Let's Go ALL IN for an explosion of faith! #10,000Laborers

If I said you can play at a role in 

helping someone encounter 

a saving relationship with Jesus Christ 

THIS WEEKEND 

would you feel apathetic, scared, doubtful or excited?

I want you invite you to join me in jumping out of a comfort zone. Maybe you're like me — a Christian with a passion to help others know the saving truth BUT not particularly comfortable with overtly "evangelical" conversations.  Does it surprise you that I'm not comfortable explaining the Gospel to someone who doesn't know it or hasn't accepted it yet? After all, I'm executive director of a Christian ministry that reaches people all over the world. Sure, my life's passion and work involves helping people experience more intimate personal relationship with the Savior, but I am not (underscore NOT) an evangelist! Yes, I have even written books and blogs about disciple making. But that rarely involves overt presentation of the Gospel message with someone who doesn't already follow Jesus. Nonetheless, I've jumped into an opportunity of a lifetime recently and I don't want you to find out about it later and wish that you could have come along (because, trust me, a lot of you reading this right now will be hearing about it later and will truly regret that you missed out)!

A few months ago, I was presented with an opportunity to go on a local mission trip in July 2014 sharing the Gospel with people in the Twin Cities and to do so as part of a team as large as 10,000 laborers!  So I started attending monthly prayer, equipping and sharing experiences that are an empowering privilege — connecting me with Christ-loving people who want to lovingly share Jesus with people of the Twin Cities who are lost, broken and without hope.

From the faith perspective, I have to tell you that this is one of the more challenging but exciting things I've done in a long time. I've already been out on a couple of practice runs with Time to Revivie and I'm being stretched and encouraged in ways that are very satisfying and God-honoring.  Just last weekend I spent some time in a hospital coffee shop and met a young dating couple who were visiting their grandpa who was in his last hours/days with brain cancer.  My team asked permission to pray for them and they accepted with awe and tears in their eyes. After we encouraged them and shared the Gospel, they thanked us profusely and went back upstairs empowered to read the Psalms and sing hymns with their loved ones.  

So with a training recap coming up this Friday night and Saturday morning, there's a fire down in my soul to share this really great opportunity with you. I am praying that you will take a hard look at what you have going on this weekend and consider whether God maybe leading you to participate in a few hours that could not only change your life but, more importantly, change someone else's life for eternity!

There's a FREE equipping session Friday night then Saturday morning involves worship, prayer, training review and practice within a small team!  You get paired up with two or three other people from churches all around the Twin Cities for an opportunity to pray for others and encourage them to go ALL IN with Jesus.  Even if you can only attend one session (Friday/Saturday), give it a go!  Larry and I will be watching out for friends and would love to see you there!  

Register here: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/revivetwin-cities-recap-training-registration-11436778713?aff=estw . 

And the beauty is that you can jump into the fun fray of this at any point (no prior experiences necessary). Adults, kids, grandparents...it's multi-generational!

To learn more about the Revive Twin Cities experience or learn about what Time to Revive is doing in other cities around the country (soon to be near you), visit their website at http://www.revivetwincities.org 

#10,000Laborers

#ALLin

On FACEBOOK:

https://www.facebook.com/reviveTWINCITIESmn 

On TWITTER:

@reviveTWINCITYS

As I post this right now, I'm praying that God grabs hold of your heart and time — spurs you into the adventure with us.  If you're still on the fence or just want to ask me more questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at lisa@walkrightin.org.  I would just LOVE to see you at Grace Church this weekend.

Barb's Glory Story

This story brought me to happy tears — and, after a snowy day in April, I must say that happy tears were not at all the kind of tears anyone expected from me today!  Find out how God whispered sweet EVERYTHINGS to Barb.

It was the summer of 2009.  We had been living in Omaha, Nebraska for about one year.  It would take only fifty more years to equal the number we had been in Minnesota. Sigh. It was humid outside. I’d gained weight. Even my wedding ring had gotten tight. It seemed like I was taking it off every day and putting it by the computer or on the window ledge. 

Finally, fall was in the air. There was a smile on my face and a new spring in my step—except I couldn’t find my ring.  I must have set it down some place different. But where? 

I had looked everywhere—the bathroom, kitchen drawers, the pockets in all my clothes (including winter coats unworn since March), my car and basement shelves.  There was only one conclusion. It is lost.  More than likely, while in one of my multi-tasking runs through the house, I had put the ring in my hand to place it in my ring dish but also picked up a tissue or scrap of paper along the way. I had thrown my ring in the garbage bin with the trash in my hand. One would think I could remember the contents of my hand for more than 30 seconds. But it must be.

Every time I considered the lost ring, my heart would sink and I would feel sadness deep in my stomach.  How could I have been so distracted? 

As the days went by, my hubby was so comforting.  “It will be okay,” he would say, “we can get you a new ring.”  But I don’t want a new ring. I want the ring that is identical to his—the one that reminds me WE MATCH.  Part of me just did not want to have a new ring made.

I’ll just go to Wal-Mart and get a thin gold band.
That will serve the purpose.
It will be fine.

Months and years passed. I had a peace about the ring. But every few years I would find myself looking behind the books in the curio or feeling in the pocket of a long unworn sweater to see if it just might be there. It never was. Still, my heart would whisper a prayer to the Lord asking if He would help me find my ring.

I know it is probably in the city dump miles away, but You are a God of miracles, Lord—both big and small. I know You’re capable.

My husband went through a health issue in December of 2013 and it reminded us just how precious our lives and marriage really are. We talked about getting new matching rings.  We decided to find a jeweler in Omaha and pick out a new design. “Let’s do that by our next anniversary in October,” we agreed. How fun!

In March of 2014, I was in Hendersonville, North Carolina, training with RTF International.  My husband was at home with our son and while I had very busy days, I had a few hours each night to soak in the Lord’s presence and rest.  About five days into my trip I got a call from my husband. 

He started the conversation with, “You will never guess what I have in my pocket.” 

The excitement in his voice was palpable so I said, “I have no idea but you better tell me RIGHT NOW!” 

“I have your wedding ring,” he said.

What? He went out and bought new ones without me? As my thoughts raced, I questioned him.

“Nope. I have your original wedding ring,” he said (and I could see his grin in my mind’s eye).

But how? Where? Oh, praise You Jesus! 

So he told me the rest of the story:

The financial secretary at our church works in the office with the copy machine.  She had to move the copier to get at something (and that is no small task). When she did, she noticed a gold wedding band on the floor.  She went to the Office Manager and explained that she had just found a ring and she didn’t know who it belonged to. Inscribed inside were a verse (Ecclesiastes 4:12) and a date (10-14-83).  After a quick peek at the church database both exclaimed, “That’s Pastor Bruce’s anniversary date!”  Within minutes it was in his pocket.

After my husband finished explaining what had happened, we chatted about God’s amazing faithfulness and we both sensed this was a very special gift to us from our Abba Father.  After I hung up the phone, I was resting in bed and thanking the Lord for His great care and love for me. 

As I prayed and sang scripture, I sensed the Lord speaking to me saying, “My daughter, you were right to release your ring to me and to go on with the plans and purposes I had for you.  But you were also right to never give up expecting me to answer your request and believing that I would give you those things that you desire so deeply.” 

I wept.  I wept for His love for me. I wept for his favor towards me. And most of all I wept because this whisper was not just about my ring—it was about me. It was about Bruce. It was about our marriage. It was about our son. It was about our ministry. It was about our future.

Though one person may be overpowered by another, two people can resist one opponent. A triple-braided rope is not easily broken. Ecclesiasties 4:12 (GW)  

How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. Ephesians 1:3-6 (MSG)  

For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:12 (NIV)  

Look here. I have made you a part of Me, written you on the palms of My hands. Isaiah 49:16 (VOICE)

New Books for NOW or Your Summer Reading

  

I'm featuring two new Christ-proclaiming books today because who doesn't love a good reading recommendation—especially with summer coming? Both of these authors are friends and ministry partners with Walk Right In Ministries. Your purchase of their books directly impacts outreach in the name and power of Jesus Christ. One book will give you some kick-back-and-have-fun type of reading; the other provides memorable inspiration and encouragement. 

Christian mystery-romance author Sandra Orchard is a generous supporter of Walk Right In Ministries. I devoured yet another of her books over vacation in March and wanted to encourage friends of this ministry to check out all of her titles.  In “Deadly Devotion,” she develops curious and friendly characters in a horticulture town modeled after the area where she and I both grew up. (We met through Inter Varsity and became close friends back in high school.)  She captures the essence of small town relationships where lives seem more transparent yet vulnerable to misunderstanding. Orchard has a genius for pacing and it caught me up again in this murder mystery romance where affections heat up, cool down and heat up again amidst circumstances that are never quite what they seem.  I'm left excited to dig into “Blind Trust” (Book 2 coming in June 2014) and discover how past pain and mysteries will be redeemed. 

Click here for the Amazon link to Book 1 in the Port Aster Series. 

"Collision with Joy" is Melody Richard's first book and it reflects her passion to point people to true hope in the face of anguishing loss.  In this autobiographical reflection, you'll learn how, six years ago, Melody's oldest daughter Danielle (then 20 years old) was killed in a car accident. The despair and anguish of Melody's grief process is contrasted with a vision of Danielle's warm and profoundly joyful welcoming into heaven.  You'll be captivated in the experiences of the two stories woven together with sensitivity, insight and raw honesty.  I was personally drawn into the anticipation of heaven by Danielle's delightful personality and her sheer joy of meeting Jesus for the first time.  This book connects readers with a vision for eternal things that is both comforting and empowering.  
Order directly from Hope Renewed Counseling and mention "WRIM" in your order if you want 100% of the proceeds to go to Walk Right In Ministries.

Click here for the Amazon link to "Collision with Joy."