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October issue of ExemplifyOnline.com's Magazine.
Citation preview
Exemplify Magazine
The Seasons Within
The Season of
Motherhood
How to
Retain
What You
Read
Meet Michelle Beck:
Designer
Extraordinaire
Tips for Submitting
to Magazines
Color Me Green:
Finding Satisfaction in
God No Matter Your
Marital Status
A Look Inside:
Meet Babu & Learn How You
Can Help Minister in Southern
India
see page 6
living lives that glorify
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 2
editor’s welcome
Fall has always been my favorite season.In my home Autumn is an event. It calls for
decorations, warm apple cider, delicious
desserts, harvest activities and, of course, the
anticipation of Christmas wishes!
Growing up, my Dad would have my
brothers, sister and I sit down to make our
Christmas lists in October. We would play
Christmas music, get out the Sears Wishlist
Catalogue and get to work!
No wonder my parents were the envy of all
my friends!
The thing is, I probably couldn’t name what I
received those years for Christmas to you if I
tried. But I remember every single year I sat
down with my siblings, my Mom and Dad
and took part in our fun family tradition.
I don’t think it is an accident that even now
as an adult something very real fills my heart
in these months.
Something beckons me to wait before my
Heavenly Father with joyful expectation.
Just as my Dad would usher excitement into
our home during these Fall months, so does
our Heavenly Father!
Just take a look around and see how our God
shows off during this season! He makes trees
resemble burning bushes.
He allows the air to crisp over so that our
homes are all the more cozy.
He causes ocean waves to crash with more
weight and pumpkin patches to spring to
life.
Squirrels begin building their winter nests
and birds go on vacation.
All of creation gets in on His Autumn Song.
Even Starbucks joins the tune and serves up
a Pumpkin Spice Latte! Have you tasted that
thing? It’s bliss for your taste buds.
It seems everywhere we turn, the Lord
invites our conversation with Him during
this season.
He invites us to sit down at His table and
listen to the song, while we share our hearts
with Him.
If I have learned anything from my Dad, it is
that.
I encourage you this October to take some
time to get alone with your Father God
and share your heart with Him.
Draw near to Him with a sincere heart.
Open up your life to His outstretched
arms and receive the bounty of His
harvest.
This issue is overflowing with goodness! I
am pleased to feature the writing of Lori
MacMath of All You Have to Give and The
Internet Cafe. Lori works behind the scenes
at many of the ministries you’ve come to
know and love. Her piece this month is a
beautiful telling of the seasons of
motherhood.
Alisa Hope also shares with us the overflow
that comes from pouring ourselves out into
the lives of others and Tara Rachel, a staff
writer here at Exemplify, is sharing the story
of Babu, a man who is changing the lives of
hundreds of orphans in Southern India. His
is a story you do not want to miss and one
that calls for our involvement.
As always, it is my joy to present this issue of
Exemplify Magazine to you. Our theme this
month is in keeping with the season:
Autumn.
Come celebrate the beauty of this month
with us!
In King Jesus,
Kristen Schiffman
“...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
Hebrews 10:22
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 3
Get to know
our team
online!
Founder/Editor in Chief
Kristen Schiffman
Assistant Editor/Family Columnist
Andrea Mitchell
In 10 Minutes or Less
Carol Moxley
Advice Column
Christine Johnston
Singles Columnist
Christy McGraw
Sanctuary Columnist
Christy Klein
Marriage Columnist
Jenifer Jernigan
Fashion Columnist
Jennifer
Interview Columnist
Judith Roberts
Ministry: Online! Columnist
Amy Bayliss
Devotion Columnist
Kara Cox
Book Review Columnist
Kate
Fiction Columnist
Tara Rachel
Health Columnist
Shannon
Bible Study Columnist
Victoria Jenkins
How-To Columnist
Wendy Miller
Andrea Mitchell
Christy McGraw
Victoria Jenkins
Patty Wysong
Marsha Harwood
Joanne Sher
Wendy Miller
Sonia Chacon
Shane Schwichtenberg
Kelli Reagan
Christa Allan
Daisy Olsen
Do you vlog? We are looking for video bloggers to join our team! Shoot us an email with a link to a video sample at [email protected]!
Blog Team
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
4! © Exemplify Online & Magazine
Editor’s Pick
features
columnsWays to Welcome Autumn in 10 Minutes or Less
Vibrant Beauty:Devotional Column
The Book Nook: The Practice of the Presence of
God
Color Me Green: Singles Column
Linda Osborne, Woman on a Mission: Interview
Painting Your Sanctuary: Home Decor Column
Firsts & Lasts: Family Channel
How to Retain What You Read: How-To Column
Seedtime & Harvest: Bible Study
Falling in Love Again: Marriage Column
Tips for Submitting an Article: Editor’s Note
Babu: Laborer
The Seasons Within The Season of Motherhood
All You Have to Give Blog Feature
Gathering Empty Pitchers
Meet Michelle Beck: Designer Extraordinaire
6
15
17
20
22
5
9
10
11
13
18
24
25
27
29
31 22
6
As Tara Rachel shares the story of
her friend, Babu, the very mission of
serving the “least of these” springs
to life.
I must call attention to the ministry
of Babu and encourage each of us
to somehow get involved.
co
nt
en
ts
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 5
Bye-bye, summer! Hello, fall! With a few minutes here and there, you can be prepared when cooler temperatures blow in from the north.
• Break out the throws and afghans. If they were
clean when you packed them away, a quick toss in
the dryer with a dryer sheet will freshen them up.
Lay them out on sofas and beds to prepare for that
first cool front.
• Have your heater checked. Call to schedule service for your heating system before you actually need it.
• Let there be light. Check to make sure flashlights work and you have candles on hand in case of power shortages. While you’re at it, re-light the pilots on the gas fire places.
• Create a little ambiance. Decorative, scented candles create a sense of warmth during cooler months, so pick up a few next time you’re out shopping.
• Check the décor. Pull out the fall decoration and do a quick inventory. Toss out anything that is no longer useable. Decorate later when you can take your time.
• Make a grocery list. Keep frozen and non-perishable items on hand for your favorite cold weather meals. When the cool front blows in, you’ll be ready to make that chili or stew!
• Swap out makeup. Time to change from those summer tones for fall ones. And don’t
forget to replace old mascara that may be harboring bacteria!
• Warm your tootsies. As you move from sandals to boots, wipe shoes down with a one-step polisher or soft cloth so they’ll be ready to go when you are.
• Swap your closet. Don’t have time to clean out the closet? Simply move spring/summer garments to the back and bring the fall/winter clothes to the front. This can be done quickly as you pull out items you no longer wear for donation. Now your wardrobe is ready!
• Box up donation items and put them in the car. You can drop them off next time you’re out running errands.
• Start your Christmas gift list. By keeping it in your purse or hand-held, you’ll always be prepared to shop-as-you-go throughout the fall.
• Sign up for a Bible Study! The kids are going back to school; why not take a class, too? Many of today’s studies have homework that takes about ten minutes each day to complete.
• A study doesn’t fit your schedule? Set aside ten minutes each day to read your Bible. By giving the Lord back some of the time He has given you, you allow Him a little more control over your schedule. And He never messes it up!
“Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons,
and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of
their migration.” Jeremiah 8:7a
_____________
Ways To Welcome Autumn In 10 Minutes 0r Less
Written by Carol Moxley
Married 22 years, Carol is mom to a
teen and a tween. She is also a
Registered Nurse, a Bible study
leader, volunteers at her kids’ schools,
plays electric bass in two rock bands,
and gardens her acre in the country.
In her spare time, she does laundry.
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
6! © Exemplify Online & Magazine
What if your parents abandoned you
as a child?
What if the only way you could learn
a Bible verse is to memorize what
someone else read?
What if you could only eat one meal a
day, and that meal was rice?
What if you didn’t eat at all unless
someone left an egg in your offering
plate?
What if you had to go to church
underground because you would be
thrown in jail if the government
caught you?
What if your home got burned simply
because you preach the Gospel?
What if your children were abducted
because of what you believe?
What if… you didn’t live here? You
lived there.
How then would you live?
How should you live now?
“And Jesus went throughout all the cities
and villages, teaching in their synagogues
and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom
and healing every disease and every
affliction. When he saw the crowds, he
had compassion for them, because they
were harassed and helpless, like sheep
without a shepherd. Then he said to his
disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the
laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly
to the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew
9:35-38, NIV)
***
The young boy stood, six years old,
starving, on the side of the road, the
stench of poverty all around him. His
stomach protruded from malnutrition.
Others passed him by; his skin color
told them he was not worthy of their
time or trouble.
He had not been worth the trouble for
his own mother.
He stared as a couple – a man and
woman – stopped when they heard
his cry. They were strange to him,
with their ivory skin and fair eyes.
They spoke a broken version of his
language and beckoned him to come
with them. They offered to take him
off the streets, to feed and to clothe
him. He didn’t know them. He didn’t
know if he could trust them.
The one thing he did know was that if
he didn’t go with them, he would
surely die.
***
The boy was lower than the dust of
the earth in the eyes of his native
people, but in the eyes of God and in
God’s family, he was accepted. For
the first time in his life, he was
accepted.
The boy grew under their care. As he
aged he learned that they were from a
faraway nation called Finland, and
they had come to India to do “the
Lord’s work.” He did not understand
this work they spoke of. He did not
understand their Lord. They revered
this Jesus as God, yet there was no
shrine or temple erected to Him. This
Jesus was greater and mightier than
the rat god, than the snake god. This
Jesus could not be contained in a
temple.
Babu: LaborerWritten by Tara Rachel
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 7
The young man studied with the other orphaned
Dalit children the Finnish couple had taken into
their home. He was given rice to eat at each meal,
more provision than he had ever dreamed of. He
was educated by them, medicated by them when he
fell ill. They gave him clothing to cover his body.
And they told him of Jesus. He listened, drinking in
the stories of God come down in flesh. They spoke
of His power, His healing, His life. How Jesus came
and paid for our sins – our wrongdoings – so that we
may live forever with God. They spoke of the
goodness of the life to come, if one would only
believe.
And the boy believed. When he was a teen, the
Finnish couple laid their hands on him and prayed
over him, speaking the Lord’s words that this young
man would grow up in the most holy faith and be
the instrument God would use to reach southern
India. The peace and power of God settled over the
him. His calling had been received.
***
Several years later the young boy had grown into a
young man, and at his discharge from the orphanage,
started a life of his own. He married a young woman
from a wealthy, higher-caste family. It was unheard
of for a Dalit, a person lower than a common dog, to
marry up. The only reason this happened is because
the young woman and her entire family were
believers in Christ.
The young couple spent the first several years living
in a bamboo pole home with leaves for the roof and
dirt for the floor. She had left a home with concrete
walls to come to this hand-built hut with her new
husband. He had a calling on his life, and she
trusted God that He would fulfill that calling.
***
The young man stood one day, looking over the mass
grave the city used to bury the impoverished and
Dalit dead. The stench was overpowering. Then he
heard the voice of the Lord speak to him.
“Look out, My son, for this is the land I am going to
give you for you to do My work in this place.”
The young man could have disagreed. He could
have said there was no way any would could have
been done in a place of death. How could life exist
where death reigned?
But he didn’t. He lowered his head and prayed,
“Lord, Your will be done.”
***
It was a hot morning and he was walking to preach
the Gospel to the village. His heart was heavy, as his
wife had told him that very morning they had no
food left. As he passed the field, he heard a breaking
cry. He stopped and saw two infants abandoned in
poverty. They lie dying in the field, crying to a non-
existent mother. He continued to walk, as this is a
common site in India.
The Lord spoke again: “Go back and get those
babies.”
He could have said no. He could have said there was
no food. The children could die in the field or die in
his home. Either way they would die.
But he didn’t. Instead he picked up the babies and
carried them home to his wife.
She met him at the door, her eyes swimming with
tears. After he had left, a rice truck had driven by
the house. Two bags of rice had fallen off the back
of the truck right in front of their home.
They had food. The Lord had provided.
He looked at the two babies as his wife cleaned them
and wrapped them in blankets. He knew what he
had to do. God wanted him to reach his country, and
he would start with the orphans. He would start
with the least, working for the greatest.
***
Trials met him at every turn. His son, who was born
deaf and mute, was abducted. By the grace of God
he was returned before he was sold into slavery. He
praised God for the return of his son, instead of
cursing Him for allowing the kidnapping. The
Hindus persecuted him mercilessly. Even though he
was helping children, they despised his work
because with his work came the Gospel. Slowly,
surely, with the help of donations from a family in
Oregon, he was able to build an orphanage, on the
very land the Lord had promised to him.
The Lord broke down the social and caste barriers in
Christ. The young man rose up and became a leader
in his community, and subsequently in his entire
state. As young men left his orphanage, they became
pastors, ministering the Gospel to villages. Each
week they would spend three days traveling many
miles on foot to eleven or twelve different home
churches, preaching the good news of Jesus Christ to
anyone who would listen. The women would teach
other women, sharing with them the things of God
they learned in their time at the orphanage.
And the former Dalit boy, rejected by the world and
accepted by God, continued his work of ministering
to the orphans. As his Finnish parents did for him,
so he did for the next generation of Indian orphans.
He clothed them, he fed them, he educated them, he
medicated them, he sheltered them.
And he gave them the most important thing anyone
can give another person: knowledge of the saving
grace of Jesus Christ.
***
Persecution increased over the years as the Church in
southern India continued to grow. Children who got
too close to the gate around the orphanage were be
abducted, sold into slavery or prostitution, beaten,
and even killed. Pastors received even worse.
Burning of homes, murder of family members,
destruction of home churches. One such pastor was
captured by the Hindus, covered in oil, set on fire,
and dragged through the streets. He sang praises to
God over the burning until they finally used a gun to
silence him. All because he believed in Jesus.
He sings still, in the heavenly choir. Directly to
Jesus, whom he gave his life for.
***
The young man was growing older, his children
grown and getting ready to leave the home. He
could see a greater need as the Church continued to
spread and grow.
The people need Bibles.
And so with the help of American churches, he
started an annual conference, bringing American
pastors over to teach and share their knowledge. At
the end of the conference, each Indian pastor or
teacher received a Bible in their native language.
The first year the conference was held, enough
money was raised for 600 pastors.
At the last conference, over 4,000 pastors were in
attendance. They were able to listen to the Word of
God being taught. They received a Bible in their
language that they were able to take back to their
home and churches.
For the first time in their lives, they could open the
Bible and read it for themselves, and not just recite
what someone else had said.
***
There is a revival going on in southern India. The
Gospel is spreading like wildfire in the remote
villages, through a people who are worthless in the
eyes of men but beautiful in the sight of God. Men
and women die each day for their faith. They
struggle to feed their families. They live with the
constant threat of persecution from their Hindu &
Muslim brothers. They know any moment could be
their last.
And they have next to nothing. Many don’t have
Bibles. They rely on oral testimony and recitation of
the Word of God.
And still they preach. Still they pray. Still they
labor.
And the man with the orphans?
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
8! © Exemplify Online & Magazine
Currently Orphan’s Faith Home houses 300 children. The man has to, due to finances, turn away thousands of children a year from begging mothers because they know their babies will receive better care from him than they will from the mothers. The orphanage is 100% donation-supported from American churches and believers. It receives no stipends or grants from the Indian government. Everything they have, they have because of the generosity of American Christians.
Souls are being harvested daily in southern India, because one man determined to be obedient. One man decided that, against all odds, against everything the world told him, he would believe God and His Word.
He knew the power of God, because the power of God raised him from nothing and made him something. He saw with his very own eyes how God makes beauty from ashes.
His name is Babu.
And he is a laborer.
For more information about Pastor Babu’s
ministries, visit the Orphan’s Faith Home
site at: http://www.indiapartners.org/
partners/ofh.php
If you are interested in supporting Pastor
Babu’s ministries financially or have a
specific question about his ministries, please
contact the Exemplify team at
[email protected]. Please put “India” in
the subject line of your email.
Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to
accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then
comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the
fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and
gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.
For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to
reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have
entered into their labor.” (John 4:34-38, NIV)
___________________
Tara Rachel is a born-and-bred Southern girl who loves sweet
tea, Jesus, and football - and not necessarily in that order.
Visit her at Musings of a Future Pastor's Wife, where she
blogs about her day-to-day life as the wife of a seminary
student/youth pastor and mom to a precious toddler girl, and
the daily truths the Lord teaches her.
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 9
Autumn. I love everything about the season. The
sights, the smells, the events, the temperature, the
leaves! I think a sweater looks better on me than
shorts. I think apple cider is more divine than iced
tea. I prefer warm, filling soups to cool salads. I
adore pumpkins. I relish leaf covered lawns.
All this autumn meditating has me daydreaming
about trees today. Leaves on trees, actually. Right
now every tree in sight is a bright green. But I know
that by the time you read this, many of them will
have unleashed a display of crimson, gold and
amber foliage that sends my heart into shivers of
delight. And I just cannot wait. So on this incredibly
hot, dry end of summer day I’m thinking about
leaves. I know, I’m a weird one.
I marvel at much in God’s creation, and colorful fall
leaves are no exception. How beautiful is the bright
red maple? How incredible the yellow gold of the
beech tree? Oh, the imagination and creativity our
God puts on display! Like viewing an awe-inspiring
sunset, these trees proclaim our God is a God of
beauty and purpose. I believe He delights in
showing us His wonders in nature and I don’t want
to miss any of it.
What God has brought to my attention today as I
was daydreaming is the process of leaves changing.
Did you know that those brilliant colors are there in
the leaf long before Autumn arrives? As summer
draws to a close and the days get shorter, less and
less chlorophyll (which gives the leaves their green
hue, thank you Coach Rickard, biology teacher
extraordinaire!) is formed, thus resulting in the
dramatic display of color I’ve come to love.
God takes us through similar seasons. The times
when what is really on the inside is hidden, waiting
for the big reveal. We may appear to look like
everyone else, but we are wildly unique and God is
preparing us for His individual purposes. It’s not
easy to sit back and wait during these times, but we
can rest in this promise found in Ecclesiastes 3:11:
“He has made everything beautiful in it’s time.”
Rest assured, there will come a time when God
unveils you in all your beauty. I don’t know about
you, but I want to be ready for that unveiling. I
don’t want to just wither, I want to radiate!
During the summer leaves take in certain nutrients
that determine their color. For instance, the maple
stores a lot of glucose that causes the vibrant red.
We are much the same.
What we store in our heart is going to come out.
Luke 6:45 says it well: The good man brings good
things out of the good stored up in his heart, and
the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored
up in his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart
the mouth speaks. If I want the vibrant beauty of
Jesus Christ to come forth in me, I’ve got to get His
word into my heart. I shudder to think of the
alternative.
Another truth I pondered about the leaves is their
destiny. Oak leaves can’t decide they want to look
like Maple leaves and maple leaves can’t decide to
be birch leaves. Just as I cannot decide that I want to
be you when God calls me to be Kara. It would be
futile of me to try. If I’m gold I can speak red and
think red and act red but I’m still gold. I’ve been
given my own color to shine forth, and when I’m
joined up with all of the rest of the body of Christ
we make a glorious display. It’s such a beautiful
honor just be a part, don’t you think?
______________________________
Vibrant Beauty“October is the month of painted leaves. Their rich glow now flashes round the world. As fruits and leaves and the day itself
acquire a bright tint just before they fall, so the year near its setting. October is its sunset sky; November the later twilight.”
-Henry David Thoreau
Kara is a single, thirtysomething
follower of Christ who loves to
laugh and makes others laugh in
the process. She is devoted to all
things Autumn and thinks that
pumpkins, fallen leaves and fall
TV premieres are a highlight of
life. She would also like you to
know she is the most extroverted
introvert you will ever meet.
Written by Kara Cox
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
!e Practice of " Pr#ence of God
by Bro$er LawrenceReview by Kate
In the late 1600’s, a French monk on his deathbed told those around him, “I am doing what I shall do, through all eternity- blessing God, praising God, adoring God, giving Him the love of my whole heart. It is our one business, my brethren, to worship Him and love Him, without thought of anything else.” That monk was called Brother Lawrence and even though he lived over 300 years ago, his words and thoughts are preserved in a slim book titled The Practice of the Presence of God. This little book is so packed with wisdom and practical truth that, when I began highlighting my favorite lines, the book ended up looking solidly orange.
Brother Lawrence, who lived from 1614 to 1691, was born Nicholas Herman in the Lorraine region of eastern France. At the age of 18, he saw the condition of his soul reflected in a bare tree, seemingly dead, one winter’s day. Like the tree, which would be granted new life by God in its proper season, he himself could be renewed through the power and grace of God. Six years later, he joined the Carmelite monastery in Paris and took the name Brother Lawrence.
Brother Lawrence was well aware of his sinful nature, and he believed that the austere life of a monk would serve as a punishment, as he wished to suffer for his sins. For the first few years, his heart was heavy with thoughts of the punishment he deserved and with wondering whether he was saved. By the grace of God, he was gradually able to shift his focus from himself to his Creator with what he called “the practice of the presence of God.”
This book consists of three parts: First are notes by one M. Beaufort, a grand vicar, recounting conversations between himself and Brother Lawrence. Second is a collection of spiritual maxims written by Brother Lawrence and intended to teach others how to practice the presence of God. Finally, a chapter entitled “The Character of Brother Lawrence,” thought to have been written by M. Beaufort, describes Brother Lawrence and his teachings. Although each part is written in a different style, they all convey the same three virtues:
Do all things for the love of God. While at first it may seem difficult to relate to a monk who lived in the 17th century, it is interesting to note that Brother Lawrence was assigned the job of cooking meals for the monastery, despite a natural aversion to cooking. He recounts occasions on which several people were asking different things of him simultaneously while he was trying to “get dinner on the table.” Can you relate? Brother Lawrence was able to handle these challenges with peace because he lived as though
there was no one else on Earth but himself and God. He performed even the simplest tasks for the love of God. As he said, “Our sanctification did not depend upon changing our works, but in doing that for God’s sake which we commonly do for our own.”
Develop the habit of the practice of the presence of God. By this Brother Lawrence refers to the habit of continually focusing one’s thoughts on God. He initially had great difficulty cultivating this habit: he admits that his thoughts continually wandered, even during appointed prayer times. (Again, can you relate?) Brother Lawrence offers this advice: “In order to form a habit of conversing with God continually, and referring all we do to Him, we must first apply to Him with some diligence; but that after a little care we should find His love inwardly excite us to it without any difficulty.” Whenever Brother Lawrence realized his thoughts had wandered, whether during prayer times or in daily living, he simply brought his mind back to God. By reminding himself whenever he realized his error, he developed the habit of continually thinking about God and enjoying his presence.
Accept the forgiveness offered by God. Although at first Brother Lawrence wished to suffer for his sins, he soon came to accept the complete and perfect forgiveness offered by God through Christ. M. Beaufort recounted from one conversation, “That [Brother Lawrence] was very sensible of his faults, but not discouraged by them; that he confessed them to God, but did not plead against Him to excuse them. When he had so done, he peaceably resumed his usual practice of love and adoration.” Instead of feeling guilty for his mistakes, Brother Lawrence simply confessed and moved on. With Christ, there is no need for guilt; only love.
It is remarkable how well today’s woman can relate to a 17th century monk. Brother Lawrence’s maxims are as relevant now as they were over 300 years ago, and The Practice of the Presence of God is so full of wisdom and so practical that it deserves a place of honor on every Christian’s bookshelf. This is the kind of book that can be read repeatedly, with new wisdom being gleaned with each reading. Much of the wisdom of the “Christian living” genre is summed up in this book, and much of this book is summed up in its last sentence: “Believe me, count as lost each day you have not used in loving God.”
© Exemplify Online & Magazine
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 11
My friend was not a Christian and I started whining
(oh yes my sisters, I was whining) to God about how
they did not even have a relationship with Him and
how they were living together and that was a
sin….and the whining went on and on. I am sure the
words, it’s not fair, came out of my mouth more than
once. All of the sudden I hear, in a commanding voice,
How are you any different? Here I was doing one of
the very things I hate most, judging others. Judging
them out of a jealousy that was consuming me. When
truth is that I am a sinner too. Just as I was saying
they were. Even more I am cognizant of it. I know
that I am a sinner but even more than that I know I
have been redeemed.
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. (Isaiah 44:22, NIV)
He does that. For us. Sadly the friend I was
complaining about did not know of this truth yet. I
did. Because of my relationship with my Abba Daddy
I know when I sin and at times I choose to sin
deliberately. And there are times it sneaks up on us
and before we know it there we are.
Of course it was not very long before I was turning
green again…..
Once I realized how much of a problem I was having
with the jealousy I went to Him about the issue, often!
He slowly revealed to me that as much as I was
jealous over what others had He was jealous over the
time I spent wanting what they had. Even more He
was jealous over the time I spent wanting a husband
and a family. The Bible tells us, more than once, that
our God is a jealous God. In fact Exodus 34 tells us
one of the names of the Lord is Jealous.
DO NOT WORSHIP ANY OTHER GOD, FOR THE LORD,
WHOSE NAME IS JEALOUS, IS A JEALOUS GOD. (EXODUS
34:14 , NIV)
One of my most favorite of songs says this at the very
beginning:
He is jealous for me (How He Love Us, John Mark
McMillian)
Resonate on that line for a minute.
He is jealous for us sweet sisters. He wants to spend
time with us. He wants to dance with us, He wants to
hold us, He wants to have conversation with us, He
wants to LOVE us.
More often than not I was so caught up in my jealousy
that I was not spending time with Him. I was not
letting Him hold me, talk with me, love me. Because I
was too concerned with wanting other things I was
missing out on the very best thing in my life, Jesus!
Over the last few months this has been something I
have worked on diligently. I prayed about it
consistently and I started holding my thoughts of
jealousy captive. To be honest there are still times I
struggle with being green. Kermit definitely knew
what he was talking about when he said, “It’s not easy
being green”. Things are much better than what they
once were. Could they be better? Of course! But this
along with all of the other things He has been teaching
me are a part of this journey.
So what do I do now when I feel the jealousy creeping
up….I automatically go to the Word. I have specific
scriptures I have memorized. Ones that tell of His
Love, a reminder that while I am striving for the love
of others He already loves me more than I can even
begin to comprehend. I also start spending more quite
time with Abba Daddy. After the revelation of how
He is jealous and wants to spend time with me, it is
something I am diligent about. I remember the times
when I wanted to spend time with others around me
and they were too busy. I know how much that hurt
at times. Along the way I have realized that God has
feelings just like we do. And while He is God we can
still hurt Him. I don’t want to hurt Him and that is
what I was doing every time I thought other things,
earthly things, could satisfy my needs. Nothing can
truly ever satisfy my needs, all of my needs, but Him.
______
Christy is on a journey to becoming a woman after God’s
own heart. She delights in books, photography, her family
and her friends. Christy has a heart for young women and
single women. She also loves emails!
Of all the things about being single, for me, one of the
hardest things is being jealous of others. I don’t want
to be jealous but there I am so many times…green
with envy at the couple snuggling at the movie theater
or the woman showering kisses over her child’s face.
While I may not want to spend time being jealous, I
do. Before I know it it has consumed my thoughts.
I can vividly remember when it struck me how much
of a problem I had with jealousy. I was complaining
to God one day about a friend getting married...
Color Me GreenWritten by Christy McGraw
Have you been in touch with your inner creative diva? Do you want to learn to express yourself through paint mediums, culinary masterpieces, vibrant rooms or maybe through your own life as the canvas? Well, you can get inspired here.
Whether you feel stuck in a rut or just don’t know where to begin we can help. I’m confident that many of you have a pile of unfinished projects or maybe put o! doing things simply because you feel you don’t have the time. We have all been there and can definitely relate. We would like you help get some momentum going so that you can begin to create and design no matter what your canvas preference is.
Learn how to:
develop your God given talents and gifts
push past creative blocks
further your education in the area of your choice (at no cost)
be more productive
be more focused
let your light shine!
Speakers include:
Tricia Goyer, author of Life Interrupted
Larissa Lam of Beautiful Faith, On the Way Up, and Larissa Lam.com
Karla Porter, of Modern Media Mom
Tania Willis, Pinecone Press scrapbook author
Rhoda, of Southern Hospitality
Carolyn J. Carleton, of Unlimited Potential International
Leslie Valeska, of Simple Journey Ministries
Kathryn Bonner, author of Confessions of a Pastor’s Wife
Kathryn Lang, of Successful Freelance Writer
Jill Novak, owner of Remembrance Press
Kris Rhoades, of The Well Ministries
Angela Parsley, of Refresh My Soul Ministries
A Woman Inspired
ConferenceOctober 5-9 2009
http://www.awomaninspiredconference.org/
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 13
She was the Baptist Collegiate Minister at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston when I met her seven years ago. This Mississippi State and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary alumna is well-known in the Baptist ministry as a woman who, with the help of God, can get things done.
Linda Osborne, a vivacious blonde with an infectiously-optimistic personality, almost always has a smile from ear to ear, is barely containing barrels of energy, and, for a woman who’s been serving in the ministry for a little over 20 years, still often gets mistaken for a college student.
She currently serves as national collegiate ministry leader – something none of us who attended Louisiana Tech when she was Baptist Collegiate Ministry director were surprised about. Linda’s always had a joyful heart and is able to make her bold dreams for the future come to life. I have no doubt her abilities are valuable assets to the national organization.
“I sensed God's call into full time ministry as a sophomore in high school while leading backyard Bible clubs for sweet, energetic, unchurched kids in my hometown,” this mother
of two said. “As a college student, I went on a gazillion mission trips and got my hands dirty in a variety of ministries. Ministry seemed to be a natural fit for who God made me.”
She served as associate BCM director at Arkansas State University and BCM director at Florida State, the University of Louisiana at Monroe and Tech before making the move to Nashville.
“Having a blast in college, I always thought college life would be incredibly fun without classes. Being a BCM director gave me a bit of this life,” Linda said. “Some say the most change in an adult’s life happens between high school graduation and the following Christmas. People make such life shaping decisions during their college years: lifestyle, career, relationships, religion. Walking alongside students during this significant time in their life is an honor.”
Even though being a minister to so many collegiate students is not always a walk in the park, Linda said remembering God’s call for her life keeps her going.
“Seeing a student decide to include God in this process in incredible,” she said. “Taking students on short term mission trips has always been a
treat. There are so many discoveries for students on these kinds of trips – learning the world is bigger than once believed, seeing great need for the first time, and really getting that God’s desire is to use people in responding to such great need.”
She’s already imparting some of this wisdom to her two children, Julianna, who is in middle school, and Evan, 8, both whom she adopted.
“Adoption is something that interested me early in life,” Linda said. “Julianna stole my heart instantly. I had read that being a mom was like having your heart walk around outside of your body. I got that when I looked at Julianna for the first time. It was a fun surprise that she looked like me.
“Evan’s big brown eyes were captivating — still are! He has very expressive eyes that draw you in and make you wonder. Evan was born right after 9/11, which made it an interesting time to hold a child whom God placed in your care. I was filled with both extreme joy and concern.”
Evan and Julianna have picked up on their mama’s teaching techniques, too.
Linda Osborne, Woman on a Mission
Written by Judith Roberts
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
14! © Exemplify Online & Magazine
“I love to ‘catch them being good’ — makes pointing out less than good behavior easier,” Linda said. “Often, Evan will say, ‘Mom, I picked up my toys. You forgot to catch me being good.’ Then, I’ll say, ‘Caught ya!” and run give him a hug. It’s fun.”
And while she doesn’t Twitter (“I have way more things to say than 140 characters worth, and I don’t think people really want to know when I am buying milk,” she said.), she is active with Facebook – as is Julianna.
“Facebook is a great tool in college ministry. It makes keeping in touch with students, former students, and college ministers much easier than pre-social networking days,” Linda said. “Julianna is my friend on Facebook. I have her passwords. She knows that I randomly read her inbox, etc. This is a healthy boundary for this season as she navigates her way through early teen years.”
Back in my college days, not that long ago, I remembered how easy Linda made everything look. She never seemed to tire, always had a positive attitude and words of encouragement, and even had time to be a mom to hundreds of college students, not just her two kids living at home!
“It surprises me that it seems effortless. You saw me on many frazzled, bad hair days,” she joked. “I like to organize, and I work hard at balance. I think a person can do it all…just not on the same day. I do try to look at a week or a month or even a year to see if there is balance. I recognize that certain seasons are busier at work, and certain seasons require more attention at home. Looking at the big picture helps with balance.”
From spending quality time with her kids to traveling around the globe witnessing to others to helping college students find their way, Linda O is one of a kind. She’s a gold mine of information and energy – and did I mention she has dressed up as Superman?
Judith Roberts has been married to her college sweetheart for four years, and both she and her husband are active in their church. She is a college instructor pursuing her doctorate and hopes to mirror Jesus in her everyday life.
Are you running a women’s
ministry or making a difference
in your community? Have
something to share with our
readers? We love interviewing
women who are living lives that
glorify!
Contact us at
[email protected] for more
details!
Oh, Linda O. What w%ld we do wi$%t
y%?
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 15
“Wise is the woman who cherishes each season and cheerfully anticipates
the next.” ~ Author unknown
As the leaves begin to delight us with their colorful hues, and the scorching sun begins to prepare for a much deserved respite, autumn is a season like no other. The changes are evident and obvious as we look around and unlike spring, autumn prepares us for a different kind of change, much like those changes that we experience in motherhood. While spring is a season of birth and renewal, autumn finds us surrendering and embracing the changing winds. After all, there is no stopping either!
Seasons of our lives are ever changing. We live through a difficult situation as we live through the long nights of winter, only to emerge
stronger and better in our springtime. In the autumns of our lives we see unpredictable and magnificent changes that have us looking back to the days of the summer season, when things were quieter and predictable.
When we become mothers, we enter a Season of Motherhood which will last for the rest of our lives. It is the beginning of a season of new submission. We find ourselves submitting to the needs of another human being, a helpless human being. It is, in many ways, our springtime. Babies will do what they do best, they grow. They toddle, they tantrum and they teach us to notice things along the way that we’ve perhaps not taken notice of in a very long time. But soon, they toddle out of that and are fully immersed in the life that is childhood. With all of its bumps and bruises, it’s a time of delight. Trees are climbed and dolls are dressed, indeed a special time. All too soon it seems, those tea parties and dress up’s are traded out for more “grown up” sorts of things. The talk soon turns to, “How do I
look?” and these babies of ours begin to notice the changes themselves.
Autumn has me reflecting on these changes, the changes that we experience in this amazing journey of motherhood. While we tend to see the seasons of motherhood clearly, we often don’t recognize the “seasons within the seasons.” It is within each stage we have the opportunity to experience the seasons of our children's ever-changing lives, but only if we are carefully observing. I am drawn to the words of Mary, Jesus’ mother;
“But His mother treasured all these
things in her heart.”
Luke 2:51
The Seasons Within The Season of Motherhood
Written by Lori MacMath
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
16! © Exemplify Online & Magazine
Quiet Winter tends to draw us all
inward. We find ourselves at home, lingering and enjoying all that is within our homes. So too we can see the Winter as our little ones quiet down after a bath
and cuddle up to share stories. As those babies grow, we cherish “Winter” when life finds them having heart to heart talks with us. In the life of a teen, winter blahs can seem to last forever, and it’s up to us as mom’s to notice that they just may be feeling the chill that winter can often bring. As our children leave home, we may have to help them endure their own “hard Winter,” that is after all what mom is there for.
All too often we let the hurried and rushed pace of our lives remove us from the
spectacular season we are living. In each stage of mothering life, we’ll see the
“Spring!” In all her glory, we will see the newness that each stage
brings. From learning how to crawl or walk, to learning how to drive, to walking down the aisle. Spring bursts forth in new skills mastered and new independence found. Take time to notice the Spring within the season, it is full of wonder and excitement. As those children of ours take wings and fly out into their own lives, we continue to embrace the Springtime that God has in store for them.
As Spring moves into Summer, so do
our children. They have energy that is contagious whether they are toddlers up at daybreak to greet the sun and experience all of life’s surprises to the athlete who brings home a gym bag full of “stinky, sweaty” equipment. There is nothing that
exemplifies the spirit of Summer like the act of doing. Embrace those sweaty socks, and when you find yourself bathing a child who is dirty, “even behind her ears,” know that you are witnessing Summer in the seasons of motherhood. As mother’s we know full well about the “lazy days” of Summer and as our children grow and mature, we celebrate with them those times in their lives where it’s all going well. The sun shines and the pace is relaxed.
Then in all her glory, Autumn ushers in a brand new season. She stands in
splendor, dressed in color and even stirs up a cool breeze. She also stands preparing us for what we
know will come, Winter. It’s in our Autumn days that we notice the changes in our own children too. One gives up a pacifier, or the need to sneak down to mom and dad’s room, while our teens literally change before our eyes. Little girls seem to change overnight into young women, and our boys’ voices are as if someone has replaced them with a stranger. Even our grown children find themselves in seasons of change. The winds do blow, but the colors of change are magnificent, nothing quite like them. Again as mother’s we must embrace those little changes that sometimes quietly sneak in like a slowly changing fall leaf, at the same time weathering the cool breezes that surprise us.
God planned it as such.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”
(Ecclesiastes 3:1)
The seasons within the seasons. They are there. They are embraceable, but only if we are tuned into them. If we are not watching, the years pass on without a notice, until one day we look up and realize just how many miraculous seasons we’ve missed.
I encourage you to spend some time this Autumn to discover the “seasons within the season of motherhood” regardless of which season you are in. Regardless of whether you are in the Springtime of motherhood as a new mother, living the Summertime of young children, in the Autumn season of change with teenagers. Perhaps you are standing in the Winter of motherhood, waiting for the next Spring to arrive (in the form of grandchildren). Wherever you are, I encourage you to take notice of the “seasons within.” They are remarkable, just as each season has her splendor, so do the moments of each day.
The seasons of our lives are ever changing...
Lori's mom insists that she came out of the womb 'talking' and has not stopped since. Lori however, insists that over the past 41 years she has learned a thing or two about listening as well. Especially, when it is God who is doing the talking. Hearing the voice of God has led her out of a 'desert place' and into a garden full of praise for the King.
People often compare Lori to the "energizer bunny," but she is quick to comment that the energy that she has is from the LORD..."if HE is going to supply it, I'd better use it...lest He think that I don't need it...and I do!!"
Lori claims the phrase, "no storm can shake my inmost calm, when to this rock I'm clinging..." and insists that she will "take it Lord, ALL you have to give...." Praising HIM every step of the way....
She encourages you to enjoy the journey with her at her personal website, All You Have to Give, where she can be found daily... enjoying each and every season to its fullest!
Visit Lori’s Blog,
All You Have to Give!
www.allyouhavetogive.com
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
18! © Exemplify Online & Magazine
As I stood there with paint roller in hand staring at
the blank-slate-of-a-wall in front of me, I began to
ponder the delicate art of painting a room. Much
like people, every sanctuary is unique in it’s design,
style, and personality. No two sanctuaries are
exactly the same and each one is uniquely dressed
by it’s inhabitants. But there is one commonality
you are sure to find in every sanctuary, and that one
thing is paint.
I like to think of paint as a room’s eyeshadow.
To me, the paint color you choose for your walls is
one of the most important decisions you make when
decorating a room. It often dictates what type of
personality the room will take on and sets the mood
of the room long before one stick of furniture is
moved in. A well chosen paint color can serve as a
wonderful source for inspiration, too.
Many people make the mistake of selecting a wall
color based on what is hot that season. Try to avoid
doing this unless the color you’ve selected is one
you really love. Color trends change from season to
season, and year to year. So if you pick a color
simply based on the current trend, you will find
yourself disappointed and discontent when the
trend changes. You’ll then feel compelled to repaint
again and your loved ones will feel compelled to
smother you with a pillow.
I believe that every color has a personality. It’s up to
you to determine what that personality is and if it
will work for your room. I will often sit in the room
I’m thinking of repainting and imagine different
colors in that space – keeping in mind the
architectural details and the furniture pieces that are
in the room. By doing this you will be able to rule
out certain colors completely. Once you’ve got three
or four color possibilities, it’s time to go to your
local hardware store and raid their color samples.
Caution: Be prepared to feel like a thief as you walk
out with about 40 color sample cards stuffed into
your purse. But it’s okay, that’s what they are there
for. Grab dozens of different shades of the same
color. The variations in hues may seem too subtle to
matter, but trust me, there is a huge difference.
This is usually where I spend dozens of hours
obsessing over color cards waiting for one to speak
to me. Play with your color samples. Put them up
against the furniture pieces, see how each one looks
with your flooring, and ask yourself if it works with
the rooms nearby. Tape your samples to the walls
for a day or two. Soon, you will find yourself going
back to the same one. Congratulations… your color
has spoken.
Painting Your Sanctuary
“I like to think of paint as a room’s
eyeshadow.”Written by Christy Klein
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 19
Now all that’s left is the actual painting process. I cannot stress to you enough how important it is for you to take your time on this. One of my biggest pet peeves in home decorating is a bad paint job. Nothing is more unattractive than messy edge work, paint boo-boos on the ceiling, door frames, and baseboards, and missed spots where the former color is peeking out at you. When I walk into a room that has been painted in haste and shows the telltale signs of it – that is all I see. It brings the entire atmosphere down a couple of notches. It doesn’t matter how beautifully decorated a room is – if the paint job is a mess – the room is a mess.
Take the time to properly prep your walls before you start. Patch all of the nail holes, make sure the walls and ceiling are free from dust and cob webs, and slap on a coat or two of primer if the current wall color is dark or if it’s a semigloss. Once your walls are prepared then it’s time to get painting. Many people use that blue painter’s tape to tape off their edges. This does not work, ladies. It does not matter how well you tape around your frames and baseboards – paint always manages to seep in. Personally, I tape off nothing… not one single thing. Take your roller and get as close as you comfortably can to the edges without having any boo-boos. After all the walls have been rolled, go back with a small bristle paint brush and fill in the rest stopping about 1/4 inch away from the edges. This is when I get out a fine artist’s paintbrush, and with a steady hand, slowly and lovingly paint a very smooth line around the edges. I know it sounds about as fun as removing your own wisdom teeth using nothing but a spoon and some Tylenol. But trust me, you absolutely cannot beat the results. You will end up with a paint job that is so perfect no one will even notice… and that is the point.
Last quick tip: Keep a container of baby wipes handy while
painting. These will clean up any painting boo-boos if caught
right away. As I go around the edges with my tiny brush, I keep a
wipe in one hand so I can immediately take care of any little
mistakes that I make. They’re also great for getting small paint
spots and smears out of the carpet.
Christy is lucky enough to be married to the perfect guy (for her). Together, they are raising two children for the Lord. Christy thrives on turning trash into treasure, loves thrift stores, and can often be found wondering the aisles of Home Depot with a light bulb gleaming over her head.
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
20! © Exemplify Online & Magazine
Women are constantly serving the needs of others.
Almost every night we fall into our beds depleted of energy and devoid of passion. We are completely empty, and we wonder how we’ll find the strength to make it through another day.
I’ve had many nights like this. Out of obedience, I pour into the lives of family and friends, and I fulfill the many obligations that come with life. Hands continuously grope at the fleeting seconds of my day, and I desperately search for the scraps. When there are no leftovers to be found, I hold my empty hands up to God and cry out, “Lord, there is nothing left for me!”
As I contemplated more ways to hoard my little scraps, God taught me a beautiful lesson that has forever changed my life. He taught me how to gather empty pitchers!
I read the story about Elisha and the widow found in 2 Kings: 4.1-7.
A prophet died and left his wife and sons with a considerable debt. The debtor was going to come and take the widow’s sons away to pay for the debt. The widow came to Elisha and asked for his help. Elisha asked the woman if she had anything of value, and at first the woman said no; but then she admitted to having a little oil. Elisha told the woman to gather all the pitchers she could find and take the oil and fill each of them. The oil poured out until there were no more empty pitchers. The woman was able to sell the oil and keep her sons.
When I read this story, I imagined the woman carefully pouring her oil into each pitcher. As she held one of the pitchers and poured oil to its rim, she cried out, “Another pitcher, please!” But there were no more. I could see the desperation on the woman’s face as she realized how very few pitchers she had filled.
I felt the woman’s anguish over not having more pitchers. I wished that she would have been more prepared. If she would have taken Elisha’s words more seriously, she would have
spent weeks or even months gathering empty pitchers. That’s when I felt God say to me, “You are gathering empty pitchers.”
I didn’t quite understand what God meant, but I knew He was about to give me hope in my obedient emptiness.
I meditated on the story for several days, discussing it with God and friends. Finally, I felt the last puzzle piece fall into place and an amazing image of empty pitchers appeared in my mind. I figured out how I could gather empty pitchers! At long last, I understood how I could find my “true self” by sacrificing myself!
Jesus said, “Anyone who intends to come with
me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s
seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace
it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is
no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way,
to finding yourself, your true self. What good
would it do to get everything you want and lose
you, the real you?” (Luke 9.23 Message).
Mauris egestas lacus sit ameVivamus pulvinar, purus ultricies ultrices ullamcorper, dolor diam euismod
nisl, vel consectetuer eros mi sit amet lorem.
— Quisque Massa
Ga$e&ng Empty Pitchers
Written by Alisa Hope
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 21
How could “self-sacrifice” be beneficial to finding my “true self”?
If God is my Creator and the Creator of all things, wouldn’t it stand to reason that He knows me better than I know myself? And if He designed me for a specific purpose, wouldn’t it be to my benefit that I surrender to His will completely?
But why does it seem that God would have us continuously pour ourselves into those around us? So many times we want to be like the widow. She didn’t want to let Elisha know that she had a small jar of oil at home. We do the same thing. We don’t want to let go of the little time, resources and energy we have because we’re scared there will be nothing left for us.
But this is not the case. Every time we pour our lives out for God’s glory, we leave an empty pitcher for God to fill. Every time we serve the needs of our children, we leave an empty pitcher. Every time we sacrifice our bodies for our husbands, we leave an empty pitcher. Every time we pour into the lives of our friends, we leave an empty pitcher. Every time we give resources to the poor and disadvantaged, we leave an empty pitcher. And every time we surrender our desires to the Holy Spirit, we leave an empty pitcher.
Be constantly mindful, though, that you do not try to get others to fill your pitchers. Wait on God’s hand! If we expect others to give us something in return, God will not bless our actions. He only fills empty pitchers (Matthew 6.1).
Sometimes God fills those empty pitchers immediately, and we are instantly blessed for our sacrifice. However, most of the time, the empty pitchers gather. God allows them to gather because He knows that He is about to open the heavens and pour down the blessings. He wants you to be ready with a bunch of empty pitchers, so you do not cry out, “Another pitcher, please!”
This revelation has helped me because now I look forward to leaving empty pitchers. Every time I serve those around me, I open myself to be blessed by God. And the most awesome part about pouring myself out to others is that God loves my emptiness! He can complete His divine work only in my emptiness! The “real me” shows up when I have nothing left to hoard!
Sometimes we forget that God is the everlasting Creator. He specializes in creating something out of nothing. In the Old Testament God created life out of emptiness: “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1.2 NIV). And in the New Testament God created new life from an empty tomb (John 20).
If we are constantly pouring ourselves into the lives others, God is able to create something beautiful within our emptiness. So many times we think we could do a better job than God can at molding us. We pray to God to make us more like Him; then, we scold Him for not doing things our way (Isaiah 29.16). God created life! How could we possibly top that? Whenever we try to take control, we just create chaos and heartache.
God in His infinite wisdom knows that we want to meddle with His creation, so He ensures our humbleness by keeping us continually poured out to others. Our brokenness allows the Holy Spirit to easily pour through us, and it makes us more malleable so that God can complete the good work He started in us (Philippians 1.6).
God is so awesome because He made our self-sacrifice doubly good. God blesses us when we sacrifice for others because we are able to leave empty pitchers for Him to fill and He blesses us when we sacrifice for others because He is able to create us into His image. It’s
the best two-for-one-deal in the entire universe! This is why Jesus said that the only way to find your “true self” is to sacrifice yourself. Only God knows our “true self” and only He can complete His design.
So the next time you feel exhausted and your lift your empty hands up to God, cry out to Him, “God, create life in me!” And if you feel like you’ve messed up the life He has already given you, lift up your hands to Him and cry out, “God, create new life in me!”
If you can stay broken by continually pouring yourself into the lives of others, God will be able to bless you and create your emptiness into a thing of beauty. Don’t hold anything back! Trust God with all you have and start gathering empty pitchers!
_____________
Alisa Hope Wagner gave her life to Jesus at the age of 14 in a small Baptist church in
South Texas. All she wanted was to be loved, and she found that love through Jesus
Christ. Alisa has never felt unloved since that day!
Alisa has her BA degree in English from A & M - Corpus Christi and her MA degree in
English - Applied Linguistics from the University of Houston. She has taught English
to every age group: elementary, junior high, high school and college.
Alisa is a full-time mother who is able to write while raising her three vivacious
children. She has a God-given passion to write, and she loves to write about what the
Holy Spirit is currently teaching her.
Alisa has published devotionals, articles and poetry; and she is continuously trying to
reach people for Christ with her writing. She has also written her first novel and is
currently seeking publication.
Alisa is the chief editor of the Granola Bar Devotional and is always looking for new
ways to help people share their faith story. She is also a contributing writer for the
Internet Cafe and Take Root and Write.
Alisa married her high school sweetheart and has been married for over ten years. Her
husband is the greatest supporter of her writing ministry. Alisa's twin-sister, Christina,
is her ministry help-mate. Alisa's two sons and daughter offer her constant joy and
continuous lessons on the Fruits of the Spirit. Alisa's true hope with her writing is that
through it people are brought closer to God!
Michelle Beck
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine
Meet Michelle Beck:
Designer Extraordinaire
Written by Jennifer Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing Michelle Beck,
designer extraordinaire to talk about her fabulous headbands,
fashion, and what defines her. You can check out Michelle's Etsy
shop at lillybeck.etsy.com. Sit back & enjoy the creativity of
Michelle.
Please tell us a little bit about how you got into making these fabulous headbands?
Well, I have always loved hair accessories. I think it adds a fun and cute flair to an outfit. I love headbands the most. I even wore one for my wedding. I actually started making my headbands in 2008. I was looking in a store and saw a very cute but way overpriced headband and I thought to myself, “you know, I could probably make my own headband, for cheaper:)” So I did! I wore it to church that next Sunday. I got so many compliments on it and a lot of girls asked me where I bought it. When I told them I made it, some of them asked if I could make them one. It was then when I realized I could start making my own unique designs and start selling them as long as ladies wanted to buy them. I am still making them, and it is so much fun!
Where does your inspiration for the headbands come from?
Well, I love fashion from the 1920s era. My headbands remind me of the headpieces and headbands ladies would wear during that time. I love that look. I am also really into anything native American these days. I think the beading and feathers are so beautiful. I also love bright colors and mixing patterns together. There are so many feather headbands out there right now
so I like to come up with different things to make them stand out, whether it is adding vintage buttons or putting colors together that you wouldn’t normally put together. I think that is what makes them unique. I really try to come up with my own individual designs that will stand out.
Do you enjoy fashion? Are you a fashionista?
I do enjoy fashion. I guess you could call me a fashionista. Fashion isn’t something I live for, but I do enjoy putting together outfits and expressing my personality in the things that I wear. I love to take fashion risks.
Do you have a favorite piece of clothing? If so, what is it?
Lately I have been wearing casual dresses all the time. I have this one totally cute vintage looking floral dress that I adore. I never really have one favorite, but I guess dresses are my favorite for now.
Would you prefer a new pair of shoes or chocolate?
Oh wow, chocolate is good, but I would have to choose the pair of shoes. Shoes will last a while, chocolate is gone in a second. I would
especially love a pair of vintage boots or gladiator sandals.
Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?
Clothes and accessories don’t define me, I know who I am in Christ and that’s the most important thing I want people to know. I believe it is OK for Christian women to have fun with their clothing and wear things that will express their personalities, as long as it is appropriate. Be yourself and be confident in Christ. Make sure your focus is not just on earthly possessions and the things that you wear, but on your relationship with the Lord.
If you have a creative side and have always wanted to do something crafty like this but have never tried, go for it! God gave you those gifts and talents and you need to put them to use. The Lord will bless your efforts!
______________________
Jennifer is a major chocoholic. She is so happy that flats are back in style and believes that the iPod is one of the greatest inventions ever. You can find her at So Many Books… So Little Time, where she love to pass along her thoughts on a good read.
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
24 © Exemplify Online & Magazine
Firsts & LastsI normally love fall.
I love how the leaves turn their beautiful reds,
oranges, and yellows as they lose their chlorophyll. I
love the crispness and the scent of the air (Well,
usually. I do live near several dairy farms!). I enjoy
the return to routine as our regular activities pick
back up again.
But this year I find I am dreading the change in
season. And as much as I am looking forward to
getting back into the swing of things, I am finding
there is one day above all others that I would rather
put off as long as possible, if I had a choice.
My son’s first day of Kindergarten.
My baby’s first day of Kindergarten.
I know what you’re thinking. It’s not really that big
of a deal. And I did manage to survive both my girls
starting school, although barely.
My son, Ethan, is beginning to get excited about
going to school with his sisters. This is a big,
momentous first for him.
But it is a big, momentous last for me, for this is the
last child we will be sending off to Kindergarten.
Ever.
I’ve never been very good at these last firsts. I cried
when I weaned my boy from breast-feeding (even
though I was also secretly relieved it was over!).
I cried the first time I cut my daughter’s baby fine
hair off.
I cried when Ethan switched to a big boy bed from
his crib.
I even cried this Spring when we sold our baby
bathtub, the one we hadn’t actually used in four
years, because I realized my babies were babies no
longer.
I blame hormones. I haven’t been the same person
since I found out I was pregnant the first time. I
mean, I do cry at just about everything. It can be
rather annoying, especially since my new, organic
mascara is not waterproof!
But still, there is something bittersweet about our
children growing up. On the one hand, I am so
excited for them to discover the world around them,
to discover who God is making them into and all
His wonderful plans for them.
But on the other hand, I just want them to stay six
months old. Is that really too much to ask?
It is so tempting to try and keep our children to
ourselves, to not allow them to grow up and spread
their wings. And yet that isn’t God’s desire or plan
for them at all.
When all of my children were born, I offered them
up to the Lord. Like Moses’ mother, I realize that my
time with them will be limited. Like Hannah, I need
to instill faith in God in them while they are little so
they are prepared to serve the Lord when they are
older. And like Mary, I will be called upon to let my
children go and carry out the plans God has for
them. Even though it may be the most difficult thing
I ever do.
I know that I still have my children with me for
hopefully some time to come. And yet sending them
off to school just seems to signal the beginning of
the end. As I begin to adjust to this new season of
our parenting, I am frequently calling out to my
Father, begging Him for my children’s protection
and for each of them to live lives that glorify Him.
And maybe to let me hold them just a wee bit
longer.
__________________________
Andrea Mitchell is a coffee drinking, Jesus-loving wife and stay-at-home mom of three in constant search of just the right mug for her brew.
You can find her at her blog, UnderGraceOverCoffee.com where she shares the love she has found in Jesus, along with the caffeine-laden randomness that makes up the majority of her day. Grab your cup and come on over!
Written by Andrea Mitchell
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 25
It’s a privilege to be able to read. The next time you select a book off the shelf and curl up on your couch in hopes to be inspired or taken to the world inside your book, remember what you read not only influences you, it helps shape you and has the power to transform your thinking. If you’re like me you don’t have difficulty selecting good books. I’ve read more good books than I could possibly count. The difficulty comes when I try to remember plot lines or great lines from these books. Most of the time I recollect the message but there are times when I want to remember more. I want to retain what I’ve read. I’m going to present examples of ways I’ve strengthened my reading retention.
But before I do that, I want to address why we should even care about retaining what we read. Remember my first line, “It’s a privilege to be able to read”? (I’m testing you already) I believe whenever we’ve been given a gift we are responsible to use it wisely. How can we let what we read truly impact us if we aren’t absorbing it or applying it to our lives? Other more simplified reasons for wanting to register what we read include having excellent dinner party conversation starters, sharpening memory and building on intelligence. But the
reason I care most about is my hope to remember more of what I read in order to positively influence God’s kingdom.
You’ve probably heard of memorization techniques like the Rosetta Stone, or programs for children like Hooked on Phonics. You might have even heard of setting lessons to music because children remember more when things are accompanied with lyrics. As I provide my examples, you’re likely to see traces of all of these techniques and then some.
Underline
Regardless of whether you want to remember Scripture, a solid piece of advice from an inspirational non-fiction or an excellent descriptive line, one of the best ways to make something stick in your mind is to underline it. The reason this works so well is because you are stopping. You aren’t skimming ahead mindlessly. Underling something requires you to physically grab a pencil or pen and make a mark on the page. This is an uncomplicated but powerful gesture because of what it communicates to your brain. There’s something important on this page, something
to pay attention to, and even perhaps something to return to.
Strike up conversation
People, both introverted and extroverted are wired to be in relationships. One of the key ways to preserve something you’ve read is to grab your husband or friend and talk about it with them. Say, “Have you ever heard of anything put more beautifully?” I love doing this with Bible verses. Recently, one verse in particular greatly impacted how I took on new projects. It might sound like I’m cheating because it’s Jesus’ speaking two words, “Take courage!” but the more I talked about these words, the more they became ingrained in my actions and how I chose to behave. Sharing verses and or favorite paragraphs from books with others invites a pleasant accountability and potentially rich conversation into the memorization process.
A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party,
a company by the way, a counselor, a multitude of
counselors.
~ Henry Ward Beecher ~
How to Retain What You ReadWritten by Wendy Miller
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
26! © Exemplify Online & Magazine
PUT YOURSELF IN NEW SHOES--EMPATHIZE
There are few things I find to be as universal for helping people understand one another as learning to empathize. Not only does this work for understanding people in the world around you, but by “putting yourself in the shoes” of the character or Biblical figure you transfer what might have begun as an unemotional and distant experience of reading into a personal and influential one. By empathizing we not only gain a heightened awareness of what we read, but we have the potential to become more humble and forgiving individuals. Take David for example. How easy is it for us to judge him as he was with Bathsheba, then sending her husband to die? As I completed a Bible study on David years ago, the leader reminded me that David was a man after God’s own heart and how overwhelmingly willing God is to forgive.
A library is a hospital for the mind.
~ Anonymous ~
MEMORIZE FAVORITE QUOTES
Every week during the summer my children and I have picked a Bible verse for them to memorize. I bet you know what’s coming. Yes, they have their verses memorized and guess who has all of them down pat as well? You guessed it, me. One of the most effective routes to recalling what we’ve read is by intentionally trying to memorize it.
Two of the best ways I can suggest to help memorize what you read are:
Writing note cards and affixing them in obvious places. You’ve heard of writers taping inspirational sayings near computers. Why do they do this? To be inspired. To be influenced. Other noticeable places include on the mirror, on the inside of a cabinet, on your dashboard, on your bedpost and on your bathroom mirror.
The second way I alluded to earlier. Sync up what you’ve read to music. I’m not talking about concocting a rap out of the psalms or your favorite line from Crime and Punishment. What I am suggesting is that if one line really speaks to you; find a way to connect it to music, a song you like with a beautiful rhythm. I’ve also heard some people do this to memorize people’s names (which I am horrible at).
REFLECTION — TAKING TIME TO
THINK ON IT
In this fast paced society it can be tempting to jump from book to book just to say you’ve read something or to check it off some floating list in your mind. I think something is lost in translation when we do this. We lose the precious time it might take to allow that remarkably worded sentence that sent shivers down the spine to sink in, to stir and ultimately dwell within us. We’re only doing ourselves a favor when we step back from something that overwhelms us with punctuated truth or beautifully written eloquence and allow for it to simmer and to enter all corridors of our thinking.
Force yourself to reflect on what you read, paragraph
by paragraph.
~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge ~
WRITE ON IT
Much like jotting down sentences or verses on a note card, journaling or writing about what you’ve read is sure to cause you to remember it more readily. This one is like empathizing because you are personalizing the words you’ve read somehow and applying them to your specific circumstances. We are engineered to care more about something if it somehow involves us. I know, embarrassing to write, but true nonetheless. So next time you read something you suspect might have substantial meaty promise, keep a journal close by.
Reading furnishes the mind only with materials for
knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read
ours.
~ John Locke ~
REREAD
Lather, rinse, repeat. Remember those instructions on the back of shampoo bottles? (Here I go testing you again!) Those directions might still be commonly listed on shampoo bottles; I haven’t bothered to look in awhile. Like the set of steps for washing hair, we can read, reflect and repeat if need be. It would be absurd to suggest we always need to read a book twice, but it certainly can’t hurt to do so. Several years ago, a friend told me she read the book, Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend three times. It should come as no surprise that this woman has excellent boundaries in her life. My point: there’s a time for everything and sometimes if the book or verse is just that good, it might be worth rereading. (This is especially true of Bible verses)
That’s your step by step guide to learning how to retain more of what you read.
UNDERLINE, CONVERSE,
EMPATHIZE, MEMORIZE, REFLECT,
WRITE AND IF ALL ELSE FAILS,
REREAD.
________
Wendy Miller is a butcher (of words as she edits her novels), a baker (of birthday cakes and treats for her beloved family members and friends), and a candlestick maker (not quite, but she enjoys crafts of all kinds). She appreciates the outdoors, writing and laughing with loved ones. Wendy’s mission statement is to a live a passionate life filled with compassion, grateful to be called daughter of the Most High God. Visit Wendy at http://thoughtsthatmove.blogspot.com/ or http://wendypainemiller.wordpress.com/.
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
© Exemplify Online & Magazine! 27
Seedtime & HarvestBefore we dive into the riches of Scripture, let’s join together in prayer. It is so important to seek
Godly wisdom before venturing into His Word. Let us not lean on our own understanding, but on
that of our Lord.
Father, as we study from Your Word
today, we ask that you would fill us
with Your supernatural wisdom so that
we might understand the lessons you
have for us. Lord, please give us ears to
listen and hearts to obey as we seek to
apply Your Truth to our lives, daily.
Thank you for this time in fellowship
with those who walked the streets with
Christ Jesus. Your Word amazes and
we’re so grateful to be able to nourish
our souls with these precious
Scriptures. It is in the name of Jesus
that we pray. Amen.
Autumn. Just the mere mention has me all aflutter with anticipation of rewards to come. The changing leaves, in all their God-given beauty, line the streets and fill the yards with the promise of rest. All summer, we’ve tended to our lawns and gardens; the crispness of the autumn air invites us to savor the harvest of our efforts. Sharing what the Lord had revealed to him, Moses instructs God’s people on how they can best care for their promised land.
“If you will only heed His every
commandment that I am commanding
you today—loving the Lord your God,
and serving Him with all your heart
and with all your soul—then He will
give the rain for your land in its season,
the early rain and the later rain, and
you will gather in your grain, your
wine, and your oil; and He will give
grass in your fields for your livestock,
and you will eat your fill. Take care, or
you will be seduced into turning away,
serving other gods and worshiping
them, for then the anger of the Lord will
be kindled against you and He will shut
up the heavens, so that there will be no
rain and the land will yield no fruit;
then you will perish quickly off the
good land that the Lord is giving
you” (Deuteronomy 11:13-17, NRSV).
Dear One, through these same words, God is urging us to prepare our hearts and souls for His spiritual gardening. Let’s harvest the goodness of His Word together, finding each Living Bread crumb our Father has left in order that He might lead us home.
“If you will only heed His every
commandment that I am commanding
you today–”
These commandments and other religious laws were rigidly sought after in the time before the Resurrection. Moses was only given Ten Commandments to teach God’s people, and His people fell short; we all fall short of the glory of God. Since our sin must be covered in a veil of innocent blood in order to keep our iniquities
from separating us from our Father, many sacrifices were made in order to atone for the inevitable sins of man. How fortunate we are, as the blood-bought saints of the Living God! Having been ransomed by Christ’s death on the cross, we are freed from the shackles of the rules of old. We are to love God’s commands and strive to meet them, but the only sacrifice we must make is to die to ourselves in effort to live for our Lord. A healthy love for the Lord’s statutes is like a rich fertilizer that fuels our spiritual growth.
The cornerstone to any garden grown in the Spirit is “loving the Lord your God, and serving Him with all your heart and with all your soul–”. If we ever want to make it to autumn and all of its rewards, we must first and foremost love our Heavenly Father. In my own life, it took a while to connect on this level with the Lord. Eventually, the love that God lavishes on us through Scripture helped me to experience a love like I’ve never known.
Reading in Ephesians always leaves me feeling so loved that I simply cannot help but reciprocate!
Written by Victoria Jenkins
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
28! © Exemplify Online & Magazine
Give yourself to God, in all encompassing love, “then He will give the rain for your land in its season,” because the Creator knows just when to water His creation. He sees when our thirst is overwhelming and He knows when we will benefit most from each refreshing and life-sustaining drop. He is faithful to provide our every need;“ the early rain and the later rain,” making the soul more penetrable for planting and pliable for the harvest ahead. Submit your work unto the Lord in loving obedience“ and you will gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil;” it is our responsibility to seek the rewards that God wants us to receive. Seek Him as you work toward His commands with heart and soul devoted in service, “ and He will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you will eat your fill.”
Divine Provision is one of many riches with which the Lord is waiting to graciously bless His children.
“Take care, or you will be seduced into turning away, serving other gods and worshiping them,” before you know it. Believing that it is our effort that brings about our harvest corrupts our motivation and distorts our view of our own power, thus building ourselves into the false gods we serve in place of the One True God. Resting in our riches instead of in the Presence of God can quickly shift our heart from one of worship to one of misdirected veneration—adoration taken from the Lord and given to anything or anyone else is the root of idolatry. When we allow ourselves to be seduced into turning away from the Lord, the fruits of our labor soon run out,“ for then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you and He will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain and the land will yield no fruit; then you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.”
He’s continually giving us “good land”, even if we’re not always sure how to cultivate it. Praise the King of Kings with me, ladies! We are not left to our own devices in this world. The One who formed a human being from the dust of the ground wants to teach us how to reap what we sow in His name, even when it seems impossible. God desires to lead us to sowing something above and beyond what we ever thought we could harvest.
If we’re ever to reach autumn, we’ve got to allow God to remove some weeds and plant some seeds of change. Change is seldom easy and growing has its pains, but we must see past our temporary discomfort to our eternal
Comforter, who tells us in Psalm 126:5 that those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. “My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of His reproof, for the Lord reproves the one He loves as a father the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 9:11-12, NRSV). Instead, let us rejoice in such promises as this, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22, NRSV)”
When we allow God to dig, plant, grow, and prune within us, our spirits will experience a reaping season that surpasses all worldly imagination.
What has our Father been digging up from inside you recently?
List any of the secret sins lurking within that God has been working to uproot.
Beside each struggle listed, write an aspect of our Savior that speaks of His power and desire to bring you to victory over that particular sin.
Pray specifically, in praise and in appeal, regarding each of these sins.
Has God planted a passion, a concern, or a desire within you that you need to nurture?
List these longings and your feelings about each.
Are you hesitant, excited, or perhaps in opposition to what God purposes to grow in you?
Recite these Scriptures, write them down and carry them about, memorize them; just don’t lose sight of the truth, love and hope in each word.
• Ephesians 3:20-21
• Romans 9: 28-31, 12:2
Are there any areas of disobedience that the Lord wants to prune from your life today?
Write each one down, weakening their stronghold and strengthening your resolve to allow God to remove them in His time.
Prayerfully consider asking a trusted and Godly friend or fellow church member to help you stay accountable to the commitments you make to the Lord.
“So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest-time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an
opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith” (Galatians 6:9-10, NRSV).
“Sow for yourselves righteousness;
reap steadfast love;
break up your fallow ground;
for it is time to seek the Lord,
that He may come and rain
righteousness upon you”
(Hosea 10:12, NRSV).
Heavenly Father,
We seek to honor You with our substance and with the first fruits of our produce. Lord, we ask that you will strengthen us during those difficult seasons of transformation when we are tempted to forget that autumn is just around the bend. Let our food be to do Your will and our desire be to complete the work You have set before us. In times of harvest, let us not forget from whom all blessings flow. Father, let us rest in You alone.
With thankfulness, we pray in the name of Christ Jesus, Amen.
________________
Victoria began writing from Scripture out of the sheer
inability to keep a good thing to herself--the exception being
brownies, those she refuses to share. Soon after delving into
her first Bible study, it became clear that God was building a
ministry through this new-found love for His Word.
Whether she is homeschooling, housewifing, or hiding from
the laundry heap, God continues to grow Victoria through
the ministry He set in motion...and she continues to hog all
the brownies.
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Ask me which season is my favorite and I
would have to say Fall. When I think about
Fall I can smell the pumpkin pies baking in
the oven and the banana muffins cooling on
the counter. I can see the brilliant colors of the
leaves changing from green to yellow, then to
orange and then to red. Just the thought of
Fall makes my heart smile. Oh and there’s
nothing like curling up in a swing with a
warm cup of coffee and a blanket snuggling
next to my man as the cool breeze blows the
swing gently back and forth, back and forth.
Not only do I enjoy the smells, the colors, and
the coolness in the air of Fall, but I also enjoy
this time of year because it reminds me of a
season in my life when I had to make the
conscience choice to fall in love with my
husband all over again. Times were hard for
us; very hard. The love had fizzled into
nothing. We were literally at a cross roads in
our marriage. It was either hit the road or
fight for our lives together. Take it or leave
seemed to be our motto at the time. Praise the
Lord, we chose to take the good with the bad
and fight for our future together as husband
and wife.
Falling in love with my husband was not an
easy thing for me to do. There was a lot of
water that had flowed under our bridge and
choosing love over hate didn’t come naturally
for either of us. We had both wounded the
other deeply, but we both made the decision
to choose love and commitment.
I don’t know where you are in your marriage
today. Maybe you and your spouse are
traveling down a rocky road right now. It
could be that the two of you co-exist in the
same house. Or, perhaps one of you has
moved out. I know what it’s like to have a
heart filled with anger, bitterness,
unforgiveness, hate, and regret. I understand
the feeling of being all alone even when my
husband is sitting right next to me. I’ve felt
the pain of rejection from the man who I
thought was my knight in shining armor. I
feel your pain. I know your hurt. Those tears
that flow from your eyes flowed from mine as
well. Believe me when I say, “I know.”
I rejoice with those of you who have not felt
the pain of marital hardships. I pray that
today finds you and your spouse in a
marriage that is thriving; one full of
excitement and passion.
Wherever you are in your marriage right now,
be it smack dab in the middle of a trial or high
atop the mountain of love, I think we can all
agree that loving our mate is a choice we must
make every single day. Love displays itself in
action; merely “thinking” you love your
spouse is not enough. We must act on that
thought and choose to demonstrate our love
in tangible ways.
Spring. Summer. Fall. Winter. Each
season brings with it a new, fresh
adventure of its very own...
Fa!ing in LoveAgainWritten by Jenifer Jernigan
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
30! © Exemplify Online & Magazine
I enlisted my husband to help me out with a
little exercise. In order for me to know how to
love him in a way that truly makes him feel
love from me, I have to know those things
that speak love to him. I asked him to make a
list of five things he needs from me that will
help him see my love for him. I made the
same list for myself and gave it to him.
Through this list I learned things about him I
didn’t know. I discovered new ways to love
him and make him feel special.
Here is the list my husband put together:
• Don’t treat me like one of the kids even
though I act like one.
• Understand that while I don’t mind taking
the kids off of your hands when I get
home, sometimes I don’t want them either.
• I need to know that you put me first even
before your wants and desires. I put an
enormous effort into taking care of you and
meeting your needs, financially,
emotionally, and physically. Sometimes I
need to see you do things you may not
want to do just so I understand your desire
is my happiness & not yours.
• Respect the work I do outside of the home.
Across the board, there seems to be a lack
of understanding for husbands who leave
to go to work.
• Be aggressive. Men are, like it or not,
cavemen. We used to go around clubbing
women if we wanted them. Sometimes I
need you to club me; it feels good to be
wanted.
Here is the list I put together:
• When I talk to you, I need you to focus on
me, not the TV or the computer, me.
• Sometimes I just want to hold your hand
or snuggle, nothing more. Please
understand that sometimes just a simple
touch means more to me than anything
else.
• I need you to talk to me more so that I
know how you feel about things. When I
ask your opinion, I really do want it.
• I like it when we get in bed together at
night. I feel safe having you beside me.
• I need the two of us to have more us time.
When it’s just the two of us, I feel like your
princess.
I encourage you and your
spouse to each make a list of
needs you have; things the other
one can do to show you his/her
love for you.
If it’s hard for you to come up
with ideas of your own, there is
an excellent book available right
now entitled Love Dare. In this
book you will find “dares” for a
forty day time period.
These “dares” will help you to
focus your attention on your
spouse and fall in love with him/
her all the more.
Jenifer makes her home in North Carolina with her husband of ten years, three children, and English black lab, Bella. On a typical day, if there is such a thing, you will find her sipping a cup of coffee, home schooling her children, and digging into the Word. A former pit-dweller who has been saved by God's amazing grace, Jenifer has a burning passion to share with women of all ages His unconditional love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness.
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
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1. Familiarize yourself with the magazine/website you are submitting to. Every magazine, website and ministry has their own specific purpose and personality. You don’t want to submit an article on hunting to a magazine on fashion. This is why it is very important to get the feel of the magazine you are submitting to. Once you have the personality of the magazine down, then sit down to craft an article that will best compliment an upcoming issue.
2. Get involved in the community. One of the first things I look for when I have a potential submission in front of me is if the writer is involved in the community we’re building at Exemplify. This is not the only thing I look for but it is does contribute. By getting involved in the community you long to write for, you learn invaluable information about the readership and their interests. Often times, I know a writer’s name before I even open the email they sent me because I’ve seen them commenting on Exemplify’s blog, active in our social site or on our blogroll. I do give preference to those who are actively engaged in our ministry because it is clear they value our mission and support our ministry.
3. Read the submission guidelines. Different ministries and publications have different submission guidelines. What Heart of the Matter Online is looking for may not be what Exemplify Magazine is looking for. Both ministries strive to serve their community of readers with an excellence tailored to their readership which is why there is a submission guideline process to begin with! Be sure to read up on it and follow it closely.
4. Triple check your work. Ladies, this is such a big one. I cannot tell you the amount of submissions I receive that are filled to the brim with typos, grammatical errors and common mistakes. I’m not looking for perfection when an article hits my desk but I am looking for an article that looks as though some time and effort went into it. There is a certain level of
professionalism that is needed when trying to get published.
Here are some quick tips to submitting a better article:
• Have a friend proof your work before you send it in for consideration.
• Read it aloud a few times before hitting that send button.
• Write on a topic you are passionate about. This alone will raise the bar for your submission.
• Spell check, spell check, spell check!
5. Triple check your work! In case you missed it, proof your work!
6. Be personable. If you are pitching an article, show some personality in your email to the editor or team member you contacted. Editors see a lot of article pitches and not every one will be able to make it to publication.
I can’t tell you how many women contact me on a daily basis and don’t even spell my first name correctly! Now, I don’t base whether or not a pitch will make it into article form on that alone but take some time to consider what you are going to write and who you are writing to. Aim to make an impression and you are much more likely to get the go ahead to write that article you’ve been itching to share.
7. Include all of your contact information. This one seems like a given, but I promise you, it is not. Don’t forget to include your name, email and blog link at the bottom of your email. Many of the ministries that accept submissions are receiving a lot of submissions. If an editor has to search for the person’s contact information, chances are that editor will move on to the next email.
8. Include a writing sample and a link to your blog. This is by far the most common mistake I see. If you send an email seeking the go-ahead to submit an article be sure to include a writing reference. If you don’t include a writing sample, or at the very least, a link to your blog
you leave the editor with a choice to make: Track down a writing sample or move on.
Unfortunately, due to time constraints, more often than not that editor is going to move on.
9. Submit for the right reasons. Don’t submit an article just because you want to get published. Submit an article because you feel strongly about the topic you are writing on and the ministry you are submitting to. Submitting simply to get published comes off as impassive and rarely results in the edification of the reader.
10. Be patient. Often times I find that I receive multiple emails asking if I’ve had a chance to look over a submission that was sent in a day or so earlier.
Please keep in mind that the women who serve you behind the scenes of publication driven sites, conference sites and devotional sites work very hard at at bringing you the best content they can. They are very busy.
You may have to wait a few weeks to hear back on that email. Instead of getting impatient about it, take that time to pray for the ministry you want to write for. God will honor your patience. And every ministry I know of would welcome the prayer!
It is my hope these practical tips will help you get published the next time you submit an article to the ministry you’d like to support.
As a ma!er of fact, if you put these tips into practice I welcome you to submit an article to Exemplify Online & Magazine.
We are currently looking for new writers to join our team and articles for the 2010 year! Hop on over to h!p://exemplifyonline.com/media/ to read those details.
In King Jesus,
Kristen Schiffman
Thinking of submitting an article to our magazine? Interested in submitting pieces for consideration on other ministry sites? Consider these
tips before submitting...
E X E M P L I F Y M A G A Z I N E
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