iShineInMinistry

1 Peter 3:8-9

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

Ministry is such a blessing and working in full-time ministry, whether at a church, organization or as a missionary is full of joy and surprises. One of those surprises is the fun of working with multiple personalities on a project or outreach. We all have different ways that we process information, execute tasks and organize things. This is when we truly get to see the body working together for God’s glory. We do need to keep in mind to have hearts of grace and kindness as long hours and mixed personalities could potentially give the enemy an opportunity to get in the mix of plans; a guarded mind that is discerning of these things can help all aspects of ministry go seamless if we let them.

The scripture above gives us some insight as to what attributes we need to possess as we serve. We need to be of one mind, which means that we value each other and everyone’s ideas, rather than just wanting things our way. We need to be compassionate and courteous; you have a certain Spiritual Gift and someone else has another, so we can’t deem ourselves more valuable because we think our gifts are more functional than others. Each person in the ministry is needed and God placed each lady in that ministry for a reason.

When personalities begin to clash and a little ‘flesh’ starts to rear its ugly head, we need to not return catty comments to each other if someone starts being negative. We need to be the example of grace and help redirect attitudes that may be heading in the wrong direction. Remember, we are all called for such a time as this, for this ministry, for the purpose of serving others and we need to make that truth our main priority as we worship the Lord in this specific area of our lives.

We are called to ministry and we are called to be examples, to be lights and to be godly women. Let us always make sure that our hearts stay on track and that we serve in kindness, humility and selflessness. It is so much fun to do ministry together, so let us always remember how blessed we are for having this calling!

Esther 4:14- Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Are you bumping heads with someone that you serve with in ministry?  Are you exhibiting the characteristics listed in 1 Peter 3:8? Ask God to search your heart and then see what He shows you!

Nehemiah 8:10 …Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

‘Tis the season of fast-paced serving! As you enter into this fantastic time of ministry, please make sure to get rested up, filled up and prayed up. I am praying for you right now and hope that you are blessed as you get ready for all of the amazing things God will do over the next few months!

Lord Jesus, we thank You that You have called us for such a time as this. We thank You for the amazing blessing of serving You and the gracious love that You pour out on us. Thank You for the honor of giving us Spiritual Gifts to use for Your glory. Thank You for this amazing time of outreaches and holidays that are underway, each pointing our hearts to love, thanksgiving, harvest, mercy, love, hope and peace.

I pray that You will help us to serve with gladness, have a heart of grace as minds get busy and frantic and allow each of us to be a blessing to each person we come into contact with. I pray for strength and wisdom for each of these ladies, as You give them vision for the ministries they oversee, as You give them words to speak to the ladies they counsel and as You give them endurance to do all unto Your glory. I pray for supernatural faith that will move mountains and save souls through each prayer prayed, each word spoken and each event that draws people to the saving knowledge of Your son. Please go before these ladies and prepare their hearts for all that You have in store. We love You, trust You and praise Your holy name…in Jesus’ name, Amen!

What are some of the outreaches coming up in your ministry that need to be lifted up in prayer?

Romans 12:3: For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think…

Do you ever get frustrated when you are at church, trying to get a task done and one of the volunteers stops you in your tracks because you are attempting to enter a “restricted area”? They are doing their duty in the ministry they serve in by making sure that people are not just wandering about, but you are on staff and can be in that area. As you sweetly tell them you are on staff, do you get a little irritated and think to yourself, “Don’t you know who I am?” Of course you are allowed in those places, but they may not know it.

Do you sometimes think that teachings don’t need to be taken to heart when they have a heavily convicting message since you are already on staff at church and considered a leader? Do you not really listen to some of the wiser ladies on staff as they kindly try to show you things because you are ‘just as important’ as they are?

Have you just said no to all of these questions and do not really want to admit that we are all sometimes prideful because of the position that God has so graciously allowed us to serve in? Let’s have a little heart check!

Philippians 2:3-8 (ESV)

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

First off, we must remember that we are serving the Lord as leaders- we are not elite. We are being obedient and exercising our spiritual gifts; however, we are still sinners that have been saved by grace that can do nothing apart from the Lord just like the people we minister to. Sometimes we just need to get over ourselves- ha!

Second, we can easily be replaced and someone else can be raised up to do the work of the ministry. God can do just as much, or possibly more with another obedient heart…especially if we do not stay humble. We know that we have a certain personality that is a blessing to the women we minister to, but there are so many ladies that have the ability to meet someone where they are at just like we can. We have to be mindful of the fact that God is very much able to work through any person that says yes to the call of godly service, not only us.

Lastly, this is a privilege and an honor. We sometimes start to indirectly have the mindset that we are doing God a favor by allowing Him to use our ‘fabulous selves’. We need to be thankful everyday, let those volunteers do their job and be kind to them even when they don’t know us. W should be gracious and teachable in every moment so that other godly woman can help us continue to grow as we walk in faith and serve in spirit and truth. We should ask God to continually search our hearts…and when He reveals something, fix it! We must not dismiss or try to talk our way out allowing God to help us in that particular area we need to work on because we have enough ‘good things’ that balance out to make the other heart issue insignificant in our eyes. We are all works in progress so let us continue to let God do the work He started in us.

We have not arrived…we have answered the call to serve. Let us be humble, kind, loving and faithful examples of what it truly means to serve the Lord. Our ultimate desire is to be please the Lord, not our image or egos, so let us all be mindful of this as we serve.  Hearts and Hugs!

Are you serving and getting a little puffed up because God is using you so mightily? Please be careful and also allow someone to help hold you accountable. Pride always comes before the fall and we never want to be in that place as women in leadership.

Psalm 42:5 (NKJV)

Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him

For the help of His countenance.

I know that we typically do not want to admit these moments, where our minds begin to ‘out-logic’ the truth of God’s faithfulness; but we must be honest in those times where so many things are going on that seem beyond all control. We feel like it is so difficult when everything around us looks like nothing could possibly change. The truth of the matter is that God is still in control, He still rules and reigns; He still makes all things work together for good. We know this practically, but when we are counseling that lady, encouraging that struggling high school girl, or helping that newlywed fully understand the new season of life she is in, sometimes situations seem so far out of our reach that we put God in a box and think He sees the problem in the same small frame that we view it.

Those times of fretting make us forget that God is in control of each and every detail of our lives and the lives of those that we get to serve in ministry. Why do we allow our finite understanding to make us feel like situations are completely beyond anyone’s control? God is not confined by the limitations that we as humans have; moreover, God is gracious enough to do a work and show us how able He is to make the impossible happen. If that were not enough, the Lord even lets us be part of the beautiful miracles that happen as He does a work in those desperate situations.

We need to remember the truth of how big the God we serve is in those moments where the situation looks beyond repair. Let us all put our ‘big girl pants’ on, start fervently praying and wait for God to move in those hopeless moments. Let us hope in God and praise Him in the middle of that myriad of life’s troubles that cloud over the ones we minister to. God is working it all together and we need only trust in His truth, love and timing while we diligently serve Him by helping those He places in front of us.

Psalm 28:7

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;

Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,

And with my song I will praise Him.

Are you ministering to someone whose situation seems hopeless? Are you covering that situation in prayer and trusting God for the impossible? Remember that God is sovereign!

Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine upon you,


And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,


And give you peace.”’

This week, I felt it would be a wonderful idea to pray for all of you fantastic ladies as you diligently serve the Lord with gladness. I know sometimes the work of the ministry may be difficult or you feel at a loss by what God has called you to do; but know you have been called for such a time as this and that I am praying for you. Should you have any prayer requests, you may also leave them on the response board for this posting. Be blessed and stay encouraged.

Lord, I lift up this wonderful woman of God that has answered the call to full-time ministry and ask that You will be her strong tower today. I thank You for her obedience to do the things that You have placed on her heart and ask that You will continue to equip her and strengthen her heart as she trusts You. I pray that You will continue to stir up spiritual gifts and callings, allow her to see You working on her behalf and keep her heart focused on Your truth as You stretch her in this calling and grow her faith. I pray that she will always have a servant’s heart, ready to be a blessing to those she comes into contact with and that You will be her refuge and strength in those times when she is discouraged and feels like she wants to quit. Remind her that You are for her and that You work all things together for good as You have called her to serve You, to worship You in spirit and truth. Minister to her and allow her to have quiet times to listen to Your still, small voice. Allow her to have a heart not encumbered by all the tasks before her, but to fully and completely sit at Your feet, to have a heart like Mary, who chooses the better thing. Refresh her and renew her spirit, protect her from pride, bitterness and give her discernment so that she may continue to walk as an example of a godly woman. Be with her today and each day I ask and pray in Your holy, perfect name, Lord Jesus- Amen!

What area of ministry can you focus on praying for this week? What are the plans you feel God is laying on your heart for that ministry?