The Leadher Challenge: 365 Devotionals to Encourage and Inspire Women in Their Calling from God.

The

Lead

Her

Challenge

365 Devotionals to encourage and inspire women in their calling from God.

LeadHer Team

AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: 1-800-839-8640

© 2011 by LeadHer Team. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 09/29/2011

ISBN: 978-1-4670-4202-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4670-4200-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4670-4198-0 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011917602

Printed in the United States of America

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Acknowledgments

The LeadHer Writing and Speaking Team

FEAR

Frozen with Fear

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

The Boogeyman Can’t Get You

People Who Fear People

Prescription for Peace

Running into Heaven

Flying through the Air

COMMUNITY

Ants for the Ukraine!

Knocking Down the Giant Wall

More Than Two Perpendicular Lines

Real Community

Separation is a Death Sentence

What a Mess!

Nosy Neighbors

TRUST

What’s in Your Ceramic Trash Can?

Trust in the Lord with Your H-E-A-R-T

In You We Trust

A Father’s Assurance

A Basket Full of Trust

Trust Is a Verb

When the Freezer Thaws

ANOINTING

Time to Step up!

Sit This One Out

A League of His Own

Is That A Samsonite® You’re Hiding Behind?

Who’s Your Co-pilot?

Has God Shown up?

The Joy-full Life

EXPECTATION

Not Here! Not Now! Not This Way!

Above and Beyond

Great Expectation

The Bathroom Mirror Doesn’t Lie

No Longer Lame

Get It Together!

Never Know Where He’ll Show up

RELEASE

Coming and Going

Free Indeed

Real-life Burdens

A Worry-free Day

The Freedom of Release

An Innocent Man

Stop the Bleeding

DREAMS

Far-fetched Dreams? His Specialty

Your Heart’s Desire

Picket Fences

Die to Live

Wake up and Act!

I’m Not Listening!

Camping with BarbieTM

SCRIPTURE

Put Another Log on the Fire

Tucked Away for the Future

Sweeter Than Chocolate

Expecting God’s Best

Hiding His GPS in Your Heart

Not Just Another Diet

God-breathed, People-lived

VISION

What Are You Looking at?

20-20 Vision for Leaders

God Speaks

God’s Big Vision

The Sticker That Inspired Heavenly Vision

Oh, Those Last-borns!

Blinding Blizzards

WORSHIP

Above the Tree Line

Pushing a Shopping Cart While You Worship

Whom Do You Worship?

Worshiping When Life Is Hard

Laundry Worship

I Bless You Anyway

Sisters in White

WISDOM

No Ph.D. Required

Just Ask

Father Knows Best

Question of the Day

The Cat’s Out of the Bag

I’ve Been Changed

Word to the Wise

COMFORT

The Power of a Wife

Gentle Comforter

More Comfortable Than PJs

Don’t Get Comfortable

This Little Stone of Mine

Be Still

Off the Couch and into the Furnace

OBEDIENCE

I’m All About It

Disobedient Brat

God’s Love Language

It’s Your Choice

Hard Lessons

You Shouldn’t Want Me to!

No… Maybe

FAITH

Not How Much, but Who

Faith is Such a Little Word

Faith Like a Lily

The Divine Personal Shopper

Don’t Watch the Mountain–Conquer It!

Total Surrender

What a Tangled Mess We Weave

EXCELLENCE

All or Nothing

Whatever!

Perfectly Limited

What’s Your Excuse?

Taking It One K at a Time

Giving Him All the Glory

God is Like a Box of Birdseed

HOLY SPIRIT

That’s a Lot of Hot Air

The Still, Small Voice

Are You Hearing Voices?

Overflowing with Hope

A Perfect Partner

Introducing–the Perfect Man!

Life by the Dashboard Lights

TALENT

Sister, You Got It Goin’ on!

Stay in Your Own Lane

Exceptional, Not an Exception

I’m a Talented, Average Person

Use Your Talents to Share

Your Gifts

Give It All Back

Talent Show Champion

FUTURE

Relax and Enjoy!

Drop Those Spinning Plates

Prayer: The Antidote to Worry

Our Present Sufferings

Still in Business for the Future

The Future Has No Life Insurance

Stones of Remembrance

SERVE

Reaching for the Towel

Gently Guiding

The S Word

God Uses Nobodies

Are You an Order-taker or a Hostess?

So You Want to Be the Greatest?

Serving with Attitude

RESURRECTION

Glorious Bodies

Beautiful Butterfly

That’s the Point, Isn’t It?

Just Believe

Words of Life

Our Pivot Point

What’s Proof Got to Do with It?

HOME

So I’m Not Martha Stewart

Set the Tone for Home

The Best Home Not on Earth

A Peaceful Home

Open Doors and Open Hearts

Home Safe Home

There’s no Place Like Home

COMMUNICATION

Sticks and Stones

Real Housewives and Real Friends

Communication Overload

Clanging Cymbals

Stop, Pray, Communicate

I Feel So Much Better

Word to the Wise

ABANDON

Lord of the Dance

Leave It All on the Field

Abandonment is Not in His Vocabulary

Crossing the Bridge with Complete Abandon

Trading Yours for His

Free to Live

Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve

LEADERSHIP

Leadership with a Point

You Cannot Handle It Alone

Leader by Default

Follow the Intentional Leader

How’s Your LeadHer Vision?

Keeping the Sheep

The Real McCoy

GOAL SETTING

Goal Tending

Life Is a Highway

Goal!

Your Highest Goal

Building a Wall in Fifty-two Days

Ready, Set, Goal!

Stinky Weight Rooms

ENCOURAGEMENT

You Can Do It! Yes, You Can!

Share a Smile

The Best Kind of Fertilizer

Rubies Vs. Diamonds

Who’s Holding Your Pom-poms?

Here Comes the Sunshine Lady

The Multiplication of Encouragement

BALANCE

Hop on the Scale

Help, I’m Unbalanced

Oh… THAT Woman!

Becoming Barnabas

No, Slow, and Go

Falling in Love Again

Staying between the Lines

BELIEVE

Rock, Not Roll

I Wish Life Was Like a Scene from Shrek

Santa and the Easter Bunny

It’s All About Your Choice

Believe He Can Even When He Doesn’t

Believe in That!

The Cornerstone Never Fails

CONTENTMENT

No Thanks, I’m Good

Just Be…

Content with Food and Clothing

A Heavenly Makeover

Not Called to Be Content

I Love God More

The Pursuit of Contentment

VICTORY

How Sweet It Is!

Victory, Victory–That’s Our Battle Cry

Love Wins

Falling Flat on My Face Saved My Life

Life’s a Dash

Develop the Eternal Perspective

Puddles of Victory

MERCY

Do You Smell Like Jesus?

Have Mercy!

Healing for the Haunted

Lay It at His Feet

Full-circle Mercy

Even Though

Grabbing onto Mercy

HEALTH

Run for Your Life!

Time for That Annual

Life Is Like…

The Key to Enjoying Life

Think before You Speak; Repeat Daily

Are You Running Your 26.2 Miles?

Up the Emotional Hill

PLANT

Connect to God’s Heavenly Hose

Do Your Job

‘Til the Twig Blooms

An Upside-down Business

My Black Thumb

Go!

A Landscaped Life

PASSION

Head over Heels

Passionate Purpose

You Are the Potter; I Am the Clay

Leading Like Caleb

What Does Your Poster Say This Year?

Julia

Opening the Gift of Passion

HOPE

Ride ‘em Cowgirl

Hang on

Hope Takes Flight

No Guarantee

The Final Sale

Undaunted

I Wish I May, I Wish I Might…

TIME

Tick Tock

Backwards Time Clock

My Alarm Clock’s Set for Him

Time Well Spent

God’s Economy

No Regrets

What Time Is It?

WHOLE

God’s View of Me

Just a Cracked Pot

Take All of Me

I Want the Whole Thing

No Fractions in Heaven

Whole of Jesus

The Missing Piece

BLESSING

Well, Bless My Soul!

Bless Their Little Hearts

Is There Grace in Social Media?

You Will Be a Blessing

An Unexpected Answer

Snowflakes Can’t Be Contained

More Than a Milkshake

FORGIVENESS

Back to the Marketplace

Forgiven to Forgive

Say You’re Sorry–and Mean It!

Forgiveness Is for You

A Grudge That Won’t Go Away

Forgiveness Is a Verb

Descending Can Be the Challenge

PERSEVERANCE

Stay the Course

Keep Swimming

Walking the Line

Yay for Suffering!

Just Keep Peddling!

Listen up!

The Steepest Climb

INTENTIONAL

The Best of Intentions

Fickle Plans

More Than a Human Being

Samaria, Here I Come

I Didn’t Mean to!

Off to Work

Couldn’t or Wouldn’t?

OVERCOMING

K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Smith)

Intended for Good

Fear of Flying

Not Subject to Change

A Whole New Way of Seeing

Hitting the High Note

(I Think) I Want to Be An Overcomer

SUPPORT

We All Need a Support Staff

Lean on Me

Crawling onto His Lap

Stay and Keep Watch

Structuring a Support System

Godly Support

3:00 a.m. Friends

OPTIMISM

Don’t Worry; Be Happy

Before I Even Get out of Bed

Be of Good Cheer!

No Stress Here

Big Things Are Comin’

My Hope Is Built

What If?

SEASON

Mmm, Mmm, Good!

God’s Behind That Move

The Seasoned Word

Seasons and Themes

Defined by the Season

In Time

Name That Season

FAITHFULNESS

I Pledge Allegiance

Great is Your Faithfulness

Day and Night Will Never Cease

A-1 Problem Solver

Grant Me Courage to Be Faithful

Must the Rocks Do Your Job?

The Sun Rose–Did That Require Faith?

CAPABILITY

Troops and Walls? No Big Deal!

Clearly Capable

The Sweetest Breath

It’s Not the Time for Rock, Paper, Scissors

Just One Request

Great Big Bundle of Potentiality!

Be Careful What You Wear

PLANS

Before You Pencil It In…

The Makings of a Mess

God Is the Plan

What’s Really Going on behind the Curtain?

Blank Check

I’m Covered

The Best Way to Get from

A to B

SALVATION

Prone to Wander

My Story is HIStory

His Great Name

Follow the Greatest LeadHer

Words Are Not Enough

The Unearned Gift

Brevity of Life

LIFE

Heavenly Carbs

The Game of Life

Can You Trust Me a Little Bit Less?

Abundant Living… God’s Way

Live THAT Life!

Please Enjoy Life!

The Endless Story

COMPASSION

The Look of Love

Break My Heart for What Breaks Yours

We’re All One Paycheck Away

New Every Morning

Put on the LeadHer Uniform

Love So Deep

Compassion of No Returns

PROMISES

Pinky Swear

Cross His Heart

Promises, Promises

Remember the Rainbow

Do You Really Promise This Time?

Cross My Heart

Com(Promises)

Other Ways to Connect with LeadHer

This book is dedicated to the LeadHer Local Coordinators from coast to coast. Your willingness to step out in faith and make this movement a reality for women inspires us and propels us forward daily.

Acknowledgments

No book ever makes it into the hands of a reader without many people in the background whose names never appear in a byline. Before we begin the LeadHer Challenge journey, we would like to thank the people who helped this vision become reality.

Susan Tolleson, your fingerprints of love, devotion, and wisdom are on each word of each page that follows. We are grateful for your hard work editing and preparing this book for publication. We are equally grateful to Greg and Olivia for sharing you with us on many late nights and weekends.

Thank you, Lori Mosteller, for your willingness to take on the tedious task of proofing. Your thoroughness, combined with your positive spirit, is a welcome addition to the editorial team.

We also want to thank the husbands, friends, and families of our LeadHer writers. Your support and encouragement to your LeadHer as she stepped out to tackle this devotional project was the fuel that helped her push through any writer’s block she might have faced.

Jennifer White, thank you for being willing to be used by God as the catalyst for the beginnings of the LeadHer team.

Louanne Dietrich, as one of the first people to hear the LeadHer vision from the heart of its founder, your encouragement helped it to become a reality in the lives of women.

The LeadHer Writing and Speaking Team

Lyn Smith

Lyn Smith shares her passion about God and His Word as an international Bible teacher, inspirational speaker, and writer. She is a state speaker for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, serves on their human trafficking task force, and is a contributing writer for www.Pastors.com. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and three children. When she isn’t doing life in her stilettos, you’ll have to catch her running in her favorite sneakers. You can find Lyn at www.lynsmith.org, on Facebook as Lyn Hamilton Smith, and on Twitter at @Lyn_Smith.

Melissa Mashburn

Melissa passionately pursues God by taking her everyday, ordinary life, and placing it as her offering to Him. She is a writer, speaker, mom, pastor’s wife, and trained communicator through CLASSeminars. Her passion is leading women to keep it real in their lives and ministries. Melissa is married to Matt and is the proud mama to teenagers Nick & Bailey. You can connect with Melissa at www.melissamashburn.com, on twitter at @Mels_World, and on Facebook at Mel’s World with Melissa Mashburn.

Chelsea Eubank

Chelsea Eubank is a young entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of FAITHFUL FISH ®, a Christian Lifestyle Brand of clothing and accessories. Chelsea has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Extraordinary Teens and was one of the first online money advisors for Seventeen Magazine. The death of her father and other family members encouraged her to renew her faith and develop the idea for FAITHFUL FISH® while she was still in high school. Chelsea is passionate about what God has done in her life through her challenges and is committed to making Christ relevant to young people. You can reach Chelsea through www.faithfulfish.com.

Leslie Lamb

Leslie Lamb desires to help teen girls and women see the loving mercy of a God who longs to call them His own. She has written two fiction books for teens and is working on a third. Leslie’s communications background and skills have allowed her to share Christ’s love with audiences as a screenplay writer for a film and as a co-host on Christian radio. She shares her life with husband, Brian, daughters Maddie and Lily, and their pets, Foo Foo the bunny and Chloe the wonder dog. Connect with Leslie Lamb on Facebook and Twitter @lesliealamb and on her blog at www.lesliealamb.com.

Jill Hart

ill Hart founded the popular Christian work-at-home website, www.CWAHM.com, which reaches more than 19,000 women a month. She also mentors home-based business owners, helping them build successful careers. Jill is a contributing author for six books and co-author of So You Want To Be a Work-at-Home Mom (Beacon Hill Press). Jill has published articles in P31 Women Magazine, Focus on the Family Magazine, and In Touch Magazine, as well as across the web on sites such as DrLaura.com. You can reach Jill on Facebook at CWAHM.

Christie Love

Christie Love is founder and Executive Director of LeadHer. She lives in SW Missouri with her husband Bob. Combined, they have four beautiful children under the age of nine. She feels like she is a walking, talking example of what God can do with a broken and flawed person who is willing to commit fully to His ways and plans. She looks at each day as an adventure that should never be faced without Jesus and a heavy dose of java. You can reach Christie through her blog at http://thelovenotessite.com.

Sarah Schieber

Sarah Schieber is a strong woman of God who has experienced her share of trials. But throughout all of them, Sarah also has experienced God’s grace and love. She has written and recorded the albums Gratitude, The Long October Road, and Sunshine Lane. Her second CD chronicles her journey through her husband’s death. She continues to minister to those facing difficult times in their lives through her music, speaking, and writing. Get to know Sarah through her blog at http://sarahschieber.net/sarahs-blog/.

Susan Lawrence

Susan Lawrence has a passion for pouring into women through writing, speaking, training, and for inspiring women to seek God’s purpose and grow in healthy ways. She is LeadHer’s National Events Director and author of Bible studies Pure Purpose and Pure Emotion. As a women’s ministry consultant, Susan has developed resources, and coordinated trainings and networking for international ministries and denominations. Check out Susan’s words of encouragement and send her a note at http://www.purepurposebook.wordpress.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook at PurePurpose or on Twitter at @susanhlawrence.

Susan Tolleson

Susan Tolleson is Editorial Director for LeadHer. With more than 20 years of experience in stakeholder engagement in the corporate and non-profit worlds, she is thrilled to be serving God through LeadHer. Her passion is helping women, particularly young women, see the potential that God sees in them and encouraging them to follow His leading for their lives. Susan and her husband, Greg, live in the Kansas City area and have one daughter, Olivia. Susan can be reached at info@leadher.org.

Lori Mosteller

Lori Mosteller, Editorial Assistant and Worship Leader for LeadHer, is a woman with a heart of praise and a passion for sharing God’s message of love and grace. Lori lives in Columbia, Missouri, with her husband, Sam, and their three beautiful children. Her original song, I Am, was chosen as the national LeadHer theme song. In addition to leading worship for LeadHer events, Lori works behind the scenes as Editorial Assistant for LeadHer publications. Her message to you is that God doesn’t tolerate you; He adores you—just as you are! You can connect with Lori on Facebook.

FEAR

For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Isaiah 41:13

Frozen with Fear

By Lyn Smith

In great fear and distress, Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups . . .

Genesis 32:7a

While flying over the Alps, our airplane hit an air pocket and fell five hundred feet. Food sailed through the cabin, flight attendants tumbled, and passengers screamed. I sat up, clutched the armrests, put my feet flat on the floor, and whispered, God, help us!

The fall was mercifully short and quick, and no one was hurt. But I sat in that same position for several moments afterward, frozen, my heart pounding, and breaking out in a cold sweat. I had seldom before experienced such intense fear.

Jacob experienced intense fear, too, but it was from a far different source–his past. He had tried with his intelligence and personality to fix his life. However, when it came time for an encounter from his past, he panicked. He was to see his brother, Esau, for the first time in twenty years. They had parted with scheming, deceiving, lying, and murderous hatred. Jacob was understandably afraid.

I think I know how he felt. When I ran away from my past, tried to cover it up, or fix things on my own, it was impossible to lead with confidence. I was constantly looking over my shoulder for that mess to rear its ugly head or for someone to expose me. I expected to be knocked breathless by unresolved pain.

To be fully available to God’s purpose, I had to have a Jacob moment with Him. We wrestled until I surrendered. Then He poured out His cleansing grace, assured me of His love, filled me with His power, and sent me forth no longer afraid.

Lead Out Loud Challenge: Make a list of baggage that is keeping you from leading with God-confidence. Write a statement on how you will take it to the One who sets you free. Ask a fellow believer to hold you accountable.

Prayer Point: Bring your brokenness to the Great Healer. Ask Him to restore you to wholeness and to free you from fear. Ask Him to empower you to lead for His glory.

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

By Melissa Mashburn

For the Spirit of God does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

When did we become so afraid of everything? When did the reality that life is hard smack us in the face and cause us to cling to fear?

I used to consider myself fearless. I would go boldly forward in everything life presented. Growing up I was told that I could do or be anything that I put my mind to. Then a funny thing happened–life knocked me down a few times and a seed of doubt was planted in my heart. That one little seed began to sprout in my early 20s. And now that I am close to forty, I can see that one little seed has blossomed into a deep dark forest of fear, with a big bad wolf staring at me from the edge.

Thankfully, there is hope. God does not make us timid, but gives us His power–the same power that raised Christ from the dead. We can break free from the fear of the big bad wolf and cling to Him and His word.

Fear is one of the tools the evil one uses to hold us back from being everything God created us to be. We can walk boldly forward in Him, not because the fears are gone, but because He is stronger than any big bad wolf.

He has our back, I promise! Better yet, He promises!

Lead Out Loud Challenge: Write out 2 Timothy 1:7 on an index card and memorize it. Carry it with you wherever you go. (For those of you who are attached to your mobile device, save it for easy access during the day.)

Prayer Point: Ask God to bring to mind one of His promises the next time the seed of fear starts to threaten. Ask Him to embolden and empower your steps in His power throughout the day.

The Boogeyman Can’t Get You

By Chelsea Eubank

When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?

Psalm 56:3-4

When I was seventeen, my father had a heart attack. He died while talking with me on the phone. Six years have passed, and I still miss him so much it hurts.

I remember the times I was scared, and my father would hold me or look under the bed to assure me that there were no boogeymen under there. Just having my father by my side helped me feel safe. I have come to rely on another father to make me feel safe, and that is our Heavenly Father. He is always by my side.

God doesn’t want us to be fearful of life, just the way our parents don’t want us to fear life. God wants us to look to Him for guidance and comfort. He asks us to go to His book and take some quiet time to read about all the ways He is with us.

When you feel fear creeping up on you, or begin to feel that tightness in your throat and your heart starts beating fast, sing His praises. When fear paralyzes you, share with God what you are thankful for. It is hard to be scared when you are praising God.

I don’t believe God took away my father. But I do believe that God held my heart so it wouldn’t break.

Lead Out Loud Challenge: Recognize what fear feels like. Read your favorite Bible verse on His comfort for you. Insert your name in the scripture so He is directly talking to you.

Prayer Point: If a lack of faith is the source of your fear, ask God to give you confidence in Him to face your fears. Ask the Father to wrap His arms around you today and help you feel the hedge of protection that will give you peace that turns to joy.

People Who Fear People

By Jill Hart

Stand up and tell them everything I command you to say. Don’t be afraid of the people, or I will give you good reason to be afraid of them.

Jeremiah 1:17b (NCV)

Jeremiah feared the wrath of his countrymen–even to the point of wishing he’d never been born. The prophet had every reason to fear them. God had told him to tell the nation of Israel about His anger and their impending destruction for turning their backs on the Lord.

However, God reminded Jeremiah that He would go before him. He commanded him not to fear the people. God even went so far as to say there would be consequences if Jeremiah allowed fear of other people to invade his mind. God knew that if Jeremiah let fear in, it would cripple his work and his effectiveness in calling the people to repentance.

When we are called to do God’s work, there are certain to be people who will oppose us. As humans, we tend to fear anything that may cause us pain. Even the smallest negative reaction from another person can injure us and keep us from fully giving ourselves to the work God has asked us to do.

We must keep our eyes focused on God and pleasing Him must be most important. God tells us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Even in the midst of human rejection, we can count on God to sustain us, guide us and use us for His glory.

Lead Out Loud Challenge: Think about how the opinion of others has affected you in the past week. If you find yourself fearing what others might think or say about you, take those concerns immediately to the Lord and ask Him to help you overcome.

Prayer Point: Pray for a steadfast faith and the courage to move forward despite what those around you may think or say.

Prescription for Peace

By Christie Love

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Moses had just passed away, and Joshua was now responsible for leading two million people to the land that God had promised them. It would have been easy for Joshua to give in to fear, but God’s command was not to fear but to be strong and courageous.

This was not the only time God reminded someone to not be afraid. In fact the phrase "fear not" can be found in nearly every book of the Bible. In His divine wisdom, God saw the need to remind us constantly to fear not. He knew that we are often more comfortable living in our feelings rather than in our faith.

We frighten easily–news from the doctor, overdue bills, a job loss, God’s call to a position that makes us squirm with discomfort. All of these circumstances evoke a knee-jerk reaction of fear in our hearts. However, it is what we choose to do with those feelings that shows the strength of our faith.

Are you entertaining fear in your life or entrusting your fears to God? He is ready to help you trade fear, worry, and stress for a peace that passes all understanding. Choose to move forward in faith instead of being stuck in fear. Choose to follow His prescription for peace: Ask for help, trust Him to handle it, refuse to entertain fear, and then repeat daily.

Lead Out Loud Challenge: Make a list of fears stirring in your heart that need to be evicted.

Prayer Point: Pray over each fear, giving it to God and asking for the ability to be strong and courageous like Joshua.

Running into Heaven

By Sarah Schieber

What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.

Job 3:25

I began October 7, 2007, as a happily married woman who was madly in love with her husband and the mother of three wonderful children. I had recently released my first solo album and was about to complete my second marathon.

I ended the day as a thirty-three-year-old widow with a long drive back to Michigan to tell her sweet children that their daddy had collapsed and died during the marathon. Their healthy, thirty-five-year-old daddy–the head of our home and our covering–was dead.

At that moment, so many of my fears were birthed out of not knowing and out of having questions for which we had no answers. Do we have enough life insurance? Will I have to sell the house? Will I have to get a job? How will we live without him? But in those moments of disbelief, questions, and loneliness deeper than I had ever imagined, I found a God who was faithful to hold my fears in His sweet hands and guide me through each step of them.

Have you ever known fear? My friend, God has all the answers. And that is a place of rest. Fear is real, but God is bigger.

Sometimes there is no magic formula for fear. Sometimes it is a process. If your life is a process right now, please know that God wants to walk through the process with you. He is not offended by it, He is faithful in it.

Lead Out Loud Challenge: If you have not already done so, commit today to making God the foundation of your life so that if Job 3:25 becomes the reality of your life, you have God, rather than fear, to fall back on.

Prayer Point: Thank the Father that He is big enough to understand your fears and faithful enough to walk with you through them.

Flying through the Air

By Susan Lawrence

I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:4

I was having a blast. My older sisters were holding me by my arms and legs as they stood in the hayloft window of our barn. They were swinging me back and forth as we counted: One. Two. Three! I flew out the window and into the air, thrilled to be soaring. I had no fear.

As my mom ran screaming from the house, she carried enough fear for all of us. She had looked through the kitchen window and had only seen my sisters throwing me out the hayloft window. She didn’t see the wagon full of straw below.

My mom thought she had reason to fear but soon discovered that reality didn’t match her imagination. Her fear was real. The reason for her fear wasn’t.

I’ve experienced the same thing. Sometimes my fear has been paralyzing, fleeting, or even silly. But God always meets me in the middle of my fear. He knows how fast my heart beats and how I want to run or hide.

Sometimes my fear is justified, but often times, it’s not. I twist fear with worry, frustration and anger. Then I end up in a jumbled mess of emotions. I respond with misdirected intensity and make decisions that don’t make sense because they’re not based in the truthfulness of a situation. I likely miss out on something I would have experienced if I’d let God reveal the reality of the situation.

My mom survived the fright of the day, but I didn’t get to fly through the air again.

Lead Out Loud Challenge: Name one apprehension you can set aside today, trusting God to provide the courage you need.

Prayer Point: Take that fear to God and ask Him to help you decide if it’s worthy of fear. Ask Him to reveal the truthfulness of a situation so you can respond in God’s way, not your way.

COMMUNITY

Let him who cannot be alone, beware of community…

Let him who is not in community, beware of being alone.

—Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Ants for the Ukraine!

By Lyn Smith

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.

Acts 4:32

I am fascinated by ant hills. Each ant carries only one piece of food. They walk in single file, all going in the same direction. They know what the goal is, and they work tirelessly and selflessly to reach that goal for the good of the entire colony. Each ant faithfully deposits his piece of food in the common storeroom, not saving it for himself. Because their lives depend on this dedication, they trust each other to contribute.

Christ followers are to be united in making Him known–going into the whole world to make disciples. Our common goal is doing whatever it takes to know Jesus and proclaim Him. Part of that process is investing in one another. We build relationships that nurture and strengthen us for our God-given purposes. We pour into each other, trusting God to expand and spread our efforts for His glory. We love and give generously because Jesus did and does. We share everything we have, powered by the Holy Spirit and committed to making an eternal impact.

I recently went on a mission trip to the Ukraine that was completely funded by donations. I was stunned as money poured in and generosity was expressed: Though God has not called me to go, He has called me to help. May our Father multiply its eternal value in ways we can only dream of. I pray God multiplies this gift so you can spread His message and love in Kiev. We were one in heart and mind.

When Christ followers come together to generously share life, no one lacks, and incredible things happen.

Lead Out Loud Challenge: Make a note of who has a need that you can meet for God’s glory. Every time you think about that person today, pray for God to show you how to meet it.

Prayer Point: Ask the Father to knit your heart together with other believers in a selfless way that stuns the world and draws people to you.

Knocking Down the Giant Wall

By Melissa Mashburn

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

1 Corinthians 12:27

Twitter. Facebook. Texts. Email. Voicemail. Good ole telephone. Getting connected today is easier than it ever has been. And yet people are more lonely and depressed than ever before. This happens in our own lives when we get so busy and active doing things, that we never really slow down long enough to truly connect with those around us. We keep ourselves running on that cycle of going and doing. Before we know it, we look up and can’t find a single person around us that we know–really know.

Unfortunately, I stayed that way for so long that I built up a gigantic wall around my heart. The wall was there to protect me from getting hurt, but it was also there to keep people from seeing the real me. I didn’t want them to see the woman who didn’t have it all together, didn’t have all the answers, and didn’t like what I was becoming.

It was only when God completely stripped away everything that hindered me from seeing Him and only Him that I slowly began to let people into those tucked-away places in my heart. We are not meant to do life on this earth alone. We need the love of Jesus first, but we also need to surround ourselves with other believers. It is through our relationships that we grow to be who God created us to be. It is because we are connected that we live, we learn, and we grow.

Lead Out Loud Challenge: Today, find one person in your community that you feel God tugging at your heart to connect with, then get out there and get connected.

Prayer Point: Thank God that He has connected you with other believers. Thank Him for the wisdom of that connection in accomplishing His purposes and in giving Him glory. Ask Him to give you the courage to get outside yourself and connect with those He places in your life.

More Than Two Perpendicular Lines

By Chelsea Eubank

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the