1|Page

Ff

2|Page

Contents

Introduction
How to Live Missionally............................................................................ 4 Things that Help us Life on Mission Without Getting Busier ....................... 7

Connect
Let Them Choose ................................................................................... 10 10 Questions for Starting Spiritual Conversations ................................... 12 4 Easy Ways to Be Prepared to Share the Gospel .................................... 14 3 Ways to Build Relationships with Your Neighbors ................................ 16 4 Tips for Preparing Your Testimony ....................................................... 19 How to Reach an Unreached People with the Gospel through Facebook .. 24 4 Easy Ways to Share the Gospel on Your Blog ........................................ 27

Develop
How to Know Gods Will and 3 Warning Signs ......................................... 29 3 Ways to Grow in Knowing Gods Voice ................................................. 34 How to Keep Your Bible Study from Turning into a Party ......................... 37 4 Reasons to Keep Your Bible Studies Small ............................................ 40 3 Things that Help People Listen to you .................................................. 42 The Mission and Healthy Living .............................................................. 44 3 Ways to Stay Unified ........................................................................... 48 How to Create a Greenhouse for Spiritual Growth .................................. 51 4 Ways to Deal with Criticism from Other Believers ................................ 53 The Purpose of Marriage and Happily Ever After ..................................... 56

3|Page 10 Things the Younger Generation Needs from those who Lead them ..... 58 Ministry of Motherhood......................................................................... 61 Spirit-filled Resolutions and 5 Questions that Help.................................. 63 5 Creative Ways to Connect With Your Spouse As You Serve ................... 65 How You Can Live a Meaningful Life of Purpose ...................................... 67

Mobilize
3 Ways to be Missional at Church ........................................................... 70 4 Practical Ideas for a Missional Marriage ............................................... 73 4 Things You Can Do As A Dating Couple to Live On Mission .................... 76 7 Ways to Use Your Freedom Well .......................................................... 79 8 Ways to Live Missionally in the Workplace ........................................... 82 7 Tips for Reaching the World for Christ.................................................. 87 7 Ways to Reach the World Without Leaving Home ................................ 92 4 Ways to use Fashion for the Great Commission .................................... 94 25 Summer Missional Activities for Kids ................................................. 97 11 Tips, Tricks and Thoughts to Missional Family Vacations ................... 102 3 Pitfalls That Destroy Missional Vacations ........................................... 109 9 Ideas to Make Your Road Trip a Missional Adventure ......................... 114 5 ways to Help the Persecuted Church .................................................. 118 10 Practical Tips on How to Blog for the Glory of God ........................... 120 About the Authors ............................................................................... 122 More by Missional Women .................................................................. 129

4|Page

How to Live Missionally

Laura Krokos

For ten years of my Christian life I thought I could live the Christian life if I just tried hard enough. I approached the Bible as a book of dos and donts. I even remember one time when I was irritated at God because of how He organized the Bible. I couldn't understand why He didnt just make a huge long list. I thought if I had a list of everything I should and shouldnt do, then I would be the best Christian to ever walk the planet. I believed if I just knew everything expected of me then I could do it. My motives were to be pleasing to the Lord and I knew I was truly accepted by the Lord regardless of my actions, but I didnt trust Him to bring about the transformation in my heart. I took on the responsibility of sanctifying (being made more like Christ) myself. I believed it was by grace that God had rescued me from hell, but it was by my effort and trying really hard that I lived the good Christian life. I didn't realize that we can do nothing eternal apart from the Lord. I didn't understand that we can know the right thing to do and yet not do it. I have a friend who used to be a leader in the church I went to. Her and her husband moved and it's been 12 years since I've seen her. We are friends on Facebook and that is how I found out her and her husband got a divorce and now she is a lesbian and he is a pretty heavy partier and drinker. Heartbreaking. Just the other day on her Facebook wall she posted a video of Pat Roberstson talking about homosexuality. Obviously her community got fired up and here are a few of the 42 comments in response:

5|Page

"Lots of people do good things without having a higher authority. Actually some of the nicest people I have ever met do not live by a higher authority and some of the meanest people out there live by a higher authority. Look at all these countries going to war over the fear of a higher authority. A higher authority that may or may not exist" "If there is a "god" or not, we should all strive to be the best person we can! Regardless of race or religion! I treat everyone the same why I would want to be treated...." It is commonly thought that if we know the right things to do we could do it. If we all just lived according to what we all thought was best and "did what was right in our own eyes" then our society would work, life would work. Sounds good, sound like it should work. But it's just not true. Throughout Judges the phrase, "In those days Israel had no king..." Judges 18:1 most of the time followed up with "and everyone did what was right in their own eyes." But really look where that got them, crazy and awful situations. The reality is its impossible to do what our spirit desires to do apart from the Spirit of God enabling us. The law exists to show us we need Jesus. Knowing what we should and shouldn't do doesn't enable us to do it. It takes relying on the strength of the Holy Spirit, remaining connected to Him as a vine is to a branch to be able to do the things the Lord desires of us. Basically, we just all need Jesus a lot. I love how Paul says it, in your face and to the point. No beating around the bush with him. "Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Gal. 3:3 Here it is in the message, "Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts

6|Page

what was begun by God. If you weren't smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it?" So how do you know if you are being led and empowered by the Holy Spirit? The fruit of the Spirit is not something we can conjure up out of trying hard. We can't truly be patient and self-controlled in all things. Fruit only grows as it stays connected to the vine. The same with us, we only bear fruit-the character of God- if we stay connected to Him. God's part is to bear the fruit in our hearts which falls out of mouths. Our part is to live yielded to Him. What works for me is to use the fruit of the Spirit as a temperature gauge of my heart. Am I being patient, gentle, self-controlled? Am I filled with joy, peace? If not then it is obvious that I am not being empowered and controlled by the Holy Spirit. This video explains a simple diagram that you can draw for people to help bring understanding. Get a piece of paper and after watching try to draw and explain it yourself and share it with someone today.

7|Page

Things that Help us Life on Mission Without Getting Busier

Nicole Howe With three young children and one on the way, I often struggle to keep up with my own life. Kinda feels like riding a mo-ped in the fast lane. In the last few years, Ive often thought that the craziness would soon pass or that this was just a season. I think I was in denial. That is until one day when my husband gently suggested that perhaps this is our new normal. We needed to figure out how to make life work at this new pace. I know most of us can relate to the feeling that there are just not enough hours in the day. Whether its children, or a full time job, or volunteer work, we are barely able to keep all the plates spinning. So for any of us attempting to become more missional, it can seem like an overwhelming task. Where do we start? And how do we even add another spinning plate without them all coming crashing down? Here are four things that can help us become more missional WITHOUT getting busier. 1. Understand what being missional isnt: When many of us set out to be more missional, we often end up just adding more service projects to our already bulging to-do lists. Monday: Go to the gym, Tuesday: Bible study, Wednesday: Do something missional. This might work for a while but if we see missions this way, we will quickly burn out and become ineffective. I often say that being

8|Page

missional is NOT a diet, its a lifestyle change! We want a mindset that will carry us for the long haul. It really cant be just another plate you add to your collection. Missional isnt something we do. Its something we are. 2. Understand what being missional is: Being missional is really about being a Christian. Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Our faith is supposed to be a living, breathing, active faith that reaches out and brushes up against the people around us. After all, we serve a missional God. He is working with a clear purpose for a clear end! Being missional is recognizing that as long as we have breath in our lungs, there is a reason for it. When we start to grasp that God has a purpose for us and assignments for us every single day, we begin to see life differently. Its not about adding more things to our calendar (though sometimes we may do that). Many times, its about seeing the things we already doing with new purpose. 3. Schedule time for disruptions: Its so ironic but often times, we are literally stepping over opportunities to love others, sometimes while were hurrying to be more missional! I know I am often so pushed to the margins that theres little room for a change of plans or disruption. But opportunities to live out our faith will often come in the form of disruptions in our current schedules. Being missional means we begin to actually welcome disruptions. I know crazy right? Give yourself a little more wiggle room in your day to invite these opportunities in. Ask God every morning to help you see the world as He sees it. What if the things we are viewing as set-backs are actually the reason we woke up this morning? Being missional gives us a new view of the world, but we have to live with our eyes open! 4. Dont be afraid to be small:

9|Page

Ok I have another confession. In addition to thinking about being missional as something to DO, I also often think of being missional as something to do in a really GRAND way. We all hear stories of women whove dropped everything and moved to Africa to take care of orphaned babies, or families who serve together three times a week at soup kitchens. Though inspiring, sometimes I can feel discouraged by these stories, because I feel like Ive failed if I dont do something this big. But being missional can look really small sometimes. Heres a great example: My daughter was to bring in a book for a gift exchange at her school. Right as I was headed out the door to drop it off, my mom suggested, Why dont you grab an extra book in case theres a child at school who couldnt bring one? I hate to admit it, but a part of me struggled with heading all the way back upstairs to grab another book (Disruption!) but I knew my mom was right. When I dropped the books off, the teacher was incredibly grateful. As it turns out, there was a child there without a book, and this little extra effort was very much valued and needed. Our lives our made up of our days. And each day is made up of moments. It took me two extra minutes to head back up those stairs. Youd be surprised how many missional opportunities there are in the little places of our lives. I hope you find this encouraging! No matter how busy we are, every single one of us can wake up tomorrow with a new mindset, ready to live life with our eyes open, and looking out for opportunities to be missional in even the smallest of ways. Sometimes God is calling us to a radical change in our calendars, and sometimes Hes simply waiting to meet us right where we are.

10 | P a g e

Let Them Choose

Rhonda Denison

Do you have a certain kind of person that you share the gospel with? Well, I do- or I did. You know, the person sitting by themselves on a bench on a college campus. Or the homely woman leaning against a brick wall downtown, eyes staring hopelessly into space. Its like theyre screaming out, Come talk to me! Think of the easiest person to share the gospel with. For me it would be the most hopeless, depressed LOOKING person I can even think of... you know... theyre like practically screaming, Share the gospel with me! I need it!!! This story is not one of those times. Im on staff with a campus ministry which has a high focus on evangelism- awesome! I love taking college students out sharing our faith. I love seeing college students step out in faith and tell someone about Jesus for the first time. On one such occasion, I was at a campus with 2 other girls who had never shared their faith before. We started walking around campus and prayed for God to show us who to talk to. And there she was. Wavy hair past her shoulders... a Coach purse... Gucci sunglasses... beautiful... I mean gorgeous. Frantically, my eyes darted around campus- surely there had to be someone else I could talk to! This girl exuded confidence. She would not ever see her need for Jesus.... there is no way she would want to talk to us! Silly lie-believing me...

11 | P a g e

There was no one else so putting on my most confident facade, I uttered these 5 words- lets go talk to her! As we approached her I just knew it was going to go awful and these 2 students who have never shared their faith before would never want to share the gospel again! Silly lie believing me! So we approach this girl (Ill call her Brittany) and one of us asks, Do you have a few minutes to answer some spiritual interest questions? And then the strangest thing happened... she said YES! Not only did she say yes- she actually went on to tell us how the day before she was talking with her boyfriend saying, I wish someone would just come up to me and tell me about God. WHAT!? Wow! We shared the gospel with Brittany and with tears streaming down her face, Brittany put her trust in Jesus that day. That day I was challenged in my heart to not decide for someone where their spiritual interest is. I could have walked past Brittany ruling her out... assuming she had it all together. But instead of letting my fear dictate my behavior, I stepped through the fear, and in faith by the power of the Holy Spirit shared the greatest message on earth with Brittany- and praise God I have a new sister in Christ! Luke 19:10 says that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. Brittany was lost, Jesus sought her out and he saved her! Do you rule people out before even asking them where they stand spiritually? Would you step through your fear and in love share the gospel with someone who intimidates you?

12 | P a g e

10 Questions for Starting Spiritual Conversations

Laura Krokos

For 10 years of my Christian life I didn't share the gospel because I honestly thought I would offend people and as a result I was filled with doubt as a result of not sharing. Since I hadnt stepped out and depended on God to come through, I didnt get to see Him come through. But then I saw a guy (now my incredible husband) sharing his faith a lot and the craziest thing was happening-people werent offended, they were coming to Christ! I asked him to teach me how to share and when I step out of my comfort zone and shared the gospel the lies I was believing about people not wanting to hear were exposed and held no more weight in my mind and heart. Reality is, people are eager to know the very thing God built them to live for. Getting into a spiritual conversation can be difficult and then going from a spiritual conversation to the discussing the gospel all the way through is even more difficult. Here are ten great questions to get into a spiritual conversation. 1. What experience has most affected your view of God? 2. If God were to tell you what He thinks of you right now, what would you say? 3. I've never really heard what your religious/spiritual background has been. What is it and where do you stand today? 4. If you could know God personally, would you want to? 5. What do you think about Jesus?

13 | P a g e

6. Have you looked into spiritual things much? Did you come to any conclusions? 7. Has anything ever happened to you that caused you to believe God is real? 8. I'm wondering if others can tell what the most important thing in my life is. If you had to say, what would you think it is? Do you know why it is? 9. How do you think someone becomes a Christian? 10. If you were to die today, where do you think you would go? Why? "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9 And just in case you think non-believers are offended by someone taking initiative to talk about spiritual things with them, here is an atheist giving his point of view. It's pretty encouraging. And eyeopening.

14 | P a g e

4 Easy Ways to Be Prepared the Share the Gospel

Hope McCleary

A few years ago I was with a church that went into a poor neighborhood to share the gospel. They shared as fast as they could to get to as many people as possible that they didnt even ask people their names. At the end of the day back on the church bus they handed out awards to the people who saved the most souls. Praise God many people came to Christ that day but what a tragedy no one could tell you the names of anyone they had shared the gospel with. After this experience God began to show me a bigger picture of successful evangelism. I began to see that any time I got in a conversation with someone about Christ it was important to see them as an individual person. I also began to realize that having a heart for people and evangelism starts before I even get into a conversation with someone and should continue past those conversations; sometimes it takes years of friendship and conversations with someone before they are ready to accept Christ into their heart. Here are some of the ways I have found that prepare my heart for sharing the gospel. 1. Relationship. Your relationship with Christ is the most crucial part of being a successful evangelist. The closer you are to Him the more you will develop a strong desire for people to come to know Him. The best way to keep this close relationship with Christ is by reading the bible daily to learn from His example. Keeping a relationship with those you are sharing the gospel with is an important part of evangelism too. I have a friend I have been sharing the gospel with for several years now. I invest in her life

15 | P a g e

and our friendship by making time to spend with her; every time we meet I am intentional in bring up Christ. 2. Pray. Another way to keep your relationship with Christ growing is to pray. Also begin to pray for people in your life who are not yet believers. Pray for them individually; pray that God will continue giving you opportunities to share with them and that they will come to know Him. Write down names of friends, family and coworkers somewhere were you will be reminded to pray for them and commit to praying for them daily. 3. Investigate. Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching 2 Timothy 4:2. It all goes back to relationship with Christ. As you take time daily to be in Gods Word [the Bible] it will prepare you for instances where you will get to share and give a defense for the good news. Investigating and discussing apologetics is another great way to prepare. Researching what you and what your friends or family believe you will be able to talk more in depth of inaccuracies of their religion and point them to specific verses in the Bible that will point them towards truth. 4. Memorize. Take time to memorize scriptures that share the gospel. You never know when an opportunity may arise to share the good news so memorize a few verses. One great verse to memorize is Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. These steps will help you grow a bigger heart for the people in your life that you have the privilege to share the good news with!

16 | P a g e

3 Ways to Build Relationships with Your Neighbors

Melissa Deming

I hadnt spoken Chinese for years not since my husband and I left Beijing four years earlier. And honestly, the few phrases I could mutter without butchering the pronunciation beyond recognition were about jasmine tea and my three-year-old twin boys pretty inconsequential compared to the news of the gospel. But it was enough. Enough to plant the seed of friendship between two families. Enough to grow a legacy of faith in Christ in a family where there once was none. So, when I saw the older woman smiling at me on the sidewalk with her grandson beside her, Im glad I listened to the gentle urging of the Spirit guiding me to spit out the little I remembered of her heart language even if it was only an invitation to play. How intentional are you about building relationships with your neighbors? I havent always been intentional. When our family lived in a gated community, Im ashamed to say we engaged very few of our neighbors. A few years ago, God moved us to Pittsburgh. We went from driving into a garage and shutting the door behind us to living in an apartment complex bustling with people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. I grumbled about unloading the groceries in a snowy parking lot, until I realized I was missing huge opportunities to engage those living around us. God used that one encounter with the Chinese family to shake my eyesight from inward to outward, impressing on me the need to connect with my community for his glory. Through our friendship with that one family, God has shown me three simple ways to be intentional with all my neighbors.

17 | P a g e

1. Be prayerful After I met the lovely Chinese grandmother, I began to pray for her entire family. Each time I left our apartment, I prayed that God would allow our paths to cross. My prayers were simple; I asked for opportunities and boldness. And God answered! Through our chance encounters, God was working in the life of this family demonstrating to them that His hand was providentially guiding them toward a grand purpose. If you dont know where to start in reaching your neighbors, then pray! God will answer. He desires you to connect with others for his purpose. 2. Be friendly! Id like to think Im a pretty friendly person. But the level of my friendliness is often attached to the business of schedule. To avoid encounters with others because it seems inconvenient is to miss out on the blessing of seeing God transform lives. If you live in a gated community, being friendly takes intentional effort beyond a wave hello. Start by stopping to ask simple questions. Comment on their home, landscaping. Then build out your conversations based on the interests you observe in them. Most people are thrilled to talk about what they enjoy the most. The point is, stop and talk! Dont just shut your garage door behind you. 3. Be intentional After getting to know your neighbor in conversation, be intentional by extending them a personal invitation. Here are just a few ideas all of which we enjoyed with our new friends: * Play dates at your house or in a neutral location * Host a meal in your home * Invite them to your church worship service or a special event

18 | P a g e

If youre unsure of what invitation to extend, then center opportunities around food! One of our most cherished memories is sharing Christmas Dinner with our friends in our cramped little apartment. We talked about the Promised Messiah in Isaiah and the meaning of his birth. And after attending our church for a time, our friends responded to the gospel and their lives were forever changed. But it all started with hello (or rather, Ni Hao). How intentional are you about connecting with those around you? Dont miss the riches of community and friendship God designed for you!

19 | P a g e

4 Tips for Preparing Your Testimony

Leah Hillewaert

I remember the first time I heard God described as the Author of Life. I was a huge reader, and also starting to grow a lot in my walk with God. I had this image of God writing out my story in lovely details, and knowing an ending (or lack of ending with Him) I didnt understand yet that was full of hope and sweet promises. Isnt it cool to think of how God knows and has authored our story and He reads it without the details of our sin, shame and guilt. How beautiful is that?! When God writes a story, He doesnt make it boring. Each story is unique, beautifully written, and glorifying to God. My heart breaks when I hear people talk about becoming a Christian or their life as boring because its simply not true!! Think about all the movies youve seen when someone (young, old, whatever age) dies and then is resuscitated back to life. Were any of those moments boring?? NO!!! Here is the beauty and truth for every Christians story: Ephesians 2:1,4-5,8-10 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved! ... For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is Gods gift not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His creation created in Christ Jesus for Good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. You werent always a Christian you were dead once!! Sin separated us from God and made us spiritually dead (Romans 6:23). At one point you needed to choose that Jesus was (and still

20 | P a g e

is) Lord and believe that His grace alone could save you from your depravity (Romans 10:9-13). That in and of itself is a beautiful story that should be told to anyone and everyone around you!! But here is the cool thing with your story its written by God specifically for your life to give Him glory! No one else has your exact story, and God wants it to be shared with others. Why would God want you to share your story? First, God gets (or should get) a lot of attention from you talking about how He saved you. Second, no one can really refute your story. They may be skeptical or try to rationalize it away for themselves (and maybe even you too), but that never negates the truth of what has happened to you. Third, and very importantly, your story includes the Gospel which everyone needs to hear. Romans 10:14-17 talks about how people need to hear the Gospel in order for faith to take place, and for their faith to be in Christ. Your story can contribute to someone elses life to go from death to life isnt that exciting?!? 4 tips to think about when preparing your story of Gods work in your life: 1. Make God the main character. Often when thinking about our story of grace and redemption, we fill it with a lot details that point to us more than to God. We have gotten into a bad habit of thinking that testimonies need to be exciting and full of drama. Thats not the truth! Your story that you share should be pointing back to the fact that God sent His one and only Son into the world to save us from our sin (John 3:16-17). 2. Plan and prepare your story to make it short, concise, and pointing to Christs redemptive work in your life. The person we life to talk most about is ourselves, and it shows even with Christians in sharing their testimonies! I remember when I was a freshman in college, a lady discipling me encouraged me to write out my testimony. I was so stoked because

21 | P a g e

had I written out and update my testimony on a yearly basis since I was a freshman in high school!! When I showed her my 8 page type rough draft, she didnt even read it. She took one look at it and said, Nope. Too long. The next week I came back with it being 5 pages long, and she did the same thing! I started bawling and saying, What do you want?! Youre making me cut out the cool details God has put in my life!! She pointed out how the details werent bad, but that for this purpose I need to make it more focused on Christ and easy to share in 3 minutes or less. In spite of her, I wrote out my testimony in less than 3 small pages on a pad of paper, which was about a minute and a half reading it out loud! I thought, That will teach her to make me cut my story short!! I still use my shorten version of my story still today! When Im in the middle of a conversation where I can easily bring up the Gospel through what God has done in my life without it being awkward or make them feel like they have to hear every detail of my life has been one of the most useful tools in my evangelism tool box!! Write out and memorize the main points of your story in 3 minutes or less. Remember that the point isnt you in your story, the saving grace of Jesus Christ is. 3. Avoid denominational issues and Christianese words. You may have grown in up certain churches that were more legalistic, never shared the Gospel, etc. But Christians (our brothers and sister, parts of the Body of Christ) still come out of those churches and we need to be respectful of them. And those you share with that may not be Christ-followers yet may have a strong opinion toward a certain denomination. So its good to not to make the denomination of the church a big deal. You can describe the kind of church, if its necessary to your story to share, by saying phrases about the church without talking about the actual denomination. For example, I grew up in a church that was very traditional, or When we would go to church I heard a lot of rules and regulations, and I felt like I couldnt do anything right.

22 | P a g e

Also try to avoid words that Christians throw around that only Christians understand (or maybe not fully understand). Even words like grace and sin should be substituted for words that someone who has never been to church or had much contact with Christians can understand what God has done in your life. 4. Talk about what you life was like before you accepted Christs gift of salvation, when you heard the Gospel, and what your life was like after receiving forgiveness from your sins. Some of you may not know exactly when you accepted Christ, but I can guarantee that you werent always a Christian!! Scripture doesnt support that premise, but it may have happened without you realizing it. Ask questions to help you clarify the change: When did you want to start obeying God? When did you see evidence of your new life in Christ? When did you start making your own decisions about your walk with God apart from your familys decisions? Here is my story that you can use as an example: Growing up I had two views of God: 1) He was boring and 2) He was this big disciplinarian that I couldnt please. When I was 9 or 10, I went to a camp where my view of God completely changed. One of our last nights, Papa Chuck clearly shared how I was a bad person, and the wrong things I had done were keeping me from knowing God. I knew I wasnt a great kid, so that part didnt surprise me. But that part that blew me away was that God sent Jesus into the world, had Him die on a cross to make me good with God. I knew about Jesus and how He loved me, but I didnt know that He came so my sins my wrong doings would be forgiven and I would be right with God!! So when I heard that if I wanted Jesus come into my life to take care of my sin that I would just need to ask Him to forgive me and that I trusted that His death on the cross and His rising from the grave is all I needed to make Him Lord of my life, I jumped on it!

23 | P a g e

After that I started to establish some key characteristics of God. He loved me, he rescued me from a destination headed toward Hell to a destination in Heaven with Him, He had the time to listen to me, and He would never leave me alone. I havent had the easiest journey since that day. My mom died of cancer soon after I made that decision to put my trust in Christ. I have often felt lonely, afraid, separated from God and others, and have even doubted whether I was truly forgiven from the wrong I had done and was doing. But because of the truth about who God really is, I have had peace, answers to my questions, and confidence in my position with God. Nothing can separate me from the love of God, and thats the view of God I now hold onto. I dont always say this word for word, but I do use bits and pieces when the moments come up. Its easy to tie in your story to other peoples stories in a respectful, loving, nonabrasive manner. Dear Lord Jesus, THANK YOU for saving my life!! Thank you for the story you have written that is full of hope, peace and promises!! I pray that you will continue to help me to prepare the parts of this story so others can know Who you really are. Let my story be used to bring you glory, show your character, and bring people including me to the foot of the cross. In your name I pray.

24 | P a g e

How to Reach an Unreached People with the Gospel through Facebook

Laura Krokos

Have you heard of the 10/40 window? It is the section of the world where 90% of the unreached people groups live, yet only 1 out of 99 missionaries go there. I placed an ad on Facebook for two days pointed solely to the cities in India where the Ansari people live, a group of over 10 million people where there is not one known believer. Since India's people have more mobile phones with access to the Internet than they do toilets, what an opportunity to reach them. The ad was in Urdu, their language, and directed them to GotQuestions.org, an evangelistic website. The article the ad took people to explained who Jesus was and shared the gospel. In 2 days 90 (most likely Ansari) people clicked on the ad and got to read the gospel for the very first time in their language. The most shocking thing is that the cost to reach 90 Ansari people with the gospel was not the cost of a few thousand dollar plane ticket and time learning the language, it was a total of 20-30 minutes and $12, our cap which enabled the ad to run for two days. Imagine how many unreached people groups you could reach with a few hundred dollars!? Imagine if even just a handful of women regularly took steps of faith to steward their resources including Facebook to reach the world for Christ. The opportunity to see the world reached for Jesus in our lifetime is at hand friends. Do you want to try reaching an unreached people group through Facebook? Here's how: 1. Pray and ask God to lead you through this whole process.

25 | P a g e

2. Pick an unreached people group you want to reach by going to JoshuaProject.net 3. Find out what language they speak. 4. Find a evangelistic website or tool in their language. You can do this couple different ways: a. Click on the language directly underneath the language tab from the unreach people group you picked on JoshuaProject.net and then click on the different tabs and explore available resources in that language. b. Google evangelistic websites in the language you are looking for. A good thing to keep in mind when picking a site is if there is enough information on the site to allow for them to keep discovering about Jesus if they are interested. And keep in mind you want a site that clearly shares the gospel and offers some sort of discipleship material if they do surrender their life to Jesus. 5. Once you found the specific article, video or website you want to make an ad out of copy the url and head over to www.Facebook.com/advertising and click Create an Ad and sign in. 6. Paste you url where it says Choose a Facebook Destination or Enter url and hit Enter 7. Click Suggest an Ad 8. Click Upload an Image. Pick a eye catching photo even if it isn't really related. You can save as a google image of trendy trees or something.

26 | P a g e

9. On the Facebook ads page scroll down an you'll see where it says Choose your audience. This is the most important part. Go back to Joshua Project to the unreached people group you picked and look at a map of what city the majority of them live. You might have to openwww.google.com/maps to help you identify the exact city. Once you've identified the city (or cities) click City under location and then type those cities into the Facebook Choose your Audience. 10. Scroll down to where it says, Campaign, Pricing and Schedule. Give the campaign a name (whatever you'd like). 11. Pick your campaign budget. What is your final cost that you are willing to pay? 12. Click the button where it says Cost per Thousand Impressions. 13. Look at the Suggested Bid on the right of your screen and put the minimum amount in the Cost per Thousand Impressions box. 14. Click Place order. Facebook will then keep you updated on the reach and how many people saw the ad and clicked on the ad. Have fun!

27 | P a g e

4 Easy Ways to Share the Gospel on Your Blog

Carly Decker

Are you a blogger? You might be seasoned or just starting up, but here is a revitalizing thought for you: You can share the radical news of Jesus with any page view, visitor, and post! And it's soooo ridiculously easy! Social media is becoming increasingly influential (no surprise there) and our God is up with the times, using it for His glory. Blogging is no exception. What I love about using your blogging platform for the gospel is that your unique site has its own stream of regular visitors who trust and know your voice. Additionally, new people are probably finding their way to your corner of the Internet each day. Use that unique reach to impact lives in the most life-altering way! I challenge you to use your blogging for God's glory and to send ripples into eternity! Here are 4 (EASY!) Ways to Share the Gospel on Your Blog 1. State it clearly! You can sum up Jesus' work on the cross in just a few precise, inviting sentences. Place your explanation in any high traffic area such as in your sidebars, within your "About Me" section or at the bottom of every post. Here's an example that I recently posted on my blog: Jesus came to Earth to die for our sins, our mess-ups and anytime we've been less than perfect . Rising again, He triumphed over all his enemies, giving us the assurance that we are not condemned if

28 | P a g e

we believe. The sole thing waiting for us in knowing Jesus personally...is everlasting joy. 2. Use a widget in your sidebar Consider installing this widget on the sidebar of your blog. This will give people access to it every time they visit your home page. Sharing your faith doesn't get much easier! 3. Share your personal testimony How did Jesus first capture your attention and change your life? Check out this helpful tool to write a post about how your life has been transformed and let that personal experience speak volumes to your readers. 4. Use holidays as catalysts This is my favorite thing to do over at my blog! Readers automatically connect with your post if they celebrate the holiday too so make the most of it. Determine how to clearly state the gospel by tying in the themes of the holiday, major ideas surrounding the special day, or a personal story that can be taken back to the gospel "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Philemon 6

29 | P a g e

How to Know Gods Will and 3 Warning Signs

Laura Krokos

There can be so much worry involved in knowing God's will. What if I'm wrong? What if I missed it? We either blame ourselves or blame God, both scenarios expose a small view of God. But God doesn't want His desires to be a secret. He wants us to know what's best and that is why He gives us a lamp to our feet and tells us to ask for wisdom. So practically how does God reveal His desires, His will to us? Prerequisite to Knowing God's Will Romans 12:1-3 talks about giving ourselves entirely to the Lord. Having our minds (thoughts, hopes, dreams, and aspirations) transformed by Christ. Then we will know and be an example of what Gods will is. So the question is not What is Gods will for my life but How does my life fit into Gods will. This is saying, Ive surrendered all I have, where do I go to fit into Gods work rather than saying, What does God have for me to make me happy. So before knowing God's will you have to ask yourself: * Is He really Lord of your life? Are you willing to go anywhere or do anything He might want for you? (Mt. 16:24-25) Are you being fully controlled by the Holy Spirit through faith? (Gal. 5:16, Rom 12:1-2) * Is there any unconfessed sin that has broken your fellowship with Him? (Isa. 59:2) 3 Ways to Discern & Know God's Will As we seek Gods will, we ought to actually ask Him for wisdom. Wisdom is the right application of knowledge, not a special revelation. However if we dont ask in faith (acting on what you know to be true) we might as well not expect anything from God.

30 | P a g e

We must be committed to act on the understanding that He gives us. Jam. 1:5-6 G.A.S. acronym- Gives the fuel (or confidence) to walk out what God has for us. Gods Word. Gods written word is our ultimate source of authority in all areas of life. What decisions has God already given us clear direction based on the Bible? Ask God to lead you to specific passages of how you fit into His plan. Ask Mature Believers Ask for advice from mature Christians who are viewed by many as mature, who are informed about what God is doing around the world, someone who knows you well, someone who will be objective with you and someone who knows and walks with God and knows His ways. Prov. 11:14 "For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure." Prov. 15:22 "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Prov. 15:31-33 "He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding. The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor." Prov. 12:15 "The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice." Spirit-filled Reasoning With Christ on the throne think strategic. God has given us a sound and sanctified mind He expects us to love Him with and be a good

31 | P a g e

steward using. Using wisdom and reason we will follow the examples of the apostles: 1 Thes. 3:1-2 we thought it best Phil. 2:25, 26 I thought it was necessary 1 Cor. 16:3-4 if it is fitting Acts 6:2-4 it is not desirable Acts 15:22, 28 it seemed good" Ask yourself: *How does it fit in the overall plan of God? What would be the most strategic choice as an investment of my life? How much _______ will it take? Is there a need? Is there a way? Are there enough people, finances, materials? What would prepare and develop me in the future? What are my motives? Is it to gain approval or acceptance from someone, money, power or to stay comfortable? * How can I best I.N.V.E.S.T. my life? (Interests, Nature/Personality, Vision, Experiences, Spiritual Gifts, Treasure.) 3 Warnings in Discerning God's Will Be careful of authoritative reliance on subjective means: 1. Be cautious of the open door policy. Saying that Gods will is whatever opportunity works out for you. When Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt and ran into the Red Sea, which very well could have looked like a closed door. Or when Paul and Silas were in jail and a earthquake opened the jail doors but they stayed put. Because they didn't interpret the literal "open door" as God wanting them to go through it, the jailer and his household came to put their faith in Christ. (Acts 16:22-40)

32 | P a g e

Sometimes a closed door may just be an opportunity to give God more glory. Just because an opportunity comes up, doesnt mean it is the best option for your time and resources. 2. Be careful to not judge Gods will by your feelings of peace. This is not scriptural (and when it says God will give us peace that passes understanding it is not talking about decision making but worry). If our feelings were the authority of Gods will, Jesus would not have died on the cross. (Lk 22:42-44, Heb. 12:1-4) God can use our feelings and often times our desires can be in line with His desire, but when making decisions, it is unwise to use them alone. Another example is in Acts 21:10-14, 20:22-23 when the Christians let their feelings try to govern Pauls decision, but Paul would not let the fear of hard times change his decision. Faith is established on truth, and truth is not relative but established on fact, not hunches, feelings, impressions, looking for signs, or mystical experiences. 3. Be cautious of listening to ungodly counsel. Everyone has an opinion and most people will share it with you. But just because someone is a good friend does not mean the advice they are giving you is godly. Before taking someone's advice make sure to weigh what they are saying against scripture. Does what they are saying match up with God's Word or contradict? It might even be best to not talk about important decisions with friends who will encourage you to do the wrong thing. And finally, step out in faith. Faith is not waiting until you know 100%. Genuine faith is moving in that direction, putting confidence more in Gods ability to guide or re-direct than in your ability to decide. It means putting your trust ultimately in God and not in self, circumstances, or others.

33 | P a g e

The more we grow as Christians the more decisions we will make by faith in God, from seemingly big ones like who youll marry, to seemingly small ones like what should you watch on TV. It is important to be ready to trust God in your decision whether it turns out the way you expected or not. And remember that with God the process is as important as the product.

34 | P a g e

3 Ways to Grow in Knowing Gods Voice

Laura Krokos

Since portions of my Bible were falling out, I went to the Christian bookstore to get a new Bible. As I was narrowing it down to the version I wanted (I like to do a different version than the one I had before), I was asking God which one He would like me to have. Finally I pulled it off the shelf and looked through it and decided this was the one. But something nagged at me. I want more crinkles on the cover. So I looked at all the covers staring at me from the display case and I decided on the one on the top shelf corner. I pulled it down and took it out of the see-through box. At the bottom of the box was a handwritten small piece of paper with nothing but LAURA written on it. What a gracious God to lead us and make us smile in even such little things. Are you confident in knowing God's voice? Here are a few ways I grew in confidence in hearing and knowing God's voice: 1. Saturate your mind with Scripture. It is God's words. If you want to know what He sounds like, go to the book He wrote. It only makes sense right. As you read, ask Him to help you understand and have a journal handy to write down the things that stand out and the insights you gain. The Holy Spirit is the One who illuminates our minds to Scripture. So if you have an ah-ha moment, recognize that as God's voice. It's like if you were to learn another language. The best way to learn is to submerse yourself in the culture of people that speak it and it becomes natural. When we saturate our minds with Scripture, we are then able to recognize God's voice and heart.

35 | P a g e

2. Ask Him questions. When I was in college (and had much more free time than now) I would get up and walk 1/2 way down the block to my church and pray with the pastor and his wife for the church for an hour. Then I would go on a little walk down this beautiful road and pray for another hour. Then I would get home and do my Bible study. I would spend at least three hours a day with the Lord. During my prayer walk half of the time would be spent asking Him questions. After I asked God a question, I would write down the thought that came to my mind (I took my journal on my prayer walk) and I would weigh it against Scripture. "Would God really say that?", "Does it contradict anything He said in His Word?", "Does that match up with what His Word shows me His heart and character are like?" And if it didn't contradict Scripture or His character I would take it as though God has spoken to me. Looking back, that is the time I grew in confidence in hearing God's voice. 3. Memorize Scripture. As I have said, my memory is not great (Sometimes I think 80 year olds have a better memory than me). So my point is that having a bad memory cannot be an excuse for not memorizing God's Word. It takes more work for people with a bad memory, but it's not impossible. The reality is that God takes broken things and uses them to show Himself to be great. He wants to take you're awful memory to show Himself capable. Like how He took me, a girl who can't remember names or faces or even my very own life events (just a few weeks ago some friends were telling me an amazing story of when I lead a girl to Christ right before she died, and I was convinced they were confusing me with someone else because I could not remember this (surely I should be able to remember things like that!!!) But when you have a memory like mine, trusting other peoples memory is just the best option. An awesome thing about God is that He took my not-so great memory and enabled

36 | P a g e

me to memorize the entire books of James, Philippians and half of 1 Thessalonians and hundreds of other verses. THAT is how capable God is! Surely if you have a better memory than me, He can do MUCH more through you! When we put God's word in our mind, it is like putting stuff in there for the Holy Spirit to use to speak to us. It's like have a garage full of power tools.

37 | P a g e

How to Keep Your Bible Study from Turning into a Party

Melissa Deming

It is easy to do. Focus on whos in attendance, what you're wearing, and what you're eating and before you know it the group you put together to study God s Word has turned into a party. After organizing four separate Bible studies, one of which I hosted in my home, I know from first-hand experience that keeping your group focused and accountable is difficult. So, what's the difference between a party and a Bible study? A party centers on the people who are there and not the one Person you've come to worship. A Bible study centers on a feast of Gods Word. So, here are some ideas for keeping your group on the right track. Keep it simple, short, and sweet! 1. Keep it simple Simplify the menu. If you spend more time prepping food than you do praying for your group or preparing for the lesson, you might need to scale back. Plan to serve one or two refreshments and a drink. Send around a sign-up sheet for food so one person isnt shouldering the load for teaching, leading, cleaning their home, and food prep. Keep attire casual. Nothing can kill a groups authenticity faster than feeling like theyve got to look their best or compete with others. Keeping your group casual is a helpful tip for making everyone feel welcome and wanted.

38 | P a g e

Stick to your purpose. To stay on task, avoid spending too much time on fellowship or on prayer requests. Both of these things are important to the health of your study, but they shouldn't impact the amount of time you spend digging into Gods word. Enlist partners. If you find the details of organizing the study are overwhelming and are keeping you from meeting your purpose, ask another study member to help with reminders, recording and sending out prayer requests, or whatever details are weighing you down. When you enlist partners you become a mentor for the time when they host their own study. 2. Keep it short Lets be honest, people are busy. Be attentive to the needs of your group by keeping your studies short. Keeping fellowship and prayer requests in check will help with maintaining a schedule, but overall, a Bible study shouldnt take more than 1 to 1.5 hours. One study I attended lasted from 9:00 am to noon. And when I arrived at 9:00 am sharp I was surprised to discover I was late! Many of the women arrived as early as 8:30 am for fellowship. Granted this study was geared toward older, non-working women, but I found the extended schedule to be deterrent for my continued involvement (as well as others!) Keeping your studies short will allow for a broader variety of age group involvement as well as facilitate group growth. 3. Keep it sweet Keep Gods Word central. Watch out for heart motives by keeping your purpose clear - feasting on the riches of Gods Word. Protect the time you actually spend studying the Scriptures by cutting out extended announcements at the beginning of the study. Its also important to encourage planning meetings to occur outside of the study hour, on social media, or on different days. If these things must be done, then leave them for after the study has been

39 | P a g e

completed. If people must leave after a certain time, make sure they are missing out on the planning time rather than Bible study. 4. Pray for unity. Spend a few minutes during each study session to pray for a spirit of unity among your group. Gracefully shut down or redirect any comments or prayer requests disguised as gossip. Encourage your group members to pray for each other outside of the study hour and to check-in with each other throughout the week. If you have a larger setting, drawing names to pair individuals up as accountability prayer partners might be helpful. 5. Limit prayer requests. To help keep your group free from other distractions, consider limiting prayer requests during the study hour to the needs of the specific individual in attendance at the study (or about the individuals in their immediate household). Create a separate Facebook Page (set to private) for sharing additional requests that involve extended family, friends, or coworkers. There is a trick to keeping your Bible study simple, short, and sweet. Keeping your study small is truly a good thing. The larger your group, the more challenges youll face in keeping your study on track. Be prepared for the time when your study might need to divide into a sub-group to sustain growth. Just like a plant kept in the same pot for too long, a Bible study can become root-bound. With no outlet for new growth, the plant will either stop growing or begin to shrivel. Dividing a growing study can facilitate new and organic growth. Youll soon discover you have more groups meeting in a variety of locations and at a variety of times.

40 | P a g e

4 Reasons to Keep Your Bible Studies Small

Melissa Deming

I've been a part of Bible studies of all shapes and sizes - big ones (50+), little ones (10 and under), and even studies with just one other person. It doesn't matter if they are book-driven, videodriven, or leader-driven, the same truth rings true: Small Bible studies make the best Bible studies. Here's four reasons why smaller Bible studies are better. 1. Smaller studies allow you to be more intentional in building new relationships. In general, visitors are less likely to get lost in the crowd or the shuffle of big events. And whether we want to admit it or not, larger groups can fuel shallower relationships. It's why most mega-churches emphasize small groups to assimilate new members into the church body. 2. Smaller studies allow you to be more successful in building strong mentorships. Titus 2 presents a strong call for older women to build up younger women. There's good reason for this - namely so that the gospel will not be profaned - but also so that new leaders and teachers in the church will be called up and out. Smaller groups make it easier to stay on target for building up strong mentoring relationships. If your church or women's ministry isn't currently seeking to cultivate new leaders and study teachers, then it might be time to revisit your mission and purpose statements.

41 | P a g e

3. Smaller studies allow you to be more personal in sharing prayer needs. Some prayer requests are too intimate to be shared in a large setting. You'll find individuals have a greater willingness to be vulnerable, authentic, and open in a smaller group. 4. Smaller studies allow you to be more specific in keeping people accountable. As women share their fears and struggles with daily life in their prayer requests, you can be even more specific in creating successful accountability partnerships. So, how small is small? You're probably wondering how small is small? I'd say, if you don't have time to greet and meet all your new visitors in the course of a study, then you probably need to consider dividing your study into two or more groups. Additionally, if you - as a pattern - have trouble keeping your group on task because of prolonged fellowship or the sheer volume prayer requests, then it might be time to consider additional study groups. Ultimately, smaller Bible studies can yield the most growth for a group or church, but only if they are characterized by an authentic heart to study God's Word and build one another up.

42 | P a g e

3 Things that Help People Listen to you

Laura Krokos

Who are the people in your life you are the most teachable towards? Why? What about them enables you to learn from them? Who are the people in your life you find yourself resistant to when they offer you advice? Why? The Lord has given me 13 years experience of discipling over 150 women. During those years I have made more mistakes than most but by the Lord's grace, He's enabled me to learn from them. From my experience and seeing how my own heart responds to some people and resists teaching of others, I've come to recognize these 3 helpful tips to help people relate well with those they disciple. 1. Listen and draw out all the information before sharing your thoughts. I've read multiple studies which say the majority of people don't want unsolicited advice. Which makes sense. When I share something with my husband, I don't want him to fix it right then. I want to get it all out and then I want to know he understands. I want to hear him say something like, "So you feel like _________." When he really understands where I'm coming from, it's like a heavy weight of frustration drops from my shoulders and brings a sigh of relief and freedom. After he lets me know he knows where I'm coming from, then I want to know what he would do. And usually his understanding brings me to a point of asking what he would do if he were in my situation. When we feel listened to and understood we then want to know what someone else thinks. All of a sudden their unwanted unsolicited advice becomes wanted. If we want to be effective in helping others grow we can't just correct and advice-vomit on people. It's more hurtful than helpful. Wisdom says to not offer advice and correction before drawing out all the information and

43 | P a g e

understanding what a person may be feeling. "The purpose in a man's mind is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out." Proverbs 20:5 If you want people to receive what you have to say, you have to say things in a way and in a time that they are able to receive it. Offering your thoughts before they feel like you understand where they are coming from will most likely lead to internally resisting what you are sharing. 2. Communicate with gentleness and respect. 1 Pet. 3:15 and Col. 3:12 (among other verses) talk about the importance of communicating with gentleness and respect. Wasn't Jesus amazing at this? (Except for talking to the Pharisees, whose hard hearts kept them from humility) He was so gentle, even to the worst of sinners, like the adulterous lady and prostitute who poured oil on His feet. Get this - the word for respect in 1 Peter is phbos (from phebomai, "to flee, withdraw") fear, withdrawal, fleeing because feeling inadequate. When we communicate with others, does our tone of voice and body language lead to someone feeling inadequate and wanting to get out of the conversation? 3. Offer praise liberally. The majority of women's internal thought life is condemning. We ladies can be so down on ourselves. So really, we don't need others telling us every second we don't measure up or correcting our every mistake. On the other hand, seeing when we do something well is something we ladies can so often doubt or not see as something we truly are good at. When someone affirms our character or skills, it's life-giving. Jesus was a beautiful example to us. He was praising people all the time. He praised all kinds of people for their faith. And if Jesus, perfect God in flesh, can offer praise liberally to broken, imperfect people, surely we can too.

44 | P a g e

The Mission and Healthy Living

Andrea Buczynski

On a recent visit to a friend, rather than do the usual round of tours, we had elected to do a little hike. I was thinking "little" hike. My friend was thinking a little "hike." We started out at a good pace, and I was doing just fine. Suddenly, the path incline became very steep. My friend took this part of the path like a person taking the stairs two at a time. On the other hand, my breaths got shorter, my face got redder, sweat was dripping off me. I could not even talk I was gasping so much. My friend looked back at me and called, "Do you need a little rest?" Legs and lungs on fire, I barely nodded. I was just plain embarrassed as we paused. She is older than I, but was at least twenty years younger in her fitness. She had barely cracked a sweat. I love fast food - pizza, in particular. Staying up late, yessiree. Coffee in the morning to get going. Eating veggies was a goal on my development plan on year. Those habits that were fun when I was younger are now mocking me! I looked at her, and I looked at myself. Someone needed to change. My life is not so much about taking hikes, as it is about running a marathon. Not a literal marathon, the pace of life in my role demands the best of my faculties. The older I have become, the more necessary it is to pay attention to my capacity to fulfill God's call on my life. For sure, as the saying goes, "everyone is born with an expiration date." God has numbered our days and put them in His book. Problem is, we don't know the number! It could be big or small-that part is not up to us. Making the most of the days we have is about maintaining our personal capacity to do the will of God.

45 | P a g e

Could I actually miss out on what God might have in mind for me because I was not in a position to live it out? I know that God would redeem the opportunity in some way, but I don't want to miss what He has for me by not taking care of the life He has given me. That means paying attention to health in four areas: Physically: What kind of fuel am I giving my body? No one would put water in the gas tank of a car, unless they wanted to destroy it! What's the quality of my sleep? If you are trying to get by on just a few hours of sleep, you're short-changing your body. It needs those sleeping hours to recover, regenerate, and even process your learning. What kind of exercise are you getting? Some is better than none, but consistency really helps. The older I've gotten, exercise makes a difference in sleep quality, not to mention emotional well-being. Emotionally: What kind of fellowship are you having with loved ones and friends? When is the last time you laughed or played? In addition to the Lord, who shows you grace in your weak and broken places? Mental/intellectual Are you continuing to learn new things? Are you giving your brain a work out?

46 | P a g e

What are you focusing on? What are you preoccupied with? These pathways get more entrenched the more we practice them (Phil 4:8-9)

Spiritual How's your relationship with the Lord? Do you recognize His voice? What are you and He talking about? Are you experiencing His Presence and power in your daily life? Honestly, you know this stuff. So do I. But getting it to go from our heads into actual practice is the challenge. Lately, I've been observing that these areas are very interdependent. Our physical state affects our emotions, and vice versa. Our spiritual life can affect our physical health. Having the capacity to meet the demands of life requires health in all of them. More and more, research shows the connection between stress and physical/emotional/relational fallout. I had an aha! moment a few days ago while looking at Proverbs 3:5-8. In verse 7-8, it says, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." When we try to figure stuff out on our own without coming to God first, we can experience the stress and pressure of having to be in control of our lives and circumstances. Being in control of our own lives is stressful. We're basically taking God's place by assuming the role of Creator, rather than creature. Stress is a predictable result, and guess what! The minerals that your body begins to dump when you're under stress-- calcium, magnesium, and others- are exactly what your bones need to be healthy.

47 | P a g e

When we keep the Lord foremost in our minds and hearts, we are able to live in peace, relaxing in the truth that He's got it all under control. Our bodies, emotions, and relationships all know and show the difference. So for healthy living all around, start with the Person who makes the ultimate difference in all areas of life. The Lord will make your paths straight. He will fulfill what concerns you. He has you written on the palm of His hand. He will give you grace to live out His mission. It is after all His plan.

48 | P a g e

3 Ways to Stay Unified

Jen Avellaneda

Have you ever seen a marriage, family, neighbor, or churchdivided? Its a gruesome sight. Like a war with casualties lying around, limbless. Often the result of divisions is a bloody mess. Still in retrospect, how many people really think they are the ones creating division? Often we wont notice this type of war until after everything around us is dismembered. But God never intended for Christians to be from different camps, enemies on the same battlefield. God calls us to be united, one body, connected; having a similar visionto live for the glory of God. (1 Cor 1:10) So where do families, marriages, life, churchesall go wrong? Scripture tells us there is an enemy of our soul, who seeks to devour all good around us. He seeks to steal, kill, and destroy any unity among us. (1 Peter 5:8) In addition, Scripture tells us, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal; our battle is not against flesh and blood. (Eph 6:12) So what can we do to remain united, in a world almost rejoicing when believers, exaggerate idiosyncrasies or create divisions all around us? 1. Focus on the war, not the battle. Have you ever heard that saying, They will win the battle, but they wont win the war? Well, Scripture tells us that God already is the victor. (Eph 1:19-23) Sadly, we can see too many Christians pick apart the life, doctrine, little things within other families, churches, peoples lives, or

49 | P a g e

ministries. Isnt it time we focus on the majors, not the minors? Unity means that we recognize that we are on the same side and that our battle is against the same enemy, and that enemy is never people. (Eph 6:12) We must fix our eyes on the prize (Phil 3:14), on the need to unite on what is a major, not a minor aspect of one another Christians life. If we are serving Jesus, and following him with our lives, we can rally with other people and realize that even if the battle is hardtogether, we will win the war. 2. Look to the Commander. In wars of old, there would always be a leader that would lead the charge forward. (i.e. Alexander the Great, Joan of Arc, William Wallace) All the people would look to their leader for what to do and where to go. As Christians, we have a great Commander to our cause. His name is Jesus. And if we look to him, disturbances within the body will not cause us fractions, divisions, separations from one another. When we follow under Gods perfect banner of love.all of Gods people will come together, being naturally one, because our eyes are on our Commander, not on each other, our emotions, or the fleeting difficulties of our circumstances. (Matt 28:18) 3. Hold our banner high. In a battle, there is always a time of surrender, a time of yielding our way. There is a time when a white flag is held high and we realize that we can no longer continue to keep on fighting. Maybe your marriage has been the warfront? Maybe you have been battling with another Christian brother or sister? If that is that case.take the position of one who cant fight any longer. Put your guns of accusation and the weapons you have used to harm one another, and lay them at the feet of the cross. It may be helpful to remember all the grace that God has first given us. All the times God could have called us to the rug, held our sins over us, but instead, He went to the cross and shed His blood, that we might have grace, that we might be forgiven for things that we did. (Romans 5:8) We must always keep in mind, first, that we

50 | P a g e

ourselves are far from perfect. Then, the plank in our eyes will drop us to our knees, instead of leading us to point out the speck that we see, in the eyes of those around us. (Matt &:3-4) When we know, understand, and see that the battle is not ours, that it is the Lords solelywe can lay our weapons down willingly and stop fighting. (2 Chronicles 20:15) Our example is the battle of Jericho, where walls came down not because of mans power, great weapons, or careful warfarebut by the power of God alone. (Joshua 5:13-6:27) No matter what your situation, God has the power to part the seas. (Exodus 14) He is Jehovah Shalom, the God of peace. (Judges 6:24) Will you come to Him, get on your knees, ask for grace, and seek Him to bring healing, restoration, and unity to where there has been division? Will you hold your white flag and let go of the bitterness, anger, and comparing that has brought division in your life, your marriage, your family, or your church? Will you give the battle over to Him? For even if it looks like all is lostGod is still Sovereign, God is in control, God is still omnipresent over all. He has won the war. (Psalms 102:19) Seek God in humility, sincerity, remembering what He has done for us, laying our carnal weapons of warfare willingly at the feet of the cross. For His love is the healing balm that covers over every wound, love wipes away, and covers over a multitude of our sins. (Songs of Solomon 2:4, 1 Peter 4:8) Christ died so that we might be His children, arm in arm, together fighting for His kingdom to come; His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matt 6:10) So lets let love lead our charge towards unity and love.our greatest weapon of warfare. Are you ready to stand up, give up, lay it all down at the cross, and wield your sword of love towards unity?

51 | P a g e

How to Create a Greenhouse for Spiritual Growth

Andrea Buczynski

The curling brown edges of the very last plant in my apartment were hardly encouraging. Plants grow best when they get the right combination of light, water, temperature and nutrients. And I had been somewhat negligent on the water side! People grow best when they experience the right combination of ingredients as well. In the book, How People Grow, authors Henry Cloud and John Townsend discuss how grace, truth, and time are critical ingredients for personal growth. Grace means acceptance and peace with God-no condemnation. Hebrews 4:12-13 describes our situationNothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.[1] That is a scary, vulnerable and dangerous thought apart from the grace of God! The reality is that He knows everything about us and still is for us. With God, we are free to pour out our real life needs, struggles, celebrations and failures and still be accepted. That is the reality we have with Him. He instructs us to create that same environment with each other. Instead, we will speak the truth with love, growing in every way more and more like Christ[2] That means we step back from judging each other and move toward being compassionate and building each other up. Truthtelling is done in the context of what is best for the person, not what is best for the teller. Incidents of ugly behavior are forgiven; patterns are addressed. There is encouragement and inspiration toward Christ-likeness, rather than satisfaction with the status quo. Growth is not instantaneous; it takes time. Time is an important factor, but not sufficient by itself to create change. A good growth

52 | P a g e

environment requires all three ingredients to be present and working. People need to know that they are loved and accepted, that they will hear the truth in a loving way, and that they will be given time to develop. Group or team leaders and team members can cultivate the environment. Here are some things anyone can do: * Greet people warmly; give time for building relationships. * Be willing to be vulnerable. * Empathize with others as they share hurts, needs and struggles. * Honor confidentiality. * Support each other in achieving goals. * Foster a safe environment by helping the team define and live out guidelines for team behavior. * Address patterns of behavior that are problematic and holding the team up in a gentle, non-judgmental way. If youre seeing your team with curling brown edges on the leaves, think about what ingredients might be missing and how to supply them. Hopefully, these three ingredients will give you a way to enhance the growth environment on your team!

53 | P a g e

4 Ways to Deal with Criticism from Other Believers

Laura Krokos Have you ever heard the phrase, "Christians are the only ones who shoot their wounded"? If we were sitting down over a cup of coffee, I would love to know you're thoughts about that comment. I had a great conversation with a friend the other day about how to respond to comments said about other believers. My friend was in a spiritual conversation with a girl who was describing her experience with Christians. The girl said a pastor had told her she was "the spawn of satan". Everything in us wants to jump to the girls defense and bash that pastor who would say that. It's also common to hear Christians and non-Christians alike talk bad about the general "other Christians", lumping every Christian into a category of judgmental, legalistic, cheesy, dorky... etc. It's easy to passively nod in agreement about those "other" Christians being so ______. But... Didn't Jesus say people would know He was God by our love for one another? He didn't say the non-believer would know Jesus was God by our taking their side and joining them in pointing the finger at the Christians they came in contact with. Rather, people will know Jesus is God by our love, our unselfishly choosing for another's highest good, of other believers, even believers we don't know, even believers we don't agree with or necessarily relate with all that much. How beautiful it would be to see bashing and belittling Jesus' bride come to an end. Here are 4 practical ways to deal with criticism from believers. (Whether youre the recipient of the criticism or not.)

54 | P a g e

1. Pray for them. There was a time I was unjustly criticized and I got angry. I was so angry I just stormed off and neglected my responsibilities to go vent to God about the person. I started praying for them things like, God, you show them what you think! Show them how wrong they are convict them! But gently the Lord spoke to me to really pray for them, to pray the hardest things for me to pray and pray for their best interest. I didnt want to pray for their good, I wanted God to get em! But eventually I did, not because I felt like it, but out of obedience. As I kept praying for this person and for God to give them an incredible ministry someday and other super hard things for me to pray, a crazy thing happened. My heart softened. The anger subsided and I was able to forgive them, even when he didnt ask for it. The next week this person said they were sorry making me the first person they had ever said sorry to in their entire life. 2. Sort out good and bad. Dr. Henry Cloud wrote a great book called Changes that Heal that describes this really well. Basically it says we have a tendency to think in terms of all good or all bad. If we like something or someone we lean toward thinking it (or they) are all good and can do no wrong. Or if we dont like something we tend to think nothing good could come from it. When we receive criticism we need to process with the Lord whats good and true about what is being said and be able to separate that from what is not true. 3. Clarify and Communicate. When we (or others) are criticized we need to communicate in a healthy way about the issue. We need to share what we heard (or think we heard), what we felt and thought about it, our desires and then also share what wed like to see happen in the future. Heres a great tool to help with this process. (If the link doesnt work or if you have a printed copy head over to MissionalWomen.com and put communication wheel in the search box and it click the link that comes up)

55 | P a g e

It is also very helpful to ask questions and reword what you think someone is saying to help clarify what you think someone is saying because the majority of conflicts are a result of miscommunication. 4. Remember whats true about you and them. We fail and if you're anything like me, it's easy to demand mercy for my mistakes yet justice and wrath for others, forgetting that Jesus died for their mistakes too. When another believer messes up, our knee jerk reaction is to point the finger and accuse. But here's the reality (ital. mine), "Once you [and they] were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your [and their] evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you [them] by Christ's physical body through death to present you [them] holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation." Col. 1:21-22 The more we understand our true identity in Christ, we should understand that same identity as given to other believers in Christ as well.

56 | P a g e

The Purpose of Marriage and Happily Ever After

Nicole Howe Do you remember the Disney movie The Little Mermaid? Ariel trades her life in the sea to pursue a human she has fallen in love with. But like every good story, it doesnt come easy. In fact, Ariel almost loses the love of her life to another woman. But when all is said and done, it all works out and they both live happily ever after. Of course they do. But did you know that in the original fairytale, written by Hans Christian Andersen, this was not the case? In his story, The Little Mermaid does lose the love of her life to another woman. She actually carries the train of the other womans bridal gownand stands by while she marries her prince. And it gets worse She is now destined to die because she couldnt find love. But theres a twist! She can be savedif shell only slay her love with a magic knife. But The Little Mermaid cant bring herself to kill the man she loves, so she casts herself into the sea to her death. Well I guess we can see why Disney took the liberty to change the ending a bit! I dont think this version would go over too well. While I understand the revision, a part of me wonders if we are becoming too accustomed to the idea of happily ever afterso much so that we are often unable or unwilling to even engage with the idea of losing our life for someone elses happiness instead of our own. I dont know about you, but I set out for marriage with a Disney version in mind. I got married for the happy ending, not to go into

57 | P a g e

the business of losing my life and all that craziness. But you know what I eventually learned? God didnt invent marriage to make us happy. I know thats a kick in the gut. But its true. Everything God has created is purposed to reveal His glory, and marriage is no exception. Its a beautiful display of Gods covenant with His people. We make vows that we will never leave or forsake one another, because this is the Truth God wants to speak to us. In this instance, I think Andersens version hits the mark a little better. After all, Jesus said it himself more than 1800 years before this tale was ever written: Greater love has no man than this: to lay down ones life for ones friend. Are we setting out in marriage with this goal in mind? To lose our lives for the sake of our spouse? Most of us can love pretty well if the right conditions are met. But are we prepared to love when it costs us everything? Even our own ideas of a happy ending? I actually think being unhappy is a fate worse than death for many of us, and the instinct for survival is powerful. In a life and death decision, it is only Love that can bear the weight of the right choice. This kind of love is tough, and we need Gods help to do it correctly. But theres a twist to this story too! Jesus tells us to sacrifice ourselves for others and ultimately for Him. Thats what marriage is truly all about. But He also makes us this stunning promise: For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. Truth is, we will never go wrong when we love others for the sake of the Gospel. And that makes for a very, very happy ever after.

58 | P a g e

10 Things the Younger Generation Needs from those who Lead them
Laura Krokos

I have worked with college students for over 11 years. I have studied them and spent countless hours with them and I believe the Lord has given me understanding of where they come from. Here are the top 10 things I believe the younger generation values. When we can't relate to them in these ways we cut ourselves off from being able to influence them. Top 10 needs of young people from the people who influence them. 1. Communicate your heart. Being real and transparent are one of the greatest values of young people. This requires sharing your thoughts and feelings and allowing room for others to share theirs. It means being open with your fears, hopes and motives which earns the respect and trust of others in a social media saturated culture. 2. Cast vision often. When you paint a picture of the end result it aligns affections to the mission. At a recent conference of 45,000 students ended up giving over 3.3 million dollars to help end slavery all over the world. College students were moved to give to the point of standing in line for two hours to do so because they saw what could be if the ministries fighting this injustice had the money they needed. When someone wants to do something, the quality of work that results is recognizably different than someone who is doing it because they have to.

59 | P a g e

3. Have an honest view of your abilities and your limitations. Tim Tebow is an example of someone who has on honest view of himself and his need for others. After every game he points to Jesus Christ, the One who enables him to play football and acknowledges other players who did well. Overconfidence repels, and humility attracts. 4. Show Respect. Affection for and a desire to follow grows when you treat people as though they have God-given value and significance. Young people loose respect for people who talk down to others. But when you show respect and offer dignity to others you might not agree with or who doesn't deserve it, it wins the heart and confidence of a young person. 5. Go Big. Dont be afraid to take risks. When you take risks it shows you care about something enough to put your faith in it. Students want to know that you believe in what you are asking them to do. Going big is an opportunity to model how to trust the Lord and leave room for Him to show up and show off. And even if things dont turn out as youd hope, even that is worthy of praise in a young persons mind if you fail well, something just as important to model as how to succeed. 6. Give Ownership. Let them contribute and have freedom to fail. Give them opportunities to use their unique gifts and abilities toward the mission. Students are at a point where they are discovering their uniqueness and need opportunity to flesh it out. When given the opportunity they are able to learn and grow. But when there is pressure to fit into a box or cookie cutter, I have found they generally resist. 7. Persevere. Push through adversity, press into conflict and communicate. With over half of this young generation coming

60 | P a g e

from broken homes, their examples of people who stick things out when it gets tough are few. Therefore, they not only have a real need but also a felt need of seeing people model pushing through in the face of adversity. Most students want to run from conflict and havent learned how to communicate. So when you take them by the hand and walk through the issue, their thoughts, feelings, wants and actions, they overcome and their respect for you goes through the roof. Use the conflict that could stale mate your relationship as an opportunity. 8. Be generous. Generosity ignites generosity. When you are generous with your resources, praise, patience and support for a young persons benefit they take notice. Even something as little as bringing them coffee or a little note of encouragement many times is the motivator to be and give more. 9. Honor others. Twice I have seen ministries almost completely fall apart because of dishonor. Because of gossip and talking down about people especially the leadership. But in Scripture we see Jesus honoring people, speaking highly of people. Even people who don't deserve it. Like the sinner who pours oil on His feet and washes them with her tears. A sinner, someone who deserves no honor, Jesus thinks is worthy to praise and speaks highly of in front of a crowd of "important" people. Surely if the King of the universe can speak highly of people, so can we even if we don't agree with everything about them or the way they do things. 10. Admit when youre wrong. Its ok to not always know the answer. Admitting when youre wrong or asking for someones opinion communicates humility and respect which are some of the deepest desires of a young persons heart.

61 | P a g e

Ministry of Motherhood
Natalie Slade

Three years ago I never would have considered myself a missionary. Not in the sense of what I grew up believing a missionary to be someone who was living their life focused on telling others about Jesus, sharing the good news of His gospel, and living their days building up and training disciples, often in some hostile foreign place. I was in the first year of our marriage and pregnant with our first child. Even though people tried to prepare me, I still didnt understand how drastically my life would change in just a short amount of time. Nor did I realize that I really was about to become a full-time missionary someone who was placed in an area to evangelize and serve. As parents, we have been prepared by God for this time and many of us dont see that we have a mission field right in our home! Sometimes I tend to forget my job God has blessed me with as a discipler and trainer of my children. I end up trying to get through the day, telling myself that in a few years my 2 year old will understand more of what we tell him and then I can tell him all about Jesus and how much He loves us. Or, maybe once we get through our hectic day we can take our children out to do something special for someone else. Then they will find the joy in giving and serving. But, the problem is those hectic days will turn into crazy weeks which turn into non-stop months and into a lifetime of days passing way too fast. When will we stop and see how God has blessed us with young ones that need him now? When will we see how much our children need us now to be examples of a person following God, serving and loving Him and others each day? I read Proverbs 31 earlier today Verses 26-28 really stood out to me. They say, She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her

62 | P a g e

household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and praises her I want to be a woman who invests in my husband and children in wisdom and kindness. Can I do it on my own? James 3:13-16 says Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. That is basically saying that a person will show he is wise by his behavior and deeds. If a person has jealousy and selfish ambitions turning into disorder, it is coming from an earthly wisdom, not true wisdom. The next verse says But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. To be the missionary and mother my children respect, I need this wisdom from God in order to be gentle, full of peace and mercy, and living without hypocrisy towards them. Instead of complaining that our life has no meaning or purpose to it like so many mothers believe in our world today, would you join me as missionaries sharing Christ to and with our children, using each day to train and encourage them as we continually pray for them? I challenge you to see this job of motherhood as a wonderful gift and responsibility God has blessed us with. Take the time to invest in your children today!

63 | P a g e

Spirit-filled Resolutions and 5 Questions that Help

Rhonda Denison

Every year its the same. I am going to get in shape this year! I want to lose 50 lbs.! I want to run a 5k! And then the obsession begins. Do whatever it takes to make that goal. Forget about everything else. This obsession becomes the single most important thing in my life every year... for about 3 weeks. Then I get frustrated that Im not doing a good enough job. The weight just isn't coming off fast enough! I can barely run for 1 minute without feeling like Im going to die! So I give up for a few weeks, gain whatever I lost and then start again. In week 2, Day 3 of Beholding Him Becoming Missional Laura Krokos asks the question, In what areas are you most in need of Gods ability to empower you? Um, hello! I had never even THOUGHT about my need for God to empower me in weight loss. Here Ive been trudging through this all on my own and somehow thinking this is like the one thing in life that is totally in MY control and I dont need God in. "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." Galatians 5:16 My flesh desires a lot of things. It desires too much cheesecake, too much pizza and honestly too much laziness. It even desires an unhealthy obsession with achieving some amazing fitness goal. My flesh is unbalanced, lazy and critical. You wanna know what I think the most destructive thing my flesh does? It takes my focus off of Christ and puts it right on myself. Galatians 5:20 lists selfish ambition as one of the acts of the flesh. My goals with weight loss and fitness have almost always been

64 | P a g e

placed all about me. To look better, to be able to prove something to people and to get recognition from people who dont think I can do it! "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23b I would much rather have, joy, peace, and even self-control (control of self by the Spirit) than being constantly worried and anxious about how I am doing, if people are noticing me, and if I will EVER reach my goal! So here is my New Years resolution: To be consistently yielded to the Holy Spirit in the area of fitness. I am going to take my thoughts captive by asking some practical questions: 1. Is working out/eating right hindering my ability to spend time with the Lord? 2. Am I placing working out/eating right above people? 3. Do I find myself obsessing throughout the day about my weight? 4. Am I comparing myself to those around me? 5. How is working out/eating right HELPING me in the mission God has for me? As I ask these questions, yielded to the Holy Spirit, I dont know exactly what will happen. But I believe God will yield fruit in my life because He says He will! Is fitness something you struggle with in allowing God to empower you? If it is, would you join me right now in asking the Lord to take control of this area of your life? I believe He will do something amazing in your heart!

65 | P a g e

5 Creative Ways to Connect With Your Spouse As You Serve

Lyli Dunbar

Are you familiar with the television show Extreme Makeover Home Edition? One year, our church garnered inspiration from the premise of this reality program to create a unique Christmas Outreach called Extreme Makeover: Christmas Edition. I signed up to help serve a family by decorating their home, purchasing presents for the children, and providing all the fixings for a holiday meal. Our group of volunteers spent the day at a home in our community, played with the kids, gave the parents a Bible, and shared the message of hope through Christ. That Christmas, I was still a single gal, but there was a handsome, mission-minded man on my team who became my husband a couple of years later. We learned from the beginning of our friendship that serving together was great fun and helped us to connect. Serving together requires planning. Quarterly, we sit down with a calendar and schedule a day that we will intentionally break out of our normal routine and help someone in our community. Here are Five Creative Ideas to implement throughout the Year: 1. Spring/Easter: Invite the neighbors over for an Easter Egg Hunt in your yard. Present the story of the resurrected Savior using an Easter story book or the resurrection eggs

2. Summer:

66 | P a g e

Host a block party for your neighborhood with carnival games, face painting, a BBQ, and an evangelistic puppet show that shares the story of redemption. 3. Back to School: Adopt a single mom in your community and collect the school supplies and back pack for her kids. Stop by the home to deliver the goodies, pray with the family, and read a storybook that present the hope found through following the Master Teacher, Jesus Christ. 4. Fall: Join a group of friends from church to perform a flash mob at a local park or mall. Share an evangelistic drama that explains how Christ came to set us free from sin and death. 5. Christmas: Spend the evening at the dollar store looking for trinkets to place in a shoe box in partnership with Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child. Pray for the child who will receive your box to come to know the Messiah personally A mission-minded family will serve together. Look for needs in your community and brainstorm with your spouse about how you can partner together to meet those needs in a way that works for you. My husband is handy, and I love to cook. My casserole dish and his tool box work well together. Is there a single mom who could use some help with yard work? Is there an elderly couple who needs help hanging their Christmas lights? Look for creative ways you can serve side by side and connect with each other and your neighbors.

67 | P a g e

How You Can Live a Meaningful Life of Purpose

Sus Schmitt

For we are Gods masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. My friend, quoting from Ephesians 2:10, explained that the Greek word for masterpiece was related to our word for poem. It touched my heart that God was making my life into a beautiful poem. I decided I wanted to know the good things God had planned for me from even before I was born (Psalm 139: 13 18), so I spent the next two weeks focusing solely on this passage in Ephesians. Prayerfully, I sought Gods direction for my life. He gave me two themes, Creation and technology. Within days of this revelation, I had two opportunities which fit both. Over a decade later, Im still blogging about both subjects and also consulting and training about how to use technology for ministry. I started small as a homeschooling mom and am doing more now as an empty-nester. Would you like to know how God has perfectly suited you for what He has planned for you? Would you like your life to have meaning? How do you go about finding Gods purposes for your life? Know Him First, of course, we must know God. Not Who we think He is, but Who He says He is. Read His words in the Bible and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. If you dont know Him, read through this story of how to know God personally. If we understand that were now subjects of a loving King, how do we obey Him and depend on Him for guidance? How do we know what Hes saying to us? Through His Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 2:12, Paul teaches us, we have received Gods Spirit (not the

68 | P a g e

worlds spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us The Holy Spirit comes to live inside us when we accept Jesus payment on the Cross. The Holy Spirit will make changes in our character that we cannot. He will equip us for what He calls us to do. I also like to think of the Holy Spirit as a Person Who will keep me on the right road and keep me in check (if youre like me and want to do everything). I love the assurance of Isaiah 30:21: Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, This is the way you should go, whether to the right or to the left. So, God shapes us into the person He has made us to be, both in character and in ability, for the purpose He has for us. He also gives us the direction we need. Know Yourself As I prayed for God to reveal His purposes for me, I used the guidelines found in this letter written by Dr. Bill Bright, The Paul Brown Letter. Its quite lengthy, but I recommend you set aside several mornings and work through this process of discerning Gods will on a pro and con chart. Its obviously worth the time youll invest in this. Rather than repeat whats in the letter, Id like to add some of my thoughts. As you look at Gods purpose for your life, youll probably want to include some of these considerations: What is my background (experiences, education etc.)? What do I love doing? What am I good at? What Scripture verses support this decision? Has God brought circumstances that spoke to me or given me

69 | P a g e

some kind of direction? Who am I? What character or personality traits fit well with this? Who can I ask to pray with me and advise me? Its been rewarding to me to see where God has placed me and how Hes shaped me for what I do. Id love for you to have a life rich with purpose, too, as you follow after God. What is He calling you to do?

70 | P a g e

3 Ways to be Missional at Church

Melissa Deming

The friendliness of a church can make or break it for visitors. After a recent move, my family and I visited a few nearby churches. Some excelled at being friendly; others failed miserably. When we visited a mega church, no one greeted us at our arrival. When we stopped by the welcome desk to present ourselves as guests, no one offered to help us navigate their large campus or direct us to the service. After worship, no one spoke to us at their coffee and donut reception. Everyone remained huddled in separate circles. They looked happy enough, but they werent friendly. Because we didnt make any connections that day, we didnt return. I hope that first-time guests to my current church want to return because theyve made connections with others, and most importantly THE Person that life is all about. I hope guests feel wanted, like they belong, and that they have space to serve. And while I realize that church is what you make it, there are a few things I can do as a church member to ensure guests get the right impression about our community of faith. So, heres four ways you can be missional inside the church walls. 1. Be aware Dont expect your churchs greeters or welcome committee to catch every visitor that steps inside your door. So, keep your eyes open for new faces. Pray for God to show you opportunities to speak to people regardless of church size. 2. Be active Be intentional to meet first-time guests. Set a goal to speak to one new person each Sunday. Imagine the ministry you could provide

71 | P a g e

your church and the encouragement you could give guests if youre on mission this way. 3. Be approachable Once you spot a new face, make yourself easy to approach. If youre huddled in a corner, arrive late and/or leave the service early, youll have fewer chances to connect with others. You have to be present to live out the Great Commission. 4. Be available I dont have a problem being present or on schedule, but I do have a problem with being available. Most Sundays Im wrangling energetic boys and juggling teaching materials (I help out in the preschool room). To outsiders, Im sure I look like a chicken with my head cut off. But I hope in spite of the busyness that I can remember to stop and take a breath. If not for my own sanity, then simply to open myself for any divine appointment God might have waiting. Being available is an act of trust for me. Not sure what to say to people? I struggle with that, too! Here are a few conversation starters Ive used that work: Meet-and-greet: Hey, thank you for coming today. It was great to have you! Info central: Its great to have you today. Is this your first time to attend? (If it is, dont just tell them where to go, SHOW them! Then, you can talk as you walk. Try to introduce guests to their teacher if youre directing them to a class). The follow-up: Did you enjoy the service today? (If they mention they liked a specific thing, then bring it back to the church. Provide them with more information or info on an upcoming event.) The classic intro: I dont think weve met yet. My name is ______ (Then, continue with any other question listed here).

72 | P a g e

Sometimes it doesnt really matter what you say, just being friendly and approachable says volumes. If you do get the chance to speak, be sure to invite them back. Another church we visited did all these things Ive mentioned. They greeted us in the parking lot and showed us where to park. They walked us into the building (taking my two-year-old by the hand because my hands were full) and introduced us to the nursery workers. They welcomed us during and after the service, even extending an invitation to join them for lunch. God didnt lead us to join that church, but they encouraged and blessed us. Being friendly isnt simply a matter of an efficient church organization; its a matter of a healthy church culture. Every church member must be on mission every day, especially on Sundays. Being missional at church starts with me.

73 | P a g e

4 Practical Ideas for a Missional Marriage

Natalie Slade As a young girl, much of my mission in life was to get married and have kids. I was known by all my friends as the one who wanted to get married right after high school and then I joked about having twelve kids! Part of that has come true because I am married now, but I did not get married right after high school and so far I do not have twelve kids! It wasnt really until I was in college that I began to see that God really does have a better plan for my life and I knew that He wants us to live on mission FOR HIM in all that we do, including one day in marriage! That doesnt mean that having dreams of marriage, kids, a good job, etc. is a bad thing to have Im so thankful that I had those dreams, but Im also glad that God taught me the importance of living on mission to glorify Him before I even met my future husband. Scott and I talked a lot about ways we could live missionally together during our engagement and early in our marriage. For me I really wanted to live a life so focused on God that even our children could see that God was in every part of our lives, not just someone we talked about on Sundays! We are definitely not perfect with this every day, but I think that is why God has created us for each other because we are able to encourage one another and pray together as we focus on ways we can live on mission together. Here are a few ideas we have that you might be able to bring into your own marriage. I hope you can think about other ideas as you focus on doing everything for the glory of God even as a couple. 1. Mission of Hospitality - (1 Peter 4:8-11) I love having people over to my home! Being hospitable is one of the things that I got from my mom who loved having people drop by for a meal or a few hours of visiting while I was growing up. It fills me with joy to have friends or family over, serve them a meal,

74 | P a g e

and just be able to bless them even in a small way. Instead of thinking about how small, messy, or far away your home might me, try inviting people over and you might be surprised by how excited and blessed they might be to have you step out and ask them! 2. Mission to Your Community Group - (Hebrews 10:23-25) Scott and I have been part of a small community group for the past five years with our church. I feel like being a part of a community group or a Bible study allows you to really get to know a group of people in ways that normal life doesnt always bring about. Being able to share prayer requests and life struggles with each other has allowed us to come alongside other couples in our church to encourage them, pray for them, and build relationships everything that God wants in a group of believers. 3. Mission to Your Children - (Deut. 6:7) I hope this is something that those of you who are parents realize the importance of. Being parents gives you and your husband incredible opportunity to live on mission in your childrens lives. Praying with them, reading the Bible with them, being good examples to them as someone following after Christ, having them come along as you share the Gospel with your neighbors or someone else you meet, and talking to them about living on mission is all so important! Think of the impact you have on these little disciples God has given you. 4. Mission of Ministry to Others - (John 15:12) Find something that you and your husband would like to do together to minister to others. It is so encouraging to me when I see couples who serve in various ways. Whether they are teaching a Sunday School class at church, volunteering to help lead the high-school youth group, coaching a sports team, or going out to share Christs gospel of good news with people, all of these things are just a few ways you could minister to others TOGETHER! It means a lot to me to be able to minister to others alongside my

75 | P a g e

husband because then we both know what and who to pray for which is such a great opportunity to draw us closer together as we live on mission for Christ. There are so many other great ideas that could be shared about practical ways to live on mission in your marriage, but hopefully this gets you thinking of what you and your husband can do together! I want to close with the following verses from Matthew I pray that God will help us remember that wherever we are and no matter our circumstances, we are called to be lights that bring all the glory to God. I pray that we as couples dont become so busy with our own agendas that we end up not shining the light of God through our marriages to those around us! "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matt. 5:13-16

76 | P a g e

4 Things You Can Do As A Dating Couple to Live On Mission

Carly Decker

Are you dating someone right now? When you both love Jesus and want to honor Him with EVERY SINGLE area of your lives, it makes sense that you are wondering how to use dating to His glory too! And it's SO possible! Are you surprised that God is interested in this? He cares deeply about dating because He is wild over you so your heart = His investment. This season of life can be used very intentionally for the Great Commission if you're willing and ready for some steps of faith. Here are just a few ideas to get you started in using dating on mission. 4 Things You Can Do As A Dating Couple To Live On Mission 1. Serve Together For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:13-14 Jesus was always serving people; physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc. Although you probably won't be healing lepers anytime soon, let's follow in those very clear footsteps. As Paul spurs us on in Galatians 5, get to work and start loving your neighbors up! When Ryan, my now husband, and I were dating he planned a memorable date to an inner city homeless shelter. We served a meal and visited with dozens of people who were without a home.

77 | P a g e

It encouraged and strengthened us to see each other loving 'our neighbors'. 2. Share the Gospel Together But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15 Two of my very greatest friends, Hannah and Daniel, are gospelsharing powerhouses! Oh man they are just so good at it. I can't recall every detail but basically these two decided they wanted to share the gospel with any couple they had dinner with! Amazing right?? They intentionally invited friends over for dinner to one of their apartments, shared a meal, and when the Spirit prompted they clearly presented their hope found in Jesus with the other couple. It was not awkward and they used simple transition questions to steer the conversation intentionally. This is the perfect example of living the Great Commission as a dating couple! 3. Pray Together And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15 It's no secret that prayer is super powerful and Jesus was a huge fan of it! When you're dating, prayer will be a foundation as a couple and individually. So why pray? To ease anxiety (inevitable in dating sometimes right?), to figure out God's future plans for you as a couple, to give

78 | P a g e

you wisdom in your dating journey, to continue strengthening your personal relationship with God, and for strength to remain sexually pure. Important!! Prayer is legit for a million other reasons but these are just the top contenders. When we seek God, He promises to hear and act! 4. Influence to Encourage Therefore encourage one another and build each other up... 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Dating can be twisted by our culture as something shallow or it can even used selfishly. But strive to redeem it! Use social media, a blog, or whatever you can within your unique influence to encourage others in the dating journey. Brag about each other's kindness or giftings in your status updates, blog about what you're learning from Jesus as a couple, or tweet about a fun servant-minded date you are on (see #1) People love to be encouraged. And you never know you who you are influencing eternally. Standing out as a couple of encouragement and Jesus-focus will spark questions and be a ministry to many more than you can dream. So rock your dating experience to the glory of God!! He is invested and wants to see it used purposefully. I'll be praying for this wild ride you're on to use dating with purpose and that you both are a light to so many! Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

79 | P a g e

7 Ways to Use Your Freedom Well

Angi Pratt

I was sitting on my couch at 10 am on a Friday morning, contemplating whether or not to go for a run before settling into my work for the day and it hit me- I had so much freedom. Part of that freedom comes from my job (aka the best job ever) in college ministry, allowing for flexible and non-traditional hours. But another huge part of it comes from the fact that I am single. Ive started getting into Gods word with some sweet ladies over at #hellomornings and they are so amazing! Mamas getting up before their kids to spend time with God. Sacrificing their own sleep gladly to honor the Lord. I am in awe of you moms. You go all day changing diapers, making lunches, kissing boo-boos. Youre exhausted and spent. And yet you still wake before the dawn to meet with the King. Youre my heroes. And youve made me so grateful. Ive realized that this singleness may only be a season. That if someday God chooses to bless me with a family I will look back longingly at the days when I could spend a whole morning uninterrupted, copying Psalm after Psalm as I #writetheword. Thank you mamas for showing me and reminding me how precious time is. How valuable it is, and how easily it can get pulled away and placed into other things. I want to live my single life well. I want to be grateful for the abundance of time and freedom that God has given me. I want to be a steward who blesses the Lord.

80 | P a g e

This summer I have roughly 2000 hours free. Well I guess about 1400 after you count on me sleeping sometimes. How will I use those hours to make Jesus known? My time is my own. I am only held responsible to God. I do not have a family or a husband to consider, so if I choose to squander my hours watching re-runs of the Gilmore Girls on TV, Im the only one responsible. Here are some ideas on how to avoid wasting your time as a single: 1. Study Gods Word. Build discipline in this area of your life now. You can never overstudy Gods Word, you cant spend too much time with Him, you cant read your Bible too often. The more saturated you are in Gods word, the better you are able to serve him now. Consider joining an accountability group like Hello Mornings or She Reads Truth. 2. Serve a hurt or broken people, or someone in need. Volunteer to serve and love on a group of people that breaks your heart. Maybe that is scared moms thinking about aborting, or women caught in the sex trade, or maybe its that your church desperately needs workers in the preschool room. Just go do something that will make Gods love known. 3. Volunteer to watch a friends kids. Some of my very best friends are moms to young kids. And I have seen them love God and love their families at the expense of themselves. Offer to watch their kids for an afternoon so they can go have some alone time at a coffee shop, or for an evening so that they can have their first date night in months. I guarantee they will love you for it. 4. Go somewhere!

81 | P a g e

You dont have to check in with anyone to make sure its okay, so just do it! Where is somewhere youve always wanted to go? Where is your church going? Where is there a need for people to hear the gospel? GO THERE! Trust me, it will be much harder to do later when you have four little ones underfoot. 5. Read LOTS. There are some amazing teachers out there, from GK Chesterton to Francis Chan and everyone in between. Stand on their shoulders, learn from those who have a whole lifetime more experience than you. Try cutting out a TV show (the Office is ending this year anyways) and reading for a half hour each night. Check out our reading list here for a good place to start 6. Host Dinner. Sometimes us singles feel left out of the family community. Why dont you just form your own? Invite a group of friends over to have dinner once a week. Try to intentionally bring up spiritual conversations. This is a great place for your non-believing friends to get a glimpse of what fellowship is truly like without the pressure of church. 7. Give away money without abandon. One of the best parts about being single is that I dont have to check in with anyone about spending my money. If God lays it on my heart to give an extra $50 dollars one month to a missionary going to Serbia instead of going out to eat or buying clothes, I can just do it! There have been months when I eat lots of ramen and black bean soup so that I can give a little extra. I probably wouldnt do the same if I had a family to think about. At the risk of sounding cheesy- With great power comes great responsibility. The potential to do something AMAZING with your time as a single is huge. You and I have the responsibility of using our freedom well.

82 | P a g e

8 Ways to Live Missionally in the Workplace

Melissa Bradley

To be honest with you I am struggling with how to put this on paper. Over the last few months the Lord has been at work in such an unbelievable way that all I can think to do to describe it is to jump up and down with joy shouting Jesus is so COOL!!!! God has shown me so much when it comes to evangelism and being the light of Christ daily. I have been challenged to completely rethink what it means to live missionally especially in a secular environment. The following is my feeble attempt to express 8 ways you can live missionally in your workplace. 1. Recognize God Has Placed you Where You Are For a Reason: First of all, we must see where we currently are as our mission field. I used to consider church ministry my mission field, but never took it any further than the doors. I would pour myself out a few hours a week into the church and when I left my life would once again become about me. It was like clocking in and out of a job. Thats not biblical. Everywhere our feet touch they should be a vessel used by God. Can you imagine if Christs ministry began and ended at the temple? Within the past year my husband has gone from spending many hours a week in the church office to spending 40 hours a week as a rookie warehouse employee. He has gone from being surrounded by Godly men and Christian music to being surrounded by complaining, negativity, gossip and men filled with hopelessness. It has been quite an adjustment, but definitely an awesome experience. 2. Think Relationally and Long-term: Nothing Happens Overnight God sometimes does great things immediately, but most of the time God works through genuine long-term relationships. My

83 | P a g e

biggest downfall with this is when I am completely gung-ho to see something happen and then crushed when it seems nothing is happening or I struggle with feeling like an epic failure. God is in the little things. God is at work in the simple, seemingly mundane conversations between co-workers. Just because you feel like your efforts were fruitless doesnt mean they were. When all that we do or say is submitted to the Lord, He has to power to redeem even our silliest mistakes. 3. Maintain a Godly Character and Attitude Towards Work and Your Co-Workers: There will be days that youre struggling not to be frustrated or angry; however, maintaining a Godly character and attitude is essential in making your workplace a mission field. Have a strong work ethic, do your job with excellence ALL the time not just when you feel like it. Go out of your way at times to make it easier on your co-workers as well. This really stands out because most people in a working environment are just out for themselves. Be a person of integrity by being honest and avoiding gossip or slander. Tell yourself that your efforts will not be seen, because 80% of the time they wont, to your knowledge, however, humility is a Godly characteristic that is brought out in us when were willing to go the extra mile for no apparent gain. 4. It is God That Changes Hearts Not Us: When you are surrounded by a difficult environment you have to daily put on the full armor of God. Keeping your mind focused on Colossians 3:23 which says: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters (NIV) Your work ethic, your talk, your attitude, your interactions are to be bound in Christ as a reflection of Him. However, we cannot have the mindset that our actions have any power to change anyone - that is a prideful, empty, pit that we can so quickly fall into. As long as we know that weve actively given Christ full authority in our work relationships, we can be patient with His timing. Our hearts need to say God, Im pouring into You

84 | P a g e

period. Determine that while you are in this position your every moment will be a sacrifice to Christ. 5. PRAY!!! Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing. This obviously doesnt mean that every waking moment we should be on our knees with our eyes closed and hands clasped together, but it does mean that we should constantly be in a state of prayer throughout our day. We should pray for our co-workers before we go to work and always ask God to open doors for us to minister and serve. As we are aware of specific needs our co-workers have we should pray for them. Also be willing to pray with your co-workers. This is awkward. Im not sure why its always so difficult, but this is by far the most powerful thing we can do. Despite the awkwardness, people are genuinely thankful that someone cares enough to pray with them and for them right where they are. It shows them that we are serious about what God can do about their situation and our faith to trust Him. We need to allow the spirit to lead us as far as the appropriate time and place for this is concerned. We need to be considerate of any rules or guidelines in our particular workplace. It might be more beneficial to invite them to have a one on one lunch or coffee meeting. How God uses this often hinges on the long-term relationships we are cultivating. 6. See Every Interaction as an Opportunity: Every workplace has that particular co-worker that you would rather avoid. They get on your nerves for whatever reason, and you hate the fact that they happen to be right beside you. Maybe God has actually placed you beside them for a reason. Maybe He wants you to be the person to reach out to them. The thing about them that annoys you probably annoys others as well, so if you dont reach out to them then who will? We must understand that God is a Sovereign God and has providentially placed people in our path. It is no accident who we bump into every day. Once we begin to see everyday life in this way, it will completely change the way

85 | P a g e

we think about evangelism. We will see every interaction as an opportunity to share Christ in some way. 7. Look for Practical Ways to Serve: Being missional in the workplace doesnt mean that we walk around preaching all day or even telling people about Jesus every time we open our mouth. People knowing Jesus should be the ultimate goal, but there are many ways that we can show the love of Christ without scaring people. Be real. People can spot a fake a mile away. If you arent genuine you arent relatable. People need to know through these relationships that you care about them where they are and were not just looking to add another notch to our Christian belt. Recently at my husbands place of employment, they went from getting paid every week to every two weeks. This was a major adjustment for many of his co-workers. We decided to make sandwiches one day and take them to give out for free. This went over very well and opened up the door for many conversations and gave him the opportunity to share the gospel with several coworkers. Any time we serve others without expecting anything in return, will stand out and is about as raw as it gets when it comes to showing the love of Christ practically. As his wife and a stay at home mom, my job has been to pray for my husband. Pray for the Lord to increase his leadership. Pray for the Lord to help him cultivate friendships and to pray for ways that I can encourage him. 8. Finally and most importantly: All of the above is just a list of practical applications my husband and I have seen God bless over the past year. Do not consider all of this as a to-do list. Submit it to the Lord in prayer and work with Him. Ive found myself many times before trying to put on a talent show for the

86 | P a g e

Lord, by doing good deeds in order to make Him happy. Thats non-sense. Dont you think that my creator is fully aware of the talents He equipped me with? Doing Gods work without Him is fruitless. He delights in showing us His power. Can you imagine if I had a 2yr old muddy daughter who was going to surprise me by doing the laundry for me Oh the mess I would have to clean up? But can you imagine the precious memories we would make together as I cleaned her up and showed her how to do laundry with me. I want time with my child. I wouldnt want to miss out on those precious moments with her, and yet we so often, unknowingly rob God of those moments with us. Without having an intimate relationship with Christ, without Him showing us where Hes at work and inviting us to join Him in His work, how could we possibly attempt to do His work? I wish I could share with you all Ive seen God do in this past year, but I cant wait to hear all that God does in your work relationships in the coming year! May God bless each of you as you submit your ways to the Lord!

87 | P a g e

7 Tips for Reaching the World for Christ

Jen Avellaneda

I will never forget that sentimental moment, out at our beach house, where my pre-teen son let out the epitome of all of his lifes desire. What is it? I cried at one of those points of frustration, not knowing how to parent my first born child. What is it you want? I thought he would answer with common route words most sons might; like, I want to just play video games, or, I just want to sleep all day. But, what he said left me spinning, made me reevaluate my life and the simply to survive existence I was living. With the fullness and power of any evangelical preacher, His Spirit surged, looking bold at me, both eyes filled with tears. I just want to change the world. At the time, I was taken backspeechless. At the time, I had no answer for this gifted son sitting helpless in my armslooking for answers. After all, I was just a young mother, trying to pay bills, trying to make sure that somewhat of a healthy meal sat on the table each night. What was I going to tell him about changing the world? How was I going to lead him to where his heart most passionately and desperately longed to go? Still, as I searched my heart and scripture, I found a different picture of Christianity than my mundane, just make it through the day existence. I found a Christianity led by disciples who lived radically, Acts 17:6 saying Gods people turned the world upsidedown. And wasnt I a disciple of Jesus Christ? Wasnt I called to that same high calling, to live radically for Jesus? Or was I just supposed to crash at night, exhausted, consumed with my own mundane, futile living?

88 | P a g e

Why did it become harder as years passed me, to grab ahold of that vision found in my little boy? That vision, if we are honest, inside all of usTo change the world? When along the way did I stop dreaming, growing.really living a life of faith? Didnt God call us all to have faith like a mustard seed, saying it will move mountains (Matthew 17:20), slay Giants (1 Samual 17), drive us to walk boldly around our own personal walls of Jericho (Hebrews 11:30) so, how did I stumble along the way? When did I stop wanting to change the world? Stop wanting to liveradical? What I found was that radical world changing often starts with living with, not-so-radical fundamentals. Here are a few tips to encourage you to start reaching, influencing, changing the world for the glory of God: 1. Identify when and where you lost faith. Like my son and most of us deep inside knowWe were made for so much more. Yet, as we get older it is easy to stumble, shrink back, lose the zeal and fervor we had when we were younger. It has helped me to sit down, even write down, what happened, where might I have chosen unbelief over faith? Did a situation take place, did someone betray me, did hardships sway me, or disappoints with God lead me away from a life lived radically in His ways. Scripture tells us, You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? (Gal 5:7) 2. Ask God to show you where you have looked inward, instead of upward and outward. Most religions call you to look inward, but Christianity necessitates a life lived upward and outward. If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you have learned how easy it is to start living for the glory God; but like a slippery slopefamily, ministry, route obedience can lead us into a pit of inward, works-

89 | P a g e

based legalism. And dutiful legalism can be hard to be freed from. Motives can get off and instead of living for Christ alone, we start orchestrating situations for our own benefit. Often we can follow Gods purpose, but then as fallible human being, somehow turn our works into something that brings glory to uscomfort or contentmentinstead of something done solely for the glory of God and the good of others. Ask God to search your heart for areas you have been imploding? Where you have taken the ropes and led the horse of your own destiny. Then repent and daily Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, then all these things will be added unto you as well. (Matt 6:33) 3. Be Authentic in a plastic world. I have always been a writer. Its what I do and what I love. But for decades, I didnt want to create with words. I wanted something bigger, a calling more seenmore like others. But, God made us to be each unique, original, authentic. Isnt it time we stop copying another person, their family, or their ministry? From my experience, nothing will make us lose faith, impacting the world the most radical-less than comparing, trying to be like or living like someone else. See, 1 Cor. 12:12-31 4. Dont despise small beginnings. Ever heard of that saying, Rome wasnt built in a day, or You cant eat an elephant in just one bite? Well, changing the world isnt something that happens overnight. What gifts, talents, and passions has God put in you to realistically develop practically in your life, right now? Start there, start small. I guarantee that as you are faithful in the small things, (Luke 16:10) God will call you to something larger, something radicalsomething that will change the world.

90 | P a g e

5. Think globally, but remember the one. As Christians we are called to reach the world for the glory of God, but we must also remember the one God put before us. Who is your oneyour husband, your neighbor, your children? Like a pond and the ripple effect, we must have faith in the little things before God will ever give us a sustainable, larger ministry. Still even in radical ministry, Jesus always had eyes to see those forgotten ones before Him. He was willing and obedient to touch the one along with the business of actively ministering to the multitudes. 6. Dont leave your strong foundation. Anyone can change the world. A mother nurturing her children, a believer talking to the dis-heartened one at a grocery store, a friend bringing cookies to her neighbor is changing the world. However, as we walk where God calls us, as we live to change our worlds, we must be careful to rememberpeople are watching us. Integrity is vital. We must never lose sight of what God has done for us, putting ourselves in a place of humble acknowledgement that anything we do and are is not because of usbut because of what God has done for us. We must keep ourselves in the Word, building our lives continually upon His rock. Where is God calling you? Have you been building upon the rockor the sand? (Matt 7:24-27) 7. Continually pray. So many start strong, then get discouraged, sidetracked, lack direction, wisdom, and grace. After all, truth is, we can never reach the world for the glory of God, in our own strength. The greatest world changers came because they first found strength, power, and gracein the most humble of places; in prayer, upon their knees. Do not be fooled, God has a great plan and a great destiny for you. He has called you to be more than a conqueror, a victor, an heir, a son or daughter who is called to live for His glory. Still, God calls

91 | P a g e

the humble, not the proud; the lowly, brought down ones; not those who are high and proud. There is no doubtyou are called to radically change the world. But I wonder first, if it is in the not-so-radical life of humble submission to God that we see our greatest reward? If it is that daily diligence, that self-less obedience, that prayerful position of God-seeking and repentance that leads to that child-like faith that cries out with unhindered God-centered faithWe are more. We were meant for more. We have the power to change the world. I am not sure about you, but I want to be like my son. I want my greatest heart cry to be that prayer birthed in child-like faith, solely by the grace of God, Lord, let us change the world.

92 | P a g e

7 Ways to Reach the World without Leaving Home

Jen Avellaneda

I used to think that I had to sell my house, put my children in boarding school and walk around in homeless poverty, to impact the nations. I had a heart for missions. But, with a baby tied around my hip, a toddler, or a school age kid begging for attention, I didnt see how to implement the Great Commission. However, I am learning, it doesnt matter your circumstances, or where you live. There are still ways to touch the world with the gospel without ever leaving your home. Here are seven ways to be a missional woman, for the glory of God, right where you are. 1. Host an exchange student. Its a great way to bring the world to you. Students stay anywhere from a few short weeks, to a year. You can be single or married to host, in most cases. Here's a helpful website. 2. Sponsor a child from another county. To go into the all the world, doesnt just mean with our bodies. It also includes, with our words and our wallets. Sponsoring costs only about the price of a handful of lattes each month. The funds help educate, clothe, and teach your sponsor child the truths of the gospel. You often can correspond with your child through mail, which is a great way to impact another for eternity. Here's a couple good organizations, Compassion. World Vision. 3. Adopt children. I have been to the orphanages and seen the need. I have touched the babies, where a few days later, they cease from breathing. Its heartbreaking. Would you consider looking into international adoption? There are many great resources that

93 | P a g e

help fund bringing a child permanently into your family. Show Hope. Adoption. 4. Host a child. Unlike exchange students who are usually healthy teens, there are also host programs for special needs orphans. You apply, then pay a fee for these children to come live with you somewhere between a few weeks and a month. Many also have potential for adoption, if God leads you in that direction. Ukraine. New Horizons. 5. Support international missionaries. My teen daughter got a bag made by and brought over from a missionary to Africa. Purchasing the bag supported small businesses of tribal women. The neat part? The name of the lady who made the bag was in the pocket of the purse. We were able to pray for her. How can you fund missionaries, long term or short term? Have a garage sale, cookie sale, write letters to encourage missionaries? 6. Social Networking. Never underestimate the power of social media. Blogging, Facebook, and Twitter are just a few avenues to reach the world. Through them, you can impact people from all around the world without ever leaving your home. I have been so humbled to see my blog reach countries like Russia, Africa, and the Philippines; places I may never get to fly to, or reach without social media. 7. Pray. Do you have a passion for prayer? What if you and a few moms gathered together in your living room and prayed for international ministries, people globally, or missionaries? Often, in this speedy culture, we can underestimate the power of the work done on our knees through prayer! Not everyone can or will be able to spend weeks living in a different country. However, everyone can somehow move forward, in obedience to the Great Commission. How will you answer the call to go into all the world?

94 | P a g e

4 Ways to use Fashion for the Great Commission

Hope McCleary

In the past I had a hard time seeing a connection between the great commission and fashion; to me they seemed two completely different things. Lately Gods been showing me how fashion can be one of the best tools to making a statement in the world for Christ and for opening up gospel conversations. Here are four key ways God has been showing me how to use fashion and the great commission together. 1. Buy cute jewelry and purses! Yes you can buy jewelry and pack around a cute purse while doing the great commission! Light Gives Heat is a non-profit Christian organization based in Grand Junction, Colorado. Light Gives Heat provides income opportunities to over 90 Ugandan women who before could not find work to provide for their families. One thing I really love about this organization is when you buy their jewelry it comes in a box with a picture and short description of the woman who spent tedious hours making your necklace or earrings. You could even use that picture to remember to pray for that woman and her family. Here is their website so you can browse through their items. 2. Share the gospel with your hairstylist. If your hairstylist is not a Christian you have such an amazing opportunity to share your testimony and the gospel. Hairstylists are opened to listing to you since you will be there for at least thirty minutes. Take the initiative right away and start the conversation. Here are a few helpful questions that will get the conversation started: Have you ever heard my story of how God changed my life?

95 | P a g e

Can I share one thing Ive found most important to me? What has been your experience with Christianity? What do you think about Jesus?

Those are just a few examples but I hope you find the time to try them out on your hairstylist and see where the conversation goes. The best part of this conversation is it can continue at your next hair appointment! 3. Be courteous when you go shopping. In college I worked at Target. I loved working there because of all the cute clothes and shoes that I could get on my work discount but the thing I dreaded the most were the inconsiderate shoppers. Working retail is no easy job. You are on your feet the entire day. You spend hours neatly folding clothes and in one second some lady comes through unfolds about twenty shirts throws them down walks away and you have to spend another hour re-folding the same shirts. Imagine what kind of witness for Christ you could be if you were considerate when you unfolded clothes by refolding them again, or turning and thanking the worker for all their hard work and acknowledge them by asking How have you been today, has it been a tough day for you, is there anyway I can be praying for you today? This might lead into a longer conversation or it may just end up a short conversation but the impression you made to that retail worker will last a lot longer than that and it will show them Gods kindness and love through you. 4. Make a statement with your clothes! Kylie Bisuttis new clothing line God Inspired Fashion is a great place to look for cute clothes and accessories with scripture verses embroidered on them for you, your kids, and theres even stuff for the men in your life too.

96 | P a g e

However its also inspiring to hear what Kylie did, or rather what she gave up and why, before starting this very stylish Christian clothing brand. Kylie Bisuttis won the Victoria's Secret Angel Search in 2009, when she was 19 and newly married, this win came with a multimillion-dollar contract as a lingerie model with Victoria Secret. She soon began to see that she was not honoring God or her husband as her job asked her to flirt down The Victoria Secret runway and pose provocatively for their ads wearing nothing but lingerie. In 2012 she gave up her multimillion-dollar contract for her relationship with her husband, and more importantly her relationship with Christ. Its inspiring seeing a young woman who desires her relationship with God more than a Victoria Secret Modeling contract and millions of dollars, and inspiring to see that she is now using her love for God and fashion together for the great commission. Here is the website for God Inspired Fashion if you want to check it out, you can even e-mail prayer requests to the prayer team of God Inspired Fashion and they will pray for you! As you can see fashion is a valuable tool that can be used in many different ways in the great commission, and it doesnt have to stop with the four key ideas I shared. The possibilities are endless! Even wearing modest clothes can make a statement and start a conversation with friends as to why you dress they way that you do. My prayer for you is that God would show you how he wants you to use your fashion for Him and that you would make Him look fabulous to this world!

97 | P a g e

25 Summer Missional Activities for Kids

Laura Krokos

Summer brings about feelings of excitement for picnics, being outside (and hopefully getting a tan) and adventure. But with 4 kids 5 and under, it also brings about a tinge of fear and worry. What in the world am I going to do to keep them occupied for 1400 hours this summer?! I love my kids and love spending time with them but given too much free play someone gets hurt every 30 minutes. So I need a plan. I've come up with a flexible summer schedule but I don't want to just entertain them but rather foster a sense the world is bigger than them and doesn't revolve around them. So I thought of 25 summer missional activities for kids I hope to incorporate into our summer schedule. 1. Chalk Messaging. Draw pictures, verses and sayings like Jesus Loves You or God thinks about you more times than grains of sand on the seashore on the sidewalk. 2. Visit a Nursing Home. Pick or buy bouquets of flowers and make cards with verses and prayers to give out to people in the nursing home (Maybe the kids can even pray for and with the people). 3. Beautiful Feet Prayers Take a picture of peoples feet, print, cut and glue to hearts. Then hang and pray for them. 4. Book Gifts Let your child choose their favorite book about Jesus and buy an extra copy. Take the book to your next trip to the doctors office and let them tell the doctor about the book and tell them it is a gift

98 | P a g e

for them to put in the waiting room. (You might want to call beforehand and make sure office policy allows you to donate a book) 5. Cookies for Firemen. Bake your favorite cookies and put them in a decorated box with drawings, verses and a thank you note in the box and take to the fire station and give to a fireman. 6. Lemonade Stand. Sell cans of pop, lemonade and/or fruit snacks and have the money go toward a missions organization of the kids choice. You could also have them write a verse on the cups and/or print verses and tape to the cans and fruit snacks. (Here's some ideas for organizations to give to: Agape International Missions, World Vision, Samaritans Purse) 7. Handprint Prayerboard. Have the kids trace their friends and family members hands. Write the persons name, color and cut it out and paste it onto other paper. You can either glue them to a poster board or pretty paper. Then write things to pray for on the poster and write a time to pray for the people everyday. 8. Pray Around the World. Get a world map or globe (Either physical or online. The Operation World Book or JoshuaProject.net would also be helpful). Ask each kid to point to a place on the map or globe, research a little about it and pray for the people in that country (You could even watch a YouTube video of kids in that country). You can have the child write the date and what you prayed for on a sticky note and stick it to the map. Try to fill up the map. 9. Tag Hunt Prayers. Search for tags in the house (Like the one in the back of your shirt). Each child gets a notebook and pen and writes down the

99 | P a g e

country the product they found was made in. At the end pray for each of the countries and for the specific person who made that product. 10. Water Giveaway. Print verses on paper and have the kids help cut them apart and tape to unopened water bottles. Bring them in ice to a community event and hand out. 11. Baby Bottle Change. Get a baby bottle and fill up the bottle with spare change then donate to a local pregnancy center. 12. Homeless Sacks. Get lunch bags and fill a bunch of them with non-perishable snack food (like beef jerky and water bottles), a tract and resource guide for the homeless (search online for your city and print off). Decorate the bags and then keep them in your car. When you see a homeless person on the street, hand them one and then pray for the person with the kids. 13. Drive Thru Notes. Make decorative cards with construction paper. Write verses on the cards and an evangelistic website (GotQuestions.com, Crosswalk.com, Jesus.org, StartingwithGod.com are good ones). Put them in the car and give out to people at drive thru windows. 14. Necklace and Bracelet Gifts. Make bead bracelets and necklaces to giveaway to friends and cousins. String beads that say Jesus Loves You or use the gospel beads bracelets and teach the child how to share the gospel using the bead colors. Then they explain the colors to the friend they give it to. 15. Joshua 4 Rock Garden.

100 | P a g e

Read Joshua 4. Recount the ways God has come through for each of you. Then gather rocks and decorate the rocks and write a one word summary of each of the ways God has provided or come through and shown Himself.

16. Neighborhood Obstacle Course. Plan an obstacle course in your backyard or at a park and invite the neighborhood kids. Have the kids invite at least one person to church. 17. Church Invite Bags. Decorate lunch bags and fill with candy, stickers and other $1 store items. Print info about your church and/or a nearby Vacation Bible School. Then with your help hand them out around the neighborhood or shopping area close by. 18. Fishing for men box. Get a box that is used for a house for sale brochure and put out front of your house. Have the kids pick some tracts to fill the box with. Once a week check if it needs to be refilled. 19. Ethnic Food Prayer. Go out to eat at an ethnic restaurant. Talk about the differences (taste, smells, music, language etc.) and talk about what God thinks about that ethnicity and pray for them. 20. Library with Culture. Go to the library and check out books, videos and music from different cultures to watch together. Then pray for that ethnicity. 21. Missionary prayer Package. Go to the store to buy things to put in a package to send to missionaries. Let the kids help pack the package and draw pictures to include. Spend time praying for them.

101 | P a g e

22. Nickels for Nets. Read about NetsForLifeAfrica.org and help the kids set a goal and start collecting nickels. 23. International Dinner. Find some international food recipes and make for lunch or dinner. Let the kids help you cook it. Watch some YouTube videos of kids in the country the food is from and discuss what their daily life must be like. Have the kids pray for the kids in that country. You could even invite friends over to do this with you. Here'sother great ideas relating to food. 24. Collect Paper. Read about what the little girls at Facebook.com/paperforwater are doing and then talk about how they want to help them. You could gather craft supplies and paper to send the girls. 25. Pray for Kids Around the World. Pull up Stand4Kids.org and pray for the specific requests and kids they have set up for you to pray for.

102 | P a g e

11 Tips, Tricks and Thoughts to Missional Family Vacations

Leah Hillewaert This summer my husband and I spent close to an entire month straight with family no breaks! Maybe other people are used to doing that, but that has been the longest weve gone with being around people constantly. Just like any vacation, it wasnt perfect, but we did have a lot of fun!! I think we both learned a lot about having successful (and more sane) family time, but I really saw how you can be missional during your family vacation as well. Granted, I didnt do super well in all these areas. I could share countless stories of how I failed in every area, but for the sake of being concise (and for not being a Negative Nancy), I focused on things that I could do next time to make family time missional. 11 Tips, Tricks and Thoughts to Missional Family Vacations 1. Make sure to have a daily quiet time, regardless of the day's activities or your family's religious affiliation. Spend time reading the Bible and hearing from the Lord. Put Christ on the throne so He can live through you to have the right attitudes, reactions, and responses. If you dont, you are pretty much setting yourself to have your own attitudes, reactions and responses. Who do you think you and your family would rather see you or Jesus?? 2. Pray for your family, specifically for conversations about Jesus and the Gospel. Your time with your relatives is given to you by God so use it wisely!! Its so easy to talk about nothing, but nothing isnt necessarily meaningful. Pray that you and your family can talk about whats really important. Pray that you can have a chance to share the Gospel with those relatives who dont have a

103 | P a g e

relationship with Jesus yet. Pray that you can bring up the importance of the Great Commission. 3. Don't neglect your spouse - spend one on one time with each other to process, pray and plan during vacation. Malcolm and I have found that if arent good with each other, our ministry with others isnt as good as it could be. Its easy to get all your attention and time swooped up by parents, siblings, even cute nieces and nephews. Make sure you make time to spend together to process your vacation together, pray for each other and for others your with together, and plan necessary adjustments or upcoming events during your vacation as a cohesive team. 4. Have your testimony prepared and ready to share before youre there. Having the story of how Jesus saved your life in the front of your mind and ready to share at a moments notice is beneficial for any and every situation you may be in, but if you dont have it down already have it ready before you go on vacation! People may debate different things about the reliability of scripture, whether Jesus really rose from the grave or not, and if God exists (which all have good answers to respond with, by the way). But no one can refute what happened to you personally because its your story. For tips on putting your testimony together read Preparing Your Personal Testimony. Youll be in a setting of sharing more of yourself anyway, so being able to share your story of going from death to life efficiently and effectively is a beneficial tool in sharing the Gospel! Also help your kids put their testimony together if theyre Christians and use the opportunity to clarify and share the Gospel with them whether they are Christ followers or not! Your kids will have opportunities and conversations with their cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents, etc. that you may not have. They are also more blunt too (I love kids for that)!! So they can use their story and get to the point with people in a way that can help them really think about where they are at.

104 | P a g e

5. Bring up the Gospel in conversations even if you know that they are Christ followers. One of the biggest mistakes Christians make is assuming where people are at in their eternal standing. Just because they go to church doesnt make them a Christian. Or even if they dont go to church, it doesnt mean that theyre headed for hell. The Gospel is the best news on earth and the best thing that has ever happened to you!! Talking about how Jesus loved the all in the human race so much that He chose to die to make us right before God, and rose from the dead to conquer death IS A BIG DEAL!!! We should talk about it often for the sole fact that it points our eyes back to Christ, but sharing the Gospel with one another shows our need for salvation from sin, to truly understand the Gospel (and what the Gospel is not), encourages us to share Christ with others, and to explain what Jesus did for them personally so they can have a chance to accept Jesus free gift for themselves which they may not have had a chance to do before. 6. Keep the main thing the main thing. As Christians, we need to stand for truth and do what Jesus calls us to do. We shouldnt be okay with things that go against Scripture like a couple living together out of marriage or abortion. It is good to stand for what is right, but we also need to meet people where they are at. We should use social issues to be platform for sharing Jesus heart, and ultimately share the Gospel. We shouldnt use social issues as a platform to bash our relatives to the ground if they believe differently. 7. Reiterate and continue to point back to truth. Overtime, we have all heard things in church or on the radio or somewhere that sound nice but arent necessarily true. Or maybe we have come up with things that seem true that arent. For example, Ive heard the phrase, Well, I havent shared the Gospel because its too scary for me. But all my friends know that Im a Christian. The truth is we need to share the Gospel regardless of if

105 | P a g e

were too afraid to do it, and knowing that youre a Christian doesnt mean they can receive Jesus free gift. I try to make a point if a situations comes up where I can ask my nieces and nephews questions about what they know Jesus to ask the right questions, and encourage them to follow truth. Their parents are doing a great job in pointing to Jesus, and I would want them to know that Aunt Leah backs their parents up in what they teach. And I would want to continue to point anyone family or not to follow Christ and share the Gospel. This should be something we do regardless of vacations or not. 8. Make your time quality by asking quality questions. We like to talk about a lot of things that dont matter, and can even talk around subjects that are touchy. But I truly believe most people want to talk about things that matter because deep within we know we arent temporary. We all want to be known, even if it scares us. Now, you dont have to dive deep right away take things at a pace they can take. I like asking questions, so being able to find out more about people is a real treat! I know asking good questions can come with time, so here are some suggestions questions to get you started. Kids: What did/ have you been learning in school? Whats your favorite thing to do there? What are your friends like? What kind of games do you like to play? Do you like games where you can run around more? Do you do much in church? Do you like to go? Do you have any friends there that you dont have in school? What kind of things do you like? What about ____ do you like the most?

106 | P a g e

Adults: How are things at work going? Do you have any concerns with the future in your job? How are things at the church going? What has the pastor been talking about recently? Do you get a chance to read your bible much? What have you been reading lately? What has God been teaching you recently? What did your parents do for jobs while you were growing up? What do you think about headlines in the news, social issues, town politics, etc.? Use your questions to get to know the people youre spending time with, and as a platform for biblical fellowship and/or to share the Gospel. Ask questions that you can also relate to so you can bring in your testimony! 9. Encourage fun and memorable activities. Try to avoid being around electronic devises and TV constantly they are far too easy to turn on and tune out to! Its fine for bits and pieces of your vacation, but your favorite memories that you go back to usually dont include, Remember that time we were all together and did nothing but zone out to reruns of The Bachelorette? Motivate each other to do something together like doing a craft together, playing a game, going on a hike, baking a treat. Even if its for an hour or two, you are helping facilitate interaction, discussion, and memories to happen. 10. Allow yourself to be an approachable member of the family for future interactions. Be around your family with a good attitude, a willingness to help when help is needed, a listening ear, and an available response when called for. It is good to take alone time, and you should have good boundaries for when to say, No when you need to. But that

107 | P a g e

should be 30 to 60 minutes a day, or an afternoon, but not your entire time with family. Put yourself in the midst of everything! At my in-laws, there are chairs to sit around the kitchen where people pass in and out. I make sure I at least sit near by so I can either help or at least enjoy talking with whomever is around. This past trip where we were with family constantly for almost a month, we had a week left and my sister asked if I would help her make her bed. I put on a confused look (one that wasnt very nice apparently), and asked bluntly, Why? I was thinking, Why does she need help? Doesnt she make her own bed at home? I proceeded to act rude in my confusion, and in turn made my sister defensive. I did help her make her bed, but after that we acted more curtly towards one another. In the long run, I didnt take enough alone time to recharge in the previous 3 weeks (even an hour a day) so I could continue to have a good attitude in the final week. Helping my sister with a good attitude without question would have helped promote healthy communication and dialogue for the rest of our time together. 11. Continue to uplift and encourage your family after your time together. Whether its giving them a weekly call, sending them text messages, posting pictures on Facebook or your blog of the time you spent together, writing letters, sending birthday/anniversary cards, etc., continue to stay in contact for multiple reasons: It helps reminds you to be praying for them. It shows that you care about them, and ultimately that God cares even more about them. It shows that you view time with them as valuable and worthwhile. It creates more time to communicate and create memories. It creates times to share the Gospel, to share your testimony, to point back to Jesus, and to point to the Bible for truth. It helps you to have more time to ask good questions about

108 | P a g e

them. It shows that you are still approachable and available if they ever need to talk. It encourages them and you in your walk with God.

I hope this encourages you and motivates you to use your family vacation wisely for the Kingdom!!

109 | P a g e

3 Pitfalls That Destroy Missional Vacations

Leah Hillewaert

Whether youre vacationing with your family or using vacation time with your extended family, there are good ways to make your time more missionally minded. But with good promoters there also come pitfalls to avoid. The following are three things to be mindful of during your vacation to not only give you a good time with family, but also encourage you to use your time for Gods Kingdom. 1. Avoid too much geeking. We have the internet, movie, games, and so much more at the tips of our fingers and on flat screen TVs almost anywhere we go now. And spending time on it with others around is what my dad calls, geeking. Now, just like anything, geeking is fine in small portions. But that shouldnt characterize your family time. First, it usually kills real conversations from occurring. Second, it doesnt usually include everyone (or many times anyone) into what youre doing. Think of different activities you could all do together hike, play board games, help get chores done around the house, etc. If you must geek, encourage good geeking activites. Something that we have done is have games that include others onto our devices. For example, we decided to spend money on an app (which we rarely do because were cheap) and bought The Game of Life which we can play with up to 6 people. We still talk about how Ale (a relative of mine) still has the top score, and how he we all got excited when he got more kids than fit his car (nothing happened, which was a bummer, but it was the first time we saw that happen)!! Once we introduced Angry Birds to our niece and nephew, anytime I took out the iPad after that around them they would ask, Hey! Cood I pway Angwy Burdz? This did 2 things: 1) We were doing something together and they learned

110 | P a g e

how to share; 2) After the 5th time in a day that they would ask, I stopped bringing my iPad out as much (out of sight, out of mind)! My parents have taken many trips in the past few years, and whenever we visit we can expect Dad to use his iThings to show us videos and pictures to tell us all about their adventure. Its the modern day slide projector in high definition. Sharing stories and allowing us poor souls who stayed home to feel like we were there in some way. There are good ways to promote healthy geeking, and being conscience of your interactions with your family is a good way to avoid boring, unmissional conversations with your family. 2. Avoid bad communication strive to communicate with boldness, grace, and to spur one another one to love and good deeds. When we live in our flesh, its easy to say snarky, mean, discouraging, etc. things to those closest to us. We think that we can get away with it because our family has to forgive us. The other thing that happens with our communication with family is that we dont speak up for truth when we know we should because we dont want to offend anyone. Not saying what we need to, and saying what we shouldnt are both indicators of bad communication that needs to be addressed. Here are some verses and questions to meditate on before going into family vacations to help promote encouraging words with others: Ephesians 4:29 says, Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Are your words poisonous, harmful, injurious, detrimental, or destructive? Or are they only helpful, building up not tearing

111 | P a g e

down, what they need to hear? Can others benefit from your words to them? Ephesians 4:32 5:2 says, Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Are your words good-natured, caring, warm, considerate, unselfish, or well-meaning? Are your words and attitude forgiving as Christ forgave you? Are your words and actions emulate or copy God? Do you love as Jesus loves? Are your words and actions communicating patience, kindness, joy, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, hope, protection, trust, perseverance, and delighting in truth as well as being truthful (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Galatians 5:22-23)? Or are your words and actions showing that youre envious, boastful, prideful, rude, seeking for self-fulfillment, easily angered, prompt foolish talk, continue in coarse joking that you keep records of wrong, rejoice in evil, give hints of sexual immorality, impurity, or greed (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Ephesians 5:3-5)? Ephesians 4:15 says, Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Are you standing up for the truth of scripture and whats at the heart of God in a loving way? Hebrews 10:24-25 says, And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

112 | P a g e

Are you spurring them to love and good deeds? Are you giving up hanging out with your family because youre tired of them, or continually encouraging them more and more? How you communicate things is key for speaking to your family you need to make sure you do what you can to live peaceable with others. If others are making bad assumptions, say snide-remarks, etc., you can easily bring it back to good communication by asking clarifying questions to bring resolve to whatever issue they may have with you. And remember to keep affirming them, keep loving them, and keep respecting them even if they dont deserve your love, respect and affirmation (Luke 6:27-45). 3. Avoid making assumptions instead make clear conclusions. I think women especially have a difficult time not making assumptions because we look too much into everything. We try to make sense of the world around us even if we dont have the answers which isnt in and of itself bad, but instead of finding answers we make them up. Often we assume the worst in people, which isnt the best approach. As a wise lady encouraged me recently to pray Philippians 4:8 for myself, which is, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. The ultimate object of truth, nobility, purity, love, admirable things, excellence, praiseworthy things is Jesus Christ. Keeping our eyes on Him will result in us seeing the attributes of Jesus in others more readily. Instead of reading into what people say, ask clarifying questions to get to the truth of what they really think, feel and believe. Here are some examples:

113 | P a g e

Earlier you said ________, what did you mean by that? Did you mean [insert your assumption]? I feel like I hurt your feelings in some way. Are you mad at me? When I said ________, did I offend you? I noticed you did ________ yesterday. I dont mean to pry, but I do care about you. Is everything okay? Its difficult to come out and ask what were thinking but we do need to be careful that we do this respectfully and in love. Family is hard to deal with, but its not impossible to make time with meaningful, good, and even missional. But, just like many good things, they take work and perseverance to make sure they happen. Thankfully, you have the Holy Spirit to guide you, lead you, and give you the right words, actions and thoughts at the right time. So rely on Him to make your next family vacation not only memorable, but missional!!

114 | P a g e

9 Ideas to Make Your Road Trip a Missional Adventure

Leah Hillewaert

Malcolm and I have made quite a few trips within the 2 years we have been married. With both sets of parents living hours away, friends getting married in a few states away, ministry taking us from place to place, and climbing looking so much cooler than the boulder in our backyard (yes, I am a devoted wife to a climbing junkie), we have put well over 10,000 on the Subie! Though the buns get tired and the traffic gets under my skin, I actually enjoy when I get to spend time with just my best friend with no distractions. Though Im not always the best traveling companion, nor perfect in doing anything missionally (oh boy do I have so much to learn!), I have come up with some ways that make our car rides more memorable and missional and let me know if you have tips too!! Im always up for more ideas. 1. Start your trip with prayer. Ask God for Him to get the glory out of your driving time and to use the time at your destination wisely. Thank Him for giving you the resources to travel, and even the car that He has provided for you to use. Praise Him for His artwork of creation, etc. 2. If youre bored, then pray more! Pray for those you disciple, world missions, the persecuted church, your local church, people that dont have a relationship with Jesus Christ yet you name it! Youve got the time to spend a good chunk praying with little to no distractions. 3. If youre with someone else in the car, read or listen to Scripture and/or a devotional together.

115 | P a g e

Malcolm and I keep a couples devotional in the car that we even read and discuss in the car, even if we are just running errands around town or heading up to work on campus. Its pretty short, but it brings up good things for us to talk about and help facilitates things to pray about. Malc also had an app on his phone that reads scripture, so we plug that in and listen together, then discuss what we just listened to together. 4. Listen to an audio book instead of listening to music. Ive become a big fan of audio books in the past year, and it has become a fun way to entertain, and it encourages better discussion than the radio or music of our own. Whether its fiction, self-help, historical whatever it is, make sure its engaging driver and passengers alike. 5. Listen to talk radio to give yourself a break from music. Many radio programs bring up different views and topics that you may or may not agree with, but it does help you to understand the world we live in better, and help you work out the issue for yourself. That way you can research Gods Word to see what He has to say on the subject and be prepared with a defense when other family, friends, and acquaintances bring those issues up. 6. Dont neglect the Great Commission share the Gospel!! This one I have THE HARDEST TIME with!!! I get so scared to start conversations with strangers, but just because I get scared doesnt mean I should avoid it. Think about ways you can get into a spiritual conversation with people you interact with at the gas station, the restaurant, the National Park, etc. One very easy way that my friend Nate Herbst started doing is telling the person, When was the last time you heard Jesus loves you? If you only have a short time, then you can easily share the Gospel in a condensed form from there. If you have more time, than you can easily transition into sharing the Gospel in more detail and answer their questions. You can write a short note on your receipt that the waitress can see. You can start talking to bored looking people at

116 | P a g e

rest stops and transition into the Gospel. Im sure the Holy Spirit can easily show you who and how to share! For more fun evangelism ideas, you can visit this great site. 7. Use the time together to debrief from the events you come from, discuss likes and dislikes, and plan how to do things differently, if need be, for the next time you travel. Most women need to process the trip they just came, so use your time in the car to talk instead of spend it in silence. If you are traveling time with kids, ask them questions about what they liked and didnt like. They have opinions too! You could even use the time to plan an even more exciting trip be visionary for future fun. 8. Bring a book to read thats fun, easy to read quickly, and fascinating. Cheesy jokes, Guinness Book of World Records, random facts, baby names (odd, but Malcolm, my sister and I had a good time reading through names on one car trip), or even BrainQuest cards are fun ways to interact and learn at the same time. 9. Get out and explore!!! Although getting to a place in a timely fashion is nice, you may be setting yourself up for a boring trip and you can easily miss out on some cool things to discover. Find some interests that you (and your traveling buddy/buddies if applicable) enjoy. For example, my husband loves rock climbing and enjoys trying out different places to boulder. We usually have a crash pad in the back of our car, and Malcolm is really good at finding boulders to climb up! Especially on longer car rides we try to figure out places where we can stop and climb for at least an hour. My favorite thing to do is to go to National Parks, so a lot of our bigger trips usually include us visiting a park nearby. We bought a parks pass last July and have visited around 12 parks and at least one monument - $80 National Parks Pass that got us into over $160 worth of parks in one year!! And if you dont have time to get out and do a lot of activity, then

117 | P a g e

stop at the pull out and learn something about the area youre traveling. Or eat somewhere that isnt fast food to try something different (even if its gross, youre building memories)! Drink lots of water if you have to have forced existing of the car time!! Whatever it is, life is too short to spend all that time in the car! Get out there!! These are things that I found to be fun, worthwhile, and the drive a lot less boring. I know everyone is different, so the best part is experimenting to see what will help your trip to turn into a missional adventure!!

118 | P a g e

5 ways to Help the Persecuted Church

Hope McCleary

Can you imagine being beaten daily in prison and condemned to capital punishment for the crime of publicly professing Jesus Christ? This is the reality for many fellow believers around the world. Did you know you can bring those persecuted believers hope? There are several practical ways you can encourage and even be part of setting them free! 1. Voice of the Martyrs is a great resource in finding out what is happening to persecuted Christians around the world. By visiting their website you can access stories and updates of Christians persecuted for their faith. This website has pictures and stories of Christians that are imprisoned, why they were imprisoned, how long they have been imprisoned and their conditions in prison. There are also stories of people who were persecuted but released and amazing stories of the Gospel being preached in places like North Korea and the Middle East. 2. After visiting the Voice of the Martyrs website you can start to pray for individuals and unreached people groups that are mentioned. Keep a prayer journal as you pray for these people and countries. Consider getting the book Operation World (you can order it here so you can read of countries that are unreached or closed to the Gospel and start being dedicated to pray for them. 3. Petition for the release of these persecuted prisoners. The Voice of the Martyrs has links that you can use to petition for the release of these imprisoned Christians; these petitions are sent to the government of the country where they are imprisoned. THIS IS IMPORTANT because the more people who petition for the persecuted prisoner the higher the chances are for the government of that country to release them.

119 | P a g e

4. Write letters of encouragement to these faithful believers. When you click on the face of a prisoner you will see on the left below their picture a place that says Write letter (right above that is also the place where you can e-mail the government for the petition of their release), and when you click on this you can choose 12 phrases and it will translate it for you into their language. Once you have chosen one of the 12 phrases it will be sent to them from Voice of the Martyrs. Here is a link to write a letter to one of the prisoners, a 37 year old Pakistani woman who has been in prison since 2009. Letters of encouragement can be crucial in helping these brothers and sisters in Christ know that they are not alone and that other believers are thinking of them - a very special ray of hope! 5. Donate There are many different projects or financial donations you can help with that send necessary needs to strengthen Gospel outreaches, or help in several other ways like: financially help the families left behind when a Christian is martyred, support medical missions that help provide medical treatment to persecuted Christians, help fund or assemble parachutes that Columbian missionaries use to reach violent FARC guerrillas, and many other different opportunities. If youre interested in any of these, visit this link. God can use you to strengthen and encourage persecuted Christians all over the world and you dont have to leave the house to do it amazing how God uses technology! Dont keep this to yourself - share your ideas with your church, friends, or Bible studies and find ways you can all work together to strengthen the persecuted church!

120 | P a g e

10 Practical Tips on How to Blog for the Glory of God

Laura Krokos

Blogging is becoming more and more popular and allows you reach people you otherwise would not be able to. It is also easy to fall into a trap and think that in order to glorify God you have to have a devotional blog. Here are 10 Practical Tips on How to Blog for the Glory of God even if you dont have a devotional blog. 1. Remain connected to Jesus as a vine does to a branch. We can do nothing apart from God. If we want to be a blessing to Him and to others, we have to have a yielded heart. In order to see God use us online, we have to let the Lord has His full way in our hearts. We have to choose to let the Holy Spirit lead us. Before starting a post, we need to take a minute to make sure we are right with God. Here's a video of what I mean. 2. Pray. Ask God to lead your thinking as to what to write about. God can lead our thinking if we plan ahead or spur of the moment. Either way, He can lead us to write about the things that will please Him. 3. Use God's Word. His Word is so much more valuable than our opinion, seeing as though it doesnt return void and our opinion so often does. When you write, bring what you write back to Gods Word as often as possible. If you don't write a faith blog you can still share biblical principles. 4. Have a purpose statement and strategic plan for your blog. Prayerfully think through your goals and steps to take to help you achieve your goal. It is easy to get off track and be controlled by the tyranny of the urgent without a plan. And when you have a

121 | P a g e

God-given plan it help be a guard against comparison. It will provide the freedom to see other great blogs but recognize "that is not what God has called me to or gifted me in. I need to stay focused on giving by the power of the Holy Spirit what I have, not what I wish I had." 5. Followers are not your goal, they are means to your goal. It is good to try to build your platform to have a wider influence for reaching people for Christ. But don't find your identity in statistics. Keep them in their proper place, the means not the goal. It is helpful to think of your platform as a stewardship. You wouldn't invest money and not try to invest it the best you can and just think you're not trying. Promoting yourself can feel very uncomfortable. But making an effort to get your blog in front of readers is not in and of its self-bad. If your motives are to build your own kingdom, that is obviously not pleasing to God and is something to turn to Jesus with. But if your motives are to bring glory to God, then He delights in your stewardship of what you have. (Evidenced in Matt 25:14-30, God is pleased with our effort in making things grow.) The Lord desires we work as though its all up to us knowing and trusting its really all up to Him. 7. Dont waste your blogs opportunity to share the gospel. There are some really great gospel widgets out there. My favorite is The Story. All you do is put the html code in your side bar (see the example of what it looks like below) by going to ViewTheStory.com Even if most of your readers are believers, dont assume they all are. Most of the students who come to Christ through our ministry are students that grew up going to church. 8. Share what God is doing. Try to make the most of every opportunity to brag about God.

122 | P a g e

9. Blog Hop Visit other blogs (esp. non-Christians) and leave comments encouraging them, initiating relationship and spiritual conversation with them. Try to break the sound barriers. 10. Persevere. Keep giving by the strength of His might. When you're discouraged, turn to Jesus and ask Him to remind you whats true.

123 | P a g e

About the Authors

Laura Krokos
Laura, the creator and host of Missional Women is married and has four kids, two of whom are adopted. Laura and her husband have been missionaries to college students for 11 years serving with Master Plan Ministries. Laura is the Staff Women's Development Coordinator and has discipled over 150 girls, led over 30 Bible studies and speaks 10-20 times a year. Laura is an award winning author of a 12 week Bible Study on First Samuel, Beholding Him, Becoming Missional, recently released Reach; How to Use Your Social Media Influence for the Glory of God, and A Devotional Journey through Judges, a devotional to accompany the free online Bible study at TheBookofJudges.com.

Hope McCleary
Hope McCleary graduated from Mesa State College with a degree in Mass Communications. After graduating she spent two years working in local news at KKCO 11 News in Grand Junction, Co. She decided to give up her career in the media to share the message of Christ full-time. She joined full-time staff with Master Plan Ministries the summer of 2012 and got married to Forrest McCleary in September of 2012. Through her own personal ups and downs in college Hope has a heart for college women understand their worth as Gods daughters, to see them grow in their faith, to grow in the unique gifts God has given them, and to stand firm in their faith even with the pressures of the world all around them. Hopes interests include world and local missions, photography, singing, playing guitar and writing music, reading, meeting new people, coffee, and hiking.

124 | P a g e

Leah Hillewaert
Leah works with Master Plan Ministries at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. Other than watching college students' lives change, she enjoys getting her mind blown by God and His Word, watching sci fi, baking cupcakes, and spending time with her hunky husband.

Carly Decker
Carly is a husband-swooning, health-inspired, simplicity-loving, Jesus-follower. She and her hunky husband Ryan adventure wherever the Lord takes them and most recently that has been into the often scary world of chronic illness. Connect with Carly on her personal blog,Pinterest and at Reaching For Fringe, a resource for chronic illness and marriage. Very nice to meet you!

Melissa Bradley
Melissa Bradley is married with two small children. She serves at a church plant in Hendersonville, NC. The passion of her heart is to live every day missionally. You can also find Melissa at Beautiful Mommy Feet, she and her husbands personal ministry page, a womens ministry page -Radiance and on Facebook.

125 | P a g e

Angi Pratt
Angi loves Jesus, coffee, baseball and baking cakes. She is a missionary to college students and can't think of anything she'd rather do to serve God. Angi first met the Lord while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa but really understood His love and grace as a freshman in college. Her heart is to invest in college students in the same way that many others invested in her. You can find her blogging over at Stuff Angi Does where she tells stories about Jesus, college students, and life.

Sus Schmitt
Sus Schmitt serves as a Technology Ministry Developer for Womens Resources at Cru. Her goal is to equip Campus Crusade for Christ staff to have more effective ministries through learning technological skills. Her main medium to do this is through her blog, eQuipping for eMinistry. Sus also maintains a personal site, Mike and Sus.org and an evangelistic site, The Sovereign. You can find her on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest. Sus is enjoying her new role as a nana to a cute, little boy.

Rhonda Denison
Rhonda attended Oklahoma Baptist University for two years until she felt called to reach out to a secular campus. She then transferred to Mesa State where she graduated in 2004 with a B.A. in Counseling Psychology. She now serves as a missionary to college students and has a passion for reaching out to young women. God has a purpose and design for who he wants Godly women to be, and Rhonda is excited about helping women find freedom and joy in His purpose.

126 | P a g e

Melissa Deming
Melissa Deming is the creator of HiveResources.coma site that helps women sweeten their walk with Christ through devotional articles, book reviews, and more. Melissa holds a Masters of Divinity in Women's Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, N.C. She and her husband, Jonathan, have four-year-old twins, Zach and Jonah. They are part of the core team of a new church plant in Pittsburgh.

Natalie Slade
Natalie graduated with her Elementary Education degree in 2008 and now serves as a missionary to college students with Master Plan Ministries. Outside of ministry, she loves taking pictures of her husband and two children, scrap booking photo memories of vacations and day-by-day moments. She is so thankful for the opportunity to be a mentor to women who are faced with the peer pressure and endless life choices of daily college life, and is excited to see Gods transforming work as He shows His grace and love to these students and prepares them for the years ahead.

Andrea Buczynski
On any given day you might find Andrea in a meeting, on a plane, or in some part of the world where she meets amazing people and sees just a few of the awesome ways that God is working. She serves as the Global VP for Leadership Development and HR with Campus Crusade for Christ. When shes home, she enjoy books, time with friends and occasionally gets to

127 | P a g e

the beach. You can find her on Twitter at @AndreaBuczynski and blogging at abreflections.

Jen Avellaneda
Though born, raised, and still living only miles from where she grew up, Jen's heart lies in the nations. Jen loves the beautiful tapestry found in the wide diversity of people, different cultures, and all nations. Jen and her husband have been married twenty years, and have parented fifteen kids and counting; twelve foster, one adopted, and two bios. Her multi-racial family reflects her passion for unity, desire for faith without walls, and missional mindset to share both the gospel and the power of redemption to a world desperately needing the hope found in Jesus Christ. Jen and her husband have led in a variety of ministries; including prayer, small groups, children's, and womens. Jen advocates for the orphan as a board member for the non-profit, A New Song; and loves doing missions work internationally, along with her family. You can find Jen writing about faith, while challenging her readers at her blog, Rich Faith Rising.

Nicole Howe
Nicole is a wife and stay-at-home mom to three energetic children in Lake Villa, IL. In addition to writing, she enjoys serving as the Care Team Leader for her church's MOPS group and is also a part of the Sunday worship team. Other interests include performing Improv, venturing outdoors...and pretending to be a chef, thanks to the Food Network. Nicole has a heart for "getting real" with other women and helping them discover Jesus through honesty, empathy, and the power of "me too". Connect with her at MotherhoodConfessions.com

128 | P a g e

Lyli Dunbar
Lyli Dunbar loves teaching. For 17 years, she mentored teenagers in the Christian school setting, and now she has serves as Associate Director of Curriculum at Trinity International University Florida. Lyli married her Prince Charming in her 40s and has a heart for encouraging young couples and singles in Gods waiting room. She enjoys road trips with her husband, connecting with women through Bible study, and reading way too many books. Lyli writes about life lessons and faith on her personal blog. You may also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

129 | P a g e

More by Missional Women

Of course {MissionalWomen.com}

Beholding Him, Becoming Missional; Awakening to the Mission through the Study of First Samuel.
Are you looking for a women's Bible study? After leading over 30 small groups and writing much of the material, Laura has written a 12 week in-depth Bible study going through First Samuel. Bible Study Reviews If you like Beth Moore, you'll love Krokos Great Study Likened to Beth Moore A Call to Live with Purpose... and Mission Tons of Testimonies About the study Beholding Him, Becoming Missional is set up in two sections. The first six weeks move you to an authentic relationship with God and the second six chapters move you to the point of living on purpose for the glory of God, reflecting His heart for the world. Each week has questions designed to engage the mind, heart as well as practical application questions which lead to action. Beholding Him, Becoming Missional has a come alongside and lets do life together flavor and feel written in a relational and relevant way. Laura shares many stories which reflect similarities to what other women may be going through, but First Samuel itself is also packed full of relevant storiesstories of people bravely living out Gods heart and passion, stories of utter failure and embarrassment, stories of redemption, victory, and partnering with others to live out Gods very heart. Check it out on amazon.

130 | P a g e

A Devotional Journey through Judges

Practical, insightful and relatable 250 page in depth devotional study with great personal stories. Each day is short enough to be able to read and have time to process the personal application questions. It can be used in conjunction with the discussion guide (at TheBookofJudges.com) or as a stand alone devotional. Check it out on amazon

Reach; How to Use Your Social Media Influence for the Glory of God
Reach will help you learn practical ways to use Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms to help fulfill the Great Commission online. You will walk away feeling equipped to begin an influential social media ministry and reach the world for Christ from your home. View a video about the book and testimonies at ReacheBook.com Check it out on Amazon

131 | P a g e

On Becoming a Writer: What every Blogger Needs to Know

The world of blogging has revitalized peoples interest in the craft of writing. More than ever, people of all ages are committing their thoughts to the written word. They want to improve their craft too. They want to become better writers. "On Becoming a Writer" answers thirty-four of the most important questions about writing that bloggers need to ask. Whats the difference between writing advice and editing advice? What if I hated English class? Whats the one metaphor every writer should know? Do I always show and never tell? How do I tell my story? What if I cant remember the eight parts of speech? This e-book answers these questions and more. Each chapter also ends with an optional writing assignment to help writers put into practice the tools discussed. The concepts shared in this e-book are valuable for every nonfiction writerblogger and non-blogger alike. Check it out on amazon.

Daughters of the King

Daughters of the King is an eBook on the big picture of Scripture packed into 10 lessons. Inside this study, readers will receive a systematic look at how the Bible is arranged around the topic of Gods kingdom and how Gods kingdom applies to women today as Daughters of the King. The study is written for small group or individual use. When readers subscribe to her site (Hive Resources) theyll receive a free downloadable workbook to use along with the eBook. Check it out on amazon.