I'm A Big Fan!!!! / Mrs Debbie Doll

Mrs Debbie Doll

Pastor's Wife

Bible Baptist Church

Prairie du Chien, WI

I'm A Big Fan!!!                                               

I’m a big fan!  I live in Wisconsin where all good Christians are fans of the Green Bay Packers. (For those who aren’t in Wisconsin or maybe don’t follow sports, the Green Bay Packers are a football team in the NFL.)  They are fantastic!  Their uniforms are green and gold.... heavenly colors.   They play in Lambeau Field.    Packer memorabilia is everywhere – and it is unique.  One of the most ‘interesting’ Packer fan items is the ‘cheesehead’.  It is a hat that looks like a wedge of cheese.  It’s amazing, and yes, I do own one.  I’m a big fan!  I, and every member of my family, own and wear Packer ‘gear’.  We wear Packer t-shirts, jerseys, hats and socks.  I don’t want to brag, but when the Packers won the Super Bowl in 2010 it was partly because of me.  No really, it was!!  The success they had that whole season was in large part because of me!  Believe it!  I have a pink Packer jersey......apparently a LUCKY (at least for that season) jersey that I wore during that season.  Every time I wore that jersey, the Packers WON.  When I didn’t wear the jersey, they LOST.  It’s true!!!  I’m a big fan!   I enjoy talking about the Packers.  When the team does well, I cheer LOUDLY.  When the team does poorly I yell.... sometimes loudly. [Symbol]  I’m a big fan and I enjoy reading about the team and learning about them.  I love to represent the team and let everyone know that I love the Green Bay Packers by wearing the ‘uniform’.  I love to talk like a Packer fan – during the season and in the off season.  Can you tell that I am a big fan?? 

There is nothing sinful about being a fan of a sports team – cheering for them, being excited about them and enjoying them.  How much more, however, ought we to be a ‘fan’ of JESUS!!!  (Matthew 22:37-38, Mark 12:30) I read about the Packers and study them, but 1000000000000x more I ought to read and study and know about Jesus! (II Timothy 2:15, I Peter 3:15) If I know more about Aaron Rodgers passing percentage that I know about Jesus – shame on me!  I want to know about Him because I AM A BIG FAN OF JESUS!!!  I don’t have Aaron Rodgers’ phone number, and even if I did, he is far too famous and busy to take my calls because he doesn’t even know me, BUT – JESUS, the King of Glory and Creator of the Universe KNOWS MY NAME!!!!  He will hear and answer when I call.  He loves me.  He died for me! I ought to learn and study the Bible – the Book that Jesus wrote to me.   Why?  Because, I’M A BIG FAN OF JESUS!!! 

The Packer colors are distinct.  They are special and when you see them, you know immediately what team they represent.  Because I love the Packers, I won’t wear a T-shirt or anything else that might identify me with any other team.  (especially those yucky Chicago Bears....kidding......kind of! [Symbol]) I want to be clearly seen as a Packer fan.  Ladies, we as Christians ought to GLADLY represent Jesus and identify with Jesus by the clothes that we wear.  There ought to be no mistaking Whose team we are on. (I Peter 2:9) There should be no wondering.  Why should we happily do this?  Because WE LOVE JESUS and we should want everyone to know it!!! 

As a fan of Jesus, I ought to gladly and boldly let everyone know that I love Him.  (Psalm 78:4, 86:5, 89:1) I ought to talk about Jesus to the checkout lady at Aldi.  I ought to happily mention what He has done in my life to everyone with whom I come in contact.  I ought to joyfully tell all who will listen of the greatness of God – and He is far greater than any silly football team.  Why?  I LOVE JESUS.  I’M A BIG FAN!! 

Maybe sports aren’t your ‘thing’, but whatever it is that you enjoy, there ought to be NOTHING that excites us more than Jesus.  Let us gladly read and learn about Jesus (why do you believe what you say you believe??).  Let us unashamedly wear the clothes that clearly identify us with Jesus and not the world.  (I should be far more excited to represent Jesus than any sports team, name brand or logo).  Let us boldly talk and tell of the greatness of our Saviour.  Why?  WE LOVE JESUS.  WE ARE BIG FANS!!!

"Put On" the Lord! / Mrs Janelle Dignan

Mrs Janelle Dignan

Pastor's Wife

Bible Baptist Church

Jefferson City, MO

"Put On" the Lord!

So…… here I was, singing a special in church.  As I sang I noticed the people whispering to each other and snickering and laughing.  Some were even pointing at me and laughing.  Was I singing that poorly??  As I sang, I looked down and realized I was still wearing my pajamas….oh my!!! How did I forget to get dressed?  In my horror, I jumped and my eyes flew open as I woke up.  It was just a dream… 

Have you ever had that dream?  My husband, who is a pastor, has a reoccurring nightmare that he’s preaching without pants.  How strange and funny are some of our dreams. 

Sadly as Christians, how many times have we jumped out of bed and gone about our day without “getting dressed”? As we struggle through the day on our own, Satan is sitting down pointing and laughing at us.  He puts thoughts of fear and bitterness in our minds.  He makes us focus on the negatives in our lives and makes us forget about the many, many blessings we have each and every day.  He gives us a bad spirit, a backbiting tongue, and a critical attitude. And there Satan sits, as he laughs and laughs as we try to make it in our own power.   Rom 13:14  says,  “But put  ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. “  The only way we can have victory over Satan is to “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ.   We can “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ by having the mind of Christ.  The Bible says we need to renew our minds daily in Romans 12:2.  The best way to renew our minds daily is to be in the Word of God each and every day.  Dear lady, if you’ve not established a quiet time with God each and every day, what better time to start than this summer?   I know we’re all so busy, but I also know we make time for whatever is a priority in our lives.  Make God’s Word, meditation, and communicating with God a priority in your life each and every day.  Ask the Holy Spirit to control your thinking.   Practice thinking only thoughts that would please God.  Trust me, it takes practice, especially if you’ve allowed yourself to get into the habit of thinking negative thoughts.  But if you practice, practice, practice with God’s help, you can have the peace and joy that only putting on the Lord Jesus Christ can bring.  

As we grow in Christ, we should hunger for Christ, wanting to become more and more like Him.  I love this passage of what we should “put on” as Christians. 

Col 3:12-17    Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  

  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  

  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  

  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the  which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.  

  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  

  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.  

You may think that to “put on” all these things is too difficult but there was a man over 2,000 years ago that “put on” some very difficult things. 

John 19:2  And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,  

This Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, died for you and me, and has not just given us eternal victory in heaven someday, but the potential to live a victorious Christian life here on earth. 

  Let’s not try to defeat Satan in our own strength, but let us “put on” the Lord Jesus Christ to give us the victory one more day. 

Characteristics of "A Great Woman" / Mrs Karen Caviness

Mrs Karen Caviness

Pastor's Wife

Victory Baptist Church

Roseburg, OR

Characteristics of “A Great Woman” 

II Kings 4:8-37 

Not many people have a life goal of being below average or barely adequate. They don’t wake up in the morning, jump out of bed and say, “Today I’m going to diligently strive to be mediocre.” I don’t want to be an average wife; I want to be a great wife. I don’t want to be a mediocre mom; I want to be a great mom.  So when I read this passage and Elisha describes the woman from Shunem as a great woman, then I want to look at her life and her characteristics and learn from her. 

I.  She didn’t let disappointment make her despondent. 

We see from this story that her husband was old but they never had any children (vs.14). This had to be a great disappointment to her. Disappointment can be a result of many different things but all are a result of unmet expectations. “I expected to be married my now. I expected to have children. I thought our standard of living would be higher by this time in our life. I expected my husband to be more romantic. I never expected to be fighting this disease.” If the devil had his way we would let the disappointment make us despondent. We would get our eyes on self. This great woman didn’t do that. She found a ministry and a way to be a blessing. She didn’t focus on her needs but on how she could be used to help meet the need of someone else. Each time Elisha came through town he knew he could count on a good meal. 

II.  She looked for a way to be a blessing to the man of God. 

When she saw that Elisha passed through her town often, she wanted to do more for him than feed him. She set a good example for us by talking to her husband about it first. They made a little chamber for him with a bed, a table, a stool and a candlestick in it. It was a great help and blessing to him. What are some ways we as ladies can be a blessing to the man of God in our church? We can be faithful and available to the ministries available to us. Joyfully work in the nursery. Decorate for banquets and special events. Mentor and disciple new Christian ladies. Keep a good spirit and don’t be easily offended.  

III.  She learned to trust through the storm. 

Elisha and his servant, Gehazi, had a discussion about what they could do to repay this great woman for her kindness (vs. 14). She didn’t want notoriety (vs 13). They decided a child would be a blessing to her. They told her about this season she would have a son. She did conceive and bare a son. He was the joy of her life. But one day he went out to see his father in the field. He cried, “My head, my head!” They carried him to his mother and he sat on her knees until noon and then he died. She laid him on the bed of the man of God, went out and shut the door. She hurried to see Elisha. When they saw her coming Elisha sent Gehazi to meet her and to ask if all was well. She answered, “It is well.” She didn’t know what God was going to do, but she was determined to trust him through the storm. Elisha went to the child, God worked a miracle and gave the child back his life. We all will go through storms in our life. Will we be like the great woman and trust God through the storm. Sometimes, as in the case of this story, God chose to calm the storm. But other times God chooses to calm his child in the midst of the storm. Either way, will you be able to say, “It is well.” 

When peace like a river, attendeth my way, 

When sorrows like sea billows roll 

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say 

It is well, it is well, with my soul. 

Don’t be content to be a mediocre Christian woman. Learn from this lady and strive to be a great woman. 

You are NOT alone! / Mrs Cathy Bailey

Cathy Bailey

Sunday School Teacher

Faith Baptist Church

Wildomar, CA

“Help! I am all alone in this trouble.”  

“No one understands me.”  

“I don't know what to do.” 

 “I have never faced anything like this before and I don't know anyone I can talk to about this problem.”                             

“I feel ashamed.”  

“The subject is embarrassing.”  

“Where can I go, what can I do?” 

Many others have said these things. Many others have faced these sorts of hurts.  

I Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:  but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 

 Sometimes situations in our lives are just that: things we have never faced before. Sometimes, the trials of life bring us to Total. Complete. Darkness. 

Isaiah 45:3, “And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.”  

Isaiah speaks on this topic, Treasures of Darkness… things we find when we are all alone and in a situation that we have never faced before. Blackness surrounds us, we have no clue where to go or how to move forward. We are afraid, alone, and seemingly forgotten by the very people who are supposed to love us and help us! 

But God IS there! He is right beside us. Picture the teacher while the students are testing… silently walking around the classroom checking the students’ progress, looking over their shoulders, but saying nothing. No advice, no communication. The teacher hopes that in that moment, the student already knows the answer. It is a test!  

God is with you, friend! You are NOT alone! He sees your struggle and He longs for your struggle to teach you to trust HIM. He hopes that this struggle will help you to pay closer attention the next time that you are taught. He longs that your struggle will help you to reach out to someone else who is facing the same trial… look up! Who around you is facing what you are facing? Reach out to them! Call out to God in your trial, but look up during your struggle, realize that you are not alone! There are treasures to be found in your trial. Have patience-- patience to wait, patience to see the purpose, patience to be unafraid in the dark. Reach out! Your escape might be closer than you think! Light a candle in your darkness, find a verse to carry you through, share scripture with a friend, share your burden with someone, or write about it in a journal. God knows right where you are. He has you there to light the way for someone who is coming behind you in a darkness of their own! When you cannot see the way, reach out! Reach for the escape but do not neglect to reach for another person who is stumbling along in their darkness. It may be that the Lord’s plan for your darkness is that you find a fellow traveler along the way and help them to escape. 

 Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” 

 There is a purpose in your pain, there is a purpose in all things that God does. Trust Him today. Look up, light a candle… 

Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” 

…and reach out to someone else who struggling. Help someone else to find a victory, and in doing so, you will discover your own, “Treasures in Darkness” and help someone else step into the light!