Stories from the Road: The Amazing Collection Chronicles

Coming Home

2011-12-13T11:22:00.000-05:00

Cameron called this summer. “Mom, we’re moving back home! Jay has accepted a position with a church in Madison Alabama!”

It has been almost eight years since we hugged our daughter and son-in law and their baby girl good-bye. I remember standing at the airport hardly able to breathe as we watched our treasures roll down the runway and take off for Poland….and in many ways the unknown. I wanted to run after them, drag them back home and never let them even think about missions again but …well…you can’t easily do that with grown children. Ok, then why couldn’t they just leave the baby? That would help.

The unknown ended up being a year in Poland and then seven years of ministry (and three more babies) in L’Viv Ukraine. But now their work was completed. They were coming HOME. And we anxiously awaited their arrival, just to see their faces cross the threshold of home.

There have been many times in my life that I have waited with great anticipation the arrival of a family member: my husband from business trips, the kids from college, from other parts of the country and then from overseas. And every time there is a flurry of preparation. I cook. I clean. I prepare. And I am excited. And then I wait, frequently looking out the window until the car drives up the drive way. Home, My loved one has arrived and all is well.

Scripture states plainly that Jesus left His heavenly home and ventured to our world on a mission. He left everything behind and “making Himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8) And so this Christmas we celebrate His arrival on earth. But thirty three years later there was another “arrival” and he returned HOME to His home and our REAL home where we will arrive someday.

There are three arrivals I want to celebrate this Christmas. First, that our Savior “left to come” to our home so that He could teach us the way to live.

Secondly He conquered death and left our home to go back to His home with the promise that His blood covered our sin giving us access to Heaven, to God. And there now He is preparing a home for us..

Thirdly He will come back to our home for the last battle and then we all will be home together with our Savior. Something to celebrate this Christmas Season!

John 14:2

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself;

that where I am there you may be also.

HOME

2011-11-08T15:19:00.000-05:00

I was amused recently when I read an article stating that radical feminist were intrigued by some of the Mommy-Blogs because they painted pictures of home life that was beautiful, creative, happy, fulfilling all run by intelligent women who had made the decision that HOME was important. They were intrigued because they had never felt such a thing was possible, they had never experienced it themselves and so considered it only fantasy.

And yet now some bloggers are saying it really is possible and it is worth it! It simply requires a vision for a higher good, very hard work, unselfish ambition, skill development, unwavering commitment and the ability to stand firm before the massive artillery of the culture. And that is where the rub comes in. Did you read those words? VISION! WORK! UNSELFISHNESS! SKILLS! COMMITMENT! ARMOR of STEEL!

So as we look at the home, lets for just the rest of this article put aside the worldly agenda that screams that married women with children deserve to be in the work force, developing their career and that doing so is the highest good, Let’s instead for just a few paragraphs pretend that HOME IS the highest calling and can indeed produce the greatest good for humans, society and a nation.

Statistics prove that a large percentage of criminals had terrible home lives. The same holds true for drug addicts, alcoholics, prostitutes, and kids who drop out of school. Most all of the ills of our society can be traced back to the home life as a child. Divorce, once touted as being “benign” as far as children are concerned, is now showing up as a great cancer that humans who have suffered from have to endure in silence. Homes are frazzled with the constant racing from one place to another and the one word that describes two income homes is “overworked”. And probably one of the main things that has been lost with all this rushing and grabbing for significance is that true healthy significance can be found right at home with the family.

Devi Titus wrote an excellent book called The Home Experience. In it she builds a solid argument for dinner around the table. In fact she even goes so far as to say that there is a spiritual environment that is established when people eat a meal around a table together. Indeed I agree. In fact recent statistics prove that children who eat with the family around the table regularly are far less likely to get involved in addictions. But few families take the time, nor do many mothers have the skills to put a good meal on the table in the evening.

The flip side is that the home has the power to affect others for great goodness. It truly boggles the mind to think that the home can be a nursery for heaven. The Bible says a home can be filled with kindness and wisdom. It can be and should be well organized and secure, warm and inviting. And the Bible gives the responsibility of the home to the woman. In fact in Timothy she is referred to as the “OIKA DESPOTA”, the “CEO” of the corporation, the corporation of HOME.

So what can a home do? And by the way I am not talking about the home as simply a house that one stops by on their way to other things, one that is “lifeless”, full of stuff that is in total disarray, cereal for supper, clothes that have been abused and contention that pervades. I am talking about HOME as in well organized, comfortable, good food, clean beds and clothes, happy inhabitants, art and literature, culture and intellect, which displays calmness and beauty. In other words HOME is a refuge, a place of spiritual, emotional and physical restoration. Simply put, it can be and is the foundation of a nation. Home-working is not for the faint of heart if done right. It is certainly not for the lazy. It is the work of building a healthy family, a healthy society, indeed a healthy nation.

There are many people who have provided examples for me to follow and those examples have made a huge an impact on my life. My mom was certainly one of those homemakers. As I got older Betty Cannon served as another example. I remember the first time I went to her home. She truly introduced me to the concept of “comfortable beauty”. Scented candles that once seemed frivolous to my practical side, became a warm welcome in her home. A pile of magazines in a basket by an easy chair that was draped with an afghan would not have excited my intellectual mentality (small as it is) until I experienced it in her home. Then I was able to see it added to a sense of well being and comfort. A pot of homemade soup served up on a well set table filled my soul with calmness and good cheer and provided an environment for deeper conversation.

But Mrs. Cannon had something else. She LOVED home and LOVED those who entered. I loved every part of my time in her house. It always was wrapped around good simple food and a listening ear. She made a home. She was home and so much of that was built on the environment she created because she chose to make the effort.

So what did she gain? Well for starters she raised four fabulous kids who have now raised fabulous children of their own. Her husband loved and adored her until his last breath and a gazillion people had the privilege of knowing her and being refreshed and restored in the refuge she created. She left a legacy that could never have been created in the competition of career. She did it through those words we started with; VISION, WORK, UNSELFISHNESS, SKILLS, COMMITMENT, ARMOUR OF STEEL.

As I look around at the flailing culture that struggles for peace it makes me think that maybe there is an answer that perhaps we as women should give some consideration.Perhaps we might consider that it lies under our own roofs. Perhaps we should just go home …. and create a society changing environment, indeed a nursery for heaven.

Titus 2:4-5

Encourage the young women to love their husbands, love their children, to be sensible pure WORKERS AT HOME, kind being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored.

Threads of Life

2011-10-28T10:35:00.005-04:00

Donna picked me up from the airport in Chicago last week and continued to be my “chauffer” for the next 24 hours. She was lovely, bright, dressed impeccably and obviously loved the Lord. After meeting her I was now looking forward with great anticipation to my speaking engagement at her church, Oak Community Church!

As we were driving to my hotel she asked me where I was from and I told her, Roswell, Georgia. She was surprised and said she had actually lived there herself for almost a year many years ago.

Then she went on to tell me about her time there. She had a wonderful neighbor who had invested greatly in her life. The neighbor had also taken her to a large Bible study at a church nearby where she had made a recommitment to Jesus Christ.

She then told me the neighbor’s name. Barb E-. I was blown away. I know Barb well and in fact had lived not too far from her at the same time Donna lived there. We had almost been neighbors! And the Bible Study? It was the very one I directed for almost twenty years.

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In September I taught a retreat in Dallas for Grace Community Church. The church was doing the Amazing Collection and was obviously enjoying it very much and “learning for life” about every book in God’s Word. One of the attendees told me that she had been so surprised and delighted when she was watching the First Thessalonians DVD. The testimony was Gaye-Lynn Smith; Gaye-Lynn had given her story literally from her death bed and had passed away shortly after filming. What makes this so remarkable is that Gaye-Lynn had been a missionary in Papua, New Guinea with her years before. After she left the mission field she had lost track of Gaye-Lynn and was so ministered to when she saw the testimony.

Gaye-Lynn’s was probably one of our most miraculous testimonies. We had actually come across Gaye-Lynn’s story through Discipleship Journal Magazine and had been able to contact the church who had filmed her. We then contacted her husband who was living in New Guinea to get permission to include it in our study. And now God was using it to encourage a woman who had served along side Gaye-Lynn in New Guinea years before! Amazing!

When I look at the many times threads of lives have woven together it really is something only God could do. Several years ago, Donna had lived in this area for only a few months, but was saved through a woman who brought her to our Bible Study. Twenty years later she was able to tell me, the speaker she had brought in to minister to the womens’ ministry she was now directing!

Gaye-Lynn passed away years ago but was still touching the life of a friend long after she had gone home to be with the Lord.

God is writing a story. We seldom see all that He is doing with the threads but when occasions like these arrive I am reminded that He is weaving something beautiful.

Corrie Ten Boom wrote the following

My life is but a weaving between my Lord and me,
I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily.
Oftimes He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.
Not til the loom is silent, and the shuttles cease to fly,
Shall God unroll the canvas, and explain the reasons why.
The dark threads are as needful, in the Weavers skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

Job 7:6
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle

Apple of His Eye

2011-10-24T14:10:00.002-04:00

It had been a packed week of meetings and work and house guests so there had been little time to prepare for the talk I was to give to the women of the First Presbyterian Church in Orlando. As I drove to the airport I prayed fervently that God would somehow give me the time I needed to put the finishing touches on the speech.

When I got to the airport the Delta official announced that there was a full plane so we were to board as quickly as possible in order to stay on time. As I handed him my boarding pass he said, “Mrs. Harley we have upgraded you to first class.” I couldn’t believe my ears but sure enough, there was “my seat”, large and comfortable with the amenities that go with First Class!

The man next to me was quiet, engrossed in his own work and so for nearly two hours I had all the time I needed to fully prepare. No other passenger was as thankful as I was! I praised God all the way down to Orlando for His great kindness to me.

Two days later I was returning to Atlanta. As I again boarded the plane I realized that this time my seat was in the VERY back and I was squeezed between two rather large men. As I fastened my seat belt I had to laugh! “Lord, I see that when I am going to do your work, you give me the best seat but when I am all done, here I am in the very back!”

A few minutes later the stewardess came to the back of the plane and announced that there was a seat up front and wanted someone to move up there. No one raised their hand and she left.

“That is weird”, I thought. I would have assumed that EVERYONE would have wanted to move to first class.

Again she returned and asked the same question. No one moved and again I wondered why no one raised their hand. This was all so strange!

The third time she returned and with firmness stated that the plane could not take off until SOMEONE took that seat! I raised my hand and was ushered to First Class and there had not only had ONE seat but TWO large seats to spread out in!

As I slid my body into those wonderful leather, comfortable seats I started laughing out loud! “Lord, you are just beyond WONDERFUL and I now can see that you can do and will do ANYTHING for your children! I am spoiled beyond belief!”

Does our God have a sense of humor? I think so, in fact I think that day proved not only His sense of humor but His omnipresence, omnipotence and above al His personal love for and delight in His children. And in those moments I think He is calling from heaven, “I know YOU and I love YOU! You really are the apple of My eye!”

I have flown many times since then and never again have I received an upgrade. But on that day I received a special gift, a personal love gift from a personal God.

We have experienced this often in Big Dream Ministries. There have been many times that we have heard a shout from Heaven as God does something BIG for the ministry such as a large financial gift from one of our generous donors. But there are other times when He does small things that take our breath away such as providing a copier at no cost from a company who doesn’t even know much about the ministry. These overwhelm us because He shows Himself so very personal, so intimate in His love, so aware of even our smallest needs. And in both times we are thankful.

Psalm 17:8
Keep me as the apple of Your eye.

Not So Cheap

2011-10-12T14:04:00.002-04:00

It was the picture by the recipe in the cookbook that caught my eye! It showed a lovely rustic pottery bowl filled with the most delicious looking pasta and vegetables. The recipe called for pasta, fresh vegetables and two different kinds of cheeses.

Pasta! A cheap meal! It would fit right into the steam-lined budget Beloved and I had come up with the night before after finding that our budget for two months had been maligned. So we went over every penny we had spent and found the culprit and not surprisingly it was “groceries”. July had been a particularly celebratory month with much company at the cottage and many meals enjoyed with friends and family. And it was there that the budget went out the window and our food allowance went through the roof.

But once the problem had been identified I felt confident that I could quickly get it under control and we would be back in great financial shape within a month or two. After all, I KNOW HOW TO COOK CHEAP! So the pasta with vegetables looked like the perfect recipe…cheap and delicious! So off to Kroger I went with my small grocery list in hand.

Every few weeks I buy a gift card and pay for groceries with that. It makes checking out fast and also saves me from writing twenty checks to Kroger every month! So at check out I swiped my card, never looking at the price and went my merry way.

The pasta was boiling in the pot when I glanced at the receipt. $21.95! I had just spent $21.95 for a pot of “cheap” pasta! In fact it was not cheap because the specialty cheeses and pasta had cost a fortune! I was shocked…and mad at myself for not paying close attention. And the verse came to mind .. “For which one of you when he wants to build a tower (or cook dinner!) does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?”

Considering the costs….Christ was not talking about dinner but far more important things. He basically asks us to see nothing as important, nothing that can even begin to compare with the great joy of following Him. But that is not a cheap decision just as it is not cheap grace. . It is very costly. It literally costs everything.

But like me and the pasta dish we all want something cheap. Instead of fellowship with God we will substitute just about anything else yet in the long run the cheap costs us far more than we were ever wanted to spend. It catches us off guard, deceives us into believing we really are getting a deal. But Christ offers us the greatest treasure of all and then turns around and reminds us that it comes with a cost.
Consider…consider…consider.

It is all worth it. In the end it is worth everything.

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
John 14: 27

In the Garden

2011-09-20T13:24:00.002-04:00

The beauty of the garden caught me off guard. After all this was a small town in the Midwest North Country where the growing season is short and the opportunities for prosperity limited. I had lunched with my friend Betsy in a small café right on the main street and then she gave me a tour of the town, all of which could be accomplished in less than five minutes. That was when “the garden” caught my eye. It was so beautiful and in many ways a bit out of place as it stood in a residential area and took up one lot….a lot where a home should be.

In the center of the garden was a lovely stone pavilion, circular in shape and held up by four stone pillars. Pathways entered from three sides and around the park were six benches. These were not your average park benches, but ones made by a true craftsman, unique in design and sturdy in form.

And then there were the flowers and shrubs, all planted with an eye for peace and serenity and there were occasional large boulders also expertly placed for design and beauty. Truly it looked a little bit like heaven on earth.

Betsy parked the car and we began to walk around. On each bench was a plaque dedicated to a different young person whose name, date of birth and death were solemnly engraved. When I entered the pavilion the whole story came into focus as there on the wall was the story of the event that happened on that very spot.

Four years earlier a house stood right where I was standing. It was graduation night and seven kids gathered there to celebrate with pizza and fun. One of the girls had broken up with her boyfriend just days before and on this night, filled with jealous anger, he arrived at the party with an assault rifle. Moments later six young people lay dead, the seventh critically injured. Days later he himself would be hunted down and shot dead.

In the twinkling of an eye, daily life in this small town was changed forever. Everyone knew all of the victims, in fact most everyone was related to at least one of them. In that small town probably the biggest crime ever committed was kids throwing eggs at passing cars. But on this night hell and all its evil made a visit and seven young promising lives were gone forever. What was left was shock, disbelief, sorrow and despair.

So what does one do with such devastation? Build a garden. The house was torn down and with it the constant reminder of the horror that took place that night. And in its place, a Garden. New birth. Beauty. Peace. Comfort. Hope.

I was reminded once again of the deep longing within us to return to the Garden…to that safe place where sin is not allowed to enter, that place where there are no tears or sorrow. That place where God is. But this earth is not heaven, for the present it belongs to Satan and will until Christ comes back. That Garden is a reminder of both…the battle on earth with pure evil and the hope of heaven and pure joy. In the meantime God occasionally gives us small glimpses …a garden….a reminder…this is not our home.

And the Lord sent him out from the Garden of Eden…
Genesis 3:23

The World of Idiots

2011-09-01T09:40:00.000-04:00

When I was a child I was never allowed to call anyone an idiot. Webster says the word means a “mentally deficient person who is permanently incapable of rational conduct or a very stupid person.” It seems to me there are a growing number of such people. In fact a couple of years ago I was involved in an incident that convinced me the world is full of them.

I was on an entrance ramp coming onto an eight lane highway. As I neared the top, the traffic came to a complete stop. I waited and nothing happened. Soon I heard a police car roaring down the shoulder of the highway, turned onto the left lane and came to a stop behind a cranberry colored Ford Explorer. And there I waited for many minutes as the car refused to move and the police lights kept flashing.

“Idiot”, I said under my breath. This guy would not budge even though those lights kept going. I waited a bit longer growing more and more frustrated with this guy in the Explorer reviewing in my mind the sin of man and how this guy was the worst of the worst. He had no compassion. Perhaps there were people lying wounded and dying in the road just ahead desperately needing an officer and yet Mr. Explorer refused to move his car.

I was ready to jump out and drag him out of his car myself, so enraged at the gall, the inconsiderateness, the unwillingness to consider there was a CRISIS up ahead, when all of a sudden I heard the policeman take serious steps to get him to move.

A loudspeaker bellowed. “Please move to the right!” “There…that should get him!” I thought, but still he didn’t budge. Again the loudspeaker came on, with greater firmness and urgency. “Please move to the right! Please move your car to the right!!” Everyone within hearing distance would have moved to the right but our IDIOT would not!

“Please move your Four Runner to the right!” The voice came again. I thought the policeman must not know his cars very well because THAT car was an Explorer.

Again, and this time the color of the car was added to the command. “PLEASE MOVE YOUR TAN FOUR RUNNER TO THE RIGHT!!!!” Tan Forerunner? The idiot was driving a cranberry Explorer. How could the police make such a horrible mistake. And then I glanced in the rear view mirror only to see an ambulance right behind me and my tan Four Runner directing ME to MOVE my car to the right!!!

As it turns out, there was only ONE idiot on the scene and that was me. The police was stopped behind the guy in the Explorer because that car and several others had been involved in an accident. I was the person incapable of rational behavior .

I moved my car to the right.

And I looked in the mirror. And there I saw a profound truth.

Do not judge others who might have a splinter in their eye until you have taken the huge jumbo log out of your own eye. Those words are Jesus’ idea because He created us and knows full well that at any given moment we are all capable of being idiots… totally incapable of rational thought

Just In Time

2011-08-19T09:46:00.003-04:00

Jerry is a friend of ours who manages The Athens’s Boat Club, a small private lake community. He wears a hundred hats, taking care of all the tens of acres of lawns, the pavilion, the streets and water supply, the downed trees, the gas dock, the administrative work and about everything else that takes place there. There is nothing he can’t handle.

A couple weeks ago he was weed-eating, while a short distance away, Manuel, Jerry’s right hand man, was cutting wood with a chain saw. Jerry disturbed a bee hive and was stung by a couple of angry bees. He had been stung many times before but this time was different and he immediately began to experience serious affects. His body weakened and he fell to the ground into a red ant bed. He tried to call to Manuel but his voice was not loud enough over the sound of the chain saw. One last time his forced himself to make a sound, knowing he was loosing consciousness and perhaps his life. And then a miracle happened. At that very moment just in time, the chain saw broke and Manuel was able to hear Jerry’s weak call as he slipped into a coma.

The paramedics arrived in record time and after a short hospital stay Jerry was back at work. He says it was a miracle, a TRUE miracle that the chain saw broke at the very second he need help. He shutters to think what would have happened if God had not intervened just- in- time.

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There have been many times in ministry that we have experienced our Just In Time God. Though none are quite as dramatic as Jerry’s incident still they are always reminders that God is in our business and He is the great provider.

This past spring was one of those times. Women’s Ministry Leaders were making decisions for the fall programs and we wanted them to know that The Amazing Collection was a viable option. We knew we had a small window in which to send promotional material to churches across the country who have never heard of the ministry or the studies we have produced, but we didn’t have a list of those churches nor did we know where to get one.

But our Just- In- Time God had already gone before us. Becca Shriver had graduated from college and was waiting to begin graduate school. AND she LOVED doing research! She literally fell into our ministry and began working immediately. I would have to laugh whenever I would pass her desk because she would have two computer screens going at once and could find anything and everything with lightening speed. Day after day she would do searches for the various denominations we knew would gain the most from the studies. So in a few days she had found all of the Presbyterian churches and also had contact names, emails and addresses. Then she would begin work on the Baptists, then Methodists followed by Independent churches and on and on until she had added thousands of contacts to our data base. She was with us just four months. She was invaluable. She was a God-send and she was just in time.

Habakkuk 2:3
The vision is set for an appointed time
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.

Scooters and Sages

2011-08-12T08:30:00.000-04:00

When I was in college my friend Rocky Driver had a Honda motor scooter. It was red and gold and easy to drive and went 50 miles an hour. I went to school year around but Rocky did not, choosing instead to take a break from the demands of student life during the summer months. While he was away I was allowed to use the scooter as I needed it. I loved it. I loved everything about it…the speed, the fun, the wind blowing through my hair (that was long before helmets took that thrill away!)

So for years following that time I have wanted a motor scooter. However, raising a family never allowed for extra funds to provide such a luxury. And quite truthfully my family never seemed to take me seriously.

I get up early most mornings, like 4:00 AM and my sixtieth birthday was no exception. As I crossed the living room I noticed a beautifully wrapped box sitting on the table and when I did, there was a motorcycle helmet!

I was not expecting a motor cycle helmet and had never asked for one. But Beloved appeared grinning from ear to ear and pointed to the garage. AND THERE IT WAS! My lifelong dream! It was dark green and white and beautiful and it was MINE!

And so dressed in pajamas I donned helmet and drove my new scooter out into the dark! It was thrilling to say the least. I drove down the drive way, up through the side woods, around the back, through the fruit trees and up the hill back to the garage! And then again and again laughing hysterically all the way!

Two days later Eleanor rode it around our property. She hit a rock and ended up on the ground with scrapes and bruises. Then I took it on the city streets. A car, impatient with my forty miles an hour, whizzed by me at sixty and the wind nearly knocked me off the road. Days later I tried quiet lanes and there I hit asphalt and sand and the scooter knocked me over scrapping my arms and legs. It was Beloved’s turn and he suffered the same fate. And at that point we had to admit that which we had refused to do. We were getting OLDER. Our balance was not as sharp. The scooter had to go.

And so on October 24, 2007 I GAVE UP and a “For Sale” sign was posted and days later my scooter and dream were gone.

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Two months ago a group of women including Eleanor and Linda, Board member Robin Rosebrough along with our production guru Kelle Ortiz and speaker Michelle Helms met to discuss Big Dream’s next venture. We are concerned about women in America. We are concerned about young women in America. We are troubled by the lies they are buying into and the choices they are making that have life long consequences. And we want to help.

We have studied and observed and interviewed and surveyed and there is one thing we know. We think differently. We are OLDER.

The younger generation can be intimidating to say the least. They are technologically savvy. They have a confidence that often prohibits them from accepting advice. They do not see things such as home and marriage and family in the same light. And so we have struggled to figure out just what to teach and how to teach it in a way that could be received.

Recently we revisited a Biblical truth. Older women (that’s us) ARE suppose to teach the younger women out of their wisdom and knowledge of God and His Word. There it is. True direction in an often untrue world.

So we are older. And no, we do not think the same. But we have lived longer and in doing so have gained something of value. Wisdom. Trust. Love. All from Jesus Christ.

And so we are pressing on with renewed excitement. We do have a message and it has nothing to do with the generations because it transcends time. God’s Word is TRUE and we can teach with great confidence from that platform. How we do it will be fresh and exciting because we know the message and we know the Messenger.

Yes we are older and though our balance isn’t as great, our passion for Christ and the women He brings us has not changed. In fact it has only grown with each passing year. So we won’t give up. There will be no letting the dream go….but simply a cry to God to help us, show us, give us all we need to find a way to reach women with the life-giving message that God has for them.

Titus 2:3-5
Older women likewise ….encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands that the Word of God may not be dishonored.

Prayer and the Plan

2011-08-08T16:18:00.003-04:00

Prayer is an interesting thing. We pray with our own great plan in mind. I had prayed for years that our daughters would be used mightily by God. When they married, that prayer expanded to include the new son – in – laws. I asked that our children would be warriors for Christ. In my mind I knew exactly how that would be played out AND of course; they would all live next door! The prayer and the plan were good ones for sure.

So when Cameron, daughter number two, called with the news that they were leaving the youth pastorate and moving to L’Viv, Ukraine to minister there, it was not in my plan.
It is a tearing away of the flesh in many ways to send those you love off to foreign fields, knowing that you cannot just drive an hour and be in their presence. And Ukraine sounded like a strange culture only because it is different from ours. I was on this side of the ocean….and they were on the other many countries away. Though I hate to admit it, often fear would take over; fear for my children’s safety and fear for our grandchildren’s development.

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There is a great kindness in God that often catches us off guard. It is so very personal, so completely designed for us that we are shocked and reminded that yes, He does really KNOW us and as a good Father, shapes gifts that are full of the surprise of tender love.

One of those gifts arrived in the spring of 2007. I received a call from Eleanor Lewis. Marsha Crowe, the Women’s Ministry Director at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church had asked Eleanor and me to teach a Women’s Conference in Ludzk, Ukraine. We would fly into L’Viv, spend a day there and then drive the three hours to the conference.

Marsha had no idea my daughter lived in L’Viv but God did and He handed me the gift of an all-expense-paid visit complete with ministry opportunities and a shared experience with some great and wonderful women who accompanied us.

And so we landed in L’Viv and my family was waiting at the airport to meet us! We dined at their apartment and shared stories. Then Cameron became not only our hostess but also one of our drivers escorting us for the next several days to the conference and back again and her Ukrainian team mate served as my translator.

But God was not done giving. While at the conference I received another gift, one that was probably the most important one. I began to see clearly WHY God had sent them to Ukraine. They were doing a good work…warriors for Jesus Christ. They were seeing God open doors that seemed shut. They brought the hope of the gospel to those who were hopeless. They saw the Spirit of God move and change lives. They had become totally dependent on His leading. They had witnessed His provision and they were well aware of His great protection.

And I began to see that God was in the process of answering my prayer, not my plan.

So for one week, every moment with my daughter and her family was a treasure. And the opportunity to minister to the gracious women who attended the conference was wonderful. But by far the greatest gift was knowing God had heard, God had answered, God was working and God understood the mother’s heart.

Answered prayer and God’s plan: the winning combination.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

Eyes Are Watching

2011-07-28T12:55:00.003-04:00

Several years ago I had the privilege of meeting a Christian celebrity. He was a giant in my eyes as he had written many books that I had devoured and also had produced several teaching videos that I had watched over and over again. I was expecting someone who radiated love and kindness, warmth and perhaps some humor, certainly a touch or more of joy.

And yet the man I met was cold, self engrossed, distant from those who were his host and sour - nothing what I expected. I did not see Christ. I simply saw an ego-elevated man who believed he was to be served and admired for his work. It was not attractive. I wonder if he had any idea that eyes were watching and so disappointed in what they saw

A few years later I was honored by being in the presence of a woman who was a well know author and speaker. She was one of my heroes. I was sure I would meet an earthly angel, a woman of quiet dignity and charm, a woman who would embrace those she met and display the very radiance of Christ. Instead she was haughty, demanding, critical toward her husband and …well.. you get the picture. Did she have any idea that eyes were watching?

I have often thought it would be a great idea if I could first spend some time with those whose works I admire. I want to see above all else if they really believe what they write about and if they are willing to LIVE it. So much of the New Testament is a call to a lifestyle and a character that simply reflects the love, kindness, mercy and OTHER-CENTEREDNESS of Jesus Christ. I so want to see the REAL DEAL and I expect it from those celebrities who represent our faith and our God.

A few months ago I had the privilege to go to Israel for ten days with eighty seven other travelers. It was a fabulous trip and there were a few people in full time ministry who came along. In many ways they were celebrities in my eyes as they had achieved national prominence, some through music and some through preaching and writing. But this time I was not disappointed. The openness, loving kindness, genuine warmth and servant’s hearts was shown day after day. And joy was abundant. It was encouraging. It was heart warming. It was a beautiful example for everyone on the trip to follow. Eyes were watching and because of that we all were encouraged to be more like Christ.

I was in the airport with my Beloved having returned from an over seas flight. It was 5:30 AM and I had not slept in 24 hours. My hair was a mess, my clothes were wrinkled and we were in a slow line waiting to get through customs.

From out of the blue two young women made their way over to us and very excitedly asked if I was Pat Harley. They had done almost all of the Amazing Collection in their home church in Louisville, Kentucky and they had recognized me from the DVDs. Now truthfully I was shocked that they recognized me because not only am I ten years older but also because I am not at my best at 5:00 AM! But they were excited to meet me, as cute as could be and had so many good things to say about the Amazing Collection.

When they left it occurred to me that eyes are always upon us. No matter if we are a great celebrity or someone like me who simply professes Christ openly, eyes are upon us. Our neighbors, the grocery clerk, the hairdresser, all who we come in contact with every day are watching. Are they encouraged to be more like our Savior or are the disheartened by what they see?

But even more sobering are another set of eyes….the eyes of heaven. It is something worth remembering. After all it is Him we represent.

Psalm 11:4
The Lord’s throne is in heaven;
His eyes behold,
His eyelids test the sons of men

An Unexpected Gift

2011-07-21T11:56:00.009-04:00

She was Russian and had married a good friend’s son. They had met overseas and had continued the relationship via email and now they were married and she was looking for a job. She had experience in bookkeeping and we needed a bookkeeper and so we hired her for one day a week. It was a good fit. She was detail oriented, a quiet and conscientious worker and lifted some of the burden from our office manager’s shoulders. And she spoke fluent Russian which didn’t seem to be a plus at first but later proved invaluable.

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Charlotte Reeves had adopted a Russian child and through that had become involved in Russian ministries. One day she sent me an email. CNLTV, a Russian Christian broadcasting company was looking for fresh programming. She thought they might be interested in The Amazing Collection and so I made the call to their US office and Mark Patterson, International Director of CNLTV. He was going to be at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in two weeks and so we agreed to meet there.

CNLTV had a booth close to ours and so the meeting took place quickly. The cost would be $250 a program plus another $250 per program to cover translation costs. Being a mathematical genius, I figured it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and so told him we were not interested.

Several months later I was in my office and Yulia, our Russian bookkeeper came in and asked me if I had ever considered getting The Amazing Collection on a Russian broadcasting company. I told her of my experience with CNLTV and her eyes lit up. “Did you know I was the secretary to the president of CNLTV when I lived in Kazakhstan?” Of course that was new information!

“I think you should call them back and ask them to reconsider the price. And besides”, she added, “the translation would only cost a little over $16,000!”

That was a far cry from my imagined “hundreds of thousands of dollars”!

So I made the call. Once again I talked to Mark Patterson. He was kind and pleasant and seemed to be glad I had called. He said they were going to be choosing programming the very next day for the fall season and would be glad to consider The Amazing Collection! I asked if he wanted me to overnight some of the DVDs and he said he had some sitting on his desk! He had kept them from our meeting at the NRBC!!

Two days later he called back. They REALLY wanted our program and would also waive the program fee if we could please pay for the translation! I was shocked, dismayed and delighted all once…and so grateful to a God who works in the most creative ways!

The next day we received a call from a man who wanted to pay for all of those fees, and so we began a warm partnership with CNLTV. Through them The Amazing Collection has been shown to well over 100 nations in the Russian language over three different satellites.

As for Yulia, she ended up translating four of our workbooks into the Russian language. She has now followed her husband to Norway for extra schooling but she was a great gift to us. And who would have guessed that of all of her many gifts, it would be her Russian contacts and language that proved to be so abundantly helpful!

I Corinthians 2:9
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor has entered the heart of man, The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

Here Comes Da Judge

2011-06-23T10:06:00.001-04:00

February 2007
Four of us were in Orlando, Florida for yet another National Religious Broadcasters Convention. While having dinner the first evening one of the ladies suggested that we offer to pray for our waiter when he brought us our food. She and her husband did that regularly and it was such a privilege to include the server in the blessing for the food so we decided that was a good idea. And I must admit it did make us feel more spiritual. After all we were at THE NATIONAL RELIGIOUS BROADCASTERS CONVENTION and so what better time to be more RELIGIOUS! Our waiter was a cute young man and so after the food was delivered we asked if we could pray for him. His eyes lit up and at once he came up with a prayer need. He had just graduated from Bible College and wanted to be a youth pastor so he needed a job. We were delighted to fill that request and did so with fervency. As the week went on we had more opportunities take prayer requests and it was always heart warming.

We stayed in a lovely hotel that offered breakfast in their deli. Every morning we would stand in line, give our order to the person behind the counter and wait until she dished it up onto paper plates and then we would find a table and enjoy our breakfast. And every morning we were met by the same woman behind the counter. She was cold, unsmiling, seemed slightly irritated no matter how hard we tried to be quick with our orders and just all in all unpleasant. After the first day we decided we would do everything we could to make her our “friend.” And so every morning we graciously greeted her with a cheery “good morning”. We put our order in with great speed and kindness which she did not acknowledge and we thanked her profusely and even complimented her dress and still she was as cold and hard as ice. She never became our F* much less our BFF**.

We left Orlando to drive back home early Friday morning. About the time the sun was coming up we stopped at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast. The restaurant was empty so the hostess led us to the table of our choice and we began to peruse the menu she had set before us.

About that time a tall, older, angular woman appeared as our waitress. She was abrupt, impatient and had only a few teeth. We ordered coffee and as she left to retrieve it for us we had some unkind words to say about the situation.

“Here we go again”!

“Only this one doesn’t have all of her teeth”

When do you think we will get a really NICE waitress for breakfast?”

I wish I could say that was as bad as it got but it wasn’t. More was said then should have been and none of it kind.

She came back with our coffee and took our order, never a soft word spoken. Ten minutes later she came back with a huge tray filled with food. Plates were passed around and just before she left one of the ladies asked, “Is there anything we can pray for you as we say the blessing?”

And at that moment a most incredible thing happened. Our waitress stopped, turned toward us and with tears in her eyes said, “Oh thank you! You can pray for my husband. He is home dying with Pancreatic cancer, and I need to work to pay the bills and can’t always be with him.”

And with that she stood at the head of our table, head bowed, eyes closed ready to pray with us. We all joined hands and prayed so fervently for this precious woman who we had maligned as her husband was home dying of cancer.

After she left, I struggled to eat. I struggled to keep back the massive amount of tears that wanted to come pouring out of my eyes. I wanted to fall at the feet of Jesus and beg His forgiveness.

After we had finished our breakfast (and it was a fairly silent one as we were all so ashamed of ourselves) our waitress came back with the check. Again as tears welled up in her eyes she thanked us profusely and ended by saying she felt God had sent us to her that morning to encourage her heart and that we had indeed done so.

It was more salt in the wound. Such kindness, such gratitude for us …the sinners.

We emptied all of our money onto the table leaving by far the largest tip I am sure she had ever received. Yet it wasn’t what we had done for her that mattered. It was what she had done for us.

But it does make me wonder about the woman behind the counter at the hotel. Did she have a similar story? Could we not have prayed for her even if there would be no “show” to it, even if she would not have ever known? We didn’t really need for her to like us. We just needed for her to love Jesus. I wish we would have prayed for that.

It all made me see clearly why our Lord insists that we do not judge others. Because we stink at it! We make judgments of those around us by only what we see…the exterior…and we have no idea what life they live, what sorrows they face, what burdens they bear.

It was one of the greatest lessons of my life I will never forget and to this day I am immensely grateful for it.

Matthew 7:1-5

Judge not that you be not judged.

For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged.

*Friend ** Best Friend Forever

Party!

2011-06-21T11:31:00.000-04:00

It came into my mind a few years before. I had been asked to speak at a ladies’ Christmas Luncheon for a local church. It was held at The Metropolitan Club, a special events facility. From the moment I walked in the door I thought it would be a wonderful place to someday celebrate God’s goodness. I had no idea at the time, but that day would come and it would be beyond anything I could have ever imagined.

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All of the DVDs and workbooks were completed. It had been a monumental job to say the least. It had taken fives years and forty people working tirelessly. And yet for all of our hard work we knew that God had opened doors that were shut tight. He had provided almost two million dollars without us even telling anyone that we had a financial need. He had guided us and encouraged us. In fact I think we knew full well that in many ways He had done it all. And now we wanted to celebrate…celebrate the God who so graciously, kindly, faithfully made sixty- six DVDs and eleven workbooks possible.

At the first idea of a celebration The Metropolitan Club came to mind. It was beautiful. It was expensive. Yet as we looked for other facilities I kept coming back to that one knowing in my heart that the celebration was to take place there. And so after presenting the plan to the board and much discussion (the very gracious, wonderful, generous, faith-filled board) permission was given to spend the money and the party date was set: January 25, 2007 from 6:30-9:30.

I happen to believe that God truly does love celebrations and so He went before us. Within a short period of time we received a total of $17,000 from three different donors earmarked for a party!

Robin, who is a whiz on the computer, printed lovely invitations and we invited over two hundred people. Every single one of them had something to do with making the big dream come true. There were our production company, many donors, tech folks, musicians, vocalists, sixty-six brave women who had given their testimonies, our catering women, the back stage crew, our wardrobe consultant, makeup artists, writers, editors, proof readers, literary consultant and the list went on and on.

We had prayed that all would come full of joy and dressed in their party clothes and no one let us down! Each and every person who came through the door that night was absolutely radiant and “party dresses”, long and short abounded. Indeed, everyone came ready to P_A_R_T_Y!

The “living room” area at the Metropolitan club offered a perfect spot for appetizers and punch. It is a gracious, welcoming room and yet large enough to embrace all of us. The excitement was high and good cheer was the air we breathed. At 7:00 the big doors opened into the enormous dining room and it really was magical! The room was lit by candlelight and the champagne silk table clothes topped floor length black ones. Crystal lanterns adorned every table giving a sparkly, glittery appearance to the room…and it was just beautiful.

Jen Carozza, one of our favorite vocalists started us off with her jazzy rendition of “Come on Into the House”. Robin followed her with a heart felt welcome that immediately set the tone for the evening. And as all of our studies begin with the opener of The Amazing Collection, we thought it was appropriate to do the same for our evening and so it was shown up on a huge screen. And then the feasting began!

There was much more that night. There were brief speeches from the board members followed by Charles Billingsley who gave a concert and then led us in celebratory worship. Too soon the evening ended and all said good night. But I have to believe we went away believing that we had all had a glimpse of heaven. We had enjoyed the beauty of the surroundings. We had feasted on the finest food. We had been clothed in our very best. We had loved on one another. We had worshiped with full hearts. And through it all we had basked in something else.

Emmanuel.

The Celebrating God had been with us.

Psalm 5:11

But let all those rejoice who put their trust

in You.

Let them shout for joy…

Let those who love Your name

Be joyful in You.

What’s Next?

2011-06-16T09:45:00.000-04:00

Eleanor’s screened porch overlooking the lake made a perfect place for the Big Dream Board to conduct important business. We had gathered together for two days to discuss, plan and evaluate our office, staff, and warehouse needs, finacial status and future projects. Each May we “retreat” to get a pulse on the ministry and see where God might lead us for the next year and we always come away with deeper faith in God Who has done far beyond anything we could have ever thought or asked.

After reviewing the present status, the question came up that I have heard over and over again from many of our loyal customers.

So what is next?

For the customer, that question is simple but for the board it is not because we are not the ones who set the path. It is God’s ministry and God’s will and God who we serve.

So the question really is “What does the Lord want us as a team to do next?

Linda didn’t seem to hesitate.

“We need to move forward with teaching women how to live THROUGH the Bible in their marriages and their homes. We have taught them the books of the Bible and have certainly encouraged them to study and know them all but there is a great need for women to know the ”HOW’ of living a godly Christian life.”

For years we have been intrigued, challenged and burdened with the Titus 2:3-5 command.

“Older women ….. encourage (train) the younger women to love their husbands and love their children, to be sensible, pure workers at home, kind being subject to their own husbands that the word of God may not be dishonored. “

Intrigued because it speaks to the older women in the church .

Challenged because there are so many facets to the command.

Burdened because we stand by and watch homes and marriages fall apart.

There was something about Linda’s confident statement that so resonated with each one of us. We have talked about such a curriculum for years but truthfully have not had clear guidance as to how the Lord would have us do such a thing.

So we left the screened porch and the lake and returned to our daily lives with conviction that we will pray fervently and ask God to help us help women who in turn will strengthen their homes and families and in the end bring further glory to God and His kingdom.

The following week I received a phone call from a woman I had never met. A friend of hers had encouraged her to call me. We met for lunch at a local sandwich shop. She was lovely, bright, and energetic. And she had a burning heart for women and their marriages and their families and their homes!

She had no idea that our board had just been discussing this very thing and now she had come to me with the same desire! And I began to think that perhaps God was up to something!

So what’s next for Big Dream? We do not know for sure but we do know there are signs, hints of what that direction looks like and it could be very good indeed.

Isaiah 30:21

And your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”

It’s So Simple

2011-05-31T16:39:00.003-04:00

Frank and BeeBee got married last weekend.

No invitations were sent out but somehow word got around to all those who loved them. Two hundred of their closest friends and family showed up.

They didn’t have a budget for flowers but one of the daughters- in- law knew how much they loved vegetable gardening so had the bride’s bouquet made with an assortment of greenery and radishes and cherry tomatoes and it was beautiful as was the groom’s radish boutonniere.

Margarite volunteered music so she hauled out the old organ that is stored in the pavilion shed and the guests were welcomed with some of the much-loved hymns.

Frank arrived in his old golf cart decorated with fishing gear. He walked to the front where Pastor Joe was waiting for him and we all applauded. We couldn’t help ourselves.

The second golf cart arrived carrying BeeBee, escorted by her two sons. As soon as she stepped out of the cart I have to admit we were all taken back. She looked beautiful in her silk suit she had bought at a local consignment store for $3.50. She is petite and as a bride looked radiant with her white hair resembling a halo around her face.

Margarite began the wedding march and all of us were on our feet…well, Beloved and I were already on our feet because there was standing room only. Two grandchildren, ages about 4 and 6 came down the aisle first tossing Spring Salad Mix from little baskets, an appropriate homage to the wedding couple.

With a son on each side, BeeBee came down the down the aisle confidently to her waiting man.

Joe did a great job of conducting the ceremony and the bride and groom spoke their vows with such conviction….the conviction of two people who really knew what they what getting into and yet were willing to move forward with joy and courage.

Travis has a voice that is beautiful even in his late seventies and stood to sing “How Great Thou Art”, BeeBee and Frank’s favorite song. But emotion got the best of him and he struggled through the first verse. Then as if by some strange silent invitation, everyone joined in. It was beautiful, touching and well, holy. I cried.

The vows completed, the kiss exchanged and the wedded couple joyfully went up the aisle to wild applause.

And then before we knew it they were back in the front. Frank, tall and handsome had something to say. And he began…” I am so grateful to….and the list was a fairly long one, grateful for the friends and family who really, really loved them and had made this day so special. He spoke personally to each and every one of them, naming their contribution to the day. And then he briefly told the audience what they already knew and yet acknowledging it made it beautiful.

He was grateful for his first marriage to his beloved wife of 53 years. BeeBee was also grateful for her first husband of 46 years. And they both felt those deceased loved ones were looking on with joy. And I believe they really were.

Acknowledging God’s goodness in the past, enjoying and being so grateful for God’s goodness in the present, and looking forward to what God had for them in the future… their future together.

It was all so simple. It was all so profoundly simple and yet incredibly beautiful. It was a God-event and I will never forget it.

Simplicity. We really don’t believe it is better but it really is. I have been to many weddings and many very extravagant and expensive ones but none like this one. I walked away humbled, deeply touched and perhaps, even changed.

Maybe God doesn’t give extra credit for busier, faster, and more. Perhaps He has given us the secret but we just don’t believe Him. Maybe the secret really is simplicity. A couple of hints show up in Second Corinthians. The question is “Will I, will we, pay attention”?

For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God

and more abundantly toward you.

2 Corinthians 1:12

But I fear lest somehow as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:5

A Chance Encounter

2011-05-11T09:39:00.000-04:00

I wonder how many lives are totally changed by what we would consider is a ‘chance encounter’.

I had a catering business in the late seventies. We sold sandwiches and salads to a large insurance company every day. I sold a gentleman an egg and olive sandwich one day. He asked if I was a Christian. I replied I was an American therefore yes I was. He then very cheerfully asked if I was born-again. I replied no…that was only for “rednecks”. He smiled and said that in John 3 Jesus had told Nicodemas that one must be born again in order to inherit the Kingdom of God. Then he paid for his sandwich and left. That one encounter was the beginning of my journey to Christ. It was a chance encounter but really it was a “Christ” encounter.

***************************************************

In December 2005, Robin and I had driven to Nashville, Tennessee for a business meeting. Because it would run late we decided to stay overnight and Robin’s husband had generously provided a balcony room overlooking the beautiful indoor gardens at the fabulous Opryland Hotel. We had spent the evening enjoying every aspect of the gorgeous resort as it was gloriously decorated for the Christmas Season.

The next morning, we rose early and walked down to the hotel dining room to order breakfast. A young man of Mexican decent waited on us. Though he spoke in halting English, he was cheerful and kind and courteous and very helpful in recommending certain dishes he thought we would enjoy. After he took our order he asked if we had big plans for the day.

I told him we were going to visit several churches and introduce them to a new Bible study we had just produced before heading back to Atlanta. With that his eyes lit up and he asked many questions about the study. Then he turned to me and asked if I had a word of encouragement for him.

Now that is a question I am not asked every day but before I knew it I had blurted out, “Be faithful!” That seemed to be a word he needed and he began telling us his story about how he came to know the Savior! It was short and exciting and we felt that the Spirit of God was simply bursting forth and filling all of us!

Soon he delivered our breakfast and his recommendations had been excellent. We simply feasted on fabulous food until not only our souls but our stomachs were full to the brim. And then a special dish arrived, a bowl of beautiful fruit with a Crème Brule dipping sauce. “A gift, he said, and with that he handed us a book, Spiritual Waiting. Robin had a set of The Amazing Collection with her and so she gave that to him. When we went to pay the bill, there was “no charge”.

In real life, two Georgia suburban women don’t have much in common with a young Mexican waiter living in Tennessee, but in God’s Kingdom we are family, brothers and sisters united by the love of Christ and we have a common Spirit and a common destiny.

I don’t know what ever happened to this “brother” of mine, but I do know he made an indelible impression on my life.

First, he made his job a place in which to bless others, bring glory to Christ and truly let his light shone.

Secondly, he gave generously. Our breakfast was not cheap. Someone had to pay for it. I feel certain he did it.

Thirdly, he was prepared. He had a significant book close by so he could share it with someone else.

And lastly but probably the most important, he had a story that he could tell in a short period of time in a way that would make an impact and not be at all offensive.

I was impressed. That was six years ago and I am still impressed!

A chance encounter…no, it was a Christ encounter and I am so grateful for each and every one of them.

1 Corinthians 2:4

And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom but

in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

Sales and Marketing

2011-05-06T11:19:00.000-04:00

I have heard that a few seconds of advertising time on prime time TV can sell just about anything if the commercial is shaped right. But there are many ways to sell. Sometimes it is a billboard or an advertisement in a magazine, a display in a department store, or a 30 minute sales presentation. Marketing is big business for sure.

I remember a time when we were invited to enjoy a free weekend at a nearby resort if we would only spend 30 minutes listening to an informative talk by one of their sales representatives. And so, needing a little time away and thinking this was a great opportunity we took the bait. After enjoying all of the amenities of this luxury resort we gladly sat through the 30 minutes required. At the end of the sales presentation we were ready to sign on the dotted line and part with all of our saving. By the grace of God we had the good sense to ask for an hour to think about it. In that time we called a dear and wise friend who gave us ten good reasons this was a BAD idea and rescued us from a terrible mistake. But it proved that we are easily persuaded by good marketing!

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We were in a bind. We had devoted four years to developing and producing a Bible Study we were convinced would help women understand every book in God’s Word. We had begun to receive a great deal of affirmation through women who were doing the study. It was changing not only the way they looked at God’s Word but it was also changing their lives. Now we had to find a way of letting churches and small groups know the study was available. They could not do the study if they did not know about it! The problem was simply how we could we get that kind of information into their hands. And so we decided we needed a marketing person.

I had met Nicole, a lovely young woman, at one of the National Religious Broadcasters Conventions who had impressed me greatly. She was a marketing rep for a huge Christian organization that specialized in massive events for women. We hit it off immediately. And so whenever she would come to Atlanta from Texas she would stop by my house for a cup of tea and good conversation.

Meanwhile, the Board began to pray more intensely for a marketing person. We had no idea who God might send us but we knew we needed someone with experience as we knew nothing about sales. One afternoon Nicole dropped by and brought Rachel, one of her sale associates. We were sitting on the porch sipping ice tea when I said, “Why don’t you two quit your jobs and come work with us!” I had said that to Nicole on numerous occasions and we both knew I was joking (sort of!).

But today the response nearly blew me away. Rachel answered, “I am moving to Atlanta to be closer to family. My sister lives here and I will be looking for a job. I have a degree in sales and marketing and also three years of experience in the same company Nicole is with, and I would be so happy to investigate further what you have in mind!”

A week later we had a contract for Rachel. The added bonus was that she would be living with her sister for a while until she could find a place to stay. Her sister just happened to live a very short distance from the office!

Rachel was with us for about three years. She met a man, got engaged then married and then pregnant before she decided to stay home and be a mom. But she was a gift to us right from the Throne of Grace!

But it is still amazing to me how God brought us what we needed at just the right time and in such a creative way.

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Disappointment

2011-05-02T15:02:00.000-04:00

Sometime people can just let you down. In fact it doesn’t have to be a person. Just last week we came home after being out later than usual only to find that our good-dog Jim had taken a pound cake off the kitchen counter, unwrapped it neatly, ate half of it, and, unable to rewrap and put it back on the counter, he just left it on the floor and waited for us by the door. As soon as we came through that door he took off like a shot and hid for a half an hour. Two nights later, I couldn’t sleep so I got up to do some reading only to find good-dog Jim on my new love seat sound a sleep. He disappointed me. It happens.

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December 2005

Robin Rosebrough, who was overseeing our sales, and I had been working on trying to find the best ways to market The Amazing Collection. We had met with outstanding businessmen whose tremendous advice was so helpful and appreciated. But we really needed someone to take on the marketing and do it for us!

John Eames, our dear friend and literary agent, came into town and so we were able to meet with him at some length. He listened carefully and then said he would like to see if one of his acquaintances who he knew in Nashville would meet with us. John said Mr. X (as I will call him) was a marketing genius. He knew everything about marketing and he knew everyone in the industry. John told us he would see if he could set up a meeting. So a week later we received a call! Mr. X indeed would meet with us in Nashville on November 30!

It was decided that Robin and I would make the trip and so the two of us drove up in the morning arriving at John Eames’ house just before our scheduled appointment. We jumped in John’s car and drove to the restaurant, a quiet and lovely place perfect for the meeting.

I understand business men do this all the time but we were still seeing ourselves mainly as homemakers and wives and moms. All of this was pretty heady stuff and to say we were excited and nervous is an understatement. Had we been getting ready to meet the president I don’t think we would have been more excited and awestruck.

Mr. X proved to be all we hoped he would be and more. He was very sanguine, so warm and friendly right from the first handshake. He was gracious and kind and asked a million questions…all that we enjoyed answering! (It is always a heady experience to recount the history of Big Dream because every time we do our God gets more grand and powerful as we relive the many great and awesome miracles.)

After over an hour of answering, he seemed genuinely impressed. And then he began to talk and when he did he painted incredible pictures of all that he would do for us. He wanted us to meet with the VP of one of the largest Christian publishers in the country and he just happened to know him personally. He continued, telling us how this study was a goldmine and that if the meeting with the VP did not go well then there was a Plan B and a Plan C. He would see that we were well taken care of in the marketing arena and he wanted to do it all for free!

The meeting lasted two and a half hours. At the end, we said good-bye to our new best friend Mr. X, John drove us back to our car and Robin and I headed home. I do think we could have flown home without any help from a car or plane. We were ecstatic and overwhelmed with all of Mr. X’s good promises! We had found such favor in his eyes and he had promised us so many wonderful “gifts”! His talent and marketing passion was JUST what we needed! We felt as if all of heaven had opened up and poured such rich blessings on us. And we couldn’t wait to have the chance to meet with the very important VP and the see if we needed to go to plan B or plan C! What a meeting! What a day! What a promise!

That was the last we ever heard from Mr. X.

Sometimes people disappoint. But God never does.

The Lord is righteous in her midst

He never fails.

Zephaniah 3:5

All Things Together

2011-04-20T17:32:00.000-04:00

Can anything good come out of death? I remember asking myself that question when, soon after my father had become critically ill and the reality of loosing him had come into sharp focus, I came across Romans 8:28. It says “all things work together for the good….” But surely nothing good could come out of the death of a loved one!
It is a serious question and I suppose it is asked at many gravesides on a daily, if not hourly basis. The pain is so great. The loss is so intense. Yet now years later I see that yes indeed, even in death, good things can come forth.

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September 2005

We needed a testimony for First Thessalonians. Several years earlier, we had all known Susan, a lovely young woman who was dying of cancer. She asked if we could film her testimony and we were delighted to do that for her….and then she asked if it could be shown to the hundreds of ladies in our weekly women’s ministry. Susan’s story testified to the goodness of God and her hope in Him for eternity. It was so profound that the response from her words was incredible and the impact dynamic. Our sweet friend died a few months later.

Years passed and her husband remarried. We were getting ready to assemble the components of the book of First Thessalonians and realized that Susan’s story would be the perfect testimony for us to use. So we contacted her husband. Would he agree to sign the release form allowing us to use the clip in The Amazing Collection?

He agreed to sign and we sent him the paper work but weeks went by and it was not returned. Genie and Colin (our two co-leaders in finding proper testimonies) called repeatedly and always received a promise to sign but that promise was never fulfilled.

Months and months went by with repeated calls and still no signed papers so we asked Art to call him. Art had been his pastor and we thought he would be able to get a definite answer for us. He graciously made the call and again received a promise to sign and send but after waiting a few more weeks we realized that for a reason we could not understand, this was not going to happen. We were all very frustrated and anxious because we were working now on a VERY tight deadline.

So we prayed asking God to give us the perfect testimony for this special book.

Colin was reading Discipleship Journal a magazine that was put out by Navpress and came across an article written by the editor, a woman whose sister, Gaye-Lynn Smith, had died of cancer. However, just before she died, her church had filmed her glorious testimony. Colin called me immediately to see if we could get it and I called a contact at Navpress in Colorado Springs, Colorado who was able to get the name of the editor who in turn gave me the name of the pastor who lived in Virginia who had the film and he called his son who owned the production company who had done the filming. The pastor gave Colin the name of the husband who now lived in New Guinea and she was able to obtain permission to include Gaye-Lynn’s testimony in the study, and then the production company sent us a copy on a DVD disc. We were good to go…and none too soon!

Can anything good come out of death? Susan spoke into the camera from her living room couch to women she knew and had enjoyed. Her message was for them and so she gave glory to God while she was days away from stepping into the presence of God. Hundreds of women were forever impacted as they listened to her message on a big screen in the church auditorium and none who were there that day will ever forget her powerful words.

Gaye-Lynn lay in a hospital knowing that she only had a few days on this earth. She spoke into a camera, not knowing who would ever see her or hear her words. Yet today, thousands of women sit in auditoriums, church classrooms, or home small groups and hear Gayle-Lynn’s story, and around the world through over seven overseas broadcasting stations in five languages millions of people can see and hear Gaye-Lynn’s message of hope and confident trust in her Savior.

Some day I know I will have the privilege of meeting Gaye-Lynn Smith and when I do it will be a great joy to tell her that her story literally was seen in almost every country in the world and God received the glory.

Behind Romans 8:28 is GOD. It is He alone who can and will work mightily to bring great good even out of death.

Romans 8:28

And we know that God causes all things to work together for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes.

Big Concepts – Easy Formula

2011-04-12T11:53:00.000-04:00

Big concepts are sometimes hard to explain. For instance my husband has tried (unsuccessfully) to explain Pi-squared to me but he might as well be talking Greek. The size of the universe, eternity and infinity are also some of those pretty difficult things for the average mind to comprehend. And then of course there are those touchy conversations that we have with children when they have heard things that are too adult for their understanding and so we muddle around trying to put hard concepts into child-like terms.

But to most of us, the Bible also can be complex and confusing. So often we have spent years studying adverbs and verbs and intricacies but never fully grasp the big picture.

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After we had completed filming all sixty-six books we decided it would be very helpful if we developed a seminar that would introduce the whole Bible to churches that were going to be doing the study. We wanted cover the Bible in a simple understandable way in a three hour seminar And so Linda, Eleanor and I went back to the “drawing board” and began meeting regularly to see if it was even possible.

We had all of the charts and notes laid out before us. We talked about the different books and how we might present them in a clear and simple way, a way that anyone could understand even if they had never even touched a Bible before. We went in one direction and then another and then something happened. It was as if God Himself revealed a very simple formula, one that we had never seen before.

There were the Old Testament History Books, seventeen in all.
Then there were the five Old Testament Poetical Books, really books of writings, definitely not history, but books that added insight and direction for Christian living.
And then there were seventeen Old Testament Prophetical Books. So the Old Testament could be simplified into HISTORY – WRITINGS – PROPHECY.

Well that seemed simple enough and all of a sudden we had described the entire Old Testament.

But then came the surprise! As we looked at the New Testament we saw the exact same pattern. HISTORY (the Gospels and Acts) WRITINGS (Paul’s letters and other letters) and PROPHECY (Revelation)

So three words could sum up the whole Bible. History Writings Prophecy and then again History, Writings, Prophecy!

It was a complete revelation to us all. We had never seen it before but there it was: the structure of both Testaments!

Hard concepts made easy.

And so we each took one of the OT sections and one from the NT section and developed six 40 minute teaching sessions. Then we added music with two of our favorite vocalist, Verna Law and Jen Carozza. Dennis Law joined the team to run the sound and video clips we had added to the program. A workbook that included notes and outlines were written and printed along with six color-coded memory cards with the names of the books and symbols for each section.

We taught the seminars for the next two years and then decided to put all of the information into a six-week Bible Study, Invincible Love / Invisible War. But to this day those three words are clued to my brain….History, Writings Prophecy….hard concepts made easy.

Psalm 19:7

The testimony of the Lord is sure

Making wise the simple.

The Fashionista

2011-03-31T12:18:00.000-04:00

I have always thought that if there was such a thing as reincarnation (which there is not!) I would like to come back as a “fashionista”. This is a term used to define a woman with a penchant for shopping and a natural flair for combining both current and vintage fashionable trends. I have a few friends that fit that description and it seems to me that they can put together a smashing outfit with little or no effort. And when they go shopping, which they seem to have time to do often, they find the most lovely items for the best prices! Getting dressed for them is a joy and going to special occasions is simply an opportunity to display their creativity.

Then there are people like me. Shopping and root canals are in the same category. Finding an outfit for a special occasion throws me into a tail spin. I usually have no more than about five minutes to rush into Marshalls or Steinmart to find the perfect dress. As the minutes tick away to six, seven, eight, nine ... the anxiety level increases until I finally race out in frustration, only to put off choosing the perfect dress to another time when I might be able to find another five minutes to squeeze out of the day.

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God makes it pretty clear in Scripture that He dresses the lilies of the field. I am not sure I truly believed that until the day we filmed “God Will Open Up The Windows and Pour You Out a Blessing” a great song written by Babbie Mason.

We had reserved the Alpharetta Methodist Church for the filming. We had arranged for a large choir from Destiny Church to fill the choir loft and be a part of the song. Wonderful Babbie Mason and Jen Carozza had agreed to do the duet. Everything was in place AND we even had hired John and his boom camera.

But then the night of June 7, 2005 came and the weather did not cooperate. A massive rain storm covered the area and driving was hazardous. I arrived at the church only to find that Soteria and their crew were setting up but no one else was there.

About fifteen minutes later, a few of the participants from Destiny Church straggled in and then twenty minutes later a few more. Now we had about twelve members of the choir. But soon word came that the rest could not make it. We were at a standstill waiting to see if Jen and Babbie could weather the storm that raged outside.

At seven thirty they walked in carrying huge piles of clothes. They had come in separate cars and had not discussed dress with each other before arriving. Kelle and I ushered them back to the bride’s dressing room to see just which outfits would work the best. They put their mini-wardrobes down on the couches and stood back. That is when we noticed it. They HAD ON perfect -I mean perfect- outfits that coordinated so beautifully one would have thought a true “fashionista” had made all of the decisions for the clothes. And indeed, at that moment I felt HE had!

The choir of fifty never materialized. Instead the group of twelve turned out to be exactly what was needed for the type of song we had chosen. Their great enthusiasm, musical talent extraordinary patience and stage presence absolutely made the music DVD better than anything we could have ever imagined.

Three hours later as we were packing up cameras, sound equipment and unused clothes I realized the song really did fit this occasion. God really did open up the windows and He had poured out upon us all a really great blessing.

Matthew 6:28

So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow:

they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory

was not arrayed like one of these.

Be Patient

2011-03-29T10:02:00.000-04:00

When our kids were little we loved to sing along with tapes whenever we were traveling in the car. One of the songs went like this;

Be patient, be patient
Don’t be in such a hurry.
When you are impatient
You only start to worry!
Remember, remember that God is patient too,
And think of all the time that He has had to wait on you!

It is a catchy little verse and the truth is that even now that our children are grown with children of their own, that little song still sticks firmly in my head!

Webster’s dictionary says patience is “calm endurance of hardship or annoyance or inconvenience or delay”.

And it is this very thing, PATIENCE, that seems so important to God. We are told to bear fruit with patience. It is by our patience that we will gain life. We are to have patience in hope, and pursue it, knowing that faith produces patience. The list is fairly impressive and the bottom line is that God wants us to have it and anyone who reads the stories of His children in the Bible can attest to the fact that He even produces opportunities for us to learn patience in all kinds of creative ways!

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As Christians we are often encouraged to journal. That usually comes through various sermons or seminars or conferences. But for some reason the purpose of journaling seems elusive. I mean after all who has the time? And besides surely we will remember all God has done for us.

Well I have come up with a really, really good reason to journal: it gives us the rest of the story. Through a journal you can read about a crisis and then pages (or journals!) later find out how it got resolved. It helps us see that God can ask us to be patient because He is at work whether we realize it or not!

For instance, I have written more than a hundred times throughout the years words that shout crisis! Here are some from Big dream Ministries:

“We have no money and I don’t know where we will get any.”

“NO ONE is buying The Amazing Collection and our warehouse is full of product!”

“We have a shipment coming on Friday and no place to put everything!”

“ We need personal testimonies for the next four books and there is no “story” in sight!”

Well I could bore you, the reader, with many, many more such outcries but I will spare you. The point is that I DO have a journal and I can read forward to see how the story ends. And in every case, the great and terrifying crisis turned out to be just another opportunity to trust Christ. And in the end (never early) He brought about more than we could have ever imagined.

So for the rest of the story:
We received almost two million dollars in four years that paid completely for production…just in time.

Today hundreds of churches and small groups across the country are doing the study.
And we have had to reorder workbooks over and over again to keep up with the demand.

A warehouse came available only a mile from the office….just in time.

And of course every book ended up with a fabulous personal story as the “story teller’ showed up just in time.

Patience. When I read the end of the stories it grieves me that I EVER worried. It was a huge waste of time and energy for sure. There was so much hand wringing and sleepless nights…..instead of simple joy that all was in the Savior’s hands and He would lead the way and provide.

So that is a great reason to cultivate patience. It basically says, “I trust God and He is faithful”.

As I write the above words it surely seems easy. But sometimes the battles are huge. My nephew is battling cancer at the age of 42. My friend is struggling with a rebellious daughter. And we have many folks that we love dearly who are out of work. There is much to worry about.

UNTIL I read a few pages of my journal …. and then I remember the song,

“Be patient, be patient
Don’t be in such a hurry
If you grow impatient
you only start to worry…..”

I don’t know how God will resolve the issues at hand but some day I don’t want to look back and see that much time and emotional anxiety was wasted because I did not trust that God is good, and He is faithful and He is at work, and that He has heard my prayers.

He simply says, “Be patient”.

But let patience have its perfect work,

that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

James 1:4

Perfect Timing

2011-03-11T10:44:00.000-05:00

We had lived in our first home in South Portland, Maine less then a year when I was awakened out of a sound sleep at three in the morning by someone pounding on our door and lights flashing through the windows. My first thought was that our house was on fire and that seemed to be confirmed when we threw open the door to find two firemen standing there. But it was not our house but our neighbors. A small fire had begun in the kitchen but they had all been sleeping and by the time they were awakened by the smoke it was too late and they lost almost everything.

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And so in June 2005 we had a warehouse full to the brim with thousands of workbooks and DVD sets. We had been careful to secure it as best as we could and were simply basking in the fact that everything had fit into the space perfectly. On June 16th, Jodie and Rosemary headed for the warehouse early in the morning to take inventory and organize the boxes in a systematic way.

They arrived at 7:00 AM. It was already getting hot outside, after all this is Georgia in the summertime, but inside the warehouse was cool because of the new air conditioner that had just been installed days before. A half hour into the morning it began to warm up inside the warehouse and by eight o’clock it was unusually hot. Rosemary went to inspect the air conditioner only to find it was smoking and a small fire had started. They were able to quickly unplug the air conditioner and douse the fire with the bottle of water Rosemary had brought along.

The fire department came and checked everything out. The air conditioner was defective we were told but other than that everything else looked fine. We soon had a new air conditioner installed and have had no more trouble with the warehouse since that time.

It would be easy to say it all was just a coincidence that somehow we just got lucky. It was just a coincidence that Rosemary and Jodie just happened to be at the warehouse so early in the morning on that particular day. It was just coincidence that they noticed the change in temperature, that the air conditioner had stopped working. It was just a coincidence that Rosemary checked the air conditioner and just a coincidence the she had a bottle of water and just a coincidence there was enough water to put the fire out.

And yet there was no space for error. If they would have arrived at nine instead of seven it would have been too late and we would have lost everything. If the room had remained cool but the fire continued it may have advanced too far for a bottle of water to put it out and the whole warehouse would have burned down, in fact the exact amount of water was important. No, the timing had to be perfect and it was. In this case timing was everything.

Coincidence? I call it a God-incident. He was in control and He protected us once again.

Psalm 31:14-5

But as for me I trust in Thee O Lord,

I say, “Thou art my God.

My times are in Thy hands.

Space & Weather

2011-03-07T16:39:00.000-05:00

I know all about space. For instance, when I was getting ready to travel to Mexico recently to speak at a women’s conference, I was told I could take one suitcase, one small carry-on and a purse. But the area in Mexico I would be staying can have tropical weather that could sometimes turn to freezing temperatures. And so I piled all of my neatly folded clothes on the bed, clothes that would fit the bill for a five or six day trip to such a climate. But then I also needed my hairdryer and electric curlers and makeup appropriate for a sixty-five year old. Soon all of my spaces had been packed and …well…there were still many items that would not fit! So the important things stayed in the suitcases: makeup, hairdryer and rollers. Much of everything stayed behind! Suitcases are uncompromising!

Space can be even more personal. I have some jeans. I like desserts. When I gain an extra ten pounds my jeans refuse to accommodate my expanded body and something has to give. So I don’t wear jeans until I loose the extra weight. You see with space, there is NO COMPROMISING!

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In June 2005, we were preparing to receive the many pallets of product back from Navpress. They had a huge warehouse and at that point we had none. We had scoured the town and found nothing available that we could afford. Then one day Jodie said she had passed a farm house about a mile from the office and there had been a sign that said “Warehouse for rent”. We immediately contacted the number on the sign only to find out it was owned by Jeffrey, a fabulous young pastor and his family! They called us back with their asking price: $100 a month!

We were ecstatic! The warehouse was the exact size of a two car garage. We had no idea how much space the workbooks and DVDs would take up but surely this would be enough room! We were told there would be forty pallets coming but truthfully none of us women had any idea how large a pallet could be yet we were confident we would have enough space!

We purchased enough shelving to go all around the sides of the room and assembled them one afternoon. There was no insulation so our friend Paul came and insulated the room, added a heater and air conditioner and sealed the floors. It looked great to our eyes.

The following day the inventory was suppose to arrive in two semi trucks at 1:00 sharp. Our new warehouse manager, Rosemary Nelson, my husband Chuck and I were there waiting at 12:45. We had rented a fork lift to move the pallets off the trucks and into place while Chuck had agreed to stay until 2:00 and to operate it. But the truck didn’t show up at 1:00 nor was it there by 1:55. We were panicked as Chuck had to leave but he called Paul who graciously drove across town to take over the fork lift responsibilities.

At last the first truck arrived but in coming in the driveway ripped an electrical line down. We found out later that it was one that was no longer in use but at the moment it was not a happy sight! The truck driver parked the truck and opened the back doors and remarked with confidence “there wasn’t a chance in &*%$ that all of that stuff would go into that small space!”

Just about the time Paul started moving the pallets off the truck with the fork lift the sky grew extremely dark. It looked like it would open up at any minute and pour buckets of rain! We didn’t know what to do so we prayed, begging God to hold off the rain and help expand the space to make room for our entire product! It was a fervent, frantic prayer turning to the only One who controlled space and weather!

We had twenty-four pallets loaded into the space and it looked just about completely full. The second semi arrived and we continued to work as fast as we could while storm clouds threatened. After about two hours of working frantically the last pallet was moved into place and we all stood back and looked in amazement. There was not an extra inch of space left but there had been a place for all forty pallets….. and the moment we shut the door to the warehouse it began pouring rain!

The immense power of God toward those He loves is incredible. I praised God all of the way home as I am sure Rosemary did also. We had felt like we were in a battle and yet God, our great defender, had provided everything we needed and proved Himself Lord of weather and space. Indeed, Lord of all!

Job 5: 8, 9, 10

But as for me I would seek God…

Who does great things and unsearchable,

Marvelous things without number.

One Step at a Time

2011-02-22T09:55:00.000-05:00

I made a birthday cake for my granddaughter this past week. I found a recipe in one of the magazines that said it was the only cake recipe I ever needed. I decided it was worth a try and so bought all of the ingredients. There were numerous steps. The flour and baking powder and salt had to be sifted and set aside. Then the eggs and butter needed to be beaten until smooth and creamy. Step by step I progressed until the batter was poured into the parchment covered pans. Then all went into the oven and 45 minutes later out came three beautiful layers of yellow cake. Chocolate frosting completed the job and wha-la! Birthday cake! And yes it really is the only cake recipe I will ever need!

Most great projects are accomplished step by step. A cake is a fairly simple project, but producing and filming sixty-six DVDs and eleven workbooks was not.

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By October 2004 all of the teaching had been filmed and the Old Testament books completed. But this was just a little more than half of the steps that were needed to complete the total project! We still had twenty-seven New Testament books to produce. Every DVD needed a special opener, something that would grab the attention of the viewer. Kelle and Shane would have a tremendous amount of work to do in order to come up with ideas for twenty-seven creative “grabbers’, and then produce them. Plus we wanted a new theme song and video clip that would introduce the New Testament.

And then there was the music. Twenty-seven music videos had to be produced. Vocalists needed to be found, music chosen and sets arranged. Much of the background music needed to be replayed and recorded, and some even needed to be written! Licenses for each selection needed to be obtained and some of the music required more than one license.

We did not have one testimony filmed for the New Testament books. In the beginning it was really quite easy to find the right story because we knew personally many women who had great testimonies but as we progressed, that became more difficult.

About that time Navpress told us they wanted the entire collection completed by June 2005. We had about eight months to finish the work. It was a massive undertaking and of course always there was the question of money. Would God continue to provide? Could Soteria come up with the creativity needed? Could we find the right music and testimonies? And could we possibly take on such an enormous undertaking and complete it in such a short period of time? There were many steps ahead of us and with each step an unforeseen outcome.

One thing for sure, God’s ways are not our ways and He alone orders our steps. By June 2005 our partnership with Navpress had terminated when sales did not reach the numbers they had hoped. In a very short period of time we had to completely organize and establish a sales/marketing company along with the continued work of production. We prayed and followed hard the steps that God laid before us. And quickly a company began to emerge called Big Dream Ministries which included a Customer Care Director (Dorinda Hathaway), an Office Manager/web site coordinator (Jodie Mannion), a Board of Directors (Sally Shriver, Linda Sweeney, Eleanor Lewis, Robin Rosebrough and myself), a Warehouse Manager (Rosemary Nelson) and a Product Assembly Director ( Franna Luther). As for finishing the entire sixty-six book collection? It would take another year. The last set of DVDs arrived in the warehouse on June 23, 2006.

All projects require one step at a time. But as one follows hard after God, those steps must first be His. We seldom know where He is going but it is His steps we follow, one step at a time, and those steps prove to be the very best!

Uphold my steps in Your paths,

That my footsteps may not slip.

Psalm 17:5

Birthing the “Baby”

2011-02-10T13:54:00.003-05:00

She had taken thirty some hours to come into the world and then at last, she came screaming into the doctors waiting hands. She was bathed and swathed and brought to me and I looked at that baby in my arms and one of the first things I thought was “I wonder who you will grow up to be?” I think most mothers experience some of this same kind of feeling. I was enjoying the present (I was still numb!) but I already had an eye to the future. After all no one has a baby so they can keep it a baby. They have a baby so it might become an adult …and in some ways move from baby to child to…well…friend!
And if all of our hopes and dreams are realized we mothers pray that our children’s lives will amount to something that really makes a difference for the world! Birth is hard but it is only the beginning and with it comes an eye to the future.

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August 2004
Our contract with Navpress was signed and now the work began. We sent all of the VHS masters to them for reproduction along with the manuscripts for the eleven workbooks. I received six possible designs for the workbook covers but after looking at them I found I liked a portion of four of them. I talked to the design man and told him what I liked and about an hour later he sent me a compilation of those four designs and it was beautiful! We were all thrilled with the cover design and so one more detail and decision was made.

Navpress designed a marketing packet, along with the packaging for the product. A date was asset to send out 50,000 marketing packets to churches and individuals across America. The baby was ready to come into the world!

But while we waited for the birthing we found we were having trouble with the delivery. We were out of money and we owed $16,000.

We can understand how those Israelites complained in the wilderness even after God had done so many wonderful things for them. They simply forgot. A couple of days pass and I am convinced the human mind can forget even extravagant answers to prayer. And so we all began to get nervous as we cried out to God.

While we were in this time of grave concern (I could use the term panicked anxiety but I do not want to sound so unspiritual), I had lunch with my friend Darlene. After lunch she had to go to a luggage store to buy a new rolling suitcase and asked me to come with her. She made her purchase and as we were leaving she stopped, went back to the cashier and returned rolling a second suitcase, the most wonderful deluxe suitcase I had ever seen. “You need this”, she said, and handed it to me. I protested but she stood firm. She wanted to buy it for me because she KNEW I needed it. The truth is I DID but it was not in the budget. “For you, she said, “From God”. How she was aware of this need I do not know but it was a fabulous gift and such a generous act but more than that it was assurance that God knew what we needed and could provide.

The next day, once again the mailbox was empty…no checks from donors, nothing. I wrote “We are standing on shifting sand when we want to stand on the Rock!” Two days later we received a check form $6000. Later that week we received $1800 from a foundation and then Navpress called and said they were freeing up $8000 and with that we had all we needed. Soon after the baby was birthed, the marketing packets were sent on their way and the completed product arrived at the warehouse! The baby was here and now we waited to see what it would “grow up to be”.

Isaiah 66:9

Shall I bring to the time of birth and not cause delivery? Says the Lord

Power!

2011-02-03T10:23:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I think we Christians throw out the word “pray” like we have no idea the great power that is behind it. And so we are quick to say, “Would you pray for my neighbor’s dog”, or “Would you pray I have a good day” or whatever. If we have prayer requests in church or small group, we feel like we have to come up with something even if it is absolutely inane and we ourselves don’t find it important enough to pray for it because it makes us appear spiritual. But the truth is, prayer is power. It is engaging the God of the universe to move on behalf of what we are asking for.

I have become very careful about what I ask people to pray for and if I am not fervently praying for something I don’t ask any one else to pray for that either. But if I do have a prayer need, then I go to people I am convinced understand that power and will approach the task as the “holy occupation” that it really is.

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And so in May 2004, I had a huge prayer request and I knew exactly who to approach. Julie Lord is probably the most dynamic prayer warrior I have ever known. Now in her seventies she has the mind and body of a thirty year old and a heart for God that seems ageless. She and her husband Bob have managed to raise five extraordinary children who are devoted to God and serving him greatly in various areas. Now her grandchildren are following the same path and great grandchildren, though still young, I feel certain will follow Christ with the same fervency as the previous generations.

Julie had been on my prayer teams since the beginning of our Big Dream. Every week she would show up to pray and she kept a journal of those prayers and the powerful way God had answered them. So now we needed that power to help us finish the filming for The Amazing Collection. We had twenty two books left to film and we had decided that it would be financially astute to do them all within a week’s time.

It was a huge undertaking for the teachers and placed a great amount of pressure on each one of us. All four of us were feeling like we were under constant attack as we were being hit in different areas (our weakest area!) and were reeling from the stress. Preparation for four or five teaching sessions demanded every waking hour. So I decided it was time to bring in the BIG GUN. I called Julie.

And so on filming day, Julie was by our side, encouraging, praying, and bringing our minds back to the truth of Scripture. Then as each one of us stepped on the platform to teach, Julie went into a nearby room all alone and came before the God of All and brought us to the Throne of Grace.

So then what happened? God answered. As each teacher took her place, the Lord began to speak through her. Eleanor. Linda. Margie. Me. Calm, mind sharp, words flowing, cameras running….and then before we knew it the week was over and the last teaching session was complete.

My journal records, “We have completed all of the filming and it has gone smoothly, the best we have ever done. God heard Julie’s cries for us! I am so grateful to God for her!”

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man

makes tremendous power available (dynamic in its working).

James 5:16

Amplified Bible

It’s Not All In The Details

2011-01-28T12:46:00.000-05:00

I love the way God is able to use all of His children for some work that He has in mind. He gives each one of us certain talents and then finds the need and fits that person into service. I have seen this over and over again. It is also fascinating how very different we are all wired and these are the ones that make up the citizens of the Kingdom of God.

I don’t do details. Everyone who knows me understands that I don’t see, think, feel, taste or work small. But then there are those who have a most uncanny ability to pick up the smallest minutia and delight in doing complicated, detailed work. Jodie Mannion our accountant who works for us is gifted with details as is Betsy Jenks our book keeper. We couldn’t do business without them!

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But then I think every project has a need for those detailed folks. In April 2004, we had completed the eleven workbooks, thanks to our wonderful authors, Art VanderVeen and Carrie Ott. The contract with Navpress was signed and we were on our way to a great partnership. But as we sat in a meeting with the publishing pros they suggested that we hire a project editor and a proof reader. I had never heard of the former but they explained it was someone who can make sure the entire work holds together. In other words, because the Amazing Collection was such a large project it was important that all of the parts were in harmony and that there were no contradictions. It sounded good as we wanted every workbook to be perfect, so we agreed.

They suggested two women: Leigh McElroy from Houston Texas, an author in her own right and an excellent project editor. Leigh is one of those gifted women who think in a different way than the masses. She was able to bring such a unity and perfection to the completed work that we were unable to do. She was and is to this day a gift to this ministry.

Kathy Mosier was from Colorado Springs and she would take over the proof reading once Leigh was done with her work. Kathy was still in her twenties and newly married when she joined our project. She had done a lot of work for Navpress and they trusted her. And so she took on the arduous job of proof reading every word looking for grammar and punctuation mistakes.

But before we moved forward they wanted these two women to meet with the Big Dream Ministries team including the teachers and Art and Carrie and the board. They wanted them to get to know everyone and also get a feel for the project. And so they arrived on Monday in April and after three days they were totally “plugged in” as team members. Everyone was crazy about these two detail specialists and within a short period of time they became part of the team, all of us working together for one purpose: God’s glory!

When we open the Bible to Corinthians we find that God never intended one person to know it all, or one person to have all the gifts, or one person to run the show by him/herself. God works in the awesome community of heaven. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit along with a myriad of angles and heavenly beings all work together to bring about the will of God. They work perfectly together, no conflict, no jealousy, and no usurper trying to do everything and take credit for it all. And it seems to me that this is a fabulous design. For one thing there is an expanse of relationships. Leigh and Kathy were total strangers living in different parts of the country and then overnight they were not only sisters, but an integral part of the work we were trying to do. And because of them, our lives became richer and the project became more excellent.

That is what I so love about this work that God has given us to do. He has miraculously brought together a huge body of men and women and through His Spirit allowed us the privilege of working on such a BIG DREAM that we all can stand in awe of His power but also in awe of His love that brought us one another. Some of us are good at organization, some at teaching, some at creating. It is not “all in the details”, but they certainly are an important part.

And so the workbooks were completed, checked and rechecked by those two detail gurus, lovely ladies, once strangers, and now sisters.

First Corinthians 12: 4-5, 7

Now there are a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are a variety of ministries but the same Lord. …But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

The Truth Revealed

2011-01-21T13:31:00.000-05:00

I remember the time I met my first VIP. It was twenty years ago and the person was my husband’s first boss and the Vice President of a large insurance company. He was rich and lived in a great house. He drove a big car. He had all the perks and could hire and fire at a moment’s notice. I was impressed and intimidated.

And so when we received an invitation to his home for dinner, I received the news with some hesitation. I know who I am (as well as one can really know one’s self). I know that on more occasions than I can remember I have said something stupid or spilt my water glass all over the table, or broken the hostess’s fine crystal glass. I can do those things without even trying, so if they knew the truth I felt certain the invitation would be withdrawn!

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Sally Shriver and I were absolutely beyond ourselves as we boarded the plane for Colorado Springs, Colorado on December 8, 2003. We had accepted an invitation to meet with the Vice President of Navpress, along with their Marketing VP, and several other important people. We still had to pinch ourselves that such an invitation had come at the most opportune time: they were actually interested (very) in The Amazing Collection and wanted to talk about a contract and marketing plan.

We rented a cute sporty car in Denver and began the beautiful trip to Colorado Springs. It was a heady moment, and would have been perfect if I did not have in the back of my mind a sense of unrest. What if this great “dream” did not come true? What if these great men of business found out that indeed behind Big Dream Ministries were homemakers, Bible teachers, mothers, who had never done anything like this in their lives, and who had very little business experience? What if they found out that all that God had done was a total surprise and wonderment to us and we were all still reeling from His mighty miracles on our behalf.

I comforted myself with the fact that Sally was not only a board member but also our business GURU. She constantly astounded us with her business acumen and her accounting skills. I had to keep reminding myself that she had my back covered not to mention the fact that she was a fabulous and fun traveling companion.

That night as we tried to get some much needed rest before the big meeting, I kept going over and over in my mind the many things that could go wrong. We did have a dream and it involved taking the Amazing Collection all around the world and reaching thousands of women in America through teaching them every book in God’s Word and we had asked God to open impossible doors. In fact we asked Him to use The Amazing Collection to bring about a spiritual revival in this country as more and more people learned every book in the Bible. In other words we had asked God for a lot, and we did dream big, but we did so because our God was showing us that we could not dream “bigger” than He could perform! Nothing was impossible for Him! At last I came to this wonderful, freeing conclusion. God was in control. His will would be accomplished. We were His servants and it was our job to listen, to obey and to work for His glory. All else was up to Him.

That is a very freeing thought for the moment. I did not know how the meeting would turn out but I did know I had nothing to worry about.

The next day we walked into the conference room. Sitting around the table were several VP’s and many talented, brilliant people. At once all fear of intimidation left as hands were extended and warm welcomes were given all around. Over the next two days the truth about our great lack of business experience was clearly revealed but it did not seem to matter. They loved what God had done. And from that meeting came a contract and a wonderful year in partnership with Navpress.

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The dinner with the insurance company’s VP also turned out to be a gift. We were new in town and new to the company. His wife was warm and loving and asked me back for tea and then became a dear friend. I still would spill the water or say something stupid but it did not seem to matter. It was all about relationship like my encounter with the first VIP and also with our new partners, Navpress.

The Invitation

2010-12-09T08:30:00.003-05:00

The word “invitation” implies that you are wanted, and that there is going to be something good, a future blessing. An invitation to the prom can immediately alleviate a young girl’s fears that she will be left out. An invitation to the boss’s house for dinner says you are accepted. After all, few are fired from their jobs in that environment. An invitation to a wedding means that you have a friend who wants to include you in an important family event. And an invitation to meet with one of the most respected Christian publishers in America means that you have a product worthy of their time!

And so it was on December 9, 2003 that Sally Shriver, a board member and an invaluable asset to the ministry, boarded a plane for Colorado Springs with invitation in hand to meet with the editors and other team members of Navpress, the publishing division of The Navigators.

From the moment we pulled out of my driveway I sensed the presence and blessings of God Himself. The plane to Denver International was full except for the seat between the two of us so we were able to spread out a bit. We were met at the airport by my sister and her husband who treated us to a delicious lunch.

Then we rented a car that was so fun to drive that even the trip to Colorado Springs from Denver was true joy not to mention breathtakingly beautiful. Though the land was covered with snow the roads were clear so we southern girls thought we were getting a little taste of heaven as every where we looked were mountains and majesty.

It was dark when we arrived at Glen Erie, a lovely castle like structure that was built in the late eighteen hundreds and is now a part of the Navigators Ministry and there we spent the next two nights.

The next day we met with the Navpress Team. Dan Rich greeted us at the door and took us on a tour of the building. Every room had stellar views of the surrounding environment of broad vistas and tall mountains. And then he ushered us into a room of about ten people,

At this point we had no idea what to expect. We had been invited, we knew they were interested in The Amazing Collection but apart from that we knew nothing. And so we tried very hard to appear poised and confident, but inside we were scared and fearful and anxious.

Dan began the meeting by directing each of the team members to go around the room and give their impressions of The Amazing Collection. They had certainly done their homework as each one spoke with a familiarity of the study, both the DVDs and the workbook.

And it was at this point that we were blown away. THEY LOVED IT!

We had been in production for two years and even still we were only half way through the project. During that time we had never had any “professional” look at the study with an eye for ministry usefulness. Oh, we had all of our friends look at it and of course they loved it…but then they were our friends and totally prejudiced so their opinions couldn’t be totally trusted. But here were ten PROFESSIONALS who knew the publishing market inside and out, who spent every day going through scripts and books and proposals…and they really, really thought our work was excellent!

I wanted to put my head down on the table and cry for joy. Of course I DID NOT do this because I was trying so hard to look poised and confident…but inside I felt like falling on my face before the Throne of Grace in thanksgiving for a God who had done it all and then gone before us with such blessings that my heart could hardly contain them all!

Two days later when we walked out of those offices with a promised contract and we WERE confident! God had assured us that all of the time and effort over the last two years was worth it all and that He would use it for His glory. We didn’t know how, but we knew that He would.

An Invitation….a Blessing….A Future….

And the Lord offers us an invitation:

Isaiah 55:1-2

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Isaiah 55:1-2

The Edit

2010-12-02T08:30:00.001-05:00

Edit: to prepare by selecting individual sections and arranging them in sequence.

I like that word. I wish it pertained to life. It allows the editor (person who edits) the ability to place things in a way that is the most understandable. So if I could do that with life, then I would place the end at the beginning of most all of the trials I have known so that it would be easier to understand the “why”. It would relieve much worry and hand wringing.

Then there are those times when unkind words escape from my lips and land on the ear of some unsuspecting soul. I would simply edit those out and no harm would be done. So for sure, editing life would be a good deal and greatly enhance one’s time here on earth.

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With every teaching session of The Amazing Collection there had to be some film editing. Each teacher was responsible for editing their own section. We would go to Soteria Productions and sit for hours with Shane Ortiz and cut and paste film bits on a computer until our eyes and ears were rendered useless! We would stagger out blurry eyed and tired but with the hope that all of the cutting and pasting had somehow made things more understandable and…well…better. It was a job I hated. It required details and I am so not into that.

On some occasions we would turn to Eleanor for help. Eleanor was the best at it and is to this day. We have recently completed our twelfth filmed study, Invincible Love/Invisible War and she volunteered (perhaps not by choice) to do all of the editing for those six thirty-five minute sections. She is an absolute whiz as an editor and can find the smallest error and then can figure out how to fix it. I think she is a miracle worker!

The week on December 4, 2002 was one of those “nothing can go wrong” weeks. We had received an invitation to fly to Colorado Springs, Colorado to meet with some of the big people” at Navpress, a Christian Publishing company. We were thrilled beyond words and Sally Shriver and I had been chosen to be the Big Dream Representatives for the trip. We were all pretty much overwhelmed with all God had done to make that trip possible.

Then out of the blue we received an enormous donation of $150,000 to be given to Big Dream over a period of a year. The first check for $50,000 had arrived that week giving us a huge cushion in the bank account. We were sailing alone lapping up the wind God was blowing our way.

About mid week Shane sent me an opener clip for the Early Minor Prophets. I had done these openers for all of the different sets. Though I never had a written script, I would have in my mind what I wanted to say so would just sit down, say it, get up and not give it another thought. On this day I was sitting in my house watching this little clip, just reviewing what I had said and suddenly realized I had left out a significant part! This does not sound like a big deal but we were in the process of editing. The filming had been done weeks ago. There was no turning, no refilming at this point.

So the beatings began. You know what I mean (unless you are one of my perfect friends!). You don’t need for anyone to tell you how stupid you are. You do it to yourself and with every word uttered within your soul there is another “stripe across its back”.

And so in broken humility I sat down with Shane to see what we could do. As far as I was concerned it was all hopeless. But Shane saw things through the eyes of an editor. He began to move a little piece of my talk to another place, then another part put somewhere else and added some of the extra footage that we had taken.

“Finished!”, he said after a few minutes and we reran the film. And there I was looking at the camera and…I WAS MAKING SENSE! I actually looked and talked with some intelligence! And like Eleanor, Shane also proved himself to be a miracle worker.

I wrote in my journal that day, “ God continues to pour out upon us gracious kindness and abundant mercy.” Mercy! Kindness! Both given to those who need it the most.

Ephesians 2:4

But God being rich in mercy because of His great

love with which He loved us..”

Turns in the Road

2010-11-18T15:45:00.001-05:00

We have a GPS. It is a strange instrument. I do not have any idea how it works and I am convinced it has a mind of its own. Most of the time, it is a wonderful invention but sometimes it leads me to places I do not want to go. A couple of weeks ago I was in East Atlanta and needed to go to Dawsonville, GA so I punched in my destination. I followed the sweet voice of the lady in the box. She had me turn one way then another. Soon my internal GPS was in unfamiliar surroundings with no idea where I was. As she directed me to take one more turn, I ran right into a gate…of a gated community. I was no where near Dawsonville! It took a stop at CVS and a kindly man to get me on the right track.

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Following God can indeed take us places where we didn’t think we were going. Sometimes I think He is simply asking us to trust even when we end up in a place which was not our planed destination. And that happened to us often as we followed “THE LEADER” while producing The Amazing Collection.

One such time was in the summer of 2003. I had gotten the name of Katherine Helmers, a literary agent in Colorado Springs, from wonderful Nancy Guthrie when I had attended the CBA convention in Orlando Florida. I was sure she would be able to help us find a publishing company who would take on our study. However, after a brief conversation she declined saying she was working with Philip Yancey on his newest book and didn’t have the time for anything else. I was disappointed but then she recommended John Eames, another literary agent, who was spending the summer in Colorado.

Shortly after our conversation I received a call from him! He was excited about the project and wanted to know if he could be of some assistance to us. It seems he was in Colorado Springs that day having lunch with a friend when Katherine walked in and proceeded to tell him about us!

I was elated! Even more exciting was that I was on my way to Colorado for a wedding so we made arrangements to meet that Friday on August 15, 2003. On Wednesday I sent him a couple of videos then left for Colorado. On Thursday I talked to him again eagerly looking forward to “God’s appointment” on the following day. Friday morning I got a message on my cell phone that he had to cancel. To say the least, I was devastated. We did not talk again for several months.

In November I got a call from John and we agreed to meet together on December 3, 2003. He was coming to town and just thought it would be a good idea if we could get together. I agreed and so we met. I was so pleased to find him to be a most friendly, warm and delightful man. Thus began a wonderful relationship that continues to this day. Little did I know then how mightily God would use him in many different ways as we traversed the muddy waters of contracts, ministry legalities, business decisions and other times we needed a wise counselor. He was and is a God-send. …not as we thought…but even better.

Isaiah 30: 20-21

He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself , but your eyes will behold your Teacher. And your ears will hear a word behind you,, “This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

It’s Just A Call Away

2010-11-11T08:30:00.001-05:00

One phone call can change a lot of things. Most recently we received a phone call from our son-in-law and he simply said, “He’s on the way. Gotta go” and with that life did change as we welcomed into the world our seventh grandchild. Or there was the one from Jenna years ago that announced that she had a ring on her finger and a wedding proposal! Life changed wonderfully with that call, too. Throughout life it is not difficult to remember the changes that came with a simple call. Sometimes those calls being about drastic changes and some times bring just small ones. None the less, one call can make all the difference in the world.

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Mid October, 2003 I got a call from a Mr. Dan Rich. He was not at all familiar to me but he introduced himself as one of the publishers at Navpress, a publishing company that was well known to us. He went on to say he had heard about The Amazing Collection and would love to meet with me and find out more about it. I was absolutely shocked. To this day I have no idea how he found out about us and how he found my name and number. That will remain with one of God’s mysteries.

Two weeks later, on Wednesday morning, October 22, 2003, Robin Rosebrough and I met Dan at one of the local restaurants. He had flown into Atlanta to meet with us because he heard that “God was up to something” and he wanted to hear all about it.

There is nothing we enjoy talking about more than all God has done for us as we have pressed on to produce the Amazing Collection: The Bible Book By Book. We had more stories than most people want to listen to when it came to all God was doing for us as we pressed on to produce the Amazing Collection. I feel certain we talked his ear off but he was most gracious and listened carefully and asked wonderful questions and all in all sealed a friendship that continues to this day.

The meeting lasted three and a half hours and when we parted we had no idea what those three and a half hours would bring but we felt God had something in mind and indeed He did.

Later I not only heard from Dan but we were offered a short term contract with Navpress. In it they committed $180,000 to the continued development of the product including packaging and marketing. It was beyond anything we could have ever imagined.

During the next few months, they would change the design of the covers, hire a professional developmental editor and a proof editor, design a continuity program and market it through their catalogues. This was the professional help we so desperately needed but had no idea how to go about getting it. But God did and He provided abundantly more than we could have ever thought to ask. He provided excellence!

But the best part was the friendships that developed through this brief partnership. Dan, Kathy Mosier, Leigh McLeroy, Pat Reinstein and Terry Beheimer all proved to be not only greatly talented but people who gave so generously of their talents and their hearts! Though seven years have passed, they are still friends of the ministry and continue to help us out on every new project.

And it all began with one simple call.

Psalm 17:6

I have called upon Thee,

For Thou wilt answer me O God.

Incline Thine ear to me

And hear my speech.

Caught on Film

2010-11-03T16:36:00.000-04:00

I got my first camera when I was nine years old. It was a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye, a model few people will now remember. But for me it was a gift of enormous value, for now I could look at the world thru lens and actually capture what I saw as a permanent record. It was astonishing, a miracle, or at least I thought it so at the time.

But it also made me a lot more conscious of what the eye sees and what I really wanted to capture. I took a picture of my sister’s shoelaces by accident. And then there was the photo of Mom as she was turning her head quickly…well I think it was my mother but then who could tell? It was simply a blur.

Taking a picture is not easy, that is if you really want a good outcome. And in those days before computer every single print cost money. I spent all of my allowance more than once on a series of goof-ups that ended up in the trash. So two things are needed for a fool-proof picture. You need a good camera and a good camera man with an eye to know what to capture and what to leave.

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Lani Rae Hughes called me on the afternoon of September 23, 2003. She had been hired a year earlier by our “partners” Soteria Productions as producer for all of The Amazing Collection programs and had proved to be a competent, capable young woman. Besides, she was just a lot of fun and encouraged all of us and for many reasons I had learned to trust her and her judgment.

On this particular day she was asking for the big bucks. She wanted a boom camera for Soteria Productions to film All Rise with Babbie Mason for the book of Ezekiel. A boom camera is a large camera on a long, stable arm that can be maneuvered up high and down low and can get into a lot of places a lone cameraman cannot get into and it does it fast. She said they wanted the best and this kind of camera would do just that!

They had a vision for the song and as she described it to me it all sounded good. But then she ‘lowered the boom’ so to speak and told me the cost. It would be $800 for a couple of hours of camera time and an experienced cameraman I was shocked to say the least. This sounded like an enormous amount of money at a time when the bank account looked mighty low. Did we REALLY need to spend so much money just to get a little bit better view, a higher view? I thought of my Hawkeye that we purchased for a mere seven dollars in 1955. Surely the costs were outrageous. But instead of just saying NO (which I was inclined to do!) I told Lani to pray about it and if God wanted a boom camera than I knew He would provide for it.

I hung up and went to the mailbox. There was a check for $20,000 for Big Dream. By the time I got back to the house Eleanor was calling saying she had just gotten a check for $2,000 and that very morning she and her prayer team had asked God for $22, 000.

So I called Lani back. I guess God wanted a boom camera and indeed He did because to this day that is one of my very favorite music videos ever. It was a lesson for sure. We were trying to produce something that could bring glory to God. We were not to short change on those things of importance. We would use the boom camera time and time again and each time it would add beauty and interest to the film beyond anything a “still” camera could do and every time God provided .

Colossians 3:17

Whatever you do in word or deed it all in the name of the Lord.

Lessons in the Woodpile

2010-10-28T14:21:00.003-04:00

As a child of nine my father had instructed me to move a huge pile of wood from the side yard to our cellar where it would be stored for the winter months. Because of the enormity of the task I felt he was asking the impossible and so had a difficult time getting started. Well not just difficult, I simply didn’t do it.

Time went on and my father mentioned it from time to time but because I sensed no real urgency, I assumed he realized that it was impossible also, so I simply ignored it hoping it would get done by itself. But the funny thing about such tasks, they don’t go away.

One Saturday morning I made plans with my friend Joanne Miller to do some fun thing but for some reason, father chose that moment to say “no” I could not go until the wood pile was safely stacked in the cellar.

I was angry. Why was I given this assignment? I had two sisters…what about THEM? But father stood firm and so with an attitude that could sink a ship I began to move the wood, one piece at a time.

But as I began the daunting task, Joanne showed up and seeing the size of the wood pile and the discouragement I felt chose to jump in and help. All morning long we went back and forth, back and forth hour after hour. But something unusual began to happen. The neatly stacked wood pile in the cellar began to grow and grow and grow and the pile in the side yard shrank in equal proportions. Four hours later, the job was done and with it came a great sense of satisfaction and pride.

It was a lesson I will never forget and it has stayed me well as I have grappled with jobs that seemed impossible.

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Thomas Carlyle, the great Scottish satirical writer, was once quoted as saying, “Every noble work is at first impossible”. But there is also a wonderful quote from the angel Gabriel as he stood before Mary in Luke1:37, “For with God nothing will be impossible”. It was another lesson we would learn on the road to producing The Amazing Collection: The Bible Book By Book.

Several brilliant businessmen who were our wise counselors had often told me that I needed a business plan for Big Dream Ministries. But as I thought about the difficulty of putting together a plan for a future I could only imagine, it seemed impossible, certainly beyond my knowledge and efforts. Eleanor and Linda also concluded that it was beyond our expertise. We also had the problem of trying to figure out just what God would do. We sensed we were on a road with Him but He knew the way and how we were going to get to the destination. Our job was to follow. Yet persisting voices kept pushing me to develop a plan. I was stymied and so I did the only thing I knew how to do. I did nothing.

On July 6, 2003 I received an email from the daughter of a dear friend. Amy Westbrook had just graduated from college and was waiting to begin a job. She said she had plenty of time and would love to help us out at the office. I can never refuse such an offer so a couple of hours later she was sitting with me talking about how her time might be best used.

What do you enjoy doing? I asked.

Well, I LOVE writing up business plans and if you need any help with that I could do that for you!

A week later, and many lengthy conversations, she presented me with the Big Dream Business Plan, beautifully developed, wonderfully packaged and perfectly executed. The impossible became reality because with God working through His people, all things are possible!

Luke 18:27

The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

Feasting with the Lord

2010-10-12T11:24:00.000-04:00

One of the thrills of being a grown-up is there are more opportunities for one to practice hospitality. During early marriage when we had so little extra money we would have folks over for hotdogs (before they were thought to be poison) and potato chips. As resources increased, the food improved. But one thing remained consistent; when folks are gathered around our table accompanied by some good food, I will often be moved to happy tears because it gives me a little picture of heaven.

When the children of Israel where spending a year at Mt. Sinai God commanded certain times of feasting and fasting ….times set apart for the people to have a break from the normal work routines of every day life and focus on God and one another. He knew we needed those breaks. In many ways when we do take time for such feasts, I think He joins us in spiritual ways that adds joy to the occasions. So on June 13, 2003, we had the first of several feasts so we could break from the work we were doing and focus on what God had done and simply enjoy the company of one another.

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We had worked for a year and a half and had accomplished much. We had added several fabulous volunteers to our team. We had seen God provide tens of thousands of dollars to fund “The Amazing Collection: The Bible Book By Book” project. We had filmed, duplicated, and made available twelve videos and two workbooks. It was time to pull apart and feast and fellowship and reflect on all God had done for us.

They began to arrive at our home around 6:00, thirty-two folks who had spent the last year and a half, working in various ways to help make our BIG DREAM become a reality. They came happy and they came hungry and the evening was not going to disappoint them.

Paul Ryzcek is a family friend and a phenomenal cook. He spends his days remodeling houses and installing freezer units for huge commercial companies. Yet even though his schedule keeps him running day after day he graciously volunteered to come and cook New Orleans shrimp for us. Two huge pots sat on the grill bubbling with hot melted butter, a hundred garlic cloves, Italian dressing and at least a can of pepper all ready to have the shrimp dropped into it and simmered to perfection.

But there were also platters of chicken, a watermelon scooped and filled with chucks of fruits and whole berries, creamy grits folded into gruyere and parmesan cheese, tomato mozzarella salad, marinated asparagus, and an assortment of hot rolls. After dinner root beer floats were served to all capping the feast perfectly.

Large round tables were set up to encourage good conversation but little encouragement was needed because these people shared so much in common, They all held to a firm belief in a Sovereign King who was working behind the scenes to make the impossible possible. There was more to talk about then there was time!

John Carozza is an awesome pianist and after dinner he sat at the piano and began to play. Soon every voice was joining in singing hymns and praise songs, all pointing to the One who had brought us all together.

At that moment I felt that Emmanuel, God With Us, really was! The whole room seemed filled with His glory! The voices were strong and clear and beautiful (thanks so much in part to Jen and John Carozza and Trace and Joel Balin!) but it was more than that. It sounded like the voices of angels and I thought at the time, they truly were singing along with us.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty….present at the feast, a feast that would never have taken place had He not shown Himself so strong and powerful on our behalf.

Psalm 13:6

I will sing to the Lord

For He has dealt bountifully with me.

The Extraordinary and the Ordinary

2010-10-07T12:06:00.000-04:00

My uncle Dan was an extraordinary man. He was at the invasion at Normandy Beach in WWII and had built his life philosophy from that one catastrophic event. He decided that if he lived through that horrific battle he would never have a “bad day”. He had seen the worst and nothing else compared to it.
And so, day after day, he lived “good days”, and it served him well. Through hard work perseverance, a fabulous outlook and impeccable character he built a small empire. But as the empire grew, Uncle Dan saw himself as no more important or more valuable then the “least of these”. He made himself available to others and treated all with great respect. I loved that about him…as did thousands of others as reflected at his funeral. The huge church could not contain all of his “friends”.

It is a most wondrous thing when extraordinary people live humbly in the ordinary with their fellow man and are available and willing to help whenever they can.

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As Genie and Colin (our testimony coordinators) sought out people who would allow us to film their testimonies for The Amazing Collection DVD Bible Study, one name kept coming to mind. Kay Arthur has a remarkable story of redemption. Kay is an extraordinary woman in Christendom; in fact one could consider her a “star”, a celebrity, unreachable to the ordinary person. And so we did not pursue her knowing that we were perhaps too small to even be considered.

But after several months of excuses, Colin called Reach Out Ranch, home to Kay and some of her staff, that also houses facilities for conferences and classes. There was a short conversation with her secretary along with the explanation that we could not pay for this service, and then the secretary promised to call back soon with an answer. It gave us all a ray of hope. And so we waited.

But the wait was not long and the response was startling and wonderful. Kay would be happy for us to bring our crew up to film her and indeed no payment was necessary. It would be her privilege!! We were elated!

The day arrived and Kelle and Shane, (our production team) Genie, Colin and I all drove the hundred and twenty miles to Chattanooga, Tenn. With little difficulty we found the ranch and a staff member led us to a perfect room. It had great lighting and plenty of space for everyone.

Within minutes of set-up Kay arrived. OK I admit it. I was hugely intimidated by her…all that she had accomplished, all of the books she had written, all of the millions of men and women she had inspired, and her incredible dedication to God’s Word. In fact, I had elevated her to a place somewhere very near the heavenly Throne!

But the intimidation quickly melted away with a most unusual thing … a hug! Indeed Kay Arthur went around the room and didn’t shake hands, but she hugged each one of us as if we were family. And it was at that moment I realized that indeed we really WERE family!

What was even more remarkable was her desire to serve US. If we needed her to turn a certain way, it was done. She kept a close eye on the computer screen and helped us with lighting and placement as she was an expert in that area. And she gave her testimony over and over again until it was perfect. There was no hurry; she was simply ours for as long as we needed her. In the end we were able to film a fabulous testimony for the book of Isaiah.

In Scripture, James says that we are never to elevate or lower another human being. It sounds good but I seldom see it actually played out by those who reach a certain prominence. But I am grateful for the people God has put in my life who take God’s Word and clearly, humbly, unselfishly, and remarkably live it out! The extraordinary and the ordinary…. all for God, all one family, united in Christ Jesus.

James 2:1 & 9

My brethren do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. But if you show partiality you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors

Timing is Everything

2010-09-28T10:03:00.000-04:00

I love a story. For some reason God has made my brain to work in a way that may not be normal. Give me some details and I will soon forget them. Tell me a story and I may remember it for life. I have a feeling there are some other folks that have the same kind of genetic make up because Jesus surely told a few good ones in the form of parables, made up stories that had a moral….and the people remembered them!
Paul wasn’t so much of a parable-teller as he was willing and excited about telling HIS story. And that also was a good one, so much so that he kept the attention of some mighty powerful men. The thing about Paul’s story was that is was true and yet as fabulous, exciting, dramatic and interesting as any great piece of fiction.

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We knew that testimonies were powerful. We had witnessed it ourselves as we listened to the stories from the people God brought to us. But sometimes we had a difficult time finding the person God had chosen, though in time He always revealed it to us.

One evening I was doing the dishes and my Beloved called from the other room asking for a telephone number from my address book. I dried my hands and was paging through the pages looking for the “B’s which would have brought me to the number he needed.

As I cast my eyes down the page they landed on Jane Bateman’s name and in a millisecond I knew she would have the perfect story for the book of Luke.

Jane had come across my path years before when I was directing the Women’s Fellowship. I had asked her to teach a series after hearing from several women in the area about the excellence of her teaching and communication skills. But after getting to know her and hearing her story I was so impressed with the courage and faith of the woman and I became her fan.

But soon after the friendship began to grow she moved, and then moved again and I lost contact for several years.

So looking at my address book I decided to take a chance and call the only number I had. It was late at night, far past most people’s bedtime but for some reason I felt an urgency.

She answered the phone and I was elated. I told her I would so love to film her story and she seemed delighted to do so. I told her I was so glad that I was able to reach her and her reply reminded me that God was in control!

“I am moving tomorrow to another city and the phone will be disconnected. If you had waited a few hours you would not have gotten me.”

Had I only hesitated I would not have been able to find her. But then if I had not looked up a number in the address book I would not have been reminded of her story.

A few weeks later our film crew arrived in Greenville, South Carolina and we were able to get her incredible story on film for the Amazing Collection so that millions of women could be encouraged and inspired by her life.

“For you have made me glad by what you have done. I will sing for joy at the works of Thy hands. How great are Thy works!”

Psalm 92:4

The Times They Are A Changing

2010-09-16T08:30:00.001-04:00

It is a chore to keep up with the trends. Every season I am reminded that I am behind the times. As soon as I lengthen my skirts the style goes up. Once I manage to get big hair the styles change to straight and flat. But the good thing about being older is that I have reached a point that I just don’t care! I LIKE my skirts longer. My hair IS flat, and I don’t care if every one in the world has a tattoo I simply will not.

But when it comes to technology and business, that is something entirely different. We MUST care or be run over by the tech changes that will outdate us in a heart beat!

We had ordered the first several sets of the Amazing Collection in the standard VHS because that was the newest and the best. They took up large amounts of room in our warehouse. They were beautifully boxed in even larger containers that took up even more space. But it was the best and the newest and we were grateful to have them.

I was in Blockbuster one day, that super store of home movie-dom when I noticed something peculiar. It was a DVD…sleek, small and NEW! They carried a small selection of movies in this new format. I was curious but not interested.

A month later I again visited my local Blockbuster and to my horror the employees were working feverishly taking down every VHS and replacing it with a DVD! Not one VHS was left in its place. “The future is here” the clerk said to me. “But I’m not ready for it!” I replied. “Well, I guess we don’t have a choice.” He said with a sigh.

No choice! I thought about all our VHS in the warehouse. I thought about how they would all look in a dumpster. I thought about the incredible waste of money. And then I thought about Blockbuster. Really, we had no choice.

We have always struggled with the reality of the cost of doing business and the responsibility of good stewardship. Our donors trust us and the way we spend money and in return we do everything we can to be as financial astute as possible.

So, we did what we always do…we went to the Lord and asked direction. Every board member felt we had no choice. Soon after making the decision to go to DVD we received a gift of $50,000. So we ordered the Amazing Collection in DVD and cleared out the warehouse of VHS, giving as many away as we could and the rest went into the dumpster.

I look at all of the DVDs in the warehouse today and wonder, what will be next? For faster than I like, the times they are a changing.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

To everything there is a season ,

A time for every purpose under heaven.

Where is the Comfort Zone?

2010-09-08T08:30:00.001-04:00

The first day of any new experience is always the worst as it takes us totally out of our comfort zone.

The first day in kindergarten is horrific. Who are those people and why do I have to sit in my seat at this desk? No comfort on that day!

The first day of high school is terrible. Where is my locker and why do we have to change classes? No comfort then!

The first day of college is confusing. What do you mean I have to change not only classes but whole buildings that are blocks away from each other? Definitely no comfort!

The first day of a new job is awkward. Will I like these people? Am I capable of doing the work and will I ever be able to fit in and be a part of a team? By now we should be use to it but…well…admit it, it just is NOT comfortable!

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And so in February 2003 Eleanor, Robin, Linda, Margie and I loaded up two vans and headed towards a new experience for all of us that took us totally out of that zone we love…comfort. We were on our way to our first ever convention, The National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. We were excited and we were nervous. We had no idea what to expect except that we felt confident God Himself was sending us there and there was a plan and we needed to fit into it.

Five women who do not know what they are doing, moving their booth and accompanying stuff into a convention center is quite a sight to witness. First we couldn’t find the loading dock. Margie saw some men standing by the place we thought was the right one so she got out of her van and asked direction. Margie is charm personified so they not only told us where to park the vans for unloading but also showed us the very spot, directed the vans as we backed into the dock and helped us unload! God provided just what we needed.

We hauled all the equipment and boxes to our assigned spot with the help of some very strong and gracious men, but as soon as they left we saw we had a problem. The “booth” was in two round containers. We opened them up and sat looking at the contents not even beginning to know where to begin. Just about that time God sent another angel in the form of a young man who just happened to be from Eleanor’s alma mater, Penn State. They became fast “college buddies” and not surprisingly he knew exactly how to set up the booth. Before long we had it all in place and decorated. As we stood back and looked, I have to say we were all enormously pleased with the results! God had indeed provided in every way.

The next day was the opening day. It began with a fabulous worship service that included Michael W. Smith, David Phelps, and several other top vocalists. We were awed to say the least! Allistair Begg gave the message and although he was a new name to us I don’t think we will ever forget him or his message. There was such power in every word and we left feeling that indeed God had met us there and had blessed us beyond anything we could have imagined.

But it was only the beginning. During the next two days we realized that God was pouring out blessing upon blessing on us. Our booth had more traffic than almost any other. The response was so positive and we made many wonderful contacts. Then as if that was not enough a couple of our dear girlfriends, Genie Brady and Jan Butler from Roswell, showed up unexpectedly to surprise us! To make that visit even more enjoyable it began to snow so they could not go home until the next day. Their presence was like strong arms under us and we knew for sure that they did not just COME…they had been SENT!

To top it all off, it was announced that President George Bush would be making an appearance to address those at the conference. Simply put, seven ladies went from basking in a place outside their comfort zone to experiencing the love, provision and comfort of their God.

Psalm 119:76

Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,

According to your word to Your servant.

Convention Issues

2010-09-02T11:50:00.000-04:00

We had taken a step and signed up for a convention. It wasn’t just any convention but the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in February 2003 that was held in Nashville, Tennessee at the Opryland Convention Center. We had decided, I am sure one evening at a late night meeting when none of us were thinking clearly, to not only attend but to actually have a Big Dream Ministries, Inc booth.

All of this sounds great of course unless you were the Big Dream Board made up of women who had never been to a convention nor had ever even seen a booth!

By late December we were beginning to wonder what in the world had we gotten ourselves into and how could we get out. The convention board had sent us a large notebook with all of the instructions and rules and suddenly we were face to face with that horrible thing called reality! However, we HAD paid the convention fee and could think of several really good reasons why we should be there.

So on Thursday evening December 5, 2002 we did the only thing we knew how to do. We met and prayed. We had specific prayer needs.

1. Help us make sense of the convention notebook!
2. Help us to be able to have a booth that was attractive and informative.

Later that week I was talking to a friend who had helped us with various things in the past. I told him my problem and he said, “Oh you must talk to my friend Tom!” I called Tom and left a message with what we needed and asked if he could meet with me the following week.

I hung up and went back to working on my computer when the phone rang. It was Tom.

“I have some good news and some bad news”, he said.

I asked for the good first and he then began to rattle off several great suggestions for a booth.

1. Keep it simple
2. Have large pictures of the four teachers to hang on the back wall along with the company logo
3. Stack the product up from the floor up at the base of the booth.
4. Give away Georgia peanuts
5. Have a small TV on the table with a looped VHS of the promo
6. Have the ladies behind the booth all wear something that stands out, like bright colored sweaters
7. Have take- home copies of the promo to give to anyone who is interested
8. Have plenty of business cards

The bad news? He couldn’t meet the following week. But then he no longer needed to as we had our plan for the booth. Robin ordered bright, shocking pink sweaters for each one of us and we had the photos taken along with the logo designed and mounted The peanuts were ordered from the Georgia peanut association all in little individual bags with Georgia written on them. The booth was donated to us and the carpet was ordered and the sweaters monogrammed with the Amazing Collection logo.

As if designed by God Himself, everything came together and we were ready to embark on yet another adventure: Conventions!

A Lesson from a Manicure

2010-08-24T13:54:00.000-04:00

I know how Sarah felt. Time was running out…or had already run out and God didn’t seem to have a plan. When one’s back is up against a wall it is easy...oh so easy…to look for alternatives to the problem (Genesis 16). Sarah knew God wanted her to have a baby but it was getting so late and now she was old and well, God surely would appreciate the help! Her choice of helping God ended in conflict that rages to this day.

Or what about King Ahaz (2 Kings 16)who was up against the armies of Syria and Israel. Ahaz thought God could use a little help so he paid the Assyrians to “come up and save me from the hand of the kings who rise up against me”. Assyria was too happy to give a helping hand and in the end it was a disaster as Assyria was influential in Ahaz leading the people of Judah to worship other gods and would prove a thorn in Judah’s flesh and a mighty conqueror of Israel. .

Then there was Big Dream Ministries. Check out these journal entries:

October 26, 2002: Big Dream is up against a wall. We have almost no money. This has been the first time we have been behind in our payments. I got a call from _____ a Nashville media businessman who thinks he can get us into secular stores.

October 30, 2002: Today we have $1500 in our checking account and we owe $9000.We can go no further and today I need to call Soteria and tell them the work must stop. I am meeting with _________ who is very brilliant at raising funds from foundations. Hopefully she will be able to help.

But then after a week of grasping at everything but God, this entry records that our eyes were brought back where they belonged.

November 8, 2002: Big Dream has NO money. We owe Soteria $4500 yesterday, $4500 next week and $4500 the week after that. The board just met and we came to the realization that we have been looking to man to provide and to ‘save” us from this financial crisis, but we have not looked to God as was our original commitment. This week we have tuned back to Him in trust and confidence that He can provide when He wants to.

I felt relief and yet still worried about my ability to rightly hear from God. AND I questioned once again if we were truly being wise and not naïve. I guess in many ways I was questioning if God would truly provide for our great need.

Then something simple yet quite profound happened to me. Many would not understand but I received a touch from God. I had an appointment to get my hair cut. It took all of my “personal hygiene” budget that month. But my hands were a mess and I longed to have extra money in the budget for a manicure...but alas, it wasn’t there.

Soon after the board made their decision I received a call from the salon saying they had just hired a new manicurist and she was giving complimentary manicures. Would I like one? A free manicure is unheard of in my social circle but there it was. One for me right when I longed for it!

Sometimes the Spirit of God simply whispers, “This is a gift for you from God” and I knew it was. But it was more than that. It was reassurance that God could provide and that He would provide.

Over the next few weeks we received over $70,000. The crisis was over and we were changed.

It was a great lesson for us. It redirected our vision. We would NOT look to any foundation and would no longer even apply for grants. We would not look to man, not look to secular stores, not look ANYWHERE on earth…but we would look to God alone.

Sarah learned the hard way. Ahaz learned the hard way. We were spared the hard way but I am so grateful we learned the lesson well.

Psalm 31:1

In You O Lord I put my trust;

Let me never be ashamed;

Deliver me in Your righteousness.

Remedy for a Rebellious Brain

2010-08-19T14:22:00.000-04:00

The first time I ever stood in front of a large group of people to speak I was absolutely terrified. I have read that after ‘death’ that is the one thing most people are afraid of and I certainly fell into that category. The real problem is that your mind decides to take a vacation about the time you reach the podium. It simply shuts down and tries to convince you that it really isn’t there. Try as you might, it is nearly impossible to pull up the brilliantly composed work you would like to present for the most interested listeners. Instead, words tumble over thoughts and in the end you can walk away feeling like a great fool and your audience is exhausted trying to make sense of your nonsense!

Lance Brady has been a wonderful friend of Big Dream Ministries since the beginning. He and his wife, Genie, have been great encouragers to us. In October 2002 Lance called with a gift he wanted to give to each one of the teachers. SpeakEasy is an Atlanta based company that provides excellent classes for people who have to stand up in front of others and give presentations. He had arranged for us to attend the classes so that we might be more confident in our presentations. We were blown away by his great generosity and immediately signed up for the classes.

However, shortly before we were to attend I got a call that our class was canceled and I would need to reschedule. Well, life got in the way and I didn’t get around to it until I got another call from Lance encouraging me to move forward. Because of his prodding, I began to sense that God was up to something. So the call was made and we were all set to take classes at SpeakEasy.

Entering a classroom of nine strangers is not always comfortable but I was so surprised to find the class included high powered businessmen and women, confident in what they did and exuding success. It was intimidating to say the least. We saw ourselves as neither high powered, business women, successful, nor confident.

Nevertheless, the playing field evened out as each person began to give their carefully written speeches. We had three minutes each to give our presentations. I was one of the last but found that other’s confidence fled out the window as each person got up in front of the group. We were all the same. Simply a group of people who would rather hide than speak in front of an audience.

Strange as it sounds, their fear gave me confidence! If they felt as I did, then together we could help each other move forward, become more confident and shape a talk that made sense. In other words, we could overcome our rebellious brain, force it to straighten up and behave, and remember what our purpose was all about.

As teachers our purpose was very different from our classmates. They were selling a product but we wanted to transform lives through the Word of God. For Eleanor, Linda, Margie and me that was great motivation. In the end, we left the classes more confident, more assured, better equipped and most grateful to God who worked through the enormous generosity of Lance Brady.

I Know That!

2010-08-12T14:52:00.000-04:00

My mother did her job well but she had such a reluctant student. She was an expert seamstress and tried with diligence to teach me how to sew. She loved materials and threads and sewing machines and yarns and from those materials she could and would make dream dresses for me. I dutifully followed her instructions so by the time I went to college I had the knowledge I needed to sew but I refused to do it. It was boring. It was tedious. It took way too much time. And beside why should I bother? Mom continued to sew for me!

However, that all changed the day I got married. For some reason which I could not understand at the time, Mom put her sewing machine away and took up painting while I was left to fend for myself. I had gotten use to nice clothes....cheap. Now as we struggled financially to pay for graduate and undergraduate tuitions on $6300 a year, there was no money for clothes. However there was a little money for material. And so I dragged that knowledge out (along with an old sewing machine one of Mama’s friends gave me) and put it into service. Soon I was making my own dream dresses.

Like my sewing skills, one can have the knowledge without having it affect their lives, but when we put that knowledge to work it can greatly enhance it. But sometimes lack of putting knowledge to work can be brutally harmful even leading to destruction. Listen to these words from Hosea 4:6:

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Because you have rejected knowledge,

I also will reject you from being priests for Me;

Because you have forgotten the law of your God,

I also will forget your children.

…because they have ceased obeying the Lord.”

In this passage God is saying something important to all of us. Learn. Know. Study. Obey. There is much to be gained but equally much, oh so very much, to be lost if we choose to ignore the very words, guidance, counsel, and truth, that God gives us in His Word.

At least once a week we get a call at Big Dream Ministries from someone who tells us, “I never knew or understood the whole Bible. The Amazing Collection has opened my eyes to so much of God’s Word that I didn’t understand!” We love those calls. God’s Word changes lives. It sets the captives free. It brings joy to the depressed and courage to the fearful. But without it…..well words like “destroy” “reject”, and “forgotten” paint a sobering picture. Love demands obedience but before obedience there must come knowledge.

When it comes to sewing it really isn’t earth shattering if knowledge is not followed by obedience. But God’s Word? Well it really is.

Emotional Roller Coaster

2010-08-10T13:39:00.000-04:00

Emotions are funny. They seem to hit with a mind of their own. Joy can turn to sorrow in a millisecond and sorrow can turn to joy. I remember as a young woman sending the man I loved off on a military cruiser for the summer as a midshipman. I had expected a letter at least once a week and probably more. But week after week passed with no word and I grew more and more distressed. After six weeks had passed and still no letter I was fully convinced that his love for me had grown cold and that I would never see him again.

But one day a telegram arrived (you can tell how long ago this occurred!). It had just a few small words: “I love you. I miss you. See you soon.” And in that moment all anxiety turned at joyful anticipation.

Emotions change and they can change quickly.

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October 3, 2002 a shipment of 1000 sets of DVDs arrived from CRT Custom Products out of Nashville. This included the books of Genesis through 2 Kings. The packaging was beautiful. The price was less than what we had thought. And as the many boxes were being lifted into the warehouse I have to admit I was overwhelmingly excited. We had worked hundreds and hundreds of hours and here was the culmination of all of that work, prayer, time and tears.

The shipping truck pulled away and I was left alone. The boxes were piled high all around the room. Boxes that contained 5000 companion workbooks also added to the enormous amount of “product’. And then a thought occurred to me. We had 1000 sets that we had to sell. We had no sales staff. We had no brochure. We had no mailing list and no advertising budget.

I raced to the office and looked over the list of all of the people who said they wanted a set as soon as we received them. One, two three, four, five, six, seven…..seven…that was it! That left us with 993 sets of DVD’s and 2493 workbooks! And at that moment emotions changed and all joy turned to raw terror! What were we thinking? Did we have any idea how many 1000 sets were? Couldn’t we have ordered 250 or better yet 25!!

Then I remembered the past. God. God providing the money we needed. God providing the perfect testimonies for every book. God providing talented vocalists. God providing our every need. And so, why would I think that God could not provide for our needs at this point?

That was eight years ago. The warehouse is once again packed only now we have reordered workbooks tens of times and the DVD’s have multiplied as we have added new studies. Seven broadcasting stations air the Amazing Collection in five languages world wide. Had I known that on October 3, 2002 I would have continued in my excitement, continued in joy. But isn’t that what Christ tells us to do?

Consider it all joy brethren when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

James 1:2

Do You Remember?

2010-07-30T10:35:00.000-04:00

Some years ago our Big Dream team went on a little retreat near the Georgia mountains. Eleanor Lewis gave a talk on the theme of “remembering”. It was fascinating to see how serious God is about us remembering what He has done, remembering who He is, remembering His works and goodness. The longer I live the more crucial those words become because the truth is I often fail to remember and it is in that failing that anxiety finds its fertile ground

I began keeping a journal as a young adult. There are times now that I will pull out one of those books and read a few pages. What is shocking is not what I have remembered but what I have forgotten! And so often what I have forgotten are the mighty works of God. Those journal entries are proof that when God says do not be anxious, do not fear, do not be concerned, He can say that because He is in control and He IS working all things out. So many of the blog stories are nothing more than stories from my journals and each one calls out…. “do not be anxious! God has a plan and it is good!”

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We had been trying to find the right song and story for First Chronicles, something that would develop the idea of restoration. After searching for some time and getting down right stressed over the whole thing we finally came up with a song that a very popular recording artist had just recorded. It wasn’t by any means perfect but it was the best we could come up with. There was only one problem. It would be very expensive for us to get a license. We felt we had no choice and so we moved reluctantly forward but the very night we were going to film, the weather turned nasty and we were unable to do it. We rescheduled.

The next day we met with Eleanor Sams to hear her testimony and talk with her about filming her for First Chronicles. She had the most gentle, loving spirit and was immensely bright and articulate. She brought along a scrapbook that had wonderful old family pictures that helped to enhance her story.

Eleanor’s story is unusual. She grew up with a black mother and father in a close knit family. But after she had children she found out that she had a white grandfather, a slave owner. It was a blow to her because she had prejudices, resentment and anger but God worked a miracle in her heart and through some very unusual circumstances brought restoration to her and her family.

After talking with her at some length, Kelle, our production/creative guru, came up with a great idea. She wanted to incorporate some of those family pictures into the testimony.
Eleanor agreed that would be a wonderful idea and so it was set that the following week we would film both Eleanor telling her story and also use several pictures from the scrapbook.

On the way home that night, Kelle began to think that we needed a Negro spiritual as the music for that book. It would go right along with Eleanor’s story, in fact it would be great to have a “story board’ for the music that would not only enhance the song but also Eleanor’s great story.

Kelle called Antonia Lawrence, a lovely vocalist who had done some work for us previously. Antonia’s response was shocking and thrilling. “I will not only sing a Negro spiritual, I will write one tonight just for this story of restoration!”

And so it came about that Eleanor told her story of restoration. Antonio wrote and sang a song of restoration. And Eleanor’s daughter did the acting for the “story board” and Eleanor’s scrapbook provided the extra visuals that enhanced it all.

Remember? Remember! God is in the details and even when we don’t see it at the moment, He is in control.

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

Yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

Psalm 77:11

What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

2010-07-22T08:00:00.001-04:00

There is an old saying” What you don’t know can’t hurt you” that has been around for decades, maybe centuries. Now come, let us reason together. That is the greatest lie known to man? EVER!

For instance if you don’t know that fire can burn you up and you decide to walk into it, it probably will hurt you…a lot. If you don’t understand the pull of gravity and jump off a twenty story building there is a very good chance (like 100%) that indeed it will hurt you.

When it came to the legal aspects of production what we didn’t know really could have hurt us greatly. By God’s grace, we were able to learn a truth before we got ourselves and the ministry into legal trouble.

We had assumed that if we wanted to use a piece of music in our film project we would simply include it. So for the first few weeks of development we carefully choose music we thought would fit into each teaching session. Then we began to learn from several of our music professional friends that, no indeed, you can NOT use any music you want. In fact all music (except for that which is classified Public Domain or was written especially for us and given to us) is protected by a very complex systems of licenses. In fact had we known just HOW complex all of this would be we would NEVER have used ANY music. But then I do believe God revealed only as much as He wanted us to know, a little at a time so we WOULD add the music He wanted in every section.

Our first step toward taking care of legal business in the music area was to ask Elise Norman to help us obtain the music licenses required. Elise is a beautiful mother of four, an attorney and a dynamic vocalist. She graciously agreed to help us. And so we began the process of gathering licenses needed.

Now for a little music license education:

Synchronization License gives us permission to use the music in a video. We would
need one of these for almost every piece of music we used.

Mechanical License gives us permission to record someone’s music using our own
vocalist and musicians.

Master Use License gives us permission to use a recording that is already in existence.

So almost every song would require two licenses. Deciding what kind of licenses we needed was only the very beginning. Then we had to identify the company who owned the music. Silly me…I thought you simply pick up the phone and call Toby Mac or the Gaithers and, bingo, we would have the required license. NOT SO! Companies own the music and it is not always easy to find the right company. Once we had that part identified we then sent in an application for the license.

I know God gives all of His children opportunities to learn patience but He really outdid Himself with us…and He used music license companies to teach us! It was not uncommon to wait two, three or four years before finalizing the paperwork. Once that is done then we get to write a check, usually about fifteen cents for every DVD duplicated with that song on it. In our case, it was one thousand.

All of this took immense amount of time and effort. Elise worked on this for more than two years and then because the task got overwhelming, she handed it back to us and we hired a music lawyer from Nashville at great expense to get the rest of the licenses . Two or three years later (and much money) he said he did not have the time to complete this and turned it over to a music license friend of his who did this on the side. That was a disaster as this fellow had all of our records for more than eighteen months. During that time we had the opportunity to spend more money and receive little help. We fired him at the end of a very frustrating relationship and Jodie Mannion took over the work . Jodie worked on it for two years and we then hired a music service company to help her and now after nine years it looks like we are about at the end with only two more licenses to finalize.

I am so grateful to God that He did not allow us to find out the hard way that what we don’t know can ruin a person, company, a nation.

Lamentations 3:22

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning.

Great is your faithfulness.

Fitting Into His Schedule

2010-07-15T16:14:00.021-04:00

I remember the final months of my mother’s life. She had become a complete invalid, paralyzed from the neck down. She lived with us and I was her care giver. Her needs were great and truly demanded more from me that I thought I could possibly give.

One evening, in total exhaustion. I knelt by my bed and with tears streaming down my face, poured out my frustration and anguish to God. When I was done listing all of my complaints and the many duties that were beyond human might, I stopped talking just long enough to hear the Still Small Voice. “I will restore to you the years the locust have eaten” (Joel 2:25). Eleven words and they made all of the difference. I rose, clinging to the promise.

Mama passed away several months later. I had cared for her for three years. God was good to His promise and the next three years proved to be full of rich blessings beyond my wildest dreams. During those years there was plenty of time for rest, spiritual and mental refreshment and a great deal of joy knowing Mom had received the best care and was now with her Savior.

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I ponder God’s schedule for my life because in many ways my schedule is HIS schedule. I hear talk of the need to protect oneself from the demands of others, I see great boundaries that people put on their lives because they want to be sure they get enough “down time” or “me time” or whatever else you want to call it. But my experience has been a bit different. I do think God demands much from those who love Him and are called His children. But He is also mindful of the need for rest and relaxation and provides it at the most surprising times.

There were many days of packed schedules while we were developing, teaching and filming. One such day looked like this:

Morning:
4:00 Study and prayer
5:00 -8:00 Clean the house
8-9 Shower, dress, go to meeting
9:30 Prayer team meeting
11:00 Meeting with our copyright consultant

Afternoon:
12:30 Doctors appointment
2:00 Meeting with our workbook writer.
4:00 Meeting with Speak Easy Training Group

Each time I found myself frantically running from one thing to another just barely arriving in time for the next event.

By 3:30 I was driving the 35 miles to downtown Atlanta for the 4:00 meeting I had been asked to attend. I was worn out and still had the grocery shopping to do and several letters to write before the day was over. “ Lord, I need help”, I prayed.

My cell phone rang. The meeting in Atlanta was canceled. I turned my car around, got the groceries, wrote my letters and was able to have dinner on the table for my husband when he arrived. The rest of the evening was spent in quiet rest.

This is not a coincident. In fact it happens with some regularity. Many times I have been so pressed for time only to see God intercede in the most creative and unexpected ways to free up my schedule and allow me the rest I need.

I do not see any of the disciples spending a lot of time protecting their schedules but more seemed to pour their lives out for Christ, trusting Him to empower them for the work He wanted them to do and trusting Him to provide the rest and refreshment they needed at the right time. That is the way I want my life to be, under the control of God’s schedule for my life, never saying “no” to Him, being totally available to whatever He wants me to do, when He wants me to do it.

Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

No Distractions. Please

2010-07-01T14:52:00.000-04:00

We don’t have a TV set. We had one up until 1980 and then the old Arvin died and we decided not to replace it. As time passed no one wanted it back because we found we were enjoying the peace that came with no noise.

My mother in law moved in with us in 2002. She brought a TV with her. Things had changed in twenty- two years. First of all it is impossible to just watch the news. Along the bottom of the screen is important information that draws the eye and the mind. When that happens I totally loose what the announcer says because in my small brain I can only take in one thing at a time. In constant frustration I am torn between the earth shattering news the announcer is saying and the critical information that blips along the bottom of the screen. I admit, I am easily distracted and the distractions cause me to miss gaining accurate information about anything on the news!! It proves that the eyes and the ears are connected in a mysterious way….

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After we had gained the opportunity to film at Walk Thru the Bible, we realized we needed a set. Soteria helped us by recommending Guy Tuttle’s company and so we contacted him and explained what we needed. We told him our budget and he kindly did not flinch or laugh. We said we wanted to film a Bible Study that taught the Bible sequentially from Genesis to Revelation. He seemed to understand. And then we left everything in his hands.

On May 20, 2002, the day before our first filming, I arrived at the studio to see how things were coming along. There were numerous people all busy doing their thing: cameras were being set up, lighting guys were on tall ladders hanging huge lights from the ceiling, the sound men were getting their equipment in place. All in all there was a bit of chaos. But as soon as I walked into the actual filming area I was struck by calm. Guy had worked his magic and designed a set that was peaceful, lovely and well,…perfect! Unlike television, there was nothing to distract, to pull eye away from the message. The creamy color was pleasing to the eye and the large plants on the side added soothing color. The sheer curtain behind the stage hung in front of our deep cranberry logo, “The Amazing Collection’ all printed on Plexiglas so the letters seemed to hand in space.

The platform was raise about six inches and in front was a perfect clear podium that was unobtrusive yet large enough to hold our Bible and notes. And best of all the cost fit our budget perfectly.

Though it is not fancy as some, it is none the less perfect, for we wanted the Word to be the centerpiece with no distractions. And once again we saw God provide the right people at the right time. And somehow, He gave them the creativity to produce the perfect set at the perfect price.

That set would see us through sixty-six film sessions over a period of four years. And each time we would go back into the studio, Guy’s company would have the set ready for us. Beauty without distraction. Calmness without chaos. ….and no distractions.

Ecclesiastes 9:17

The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

“Oh To See Ourselves As Others See Us”

2010-06-23T11:30:00.000-04:00

It is impossible to judge ones self accurately. I can picture in my mind myself as a thirteen year old. In one picture I am on my way to the county fair. I have on my head (I am so ashamed to admit it) a long haired, gray, winter hat (yes HAT, not wig) that I have brushed down to look like hair. I am wearing it in August. I thought I looked adorable. I didn’t.

So I ask myself, where was my mother!!! She was a sensible, wise and good woman who loved me dearly. Surely she could have put a stop to such poor judgment? But I feel certain that she just couldn’t bring herself to tell me I looked ridiculous and so said nothing. I wish she had.

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We had completed the first twelve DVDs. We would force our family members to watch every one of them and they always gave raved reviews. But like my mother, family can not always be trusted to give an accurate opinion.

Though we had talked to a few churches, no church had jumped at the chance to use them for their ladies ministry. In fact, one church had rejected them after viewing the first video because of a theological difference. (They would later embrace the study and incorporate it into their highly successful Women’s Ministry program.)

The truth is we had no idea if the work we had done would resonate with other women. We simply could not judge it accurately. We had begged God to help the women who watched the programs to truly “learn for life” through our teaching. But in order for the student to learn, the teacher must have presented the material in an interesting and understandable way. We just didn’t know if we had accomplished that or not.

Susan Frost was director of the Women’s Ministry at Eastside Baptist Church in Marietta Georgia. She was a friend and knew about what we were trying to do. She took a leap of faith and added The Amazing Collection: The Bible for Women Book By Book to their fall program. And with that we waited.

Waiting is not fun especially when a lot is hanging on the outcome. We had a great deal tied up in the work. Not only a large amount of money been donated and spent but also a tremendous amount of work had gone into the project by forty plus people. Still we had no guarantee that what we had done was “good enough” for women and ministry.

On February 13, 2002 I got a call. The Eastside ladies loved the videos! They were learning so much. And YES they were learning for life.

I am not sure what happens between the confidence of a thirteen year old and the lack of confidence of fifty plus year old but I do know that at thirteen we can think more highly of ourselves then perhaps we ought. But later in life it can be just the opposite. Life has shown us that there are many others who are smarter and better at any given talent and yes, even have more fashion sense then we do! Eleanor, Linda, Margie and I all struggled with trying to see the filmed sessions with clear eyes but we just couldn’t. We would find every flaw and grieve over not doing a better job. At last we had to go to the only source of comfort and help we knew. “Lord, please give us Your power and wisdom to do the best that we can. But where it is not good enough change it and make it so.

These days as I receive words of praise from as far away as the Middle East, England, Scotland, New Zealand and Australia not to mention the many emails of encouragement from the states, we all realize that God heard our prayers. He has literally “cooked the DVDs” in the can” and has helped us produce a tool that greatly impacts women and helps them learn for life about every book in God’s Word. It is His and He has done it.

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The amazing thing was that on that fateful night as a thirteen year old, I met my future husband for the first time. He was fourteen and at the fair with a mutual friend. It is evidence of God’s grace and mercy that I would even be considered to be his wife after such an unfortunate first impression. It is also evidence that it is not our great wisdom that matters but God’s great intervention, kindness, strength and mercy.

Yes, judging oneself accurately is impossible.

Our soul waits for the Lord;

He is our help and our shield.

Our heart shall rejoice in Him,

Because we have trusted in His holy name.

Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,

Just as we hope in You.

Psalm 33:20-22

Unsung Heroes

2010-06-18T10:04:00.000-04:00

There is a lot of talk these days about vision. I have been in on a couple of “corporate type” talks that focus on the importance of vision and staying the course and leadership and making goals. I think that is all well and good. But it does leave out a most significant fact that I think in many ways is an important one. It is not all about the leader. It is about the followers. Anyone can have a vision. But not everyone can do the work. In other words, you have to have the expertise and the talent to get the job done. Those unsung people who can get the job done are the true heroes of any endeavor.

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The first five times we filmed, we did it in the Fellowship Bible Church auditorium. It was a rather barren place at that time and there was much that needed to be done. The stage for the teachers was a mess. One of the cameras needed to be on a platform five feet high. The sound needed to be coordinated with the tech man at the church. Lighting needed to be just so. The audience (which at that time was 500 excited women) needed to be managed. All details that I, the visionary, had not thought about! But someone had.

And so the day before filming when I arrived at the church, Kay Centurione was on the stage doing wondrous, creative things to make it beautiful. Dennis Law had worked overtime with our crew to make sure the hundreds of sound cords were all in place. Chuck Harley (my Beloved) had built a perfect five-foot platform that would hold a ton if needed. Genie Brady was there setting the tables with the necessary information. The talented detail people were doing their thing, making it all happen.

After we moved to the Walk Through the Bible studios, there were added complications. We had about 50 people arriving every day of filming and they came hungry. We needed food. And so in the well equipped kitchen Robin Rosebrough, Juanita Lott, Jan Butler and a whole team of talented women dished out two meals and numerous snacks daily. These were not just run of the mill lunches but beautiful-to-look-at, delicious-to-eat feasts.

Though our workbooks had not gone to print yet, copies had been made and placed at every chair along with a small gift. Flowers were in the foyer, welcoming each person. Names and addresses were taken and “permission to film” agreements were signed at a table someone remembered to not only set up as each person came through the door, but that was beautifully set with flowers, plenty of pens and a cheerful attendant.

Kelle and Shane had a whole crew including a talented stage designer, a sound guy, a gaffer plus assistant, three camera men, a switcher and makeup lady. We had earlier hired a wonderful lady to help with the wardrobe. It sounds like an easy thing but Trudy Davies’s eye for color, camera, design and timeless sense of style was a huge help to those of us who are fashion-challenged. Rosemary Nelson kept the teachers on time and tracked their talks so nothing would be left out.

The list of behind-the-scenes, dedicated, cheerful folks is longer than I have space. So in the end, it wasn’t the vision that made it happen. All would have remained nothing more than just that…a vision, a dream, an idea, a hope. It was the heroes who made a vision become a reality that went across country and now around the world.

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.

Romans 12:4-6

A Change of Mind

2010-06-09T16:22:00.000-04:00

A mind is a difficult thing to change. I have been told that sugar and fats are harmful to the body. I have read it in articles, books, heard it on TV and from my doctor but I have not changed my mind. I simply do not agree. Though many voices say one thing, I think fats and sugar now and then are pleasures everyone should have and that it indeed is good for my (mental) health. Therefore, I still enjoy a brownie or chocolate chip cookie from time to time. (By the way, so does my doctor!)

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I was having a conversation with a successful business man one afternoon. He wanted to learn more about the ministry and asked many excellent and intelligent questions. I answered them as best as I could and in doing so explained our position on raising money. We would not ask for anything. We would not fund raise. We would not seek grants or loans. We would pray.

He thought it was a strange and very idealistic method. He thought that Christ would want us to ask. He thought that it was naïve, simplistic and surely not the way God would expect us to minister.

He supported many ministries and was beyond generous. But he made it very clear that he would not consider giving to any ministry that refused to ask him for money. To him, asking for money was a sign of a passionate belief in what the ministry stood for.

I thanked him for being interested in our endeavors but made it clear that we had asked God to provide as a way of assuring us we were doing exactly what HE wanted us to do. Therefore, I would not ask him or anyone for money. I know when we parted he was having difficulty understanding our stance. And after this conversation with such a godly, intelligent, successful man, I have to confess, I worried that perhaps indeed we were presuming on God.

A few weeks later we had run out of money. In the next week or two we would need about $30,000 to produce materials. Already Kelle and Shane, our production company, had been warned by us that funds were low and were taking on outside jobs to supplement in case we could not make the next payment.

Around this time, I was at a Christmas party and though the evening was most festive I was worried about the “what if’s”. What if God did not provide? What if we had been naïve? What if we had to shut down production? What if….?

The business man I had had such a challenging conversation with motioned to me from across the room and as I approached he asked if I could step outside for a minute. I was curious and thought perhaps he was going to chide me for being so foolish, but once outside, he pulled an envelope out from his sport coat pocket. “Here”, he said. “It is a check.” I was dumbfounded.

“But I thought you had decided not to give to this ministry!” I exclaimed.

He looked down at his shoes and then very sheepishly said, “God told me to give this.”

I opened the envelope and pulled out a check for $25,000! I was overwhelmed by his great generosity, but even more so by God’s great faithfulness!

In the next week we would receive the rest of the monies needed. But through it all his words rang in my ears. “God told me to give this.”

And that is the way it should be.

Matthew 7:11
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him.

Who Needs an Audience?

2010-06-01T10:27:00.000-04:00

As a kid I had the great talent of being able to walk on stilts. I could walk up and down stairs. I could walk around the block. And the best part is that I was the only child in my child-populated neighborhood who could do such a thing. But I always was “better and more talented” when I had an audience.

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An audience helps. Though it can be immensely terrifying, it can also be the source of energy. As a speaker one can “play off” the audience. As a teacher, one can see if the message is hitting the mark simply by watching the faces of the people in the audience. So for many reasons an audience plays an important part.

But when it came to filming, the audience became another sign of the faithfulness of God. It wasn’t that we were negligent when it came to selecting and gathering a film audience. We just did not have the time. The entire team was going ninety miles an hour just trying to take care of all of the details required to produce the teaching DVDs. And so we did the only thing we ever knew to do and that was to simply pray.

By now we were learning that prayer was not just talking into the wind but was a powerful tool that God had given us to unleash heaven to accomplish that which we could not do. We asked Him to bring us an audience and then we moved forward.

There were several times that we were shocked by God’s recruitment policies! The truth is we never figured them out but quickly saw that He had a plan and it was a good one.

The first time we saw His audience recruitment power was when we filmed the music video “Come on into the House” with Jennifer Carozza. We had secured the First Presbyterian Church in the historic part of Roswell. It was perfect and we were delighted that the church elders decided to charge us nothing for the use of the old chapel that dates back to the 1800’s. It was full of architectural details and great lighting that made it ideal for our purpose.

Jennifer was to perform but we needed a pianist, a bass guitar player and a drummer. Now they did not need to actually play the instruments because this would all be lip/instrument synched. Kelle and Shane invited his brother to play the drums (he really could play!) and her father to play the piano (he really couldn’t play!) and a wonderful man with long dreadlocks to play the guitar. He had at one time been an accomplished guitarist but because of hard living before giving his life to Jesus had lost some fingers necessary to play.

Now we also needed some back up singers. Again, Kelle came to the rescue and found two women and a man to “play act” back-up. So there we were…a mixed bag of folks from all walks of life wrapped in the love of Jesus relating to one another as sisters and brothers. It was an incredible experience.

By twelve thirty we were about ready. Cameras were in place, back up singers were practicing, the musicians were chatting and I was pacing. You see we had made a blanket invitation to be an audience at our Women’s Fellowship ladies a week before. “Please come if you can….” and then gave details like where to be and the most important part they had to show up before 1:00!!!!

I had little faith that anyone would have the time or the inclination to arrive for a two hour long film shoot. I knew our prayer team was praying. I knew I was praying. But no one was coming….. I mean NO ONE! I felt shame and frustration arise as I could see we would have to shut all production down if we did not have an audience.

Now to film this particular session with no audience would simply not work. They were an integral part of the whole music DVD. Twelve forty-five and there was not one person in sight. Ten to one and still no one. Seven to one and three ladies came strolling in. Five to one and we now had about ten folks….all women…all white women! One minute to one the heavens opened and we looked out to see a stream of folks coming up the side walk…women, men, children, black, white, old, young!!! The perfect audience! It was absolutely overwhelming!

And they did not just COME! They came to make a perfect video. They clapped, they laughed, they sang along, they did the same scene over and over until it was just right. They were wonderful. They were God’s audience and they did it all for Him

Indeed none of those who wait for Thee will be ashamed.
Psalm 25:3

What's in a Name?

2010-05-26T16:00:00.000-04:00

Naming our first child was not easy. I loved my grandmother’s name which was Swanna Pickett. My husband who was not from the south could not agree and so we went back and forth until we finally settled on Anne-Janette Parks Harley. Yes it is a mouth full but it represents the three women who made up her life. Anne is my mother. Janette is my mother-in-law and Parks is my middle name so all of us were represented. However, on the day of her birth we realized that she was too small for such a huge name so we turned the name Anne around and added the J from Janette and there you have it…Jenna! Perfect.

A name is important. It not only tells who you belong to but also gives some indication of your personality. “Jenna” fit her as a baby and now thirty-eight years later it is still the perfect name for her bubbly personality.

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We were at a stand still. Well maybe not literally but it seemed we had stalled and were not making any headway. The problem? We could not decide on a name for our Bible Study. What could be so hard?

With the hundreds of excellent Bible studies available in America today one would think that coming up with a name would be the very simplest part of developing the program. We had everyone we knew thinking up names that we would discuss and eventually reject. Why these rejections took place I cannot say except that they just did not “feel’ right. We seemed to sense that as soon as we heard it we would know “this is it”!!!

“Bible Light” ran with us for a few days until we realized it sounded like we were making the Bible light or trying to do a take-off on a beer commercial! Both reasons were good enough to finally decide to reject it.

We were sitting around the table at Truth in Advertising, owned by a talented young couple who we had hired to do some design work for us. We had about five or six names in front of us and though some were pretty catchy they just didn’t seem to grab our senses. At one point Mike Dolinger started talking about the study and in the conversation said “This really is an amazing collection of books, isn’t it!” And at the moment we all knew that we had a new name.

But there are many collections of works in the world and although they are interesting to say the least they are hardly amazing. And if one looks at the Bible as a singular work, they miss something miraculous. For the Bible is not one work but sixty-six books compiled by over 40 authors covering a period of 1500 years on three continents in three languages. What is so amazing is that there is perfect unity among these books although they address hundreds of different topics! The Bible is indeed an AMAZING COLLECTION!

There is no other collection of books that has inspired men to produce such great works of art, write more exquisite music and design more awe-inspiring architecture than the Bible. No other book has survived such determination to destroy it and no other book that has been the impetus for life transformation for millions of people throughout history! What a book! What a God!! What a gift! The Amazing Collection!

...and they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Luke 9:43

Don’t Say It!

2010-05-20T11:30:00.001-04:00

Jesus was pretty adamant when He said,“ Whoever says ‘You fool!’ (to his brother) shall be in danger of hell fire.” It is clear, it is convicting and it is frightening. Does He really mean hell?
But what about the person we are most likely to call fool? What about the times we call ourselves that? Is Jesus just as concerned?

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We had completed the first year of filming and now had a “product” to sell. We were beginning to see more and more that we were a company and needed some of the necessary things to do business. We set up a room in my home, got a computer, and had Truth in Advertising design some stationery, business cards and note cards for us.

They needed some pertinent information which I gave them - like the return address which is a PO Box, the colors we wanted to use and the quantities. Robin set about getting prices from printers in the area. Once that was done and we had chosen the print company I placed the order…..$1000 worth of stationery, note cards and business cards.

It is sometimes the little things that excite us the most; so when all of the stationery arrived, it was quite a thrill! We were a REAL company, a REAL ministry, a REAL corporation and now we had REAL stationery!

A few days later Eleanor sent out several important pieces of communication on our lovely stationery, but a couple of weeks later she began to hear from all of the companies that had received letters. They had sent answers back to us using the return address provided on the letterhead and envelopes, but all had been returned to them and none had reached us!

We were totally perplexed. I went over and over the steps we had taken trying to solve the problem. Finally I went to our UPS Store which houses our PO Box and went over every line of the address with them. The last line solved the problem. I had put Roswell as the town but our PO Box was in Alpharetta! The city dividing line was the street right in front of the PO Box!

It is hard to describe my feelings of foolishness. I had made such a huge blunder, but the truth is I had NO idea the dividing line was such a short distance from my house!

We are hardest on ourselves. The board was so understanding and kind, but all I saw was $1000 down the drain. In the end, all that we could not salvage went into the trash. And in many ways I followed it emotionally.

The words, “You fool” went through my mind several times a day. How could I have been so stupid! I felt sure that neither Eleanor nor Linda nor any of the other women would have made such a stupid and costly mistake.

How quick we are to call ourselves the very words Jesus said we were not to call any brother. It took a few weeks to get my heart right and my eyes on God, and that was done mostly because of the kindness and quick forgiveness of a team that continually practiced Christ-like love. The blessings of Christian love and forgiveness are greater than we ever deserve yet what we all so desperately need.

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:14

Celebrate!

2010-05-17T20:30:00.000-04:00

Somehow it doesn’t seem right. Yet there is no denying that the first miracle was turning water into wine at a great celebration. (John 2:1-10) Celebration! The miracles of Jesus began with a crisis, a celebration gone awry, but He turned it around to be better than ever.

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I wanted to do something special. For over a year Eleanor, Linda, and Margie had worked tens of hours every week with absolutely no pay whatsoever. They had studied, given huge amounts of time, endured spiritual hits with perseverance, stood before a camera and overcome intense fear to give 40 minutes talks, and personally parted with a great deal of money to help our big dream come to fruition. And by our side all the way was Robin Rosebrough, keeping track of the thousands of details and doing all of the administrative work behind the scenes.

We had completed twelve DVDs….and we were exhausted. It was time for a reward.

I explained my celebration plan to my husband who graciously told me to go for it, and he would foot the bill. And so with joyful anticipation I made all of the arrangements for a wonderful day for the teachers and Robin Rosebrough, who is the administrative genius of the ministry.

I rented a limo.

I made reservations at the Ritz Carlton.

I made appointments for five at Spa Sydell for the complete spa treatment.

And I kept it all a surprise. They only knew to keep the date open, and I would pick them up at 10:00 AM.

Shortly before the big day in May 2002, I received a notice that I was on “stand-by” for jury duty. I gave it little thought, as I knew God would protect me so I could be a part of the big day! The night before at the allotted time I called the number to see if my name was called. I was shocked (may I say that is a HUGE understatement!) to find that indeed I was expected to show up at the courthouse at 8:00AM. I was devastated but did the only thing I could do. I called Robin and told her the whole plan and asked her if she would take my place and be the hostess for the day. She would meet the limo at my house and then proceed to pick up the teachers for a fun day…without me!

The next morning as I was getting ready and noticed that my husband had not left for work. “I am going with you” is all he said. At the courthouse the guards were being very careful about checking everyone’s ID and jury summons. Nine-eleven had made every government building a place of high security. For some reason known only to God, Chuck was able to pass right through security and followed me up to the second floor. Once there he asked to meet with the person in charge, and immediately we were ushered into the office of the “person in charge”. She was kind, but also said in no uncertain terms that I could not be released nor could Chuck take my place.

We went to the waiting room and again, Chuck stayed with me. A little while later the woman in charge came out of her office and called to us. “I have to say, I am so impressed that you would do this for your wife, so I am going to give you an extension as long as you promise that you will appear for duty in four weeks from now! I would have agreed to anything!

We ran out of the courthouse and called Robin. She was in the limo and they had just picked up Margie and were on their way to Eleanor’s. I was able to meet them in the limo thirty minutes later.

First stop was lunch at the Ritz Carlton! While we were eating I got a call from Spa Sydell. A water pipe had broken in the facility where we had appointments but they could make arrangements for us to go to another at a little later time. And they would pick up the extra cost of the limo!

So once again, God had intervened and brought something so good after something that looked bad. We ate a leisurely lunch, drove around Atlanta in our limo (now paid for mostly by Spa Sydell!) and later that afternoon went for our wonderful spa treatments!

The groom is out of wine….crisis….God! Jury duty…crisis…GOD! Security check point…crisis…God! Broken pipes…crisis…GOD!

And so we celebrated in such a grand way, but the truth is we celebrated He Who made it all possible!

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing… to the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
Psalm 30:12

Danger Ahead

2010-05-10T11:30:00.000-04:00

I love the story in Numbers 22 when God put a donkey in the path of Balaam to stop him from making a serious mistake. It was a rather dramatic move for sure but nonetheless needed.

God on one occasion put a roadblock in our path. It wasn’t a donkey but a simple withholding of funds that left us confused and anxious…until we realized He was only looking out for our best and preventing us from making a huge mistake..
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We knew we couldn’t do it. Perhaps we were not talented enough or smart enough. But I really think it was because we were not superwomen! Our plates were already piled high with ministry responsibilities outside of Big Dream, such as family needs (like husbands who wanted to see us occasionally and homes that needed cleaning) and the great demand of trying to learn how to teach a whole book in the Bible in forty-five minutes. All that and trying to shape the filming, choosing various people we would need to work and a thousand details both legal and practical were draining the four of us mightily. So we decide to find a skilled person to write the workbooks.

The lovely lady we choose was talented and loved to write. We very quickly realized that although the teachers were volunteers, the workbook author needed to be paid for her work. A thousand dollars a book was decide upon, and we began to work together as a team.

The first workbook was complete and we were ready to go to print. But the funds were not there. We prayed, we begged, but it seemed like heaven was closed to our requests. We became anxious wondering what was wrong. Was there sin in the camp? Had we failed to follow God’s leading?

As she was almost completing the second set, our author told us that she needed to own the copyright of all the work she had done. She also wanted royalty payments on each book sold.

We were not business women. We knew nothing about publishing or royalties or copyrights so we sought out some of the excellent “counselors” God had given us. In the end, every man from our husbands to lawyers and ministry leaders said the same thing. BDM had to own the copyright. There could be no royalties as workbooks were done as contract labor. The amount we were already paying was adequate for the work performed.

There were more meetings but an agreement could not be reached. So we came to a place where we had to part company. In the end, our author was able to keep the twelve thousand dollars and the copyright for her work and we were left with nothing except great sorrow and incredible confusion.

I don’t think I slept at all that night as loss, anxiety and frustration flooded my emotional bank. The rest of the board also spent a sleepless night.

But God was not confused or anxious. He had another plan.

The next day after our “parting of the ways” meeting I was talking to my friend Jan VanderVeen. Her husband Art had been the Senior Pastor at Fellowship Bible Church but had recently stepped down from those responsibilities and had some free time. She said she thought he would enjoy writing the workbook!

I was shocked beyond belief! Art was an excellent teacher, a Bible scholar, and a gifted writer. I never would have dreamed that anyone with such excellent credentials would have been available to write eleven workbooks! Within days we had a contract that included his very talented daughter, Carrie who would partner with him. She would collect all of the quotations and factoids and Art would do the writing. It was the perfect combo!

Once again the hand of God had helped us avoid a terrible mistake. If we had had the money, we would have gone ahead and printed the old workbooks only later to have had to destroy them because we did not own the copyright! God also provided not just one, but two outstanding authors to continue the work He had started.

Whether it is a donkey in the road or a withholding of funds, God has His ways of guiding His people.

Behold it will be said in that day: Behold, this is our God: We have waited for Him

Psalm 32:8
I shall instruct you and teach you in the way you should go:
I will guide you with My eye.

The Invisible Battle

2010-04-29T11:30:00.000-04:00

I had read the words a hundred times. “Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Those are fighting words. And when you really think about it they are pretty dramatic! Spirits of darkness? Come on…is it really THAT bad?

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We went into the battle completely unprepared. In fact it took several months before we realized that we were indeed in a battle and it was a vicious one.

When we began developing The Amazing Collection, it seemed like a great adventure. We were enjoying seeing God open some doors and got excited over the possibility of actually helping women see the whole of the Bible. But war? It truly never occurred to us.

It started with a hit to our financial security We were four women whose husbands had great jobs, we had money in the bank, comfortable homes and a future that included some monetary perks. And it was that area that took the first shot.

Eleanor’ husband’s highly secure job was terminated. Linda was next as her husband lost his job and I followed. The company that we co-owned was devastated when a trusted VP left with a contract that would have put us on solid footing. The devastation was so great we could not recover. In the end, we lost everything… the company, most of our retirement funds, the equity in our house, all security for now and the future. Margi was next as her family took hit after hit.

But the battle was just beginning. As Eleanor sat at her computer writing her script for her first teaching, she seemed to black out. Her husband found her moments later in a heap across the room with a broken nose and a bruised body. It looked like she had been literally thrown across the room. A few months later as she was teaching Deuteronomy with the cameras rolling, she suddenly lost the sight in her right eye. By God’s grace she was able to continue. Later surgery would follow with weeks of necessary immobility.

These are only a few of the incredible hits we all took during the next five years. The battle that raged all around us was more vicious than we could have ever imagined.

One day we were sitting around the “command center” dining room table and all of us were suffering greatly. As we shared our current pain (and it was excruciating!) it suddenly occurred to us that, hey…we were at war! The interesting result was not retreat, but on that day we united together, put on the full armor of God, drew our swords which is the Word of God and entered in with courage and strength.

What made the difference? We realized that day that we were on to something good and it was worth fighting for while even suffering loss! Instead of feeling defeated, we gained strength. The battle was on, we were now armed and ready and above all we knew that in front of us, encouraging, protecting and guiding…was our Valiant Warrior who would win this raging war for us. And in the end, that is just what happened.

The Lord your God is in your midst,
A Victorious Warrior!
Zephaniah 3:17

Choosing Well

2010-04-26T11:30:00.000-04:00

Peter and John did not look like they really could do the job. I mean REAAALY, would you have chosen common fisherman to do some of the greatest work for the Kingdom of God? They hadn’t even been to seminary much less Bible School. We are talking great stuff here, like building the church of Jesus Christ! Surely in all of Israel Jesus could have found someone better and more learned and more capable! But apparently God knew who was the best choice, and He chose them. It is such a picture of God choosing the surprisingly simple and then empowering them to do great things through His Spirit.

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We had gotten her name from Trace Balin who had simply said she knew a young woman who was doing some creative things in videography working part time filming various members’ testimonies at a local church. She encouraged us to speak with her about possibly handling all of the filming for our 66 DVD Bible study. So I gave her a call, and she agreed to meet with us the following week.

The four teachers along with Robin Rosebrough were all sitting around my dining table (AKA command center) when Kelle Ortiz arrived. I must say we were shocked when she walked in! She was a tiny petit blonde child, and well… she looked very young. Surely she could not be old enough nor experienced enough to take on such a huge project!

We invited her to sit down, and I outlined the scope of the project, the vast amount of filming that would need to be done, the tremendous responsibilities it would entail, the desire for individual music videos that would require a creative mind and the hard work that would be involved, along with the fact that she would have to work closely with us to ensure our desires and dreams for this study were realized.

She sat undaunted and busily took notes of everything I said. Then we went around the table giving everyone an opportunity to speak about the importance of the work. When all had shared Kelle simply put down her pen and sat up straight and said with great confidence, “I have been asking God for two years to give me an opportunity to bring Him glory though the creative gift that He has given me. I will meet with you next week with a proposal and we will go from there.”

I must say I was a bit shocked. We had not scared her off nor had she backed down when we explained the complexity of the project. And the truth is we were all impressed with her heart for God and her desire for His glory alone.

The next week she arrived right on time with five copies of the proposal in hand. Of the two other proposals we had received, this one was the most comprehensive, every detail spelled out in a clear, understandable way. And once again she expressed her deep desire to honor God, and she prayed it would be through this project.

Her grace, good cheer, kind heart, and humble attitude sealed the deal. At that point neither she nor we knew just what she could do, but we were willing to take a chance because we trusted the God who worked through her…and in the end she did not disappoint!

We started by hiring her as a part time worker. She kept her job at the local church for about a month, but as things started heating up and the work growing daily, she finally quit her job and was now on our payroll. That all sounds great but we never knew if there would even be a payroll as all of the funding came through prayer. Everything depended on God’s provision.

It was about this time that I needed to explain the “rules” to Kelle. If the money was not available, then we did not move forward. At any moment she could be out of a job. We would always pay her for the work she did but could never guarantee work for the next week or even the next day. Her reply was perfect. “I will trust God for my provision as you trust Him for yours!” And so the partnership, and eventually dear friendship, was formed.

About two months later it was clear that Kelle needed help. The best person for the job was her husband Shane who also was a gifted videographer, film editor and musician who had been working as an appraiser. So Shane quit his job and also was now on the “payroll”! Shortly after, Kelle’s cousin Lana would join the team as the producer and Joel Musch, at the age of seventeen, would come on as the animator/graphics coordinator.

Every one of these young people understood the “rules” and all agreed that they too would live day to day trusting God to provide. We would work closely as a team for the next five years, and all of us were taking a road we had never journeyed before -full of high elevations and low valleys- yet following hard after the God who drew us to Himself, guiding, providing and encouraging. We knew we were the least likely for the job. But He had chosen us and we would give Him our best.

End note: Over the next five years of production, God never once failed to provide for the salaries of these four people through gifts to Big Dream Ministries. In 2002 and again in 2005 they were the winners of the coveted Telly award given for outstanding videography. Today Soteria Productions is an outstanding production company that works for some of the largest ministries in the business.

For nothing is impossible with God.
Luke 1:37

Let There Be Music

2010-04-22T11:30:00.000-04:00

It first appears in the fourth chapter of Genesis. Music.

“And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.”

I wonder if Jubal could have imagined what he started! Now from his lyre and pipe we have orchestras and symphonies worldwide, small quartettes, duets, rock bands, rap, operas, and rock stars. So pretty much since the beginning of time man has loved music both instrumentally and vocally and it has developed from the simple to the complex. But one thing is for sure, music is everywhere and in every language. Also in scripture, God seems to place a high value on music.

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It really began the day I heard a group of women perform an outstanding musical called “Adam’s Rib.” The four performers would take an interesting and often comical look at some of the women in the Bible that included creative and thought provoking music. I was particularly mesmerized by Trace Balin who was the main creator and writer of the musical performance. As I watched her, she was not only wildly talented but there was something about the way she exhibited pure, heartfelt worship into each of her parts.

A few months later as the Big Dream Board was beginning to plan each teaching session, I suggested music. None of us had ever seen a Bible Study that included music, but each one of us thought it could truly enhance the message of every book, yet we didn’t know where to begin. Then I thought of Trace and her vocal talent and love for Christ that was so evident on stage.

I had never met her and she had no idea who I was, but when I called her, she was so kind and gracious and immediately agreed to meet me for lunch. Over salads I explained our big dream and ended it with, “We need your help, and by the way this is a volunteer position!”

I expected her to politely decline or laugh hysterically but instead she immediately said “Count me in! I would love to help any way I can!” I was floored to say the least, but that began our first steps in creating and producing nearly sixty-six music videos.

Trace knew the most talented vocalists in the area. She knew almost every song ever written (OK, maybe not every song but it surely did seem like it to us!), so week after week as we would meet, Trace would often join us and teach us the ins and outs of the music business. It would be Trace who would contact various vocalists and musicians, choose the music, and offer excellent suggestions as to how to shape the filming. And it would be Trace who would introduce us to the legal aspects of music (something that would become the most complex part of production).

Above all, though new to our team, Trace provided encouragement that was invaluable. She was so enthusiastic about all we were doing. The fact that she had been a well known recording star and was successful in the music arena and the wife of a pastor made her encouragement even more impactful. She knew the business, and she knew the ministry and felt strongly we were going in the right direction. She literally filled our spirits with all we needed to continue with boldness down the road. As I look back on the journey, Trace was a God-given “rest station” providing refreshment, direction, and renewal for somewhat reluctant and anxious travelers.

About a year after we had begun production, Trace had to step down as music director when she took a full time job, but she first pointed us to another talented vocalist and music genius in the form of Jen Carrozza who continued on in the same generous spirit that Trace had exhibited until the project was complete.

And in the end, the music did exactly what we had hoped. It helped women better understand the message of the books and often pointed to a great and mighty God worthy of our worship. I think Jubal would have been proud.

I will praise God’s name in song.
Psalm 69:30

A Turn in the Road

2010-04-08T11:30:00.000-04:00

“What do you mean the Egyptians are heading down the road toward us? I thought they were finished off?” OK, so those exact words are not to be found in Exodus 14 but I feel certain that is what Moses thought when he got the news. Things were going swimmingly. They had left Egypt with a ton of money and every one safe and the enemy defeated, yet here they were up against the Red Sea and the enemy was bearing down on them. This wasn’t part of the plan…or at least it wasn’t part of Moses Plan.

A Change of Plan

I hung up the phone. A change in plans. Gerry couldn’t be one of the teachers for The Amazing Collection She was experiencing significant health problems and would have to withdraw. But what now Lord? I had a plan and I thought it was a good one but now there was a huge detour in the road and I had NO idea how we were going to get around it. I felt we needed four teachers as the project was so large. I felt God wanted four teachers because that is how I had been directed as far as I could spiritually tell. So, now what Lord?

I couldn’t sleep that night. I tried looking down this new road, thinking of every living Bible teacher in the Atlanta area. I would hold her up to the Lord. “This one Lord? Is she the one.” “No.” On down the lengthy list I went until I could not come up with one more person. I laid still, eyes looking at a ceiling I could not see in the dark. Discouraged.

A Change of Plans

Then I sensed a name. It had a familiar ring to it. “You are to teach”. This wasn’t great news. Others were far more at ease in front of an audience. Others would do so much better in front of a camera. Others were true gifted teachers. Please Lord not me. I CAN”T DO THIS!!”

Are you willing.

Ouch.

Then some of the books in the Bible that I loved started coming to mind and little by little I could feel an excitement well up in my heart. Exodus! Jonah! Joshua! Philippians! And many others followed!

So Moses is standing there in charge of a couple million people and the well trained, well armed Egyptians who are out for blood are hot on their trail and he does the only thing he can do. He trusts God.

Am I willing? I’m scared. Am I willing? I’m incapable. Am I willing? I am willing Lord .

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through God Who strengthens me.

The Power of Prayer

2010-04-05T11:30:00.000-04:00

I remember well a time when at the age of nine, I saw my dog, Timothy, drop through the ice on Lake Michigan and disappear below the surface. I was terrified, immobilized and could do nothing but fall on my knees on that frozen beach and scream a passionate prayer to God. “Help Timothy! Help Timothy!” A few minutes later my dog came racing up the beach to me. He had been rescued by my very brave eleven year old friend. She had risked her life and had run out onto the ice and saved my dog. I could do nothing but pray. .. but that was enough

The Prayer Campaign Begins

And so we began to move out into the unknown. I met with the Mighty Prayer Warriors, four housewives sitting in Gwen’s sun porch ready to ask for the impossible. We were timid. “Lord, could we please have some money… we would like to hire a production company.” Actually I don’t think we used the term ‘production company’ because we didn’t know what a production company was, but we knew we needed someone with a video camera. “Lord, could we please have some money ….and someone with a video camera?”

Some money. We were hoping for a few hundred to start. God immediately brought us a gift of $10,000. (Three years later, this same group would no longer be timid but on more than one occasion would rush into the Throne of Grace asking for sums that would have staggered our minds just two years before! In the end, God would bring us $1,700,000)

It was one of our first acts of prayer and the speed in which it was answered was shocking and thrilling. HE, the Lord of all creation, had heard the prayers of four women sitting on the sun porch and had answered with a resounding YES…..and not just yes but more than we had ever expected. Another bump in the road had been mastered. We gratefully stood up a little straighter and marched on.

Prayer formed the foundation of the ministry. Over the next years, God continually provided through prayer alone. The interesting thing is that we never knew where the funding would come from. God would continue to surprise us as we would receive funding often from obscure places as God continued to remind us that it was His provision alone. And that provision came to us as we weekly cried out on our knees, “Help us! Help us!”

Matthew 18:19-20
Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name there I am in the midst of them.

Some Road Rules

2010-04-01T11:30:00.001-04:00

When our kids were young we would have specific guidelines for road trips. It went something like this:
1. You must keep your seat belt on all the time the car is moving.
2. You may not scream or cry while the car is moving.
3. You may not fight with your sister while the car is moving.
4. We will not stop to go to the bathroom more than one time every two hours.
NO EXCEPTIONS! (that rule was often broken!)
5. You may not order the most expensive thing on the menu when we stop for a meal.
These little guidelines made for a better, more sane trip. Traveling always goes better with
a few rules.

First Command Center Meeting

Linda, Margie, Eleanor, Robin Rosebrough,, our secretary and I were sitting at my dining room table in January 2001. . That table would become the “command center” for the next five years. We knew that in the next few months we would need money. We also knew that a couple of the teachers knew some very wealthy folks. So that presented a dilemma. We had a feeling that we could approach those people and ask for funding. We also knew we could write up grants and ask for funding. We actually came up with several funding methods including a bake sale, but for some reason none of us felt comfortable with any of it. We needed to know from God Himself that we were doing things His way. We needed to be guided by His hand in a very tangible way. We made a few radical decisions, all that would stretch our faith immensely.

Guidelines for the Ministry

1. We would not ask anyone for money.
2. We would not fund raise. (not even a bake sale!)
3, We would not apply for grants.
4. We would never borrow money.
5. We would not go into debt. If the money was not there for the next step, then we would not
take a next step.
6. We would trust that if God wanted us to move forward then we would know His will by His
provision.
7. All funds would be raised through prayer alone, nothing else.

We were truly traveling into unknown territory. None of us had ever taken such a seemingly rash step of faith. Yet we knew God was all powerful. We also knew He knew we were not skilled in what He was asking us to do. We, like the frightened women we were, had to be sure that God Was Indeed With Us!!

In Exodus 33 Moses is fearful that God will not go with the people. They have been obstinate. They have been rebellious. Moses makes a statement that says it all, “ If Thy presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight.” God’s presence was ultimately the most important thing to Moses. And so it was to us. If God was leading us, then His provision was the definitive sign we needed.

Philippians 4:19
My God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

The Travelers

2010-03-29T11:30:00.000-04:00

The word “traveler” is a lonely word. It implies going it alone. I don’t like it. But “travelers” takes away a lot of the fear, adds new dimensions of shared experiences, shared pain, and shared joy. Shared, not alone.

Though the road was not any clearer at this point, I took great comfort in that after over a year of going it alone, now I had traveling companions. This made the trip a million times less scary on one hand, yet now failure meant disappointment for more than one person. If I was the tour guide, what if we all ended up somewhere none of us liked? What if reputations were lost? What if my traveling companions decided to bail out because they were beginning to see that this trip was too …..unplanned?

The Onlookers

Those standing on the side of the road looked on shaking their heads in bewilderment and they were intimidating. Some were in the business world and insisted we needed a business plan. None of us knew exactly what a business plan was and God had not chosen to give us one at that point. There was another problem. We all knew that this big dream could ONLY come about if God chose to help us greatly. In fact we all had a sinking feeling that God would have to DO it! None of us felt capable to do what was asked of us. We had no idea how any of it would be accomplished so there was no way we could write up a plan. That didn’t sit so well with some of the folks we looked to for counsel.

I remember an interview I had heard with Mother Theresa. She was asked how she accomplished so much. She sighed. “Sometimes I think God trusts me too much!” It was humorous at the time and I and the interviewer got a good chuckle as did the Mother herself. But now that we were telling a few people about our big dream, those on the sidelines out of love chose to speak up trying to save us from gross disappointment. I am certain they thought surely God couldn’t trust US THAT much!

Who Are You Going to Trust?

“Why don’t you begin with something a little smaller….like maybe a five week study. Just NOT 66 DVDs!!” “Where in the world do you think you will get the funding for such a huge project! “Even the BIG NAMES in Christiandom do not take on such huge projects!” “What do you know about production, videoing, lights, sound…and what about the huge legal aspects!” All were good questions. All brought on serious doubts as to whether we had heard God correctly. Although done out of love, all dumped a little rain on the parade. We could well relate to Mother Theresa’s comment. We wished God did not trust us so much….. because we didn’t trust ourselves! But we trusted the Lord and we were growing in our faith that He could do this!

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

So What's the Plan

2010-03-25T11:30:00.000-04:00

Have you ever wondered what Peter and Andrew thought when Jesus said “Follow Me?” I mean, don’t you think at some point they wondered “So what’s the plan? EXACTLY where are we going? Will I like it? Will it make me happy? Will I get paid and if so how much? And what about benefits? Health insurance? And I have a family. How many nights a week will I be on the road. Two? Five?”

You see there are so many questions that come to mind when we start down a new road. We want to know if we are going to be comfortable. Safe. Happy. But the problem with Jesus is that He doesn’t give any answers. He just says “Follow Me.” No map. No contract. No travel guide. Just follow.

A Prayer Team

My hands were literally shaking that day in December 2000 as I called first Julie Lord, then Gwen Lehmann, and Dorinda Hathaway. I knew them as true “praying women”, not those who SAY they will pray but you have a sneaky feeling that it ends there. But these women took prayer seriously and often came to the Throne of Grace with their petitions and most everyone else’s. They could be trusted, but they were also discerning. Would they think I was NUTS? Yet within a few minutes I had a prayer team. And not just any prayer team, but three women who were excited about the possibility of what God might do! I was astonished!

A Teaching Team

The next calls went to Eleanor Lewis, Margie Reuther, Linda Sweeney and Gerry Sisk. Would they be a teaching team for a video series that may or may not take place? Amazingly, each woman responded by saying they did not have to pray about it because this was an answer to their prayer! (Later Gerry would have to regretfully step down due to illness.)

At this point I began to see that maybe God was truly up to something. I was feeling less shaky and a little more confident, so the road lost a few more obstacles. With two phone calls fear was dispelled and in its place was…WOW!!...sisters who wanted to be a part of the journey! Now it didn’t matter what people would say because we were a team! We would stand or fall together! Now I was not traveling alone but had three fervent prayer warriors and four great teachers coming along with me. It felt less lonely, and though there was still no map, at least there were friends along for the ride and that made a huge difference!

Matthew 8:26
And Jesus said, “Why are you timid you men of little faith?

A Good Mechanic

2010-03-22T11:30:00.001-04:00

When my car stalls I call our mechanic. He always asks questions to try to get to the heart of the matter. Did I flood the engine? Is there gas in the tank? Does the engine turn over? And usually he will diagnose the problem simply by asking the right questions. Right questions are a great help in diagnosing problems.

The right questions came from Bruce Wilkinson and it was those questions that got me back on the road. He met with me three times during those thirteen months and always at his request. The first time was to review leadership. His probing questions made me take a look at my life and my leadership in women’s ministry in a new way. In many ways it seemed like God HAD prepared me for this.

The second time he addressed my fear. I baulked. He was a competent, successful minister, author and business man. He couldn’t understand my inadequacies. I left frustrated and confused and angry.

The Right Questions

It was the third time that really made a difference and got me back on track. He asked me to name everything I was afraid of which I gladly did without any hesitation. I was well acquainted with them because I lived with them daily! And then he began to take those fears and hold them up to the light of Christ so their power diminished.

Just before I left that meeting he spoke such profound words that made all of the difference in the world to me. He explained that I would one day stand before the Lord and He would ask for an accounting of my life. When He asked about my obedience to step out in faith with the goal of reaching a million women with the Word of God in a DVD study, I would need to give an answer. He laid out three choices. I could pick one.

1. Lord, I knew what you wanted me to do, but I was so afraid I did nothing.
2. Lord, I knew what you wanted me to do, and I was very afraid but I did my best. But even with my best it failed.
3. Lord, I knew what you wanted me to do and so I gave it my best and now there are millions of women world wide who are learning for life about every book in God’s Word.

A Decision Made

I looked at my choices. I love the Lord with all of my heart. Because of that, choice one was not an option. That day I made a decision to move forward, to do my best and to leave the rest to the Lord. It was not an easy step. I had to lay aside all fears of my inadequacies, of failure and “what will people say” and focus on Christ. If I was to be humiliated, so be it. But behind that decision was a little light of hope. WHAT IF…….and millions were reached! It was a chance worth taking.

Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God
I will strengthen you,
Surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand..

The Great Barrier

2010-03-18T11:30:00.001-04:00

In considering great barriers that crop up in the road from time to time, nothing can compare to fear. It has stopped great dreams from becoming realities, great adventures from getting off the ground, and above all great service to God from ever being accomplished. Fear is a prison. It paralyzes, sucks all joy and shatters dreams. Joshua knew all about fear as did David. In fact, I wonder if any one of the great Bible characters were ever free from it. I doubt it. But what made the difference was not that they were never fearful, but that they refused to let it hinder the direction God gave them.

After my encounter with Bruce Wilkinson that October day, fear rose up in me like a monster. I knew God had given me a direction, and a vision, though little of it was clear. But still I was overcome with the feeling that this vision was absolutely impossible, certainly impossible for ME to achieve! It took me thirteen months from the time Bruce gave me the not- so-gentle push until I actually made the phone call to the first prayer team person. The road during those thirteen months was rough, some of the roughest terrain I have ever been on because it was riddled with intense fear and confusion. I was afraid of three things.

The Fear Factors

First I was afraid of God. What if He was serious about all of this and was actually asking ME to accomplish such a great task. I surely did not want to end up on the wrong side of God! (I would often think that well, maybe God had made a mistake, or He thought He was asking someone really smart and talented, or maybe I had misinterpreted the whole thing.)

But then there was another more horrible fear! What if He really was asking ME to do this. I had no idea where to begin. I had no business or production training. Clearly there were hundreds if not thousands of more capable people to do this. If I failed terribly it would be SO humiliating. I was afraid for ME.

And lastly I was afraid of “WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK”! People. Their opinions were important to me. I had wonderful friends whom I loved dearly. Would they think I had gone off the deep end? The road was so rough that I simply stalled out. I was too afraid to go forward and yet fearful of disobeying God. I was miserable, stopped dead in my tracks and it seemed for a while that the journey was over before it even got started.

Psalm 55:4, 22
My heart is in anguish within me.
Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you.

The Road

2010-03-09T11:01:00.000-05:00

Life is a trip. You travel down the road and every now and then an unexpected turn or obstacle or bump changes things. It is not always simple to go from one destination to another. Sometimes the road seems to break down, no longer smooth asphalt but boulders and gullies you had not expected, or you end up on a road you were not prepared for or did not want to take. I know all about such roads. The Amazing Collection: The Bible, Book by Book took us down a road that was sometimes confusing, sometimes frightening, and always challenging. Rarely could we see ahead or around the bend, but it was a road and it led to the “impossible”.

It All Began With Prayer

It was 8:15 AM as six or seven of my women’s ministry team pulled our metal chairs into a circle. We met every Tuesday just before The Women’s Fellowship to pray for the ministry and the needs of the 350 + ladies who attended. By 9:00 it was time to wrap up, and we ended with the final and often repeated prayer, “Lord, help us reach one million women for Your glory and Your Word alone.”

Still I was totally unprepared.

As I sat listening to the Bible teacher later that morning she said “The Word of God” in one of her sentences. They are common words, words that as the Director of Women’s Ministry I would hear several times a week, but for some reason at that moment they took on new meaning. I began to wonder, if these REALLY are THE WORDS OF GOD, why were there books in the Bible I knew so little about? And how come I was more familiar with the current popular Christian books than I was with the book of Habakkuk or Zephaniah? The questions haunted me for weeks.

Eventually I made a radical decision. We would begin to teach our women every book in the Bible in a sequential manner. Within a few months our new program was launched. Ten or more teachers from around the Atlanta area would join us on Tuesday morning and teach one book of the Bible. If the book was particularly long then more weeks would be allotted. It took four years to complete, but in the end though the impact was great, it was not all I had hoped for.

After contemplating how we could improve, I knew we needed a workbook and instead of teachers from all over the Atlanta area, we needed a team who would work together to make the lessons more cohesive. I knew it could be done. I just didn’t know HOW!

Psalm 25:4
Make me know Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths.

A Jump Start

Sometimes in traveling life stalls. You know you should be heading somewhere, doing something but seem helpless to know what to do next. And then someone comes along and gives a push in the right direction. On October 20, 1999 that help came to me in a most unexpected way.

I was at a leadership conference at Dallas Theological Seminary in Texas. There were many excellent speakers, including our family friend, Bruce Wilkinson. He spied me walking down a hall, and as we stopped to talk he said the most extraordinary thing. “I know that you have been praying for one million women for Christ but you must break through your fear, step out in faith and move forward. If you wait much longer you will be too old! I believe God is telling you to begin now. ”

God Speaks

His words were so powerful and fervent that I truly felt like GOD was speaking to ME. It scared me to death. I knew the only way to reach that many women was through video, and I also knew God was pressing me to help women know every book in the Bible. But the question was, “How could this be accomplished?” Quite truthfully I was terrified at the prospect. I had no expertise, no funding, no clear vision and one hundred reasons why this would be impossible. But after months of anguish and prayer I took a small step. On December 11, 2000 I made telephone call.

By the end of the day I had a prayer team and a teaching team all willing to step out in faith with me into the great unknown. A huge hurdle, an enormous obstacle in the road had been moved. And that was the beginning of a new turn, the destination unsure; the map non-existent.

Luke 4:19
And Jesus said to them, “Follow ME and I will make you fishers of men".