December 2, 2021

Lord,What Do You Want For Your Birthday?

December is a month for some significant birthdays in my life. My precious Mom’s birthday is next week on December 6th. My dear friend’s husband is December 8th.  The birthday of one of my Godly mentors is December 26th.

Oftentimes, I ask a simple question to those we love before their birthday: “What do you want for your birthday?” If you are like me, I just want to ensure my loved one is honored in the most meaningful way. Isn’t that what we want for our birthdays…to  know we are loved and cherished?

The most significant person in my life, really in this world, celebrates His birth each December 25th. Isn’t it wonderful that we all adorn our homes in Christmas finery and decorate the inside and outside with bright lights in honor of His birthday?  We bake treats, buy gifts and send cards to our most significant loved ones , friends, and coworkers (and even strangers), and go above and beyond to volunteer and do “random acts of kindness” this time a year. Why? Perhaps it truly is all part of His birthday celebration, honoring the Light Of  The World (John 8:12).

However you may feel about Him, one fact is irrefutable. History sets its time stamp of demarcation with Jesus’ birth—BC, “Before Christ”, and AD, “Anno Domini,” Latin for “In the Year of Our Lord.”   Even the Old Testament prophesied Jesus’ birth (especially in the book of Isaiah) at least 700 years before He was born! Isn’t it fitting that we give Him our best as we celebrate His birthday?

When I was growing up, we baked a birthday cake for Christmas Day and sang “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. I will always remember those sweet memories.

So, in this December 2021 AD, in the year of our Lord,  I  encourage you to ask Him a simple question:

“Lord, What Do You Want For Your Birthday?”

Then listen…

Could His birthday gift be:

–to reconcile with your loved one…

–to rake the yard of and sit with an elderly neighbor…

–to babysit for a worn-out married couple to have a date night…

–to share your testimony and love of Jesus with your co-worker…

You can almost hear His still, small voice, can’t you?

“Your Heart, Dear One. That’s all I want. Your Heart.”

Reflect:

  • How will this Christmas, Jesus’ birthday celebration, be different from years past?
  • How can we listen and act more intentionally after asking the question, “Lord, what do You want for your birthday?”

Renew:

  • “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” –Colossians 3:23
  • “I am sending Him—who is my very heart—back to you.” –Philemon 1:12.
  • “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the Truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply from the heart.” –1 Peter 1: 22

Recharge:

  • After asking, seeking, and listening, what intentional actions in your life have you been prompted to take?
  • Consider baking a birthday cake on Christmas Day and singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus. Let’s party!
  • Please leave a comment.
August 11, 2021

Working For The Lord: Four Leadership Lessons From Bezalel, Moses’ Chief Artisan

Hi Leader Friend,

Goodness gracious, I’ve missed y’all.  I took a sabbatical summer as I approached my 50th birthday in July, my year of Jubilee! Fifty feels good, friends.  The Lord is revealing so many leadership messages, and I can’t wait to see what you think.

Many of you know how much I love Moses as a leader. I confess, though, I really had not learned much about Bezalel, Moses’ Chief Artisan whose name I can hardly pronounce.

Bezalel is found in Exodus 31: 1-6. Let me set the scene. Moses was called by God to lead the two milion + Israelites to the Promised Land. They were stubborn. What journey was supposed to take 11 days took 40 years.

Moses would go up to Mount Sinai to get away from the crowd and hear God clearly. Don’t we all need that?

God spoke clearly to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Ten Commandments had been given in Exodus 20. Now they need a place for God to dwell—a mobile worship Center. God gave Moses specific instructions about building the Tabernacle.

Now we come to Exodus 31: 1-6.  This is where it hit me:

Bezalel, this unknown leader and Moses’ Chief Artisan to build the Tabernacle, is the first man in the Bible to have the Spirit of God in him. 

What? What about Noah. In Genesis 6,  found favor in sight of the Lord.

Bezalel was the grandson of Hur. Who was Hur? Remember he and Aaron, Moses’ priestly brother,  held Moses’ arms up to win the battle in Exodus 17:8-13

He came from the Tribe of Judah. Who else came from the Tribe of Judah? Jesus, Lion of Judah.

What leadership lessons can we learn from Bezalel?

  1. Like Bezalel, God sets us apart for His service and infuses His Spirit in us. Bezalel and Ohaliab surrendered their lives to the calling. First man to have “Spirit of God” in him, 1500 years before the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 officially indwells among us. Spirit of God hovered, even in Genesis 1:2.
  2. When we serve with our best effort of excellence, God entrusts us with more. Exodus 35:6-7, Exodus 35:30, 36:1-7
  3. In all every assignment God gives us, finish the assignment and follow through. Starting in Exodus 37, the He is Bezalel. Exodus 39:22-26. Exodus 39:32, 42-43. It is finished.
  4. When we serve according to His will, the Lord blesses it. Exodus 40:34-36.

In the Old Testament, Bezalel built the Tabernacle. Since Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, now the Tabernacle dwells inside us with the power of the Holy Spirit. We each are Bezalels.

What is God calling you to do for Him?

How is God calling you in this season to step out in faith.

Be encouraged, leader. You are a Bezalel, God’s Masterpiece and Chief Artisan.

May 10, 2021

Continuing To Honor Moms and Each of You as Moms

This year’s Mother’s Day was different from last year’s as many of us had been quarantined. It made me appreciate even more each moment with Mom.

Even though Mother’s Day 2021 has just passed, I wanted us to still ponder you as a Mom and our moms for a bit.  How were you honored this year? How did you honor your Mom?

This year I bought a journal called “50 Things About My Mother: A Celebration.” I confess to you I am still working on it page by page. It lists different questions like “I’ll always ask your advice about…” and other statements or questions like that.

Within the journal I’ll include some of the memories and accomplishments I owe all to Mom. Here are a few:

1) Thank you, Mom, for your unconditional love and support as Lord nudged me to launch a new ministry last April called Blessings Brokers, a Christian Donor Development Consulting Firm. Your rock solid faith and courage continues to bolster mine.

2)  Thank you for serving as a patient gentle nurse and  caregiver last December/January as you helped me take care of my 67-year-old cousin and your nephew Mark as he suffered with a cirrhosis of the liver diagnosis. He was able to get into an assisted living facility in January thanks to your nursing his open wounds caused by edema. He lived 6 1/2 months and went to be with Jesus on 5/4/20. Thank you for helping me honor him with a Memorial Service last July and scattering his ashes on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Thank you for helping me love him unconditionally.

3) Thank you for praying for me for years before I was even conceived. Since my only brother Jamie is 12 years older than me, you said you suffered a miscarriage and complications as you and Dad tried for more children after Jamie. You were about to give up when you found out you were pregnant with me.  Thanks be to God for His plan and His timing. Thank you for being my Mom.

4) Thank you for serving as a room mother in elementary school and chaperoning our field trips.

5) Thank you for dancing and for teaching me to dance. I always loved watching you and your brothers, your family shag dancing to beach music at my grandmother’s home growing up. I remember after Thanksgiving meals that the men would push aside the dinner table to create a large dance floor, perfect for dancing and making a “Soul Train”  line. We had so much fun. Watching you dance is a joy.

6) Thank you for displaying the Fruit of the Spirit each day and showing me Jesus’ unconditional love through you. “But the fruit of the Spirit IS (that means all one fruit) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and  self-control. Against such things there is no law.” –Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

7) Thank you taking such good care of  me six years ago after my serious six-car accident. You were there every moment, from meeting me at the Trauma Center soon after the ambulance transported me, to gently dressing my wounds, to serving every meal, driving me everywhere as I recuperated. Words cannot express my gratitude for you being there, being present.

8) Thank you for the example of your well-read, well-worn Bible that shows to me and to anyone how “Thy Word is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path.” Psalm 119:105.  If we may be the only Bible someone may ever read, you radiate the Word. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” John 1:14a NIV

9) Thank you for teaching me the love of flowers and God’s majesty. I appreciate that you asked me growing up to “dead-head” our 100+ roses each day after school in our garden. I will always remember the wonderful fragrance of roses in every room of our home growing up–what a gift.

10) Thank you for giving me the grace and freedom and wide open space to fail and succeed, knowing you would love me unconditionally.  You are the best cheerleader and encourager I know.

For all of us who struggle with not being a traditional Mom, may this prayer encourage each of us.

Dear God,
Thank You for the gift of motherhood. Thank You for the blessing it is for many of my friends and loved ones to be called “Mom.”
Thank You for the good plans You have in store for those who still wait to be a Mom.
Thank You for the numerous spiritual children You have given to so many of us “spiritual moms” and mentors.
We pray that You would fill this day with favor and grace as we honor Moms all around the world.
We ask for comfort for those who are grieving loss and heartache, especially on this day.
We ask for strength for those who wait for children to come back home.
We ask for healing for those who have been hurt by relationships that were intended to be loving and nurturing.
We ask for faith for those who will someday be Moms, who find themselves on a journey that seems so hard.
We ask for great encouragement and grace to cover those who have made a brave and loving choice for adoption.
We ask for incredible provision and care over every single parent mom who works so hard on behalf of her children.
We ask, Lord, that You would remind many of us who, though we do not have “physical” children, have the gift of being amazing hope-bringers to many spiritual children we’ve been blessed to nurture through these years.
God, thank you, for the gift of life. Thank You that your heart is for us, and that You are with us, in all our unique journeys and pathways.
Thank You that You are Sovereign over every part of our lives. Thank You that Your ways are perfect and You make our footsteps secure.
Today we pray for refreshment, for joy, for grace, for wisdom, for great peace…for all moms, for moms to be, and for women who nurture and lead.
In Jesus’ Name, by the Power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Reflect:

–How were you honored as a Mom? How did you honor your Mom for Mother’s Day? Please comment.

Renew:

–“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” –Exodus 20:12 ESV

–“Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopus), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And he said to this disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from then on this disciple took her into his home.” –John 19-25-27 NLT

Recharge:

–Which mentor lady in your life will you still show appreciation for?

—“All I am I owe to my Mother.” –Abraham Lincoln

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