StepOut Walk to Stop Diabetes

On Saturday, October 15th, the American Diabetes Association will host a walk to stop diabetes at White Park in Riverside, CA.  I will participate as one of the Cross Word Christian Church walk team and part of my responsibility is to raise $100.

I am walking and seeking sponsors to reach my $200 personal goal. I want to thank you, in advance, for sponsoring me via my personal American Diabetes Association page at http://main.diabetes.org/goto/KSykesCW. If you prefer making a check or cash donation, email me so we can make arrangements (ksykes@crosswordchurch.com). Again, thank you and God bless.

Back on the block

Although it's been a little bit since I've made a post, God has been speaking and dealing with me consistently. My commitment now it to post weekly, at a minimum. I seek your prayers as we continue the Heart of an Encourager journey together. You are an important part of this journey and I am grateful for you. Spread the word and feel free to begin a dialogue, ask questions or make prayer requests.

So, today I was perusing articles on the topic of HOPE and came across this saying. Hope it blesses you as it has me.

When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."   ~Author Unknown

Keep at your dream. . .never give up, and always give it your best.  Until next week. . .remain hopeful, in His grip.

Empower 2 Purpose Conference

Women of God,

On August 18-20, 2011, I invite you to join me once again as the Empower 2 Purpose Conference reconvenes. This year's theme is "THRIVE: to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances".  Pastor Tamala Kelly has created a team of speakers who are trusting God to equip them to minister to His daughters over the 2-1/2 days. As Pastor Tamala says each year, "this conference can't be explained, only experienced." Come out and truly be blessed. I encourage you to get a room and stay overnight for the full experience. 

Registration fee is $65 if we register in groups of 10 or more, so 'comment' to this blog to let me know of your commitment. Feel free to share with friends.  Individual registration is available online via http://encounter2011thrive.eventbrite.com; registration fee if $85.

Location: Ayers Suites, 1945 Holt Blvd, Ontario CA 91761. Mention Empower 2 Purpose when making reservation.  See you in August!

August WoW Study

STUDY: TrueFaced, trust God and others with who you really are

Authors: Bill Thral, Bruce McNicol, and John Lynch

     Praise God from whom all blessings flow! I pray you’ve taken this past month to care for your temple, to connect with family and to fellowship with one another. By this time, you should be starting Chapter Four of the TrueFaced study, “The Supreme Gift of Grace: Love”.

     God has been speaking to you through this study and it would be great to hear how your spiritual life is changing for the good. What have you discovered about yourself and about God? Do you have a deeper understanding of how sin affects us regardless of whether you’re the one committing the sin or the object of attack in someone else’s sin?

     Our Abba Father desires that we pull down all masks, all strongholds – anything that would hinder our ability to enter His presence and to work on His behalf. He has a great destiny for each of you, a purpose for which He created you to accomplish in your time on this earth.  Do not be afraid, march on with courage and boldness, strengthened in who HE IS! If you could have done it on your own, it would be done. Obviously, you need GOD’s strong hand of intervention and direction. Yield totally to Him.

     Be blessed in the Lord and strengthened by His mighty power. I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday evenings starting September 7th.

It is The Lord Christ You Serve

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. ~Colossians 3:23-24 (NLT)

The economy and employment situation in America is at critical mass. People everywhere are looking for jobs – anything they can do to support their families. Many of the individuals have college degrees or previous very lucrative careers. So where do they go from here? That is the million-dollar question, which leads me to...

Why are so many people, who have jobs, complaining about what they do, who they work for, or the people they work with. As Christians we are called to a higher order in character display. So why do we look like the world when it comes to expressing our unhappiness with work?

If we take the biblical perspective, we would have no choice but to awake each morning with enthusiasm for the opportunity to work for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. After all, scripture tells us that we are not working for ‘a man’, but THE MAN.

Let each born again believer commit to face each new day with enthusiasm and thanksgiving (for having a job for those who actually have one), joy (the joy of the Lord is our strength) and perseverance (the race is not given to the swift, but to those who endure). Remembering that we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t faint (i.e., give up). RIGHT NOW, will you pause and confess to God your past issue with offering genuine, unconditional service in your job? No grumbling and complaining about anything!

So tomorrow when you see that person who gets on your last nerve, remember you’re actually serving Jesus – put on a genuine smile, wish them a great day and keep moving.  Perhaps they need a listening ear, so be that ear. If you notice their spirit is low, say a kind word as that may be just what they need to get through the day or that moment. . .you are the eyes, ears, hands, feet and arms of the Almighty God. This means you are valuable and have power through the Holy Spirit. Walk straight and face your giants – God is just waiting to place you in the land He has prepared just for you.

Pray for those who despitefully use you and say vile things about you? Bless those who curse you. . .these are doable if you’ve released your psyche and will to God.

He truly is the boss of you. . .act like it and do it with joy.

Perform your spiritual act of worship: daily offering your body as a living sacrifice. When you begin to rejoice in your job daily and express gratitude and thankfulness toward a loving God, you will see doors open.

As you review the past few days, how has your attitude been toward your job?

How will you overcome a negative attitude?
What one positive thing can you discover and/or focus on this week concerning your job?

The Chatter In My Head

We fight not against flesh and blood, but against. . .

We want what we want and are willing to sacrifice pleasing God – rather we choose man/friends/family/careers. 

“because I called but no one answered; I spoke, but they did not listen. And they did evil in My sight, and chose that in which I did not delight."  ~Isaiah 66:4

We are not in a battle with people around us – our battle is within. . .feelings of unworthiness, the chatter that goes on in our heads telling us we can’t do this or that, that we’ll never be good enough, smart enough, wise enough, pretty enough, tall/thin enough, wise enough. . .we look at our assets as though they were liabilities. We find it difficult to believe that anything about us is ‘fearfully’ or ‘wonderfully’ made.

Contentment is hard to find, yet when we take time to rest in Jesus the reality is peace and contentment are as close as our next heartbeat. As close as opening our mouths and uttering the words “Lord, I need you.”

Quieting the silence within means that we are ‘still and know that [He] is God’. To be intentional in creating that space where we are not bombarded with our necessary or crazy thoughts – that we can temporarily wipe off the to do’s on the whiteboard of our mind and place an image of the Almighty God, Jehovah Jireh – who provides everything we need, including peace of mind.

God wants to speak to us more than we want to listen.

He is a God of love, and love longs to communicate.

—Linda Schubert

Are we more focused on pleasing men to gain their approval or that of God? 

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." ~Galatians 1:10

Why do we allow the chatter to dominate our minds?

What steps do you take to 'clear the whiteboard of your mind' to enter into the rest God promises?

Self Talk, Soul Talk (5 weeks to go!)

This is the title of our current Women's Ministry small group bible study. It is amazing when we sit down to really think about how we talk to ourselves that we realize the chatter in our head does not consistently speak life!

Tomorrow evening, we will review Chapter 7, Calm Down: I Have Stilled and Quieted My Soul, I'd like to get your input on what this study has meant to you so far - which chapter has had the greatest impact on you personally. I pray you are feeling more empowered through this and our recent studies. The ultimate goal of our studies is to become 'whole' - that is God's desire, that HIS daughter's are WHOLE. No more fragmented women, living pieces of life. . .the tapestries of our lives are colorful, vibrant and ALIVE! Praise God for HIS handiwork in and through US.

If you're not currently involved in this study, I challenge you to pick up a book and take the plunge to discover if your 'self talk, soul talk' lines up with what God says about you.

Blessings and peace to you,
Pastor Karen

P.S. - "Self Talk, Soul Talk" by Jennifer Rothschild (Harvest House Publishers)