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change

GOD IS ON THE MOVE!

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Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 

Ephesians 3:20

 

Dear Readers,

Gala_Tom_&_BrendaExcitement and tears mingle as I write to you this morning. A major milestone has just passed. Daily Dose of Encouragement is no more, but this blog is. I feel teary eyed at the passing of the old, yet beside myself with excitement for the new. I have to admit I had a hard time giving up the old format at first. I loved having God’s Word go forth from our website five days a week. As much as I love that, I hate something else more. Quitting. Quitting anything. Anytime. I’ve always believed the old saying that quitters never win, and winners never quit.

So, I’m not.

What I am doing, what ZMI is doing, is moving forward in obedience to His calling and His direction. This change is His direction. The message never changes but sometimes the method of getting that message out does.

Sometime ago I shared the following story with you, and the Lord brought it back to my memory today. It is so relevant for now – for such a time as this!

“I don’t know how I’m going to do all this Lord. So much is happening in the ministry, good things, in so many different places. You know I’m not equipped to handle it! We need volunteers Lord! We need workers, for the fields really are white unto harvest! And we need the financial resources to do what you’ve called us to do.” 

“It’s way above my head God. I see the giants all around us. What do I do?”  

The room was dark and Tom slept soundly beside me, muffled snores the only thing breaking the silence. And of course my thoughts were whirling as I lay beside him,  wide awake at 3:00 a.m. Getting up for the third time, I decided to take Clayton King’s advice and start reading Deuteronomy, hoping I’d fall asleep within 7 verses like he said. 

Instead of making me fall asleep, God used what I call the Reminder Book, Deuteronomy, to remind me again of His faithful leading since the time He called me to this mission of ZMI Family Ministries International.  

He reminded me He is the One who has done it, and will continue to do it. My calling is simply to obey, to speak the truth of His Word in love, and to follow His lead. And to do it at His speed, baby step by baby step, or to run with Him, however He chooses. Right now, he has me running faster than I ever thought I could go. 

He reminded me not to be afraid of the giants – those threatening details – that try to stand in the way of the mission. He will provide.

Back in bed, I finally fell asleep sometime after 4:30 a.m…” 

That is God’s promise to all of us. He has a mission, a plan, for all our lives. When we let Him, He will do it in and through us.  

Confirmation. It’s like a breath of fresh air when you need it most. Yes, the mission He started years ago will move forward as He leads. We will not stop because of giants in the land. I really do believe that the best is yet to come and I’d love for you to be a part of it!

Dear one has God called you to a mission and you’ve been afraid to move forward? Are the giants plaguing you with doubt? Don’t listen!

I invite you to join us on mission right here at home or in a foreign land. God has a plan for you! Time is short. The need is great! We have so many opportunities for ministry, yet so few workers for the harvest. If you’d like to serve on our volunteer team – behind the scenes – or helping to lead the pack, please email me! brenda@zmiinternational.org

As the ministry has grown, so has our vision to reach further than we ever dreamed. As God sends new opportunities. This new blog is one way we can share those opportunities, such as the upcoming International Missions Holiday Gala, which will take place on November 20. Last year’s event was awesome and we’d love to have you join this year!  We’d love for you to see for yourself what God has done among us in 2015!  Just email me at the address above and I’ll get you all the information for what we believe will be one of the greatest nights in the history of ZMI!

Ponder these things as you go about life today, and listen to this song as you begin the pondering. Just click the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSRkM5kOEV0&index=1&list=PL_nGHsLuC1cUtVtf32KXZs0LLqSf0MZCd

I will look forward to hearing from you!

As always

Your Traveling Partner,

Brenda Lancaster

Author/Founder/Director

Change: Re-Focus!

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There’s an old saying, “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” As believers in Christ Jesus, we are called to change. Join me this week and consider some aspects of change in our lives as we walk with the Lord. Is there anything that you need changed?

 

Re-Focus!

The Lord is my Shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 

Psalm 23:1-2, NLT

Friday_Day_Five_Pic-Jesus_The_Good_ShepherdIn my introduction this week, I mentioned an old saying that, “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” But if we realign our focus, change often occurs, because change always involves a refocusing in some form or another. One of the most important and rejuvenating changes we can make is to take time to regularly focus our attention on God. I know that I’m best able to discern the changes that the Lord puts before me when I get quiet and concentrate exclusively on Him. This allows me to come before His presence and reverence Him. I remember what He’s done in my life. I consider what He continues to do and promises to do in the future, just because He loves me. I thank Him for how He’s brought me through numerous difficult, heartbreaking, and uncertain times and never once abandoned me. Can you relate?

Read today’s Dose verse. It’s just one example of the countless number of occasions that David did this very thing. Here, he focused on God as his Shepherd. Since David was himself a shepherd, he knew the importance of a shepherd’s role in providing provision and protection for his sheep. Every one of us who has placed our faith and lives in Christ Jesus is one of His dependent sheep. David reminds us that God meets all of the needs of His sheep because He knows better than we do what we need and, He wants what’s best for us.

As we seek to have our lives changed by Him, He directs us away from areas where we could be tempted to stumble; and, even when we fall, He can bring us back from our failures, hurts, and suffering. I’m constantly awed by the changes God has worked in my life and the lives of other believers. When we focus on Him and see how far we’ve come as He grows us, we find rejuvenation for our souls and motivation for our hearts to press on with Him another day.

My friend, you can be encouraged today in knowing that the Good Shepherd provides all the needs of His sheep and walks with us through every change. He does all of this because of His great love for us as well as His desire to have us become more and more like Him.

Are you focused on the Good Shepherd today, or do you need to make some changes to come into His fold?

By grace through faith,

Rita

[Read all of Psalm Chapter 23 for David’s full reflection]

Change: About Those Plans!

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There’s an old saying, “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” As believers in Christ Jesus, we are called to change. Join me this week and consider some aspects of change in our lives as we walk with the Lord. Is there anything that you need changed?

 

About Those Plans!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” 

Jeremiah 29:11, NLT

Yesterday we considered God in the ways we think; today let’s consider Him in our life plans.

Thursday_Day_Four_Pic_#2-snailOne hot day I saw a snail trying to make its way across the sidewalk. I suspected that it was planning to get to the coolness of the grass on the other side. I watched for a while and it was taking a long time because it was, well … a snail!  It was a snail moving at a snail’s pace. But, I knew that if the snail continued with its plan, to move at a snail’s pace across that big sidewalk, it was likely to get crushed. A group of children were racing up and down the sidewalk across the snail’s path, unaware that it was even there. I wanted to help the snail move out of the danger zone, so I reached down and attempted to turn it in the other direction.

Have you ever tried to move a snail along? It dug in and became rigid and hard to move. I actually had to pull it up to move it in another direction. It was like lifting a suction cup! And, it left a slimy smear on the ground as evidence of its resistance to change! Aren’t we like that with our plans sometimes? We’re doing what comes naturally to us, unaware of potential danger, and don’t know or consider that God has good planned for us. And, if we’re prompted to change our plans, we delay that altogether or move at … a snail’s pace to accomplish them!

Thursday_Day_Four_Pic_#1-Jeremiah_VerseRead today’s Dose verse. It refers to God’s plans for the Israelites; He had plans that they’d be brought back to Him and they could have hope in knowing that He has a future for them. God has plans for us too; good plans for our future, which He reveals when we adjust our life plans to be aligned with His. We can stop going our own way and turn to follow His direction. But, like the snail, we can find it very uncomfortable to realign our plans. It may initially feel as though we’re leaving parts of ourselves behind, like that slimy little smear from the snail, but we’ll be headed to a better future than we ever even dreamed of—a future which God specifically tailored for us.

Sister, be encouraged today in knowing that God has made good plans for your life. Are you willing to change your plans for His?

By grace through faith,

Rita