Thankfulness

Autumn
Since moving to Texas in 2003 Autumn has become my most treasured and anticipated season! As a family nester I chose Autumn, the first year of our marriage, to be the season most celebrated, most anticipated, and most enjoyed by our family. I love the simplicity of this season, the shortening of days, the drinking of hot tea, the reaping and gathering of food put in the freezer for winter, the coming together of family, the falling of leaves, the changing of the colors, the smell of winter fast approaching, and this year the new life inside that will soon grace us with his presence!


Family Traditions

I also adore traditions! Our autumn traditions include: the reading of the Pilgrims story throughout the month of November, decorating the house with autumn colors, fall cleaning and organizing, easy crock pot meals, the getting rid of the unnecessary and bringing out all our well loved fall paraphernalia. I adore family times; sitting and drinking hot tea by the fireplace, or relaxing on the front walk at night when the cool evening requires blankets to snuggle against, chilly walks surrounded by a halo of gold leaves. Other Williams traditions include adding to our yearly Thanksgiving scrapbook, watching the miraculous Pilgrim's movie on Thanksgiving mornings, marveling at all the Lord has done that year and reading about past years blessings, inviting new and old to join our Thanksgiving table, Fernando Ortega music permeating the evening hours, lighthearted musings around a full table and a special time of thanksgiving to our Lord Jesus!

How to Seek Thankfulness

According to A.W Tozer, the most important question you will ever answer is "what is your view of God." A. W. Tozer goes on to say that "Until you know God as he is, you'll never become all that he's created you to be."

The preeminent way to answer that question is to

1. Get into God's word
   
2. Start looking at God through a lens of thankfulness.

A few years ago I began the journey to discover who this God I serve really was - - not who I internally believed he was.

Discovering God



My journey started with a book called God as He Longs For You To See Him by Chip Ingram. This book challenged my thinking and perceptions of God. It also revealed to me God's daily reminders of His love for me. To my amazement, slowly over the years my pessimistic, glass half empty attitude has been changing into a lifestyle filled with joy! About 3 months ago, I started listing all of the things I noticed were gifts from God – I call it my 1000 Gifts List. So far I have reached 175 and my list is climbing daily – my plan is to make this list a daily habit that far exceeds 1000! This list helps keep my daily focus on the blessings sent from my Father, instead of the negative, fleshly spirit that would love to rob me of my joy. I am constantly remind myself that the only thing I can control when life gets hard is… my attitude, and that makes every difference in how I view God.

Activity For The Week:
Dialog with your Mentor this week about who you think God is and what He is like. Talk about how you developed those views and if they are rooted and grounded in the scriptures.



"Thankfulness is a secret passageway into a room you can't find any other way. It is the wardrobe into Narnia. It allows us to discover the rest of God—those dimensions of God's world, God's presence, God's character that are hidden, always, from the thankless. Ingratitude is an eye disease every bit as much as a heart disease. It sees only flaws, scars, scarcity."
~Mark Buchanan




From the Desk of: Melissa Williams

Foundations

“Wow, look at that!” “Ooh, isn’t that beautiful?” “Oh my gosh that’s amazing!”

There are so many absolutely stunning structures throughout the world; some of them instantly recognizable. Rarely, if ever, have I heard such admiration for the foundations of those structures. Indeed, most foundations are not visible to the viewer, but remain hidden in the earth or are disguised as an architectural detail. We know the foundations are there, but we give most of our attention to the actual structures which have been built upon them. The visible part gets all the glory and admiration, but without the foundation it would not exist at all or at best be only temporary.




What Happens Without a Foundation?
As I thought about this subject, I found that the single most critical aspect of any building project is the laying of the foundation. A good example of a foundation that was not done correctly is the Leaning Tower of Pisa which began to sink as the construction of the third floor was begun. The builders had laid a foundation only a few feet thick in unstable soil to hold a structure which is 186 ft. tall and weighs approximately 14,500 tons! This means the design was flawed from the beginning, and everything built on the foundation has been in danger of being destroyed ever since.

How are You Building Your Foundation?
As exciting as it is to see the finished building, it is imperative that the proper foundation be laid. We are now about a month into the six month mentoring commitment, and these first few months are the “foundation” time. What are some of the “pillars” you and your mentee have been placing? Perhaps getting to know each other, hearing testimonies, learning to trust, listening, praying together, bearing one another’s burdens, laughing, having coffee, giving cards or small gifts, chocolate (always an indispensible pillar), obedience, accountability, loving God and learning to know Him more. All of the things which go into our foundation should make our relationship stronger and more able to hold a larger “structure”.

Build Slow
Once the foundation for the relationship is properly in place (however long that takes) then it can be built upon. If we rush the process, the outcome will be our own sad version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We do not yet know what God will build during our six months together. We all hope for great “ooh” and “ahh” moments in April as we gather to celebrate what God has done among us, but remember that even if we are still working on the foundation, it is cause for great rejoicing, thanksgiving and praise!


“When the builders completed the foundation of the LORD’S Temple, the priests put on their robes and took their places to blow their trumpets…With praise and thanks they sang…to the LORD…Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the LORD because the foundation of the LORD’S Temple had been laid.” Ezra 3: 10a, 11


“We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.” Eph. 2: 20-21

(written by Kim Collins)

Pray, Pray, Pray

Throughout this next 6 months, I have made a commitment to you that I will be praying continually for you. As I was praying specifically for each of you, I felt compelled to write you and encourage you to begin doing the same for your mentee/mentor. I believe that prayer can often be one of the hardest spiritual disciplines because it requires complete submission of ourselves. We are to approach the Lord through His grace to present our requests to Him. It is such a privilege, but so often overlooked by our busy, on the go culture.

Here is a little excerpt from the book The Power of Prayer in a Believer's Life by Charles Spurgeon. Hopefully it encourages you in your prayer life as much as it has encouraged me!

“I want you to understand your blessed responsibility, your practical obligation to bring forth fruit, that the Lord Jesus may be glorified in you. Abide in Him. Never remove your consecration to His honor and glory. Never dream of being your own master. Refuse to be a servant of men, but abide in Christ. Let Him be your object as well as the source of your existence. If you get there and stop there in perpetual communion with your Lord, you will soon realize a joy, a delight, a power in prayer such as you never knew before. There are times when we are conscious that we are in Christ, and we know the joy and the peace of fellowship with Him. Let us abide there. Let that blessed sinking of yourself into His life, the spending of all your powers for Jesus, and the firm faith of your union with Him remain in you evermore. Oh, that we might attain to this by the Holy Ghost!”
I pray that as we all go to work this week, whether its paid work or not, that we learn a little more how to continually abide in Christ. It seems so simple, but we all know how quickly life can begin to overwhelm us and pass us by. Take time today to sit before your Father and seek His face so that you may know Him even more intimately than you did yesterday.

Have a wonderful day,

Kari

Why do We Mentor

We never grow too old to be mentored or to be a mentor. We can look upon ourselves as middlemen. We should place ourselves under someone wiser and more knowledgeable than ourselves in order to learn from them, then be looking for those to whom we can transmit what we have learned. The torch must be passed continuously from one generation to the next.

-Curtis C. Thomas

Why Women Mentors are Important

The following post was taken from the site Simplemom. Click here to read the post on the original site.

The Importance of Women as Mentors in Our Lives

by Angelica Perez on May 31, 2010

The following is a guest post from Angelica Perez-Litwin of Modern Familia.

There are mothers and sisters and good friends and teachers. And then, there are mentors…

Along the curves and bumps in my life journey, I have been fortunate to have mentors to steer me in the right direction, to get me back on track and to cheer me on at the finish line. Most of them have been women — inspirational, wise and strong women.

They have appeared in my life like a blessing, just at the right time and with purpose. I have met them in college, in graduate school, at work, online, in my community and within my family. They have served as powerful role models, anchors, life coaches, motivators and firm reminders of who I am and what I can become.

Mentor as Wise Advisers

Traditionally, a mentor is known as a wise and trusted adviser, teacher or friend, who is usually a more experienced person than the mentee in a particular community or role. Mentoring relationships normally exist in corporate environments and in higher education settings, where mentors help individuals advance in their careers, enhance their education, and build networks.

Mentors in the Business of Life

I propose we broaden the concept of mentorship to include the invaluable role that women serve to each other, as powerful sources of inspiration, guidance, support and encouragement.

Undeniably, men can be great mentors too, but it is the commonality of womanhood that makes women true life mentors. Consider the friend(s) you called upon as a new mother full of questions and doubts. Or the women you reached out to when life was unkind. Think about your go-to person when you need inspiration to balance it all and continue to move forward. And what about the wise women you look up to because they’ve been there and done that – successfully and confidently? These women, I say, are life mentors.

Photo by J.Cliss

Are You a Life Mentor to Someone Else?

You may not be aware of it, but you also have the opportunity to be a life mentor to someone else! Consider the following common characteristics of life mentors and how they might describe you as well:

• They have experienced and conquered challenging moments in their lives, which have made them a wiser person
• They readily use their own personal experiences to instill hope and share life strategies
• They are resilient, positive and open-minded
• They enjoy empowering others and bringing out their best
• They are supportive and are able to put aside their interest, for the sake of others in need of help and guidance

Why Do We Need Women as Mentors?

Women today are busier than ever. As working parents, we work long hours or hold multiple jobs. As stay-at-home moms, we take care of active and busy children while managing our homes and sometimes even working from home. We are creating new possibilities, starting or running businesses and pursuing our dreams.

Today, we need each other more than ever. Traditional support systems, such as extended family members, are less available to provide support due to their own busy schedules or distant living. So in these modern times, we need our small community of women mentors, to embrace us and empower us.

Photo by Ben Dodson

Where to Seek Life Mentors

By now, you might be wondering how you can sign up for one of these! The truth is, life mentors are all around us. We may not see them in this way, as potential life mentors, but they are among our social circle. Here are a few places to begin your search:

• among close, supportive friends
• among co-worker or colleagues
• extended family members
• people in your community (women’s groups, places of worship, other parents at school)
• former or current teachers and professors
• professional life coaches and counselors
• mentoring network websites (Mommy Mentors, HerFuture, Mentor)

You can also form your own group of life mentors interested in mutually mentoring each other. You can hold monthly meetings or do so completely virtually (online).

If there is someone in your life that could serve as a life mentor, try to connect to her, and don’t hesitate to ask for guidance. You will know you have connected when you find yourself feeling good about yourself and feeling deep admiration and trust for this person after a meaningful conversation.

It might take a village to raise a child, but it certainly takes a small community of life mentors to help women transform and reach their full God-given potential in life.

Bread

Bread is symbolic throughout Scriptures.

Throughout our day, every time we see bread we should be reminded of at least 4 different things.

1. Obedience

• Exodus 12:39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.

• The unleavened bread symbolized the need to obey quickly. They didn’t have time to wait for obedience. The Israelites needed to pick up and go quickly. We are the same way. We need to be ready and willing to obey quickly. Delayed obedience is disobedience.

2. Relationship with a holy God

• Exodus 25:30 And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me regularly.

• The bread was set in the Holies of Holies in the Temple to show the covenant between God and his people. God continues to be in relationship with his children today.

3. We need more than just our physical needs met

• Deuteronomy 8:3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

• Isaiah 55:2-3 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live;

• John 6:32-33 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

• We are not helping our mentee by simply giving her worldly wisdom and our advice. We need to be pointing her continually back to Christ so that she could truly be satisfied. She will not be filled on your words alone.

4. Christ is our Bread of Life

• John 6:35;48-51 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

• Matthew 26:26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”Christ is always the answer. Whatever we are going through, whatever we are needing, we also need more of Christ. Today, eat some bread and remember that Jesus truly is the bread of LIFE

Mentoring Roles

While reading on various websites recently, I found an article which profiled the book Spiritual Mentoring: A Guide for Seeking and Giving Direction. I personally found the information in the profile very helpful, so thought I would excerpt some of it for you as well. As the profile was quite long, I have split the excerpts into two parts—one for this week and one for next week.

“Augustine believed that ‘no one can walk without a guide.’ Scripture and history prove that this is more than a sentiment; it is truth.

Christian faith is imitative—it is taught by one person to another. Jesus set the pattern when He said to a small band of men, ‘Follow Me.’ Christ spoke often to the multitudes, but the intense forming of lives occurred in daily conversation with His disciples. In that community, these men themselves became disciple-makers and thereby carried on the work of building the kingdom…


Much of mentoring involves the process of listening to and observing the life of others and teaching them to see where God is already at work in and around them. Good listening is a must, as well as the ability to draw out of their hearts whatever is lodged there. As with all ministry, it is important to understand that mentoring does not come in a one-size-fits-all format. Mentoring will be as unique as the persons involved. However, observable patterns can help in understanding the types of mentors and what each brings to the relationship:

Discipler—empowerment to follow Christ

Spiritual guide—accountability for the practice of spiritual disciplines and spiritual growth

Coach—skill development for ministry and motivation to use those skills

Counselor—advice and perspective for viewing life and ministry

Teacher—knowledge and motivation to act on it

Sponsor—career guidance for emerging leaders

Contemporary model—a personal model for life and ministry

Historical model—principles and values from leaders of the past

Divine contact—guidance and/or discernment coinciding with apparent divine intervention

Regardless of what personality the mentoring relationship takes on, three basic questions must be deliberated: Who is God? Who am I? What am I to do with my life? These embody the universal soul-quest of mankind, and the pursuit of the answers will shape a life.”

The women who have asked to be a part of the mentoring ministry are obviously seeking help and encouragement in their lives and relationship with God. They are probably hoping for someone who can “show them the way to do it.” In reality, there is no short cut or easy way through the process of Christ’s “Follow Me.” The apostle Paul was not boasting or proud when he said, “And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.” –1 Cor. 11:1 (NLT) The best thing we can do as mentors is to be imitators of Christ in order that our lives are transformed into a life that might also be imitated.