Lysa TerKeurst's Blog, page 22

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas with much love from my family to yours.

We pray that you experience the love of Jesus and a deep awareness of His presence in your life this year.

Rejoicing in Him!

The TerKeurst Family

Related posts:

4 Gifts That Help Make a Difference
Practical Ways to Keep Your Family Connected
His Grace Dared To Touch Us

Let’s Travel Together!

Just a quick little hello to give you an update on the intensive study trip I’m leading to The Holy Land next year.

First of all, I’m so excited I can hardly stand it. And I’ll probably wear this plum hat at some point on the trip because, well, who doesn’t want to wear a plum hat in the Holy Land. Right?

Second of all, I’ve decided after just getting back from Israel and looking at several of the sites I want us to go to, that I need the group to be smaller than I originally thought. As a result there are now…

ONLY 25 SPOTS LEFT!

So, time is of the essence, as these spots will fill up fast. And I really want you to experience this with me!

My prayer for this trip is that during our time together the Holy Spirit will stir your heart and invigorate your mind with a fresh passion for God’s Word.

The lessons I’ll be teaching will help you make connections like never before between the Old and New Testament. We will go to some places that most tours go… however, we’ll also explore others that are less common but so full of rich meaning they’ve become some of my favorite spots.

We will pull out our Bibles and study on location! And you’ll forever have pictures in your mind of what the settings look like when reading about Biblical events that took place in the Holy Land thousands of years ago.

It will be amazing. If you’re interested, click here.

And for those of you unable to go, I’m praying about how to bring this teaching alive in future conference settings. Will you pray for me to have clarity on this and that God will direct me to the right people to help make this happen?

This is a big assignment for a simple girl who occasionally wears a plum colored hat.

Thank you for your prayers. And thank you for all the many ways you encourage me as we do a little bit of life together here on the blog.

Related posts:

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Experience the Holy Land
Day 3 in the Holy Land – Might We Dare to be a Little More Uncommon
Experience the Holy Land Without Having to Leave Home

I Want to Quit Ministry

Do you ever wish God would appear in the flesh and tell you exactly what He wants you to do in a situation? I do.

Sometimes I wish He’d hand me a piece of paper with clear, step-by-step instructions written out and personalized for my specific circumstance. And then He’d stay for a little Q&A session where He’d tenderly answer all my questions with deep reassurances.

I guess some people would say that demonstrates my lack of faith. And maybe it does. Or maybe my heart just feels incredibly vulnerable with some decisions I have to make, and I desperately want to get it right.

I love the Lord so much.

I want to honor Him with my life.

But sometimes I feel Him stirring me to do something that’s terrifyingly opposite of what I want to do. Left to my own choosing, I want to take the safe, certain and comfortable route. And then Scriptures march right up to my limited perspective and challenge me to walk a path I’d never choose on my own.

This question forces my eyes to glance toward that path: More than anything else, do you want to follow God and live His message?

Or even more deeply: Do you love Jesus and want Him more than anything else?

It’s this question the resurrected Jesus asked Peter at a crucial crossroads in Peter’s life. And gracious, do I ever relate to Peter.

He’d been following Jesus for years.

Then things got hard, just like Jesus told the disciples they would. Jesus gave them the clear hope to hold onto:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world,” (John 16:33, NIV). But isn’t it hard when what you see with your physical eyes seems contrary to what you believe in your heart?

Problems beg us to forget God’s promises.

Peter denied Jesus because he feared the cost of following Him.

Then circumstances got really hard. Jesus was crucified and Peter took his eyes off that hard path of continuing in ministry. He went back to what felt safe, certain and comfortable … fishing.

Then Peter got one of those visits from Jesus I wish I could have. Resurrected Jesus appeared in the flesh and could not have made it any clearer what He wanted Peter to ponder. With one question, He ruined Peter’s justifications to stay safe.

“… Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’” (John 21:15).

Do you love me more than these?

We’ve all got our own “these.”

They are anything that make us look away from the less chosen path of following God with everything we’ve got.

So, back to my decision.

Last year, I wanted to quit ministry. Proverbs 31 Ministries had experienced tremendous growth and suddenly I felt enormous pressure that I wasn’t smart enough, capable enough or resourced enough to lead this ministry.

Everything was bigger, which made me feel like everything was scarier.

The staffing needs.

The budget.

The worries.

Gathering up my fears, I presented a strong case to the Lord to give this assignment to someone else and let me quietly slip away. I set my sights on what felt more comfortable and safe and certain.

But Jesus’ question ruined all my quitting plans: “Do you love me more than these … more than your fears … more than your desire to do something easier and less scary?”

So, here I stand, a girl with trembling hands wearing boots dusty from that uncommon path. I stand and proclaim, “Yes, Jesus, I love You more than these. I will live out the charge presented in Your Holy Word to, “Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching,” (2 Timothy 4:2, HCSB).

I realize your struggles and decisions might not look like mine, but whatever they are, my team at Proverbs 31 Ministries and I are committed to meeting you at your point of need with the Truth that points you to God’s best pathway for you.

I’m determined to persevere. But I’m also determined to recognize I can’t do this alone. Will you join us with your prayers and financial support? All donations go right back into the everyday operations and expansion efforts of the ministry.

It’s not easy to ask my friends for financial support but if each of my blog readers gave only $15 we’d meet our year-end goals and be able to do some exciting projects to reach the younger generation through technology next year. Certainly, if you’d like to participate in a bigger way, we’d so appreciate that as well.

I realized if I don’t ask, you won’t know Proverbs 31 Ministries depends on donations to do what we do each day, like:

Online Bible Studies
Encouragement for Today Devotions
Daily Radio Shows
Compel Training and She Speaks Conference to equip women in their calling
Resources (books, DVDs and audio teachings, etc.)
Speaker Team
And more!

I need your help and I thank you for letting me ask. Oh, how I wish we could have this conversation over coffee … maybe one day. I would love that. But for now, if you can join us, please click here for more information.



Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Related posts:

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Experience the Holy Land
When God’s Assignments Feel Almost Impossible
What Satan Doesn’t Want You To Know Today

I Found What I Want to Do the Rest of My Life

As a mom, I’ve always wanted to teach my kids how to embrace Biblical characteristics like generosity, loving others, etc. Maybe you can relate and you’re wondering, like I did, how to do it.

My friend Courtney DeFeo has done an amazing job of not just telling her kids about these things, but showing them.

I think you’ll love her guest post today. And be sure to take a few minutes to watch the video. I promise, it will make you smile and tear up all at the same time. Excuse me while I go get a tissue. Here’s Courtney…

I am 38 and I have just discovered what I want to do with the rest of my life.

It’s to show heartfelt appreciation for others in a way that shows them the love of God.

And for the next 10-12 years of my life, I intend to show my two girls how to do this while they are under my roof.

I believe our kids learn more through laughter, not lectures. They want to experience WHO we know not just WHAT we know.

This is exactly how my mom taught me about virtues. She showed us. She wasn’t perfect – and I am so thankful for her authenticity and mistakes. Those very moments taught me forgiveness and unconditional love and gave me the freedom to be the same imperfect person covered in God’s grace.

Just the other night, our family had a chance to go surprise Miss Curlie at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World. She’s one special cast member who has been working there 41 years with 25 years of perfect attendance.

She had no idea that her love to my kids left a mark on ME! I was simply trying to SHOW my kids what gratitude felt like, and I was in turn blessed by this woman. She has cleaned the bathroom on Main Street for all these years and I didn’t want to assume someone else was thanking her.

As God’s children, I want our family to be courageous and generous with our kindness. The first to step up and out of our comfort zone.

When we do that, we just never know what hangs in the balance of our obedience.

Watch this video below and read the full story here – you’ll see. Of all the thousands of employees, God knew Miss Curlie needed a simple “Thank You.”

(If you’re viewing this post in an email, click here to watch the video.)

My girls respond so much better to my virtuous parenting attempts when I am not lecturing them on how to shape up or ship out. Instead, I am inspiring them to be more like Jesus. Because it actually feels good to serve! It feels great to give!

And when I invite them into these opportunities, I see their hearts swell. Everyone likes to be involved with something bigger than themselves.

I am taking an army of moms through 2015, one virtue at a time, with my new book, In This House, We Will Giggle. It’s got 12 virtues and 12 family fun activities. We will go slow and focus on one virtue each month. We will never be perfect but we will giggle.

Today, I’m giving away 10 copies of my book to randomly chosen commenters! Just leave a comment telling me one thing you’ve been teaching your kids lately to be entered to win.

Related posts:

Monday Night Dinner Webcast Replay – Now Available!
It’s not just a Book. It’s a meal. A blanket. A textbook. A mission field.
Recapture What Gets Lost in the Rush

3 Ways to Press Through Unanswered Prayer

A year and a half ago, I opened an anonymous letter that made my heart sink. It was from another mom who wanted to make sure I had a list of all the ways one of my daughters was falling short. There in black and white she listed my daughter’s mistakes, shortcomings and frailties.

And then just to make sure I took her nameless letter seriously, she informed me she’d be sending a copy to my pastor.

My initial reaction was figure out who sent this so I could call her. Talk this through face-to-face. Assure her my husband and I were not only aware of some struggles my daughter was having but also working diligently to help her course-correct.

But as I reread the letter, I discerned it wasn’t sent from a place of love for my family or a heart that wanted to help.

From the language she used and the fact that there wasn’t a way to contact her, it was obvious she didn’t send it because she wanted the best for my daughter.

I sat on the edge of my bed and cried.

It’s so hard to have someone attack you in an area that’s already rubbed raw with hardship. Her letter was like a bullet straight to my heart.

However, it was also a wake-up call to get more intentional in praying for my daughter. I thought about her struggles a lot. I talked about her struggles. I worried about her struggles.

But thinking about, talking about and worrying about something is not the same as praying about it.

I determined to turn this letter that felt like a bullet into a blessing by using it as a catalyst to ramp up my prayer life.

Through my tears I cried out to the Lord, “I will not sacrifice Your grace for my child on the altar of people’s opinions. Of course I want my daughter to walk the straight and narrow path of great choices. But I trust You Lord to write her testimony. My main goal for her is not behavior modification but total heart transformation. I want her to want You, Lord, and Your best for her life. Give me the courage to not just pray about my daughter, but to pray her all the way through this.”

Praying her through the ups and downs wasn’t easy. There were days I wondered if God was even hearing my prayers.

It’s tough to pray someone all the way through a messy, hard, complicated situation and not see answers. Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you are there now.

Can I speak hope into your heart with 3 ways to press through unanswered prayers?

1. Know with confidence God hears your prayers.

1 John 5:14 reminds us, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (NIV).

2. Trust that prayer makes a difference, even when you don’t see the difference.

It may take a while for you to see God answer your prayers. But don’t miss an “in the meantime answer” you can receive right away. Philippians 4: 6-7 reminds us of the immediate answer to every prayer: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

Did you catch it? It’s the peace of God that will guard your heart and mind in the process while you’re waiting for God to reveal His answer to your request. When you pray, you can trust you are doing your part and God will certainly do His part.

3. Tell fear it has no place in this conversation.

These prayers are your gateway to feel an assurance you don’t see yet. But fear will beg you to focus on the problem more than God’s promises. Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (NIV).

A lot has happened since I got that hard letter that prompted more frequent prayers for my daughter … that bullet that turned into a blessing. I recently visited her at college and could hardly believe my eyes.

She’s a completely different girl.

At one point during our time together, I asked her, “What finally made following Jesus wholeheartedly click for you?” She said, “Mom, I’ve made friends who love Jesus. I saw a joy in them that I wanted. So, I started doing what they do even when I didn’t want to. At first I thought getting up to do devotions was unrealistic, prayer meetings were boring, and listening to praise music, excessive. But as I kept doing these things, the Lord started changing my thought patterns. And when I started thinking about life from the standpoint of truth, I had so much more joy.”

She then paused and said words I’ve longed to hear and prayed to hear for so long, “Mom, I’ve just completely fallen in love with Jesus.”

I can hardly type those words without crying.

I pray this infuses your heart with hope to keep praying. I pray you believe God can take the things others intended to harm you or the ones you love, and use them for good to accomplish His purposes as Genesis 50:20 reminds us.

I need a visual reminder of these truths. And I’m wondering if you do too. This Christmas season, Proverbs 31 Ministries has partnered with Fashion and Compassion to create beautiful jewelry using repurposed bullets from the civil war in Ethiopia.

The collection is assembled by vulnerable and rescued women in Mexico and Charlotte, NC. Attached to your jewelry is the name of the artisan who made it, so you can pray for her.

Our hope is that when we wear one of the From Bullets to Blessings pieces, you and I can be reminded to pray with deep assurance that God hears us and will bring good from this in His time.

Click here to purchase the jewelry for yourself or for a friend who may be going through a difficult time this Christmas.

Related posts:

When Prayers Seem to Fail
Do My Prayers Really Matter?
10 Prayers For Your Daughter

4 Gifts That Help Make a Difference

When I spend money on buying Christmas gifts this year, I want to invest in things that will honor the Lord.

Let me explain.

I’ve found that it’s hard to even turn on the TV or look at social media without hearing about something terrible going on across the world or in my own backyard. A shooting. An ISIS attack. Children being kidnapped and sold into sex slavery.

My heart has felt so heavy about this lately. I keep thinking, “How can I help these hurting families? What can I do to stop this? How can I help bring light to a world that seems to be drowning in darkness?”

While I can’t change all the evils of the world, I can make purchases that will make a huge difference in the lives of rescued women, Godless families, and people in need.

So this year, I’m buying these items for my family and friends which feels so in keeping with the real meaning of Christmas:

1) The “From Bullets to Blessings” Jewelry Collection: I’m so thankful Proverbs 31 Ministries has partnered with Fashion & Compassion this Christmas season to create beautiful jewelry using repurposed bullets recovered from the rubble in Ethiopia.

The “From Bullets to Blessings” collection is assembled by vulnerable and rescued women throughout Mexico and Charlotte, NC. By purchasing a piece of jewelry, you are directly helping to financially support women who have been saved from the horrors of sex slavery, addiction, and more.

Purchase your jewelry here.

2) “Wake Up The Wonder” Elevation Worship CD: Our souls were created to respond to worship. And this new CD, released today, is so powerful! It’s the perfect music to play first thing in the morning to set your heart to the life-giving realities of Jesus. God moves me and changes my perspective through these songs being used in my church as well as other churches all over the world.

Download the album here.

3) It Will Be Okay: Trusting God Through Fear and Change: This is the children’s book that I wrote to help kids discover that no matter how new or fearful their circumstance, God is always with them. I’m passionate about equipping families with the most powerful tool – God’s Word. So I’m praying this message will bring His truth into unreached places. You can buy your copy through Proverbs 31 Ministries with confidence that your investment goes to support ongoing initiatives such as training pastors in the underground church of China, building homes for orphans in Africa, and more.

Get your copy (or copies) here.

4) Personalized Christmas Ornament: My friend Lisa Leonard creates the most beautiful jewelry and decorations for homes. Recently, she partnered with workers in the Dominican Republic to handcraft these ornaments and other pieces. Through this initiative, she’s been able to help provide full time jobs with health benefits for workers in a country with 40% unemployment. Receiving fair wages has enabled these men and women to care for their families and pursue higher education!

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Today, I’m giving away 10 copies of Elevation Worship’s “Wake up the Wonder” CD. Just leave a comment below with which gift you’re buying for a friend or a loved one this Christmas.

Together, through small acts, we really can help change the world in a big way!

Related posts:

Watch the Webcast Replay!
When God’s Assignments Feel Almost Impossible
What Satan Doesn’t Want You To Know Today

If You Ever Feel Lonely, Read This

There were many feelings I thought I’d have at this small conference I’d been so looking forward to attending. Acceptance. Fun. Camaraderie.

I was sure that these were my people.

And I couldn’t wait for the deep friendships that would surely bloom as a result of our time together.

I walked into the meeting room and quickly found the people I was excited to meet. Every seat had a nametag attached so I circled the table looking for mine. As I got to the last chair and realized my name wasn’t there, I got a sinking feeling.

I milled around the room looking for my name, feeling increasingly out of place.

Finally, at a table on the opposite side of the room, I found my name. I rallied in my heart that the Lord must have a special plan for me to meet and connect with the others assigned to my table. I took my seat and pulled out my cell phone as I nervously waited for my tablemates.

I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

As the prayer for meal concluded and the event got underway, it was painfully apparent the others assigned to my table weren’t able to come for some reason.

So, I’d be seated alone. Very alone.

I wasn’t just in this place at the dinner that night. I’ve been in whole seasons of my life where though I had people around, I felt quite alone in the calling of my life.

Maybe you can relate to feeling this way. If so, can I give you three thoughts that might encourage you? I’m sharing them today over at (in)courage. Read the rest of my post here.

Related posts:

What We Miss When We Rush
Unrush Me
Holy Land – The Upper Room and His Prayer for You There

Watch the Webcast Replay!

If you missed last night’s webcast on prayer with Max Lucado, the replay is now available to watch. And trust me, this is one you’ll want to take notes on:

(If you’re reading this in an email, click here to watch the video.)

Thank you, Max, for giving us such rich, Biblical teaching on prayer!

One of my favorite takeaways was that the power of prayer is not in the one who says the prayer, but in the One who hears it. I love that.

What parts of the webcast spoke to you? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

And here are the links to some of the things we talked about last night:

- Sign up for the Proverbs 31 Ministries online Bible study of Before Amen

- Purchase your copy of Max Lucado’s book, Before Amen

- Purchase your copy of my children’s book, It Will Be Okay: Trusting God Through Fear and Change

- Get your “From Bullets to Blessings” jewelry piece made from repurposed bullets found in Ethiopian rubble

Related posts:

Watch “The Best Yes” Final Webcast Replay
Monday Night Dinner Webcast Replay – Now Available!
The Best Yes Webcast Replay – Now Available!

5 Ways to Pray Boldly For Your Marriage

I was cleaning my kitchen counter the other day and brushed past a framed snapshot taken on my wedding day. Someone caught that moment we were driving away waving to all our wedding guests.

I stared at the photo taken 22 years ago. I laughed at how big my hair was. I sighed at how much smaller my waist was. And I wished I could pull that young bride aside and give her some advice and perspective that would certainly have benefitted me.

I would have whispered…

“Sweetheart, there is only one day where marriage naturally looks like the storybooks. It’s this day. This day, your wedding day, is where every hour has been arranged and planned to be beautiful and special. And as you wave goodbye to this one day, realize what happens from here is all about choices.

Choose to understand that love isn’t always a feeling. Many days love will be a choice. It’s a choice to press through and learn to enjoy the fragile blend of both the bliss and disappointments of two people learning to become a family.

Being married is amazing. Being married is incredibly difficult. Being married can seem impossibly hard. Being married can seem incredibly beautiful. There is no other person who can frustrate me the way my husband can. There is no other person who can make me feel as loved as my husband can.

Yes, marriage is a fragile blend of all this and more.

Remember to keep little things little through the power of prayer, humility, and the discernment to know how and when to address them. Watch these kinds of disillusioning thoughts and capture them before they take root:

He didn’t load the dishwasher even after I asked him to. He doesn’t listen to me.

He just handed me a brochure about the new gym opening down the street. I’m never good enough for him.

He took a phone call while we’re on date night. He doesn’t love me enough to give me his full attention.

Yes, the unraveling places of relationships often occur in these kinds of spots with these kinds of thoughts where little discouragements grow into big wedges of discontentment.

And most of all, remember to pray your marriage through. Don’t fall into the trap of just thinking about your differences, discussing your issues, complaining about your challenges, and attempting to fix these things on your own.

Thinking, talking, complaining and working on those things is not at all the same as praying for them.”

And then I would end this sermonette to my young bride self with the best advice of all, “Remember, the more you do battle for your marriage on your knees, the less you will fight in the flesh.”

And as I finished imagining this conversation I would have so loved to have, I felt challenged that even 22 years later, I needed a fresh dose of applying my own advice.

That’s why I put together this free, 5-day marriage challenge. We need to set aside time to pray boldly over our marriages and proclaim God’s Truth over our spouses.

Whether you’ve been married 3 minutes or over 3 decades, I’d love for you to join me as we determine to not just pray “about” our marriages but to truly pray our marriages to a new place.

I can’t wait to walk through these next 5 days with you.

Sign up for Praying Boldly for Your Marriage: a 5-Day Challenge here.

Related posts:

10 Ways to Graciously Say No When You Feel Pressured to Say Yes
5 Ways to Survive Love Season
5 Scriptures to Pray Over Your Marriage

When Prayers Seem to Fail

Disillusionment. Have you ever felt it? Have you ever lived it? You carry a significant request to God and beg Him to do something. And He does.

But it wasn’t what you asked Him to do.

Or maybe God seems silent. And you don’t know what to do next.

On the one hand you try to be all positive and sing the Garth Brooks song, “Thank God for Unanswered Prayers.”

But something deep within feels disappointed. And afraid. And a little off.

Maybe a lot off. With God.

What do you do with that?

Sweet friend, I understand. I’ve felt that hurt and confusion. I’ve wondered if my prayers even mattered. But let me speak these truths straight into your heart: God sees. God knows. God cares. Rest assured.

Psalm 34:15 confirms this, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry;” (NIV)

Today, let’s not just pray about our situation. Let’s pray through it with confidence that God is working.

And if you need some of God’s girls to come alongside you in prayer, please leave a comment below. My team and I would be honored to pray you through whatever you’re facing today.

{For more encouragement, click here to read my Proverbs 31 Ministries devotion, “3 Ways to Press Through Unanswered Prayer.”}

We’ll also be talking through overcoming disappointment from unanswered prayers on our webcast with Max Lucado next Tuesday, November 18. You don’t want to miss it! Click here to sign up.

Related posts:

Do My Prayers Really Matter?
10 Prayers For Your Daughter
10 Prayers For Your Son