Lori Hatcher's Blog: Refresh Blog, page 46
June 24, 2018
10 Myths People Believe about Vacation Bible School, Part 2
Last week we looked at five of the ten myths people believe about Vacation Bible School. If you missed the post, click HERE to read 10 Myths about Vacation Bible School, Part 1.
Today, we'll look at five more myths:
Myth #6 It’s not just for kids.
“VBS is also an opportunity to engage young adults in service,” says Clint Jenkin, PhD., vice president of research at Barna Group.
“So many young adults lose their connection with a local church because they feel underutilized. Churches can give key VBS volunteer roles to young adults and college kids in their congregations.
Colleges (or even large churches) could sponsor teams to travel the country and host VBS for churches that cannot afford or staff their own. Using young people as servants and not just consumers is an important way of establishing a faith that lasts.”
My small church, for example, struggles to recruit enough adult workers because many members are elderly or work during the day. For several years a team of summer evangelists from Child Evangelism Fellowship has come alongside us and made it possible for us to offer a week-long program in our neighborhood. We couldn’t have done it without them.
Some churches even offer VBS for teens and adults. Melita Thomas, in the article, “6 Things You Need to Know About Working with Adults During VBS,” says, “When we host VBS for kids only we are missing a tremendous opportunity to share God's Word and the Gospel with older siblings and parents. If the truths being taught during VBS are important for kids then they are just as important for teens and adults. LifeWay (the leading producer of VBS materials) creates VBS resources for the entire family - babies through adults - because we believe VBS remains one of the most successful ways to evangelistically reach families and not just kids.”
The Covington Baptist Association agrees. Listen to the logic in its article, “Reasons for Conducting Adult VBS.” “Parents consistently show they are interested in participating in the activities of their children. Just spend a morning at a little league ball field and you will see dozens of parents actively and enthusiastically participating in their children’s activities. If given the luxury of time and resources today’s parents often desire to take an active role in their children’s extra-curricular activities. Why should VBS be any different? Given the choice, many parents will choose to attend an Adult VBS in order to stay close to their children and know what is being taught and the people doing the teaching.”
Myth #7 To be successful, it has to be big, loud, and high tech.
My children have attended VBS at a 6,000-member mega church and a tiny, 25-member church. Both experiences were significant and life-changing. One daughter, an extrovert, loved the excitement of 800 kids crowding the sanctuary of the big church we attended. The high tech sound, lighting, and drama engaged her imagination and provided oomph to the message. The sheer number of adults volunteering their time to share the story of Jesus added a weight and credibility to the faith stories she heard that week.
My other daughter is an introvert. VBS at a large church would have been overwhelming and intimidating for her. She thrived in a small environment where everyone knew her name, and she had a chance to shine. She eagerly memorized Scripture verses every day because she knew she’d be asked to quote them one on one to her teacher. Being selected as VBS Camper of the Week was an honor she’s never forgotten and probably wouldn’t have experienced if we’d taken her to a larger program.
The key to a successful VBS program isn’t money, facilities, or manpower, it’s dedicated believers who love God and love children.
Myth #8 VBS is just a babysitting service.
For every church member who’s excited about VBS, there’s usually be one who isn’t. “People use VBS as a babysitting service,” they say. “Parents don’t care about spiritual things. They just bring their kids to get them out of their hair. And they’ll probably never come to church here, anyway.”
These statements may be true, but this shouldn’t stop you. That unsaved or uninterested parents would entrust their children to you and allow you to share your faith with them? What an opportunity! The chance to pour spiritual truth into a culture suffocated by spiritual darkness? Priceless! The privilege of loving a child in Jesus’ name? A privilege!
“The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Mat. 25:40).
Myth #9 VBS isn’t effective any more.
A national VBS statistics study from Lifeway, “VBS, a Most Effective Evangelism,” shares these impressive stats:
• 25 percent of baptisms reported by the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) come from VBS
• Every one person trained in VBS results in 1.1 salvation decisions.
• 10 percent of people enrolled in VBS are unchurched.
• 2.7 million people enroll in VBS each year.
• 72,925 people each year accept Christ as Lord and Savior.
• 2,666 people commit their lives to church-related vocations through VBS.
• 56,386 people enroll in Sunday School/Small Group Bible Study as a result of attending VBS.
These stats testify to VBS’s success on many fronts.
Would your church like to connect with more unsaved people? Host a VBS. Is it struggling to lead people to Christ? Host a VBS. Would it like to encourage people to consider full-time Christian service? Host a VBS. In whatever way your church is struggling to fulfill its mission, Vacation Bible School can be a valuable tool in its arsenal.
Myth #10 VBS is a failure if no one gets saved.
I often wonder what conversation took place at the close of VBS in the little Primitive Methodist Church I attended so long ago. Did the men and women who volunteered that week wonder if they’d wasted their time? After all, no one had accepted Jesus as their Savior. And if success is measured by whether a participant eventually became a church member, the time they invested in me was a failure.
Isaiah 55:11, however, promises us God’s Word never returns empty, but “will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Any time we speak the Word of God, whether it’s to ten children or to a thousand, he promises to use it for his good purposes. This was certainly true in my life.
As your church decides whether to have Vacation Bible School this year, and you choose whether to volunteer, Jesus, our example for life and godliness, exhorts us, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Mat. 19:14).
I can’t think of a better, more effective way to teach children about the kingdom of heaven than Vacation Bible School.
Now it's your turn. How has Vacation Bible School impacted your, your children, or your grandchildren's lives? Leave a comment below and share your story.
This article originally appeared on Crosswalk.com and is shared with their permission.
Here's a fun photo from our 2016 time together.
Next month, I'll be leading a one day seminar at Good Shepherd UM Parish in northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 14, 2018.
I'd love, love, LOVE for you to join us if you're anywhere nearby. Two years ago I met readers from Delaware, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in this same location -- how fun is that? We got to learn, worship, and pray together. It was a day-long glimpse of what heaven's going to be like when we're all together. If you're too far away, I'd love to work with your church's women's ministry to put together a one-day or weekend retreat or special women's event. Click on the Speaking Ministry tab to contact me.
Here are all the details about Today You Have Two Choices:
What: One-Day Ladies Seminar
Where: Brookville, Pennsylvania
When: July 14, 2018
Cost: $35, which includes lunch and a prayer journal
Cost Saver deadline: June 15
How to Register: Contact Kathy Shaffer (814-328-2034)
klshaffer63@windstream.net
gsumc@windstream.net
Three Fantastic Sessions:
Session 1 - Today You Have Two Choices: Grumbling or GratitudeIn this hilarious session, Lori shares a story from her life that demonstrates how life can go from cruising to crashing in an instant. We'll examine the two options that usually accompany a crash and see what God's Word (and modern-day research) have to say about them.
Session 2 - Today You Have Two Choices:Bitterness or ForgivenessBitterness, it's said, is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We know it's destructive, yet we often struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we're not even sure we want to. In this powerful session, we'll study two women who made two very different choices, learn from their examples (good and bad), and discover what God can do when we surrender our bitterness to Him.
Session 3 - Today You Have Two Choices:Fear or FaithHebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God," yet it's often easier said than done. When the circumstances of life hit us hard, fear often becomes our default setting. How can we resist fear and choose faith instead? Practical and personal, this workshop will lift your eyes beyond your circumstances to see what God can do if you commit your life to wholly trusting Him. This session includes a simple yet profound method to make your Bible reading come alive., Melissa Sylvis will lead us in worship.
When you register, please let me know so I can look forward to meeting you!
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurnerIf this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
Today, we'll look at five more myths:
Myth #6 It’s not just for kids. “VBS is also an opportunity to engage young adults in service,” says Clint Jenkin, PhD., vice president of research at Barna Group.
“So many young adults lose their connection with a local church because they feel underutilized. Churches can give key VBS volunteer roles to young adults and college kids in their congregations.
Colleges (or even large churches) could sponsor teams to travel the country and host VBS for churches that cannot afford or staff their own. Using young people as servants and not just consumers is an important way of establishing a faith that lasts.”
My small church, for example, struggles to recruit enough adult workers because many members are elderly or work during the day. For several years a team of summer evangelists from Child Evangelism Fellowship has come alongside us and made it possible for us to offer a week-long program in our neighborhood. We couldn’t have done it without them.
Some churches even offer VBS for teens and adults. Melita Thomas, in the article, “6 Things You Need to Know About Working with Adults During VBS,” says, “When we host VBS for kids only we are missing a tremendous opportunity to share God's Word and the Gospel with older siblings and parents. If the truths being taught during VBS are important for kids then they are just as important for teens and adults. LifeWay (the leading producer of VBS materials) creates VBS resources for the entire family - babies through adults - because we believe VBS remains one of the most successful ways to evangelistically reach families and not just kids.”
The Covington Baptist Association agrees. Listen to the logic in its article, “Reasons for Conducting Adult VBS.” “Parents consistently show they are interested in participating in the activities of their children. Just spend a morning at a little league ball field and you will see dozens of parents actively and enthusiastically participating in their children’s activities. If given the luxury of time and resources today’s parents often desire to take an active role in their children’s extra-curricular activities. Why should VBS be any different? Given the choice, many parents will choose to attend an Adult VBS in order to stay close to their children and know what is being taught and the people doing the teaching.”
Myth #7 To be successful, it has to be big, loud, and high tech.
My children have attended VBS at a 6,000-member mega church and a tiny, 25-member church. Both experiences were significant and life-changing. One daughter, an extrovert, loved the excitement of 800 kids crowding the sanctuary of the big church we attended. The high tech sound, lighting, and drama engaged her imagination and provided oomph to the message. The sheer number of adults volunteering their time to share the story of Jesus added a weight and credibility to the faith stories she heard that week.
My other daughter is an introvert. VBS at a large church would have been overwhelming and intimidating for her. She thrived in a small environment where everyone knew her name, and she had a chance to shine. She eagerly memorized Scripture verses every day because she knew she’d be asked to quote them one on one to her teacher. Being selected as VBS Camper of the Week was an honor she’s never forgotten and probably wouldn’t have experienced if we’d taken her to a larger program.
The key to a successful VBS program isn’t money, facilities, or manpower, it’s dedicated believers who love God and love children.
Myth #8 VBS is just a babysitting service.
For every church member who’s excited about VBS, there’s usually be one who isn’t. “People use VBS as a babysitting service,” they say. “Parents don’t care about spiritual things. They just bring their kids to get them out of their hair. And they’ll probably never come to church here, anyway.”
These statements may be true, but this shouldn’t stop you. That unsaved or uninterested parents would entrust their children to you and allow you to share your faith with them? What an opportunity! The chance to pour spiritual truth into a culture suffocated by spiritual darkness? Priceless! The privilege of loving a child in Jesus’ name? A privilege!
“The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Mat. 25:40).
Myth #9 VBS isn’t effective any more.
A national VBS statistics study from Lifeway, “VBS, a Most Effective Evangelism,” shares these impressive stats:
• 25 percent of baptisms reported by the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) come from VBS
• Every one person trained in VBS results in 1.1 salvation decisions.
• 10 percent of people enrolled in VBS are unchurched.
• 2.7 million people enroll in VBS each year.
• 72,925 people each year accept Christ as Lord and Savior.
• 2,666 people commit their lives to church-related vocations through VBS.
• 56,386 people enroll in Sunday School/Small Group Bible Study as a result of attending VBS.
These stats testify to VBS’s success on many fronts.
Would your church like to connect with more unsaved people? Host a VBS. Is it struggling to lead people to Christ? Host a VBS. Would it like to encourage people to consider full-time Christian service? Host a VBS. In whatever way your church is struggling to fulfill its mission, Vacation Bible School can be a valuable tool in its arsenal.
Myth #10 VBS is a failure if no one gets saved.
I often wonder what conversation took place at the close of VBS in the little Primitive Methodist Church I attended so long ago. Did the men and women who volunteered that week wonder if they’d wasted their time? After all, no one had accepted Jesus as their Savior. And if success is measured by whether a participant eventually became a church member, the time they invested in me was a failure.
Isaiah 55:11, however, promises us God’s Word never returns empty, but “will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Any time we speak the Word of God, whether it’s to ten children or to a thousand, he promises to use it for his good purposes. This was certainly true in my life.
As your church decides whether to have Vacation Bible School this year, and you choose whether to volunteer, Jesus, our example for life and godliness, exhorts us, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Mat. 19:14).
I can’t think of a better, more effective way to teach children about the kingdom of heaven than Vacation Bible School.
Now it's your turn. How has Vacation Bible School impacted your, your children, or your grandchildren's lives? Leave a comment below and share your story.
This article originally appeared on Crosswalk.com and is shared with their permission.
Here's a fun photo from our 2016 time together.
Next month, I'll be leading a one day seminar at Good Shepherd UM Parish in northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 14, 2018.
I'd love, love, LOVE for you to join us if you're anywhere nearby. Two years ago I met readers from Delaware, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in this same location -- how fun is that? We got to learn, worship, and pray together. It was a day-long glimpse of what heaven's going to be like when we're all together. If you're too far away, I'd love to work with your church's women's ministry to put together a one-day or weekend retreat or special women's event. Click on the Speaking Ministry tab to contact me.
Here are all the details about Today You Have Two Choices:
What: One-Day Ladies Seminar
Where: Brookville, Pennsylvania
When: July 14, 2018
Cost: $35, which includes lunch and a prayer journal
Cost Saver deadline: June 15
How to Register: Contact Kathy Shaffer (814-328-2034)
klshaffer63@windstream.net
gsumc@windstream.net
Three Fantastic Sessions:
Session 1 - Today You Have Two Choices: Grumbling or GratitudeIn this hilarious session, Lori shares a story from her life that demonstrates how life can go from cruising to crashing in an instant. We'll examine the two options that usually accompany a crash and see what God's Word (and modern-day research) have to say about them.
Session 2 - Today You Have Two Choices:Bitterness or ForgivenessBitterness, it's said, is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We know it's destructive, yet we often struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we're not even sure we want to. In this powerful session, we'll study two women who made two very different choices, learn from their examples (good and bad), and discover what God can do when we surrender our bitterness to Him.
Session 3 - Today You Have Two Choices:Fear or FaithHebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God," yet it's often easier said than done. When the circumstances of life hit us hard, fear often becomes our default setting. How can we resist fear and choose faith instead? Practical and personal, this workshop will lift your eyes beyond your circumstances to see what God can do if you commit your life to wholly trusting Him. This session includes a simple yet profound method to make your Bible reading come alive., Melissa Sylvis will lead us in worship.
When you register, please let me know so I can look forward to meeting you!
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurnerIf this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
June 20, 2018
10 Myths People Believe about VBS, Part 1
When I was six, a friend invited me to Vacation Bible School at a tiny Primitive Methodist church in our neighborhood. I’m not sure why my mother said yes to the invitation. In those days Methodists and Catholics rarely crossed each other’s liturgical thresholds. Perhaps she thought since the gathering didn’t occur on a Sunday morning, it wouldn’t count against us.
What I remember most about the experience was drinking orange Kool-Aid out of Dixie Cups, eating flower-shaped butter cookies during snack time, and memorizing Bible verses for candy. Oh, and the end-of-the-week program. I had a speaking part – two lines – which I’d learned backward and forward. Unfortunately, when my moment in the spotlight came, that’s how I delivered them – backward.
VBS remains one of the greatest evangelistic tools for churches, reaching an estimated 3,000,000 children in 2009. At least 10 percent of those were unchurched. As you and your church look ahead toward VBS 2018, let’s take a look at ten myths about this beloved summer outreach.
Myth # 1 It’s a Southern Baptist Thing.
Christianity Today, in the article, “From Beer, to Bibles, to VBS,” tells us, “It's possible to trace the roots of VBS as far back as the 1870s, when the Methodist Episcopal Church offered summer Sunday school institutes to the general public near Lake Chautauqua, New York.
“In 1873, Bishop John H. Vincent proposed the movement should include educational and cultural programs, and soon other Christian groups across the country followed suit with their own summer retreats, many of them offering services for children.”
In contrast to today’s VBS, which usually lasts for five days, early gatherings often lasted all summer. While Southern Baptist churches are among VBS’s greatest supporters, it’s safe to say they happily share the fun with many other denominations.
Myth #2 It began in the church.
Vacation Bible School as we know it today began in the 1890s. Initially, it was a plan of a compassionate doctor’s wife who sensed a need to get children off the streets of New York during the summertime. “VBS – An Historical Perspective,” tells the story: “Mrs. Walker Aylett Hawes went to New York City from Charlottesville, Virginia, with her husband who was specializing in a medical ministry to children.
She noted that many of the children attended to at her husband’s clinic received injuries as they played in the streets of New York City. She surmised that they needed something safe and fruitful to occupy their time. “In 1898 and 1899, Mrs. Hawes rented a beer hall in the city’s East Side to conduct her Everyday Bible School. Thus, Bible School began with an evangelistic thrust of taking the study to where the people were.”
Myth #3 VBS is old-fashioned and out dated.
While some equate VBS with days gone by, Vacation Bible School has transitioned nicely into the 21st century and continues to be immensely popular. “According to a Barna study commissioned by Gospel Light, more than two out of three churches in America (68%) offered VBS in 2012, and 91% of Southern Baptist Churches sponsored the annual event.
In recent years, this level of involvement has remained fairly stable.” Two-thirds of the churches in America offer VBS programs. The pastors most likely to champion VBS for their churches are the Boomers, people aged 30-48. Perhaps they remember their own VBS experiences or are more likely to have VBS-aged children.
Myth #4 Children are too young to make lasting decisions for Christ.
Many express doubts about the authenticity of children’s faith decisions, saying that peer pressure or a desire to please their teachers prompt many children to “walk an aisle” or pray to receive Christ. Researchers who surveyed adults who identify themselves as born again believers, however discovered a strong link to their childhood VBS experiences.
A Barna research study indicates “nearly half of all Americans who accept Jesus Christ as their savior do so before reaching the age of 13 (43%), and that two out of three born again Christians (64%) made that commitment to Christ before their 18th birthday. “Additionally, the trajectory for a person’s lifetime habits and behaviors—including spiritual behaviors—are often set in childhood, an idea explored in George Barna’s book, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions.”
Myth #5 VBS is for big churches.
While it is true that large churches (more than 250 in attendance and an operating budget of $500K or more) are 91% more likely to sponsor a summer program, 56% of smaller churches do also. These statistics give a nod to the very real cost of hosting VBS. Curriculum, craft materials, and snacks all cost money, especially since the programs are usually offered free of charge to participants.
Larger congregations also provide a greater pool of volunteers from which to draw, a significant factor in the success of such an endeavor. Smaller churches, like the one I attend, can still successfully host a VBS.
During the year we keep an eye out for craft material sales, and have sometimes borrowed VBS curriculum from a larger church in our city. Older members who are physically unable to volunteer contribute by providing snacks and doing prep work. A special offering allows members to supplement what the church budget has allotted.
I don't know how many people can look back at their spiritual lives and point to Vacation Bible School as an invaluable step in their faith walk. Only heaven will reveal it, but I know I can. If you're involved in VBS this summer, may God richly bless you!
Tune in Monday to read Part 2 and learn five more myths people believe about VBS. You might be surprised :)
This article originally appeared on Crosswalk.com and is shared with permission.
Here's a fun photo from our 2016 time together.
Next month, I'll be leading a one day seminar at Good Shepherd UM Parish in northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 14, 2018.
I'd love, love, LOVE for you to join us if you're anywhere nearby. Two years ago I met readers from Delaware, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in this same location -- how fun is that? We got to learn, worship, and pray together. It was a day-long glimpse of what heaven's going to be like when we're all together. If you're too far away, I'd love to work with your church's women's ministry to put together a one-day or weekend retreat or special women's event. Click on the Speaking Ministry tab to contact me.
Here are all the details about Today You Have Two Choices:
What: One-Day Ladies Seminar
Where: Brookville, Pennsylvania
When: July 14, 2018
Cost: $35, which includes lunch and a prayer journal
Cost Saver deadline: June 15
How to Register: Contact Kathy Shaffer (814-328-2034)
klshaffer63@windstream.net
gsumc@windstream.net
Three Fantastic Sessions:
Session 1 - Today You Have Two Choices: Grumbling or GratitudeIn this hilarious session, Lori shares a story from her life that demonstrates how life can go from cruising to crashing in an instant. We'll examine the two options that usually accompany a crash and see what God's Word (and modern-day research) have to say about them.
Session 2 - Today You Have Two Choices:Bitterness or ForgivenessBitterness, it's said, is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We know it's destructive, yet we often struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we're not even sure we want to. In this powerful session, we'll study two women who made two very different choices, learn from their examples (good and bad), and discover what God can do when we surrender our bitterness to Him.
Session 3 - Today You Have Two Choices:Fear or FaithHebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God," yet it's often easier said than done. When the circumstances of life hit us hard, fear often becomes our default setting. How can we resist fear and choose faith instead? Practical and personal, this workshop will lift your eyes beyond your circumstances to see what God can do if you commit your life to wholly trusting Him. This session includes a simple yet profound method to make your Bible reading come alive., Melissa Sylvis will lead us in worship.
When you register, please let me know so I can look forward to meeting you!
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurnerIf this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
What I remember most about the experience was drinking orange Kool-Aid out of Dixie Cups, eating flower-shaped butter cookies during snack time, and memorizing Bible verses for candy. Oh, and the end-of-the-week program. I had a speaking part – two lines – which I’d learned backward and forward. Unfortunately, when my moment in the spotlight came, that’s how I delivered them – backward.
VBS remains one of the greatest evangelistic tools for churches, reaching an estimated 3,000,000 children in 2009. At least 10 percent of those were unchurched. As you and your church look ahead toward VBS 2018, let’s take a look at ten myths about this beloved summer outreach. Myth # 1 It’s a Southern Baptist Thing.
Christianity Today, in the article, “From Beer, to Bibles, to VBS,” tells us, “It's possible to trace the roots of VBS as far back as the 1870s, when the Methodist Episcopal Church offered summer Sunday school institutes to the general public near Lake Chautauqua, New York.
“In 1873, Bishop John H. Vincent proposed the movement should include educational and cultural programs, and soon other Christian groups across the country followed suit with their own summer retreats, many of them offering services for children.”
In contrast to today’s VBS, which usually lasts for five days, early gatherings often lasted all summer. While Southern Baptist churches are among VBS’s greatest supporters, it’s safe to say they happily share the fun with many other denominations.
Myth #2 It began in the church.
Vacation Bible School as we know it today began in the 1890s. Initially, it was a plan of a compassionate doctor’s wife who sensed a need to get children off the streets of New York during the summertime. “VBS – An Historical Perspective,” tells the story: “Mrs. Walker Aylett Hawes went to New York City from Charlottesville, Virginia, with her husband who was specializing in a medical ministry to children.
She noted that many of the children attended to at her husband’s clinic received injuries as they played in the streets of New York City. She surmised that they needed something safe and fruitful to occupy their time. “In 1898 and 1899, Mrs. Hawes rented a beer hall in the city’s East Side to conduct her Everyday Bible School. Thus, Bible School began with an evangelistic thrust of taking the study to where the people were.”
Myth #3 VBS is old-fashioned and out dated.
While some equate VBS with days gone by, Vacation Bible School has transitioned nicely into the 21st century and continues to be immensely popular. “According to a Barna study commissioned by Gospel Light, more than two out of three churches in America (68%) offered VBS in 2012, and 91% of Southern Baptist Churches sponsored the annual event.
In recent years, this level of involvement has remained fairly stable.” Two-thirds of the churches in America offer VBS programs. The pastors most likely to champion VBS for their churches are the Boomers, people aged 30-48. Perhaps they remember their own VBS experiences or are more likely to have VBS-aged children.
Myth #4 Children are too young to make lasting decisions for Christ.
Many express doubts about the authenticity of children’s faith decisions, saying that peer pressure or a desire to please their teachers prompt many children to “walk an aisle” or pray to receive Christ. Researchers who surveyed adults who identify themselves as born again believers, however discovered a strong link to their childhood VBS experiences.
A Barna research study indicates “nearly half of all Americans who accept Jesus Christ as their savior do so before reaching the age of 13 (43%), and that two out of three born again Christians (64%) made that commitment to Christ before their 18th birthday. “Additionally, the trajectory for a person’s lifetime habits and behaviors—including spiritual behaviors—are often set in childhood, an idea explored in George Barna’s book, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions.”
Myth #5 VBS is for big churches.
While it is true that large churches (more than 250 in attendance and an operating budget of $500K or more) are 91% more likely to sponsor a summer program, 56% of smaller churches do also. These statistics give a nod to the very real cost of hosting VBS. Curriculum, craft materials, and snacks all cost money, especially since the programs are usually offered free of charge to participants.
Larger congregations also provide a greater pool of volunteers from which to draw, a significant factor in the success of such an endeavor. Smaller churches, like the one I attend, can still successfully host a VBS.
During the year we keep an eye out for craft material sales, and have sometimes borrowed VBS curriculum from a larger church in our city. Older members who are physically unable to volunteer contribute by providing snacks and doing prep work. A special offering allows members to supplement what the church budget has allotted.
I don't know how many people can look back at their spiritual lives and point to Vacation Bible School as an invaluable step in their faith walk. Only heaven will reveal it, but I know I can. If you're involved in VBS this summer, may God richly bless you!
Tune in Monday to read Part 2 and learn five more myths people believe about VBS. You might be surprised :)
This article originally appeared on Crosswalk.com and is shared with permission.
Here's a fun photo from our 2016 time together.
Next month, I'll be leading a one day seminar at Good Shepherd UM Parish in northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 14, 2018.
I'd love, love, LOVE for you to join us if you're anywhere nearby. Two years ago I met readers from Delaware, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in this same location -- how fun is that? We got to learn, worship, and pray together. It was a day-long glimpse of what heaven's going to be like when we're all together. If you're too far away, I'd love to work with your church's women's ministry to put together a one-day or weekend retreat or special women's event. Click on the Speaking Ministry tab to contact me.
Here are all the details about Today You Have Two Choices:
What: One-Day Ladies Seminar
Where: Brookville, Pennsylvania
When: July 14, 2018
Cost: $35, which includes lunch and a prayer journal
Cost Saver deadline: June 15
How to Register: Contact Kathy Shaffer (814-328-2034)
klshaffer63@windstream.net
gsumc@windstream.net
Three Fantastic Sessions:
Session 1 - Today You Have Two Choices: Grumbling or GratitudeIn this hilarious session, Lori shares a story from her life that demonstrates how life can go from cruising to crashing in an instant. We'll examine the two options that usually accompany a crash and see what God's Word (and modern-day research) have to say about them.
Session 2 - Today You Have Two Choices:Bitterness or ForgivenessBitterness, it's said, is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We know it's destructive, yet we often struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we're not even sure we want to. In this powerful session, we'll study two women who made two very different choices, learn from their examples (good and bad), and discover what God can do when we surrender our bitterness to Him.
Session 3 - Today You Have Two Choices:Fear or FaithHebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God," yet it's often easier said than done. When the circumstances of life hit us hard, fear often becomes our default setting. How can we resist fear and choose faith instead? Practical and personal, this workshop will lift your eyes beyond your circumstances to see what God can do if you commit your life to wholly trusting Him. This session includes a simple yet profound method to make your Bible reading come alive., Melissa Sylvis will lead us in worship.
When you register, please let me know so I can look forward to meeting you!
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurnerIf this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
June 17, 2018
When Your Situation Seems Hopeless
Life is hard, but sometimes it seems impossible. If this is the perspective from your window, perhaps you can identify King Abijah and the army of Judah.
In his corner of the world, it was ugly.
And scary.
Photo credit Kristen Hatcher
You’d think a force of 400,000 valiant warriors would be enough to guarantee a victory, but the enemy had 800,000. Outnumbered two to one by a superior fighting force, things weren’t looking good for the army of Judah.
But instead of raising the white flag, Abijah, the army’s king, took a bold stand.
“Don’t you know that the Lord God of Israel gave us this land?” (2 Chr. 13:15) he shouted across no-man’s land to Jeroboam and his army. “You turned your back on him, but as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him.”
Then he issued a final warning: “Do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper.”
You’d think, after making such a declaration of trust in God, things would have gotten better. But they didn’t. Battle conditions went South faster than a college kid on Spring Break.
While Abijah was telling the front half of the army what he thought of it, the back half was sneaking around behind him to set up an ambush.
“When Judah looked around, to their surprise, the battle line was at both front and rear.” Like a bowl of M&Ms in a room full of toddlers, they were not only surrounded, but about to be consumed.
But if brave Abijah and his army were going down, they were going down with God’s name on their lips.
“They cried out to the Lord, and the priests sounded the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout.”
Guess what happened next?
“God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. And the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand.”
Five hundred thousand choice men of Israel fell slain . . . “and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord God of their fathers.”
I don’t know about you, but some days I feel like Abijah and his army. Surrounded by things that seem too powerful to overcome in my own strength, I have two choices: surrender or stand.
You face the same decision. Will you surrender to the emotions and circumstances that threaten your peace, safety, and well being? Or will you stand on the promises of God’s Word and trust his power to meet your needs, defend your cause, and deliver your soul?
When the battle grows fierce around us and the enemy squeezes hard on all sides, there’s only one true option for the children of God. We must stand our ground, cry out to the Lord, and watch for his deliverance.
Are you facing a challenge that seems impossible? I pray God will give you the faith to stand, cry out to him, and wait for the victory.
To help Abijah's message stay with you today, here's a musical reminder. If you're reading by email, click here to hear Petra's "The Battle Belongs to the Lord."
Here's a fun photo from our 2016 time together.
Next month, I'll be leading a one day seminar at Good Shepherd UM Parish in northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 14, 2018.
I'd love, love, LOVE for you to join us if you're anywhere nearby. Two years ago I met readers from Delaware, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in this same location -- how fun is that? We got to learn, worship, and pray together. It was a day-long glimpse of what heaven's going to be like when we're all together. If you're too far away, I'd love to work with your church's women's ministry to put together a one-day or weekend retreat or special women's event. Click on the Speaking Ministry tab to contact me.
Here are all the details about Today You Have Two Choices:
What: One-Day Ladies Seminar
Where: Brookville, Pennsylvania
When: July 14, 2018
Cost: $35, which includes lunch and a prayer journal
Cost Saver deadline: June 15
How to Register: Contact Kathy Shaffer (814-328-2034)
klshaffer63@windstream.net
gsumc@windstream.net
Three Fantastic Sessions:
Session 1 - Today You Have Two Choices: Grumbling or GratitudeIn this hilarious session, Lori shares a story from her life that demonstrates how life can go from cruising to crashing in an instant. We'll examine the two options that usually accompany a crash and see what God's Word (and modern-day research) have to say about them.
Session 2 - Today You Have Two Choices:Bitterness or ForgivenessBitterness, it's said, is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We know it's destructive, yet we often struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we're not even sure we want to. In this powerful session, we'll study two women who made two very different choices, learn from their examples (good and bad), and discover what God can do when we surrender our bitterness to Him.
Session 3 - Today You Have Two Choices:Fear or FaithHebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God," yet it's often easier said than done. When the circumstances of life hit us hard, fear often becomes our default setting. How can we resist fear and choose faith instead? Practical and personal, this workshop will lift your eyes beyond your circumstances to see what God can do if you commit your life to wholly trusting Him. This session includes a simple yet profound method to make your Bible reading come alive., Melissa Sylvis will lead us in worship.
When you register, please let me know so I can look forward to meeting you!
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurner
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
In his corner of the world, it was ugly.
And scary.
Photo credit Kristen HatcherYou’d think a force of 400,000 valiant warriors would be enough to guarantee a victory, but the enemy had 800,000. Outnumbered two to one by a superior fighting force, things weren’t looking good for the army of Judah.
But instead of raising the white flag, Abijah, the army’s king, took a bold stand.
“Don’t you know that the Lord God of Israel gave us this land?” (2 Chr. 13:15) he shouted across no-man’s land to Jeroboam and his army. “You turned your back on him, but as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him.”
Then he issued a final warning: “Do not fight against the Lord God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper.”
You’d think, after making such a declaration of trust in God, things would have gotten better. But they didn’t. Battle conditions went South faster than a college kid on Spring Break.
While Abijah was telling the front half of the army what he thought of it, the back half was sneaking around behind him to set up an ambush.
“When Judah looked around, to their surprise, the battle line was at both front and rear.” Like a bowl of M&Ms in a room full of toddlers, they were not only surrounded, but about to be consumed.
But if brave Abijah and his army were going down, they were going down with God’s name on their lips.
“They cried out to the Lord, and the priests sounded the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout.”
Guess what happened next?
“God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. And the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand.”
Five hundred thousand choice men of Israel fell slain . . . “and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord God of their fathers.”
I don’t know about you, but some days I feel like Abijah and his army. Surrounded by things that seem too powerful to overcome in my own strength, I have two choices: surrender or stand.
You face the same decision. Will you surrender to the emotions and circumstances that threaten your peace, safety, and well being? Or will you stand on the promises of God’s Word and trust his power to meet your needs, defend your cause, and deliver your soul?
When the battle grows fierce around us and the enemy squeezes hard on all sides, there’s only one true option for the children of God. We must stand our ground, cry out to the Lord, and watch for his deliverance.
Are you facing a challenge that seems impossible? I pray God will give you the faith to stand, cry out to him, and wait for the victory.
To help Abijah's message stay with you today, here's a musical reminder. If you're reading by email, click here to hear Petra's "The Battle Belongs to the Lord."
Here's a fun photo from our 2016 time together.
Next month, I'll be leading a one day seminar at Good Shepherd UM Parish in northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 14, 2018.
I'd love, love, LOVE for you to join us if you're anywhere nearby. Two years ago I met readers from Delaware, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in this same location -- how fun is that? We got to learn, worship, and pray together. It was a day-long glimpse of what heaven's going to be like when we're all together. If you're too far away, I'd love to work with your church's women's ministry to put together a one-day or weekend retreat or special women's event. Click on the Speaking Ministry tab to contact me.
Here are all the details about Today You Have Two Choices:
What: One-Day Ladies Seminar
Where: Brookville, Pennsylvania
When: July 14, 2018
Cost: $35, which includes lunch and a prayer journal
Cost Saver deadline: June 15
How to Register: Contact Kathy Shaffer (814-328-2034)
klshaffer63@windstream.net
gsumc@windstream.net
Three Fantastic Sessions:
Session 1 - Today You Have Two Choices: Grumbling or GratitudeIn this hilarious session, Lori shares a story from her life that demonstrates how life can go from cruising to crashing in an instant. We'll examine the two options that usually accompany a crash and see what God's Word (and modern-day research) have to say about them.
Session 2 - Today You Have Two Choices:Bitterness or ForgivenessBitterness, it's said, is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We know it's destructive, yet we often struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we're not even sure we want to. In this powerful session, we'll study two women who made two very different choices, learn from their examples (good and bad), and discover what God can do when we surrender our bitterness to Him.
Session 3 - Today You Have Two Choices:Fear or FaithHebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God," yet it's often easier said than done. When the circumstances of life hit us hard, fear often becomes our default setting. How can we resist fear and choose faith instead? Practical and personal, this workshop will lift your eyes beyond your circumstances to see what God can do if you commit your life to wholly trusting Him. This session includes a simple yet profound method to make your Bible reading come alive., Melissa Sylvis will lead us in worship.
When you register, please let me know so I can look forward to meeting you!
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurner
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
June 13, 2018
The Cactus and the Petunia
There’s a spot in my yard I refer to as The Desert. An unfortunate corner on the eastern side of my house, this flower bed sits under both the eaves and a section of gutter that protects my yard from too much water flowing off the roof. Trust me when I say that no rain falls on this patch of earth.
To add to the barrenness of this cubic yard of dirt, my neighbors tell me the previous owner’s basset hound used to nap there. Regularly. Not surprisingly, everything I’ve planted in this spot dies, usually a slow, painful death.
In the first year of our home ownership, I planted one of my favorite summer annuals, hot pink, striped petunias. In less than two weeks, despite conscientious hand-watering, they became crunchier than potato chips.
Then I tried my second-favorite summer flower, impatiens. After three weeks, all that was left were crispy brown clumps that looked more like fire starters than landscaping plants.
One day a friend visited from Colorado. “I brought some cactus plants from my yard. Would you like them? I’d be glad to plant them if you’ll tell me where.”
“Sure,” I said doubtfully, “Put them in The Desert.”
Since I’d given up on that corner of my landscape, I hadn’t given the cactus sprigs much thought until recently, when I happened to glance that way. Imagine my delight when I discovered that not only were the cactus plants still alive, they were flush with new growth.
What was a dying wasteland to some plants was a glorious sahara to others. Instead of wasting away from lack of water like the tender petunias, the cactus grew tougher and more resistant. Instead of withering in the intense eastern sunlight like the impatiens, the sunnier it got, the more they thrived. At long last, The Desert was no longer barren.
I learned a lesson from that challenging patch of earth. Instead of accepting that spot for what it was, I tried to make it something it was never meant be. Not only that, I forced my preferences upon it, ignoring (and despising) its unique nature.
I do this with people sometimes, too. I get impatient with those who don’t act, think, or move as fast as I do. I struggle with people who approach decision-making differently than I. And I can’t imagine why everyone doesn’t see life through my perspective.
If I’m not careful, I miss the beauty and value of different approaches, perspectives, and methods. I forget that behind the differences that separate us is God’s creative hand making each person unique for his glory and our good.
What about you? Do you struggle with realizing that different isn’t wrong, just different? Why not join me today in celebrating the marvelous diversity God has placed in our world? Look long and hard at the person in your life whose differences most challenge you. Instead of complaining, ask God to show you the positive side of their differing qualities.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).
Now it’s your turn. When have you discovered that what you saw as a negative quality actually turned out to be a positive one? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts. If you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to visit Hungry for God online and comment there.
Here's a fun photo from our 2016 time together.
Next month, I'll be leading a one day seminar at Good Shepherd UM Parish in northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 14, 2018.
I'd love, love, LOVE for you to join us if you're anywhere nearby. Two years ago I met readers from Delaware, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in this same location -- how fun was that? We got to learn, worship, and pray together. It was a day-long glimpse of what heaven's going to be like when we're all together. If you're too far away, I'd love to work with your church's women's ministry to put together a one-day or weekend retreat or special women's event. Click on the Speaking Ministry tab to contact me.
Here are all the details about Today You Have Two Choices:
What: One-Day Ladies Seminar
Where: Brookville, Pennsylvania
When: July 14, 2018
Cost: $35, which includes lunch and a prayer journal
Cost Saver deadline: June 15
How to Register: Contact Kathy Shaffer (814-328-2034)
klshaffer63@windstream.net
gsumc@windstream.net
Three Fantastic Sessions:
Session 1 - Today You Have Two Choices: Grumbling or GratitudeIn this hilarious session, Lori shares a story from her life that demonstrates how life can go from cruising to crashing in an instant. We'll examine the two options that usually accompany a crash and see what God's Word (and modern-day research) have to say about them.
Session 2 - Today You Have Two Choices:Bitterness or ForgivenessBitterness, it's said, is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We know it's destructive, yet we often struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we're not even sure we want to. In this powerful session, we'll study two women who made two very different choices, learn from their examples (good and bad), and discover what God can do when we surrender our bitterness to Him.
Session 3 - Today You Have Two Choices:Fear or FaithHebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God," yet it's often easier said than done. When the circumstances of life hit us hard, fear often becomes our default setting. How can we resist fear and choose faith instead? Practical and personal, this workshop will lift your eyes beyond your circumstances to see what God can do if you commit your life to wholly trusting Him. This session includes a simple yet profound method to make your Bible reading come alive., Melissa Sylvis will lead us in worship.
When you register, please let me know so I can look forward to meeting you!
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurner
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
June 10, 2018
9 Words to Bring Simplicity to Our Complicated World
In a complicated world, simplicity stands out. Micah 6:8 is one of those verses that brings clarity to our world.
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
We often wonder what the Lord requires of us. We debate complicated theology and complex life plans, but God spells it out in nine words
To act justly. To love mercy. To walk humbly.
To act justly
To act justly means to treat people fairly, equally, impartially, and honestly. It means pulling our weight in the work place. Going beyond what is expected of us. Looking for ways to bless and serve our coworkers and employers. It means paying our bills on time, before we spend our money on non-essential purchases.
It means never pilfering – not a stamp, an envelope, or our employer’s time. If we’re on the clock, we should be working. The Golden Rule sums up what it looks like to act justly.
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,” (Mat. 7:12).
To love mercy
Mercy has its basis in Christ’s work on the cross. Although we deserve to spend eternity separated from God in a place called hell, God extends mercy to us. He sacrificed his Son, Jesus, on a cruel Roman cross to make a way for us to live with him forever in Heaven.
What undeserved favor. What grace. What mercy.
Because God extended the greatest act of mercy toward us – giving us what we didn’t deserve and could never earn – we, too, can freely extend mercy to others. We respond kindly to obnoxious and rude people. We leave a generous tip despite poor service. (Don’t worry about reinforcing a bad work ethic. There will be plenty of other customers who will point it out. Be different and extend mercy.) We look for ways to demonstrate kindness and respect to the most difficult among us. Mercy is compassionate, and tenderhearted.
To walk humbly
James 4:6 tells us God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Can you think of a more frightening thing than having the God of the universe oppose us?
And who doesn’t need more grace?
God promises his unmerited favor – grace – when we walk humbly before him. Walking humbly with God doesn’t mean thinking poorly of ourselves. It means not thinking of ourselves at all. A humble life is other-focused. It serves, gives, and builds others up.
Instead of responding defensively to a rebuke, correction, or criticism, humble people listen. They look for truth and make necessary changes, regardless of how the correction was delivered. The humble never forget where they came from. They remember their spiritual beginnings and respond with patience and grace to others’ youth, immaturity, or blind spots.
Instead of pridefully holding on to bitterness and anger when others wrong them, they forgive. They know God has forgiven a great sin-debt on their behalf. To fully embrace their freedom in Christ, they forgive as he forgave.
To act justly. To love mercy. To walk humbly with your God. Three simple instructions for a complicated world. Consider for a moment how different our lives would be if we kept these three in mind.
Now it’s your turn. Can you think of an example of someone who has acted justly, loved mercy, or walked humbly? I’d love to hear your story. Leave a comment below to share your thoughts. If you’re reading by email, click HERE to visit Hungry for God online and leave a comment at the bottom.
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurner
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
June 7, 2018
Could God Be Testing You?
My grandmother was a Portuguese immigrant. The daughter of textile mill workers, she was much older than the English speaking students in her class, and they mocked her. She quit school after the fourth grade when she learned to read, write, and do simple math.
At 14, she lied about her age so she could join her parents and eldest brother in the mill. When mill work became too strenuous, she hired herself out to babysit other mill workers’ children.
She once told me a story about the first man for whom she worked. “Money was always tight,” she said. “They had five children. But every now and then Mr. P. would leave money lying around on a table or a dresser. I wondered why he would be so careless. . .”
Peering at me over the top of her over-sized reading glasses, she raised an eyebrow and shook her finger. “THEN I figured it out. He was testing me. He wanted to see if I was honest.” Her eyes looked beyond mine and into the past. “I never took anything,” she said softly. “Not even a coin I found in his pocket when I was doing the laundry.”
The concept of testing is biblical.
God tested Abraham when he told him to sacrifice Isaac on the altar (Genesis 22:1). God tested Hezekiah, too: “But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart” (2 Chr. 32:31).
Because God is omniscient (all knowing), he knew Abraham would trust his promises and be willing to sacrifice Isaac on the altar, so why did he test him? He knew what was in Hezekiah’s heart and how he would respond to the test set before him, so why did he test him?
And why does he test us?
Maybe because Abraham needed to know whether he loved God more than anyone and anything else. And maybe because Hezekiah needed to know whether his heart was wholly committed to the Lord.
Times of testing, when circumstances are overwhelming and God seems far away force us to make a choice: will we believe God’s promises, or will we allow our circumstances to steal our faith?
Joshua summed up the choice in one sentence: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,” (Josh. 24:15).
Mr. P. didn't leave money around because he hoped my grandmother would steal. He left money around so she could prove she was honest. God doesn't test our faith because he hopes we will fail. He tests us so we can stake our faith firmly on him.
If you’re going through a faith crisis, I challenge you to keep your eyes on Jesus. Trust him with your past, your present, and your future. Throw in your whole lot with the one who loved you enough to die for you.
I can say with confidence, God will not disappoint you.
When you weather a crisis and come out on the other side with your faith not only intact, but stronger than ever, God will use your testimony to strengthen and encourage others. He’ll give you authentic and indisputable faith stories. He’ll use your tears to water others’ fledgling faith, and he’ll use your obedience to accomplish spiritual deeds on his behalf—all because you passed the faith test.
So how do we pass? By mustering up our own courage, strength, or trust?
No.
We pass God's test by clinging tightly to his hand, asking him to strengthen us, and trusting his will for our lives. We say with Joshua, “as for me and my household, (no matter what) we will serve the LORD.”
I hope one day I'll hear God say the same words he said to Abraham: “Now I know that you fear God.”
What about you? Are you experiencing a trial? Could it be a test from the Lord to strengthen your faith? God's given you the power to pass the test, and he's rooting for you. How are you going to respond?
Next month, I'll be leading a one day seminar at Good Shepherd UM Parish in northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 14, 2018.
I'd love, love, LOVE for you to join us if you're anywhere nearby. Two years ago I met readers from Delaware, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in this same location -- how fun was that? We got to learn, worship, and pray together. It was a day-long glimpse of what heaven's going to be like when we're all together. If you're too far away, I'd love to work with your church's women's ministry to put together a one-day or weekend retreat or special women's event. Click on the Speaking Ministry tab to contact me.
Here are all the details about Today You Have Two Choices:
What: One-Day Ladies Seminar
Where: Brookville, Pennsylvania
When: July 14, 2018
Cost: $35, which includes lunch and a prayer journal
Cost Saver deadline: June 15
How to Register: Contact Kathy Shaffer (814-328-2034)
klshaffer63@windstream.net
gsumc@windstream.net
Three Fantastic Sessions:
Session 1 - Today You Have Two Choices: Grumbling or GratitudeIn this hilarious session, Lori shares a story from her life that demonstrates how life can go from cruising to crashing in an instant. We'll examine the two options that usually accompany a crash and see what God's Word (and modern-day research) have to say about them.
Session 2 - Today You Have Two Choices:Bitterness or ForgivenessBitterness, it's said, is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We know it's destructive, yet we often struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we're not even sure we want to. In this powerful session, we'll study two women who made two very different choices, learn from their examples (good and bad), and discover what God can do when we surrender our bitterness to Him.
Session 3 - Today You Have Two Choices:Fear or FaithHebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God," yet it's often easier said than done. When the circumstances of life hit us hard, fear often becomes our default setting. How can we resist fear and choose faith instead? Practical and personal, this workshop will lift your eyes beyond your circumstances to see what God can do if you commit your life to wholly trusting Him. This session includes a simple yet profound method to make your Bible reading come alive., Melissa Sylvis will lead us in worship.
When you register, please let me know so I can look forward to meeting you!
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurner
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
At 14, she lied about her age so she could join her parents and eldest brother in the mill. When mill work became too strenuous, she hired herself out to babysit other mill workers’ children.
She once told me a story about the first man for whom she worked. “Money was always tight,” she said. “They had five children. But every now and then Mr. P. would leave money lying around on a table or a dresser. I wondered why he would be so careless. . .”Peering at me over the top of her over-sized reading glasses, she raised an eyebrow and shook her finger. “THEN I figured it out. He was testing me. He wanted to see if I was honest.” Her eyes looked beyond mine and into the past. “I never took anything,” she said softly. “Not even a coin I found in his pocket when I was doing the laundry.”
The concept of testing is biblical.
God tested Abraham when he told him to sacrifice Isaac on the altar (Genesis 22:1). God tested Hezekiah, too: “But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart” (2 Chr. 32:31).
Because God is omniscient (all knowing), he knew Abraham would trust his promises and be willing to sacrifice Isaac on the altar, so why did he test him? He knew what was in Hezekiah’s heart and how he would respond to the test set before him, so why did he test him?
And why does he test us?
Maybe because Abraham needed to know whether he loved God more than anyone and anything else. And maybe because Hezekiah needed to know whether his heart was wholly committed to the Lord.
Times of testing, when circumstances are overwhelming and God seems far away force us to make a choice: will we believe God’s promises, or will we allow our circumstances to steal our faith?
Joshua summed up the choice in one sentence: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,” (Josh. 24:15).
Mr. P. didn't leave money around because he hoped my grandmother would steal. He left money around so she could prove she was honest. God doesn't test our faith because he hopes we will fail. He tests us so we can stake our faith firmly on him.
If you’re going through a faith crisis, I challenge you to keep your eyes on Jesus. Trust him with your past, your present, and your future. Throw in your whole lot with the one who loved you enough to die for you.
I can say with confidence, God will not disappoint you.
When you weather a crisis and come out on the other side with your faith not only intact, but stronger than ever, God will use your testimony to strengthen and encourage others. He’ll give you authentic and indisputable faith stories. He’ll use your tears to water others’ fledgling faith, and he’ll use your obedience to accomplish spiritual deeds on his behalf—all because you passed the faith test.So how do we pass? By mustering up our own courage, strength, or trust?
No.
We pass God's test by clinging tightly to his hand, asking him to strengthen us, and trusting his will for our lives. We say with Joshua, “as for me and my household, (no matter what) we will serve the LORD.”
I hope one day I'll hear God say the same words he said to Abraham: “Now I know that you fear God.”
What about you? Are you experiencing a trial? Could it be a test from the Lord to strengthen your faith? God's given you the power to pass the test, and he's rooting for you. How are you going to respond?
Next month, I'll be leading a one day seminar at Good Shepherd UM Parish in northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 14, 2018.
I'd love, love, LOVE for you to join us if you're anywhere nearby. Two years ago I met readers from Delaware, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in this same location -- how fun was that? We got to learn, worship, and pray together. It was a day-long glimpse of what heaven's going to be like when we're all together. If you're too far away, I'd love to work with your church's women's ministry to put together a one-day or weekend retreat or special women's event. Click on the Speaking Ministry tab to contact me.
Here are all the details about Today You Have Two Choices:
What: One-Day Ladies Seminar
Where: Brookville, Pennsylvania
When: July 14, 2018
Cost: $35, which includes lunch and a prayer journal
Cost Saver deadline: June 15
How to Register: Contact Kathy Shaffer (814-328-2034)
klshaffer63@windstream.net
gsumc@windstream.net
Three Fantastic Sessions:
Session 1 - Today You Have Two Choices: Grumbling or GratitudeIn this hilarious session, Lori shares a story from her life that demonstrates how life can go from cruising to crashing in an instant. We'll examine the two options that usually accompany a crash and see what God's Word (and modern-day research) have to say about them.
Session 2 - Today You Have Two Choices:Bitterness or ForgivenessBitterness, it's said, is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We know it's destructive, yet we often struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we're not even sure we want to. In this powerful session, we'll study two women who made two very different choices, learn from their examples (good and bad), and discover what God can do when we surrender our bitterness to Him.
Session 3 - Today You Have Two Choices:Fear or FaithHebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God," yet it's often easier said than done. When the circumstances of life hit us hard, fear often becomes our default setting. How can we resist fear and choose faith instead? Practical and personal, this workshop will lift your eyes beyond your circumstances to see what God can do if you commit your life to wholly trusting Him. This session includes a simple yet profound method to make your Bible reading come alive., Melissa Sylvis will lead us in worship.
When you register, please let me know so I can look forward to meeting you!
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
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If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
June 4, 2018
4 Reasons Why We Need Womens Retreats AND an Invitation
This summer, what could be better than time away? How about time away to rest, reflect, learn, worship, and fellowship with other women at a women's retreat? Summer is the perfect time to gather with other women for spiritual refreshment, but there are also a hundred reasons not to go.
“I can’t be gone for a whole weekend. Who will take the kids to soccer?”
“My husband hates it when I’m gone. It’s not worth the hassle.”
“It’s out of my comfort zone and a little scary.”
Some years the voices win out, and we stay home. Later, when we hear the glowing reports about how wonderful it was, we feel a pang of regret, but it doesn’t last long. “Oh well,” we say, “maybe next year.” Other times we make the extra effort, and we’re the ones sharing happy stories and telling how glad we are that we attended.
I’ve been a Christian for over 30 years, and I’m a firm believer in women’s retreats. Here are a few reasons why, with accompanying reinforcement from Scripture.
Why We Need Women’s Retreats:
1. Because it’s hard to hear God’s voice above the noise of everyday life.When was the last time you sat before God without a To Do list hanging over you, a pile of laundry the size of Texas Stadium in the background, or family members pressing in on all sides? If you can’t remember, you need to attend a retreat.
“To retreat” means leaving our normally occupied positions and going to a place of safety, quiet, and seclusion. By attending a retreat, we physically remove ourselves from life’s distractions, the call of chores, and the demands of people in order to make space for God.
If you think you’re less spiritual because you struggle to hear from God over the cacophony of your daily life, be encouraged. Even Jesus recognized the value and need to get away.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35).
Jesus retreated.
2. Because we need each other. Faith is contagious. Just like a virulent virus, it passes from person to person through close contact. Today’s busy world allows little time for women to share faith stories, pray together, and hear biblical messages written with them in mind. As we consider and apply God’s Word together, we learn from each others' varied backgrounds, experiences, and insights. The better we understand God, the stronger our faith becomes. Then we can strengthen others. Hearing other women’s testimonies about God’s faithfulness helps me realize that God will also take care of me. Hebrews 10:25 spotlights the value of mutual encouragement and warns us not to neglect corporate worship: “ Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.”
3. Because meeting together spurs us on to “love and good works” (Heb. 10:24). The Greek word for “spur on” is paroxusmus, which means to stir someone up. It has negative connotations, such as stirring up disagreement, but in this passage, it underscores the fact that meeting together as believers helps us love and serve God and each other better.
4. Standing side by side with our sisters in Christ and worshiping, praying, and learning about our precious Savior makes us stronger. When I join a group of women singing praise songs to God, I experience a taste of what Heaven’s going to be like when we’re gathered around his throne. When I sit with my sisters and open God’s Word, the insights I gain as we study together add weight and credence to its truth. When I pray for others, and they pray for me, I know I’m not alone, no matter how heavy my burden is. Some years their faith strengthens me, and other years my faith strengthens them. Together we bear each others' burdens.
For these and many other reasons, I place a high priority on women’s retreats.
When my children were young, it took a great deal of planning and preparation to be leave my family. I’d prepare meals in advance, swap carpool duties, and cash in spend-the-night favors. Some years were financially challenging, and I had to find creative ways to finance my getaways. I’d save my birthday money, squirrel away coupon savings, or apply for scholarships. Other years I’ve struggled spiritually and had to push myself to go when I didn’t want to. I’d invite a friend to join me so I couldn’t back out or commit to carpool with friends.
On every occasion, I returned refreshed, strengthened, inspired, and closer to the Lord and my sisters in Christ. I’ve never regretted attending a retreat, but I’ve often regretted not attending.
One of my favorite parts of ministry is not just attending women's retreats, but leading them. This summer, I'll be leading a one day seminar at Good Shepherd UM Parish in northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 14, 2018.
I'd love, love, LOVE for you to join us if you're anywhere nearby. Two years ago I met readers from Delaware, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in this same location -- how fun was that? We got to learn, worship, and pray together. It was a day-long glimpse of what heaven's going to be like when we're all together. If you're too far away, I'd love to work with your church's women's ministry to put together a one-day or weekend retreat or special women's event. Click on the Speaking Ministry tab to contact me.
Here are all the details about Today You Have Two Choices:
What: One-Day Ladies Seminar
Where: Brookville, Pennsylvania
When: July 14, 2018
Cost: $35, which includes lunch and a prayer journal
Cost Saver deadline: June 15
How to Register: Contact Kathy Shaffer (814-328-2034)
klshaffer63@windstream.net
gsumc@windstream.net
Three Fantastic Sessions:
Session 1 - Today You Have Two Choices: Grumbling or GratitudeIn this hilarious session, Lori shares a story from her life that demonstrates how life can go from cruising to crashing in an instant. We'll examine the two options that usually accompany a crash and see what God's Word (and modern-day research) have to say about them.
Session 2 - Today You Have Two Choices:Bitterness or ForgivenessBitterness, it's said, is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We know it's destructive, yet we often struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we're not even sure we want to. In this powerful session, we'll study two women who made two very different choices, learn from their examples (good and bad), and discover what God can do when we surrender our bitterness to Him.
Session 3 - Today You Have Two Choices:Fear or FaithHebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God," yet it's often easier said than done. When the circumstances of life hit us hard, fear often becomes our default setting. How can we resist fear and choose faith instead? Practical and personal, this workshop will lift your eyes beyond your circumstances to see what God can do if you commit your life to wholly trusting Him. This session includes a simple yet profound method to make your Bible reading come alive., Melissa Sylvis will lead us in worship.
When you register, please let me know so I can look forward to meeting you!
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
“I can’t be gone for a whole weekend. Who will take the kids to soccer?”
“My husband hates it when I’m gone. It’s not worth the hassle.”
“It’s out of my comfort zone and a little scary.”
Some years the voices win out, and we stay home. Later, when we hear the glowing reports about how wonderful it was, we feel a pang of regret, but it doesn’t last long. “Oh well,” we say, “maybe next year.” Other times we make the extra effort, and we’re the ones sharing happy stories and telling how glad we are that we attended.
I’ve been a Christian for over 30 years, and I’m a firm believer in women’s retreats. Here are a few reasons why, with accompanying reinforcement from Scripture.
Why We Need Women’s Retreats:
1. Because it’s hard to hear God’s voice above the noise of everyday life.When was the last time you sat before God without a To Do list hanging over you, a pile of laundry the size of Texas Stadium in the background, or family members pressing in on all sides? If you can’t remember, you need to attend a retreat. “To retreat” means leaving our normally occupied positions and going to a place of safety, quiet, and seclusion. By attending a retreat, we physically remove ourselves from life’s distractions, the call of chores, and the demands of people in order to make space for God.
If you think you’re less spiritual because you struggle to hear from God over the cacophony of your daily life, be encouraged. Even Jesus recognized the value and need to get away.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35).
Jesus retreated.
2. Because we need each other. Faith is contagious. Just like a virulent virus, it passes from person to person through close contact. Today’s busy world allows little time for women to share faith stories, pray together, and hear biblical messages written with them in mind. As we consider and apply God’s Word together, we learn from each others' varied backgrounds, experiences, and insights. The better we understand God, the stronger our faith becomes. Then we can strengthen others. Hearing other women’s testimonies about God’s faithfulness helps me realize that God will also take care of me. Hebrews 10:25 spotlights the value of mutual encouragement and warns us not to neglect corporate worship: “ Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.” 3. Because meeting together spurs us on to “love and good works” (Heb. 10:24). The Greek word for “spur on” is paroxusmus, which means to stir someone up. It has negative connotations, such as stirring up disagreement, but in this passage, it underscores the fact that meeting together as believers helps us love and serve God and each other better.
4. Standing side by side with our sisters in Christ and worshiping, praying, and learning about our precious Savior makes us stronger. When I join a group of women singing praise songs to God, I experience a taste of what Heaven’s going to be like when we’re gathered around his throne. When I sit with my sisters and open God’s Word, the insights I gain as we study together add weight and credence to its truth. When I pray for others, and they pray for me, I know I’m not alone, no matter how heavy my burden is. Some years their faith strengthens me, and other years my faith strengthens them. Together we bear each others' burdens. For these and many other reasons, I place a high priority on women’s retreats.
When my children were young, it took a great deal of planning and preparation to be leave my family. I’d prepare meals in advance, swap carpool duties, and cash in spend-the-night favors. Some years were financially challenging, and I had to find creative ways to finance my getaways. I’d save my birthday money, squirrel away coupon savings, or apply for scholarships. Other years I’ve struggled spiritually and had to push myself to go when I didn’t want to. I’d invite a friend to join me so I couldn’t back out or commit to carpool with friends.
On every occasion, I returned refreshed, strengthened, inspired, and closer to the Lord and my sisters in Christ. I’ve never regretted attending a retreat, but I’ve often regretted not attending. One of my favorite parts of ministry is not just attending women's retreats, but leading them. This summer, I'll be leading a one day seminar at Good Shepherd UM Parish in northwestern Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 14, 2018.
I'd love, love, LOVE for you to join us if you're anywhere nearby. Two years ago I met readers from Delaware, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in this same location -- how fun was that? We got to learn, worship, and pray together. It was a day-long glimpse of what heaven's going to be like when we're all together. If you're too far away, I'd love to work with your church's women's ministry to put together a one-day or weekend retreat or special women's event. Click on the Speaking Ministry tab to contact me.
Here are all the details about Today You Have Two Choices:
What: One-Day Ladies Seminar
Where: Brookville, Pennsylvania
When: July 14, 2018
Cost: $35, which includes lunch and a prayer journal
Cost Saver deadline: June 15
How to Register: Contact Kathy Shaffer (814-328-2034)
klshaffer63@windstream.net
gsumc@windstream.net
Three Fantastic Sessions:
Session 1 - Today You Have Two Choices: Grumbling or GratitudeIn this hilarious session, Lori shares a story from her life that demonstrates how life can go from cruising to crashing in an instant. We'll examine the two options that usually accompany a crash and see what God's Word (and modern-day research) have to say about them.
Session 2 - Today You Have Two Choices:Bitterness or ForgivenessBitterness, it's said, is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We know it's destructive, yet we often struggle to overcome it. Sometimes we're not even sure we want to. In this powerful session, we'll study two women who made two very different choices, learn from their examples (good and bad), and discover what God can do when we surrender our bitterness to Him.
Session 3 - Today You Have Two Choices:Fear or FaithHebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it's impossible to please God," yet it's often easier said than done. When the circumstances of life hit us hard, fear often becomes our default setting. How can we resist fear and choose faith instead? Practical and personal, this workshop will lift your eyes beyond your circumstances to see what God can do if you commit your life to wholly trusting Him. This session includes a simple yet profound method to make your Bible reading come alive., Melissa Sylvis will lead us in worship.
When you register, please let me know so I can look forward to meeting you!
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
May 30, 2018
Love Makes the Difference
When it comes to children and spiritual truth, I’m never sure who is the teacher and who is the student. Such was the case during a conversation I had recently with my oldest granddaughter, Lauren.
“Gigi!” she said as she bounced into my house one Friday morning. (If you’ve spent any time lately around preschool girls, you know that every statement ends in an exclamation point, and that they run, skip, bounce, or hop everywhere. Walking is never an option.)
“I drew you a picture so you’d remember me while I’m in New-Ork.” She waved the masterpiece in her hand. “See, it’s you and me on a mountain. And I wrote my name on the bottom so you’d merember who drawed it.”
“You know something?" I said, scooping her up and twirling her around in a happy circle. "I think about you every day. Every. Single. Day. You know why?”
She thought a moment, then said matter-of-factly, “Because you love me?”
“Yup. Because I love you. And you know what? There’s someone else who thinks about you every single day. Can you guess who?”
She thought a little longer, following the trajectory of my thoughts.
“God?”
“Yup.” Her blue eyes lit up with the success of nailing the correct answer.
“He thinks about you every single day . . . Do you know why?”
The pause was longer this time, but then, “. . . because he loves me?”
“Yes!” I said, “He loves you so much he never stops thinking about you.”
When Jesus said we must become as little children to see the kingdom of God, I think he had in mind simple conversations like this one. If we, like little Lauren, accepted without conditions the fact that God loves us and never stops thinking about us, it would eliminate much of the angst we feel every day.
This circumstance I’m experiencing . . . if God loves me, then I can trust him to use it for good in my life.
This hard path I’m walking on . . . if God loves me, then he won’t abandon me to face it alone.
This heartache . . . if God loves me, then he can heal my heart and restore my joy.
What are you going through right now? Would it look different if you viewed it through the certainty of God’s love? Try it and see. Then trust, pray, and rest.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).
One of my favorite songs about God’s love is David Crowder’s “How He Loves Us.” I hope you carry its message with you all day long. If you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to listen to David Crowder’s “How He Loves Us.”
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurner
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
“Gigi!” she said as she bounced into my house one Friday morning. (If you’ve spent any time lately around preschool girls, you know that every statement ends in an exclamation point, and that they run, skip, bounce, or hop everywhere. Walking is never an option.) “I drew you a picture so you’d remember me while I’m in New-Ork.” She waved the masterpiece in her hand. “See, it’s you and me on a mountain. And I wrote my name on the bottom so you’d merember who drawed it.”
“You know something?" I said, scooping her up and twirling her around in a happy circle. "I think about you every day. Every. Single. Day. You know why?”
She thought a moment, then said matter-of-factly, “Because you love me?”
“Yup. Because I love you. And you know what? There’s someone else who thinks about you every single day. Can you guess who?”
She thought a little longer, following the trajectory of my thoughts.
“God?”
“Yup.” Her blue eyes lit up with the success of nailing the correct answer.
“He thinks about you every single day . . . Do you know why?”
The pause was longer this time, but then, “. . . because he loves me?”
“Yes!” I said, “He loves you so much he never stops thinking about you.”
When Jesus said we must become as little children to see the kingdom of God, I think he had in mind simple conversations like this one. If we, like little Lauren, accepted without conditions the fact that God loves us and never stops thinking about us, it would eliminate much of the angst we feel every day. This circumstance I’m experiencing . . . if God loves me, then I can trust him to use it for good in my life.
This hard path I’m walking on . . . if God loves me, then he won’t abandon me to face it alone.
This heartache . . . if God loves me, then he can heal my heart and restore my joy.
What are you going through right now? Would it look different if you viewed it through the certainty of God’s love? Try it and see. Then trust, pray, and rest.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).
One of my favorite songs about God’s love is David Crowder’s “How He Loves Us.” I hope you carry its message with you all day long. If you’re reading by email, CLICK HERE to listen to David Crowder’s “How He Loves Us.”
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurner
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
May 27, 2018
The Call of the Mountains
I spent last week at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Still tender from the experience, I thought I'd share a bit of my heart.
If you had asked me 20 years ago, I’d have said I was a beach girl. Growing up on the shores of Narragansett Bay, the scent of the sea has always drawn me.
But then I discovered the Blue Ridge Mountains. Part of the Appalachian Trail, these verdant peaks exude a magnetism all their own. Musical streams wind silver threads through otherwise silent forests. Soil damp with leaves, and moss, and dew carpet the paths, inviting me deeper.
God walks among these hills, and it is here that I most often catch a glimpse of him. A flash of his diadem in the sunbeam that strikes the water. The crimson of his pierced brow in a flower petal. The whisper of his voice in the trees, and the water, and the wind.
I first heard his call to write in these mountains. And here I first uttered the words I’d been too afraid to say before:
I am a writer. I write for God.
There’s no turning back from statements like this.
My mountain path winds always upward, defying the forces of gravity that seek to pull me back. Busyness, discouragement, family responsibilities. I can’t neglect those I love and say I write for God. That would be blasphemy.
Sleep is often the gift I lay upon God’s altar. “It’s better to be sleep-deprived than God-deprived,” Becky Tirabassi once said, and it is true.
My early morning writing time becomes my worship. First I read his Words, then I write my own. Lord, speak through my sluggish brain and stumbling fingers. Help me create something beautiful.
On busy days when I cannot write, something deep inside me aches. My soul grows restless, longing to find release in expression. “If you can do anything else and be happy,” a writing colleague once said, “do it.”
But I cannot. I am besotted.
And so I press on. I pour myself out. I plant a thought and examine it. Weed or flower? Worthy or worthless? Hours of labor land in the compost heap to be ground into mulch and tilled under to feed the next seedling.
Occasionally a blossom rises from the earthy soil. It startles me. An acceptance letter. A publishing credit. An email from a reader saying thank you. Or, wonder of wonder, a book contract.
Do these affirmations change anything?
No.
I am a writer. I write for God – the God who sees what I do in secret and promises to reward me.
“God is not unjust;” his Word assures. ”He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Heb. 6:10).
Where I live, I cannot see the mountains. If I’m not careful, I forget they’re there.
So I return every year to the place of my calling. To remember. To reflect. To rest.
I pick up my staff again and set my face toward the summit.
One day, like Moses on Mt. Nebo, God will call me home.
But until then, I am a writer. I write for God.
If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul.
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life.
Enter your email address and VALIDATE the Feedburner email sent to your inbox.
Delivered by FeedBurner
If this post was meaningful to you, would you consider sharing it with a friend by clicking on one of the buttons below? Did you know you can receive bi-weekly Hungry for God posts sent directly to your email inbox? Visit http://www.lori-benotweary.blogspot.com and click on the link in the right hand corner to Subscribe Via Email.
Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
If you had asked me 20 years ago, I’d have said I was a beach girl. Growing up on the shores of Narragansett Bay, the scent of the sea has always drawn me.
But then I discovered the Blue Ridge Mountains. Part of the Appalachian Trail, these verdant peaks exude a magnetism all their own. Musical streams wind silver threads through otherwise silent forests. Soil damp with leaves, and moss, and dew carpet the paths, inviting me deeper.
God walks among these hills, and it is here that I most often catch a glimpse of him. A flash of his diadem in the sunbeam that strikes the water. The crimson of his pierced brow in a flower petal. The whisper of his voice in the trees, and the water, and the wind. I first heard his call to write in these mountains. And here I first uttered the words I’d been too afraid to say before:
I am a writer. I write for God.
There’s no turning back from statements like this.
My mountain path winds always upward, defying the forces of gravity that seek to pull me back. Busyness, discouragement, family responsibilities. I can’t neglect those I love and say I write for God. That would be blasphemy. Sleep is often the gift I lay upon God’s altar. “It’s better to be sleep-deprived than God-deprived,” Becky Tirabassi once said, and it is true.
My early morning writing time becomes my worship. First I read his Words, then I write my own. Lord, speak through my sluggish brain and stumbling fingers. Help me create something beautiful.
On busy days when I cannot write, something deep inside me aches. My soul grows restless, longing to find release in expression. “If you can do anything else and be happy,” a writing colleague once said, “do it.”
But I cannot. I am besotted.
And so I press on. I pour myself out. I plant a thought and examine it. Weed or flower? Worthy or worthless? Hours of labor land in the compost heap to be ground into mulch and tilled under to feed the next seedling.
Occasionally a blossom rises from the earthy soil. It startles me. An acceptance letter. A publishing credit. An email from a reader saying thank you. Or, wonder of wonder, a book contract. Do these affirmations change anything?
No.
I am a writer. I write for God – the God who sees what I do in secret and promises to reward me.
“God is not unjust;” his Word assures. ”He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Heb. 6:10).
Where I live, I cannot see the mountains. If I’m not careful, I forget they’re there.
So I return every year to the place of my calling. To remember. To reflect. To rest. I pick up my staff again and set my face toward the summit.
One day, like Moses on Mt. Nebo, God will call me home.
But until then, I am a writer. I write for God.
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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
May 20, 2018
Friendship Shows Itself in Unusual Ways
Some of the "besties" God has blessed me withFriendship shows itself in unusual ways.
One friend of mine, a nurse, recently demonstrated her love and care for me by presenting me with a pair of compression socks. I’m preparing for a trip that will involve 24 hours of driving over some 1,200 miles. She was worried about me.
“Nurses wear compression socks all the time,” she said, “they help prevent clots and make your legs feel so much better.” I’ve always associated compression socks with surgery and senior citizens (no offense to you senior citizens), but these were not your grandma’s compression socks – they’re black with rainbow-colored polka dots. I can’t wait to wear them.
Another friend, my neighbor, heard I’d had a hard day. Meet me at the fence, she texted. We pass everything over our backyard fence – samples of new recipes, extra onions, garden fertilizer.
But this time she handed me half a slice of pound cake someone had shared with her. It was still warm. And she gave me the best half – the top, with that amazing crust. Now that’s love.
My best friend in college pulled me aside one day to inform me that half the girls in my class were angry at me. I’d been lazy and had neglected my duties in the dental clinic, and they were righteously indignant.
She could have joined in as they griped and complained about me, but instead she did the hard thing. She confronted me, in love. I was mortified. That evening I wrote notes of apology and taped one to each girl’s locker.
No one ever mentioned the incident again, but I learned two lessons. First, pull your weight and work hard. Second, being a friend sometimes means saying hard things.
This year I’m reading through the Bible again. I just read about David and Jonathan. Although they should have been enemies, pushed apart by jealousy and rivalry, instead they were friends from their first meeting. First Samuel 18:1 describes their relationship: “After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.”
Like my examples above, David and Jonathan’s friendship was characterized by love, generosity, and loyalty. They enjoyed each other’s company and doing things together. They gave willingly and generously. They stood by each other during dark days.
I hope you have at least one friend who loves you like herself. If so, I encourage you not to take her for granted. It’s easy to allow the pace of life to keep us from cultivating our most meaningful relationships.
June 8 is National Best Friend Day. Why not make plans now to do something special with that friend who makes your life smile?
And what if you don’t have a David/Jonathan-type friendship? Pray. Ask God to give you one. Then watch for opportunities to show friendship to others. Look for chances to serve rather than be served. Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV) reminds us, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly.”
Remember that 24-hour, 1,200-mile road trip I’m planning? I’ll be traveling to attend my dear friend Debbie’s wedding in Delaware.Debbie and I became friends ten years ago when she was a new member of our Sunday School class. Hearing that she had just had knee surgery, I volunteered to bring her lunch.
As we visited, we discovered a mutual love for God and his Word. Our hearts have been knit together ever since.
If suspect that if I hadn’t stepped out of my comfort zone to serve someone I didn’t know well, Debbie and I might never have become friends.
That’s a sad thought. Over the past 10 years we’ve served, prayed, laughed, and ministered together. My life is richer because I know her.
What about you? Do you have a treasured friend? What makes your friendship special? Leave a comment below and share your story. If you're reading by email, click HERE to visit Hungry for God online and leave a comment.
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Copyright 2012 by Lori Hatcher
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