Have you heard of a Mastermind group? Until I went to She Speaks last year, I had no idea what a Mastermind group even was, but I had a close friend who said we need to start a one. So we did.
The concept of a Mastermind group came from Napoleon Hill’s book written in the early 1900’s Think and Grow Rich. He defined it as, “The coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony.”
Upon returning from She Speaks 2016, we formed our group for the purpose of holding each other accountable in our writing and pursuit of ministry. Almost immediately after starting our group, God began shaking things up in our midst. Currently, there are three of us who meet every other week to encourage one another, pray for one another, and help each other with our blogs and ministries. We have been praying about hosting a Women’s event this fall, and we are diligently seeking what needs we can meet. We typically meet at my house every other Friday morning, but this week there was a conflict, so we decided to meet up at a restaurant on Thursday evening.
[ctt template=”2″ link=”lh_F5″ via=”yes” ]We thought we were going there to meet up and encourage each other, but God had other plans.[/ctt]
As we finished our food and began our meeting time together, a young boy politely interrupted us and asked if we could help his family. He told us that they were homeless and were trying to gather enough money to get a room.
As we dug into our wallets to for money, my friend pulled out a twenty dollar bill and handed to the boy. The boy tried to give it back to her—he thought she made a mistake, but the look on his face said that he didn’t think he felt worthy of twenty dollars. He tried to take off, but my other friend and I were pulling money out of our wallets to give to him. We stopped him and inquired where his momma was and told him we wanted to pray for them. We watched as he ran across the parking lot to a parked car. The woman and her two young boys cautiously drove back to the front of the restaurant not knowing what to expect.
This wasn’t the first time they had gone into
the restaurant begging for money.
We went to out to pray and proceeded to spend the next couple of hours outside the car, getting to know this woman’s heart, declaring the truth of God’s love for her and her precious children parked right in front of the restaurant. We proclaimed God’s love for them, encouraged and prayed for them, and gave them hope. They had a Bible in the backseat, and my friend shared some verses with the boys. While she was talking to the kids and looking up scriptures, I spoke to the mom.
I cannot adequately describe to you what happened in that parking lot, but what I can tell you is that it was a divine appointment.
For a few moments, time stood still, the sky broke open, and heaven came down. I am still trying to process it all myself. I am humbled that the Lord interrupted our plans to do “big things for him.” God showed us what really matters. Love Him, love others, and tell as many people as we can what Jesus Christ has done for us.
I don’t know if I will ever see that woman or her children again, but I know that I will never be the same.
[ctt template=”2″ link=”UD9b7″ via=”yes” ]The world is full of lost and hurting people if we are sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit we can be a conduit of love and hope.[/ctt]
Lord, rescue us from our mundane lives. Break our hearts for what breaks yours! Help us to live aware of others and be sensitive to their needs. Help us to pray in parking lots, and grocery stores, and neighborhoods, and wherever there is a need. Equip us with love and compassion for the needy and give us opportunities to put your love into action.
Friends, will you join me in praying for a transformative change to take place in the hearts and lives of this woman and her boys through the power of the cross? And for the untold numbers of people like her who need a touch from God, who need to know there is hope, and that they are loved.
As we approach Easter weekend, let us be ever mindful of those who are lost and need to know the hope that lies within us. I want to leave you with two new songs from Elevation Worship, Fullness and Mighty Cross. As we prepare our hearts to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord, may these videos bless you as much as they have blessed me this week!
I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hugis a captivating children’s book by Caroline B. Cooney, and Tim Warnes illustrates it. When my boys were young, I loved reading them bedtime stories! We spent hours reading our favorite books over and over. The kids loved it when I would vary my tone and inflection and make silly voices throughout the stories. We would laugh, snuggle and give night night kisses and hugs just before bed. Those were sweet times, and I have very fond memories.
Since my boys are all big now, and I don’t have grandkids yet, when I got the opportunity to review this adorable book, I knew exactly where to go! Across the street to my sweet neighbor’s house to share I’m going to give you a Bear Hug! Baby Piper loved looking at the pictures while her momma read to her. So cute!
“I am going to give you a bear hug. A show you how much I care hug. A good night, Sleep tight, Way beyond compare hug.”
I love the lyrical way the words roll off your tongue as you read about all the different types of hugs given by the adorable animals in this book. The book is filled with sweet little lovable creatures wrapped up in a snuggly embrace. Check out the video below to get a glimpse of this charming bedtime story.
I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hugis the perfect book to snuggle up next to your favorite little person and read. Reading this book takes me back to my own childhood, to a time of butterfly kisses, and big bear hugs. This is the perfect little bedtime story. It is a sweet story, and it isn’t too long or too short, but just like Goldilocks, it is just right.
I love I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug! This cute bookwould make the perfect gift for any little person in your life! It is sure to become a bedtime favorite.
Leave a comment below if you would like to enter to win your very own copy!
I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug(Zonderkidz, December 27, 2016) by Caroline B. Cooney and Illustrated by Tim Warner. Cooney is the bestselling author of 90 Young Adult novels in many genres, and her books have sold over 15 million copies (oh my goodness, yes!). I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug is her first picture book and is based on a verse she wrote years ago for her children who are now grown.
Whether you are looking for a book to pop open and snuggle up with a little one in your life or to tuck in an Easter basket, I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug is one adventure you don’t want to miss. The book’s clever use of different animals and ways to hug makes anyone who reads it just feel better about the gift we have to love on each other. It could even prompt more hugs in your household as you think of ways of how you express hugs and why you do so. You’ll read lines like:
“I’m going to give you a dog hug.
A knock over chairs,
Chase up the stairs,
And sleep like a log hug.”
“I’m going to give you a duck hug.
A webbed feet,
Feathered seat,
Waddle through the muck hug.”
A special thank you to The Blog About Network, The Blythe Daniel Agency and publishers for providing a copy of this book for review and one to giveaway.
When did life become so busy? I can’t tell you how many times have I asked friends how they are doing, and their response to me is “busy!” I know I have echoed that same sentiment too many times! When did “busy” become an answer to how we are doing? Not “I am fine,” or “doing well,” our lives are filled with busy. Busy has become the new good!
We run from thing to thing to thing, without leaving much room in our lives for margin or borders. Dance lessons, soccer practice, art class—our children are growing up in a world that demands busyness.
[ctt template=”2″ link=”8xnku” via=”yes” ]Better, faster, more. But is that really better?[/ctt]
Why do we over-schedule our lives so much? Are we afraid that we might miss out on something? Are we meant to live a life of exhaustion and burnout? I don’t think so. I love Jesus’ instructions to us in Matthew 11:28-30.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
We need quiet time in our life to give our burdens to the Lord, so that we may find rest for our souls. I think “busyness” is a ploy from the enemy of our souls to leave us disconnected and exhausted.
[ctt template=”2″ link=”beMYj” via=”yes” ]How can we experience true community if we are running ourselves ragged?[/ctt]
We need borders and margins in our life so that we are available to move and go as the Holy Spirit guides and directs us. When we are so busy, we don’t have time to minister to the needs of others.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:30-31
How can we love our neighbors when we don’t even have time in our schedules to know our neighbors? If the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all our heart, mind and strength, and loving our neighbors comes in at a close second.
Then why don’t we focus more time and energy loving others?
We were created for rest. There is a cycle, a rhythm of work and rest. Even the God of the universe that spoke the world into existence rested. The Omnipotent God that is beyond the fabric of time and space created and worked for six days, and then on the seventh day, rested.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. -Genesis 2:1-3 ESV
God rested and so should we! This is something that is very hard for me as a person with type-A driven personality, and if I am not careful, I can work myself into a frenzy. Lately, God is showing me a gentle and easy way. As I make my time with Him a priority, getting lost in His presence I become more like him. God is showing me that I have to let go of some good things in life in order to do the best things.
I challenge you to take time this week to evaluate how you spend your time. Do you have ample time to spend with God—to pray, to read and study the word? Do you have time in your schedule to rest? Would you be available to take a meal to someone or find time to pray for others? Are there good things in your schedule that you need to let go?
Praying that the God of all wisdom would guide and direct your steps this week! Let me know if I can pray for you. if you are overscheduled and need to find some margin in your life I pray that you would be bold enough to let go of anything that keeps you from God’s best for your life.
Happy Monday! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and look forward to all that God has in store for you this week. I have exciting news to share with you today! Last week I shared a post about Philanthropy, and I have to tell Y’all I fell in love with the company and its vision. So much so that I am going to start guest posting for them on a regular basis at http://www.philanthropyfashion.com/blog/. I will keep you posted on the detail as things progress.
Philanthropy where fashion meets compassion!
The Lord is beginning to open all kinds of doors for me. Today you will find me guest posting at Terri Luvs Books http://terriluvsbooks.com. You will see my review of Rebekah Lyons book; You Are Free: Be Who You Already Are. I met Rebekah at the Broken and Free Tour. I had a fantastic experience at Broken and Free, and you can read about it here if you missed it. Wisdom from Broken & Free Tour
Later this week I will be featured at The Laundry Moms, You can find out about the wild night when I was knocked on the girls night out! The Laundry Moms
Finally, please continue voting for me in A Wife’s Secret to Happiness- #Wifestylin writer’s contest. You can continue to vote daily on this link: Writer’s Contest by scrolling down until you see my picture and hit the “like” under my picture! The competition is pretty fierce because there are some pretty incredible prizes. I appreciate each and every vote. Y’all are the best! I hope you have a fantastic week!
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