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The Business of Church

February 20, 2012 in Devotionals with 11 Comments

Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:12-13 & Luke 19:45-46).

The above verses are over two separate occasions when Jesus clears the temple. Maybe it’s because we’re so dense and we tend to turn the church from a house of prayer into a place of business.

Please hear me when I say to you that I am not upset, angry, or bitter.

I must apologize that I have believed these facts and figures as truth.

After working for a Christian business I booked over 300+ events with pastors and churches across the country. I got to personally know over 100 speakers and comedians. I loved being able to fuel my heart for ministry. A few things I came to learn VERY quickly was this:

*Almost 100% of all church websites had white males on their staff.

*The minimum price churches paid for a male speaker was $2,500 ranging all the way up to $15,000.

*The maximum price churches paid for a woman speaker was $1,500. I booked less than 15 events for women because the average budget for women’s ministry is $500.

*Not one of the events I booked was for 20-somethings, which is what I am most passionate about.

I also need to apologize for thinking that I could only serve the church in one position. When I was single I thought it was because I was single. Now that I’m married I see it’s neither.

God wants to use the gifts He has given us no matter if we’re male, female, single and/or married. Fact.

I don’t know if I’m out of line by saying this, but I am almost relieved that I’m no longer phased by these stats. Because for the first time in a long time the church can’t be a place of business. The church is no longer the consumer. It has become once again a house of prayer.

It is my desire to continue to speak passionately and reach out to young adults, but one thing God has had to show me is that my worth is in Him–not how many books I write, speaking events I book, or churches I speak at.

No matter if another church invites me to speak at their church–I’m being obedient to the ministry God has called me too.

It is my heart and desire that you can say the same thing too!

Don’t let your relationship status or gender deter you from serving the Lord with ALL your heart, mind, soul, and strength!

“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Revelation 3:8)

I’m NOT Pregnant

February 20, 2012 in Dating & Relationships, Devotionals with 9 Comments

I’m not pregnant.

Now that I have your attention, I want to tell you a story.

I am no Martin Luther King, but I had a dream that I was pregnant in a warehouse full of women about to give birth. We were all expectantly waiting on God’s promises.

The very next day at work (this was back in 2005), a lady came in for a job interview. She walked into the room where I was the office receptionist and asked me,

“Are you pregnant?”

At first I was shocked. Then horrified.

I said “No!” and she quickly apologized, but said she sensed something in the Spirit. Mind you, I wasn’t working at a Christian work place at that time–so that was a huge confirmation of my dream the night before.

Funny Story, about 9 months later the same lady told me God showed her the meaning of my dream. She said,

“God is trying to birth a ministry through me, if I would just let him–and not to say that my future husband isn’t important.”

I have to say. I was pretty upset when she told me this.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY FUTURE HUSBAND ISN’T IMPORTANT?

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I prayed and asked God for a husband daily since I was 15. I felt bitter. Like God had personally offended me.

All I ever wanted was to get married, go into ministry, and serve alongside my husband.

When I published my first book, I realized that I couldn’t serve two masters. I finally got it.

I quit my job to pursue ministry full time and to continue writing. There is absolutely no way I would have been able to write “Faithbook of Jesus” and “Not Another Dating Book” as a married woman.

There were things in my soul I needed to wrestle with.

Anguish has a way of changing your heart.

God softened me and used my time as a single person to bless me with a writing ministry–of which I am most grateful for.

Even though I couldn’t see it at the time, God put a wall of protection around me, my heart, and desires.

Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield (Psalm 5:12, 33:20).

To the single woman who feels neglected by God, you are not alone.

To the (actual) pregnant woman who is waiting to give birth.

Do not abandon your dreams.

Do not give up your desires.

You may have forgotten, but God won’t!

But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” 

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me” (Isaiah 49:14-16).

Watch the Video Log for “I’m Not Pregnant” below:

God’s Call

January 23, 2012 in Devotionals, On Writing with 3 Comments

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”. C.S. Lewis

I just love that quote. It reminds me in a very powerful way that God’s call on our lives is real. It’s tangible. Something we can taste, touch, feel, and see. And it’s not something so far out of our grasp that we’ll fail.

Failure.

Every time I tried to manage my schedule the past couple weeks–I’ve failed. I just wasn’t doing a good enough job. When my panic attacks came back, I felt like a big fat one–failure that is.

I just wanted to cuddle up in my blankets and hide in my bed until things got better.

When they didn’t I roused myself out of bed really early to deal with it. I decided that it’s now or never. I finished writing my third book on forgiveness.

The hardest part for me has been revisiting all the painful stories of the past. When I write books, God doesn’t just give me fluffy words, He reminds me. I get to relive each story in present day. “Oh joy!” I say sarcastically.

Then I read about Joseph in Genesis 39:2 & 21

“The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home [palace] of his Egyptian master…But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.”

The truth is, “we must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God…” says Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together.

It’s funny how God had to interrupt me in my misery. Last week I said in Something Borrowed that I have no idea what to pray for–now that I’m married.

Then I read this in “Seize The Day with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.” In it Charles Ringma writes:

“In the final analysis, the key issue is not whether we are married or unmarried, a missionary or a mechanic. The more important issue is that we have made some sense of God’s call in our lives. For that call to be realizable, we need to understand ourselves sufficiently so that we know our gifts, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. When God’s call harmonizes with our giftedness, we become candidates for lasting achievement. And true achievement does not arise from a negative reaction to life, but from embracing God’s perspective on what is good” (Charles Ringma).

Lord, please show me your favor. Everywhere I go, don’t let me be afraid of suffering. It’s not up to me to determine my life, but only You. Help me to stay flexible even when change scares me BIG TIME. Show me how to be blessed like Joseph whether I’m in the palace or in prison. Amen.

p.s. I’m sorry Lord for doubting Your call on my life. Please forgive me?

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