremonies, and now it’s just this beacon of light and hope.” The school, medical clinic and sports programs cover the mountain, and efforts to nurture families and provide seed money for entrepreneurs encourage families to keep their kids, rather than send them away to work or to orphanages.
“About 80% of the kids that live in the orphanages are poverty orphans which means they have parents, but the parents can’t take care of them,” Megan said. “What we’ve been doing with our programs is showing them it’s actually cheaper to keep a child with their family and sponsor their school, help them eat at school and get their needs met through school.” All of the children live with their families, caregivers or foster families, a situation that promotes better emotional and psychological well-being in children.
Megan and Josh have welcomed three adoptive children into their own family, including Micha, the little girl she first met throwing rocks at a bird. Micha’s sister, Jessica – also a Restavek – joined their family at age three. Their son, Saintil, was adopted after walking a day and a half over mountainous terrain to reach the school.
At Respire Haiti, children attend Bible classes and have the opportunity to ask questions about the Christian faith. Despite a strong Catholic presence and work by other denominations, Christian beliefs are often absorbed into culture and tradition. “There’s a lot of clouded confusion and voodoo in that, as well, and it’s kind of picking apart what do people understand about Christianity and what do they believe about having a relationship with God,” Megan said.
“My encouragement is – you don’t know how, or when, or where God is going to use where you are now,” Megan said. She had struggled with the idea of finding her purpose after college. As a marketing professional for Cajun Industries, she learned about building construction. “I remember thinking Lord, why am I here? She said. “Now I look back and I’m like, of course, and I know what rebar we’re using, and I know how we’re supposed to build.”
Some 70-75% of the local buildings toppled during the 2010 earthquake and powerful aftershocks, and the threat of future earthquakes makes residents nervous. Respire’s structures are an exception. “We have an incredible guy who has designed all of our buildings. They’re engineered correctly and seismically up to code,” Megan said. “He trained local workers, so they know the placement of the rebar and the quality of the block and sand that they use.” Their construction standards are having a trickle-down effect on new home construction.
As needs become evident, God keeps providing. Donations from The Chapel on the Campus provided seed money for the ministry. Recently, a proposal to expand the school to add 7-9th grades came with a steep cost. Twelve hours later, two young men visited Respire Haiti with the goal of building an orphanage. But after learning about the program to keep kids with families, they felt God’s direction to pay the exact cost: $125-thousand for the four additional classrooms.
Megan’s number one request is for prayer. “The spiritual warfare, it’s intense. There are a lot of attacks on myself, my husband, my ministry. That should be expected – we’re built on an old voodoo site.” Her second request is for financial support, especially through student sponsorships that cover uniforms, books, medical care and mental health care.
Respire Haiti is a 501c(3) nonprofit. For more information: www.respirehaiti.org or Respire Haiti, P.O. Box 52845, Lafayette, LA 70505-2845.
Susan Brown began her career in radio news. She was news director for WJBO/WFMF radio and a journalism instructor at LSU. She holds master’s degrees from LSU and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminar, and served as a chaplain at Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans” (Proverbs 16:3 NIV).
Planning is critical in life. Financial planners help us get our financial matters in order and plan for retirement. Doctors help us by establishing a wellness plan when we are sick. Business leaders make plans to bring a profit to the shareholders. Our pastors help us to make plans that will bring honor and glory to God. We plan to accommodate our priorities. A priority is a value, goal, relationship, or cause of leading importance in your life: something for which you live, the shaping value, a commitment that has first claim on you and your resources. In practice we all have priorities, whether we are aware of them or not. They may be consciously chosen or set for us by circumstances. We all pattern our lives toward some end, center our lives around some loyalty or purpose, or base our security on some trusted power.
One of Henry David Thoreau’s most frequently quoted sayings is “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” I first learned of this by watching the 1989 film, Dead Poets Society. Life without a purpose can lead to listlessness and even depression or “quiet desperation.” A life lived on purpose gives your life purpose, direction, and meaning. A person with a purpose is growing, moving toward wholeness and fulfillment. A life without purpose is aimless.
Our purpose as disciples is to make disciples. Matthew 28 contains The Great Commission.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
Each of us has been gifted with unique talents which we can use in our evangelism and ministry. Our discipleship plan must discern the intersection of our gifts and interests. This is the sweet spot for each individual ministry. I encourage you to talk to your close friends to discern and/or confirm your gifts.
Discernment of your ministry of discipleship is an enormous task. Below are some ideas to consider in this regard.
Be wise and listen to advice
Remember the lesson of Proverbs 12:15. Surround yourself with Godly people and the Holy Spirit will speak truth through them to you. Pray for discernment and recall the words of Matthew 11:15 when with your friends, “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” According to my good friend Rev. Ted Fine, “The church’s role is to build communities of disciples where social justice and the general welfare of the people are protected by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit at work in the Body.” We are the church universal.
Give it to God
You are not God, and I am not God. The Great Commission is a Godly task. He does not expect for us to do this alone but with Him. The Psalmist wrote in 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” A clean heart, a right spirit, and a dependence upon God’s providence and grace for assistance will help us to speak words and do works that bring honor to God.
Patience
Luke 2 tells the story of the birth of Christ. The angels announced His birth to the shepherds who then went to see Jesus in the manger. Later, in the same chapter, Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to the temple to give an offering to God for the birth of their child. The Holy Spirit had revealed to a man named Simeon that he would not see death until he had seen the birth of the Messiah. The Bible does not indicate how long Simeon waited for the birth of Christ, but the fact that it says he would not die until he saw the Savior indicates that he waited some time. Whatever the task is that God has called us to, we need to continue doing the work even if we don’t see the progress we would like to see.
Your purpose as a Christian is the same as mine, to make disciples of Jesus Christ. We are all called into ministry through our baptism and profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Our ministry is a product of our gifts and talents and all ministry helps to equip the body of Christ. Your purpose may or may not call you to pastoral ministry but be assured that your purpose is vital to the body of Christ.
Prayer: Dear God: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12 KJV).
Todd Shupe is a Vice President with Arnold Forest Products Corp. He is active in several ministries including his Christian blog ToddShupe.com. Todd is the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men, Database Coordinator for Gulf South Men, and Board Member of the Kingdom Group. Todd is currently preparing to be a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEAM? Part of your purpose? Team-Vision-Attitude-Success-Vision?
Ever notice how some of the great philosophies of life are etched on T-shirts? You might say they’re TRUTH ON A T. Here’s one. A bunch of guys are clinging to a rope for dear life . They’re scaling the side of a snow, ice-packed mountain with the words, “TEAM: 24 Guys Hanging on the Same Rope.” That’s it. That’s team attitude. If you don’t hang together, you’ll hang separately.
So you’re a leader, hopefully a servant leader relinquishing whatever it takes to serve. LIKE JESUS. How’s your team? JESUS HAD ONE. Do you have one or are you still hung up on the idea that leadership is a one-man show? It’s all about you?
We were designed to function in connected, interdependent relationships with other people. It began years ago when God said in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” So He created for Adam a helper, someone suitable to him, i.e. a team member. Human beings (male and female) were created with a need to intertwine their lives with others.
We were made to be team players. A marriage is a team. A family is a team. A ball club is a team. A business is a team. A military unit is a team. A government office is a team, and so is a church and its individual ministries. Get the picture?
What makes a good team? Why do some teams succeed and others fail? What’s the difference between effective and ineffective teams? Someone asked baseball philosopher Yogi Berra, “What makes a good manager?” He responded, “A great team.” Spot on Yogi!
TEAMWORK BEGINS WITH A SERVANT LEADER’S VISION.
Vision is a clear and compelling picture of the future, which produces passion in the leader. It’s this passion people want to follow. VISION LEAKS OUT.
If you were to look down on your organization (business, church, ministry, team) five years from now, what would you like to see? Picture it in your mind. Has God given you a clear picture for what you do? Would the others on your team agree? Is this their vision? Are you and your team passionate about the same vision?
Everything starts with a vision God gives the leader, who shares it with the other leaders. Vision gives direction. If you don’t know where you’re going, you may wind up somewhere else. Vision keeps you on target.
“Vision is the essence of leadership. Knowing where you want to go requires three things: Having a clear vision, articulating it well, and getting your team enthusiastic about sharing it. Above all, any leader must be consistent. As the Bible says, no one follows an uncertain trumpet.”
Father Theodore Hesburgh, former President of Notre Dame University
Nehemiah never blew an uncertain trumpet. He was one of the great ones in the Old Testament Hall of Fame of Servant Leaders. We’ll look at his vision next time.
Fred Campbell lives in Ovilla, Texas, just south of Dallas. He pastored two independent Bible churches for 40 years. Currently, he is the president of Living Grace Ministries, a ministry committed to helping churches develop servant leaders, following the model of the Lord Jesus. Fred has traveled to 29 countries and 15 states to lead the workshop. He received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and his D Min from Phoenix Seminary. Fred is married to Carolyn and has a married son and two grandchildren. His web site iswww.livinggraceministries,com and his email is fred@livingraceministries.com
Freedom has been mostly defined as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. When we take a closer look at freedom, the definition alone may not qualify as a reasonable answer.
When I was a child living in my parents home, I remember having the feeling of not wanting to be restrained. I wanted to do as I pleased. It seemed like a problem for my parents. They were not in agreement with what I wanted to do. I simply could not understand why I could not do as I pleased. As I got older I quickly realized it was they, and not I with the greater wisdom. The boundaries that were set before me were for my good after all. I learned that even though it is in our power to act as we want and do as we please, without boundaries in place, we oftentimes do not achieve the results expected. My parents had already traveled the road before me, therefore they were the wiser.
The word of God says in Colossians 1:15, Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation. Colossians 1:14 (NLT) says, our freedom was purchased and our sins forgiven. This is contrary to our original definition of freedom. Galatians 5:13 (NLT) says, for you have been called to live in freedom my brothers and sisters, but don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. We understand freedom when we understand the truth. John 8:32 (NLT) says, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free. Being rescued from being a slave to sin, we are taught how to live in a new type of freedom.
In Christ is found the freedom to choose wisely. We can indeed do what we want to do but note that Christ has set us free and given us the power to live as He has created us to live. He also has given us boundaries to live in that freedom. When boundaries are in place we can then live out our freedom the way Christ intended.
Today we live in a nation where freedom to do and to choose has affected the foundations we have grown to know and love. It can seem at times as if everyone is on a different page with a different perspective. It is our duty as believers to proclaim the gospel message. 1 Timothy 2:6 (NLT) says, He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. Freely we have received this wonderful message, so freely may we give it. It is our duty and our privilege to proclaim this message of freedom to the saving of ourselves, our family, and our nation.
HeARTune Creations Poetry, LLC., is owned by Pamela Gauthier. Pamela is a writer and poet, who has been writing for over 20 years. She formally started her poetry as a business in October of 2013.
Her poetry has been at several boutiques and stores in the Baton Rouge area. Pamela is a native Baton Rougean, who has lived here all of her life. She is the wife of Ronnie Gauthier, and the mother of four: Mrs. Jamie Baham, Mrs. Jessica Chatman, Joshua and Joseph Gauthier. She is also the proud Grandmother of Five.
Pamela started her writing journey by writing poetry as a way to uplift the spirits of those in nursing homes and the like. This is still the goal today, to touch hearts and lives wherever encouragement is needed.
Does Servant Leadership Fit into Business Leadership?
Have you ever wondered if servant leadership fits in the world of business leadership? For sure it fits into the church and ministry, but do the principles of work for:
A corporate executive at AT&T?
A president of an airline?
A business entrepreneur?
A general manager at Starbucks?
A doctor, dentist, lawyer?
A school principal? A schoolteacher?
A little league coach?
The Lord Jesus knows your work environment, whether it’s pastoral, business, athletic or school related. Remember, He spent the first thirty years of His life on earth in the family’s carpentry business. He knew what it was to work with His hands, earn a living, make decisions, deal with customers, and be exhausted at the end of a day.
Would you hire Jesus to be your leadership consultant? Does He have the expertise to deal with the leadership issues you face every day? Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges in their fine book Lead Like Jesus (pages 16&17), reflect on some leadership challenges Jesus encountered:
Working with or living and caring for imperfect people.
Taking time to train, develop, and delegate
Under constant scrutiny and testing of commitment and integrity
Facing fierce competition and conflicting demands from friends and foes
Tempted by instant gratification, recognition, misuse of power
Facing serious personnel issues, including turnover and betrayal
Communicating in a multicultural environment
The need to challenge the status quo and hierarchy to bring about change
The need to call attention to poor leadership at great personal risk
The need to put career or relationships on the line to serve a higher purpose
In your darkest hour, to be abandoned by your friends
When you hire a consultant, you want to hear from the best. So why not bring in the Lord Jesus, who is perfect in everything? He isn’t just smart. He’s brilliant. He’s the smartest, the wisest leader who ever lived. He always has the best information on everything and certainly on the things that matter most in human life. AND, “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. . . For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15)
Fred Campbell lives in Ovilla, Texas, just south of Dallas. He pastored two independent Bible churches for 40 years. Currently, he is the president of Living Grace Ministries, a ministry committed to helping churches develop servant leaders, following the model of the Lord Jesus. Fred has traveled to 29 countries and 15 states to lead the workshop. He received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and his D Min from Phoenix Seminary. Fred is married to Carolyn and has a married son and two grandchildren. His web site iswww.livinggraceministries,com and his email is fred@livingraceministries.com
Shifting The Power of Distraction In Your Favor Donna Renay Patrick
Are you having a hard time staying focused?
You know exactly what you want; in your mind’s eye, you see it very clearly. You are even taking steps to BE what you SEE. You are operating in the now, but you envision the not yet. So all of your efforts are geared toward your future destination, but certain pieces of the journey have produced confusion, uncertainty, and frustration. You have a plan, a strategy, and you’ve committed your way to prayer. You believe God is ordering your steps, and has gifted you with a vision for business or ministry that is so big, it’s scary.
As focused as I am on walking in my calling, and staying prepared for victory (Proverbs 21:31), the enemy of my soul is just as focused on derailing me from my purpose. I have learned that distractions are powerful, in that they have a grave tendency to send you down the road of negativity and self-doubt. Distractions can disguise themselves as a very well-intentioned activity.
There is no harm in watching TV to unwind, surfing social media in moderation, or even going out to have fun with friends. But if I’m not careful, those well-intentioned activities can turn into time wasters when it comes to pursuing my calling and purpose. What can you identify as distractions in your own life? Only you can answer that question. So how do you manage your distractions so that they work for you and not against you? I have a few suggestions:
1. It is vitally important to be firmly rooted in your relationship with Jesus Christ because that is what will keep your purpose and calling at the forefront of your mind (Romans 12:2). Painful circumstances can shake you to the core, but stay rooted.
2. Be careful of the “freeway” to success. On a natural freeway, there are delays, noise, and a LOT of traffic (distraction). You may reach your destination faster, but what did you learn on the way? Sometimes in my travels, whether by choice or divine providence, I will exit the freeway and take the back roads. Taking the back road is not always a bad thing because it is the road less-traveled. On the back roads, you have more alone time to pray, keep (or regain) your focus, de-clutter your thinking, and there is less noise.
Embrace the “back road” experience. Sometimes on the back roads of life, God will teach you some lessons you won’t necessarily learn on the freeway. Because of all the activity on the freeway, we risk missing valuable cues and wisdom that only come from God. God can’t get your attention on the freeway like He can on the back roads. There are lessons I have learned on the back roads: the grace to wait, God’s trustworthiness, and getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. A very wise woman I once knew said, “There’s never been a road that always went straight.” I think she was right.
Donna Renay Patrick is an award-winning author of two praise and worship-themed devotionals; At AllTimes, and It’s In Your Praise. She also co-authored two other devotionals; one to encourage women in the workplace, and the other a stewardship-themed devotional called,The Perfect Seven. She is a musician, worship leader, transformational speaker, and host of The Donna Patrick Show, an internet-based segment on The Fishbowl Radio Network. With ministry-focused guests, her show emphasizes the priority of worship in the 21st century church, and how to tap into next-level personal and corporate worship.
So, you’re a leader. Great! And with your leadership certain perks and benefits: maybe a nice salary (more than others on your staff), reserved parking space, nice office, credit card for expenses, iPhone and iPad, gasoline mileage, etc., all provided because you’re a leader. Imagine for a moment that you as a leader didn’t have this lifestyle, these benefits, and this recognition. Would you still be a leader?
What if no one had to think your way was always the best way? What if you didn’t always have to have the final word? What if you had to listen more than you spoke? What if being “in charge” meant that your job was to see others succeed, to put them and their interests first? What if those you led got ALL the credit? Would you still want to lead?
What if all you received was the pleasure of seeing others grow to greater character, achieve more than even they imagined, and you were the spark, the catalyst, the mentor throughout the process? They received the applause, the “well done,” the pat on the back, and respect from others. No one knew what you did. Would you still be motivated to lead? Could you handle NOT being in the spotlight?
Servant Leadership is hard work; it’s a tough deal. There is a downside. Perhaps it should come with a Surgeon General’s Warning: May cause headache, nausea, loss of appetite, loss of sleep, anxiety, indecision, loneliness, depression, and stress.
Here’s a question every servant leader should ask, “What am I in it for?” If we’re in it only for ourselves, we’ll do more getting than giving, expect more from others and less from ourselves, be more willing to be served than to serve. Servant leaders are into self-sacrifice, not self-promotion, like the Lord Jesus, who “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of the servant. . . and became obedient to death—-EVEN death on a cross!” (Philippians 2: 7, 8) He served so well it killed Him.
Fred Campbell lives in Ovilla, Texas, just south of Dallas. He pastored two independent Bible churches for 40 years. Currently, he is the president of Living Grace Ministries, a ministry committed to helping churches develop servant leaders, following the model of the Lord Jesus. Fred has traveled to 29 countries and 15 states to lead the workshop. He received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and his D Min from Phoenix Seminary. Fred is married to Carolyn and has a married son and two grandchildren. His web site iswww.livinggraceministries,com and his email is fred@livingraceministries.com.
“When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them” (Luke 24:30 NIV).
Many people have the false notion that ministry only occurs inside the walls of the local church. The truth is we go to worship on Sunday to be fed the Word so that we can be the hands and feet of Christ – to feed others. However, it should be noted that we need to feed ourselves throughout the week by reading Scripture, prayer and meditation, and small groups.
We are all ministers. We are all called into ministry through our baptism and profession of faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. We all have a ministry that we have been gifted with through the gifts and graces of the Spirit. The big question is how and where should we do our ministry? The Spirit will guide you in this and close, Christian friends will affirm you as appropriate.
Jesus is the perfect role model for ministry. Yes, he did ministry in the temple by teaching to His fellow Jews. However, the vast majority of His ministry was done outside of the temple. It is interesting to me how many times in Luke’s Gospel Jesus sits around a table for a meal. He regularly shared meals with others, whether they were Pharisees, sinners and tax collectors, or His disciples. Scripture provides us the ability to learn more of what He teaches about His heavenly Father on these occasions than from what He says in the synagogue.
Meal time is an ideal time not only for fellowship but also to drill down deeper to offer a word of hope, grace, peace, and love. Meals at the table are some of Jesus’ favorite settings for Him to make visible to others the good news of God’s mercy and acceptance of all people.
One of the primary roles of a husband as stated in the Bible is to lead his family to Christ. Meal time is a perfect opportunity for the husband to lead by giving thanks to God for the food and all the blessings that He has provided. Leadership simply means influence. Therefore, a biblically-based husband should influence his family. Husbands are not dictators, they should not demand, they should not rule over their wives. Instead, husbands should influence their wives and families in accordance with biblical teaching. They should exemplify, with their voice and their actions, attributes that bring glory to God and value and honor to their spouse and family.
Meal time is ministry time. Men, I encourage you to serve your family by leading them in prayer at this time. The fruit of a good biblically-based husband is a strong, confident, spiritually mature wife and family.
Prayer: Dear God: We are blessed to have an abundance of food. May we always be grateful that you are the provider of this and all of our blessings including our families. Please help us to lead our families in such a way that brings honor and glory to you.
Todd Shupe is the President of DrToddShupe.com and is an international expert in wood science. Todd worked as a professor and lab director at LSU for over 20 years. He is active in several ministries including his Christian blog ToddShupe.com. Todd is the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men, Action Team Member of The Kingdom Group, Database Coordinator for Gulf South Men, and volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus. Todd is currently preparing to be a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Genesis 3:25 “and she shall be called the mother of all living”.
Have you ever bought a painting? You are drawn to it because it’s picture-perfect. Everything in the scene is in the right place. It’s a must-have. I always loved pictures in doctors’ offices of far off places, like France and other beautiful sceneries. While I waited to be called to the back, I would always see myself in them. I would paint my own life and how it should look.
Eves’ life started out picture-perfect. She talked with God face-to-face, she had the perfect marriage and the perfect home. Her home was called Paradise. One day something happens that would change Eve’s happy home forever. A scandal arose concerning Eve, that turned out to be true.
Gen. 3:6, “so she took some of the fruit and ate it, then she gave some to her husband, who was with her and he ate it too.
This action brought on by Eve, is a problem every woman will have to face until the end of time.
Genesis 3:15, “Then he said to the woman, I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. You will desire to control your husband but he will rule over you.”
Sadly, Eve had to start all over and embrace a new way of living. Eve had brought this tragedy on herself by disobeying God. She and her husband together caused sin to enter the world. Even though Eve had brought this on herself, sometimes in life’s case the offense can come from another place causing just as much harm. Thousands upon thousands of mothers today face circumstances that seem hopeless or out of their control.
Not only did Eve lose her home, but she also lost two of her children. Genesis 4:8, tells us that Eve lost one child through an act of violence and the other through homelessness.
This is not a picture-perfect situation. This is a cross too heavy to bear. The weight of condemnation can cause one to blame his or herself and receiving blame for wrongs done can be unbearable. Romans 8:1, “says there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” What do we do when everything seems to be a total loss? We hope again! Jesus has the power to redeem every loss imaginable.
The story is not over. As we look back on Eve’s life again in Genesis 4:28, “Eve gave birth to another son. She named him Seth, for she said God has granted me another son in place of Abel”. Seth’s name means “appointment”. Genesis 5 begins the genealogy of Adam’s descendants beginning with Seth, which places Adam and Eve in the purposes of God.
Today we as mothers can look at our lives and rejoice because God has an “appointment” with each one of us that will place us in His perfect plan of redemption. When we surrender all to Him, we can dream of seeing a picture-perfect life through Jesus Christ. It’s called Redeemed!
HeARTune Creations Poetry, LLC., is owned by Pamela Gauthier. Pamela is a writer and poet, who has been writing for over 20 years. She formally started her poetry as a business in October of 2013.
Her poetry has been at several boutiques and stores in the Baton Rouge area. Pamela is a native Baton Rougean, who has lived here all of her life. She is the wife of Ronnie Gauthier, and the mother of four: Mrs. Jamie Baham, Mrs. Jessica Chatman, Joshua and Joseph Gauthier. She is also the proud Grandmother of Five.
Pamela started her writing journey by writing poetry as a way to uplift the spirits of those in nursing homes and the like. This is still the goal today, to touch hearts and lives wherever encouragement is needed.
ANOTHER MARK OF INTEGRITY: Walking with God, By Fred Campbell
A noted writer on leadership, John Maxwell, has written: “Your gifts and skills might get you to the top, but only your character will keep you there.” That’s why Daniel’s bio is intriguing. His character was flawless when he was at the top of the ladder and at the bottom of the lion’s den. He went in with integrity and came out with it.
We’ve discovered Daniel had a fabulous work ethic, both in his attitude and performance. He did his work well because he saw it well. The two go together. Also, Daniel had a blameless character. His peers did their best to dig up some dirt to discredit Daniel in the eyes of the king. Didn’t work. The guy was squeaky clean—morally upright, honest, above reproach, trustworthy. THAT’S INTEGRITY. CHARACTER RULES!
The peer group didn’t back off. Daniel 6: 5 reads that the only way the “dirt mob” might find any basis for charges against Daniel was in something to do with “the law of his God.” So, they appealed to the king’s ego and manipulated him to sign an irrevocable law, ordering the people to pray homage only to the king for 30 days. If they didn’t, they would be the evening meal for starving lions.
Daniel wasn’t deterred by the new law. It was his daily practice to pray three times in front of a window facing Jerusalem. Even a death threat couldn’t stop him. For Daniel, it was a no-brainer. Maybe he reasoned, “I’ll pray, why shouldn’t I? Always have, always will. If I die, I die. Gotta go out some way.”
Here’s a third mark of Daniel’s integrity—DANIEL HAD AN UNBENDING WALK WITH GOD.
Honestly now, how’s your walk with the Lord? Do you have one? Are you consistent? What keeps you from a consistent walk with your Lord? What will you do to become more consistent?
Do you worship regularly or hit and miss? Beyond Sunday worship, do you allow time for the Lord to speak to you through His dynamic Word? Do you pray? Is it because you have to or because you cannot live without it?
The Lord’s heart beats for leaders to walk with Him. “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you.” (Isaiah 30:18).
CONSISTENCY IN YOUR WALK WITH THE LORD JESUS BREEDS INTEGRITY IN YOUR LIFE.
Fred Campbell lives in Ovilla, Texas, just south of Dallas. He pastored two independent Bible churches for 40 years. Currently, he is the president of Living Grace Ministries, a ministry committed to helping churches develop servant leaders, following the model of the Lord Jesus. Fred has traveled to 29 countries and 15 states to lead the workshop. He received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and his D Min from Phoenix Seminary. Fred is married to Carolyn and has a married son and two grandchildren. His web site iswww.livinggraceministries,com and his email is fred@livingraceministries.com.
5 Keys for Discovering God’s Purpose for Your Life (Alton Jamison)
As humans, it’s natural to have doubts, especially when troubles and issues challenge the very meaning of our life.
By discovering God’s purpose for your life, you can: Reconnect with joy and fulfillment; Confidently believe in your choices; and Enjoy inner peace.
The 5 keys below will help you discover – or rediscover – your God-given life purpose.
Trust:
No matter what we’re going through, it’s important to hold onto our trust and faith in God’s overall plan for our life. Even when we feel:
Disconnected; Stuck; or even Lost; we are always living in God’s purpose and under his care and guidance. Trust you can always rediscover and regain your sense of purpose.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1
Slow down the negative and anxious chatter in our mind; Reflect and open ourselves to what is in our best interests; Absorb God’s guidance for living the purpose of our life; and Effectively adjust our life path.
Remember, you are not expected to have all the answers. In God’s plan, there is a time for everything.
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3.1
Peace: Life today is often full of fear, feelings of hopelessness, overwhelming challenges and responsibilities. It’s no wonder we sometimes doubt whether we are on the right path according to our Heavenly Father. By regularly seeking out inner peace and quiet helps us reconnect to God’s wisdom and find a clear path forward.
Peace can be found in both prayer and the Bible. Reading the Word of God helps clear our hearts and minds and fill them love and peace, our natural spiritual state.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Faith:
Always trust that God will provide the best for us in his infinite wisdom. Just like a parent provides what a child needs at the right time, our Heavenly Father will do the same for us.
Did you know that God has already given you clues to your life purpose? Keep reading to learn where to find these clues!
Your Unique Passions:
We ALL have our own unique passions and natural gifts and strengths! Have you ever wondered why?
It’s been said that God often works at the intersection of our gifts and our passions. All kinds of strengths are needed in this world; whether it’s caring for people or animals, creating art, running a business or teaching the next generation, we have all been “called” to share our innate passions!
Not sure where your passions lie? Move on to the next clue to find clarification.
People Who Support You:
You were never meant to take this journey – called life – on your own. Throughout our life, God brings the trusted people, advisers and friends around us to help find and fulfill our life purpose. Reach out and ask for help. There is no shame in asking for help; there is strength in numbers. The right people will support you and hold the faith when you can’t. They will believe in you when you’ve lost your faith and they will walk the path with you.
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14
Time: Right after practicing patience, allowing time to pass is probably one of the hardest things for mere mortals. Typically we seek out a “quick fix,” a solution that stops the immediate discomfort or pain, regardless of how well it may – or may not – serve us in the long-run.
Again, things come to us at the right time. Do your best to keep a hopeful mindset that anticipates the best is coming. You will then be able to see things more clearly and ideas, answers and heavenly wisdom will lead you down a path of exploration and discovery to living your life’s purpose.
“He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:2-3
Alton and TaShawnda Jamison are the founders of The Empowerment Zone. This is a ministry designed to “empower people for everyday life”, through products, events, and messages. Alton and TaShawnda Jamison have been sharing the gospel together for over 20 years. They met in college on the campus of Old Dominion University and started teaching Bible Study together and the rest, they say, is history. God has gifted them in the areas of Families and Finances, and they have been blessed to be able to share their message around the country. They have recently completed their first book together: Purpose, Passion & Prosperity: 3 Keys To A Godly Marriage. Alton is the author of three additional books: Get Off The System: Moving From Lack To Abundance, No More Handcuffs: 5 Keys To Removing The Mental Handcuffs From Your Life, and Biblical Principles For Entrepreneurs. They have a genuine love for God and being transparent to others about their failures and successes. God has also blessed them with two beautiful children. For more information about Alton and TaShawnda or The Empowerment Zone, please visit: www.empowerlives.net
A noted writer on leadership, John Maxwell, has written: “Your gifts and skills might get you to the top, but only your character will keep you there.” That’s why Daniel’s bio is intriguing. His character was flawless when he was at the top of the ladder and at the bottom of the lion’s den. He went in with integrity and came out with it.
We’ve discovered Daniel had a fabulous work ethic, both in his attitude and performance. He did his work well because he saw it well. The two go together. Also, Daniel had a blameless character. His peers did their best to dig up some dirt to discredit Daniel in the eyes of the king. Didn’t work. The guy was squeaky clean—morally upright, honest, above reproach, trustworthy. THAT’S INTEGRITY. CHARACTER RULES!
The peer group didn’t back off. Daniel 6: 5 reads that the only way the “dirt mob” might find any basis for charges against Daniel was in something to do with “the law of his God.” So, they appealed to the king’s ego and manipulated him to sign an irrevocable law, ordering the people to pray homage only to the king for 30 days. If they didn’t, they would be the evening meal for starving lions.
Daniel wasn’t deterred by the new law. It was his daily practice to pray three times in front of a window facing Jerusalem. Even a death threat couldn’t stop him. For Daniel, it was a no-brainer. Maybe he reasoned, “I’ll pray, why shouldn’t I? Always have, always will. If I die, I die. Gotta go out some way.”
Here’s a third mark of Daniel’s integrity—DANIEL HAD AN UNBENDING WALK WITH GOD.
Honestly now, how’s your walk with the Lord? Do you have one? Are you consistent? What keeps you from a consistent walk with your Lord? What will you do to become more consistent?
Do you worship regularly or hit and miss? Beyond Sunday worship, do you allow time for the Lord to speak to you through His dynamic Word? Do you pray? Is it because you have to or because you cannot live without it?
The Lord’s heart beats for leaders to walk with Him. “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you.” (Isaiah 30:18).
CONSISTENCY IN YOUR WALK WITH THE LORD JESUS BREEDS INTEGRITY IN YOUR LIFE.
Fred Campbell lives in Ovilla, Texas, just south of Dallas. He pastored two independent Bible churches for 40 years. Currently, he is the president of Living Grace Ministries, a ministry committed to helping churches develop servant leaders, following the model of the Lord Jesus. Fred has traveled to 29 countries and 15 states to lead the workshop. He received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and his D Min from Phoenix Seminary. Fred is married to Carolyn and has a married son and two grandchildren. His web site iswww.livinggraceministries,com and his email is fred@livingraceministries.com.
John Wooden, coach of the UCLA Bruins, was a cut above other leaders. During his tenure, he coached the Bruins to 10 national basketball championships in 12 years, 7 in a row. He was relentless when it came to character development among his players. In his book They Call Me Coach, he wrote, “Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, because your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
It seems that personal character gets little attention and work when it comes to leadership. When was the last time in a leader’s training and education they took a course on:
• dealing with relentless temptation? • losing well? • handling a situation that derails the leader? • what to do when everything has been lost? • what to do when people don’t follow the leader?
Surely there’s more to leadership than the skills, abilities, and techniques that supposedly bring prosperity and success.
Mark Miller (The Heart of a Leader) likens leadership to an iceberg. “How much of the iceberg sits above the waterline? Only 10% is visible while 90% lies below the waterline—unseen, invisible. Let the part above represent leadership skills, the things leaders do; the part below represents leadership character, what a leader is. 90% of a leader’s effectiveness is determined by what’s below the waterline.
Leadership character ultimately drives what leaders do, why they do it, and how they handle a negative reality.Many leaders spend a lot of time and energy developing the 10% above the water.
They earn BBA/MBA degrees from fine universities.
Spend hours attending leadership seminars and courses.
Seek professional consultation.
Work hard, make major decisions, and lead countless meetings.
Communicate and listen.
They do whatever it takes to make them “successful,” “great,” “prosperous.”
However, how much time do they spend developing the 90% of their leadership character, who they really are as people? If little to no time is spent, are they not like a man who built a nice house—beautiful, big, comfortable, loaded with luxury. The house looked good, impressive, well-built, but it was foolishly constructed on beach sand. You’ve heard the story. When a hurricane hit, the house collapsed—like a valued, long-term client saying NO to a multimillion proposal you must have, your business going bankrupt, key people who made your company successful leaving, your marriage ending, your family falling apart, your ministry dwindling.
Then what?
“CHARACTER IS THE ABILITY TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF REALITY” (Henry Cloud, Integrity)
Fred Campbell lives in Ovilla, Texas, just south of Dallas. He pastored two independent Bible churches for 40 years. Currently, he is the president of Living Grace Ministries, a ministry committed to helping churches develop servant leaders, following the model of the Lord Jesus. Fred has traveled to 29 countries and 15 states to lead the workshop. He received his ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and his D Min from Phoenix Seminary. Fred is married to Carolyn and has a married son and two grandchildren. His web site iswww.livinggraceministries,com and his email is fred@livingraceministries.com.
