God Hears Your Cry

All across the world, women in need are crying out to God. These women are undergoing severe hardships, extreme sadness, and overwhelming difficulties. To be honest, it amazes me to know that God can touch each of these lives all at the same time. But, He can. The Lord is right there in the midst of each of these situations ready and able to move. To the woman in the hospital bed who is feeling hopeless, anxious, and afraid, God sees your pain. You have been patiently waiting for a miracle, and doubt is starting to settle in. Don't give up. God does still heal today.

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed." – Isaiah 53:5

To the woman who feels invisible, like nothing she does matters, know that God sees you. In fact, He sees all that you do. You are precious in His sight, and He wants you to know that you are His beloved.

“You are the God who sees me.” – Genesis 16:13

To the woman whose marriage is falling apart, nothing is too difficult for our Lord. It's not over until God says it's over. He can take the most impossible situation and bring complete restoration. Just put all your trust in Him.

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” – Matthew 19:6

To the woman who can't make ends meet, whose bills are so far behind that there is no way out in sight, know that God is in this. You may not see it in the natural, but fortunately we serve a supernatural God. Hold on to His promises.

"But those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." – Psalm 34:10

To the woman whose child has turned his back on God, know that God sees every one of your tears. He knows you are hurting, but He wants you to trust Him still. God loves your child more than you do, and although you can't see it, God is moving behind the scenes.

“‘For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” – Luke 15:24

And to the woman crippled with fear and anxiety, lean on Him. God wants you to rest in His peace. Allow the presence of God to permeate every inch of your soul. Let go of all the lies that the enemy has told you, and grasp hold of the truth of God.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." – 2 Timothy 1:7

Ladies, it doesn't matter how many requests are being called out to God right now – He hears them all. You matter to Him. He can bring hope like no one or no thing can. Keep your eyes on Him.

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:1-2

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We hope that you will be able to join us for the “The Power Within” Conference on Saturday, September 24^th from 9:00 a.m. – 2:oo p.m. at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachussets. Additionally, we will be offering a second conference in Cheshire, Connecticut at The Cornerstone Church on Saturday, October 29^th. We are expecting a refreshing time with the Lord.

For tickets to the Springfield event, go to:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-power-within-womens-conference-tickets-25701415626

For tickets to the Cheshire event, go to:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-power-within-womens-conference-tickets-25701743607

Hurricane Season

Well, it's official. Hurricane season is upon us. It’s been relatively quiet so far, but from what I've been hearing, this could be a bad year for storms. Temperatures are warmer than normal, which makes it ideal for storm formation and sustainability. Fortunately, in Connecticut, we don't get many storms that actually hit us. Most often, they turn out to sea, absent Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Irene, of course. For the most part, we simply track the storm, buy our obligatory milk and bread, and pray that we will stay safe.

Sound familiar? This also sounds very much like the Christian prayer life. We are constantly faced with news of impending hurricanes. From something suspicious in our health to concerns over the well being of our children. We recognize that at any moment, the storm can organize and hit us straight on.

And, that's when our prayer game steps up. We track the storm, make the obligatory preparations, and pray with fervency that the storm doesn’t hit us. And like most hurricanes, the storm turns out to sea. As a result, our faith in God gets stronger.

But, what if the hurricane doesn't turn out to sea? What if the storm hits you straight on? What will your faith look like then?

I am going to be completely transparent with you for a moment in an area that I have been relatively private. Two years ago, my hurricane season began. And this time, the storm did not go out to sea. Up until this point, my faith had only been tested in the hypothetical. What I mean by that is I had encountered my fair share of impending storms, but God had spared me from getting hit straight on, until then.

Two years ago, I went to bed seemingly healthy and woke up sick. Two years ago, I learned that my random inflammation issues were anything but random, which resulted in a diagnosis that I wasn't prepared to hear. I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints causing chronic pain and is potentially debilitating. I now realize how easy it is to trust God when things are going picture perfect. It is quite another thing to trust Him when your world doesn’t make sense.

I know that I am not alone in this. Storms sometimes make landfall. They don't always go out to sea. What then? Will your faith in God crumble? Will you turn away from Him? Or, will you still trust Him when the rains and the winds are pounding overhead?

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. – Isaiah 43:2

Ladies, God never promised us that we wouldn't walk through the fire. But, He did promise that He would always see us through and never leave our side. I guarantee you that if you remain in Him during the storm, you will come out stronger and more powerful than you did going in.

Two years ago was a very frightening time in my life. But, I can tell you that my faith in God never waivered, it just increased exponentially, something I am eternally grateful for. By trusting in the Father's plan, I have become stronger in faith than I could have ever hoped for. I have learned to trust Him no matter what.

My storm is not over. This story is not finished. I am still waiting for complete healing, as I am confident God will do. But until then, I lean in to Him for strength. I’d much rather be in the middle of a hurricane with Jesus by my side, than be in the calm all by myself.

When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation. – Proverbs 10:25

In the Face of Adversity

“What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.” I don’t know about you, but it really irritates me when someone says this to me in the middle of a trial, even if it is said with good intentions. The last thing I want to hear is that my hardship is somehow good for me. But the truth is, sometimes this is correct. Sometimes, the very thing I resent most in my life is the very thing that makes me a better version of myself. My son, who just completed his freshman year of high school, shared with me his assertion statement that he used and supported on his English final. It really struck a chord with me.

“I suggest true identity is revealed during one’s response to the challenges that he faces.” – Brett Landmon

True identity. Hmmm. His claim suggests that a person’s identity isn’t fully realized until he has been challenged. In other words, you really don’t become you until you have endured and reacted to life’s difficult moments. This makes trials an integral part in one’s development.

I know I am getting philosophical here, but bear with me. God is a God of love. And like a parent, He wants us to become the best us we can be. With that being said, He allows us to undergo difficulties and trials so that we emerge into strong, faith-filled people. The result is an identity found in Him, and Him alone.

Let’s look at the life of Joseph. There is no better example in the Bible regarding this truth. Joseph had a dream from the Lord, showing him that one day he would be ruling over his brothers. Like a normal teenage boy, he was excited about what the future held. Naively, Joseph didn’t comprehend the road ahead. It was a road that would be marked with difficulty and hardship – betrayal, slavery, seduction, and prison.

I’m guessing that young Joseph may not have been so excited about his future if he had seen what he had to go through in order to get there. However, all these challenging circumstances were necessary to develop his identity. It grew his faith, confirmed his commitment to God, and ultimately prepared him to lead a country and save it and his entire family from famine.

Some of you have seen glimpses of your future, maybe even through a dream or prophetic word like Joseph. Yet, your current situation doesn’t line up with what you thought your future held. You feel defeated, and the dreams once inside of you are starting to fade away.

Please don’t let today’s trial prevent you from embracing your future. Life may be hard. It may not make sense. But, if you are truly submitted to God and His ways, one day it will come to be. You are in the process of building your identity. As you go through each trial, God is preparing you for the next step, building spiritual muscle and leaving a trail of His faithfulness in your path.

Remember, God didn’t change his mind about Joseph. And, God hasn’t changed his mind about you. God knows what it required to prepare you for your destiny. So ladies, follow Joseph’s example. Don’t become bitter. Let your trials and hardships help you become better.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:2-4

The Deep

When my kids were five and seven years old, we put an in-the-ground swimming pool in our backyard. We waited to do so until I felt comfortable in their swimming capabilities. And although I was confident they could swim, I still took every precaution to keep them safe. We installed a pool alarm and a gate around the pool. And of course, I never left them poolside without an adult watching them. Even though I had all these precautions in place, I still felt it necessary to teach them what to do in case of an emergency.

If, by some chance, they fell into the deep end of the pool, I told them not to panic. I instructed them to roll on their backs, float, and call for help. Well, my kids are now teenagers, and I certainly don't need to worry about this anymore, but the instructions I gave them still pertain today.

You see, sometimes life throws us out into the deep. Our feet can't touch the ground and we feel helpless. Anxiety floods in, and we panic. We begin to tread water, and eventually, we grow tired and weary. At this point, we are just praying we don’t drown.

Maybe you feel like you've been tossed into the deep in this season of your life. Your finances are consuming your every thought. Or maybe, the call you received from your doctor about your latest test has left you numb. Your marriage might be unravelling right before your very eyes. Perhaps, your child is going down a path of destruction.

Don’t despair. I can tell you with first hand experience that you need not panic! You will not drown if you invite the Lord into your circumstance. Just turn to your back, float, and call on Him for help. Surprisingly, you can even find peace in the midst of the deep. In fact, it is during these “deep” moments when we can have the most remarkable encounters with our Savior.

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10

When we come to the end of ourselves, when there is no rescue boat or lifeguard around, when we have exhausted all other options, that is when God shows himself mighty. Hypothetical faith is great. But faith tested in the deep waters is a beautiful thing. The Spirit of God comes upon us, encourages us, and keeps us afloat. If you allow yourself, you might even begin to enjoy the beauty of the ocean knowing that God will not let you drown.

Ladies, I don’t know what you are going through today. Relief may be nowhere in sight. But, remember, we serve a Savior that can walk on water. I encourage you to call out to Jesus today, and let Him teach you how you can too.

“Your grace abounds in deepest waters,

Your sovereign hand

Will be my guide.

Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me,

You’ve never failed and You won’t start now.”

– Hillsong United, Oceans

Leap Of Faith

It is no surprise that God is interested in developing our character. One of the attributes He especially likes to develop is trust, which means He often will ask us to do something without revealing the entirety of His plans. He will ask us to take a leap of faith without explaining the why or the how. If I could be slightly transparent for a moment, I struggle with this. You see, I like to be in the know. I am one of those women who ask a lot of questions because I truly want to understand why I am doing something. As much as I can be task-oriented and love checking things off my list, I am also interested in the reasoning behind my actions. This is a great trait to have in the workforce, but not necessarily with my walk with God.

“Often the desire to know is in direct opposite to the desire to trust.” – Living In Freedom Everyday

The Christian life is filled with tests of obedience. God will ask us to step out in faith, and we decide if we will obey or not. It always starts small, and then gradually grows bigger and bigger with successful completion of the prior test.

Obviously, trusting God would be much easier if we could clearly see what is on the other side of our obedience. But, that’s the caveat. God wants us to take the leap without knowing all the details.

Just recently, the Lord has asked my husband and I to embark on one of these leaps. Separately, the Lord has been instructing us with different pieces of this endeavor. To be honest, the request doesn’t necessarily make sense in the natural, but we are certain the Lord is instructing us to move forward.

Initially, I struggled with the request. I kept petitioning the Lord for more details, more information, and more specifics. I got nothing. I kept asking family to pray for direction. I felt paralyzed moving forward, but knew that I must. After a long time in prayer, I realized that God likes to keep us on a need-to-know basis, and that all the wisdom I need to make this leap was already inside of me.

Can you relate? Has God asked you to move forward in a situation, but because of lack of knowledge and details you have stalled? You want to be obedient, but fear that you misunderstood or will make a wrong move. You try to make sense of His instruction by picking it apart and dissecting it.

Ladies, God doesn't want that from us. He wants us to trust Him fully, and move forward in faith. He wants us to be totally reliant on Him. He wants us to feel vulnerable, but confident that He will show up. Don’t hesitate. If God is asking, take the leap! I promise you, He will be on the other side.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7

Just An Ordinary Girl

No woman likes to be called ordinary. It implies that you are common, usual, or not special. But, that is exactly what Mary the mother of Jesus was – ordinary. Like many young women in those days, Mary was pledged to be married. Some scholars suggest that she was only about 12 or 13 years old. Scripture does not tell us too much about her, except that she was still a virgin.

Then, one special day, an angel named Gabriel came to visit this ordinary girl and calls her to do something extraordinary. Mary was told that she would give birth to the promised Messiah. The prophets foretold Jesus’ virgin birth, but Mary never expected that God would choose her for this incredible task.

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. – Luke 1:31-32

What an overwhelming call Mary had on her life! I can only imagine how she was feeling – fearful of what others would think, fearful of the repercussions of conceiving before marriage, fearful that her marriage would not transpire, and, most importantly, fearful that she couldn’t live up to the call.

Mary responds to Gabriel with a simple question, “How can this be?” She was limited by her natural thinking and couldn’t fathom how God could work this out. Logistically, it just didn’t make sense.

I can so relate. Often, God asks me to step out in faith to do something outside my natural ability, and I wonder how will I be able to do it. Like Mary, I’m just an ordinary girl, living an ordinary life. I don’t have the natural skill set or means to accomplish all that the Lord asks of me. But, I’ve learned that I don’t have to. I just have to be obedient, and the Holy Spirit will come upon me and enable me. And, He will do the same for you.

The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. – Luke 1:35

Ladies, are you living in a comfort zone, fearful to step out because you are limited by your own natural abilities? God is creating an army of ordinary women and asking them to do extraordinary things for Him. Do you want to be part of this?

You may be just an ordinary girl, but you have a supernatural God behind you that will allow you to accomplish great things for Him.

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” – Luke 1:38

While She's Waiting

I woke up this morning praying for a friend of mine who has been waiting on the Lord for a while over a situation in her life. After some time praying, I felt that breakthrough was coming soon and decided to send her a quick text to give her some encouragement while she’s waiting. This task seemed simple enough, but I really struggled with what I should write. You see, it is much easier to be the encourager than it is to be the one waiting. I’ve been in both seats and know this truth all too well. But this morning, I really wanted to reassure my friend of God’s promises, as she likely is growing weary. I wanted her to know that she wasn’t alone in this, and that I was standing in agreement with her over this situation. I wanted to let her know that God was in the midst of this battle, and she needs to just trust him completely.

This all sounds wonderful, except that words can seem empty, and possibly condescending. It is extremely difficult to be in the middle of a waiting period and not lose faith. But, this is precisely the kind of faith that God wants to generate in each of us. He wants faith that does not demand timetables. He wants faith that doesn’t focus on the impossibility of a situation. He wants faith that may seem crazy to everyone else. And, He wants faith that does not lose heart.

Ladies, I want to encourage each of you today with this truth – God has not forgotten you. He has not abandoned you in the midst of your battle. You are not alone in this. Although you can’t see it, your breakthrough is coming. Don’t lose faith!

So, my sweet friend, stop listening to the lies of discouragement telling you that it is never going to happen. Instead, take a moment today to marvel in God’s great love for you and His infinite power to do the miraculous.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. – Isaiah 40:31

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We hope that you will be able to join us for the "Taking Every Thought Captive" Conference on Saturday, September 19th from 9:00 a.m. - 3:oo p.m. We expect it to be a refreshing time for all women. Special Guest, Amy Carroll, from Proverbs 31 Ministries, will be speaking that day about her new book, "Breaking Up With Perfect." Tickets are $35. Go to eventbrite.com to get your ticket today.

For more information, go to http://www.womengetreal.org/event/taking-every-thought-captive-womens-conference/

You Are Enough

Do you ever feel like you don’t measure up? Do you compare yourself to others and feel like you fall short? Are you hurt by what people think about you, or, worse yet, what you think about yourself? Maybe you have a past that you are not proud of. Or, you have been mistreated and told you would never amount to anything. Do you have a trail of failures and have now decided that you aren’t even going to try anymore? If this is you, keep reading. All too often, we limit ourselves by our shortcomings, allowing these insecurities to hold us back from our God-called destiny. Instead of doing what God has called us to do, we shy away, thinking we aren’t qualified. We think we are not smart enough, not talented enough, not young enough, or even not righteous enough. It’s time to silence these lies. You are enough because Christ is enough. And, if He has called you, He will equip you to do any task, big or small.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13

Let’s take a look at the life of Rahab. Her introduction in the Bible immediately begins with a label. She is not just Rahab, she is “the prostitute named Rahab.” But, Rahab faced a monumental decision in her life when she was offered a role to help God’s chosen people. She could have let the sin in her life cripple her and cause her to miss a life-changing opportunity. Instead, in a moment of faith, she recognized that if God thought she was valuable, then she must be. Her obedience to God not only helped the Israelites seize Jericho, but it saved her entire family.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. – Hebrews 11:6

Faith helped Rahab make a bold choice, which changed her life and her legacy. You see, all throughout the book of Joshua, Rahab was referred to as “the prostitute.” But this woman, who didn’t let the shame of her past hold her back, is later listed in the lineage of Christ in Matthew and written about in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews. Rahab didn’t let a label rob her of her legacy, and neither should you.

Ladies, you need to hear me today. God is looking for women who have enough faith to see past their insecurities and labels. God has called each of us for a specific purpose. You may feel unqualified or unworthy, but you are enough because Christ is enough. You just need to have enough faith to believe it. Now tell those lies enough is enough and walk boldly into your calling!

Faith is a Choice!

I turned on the news the other day only hear of yet another tragedy. My heart aches for those involved in the tragic killings in France. It seems like we are surrounded with bad news, and it is nearly impossible to step away from it. It’s logical to react with feelings of fear and anxiety. Plus, the media does a great job of informing us of all the things that can go wrong in our lives:  terrorist attacks, shootings, plane crashes, and Ebola outbreaks, to name a few. To make matters worse, the devil likes to take advantage of these tragedies and harass us with a spirit of “what if.”

You know “what if.” I am certain he is no stranger to many of you. He disrupts your peace and coyly whispers in your ears:

         What if something happens to my children?

         What if my blood work comes back badly?

         What if I can’t pay my bills?

         What if terrorists strike in our country?

         What if my husband leaves me?

         What if I am alone the rest of my life?

         What if I fail?

         What if _______? (You fill in the blank)

He robs you of your sleep and your peace. Peace is one of the best gifts that God gives to us. Unfortunately, fear is very prevalent, especially in women. We are emotional beings, very feeling and nurturing, so the devil knows exactly how to attack us – in our emotions. As women of faith, we need to fight back with faith in God, faith in His Word, and faith in His promises.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7

We need to recognize that faith isn’t something we just naturally flow in. It’s a choice we must make each day, just like choosing which shoes to wear. Stilettos or sandals of peace?

You are not just going to wake up one morning and no longer have fear. We are surrounded by fear triggers. Turn on the news, read the paper, hear about a dear friend who has just been diagnosed with cancer.

We need to reprogram our natural thought default setting to one that defaults to God’s promises, not “What if that happens to me?” As 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, we have the power to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

You are fearless not because you don’t have fears, but because you choose to live above them. Faith is a choice!