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FROM THE PUBLISHER linda evans shepherd
spring free of a year of covid Here in Colorado, spring has only teased us through veils of snow. Yes, snowfalls deep enough to need shoveling. And though I’m tired of wearing my winter coat, I watch the sky for signs of blue peeking through the dull, gray clouds.
So far, only a few early blooms have given me a nod, yet I’m ready to walk in fields of blossoms and to breathe the fresh, pollinated air, and perhaps indulge in a good sneeze or two.
And the best way to step into the future without yesterday’s baggage is to approach Jesus with a thankful heart. Let’s thank Jesus together in prayer. Dear Jesus, Thank You for getting us through one difficult year! Even when we were sick, discouraged, heartbroken, in need, or lonely, You were with us.
I’m also ready to throw away the masks I’ve worn for over a year and to let my naked face feel kisses of sunshine. How I need that! I need the snows of the past, the snows that iced me inside my home, to melt away. I’m ready to be released from winter as well as the icy grip of COVID.
As I choose to abide in You, I ask that You defeat the final destructive force of COVID off of my past, my present, and my future. Bring freedom back to me and the world; especially freedom to worship You! Freedom to congregate! Freedom to share our faith with the hurting! Freedom to shine Your light in the darkness!
Yes, spring and the urge for a fresh start are in the air. I believe we’ve never needed a fresh start more than now, especially as we look back at a year we never wanted or ever imagined.
We thank You for the new opportunities You give us and ask that You lead us and guide us into a refreshing of heart, body, and soul. In Jesus’ name,
We choose to turn away from these shadows and turn to the light, to Jesus. Our Jesus. Because of Jesus, we can walk past this one weary year and face the future with a God who’s never weary.
Amen
Isaiah 40:28 (ESV) says,
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.” How awesome that when trouble chases us in endless pursuit, we serve a victorious God who never faints, a God who can see us through anything. Through His power, we can face trouble and face tomorrow, free from the past burdens.
This issue of Leading Hearts magazine is filled with ways to refresh, clean your soul, remove the COVID cobwebs, and so much more. Join us, lift your spirit, heart, and faith to breathe fresh, COVID-free encouragement.
love,
Linda Evans Shepherd is a Revell author and the founder of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association.
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APRIL / MAY 2021 | VOL. 8, ISSUE 1
AUTHORS FEATURES 7 8
Editorial Staff PUBLISHER..................................................... Linda Evans Shepherd EDITOR/ART DIRECTOR....................... Amber Weigand-Buckley LAYOUT EDITOR......................................... Tom Young COPY EDITOR.............................................. Tom Young ADVERTISING............................................... Linda Evans Shepherd CONTRIBUTORS........................................ Kate Battistelli, Dr. Sabrina Black, Penelope Carlevato, Julie Coleman, Saundra Dalton-Smith, Pam Farrel, Bethany Jett, Michelle Lazurek, Mabel Ninan, Karen Porter, Rhonda Rhea, Cynthia L. Simmons, Jennifer Taylor, and Heather Van Allen
Right to the Heart Board Linda Evans Shepherd (President), Dianne Butts, Linda Goldfarb, Edie Melson, Karen Porter, Rhonda Rhea, Carole Whang Schutter and Joy A. Schneider
Information Leading Hearts magazine for Christian Women is published bimonthly by Right to the Heart Ministries 2021. ISSN 2380-5455 ADVERTISING | Display rates are available at leadinghearts.com. By accepting an advertisement, Leading Hearts does not endorse any advertiser or product. We reserve the right to reject advertisements not consistent with the magazines objectives. MANUSCRIPTS | Writers guidelines are available at leadinghearts.com. Leading Hearts | PO Box 6421, Longmont, CO 80501 email: lindareply@gmail.com fax inquiries: (303) 678-0260 MEMBER | 2014-2020 Evangelical Press Association Award of Merit Winner — Christian Ministry Digital Publication Photos courtesy of: Pexels (Alex Green), Pixabay (Mike Gattorna, Alexandra Haynak), Unsplash (Joshua Coleman) Copyright ©2021 Right to the Heart Ministries. All rights reserved. Copyrighted material reprinted with permission. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
CHARLENE QUINT KATE BATTISTELLI Prepared for Such a Time as This The Rich Fruit of a Barren Tree
8 DR. SABRINA BLACK 12 Racial KAREN PORTER Repentence & Restitution Reconciliation, Spiritual Deep Cleaning for Leaders
11 LINDA EVANS SHEPHERD 14 A PAM FARREL Prayer When You Feel Defeated Under Pressure
13 JULIE LAVENDER 20 Love JULIEThem ZINELittle, COLEMAN Love Them Big
Big Fail? It’s Time to Bounce Back Failure
15 GINGER HARRINGTON 22 Holy MABEL NINAN in the Moment Are You Listening?
16 LINDA GILDEN & LINDA GOLDFARB 26 Leader MUSIC or FEATURE Follower? Terrian: Light It Up
19 CAROL MCLEOD 32 Storm DR. SAUNDRA DALTON-SMITH Proof Declutter Your Emotional Closet
20 JENNIFER KENNEDY DEAN 40 Treasured DR. SABRINA BLACK
Sensitivity Readers Versus Censorship
23 KARISA MOORE 42 Turn RHONDA the PageRHEA of Suicide
Love — Off-the-Shelf & By-the-Book
25 YVONNE ORTEGA Six Ways to Comfort the Bereaved PAGES 27 3 MICHELLE FROM THELAZUREK PUBLISHER
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The Day I Kissed My Religious Spirit Goodbye Spring Free of a Year of COVID
SUSAN B. MEAD FROM THE EDITOR Exposed Random Confessions
30 PENELOPE CARLEVATO 19 For CYNTHIA L. SIMMONS Such a Time as This The Big Question
31 PAM FARREL 25 Other-Centered MUSIC REVIEWS Adventure 30
PENELOPE CARLEVATO
Out With the Old; In With the New
34 BETHANY JETT PAGES
Spic & Span Planner Hacks
37 LINDA EVANS SHEPHERD Praying Away COVID Cobwebs 10 BOOKS TOthe READ 38 AWSA PODCAST SPOTLIGHT 18 MEMBERSHIP 39 CHERI MICHELLE LAZUREK 28 KEAGGY Clean Sweep Your Soul A Healing Journey
44 CONTRIBUTORS AWSA MEMBERSHIP 31 47
CONTRIBUTORS
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FROM THE EDITOR amber weigand-buckley
random confessions Some people have a junk drawer, but I confess I have a room dedicated to random stuff I keep. It is full of great memories, seasonal items,
things the kids have outgrown, and things that I’ve grown out of (u-humm). Maybe you have one too — a room you’re constantly apologizing for if anyone happens to enter said room. Perhaps it’s full of things you need to do but you don’t want anyone to see because it’s embarrassing (like my Mt. Kilimanjaro laundry pile). Maybe it’s just random things. Those stacks of things that never make it to the trash can (all those hole-filled socks). Junk mail that needs to be shredded. Hundreds of Walmart shopping bags you keep forgetting to take back to the store. I have to say 2020 for me was the Year of the Great Cleanout. When the family was stuck inside, we had to find a way to make more space. But just four months into 2021, that room is once again starting to fill up with more stuff. It’s a never-ending battle. I empty the junk room, and more stuff keeps walking into that space. Sometimes I feel like renting a backhoe and dumping the whole mess. I would start with that laundry pile… I guess that is one impulsive instinct that I have to quell. If I don’t give myself time to sort through the junk room, I’m going to throw out the good with the bad. The one feeling that can take control of the situation is the feeling of being OVERWHELMED. Is God judging us based on the messy? No! He created us out of dirt. All dirt isn’t necessarily sinful; it’s just dirty. I’m so glad that God doesn’t judge us based on the messy, He wants us less weighed down, less overwhelmed. He wants to help us deal with those messy spaces in our lives. With His help, we need to give them mindful attention. In this season, what is one thing you know you need to pull from your “junk” room?
As you pull it from that room, you have to ask yourself some important questions: • • • • • • •
Is this thing I’m holding onto serving any purpose where it is? Why have I hidden it away? Is it keeping me from moving forward in my life? Could I use it to move forward in a stuck area of my life? Could I repurpose it? If I can’t use it, would it possibly be valuable to someone else? Do I need to throw it out because it doesn’t serve myself or others?
Prayer is a great thing, but one of the greatest gifts that I gave to myself and my family on my journey to less overwhelmed personally is a trusted professional counselor. She helps me honestly evaluate all the areas of my life where I had things piled up. She has talked me through some of the things I had in that room. She was my impartial voice of reason, giving me direction and helping me talk through those items one by one instead of saying, “You’re a messy person who needs a backhoe” She made me realize that some things that I had been storing were actually making me physically and emotionally sick. But the first thing in getting that impartial voice of reason into my messy “junk room” literally and mentally is allowing someone else into it. I pray this issue of Leading Hearts helps you start this season with less weight and more growth. May you too prayerfully consider what God may be asking you to repurpose, reactivate, and reorganize — and what He may want you to relinquish to someone else or take to the rubbish pile.
love,
—Amber
Amber Weigand-Buckley is the editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine
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katebattistelli.com
Kate Battistelli
THE RICH FRUIT OF A BARREN TREE
When our only daughter turned 18 months, I found I was pregnant with baby number two. I quickly lost the baby due to an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy that nearly took my life and put me in the hospital for days. I survived, but my dreams of a houseful of children didn’t. There was no repair possible for my internal damage, in vitro fertilization wasn’t an option, and three adoption attempts fell through. All signs pointed to my husband and me raising an only child. So I’m well acquainted with the desperation Hannah felt in 1 Samuel 1:1-28 and 1 Samuel 2:1-11. The favored wife of Elkanah, reviled and berated by her rival Peninnah (wife number two), Hannah’s pain became her catalyst to pray. She could’ve easily lashed out at her rival, berated Eli the high priest for daring to accuse her of being drunk, chastised her husband for misunderstanding her plight, or railed at God for her barrenness. But she did none of those things. Instead, Hannah left the feast and went straight to the tabernacle where she knew God would hear the cry of her heart. Sometimes God allows in His mercy what He could prevent with His power. Sometimes His greatest mercy can only be found in His deepest test. And sometimes, the richest fruit comes from the barren tree. With boldness and a broken heart, Hannah silently wept and prayed a secret, holy prayer in a time when silent prayer was uncommon. She believed God heard every anguished word her heart expressed. Hannah had such an intimate relationship with God she knew He would hear her plea right there at the door of the tabernacle. Hannah’s prayer was not selfish. Desperate, yes, but not selfish. She wanted a son,
but she vowed to give him back to the Lord for all the days of his life. Hannah’s barrenness had a purpose and I believe it was on purpose. The Bible clearly says, “the Lord had closed her womb.” Her barrenness caused desperation so deep it drove her to make a vow to give her child back to the Lord for all the days of his life if only He would allow her to conceive. Hannah harbored holy unrest in her spirit which would find no comfort until she poured her heart out to God. Was God waiting for this? Did her passionate plea and promise lay the foundation for the anointing on Samuel’s life, leading him to become the greatest prophet and judge in the Bible? Did she know God would use her son to do a brandnew thing in Israel, removing the old order of judges and inaugurating a new order of kings? Hannah walked in humble submission, her prayer relinquishing the very thing she most desperately wanted. She reminds me of both Sarah and Rachel. All three deeply desired children, but only Hannah went to the Lord in prayer. When Eli the priest finally acknowledged she wasn’t drunk as he thought (which indicates the sorry state of worship at the tabernacle in those days), he blessed her and prayed the Lord would grant her petition. That’s all she needed to hear. Her outlook on life completely changed before her circumstances did because she chose to trust. She returned to the feast with a countenance no longer sad because Hannah believed the Lord and found comfort in Eli’s prayer. Eventually, Hannah found she was pregnant, gave birth and named her child Samuel, meaning “God Has Heard.” And in due time, she made good on her vow to return to God the very gift He gave her. In fact, she’s the only woman in the Old Testament who made and fulfilled a vow to the Lord. The only one.
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Matt, Francesca, Wyatt, Kate, Audrey, Eli, Mike and Isaac
—continued from page 9— The time arrived for Hannah to return to Shiloh, honor her vow and give her son to Eli the priest, never to live with him again. Yet it’s in the time of giving up that Hannah poured out her song to God, a beautiful heartfelt song of praise, rejoicing in God even more than in the gift of her son. Her prayer expressed deep certainty in the sovereignty of God, pouring out praise and thanksgiving for her blessings, bridging a period of everyone “doing what is right in their own eyes” to a new era of peace and order. Israel was now to be ruled by kings — the first two, Saul and David, anointed by the son she desperately prayed for! Do Hannahs still exist today with destinies in God yet unrealized? Is God looking for desperate ones to raise a great man or woman on the earth?
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 NKJV. When trials come that devastate, we don’t see His mercy, only devastation. We might not see God in it, but He’s there and feels everything we feel and sees every tear. His mercy is real, and no matter what we experience, eventually, we will see His hand. In my own struggle with infertility, I realized the hard way that His ways are not my ways but are much higher than mine. His mercy seemed severe at the time and not much like mercy at all. But when the dust settled, the fog lifted and years passed, it was easy to see God’s mercy indeed, just not in its nice Sunday wrapping. He transformed my understanding of mercy, and I learned, His greatest mercy is sometimes wrapped in His deepest test.
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karen porter | karenporter.com
SPIRITUAL DEEP CLEANING for leaders 12.
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rid of them. Complaining and finding fault need to be stuffed in a trash can. Arguing and thinking I know a better way must go. Instead, I need to unpack and dust off joy and patience and kindness and humility so I can replace the negative with the positive. Paul said:
[Love is not] rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 1 Corinthians 13:5 NLT Declutter the Messy
I also made a list of areas in my spiritual life that could use a good washing and a repair job, especially in the arena of leadership. Let’s consider the clean-up job before us.
While we quarantined, we streamed movies, documentaries and YouTube shows in quantities we had never consumed before. We watched the news incessantly, trying to get a glimpse of the next wave. We complained about politicians and government and people. Since our businesses and our ministries were slow or halted and we were stuck at home, we had extra time on hand for these entertainments and news updates. Now my mind has become a selfish center desiring these indulgences, and they clutter my time and energy. It is time for me to focus in an innovative and fresh way on what God has called me to do. It means leaving some excesses and centering my heart. I turned off the TV, and I refuse to watch the news all day. I limit movies to inspiring and uplifting shows. Less of the self-centered distractions because none of these diversions will give me the joy of following Christ.
Big Issues First
Spruce It Up
Begin with a blank pad as you list all the areas of your responsibility as a leader. Who are the people you lead? What is your purpose in leading them? What has changed over this past year of COVID and isolation? How are they different? What won’t work anymore? Getting a clear view of where you and your organization are today will help you move forward. This COVID-break from the norm may be the greatest opportunity you’ve ever had as a leader to revamp and revitalize. At some point, this crisis will end. If you begin now with a thorough review of every aspect of the ministry or organization you lead, you will be ready.
Renewal and new life are the symbols of spring. Start fresh. Try some new ideas for your organization. Never look back. We are renewed in Christ. He is our sustenance, and he is our joy. After a season of stress and uncertainty, we can rejoice with Isaiah, “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom” (Isaiah 35:1 NIV).
I made a list of the areas in my house I want to deep clean this spring. By the time I finished, I had a full page of unpleasant jobs to do from the windows to the floor and everything in between. Much more than I can do in a weekend of scrubbing and decluttering.
Repair the Broken When we do a thorough spring cleaning in our home, we will find places that need repair — both big and small. A button needs to be sewn back on. A rip needs repair. A wall needs paint. A window needs replacing. As we assess our leadership position, we may need to repair some attitudes and throw away some annoying habits. My personality type is the one who wants to be in charge and in control. I excel when I operate in my strengths of leading, inspiring, and directing. But when I function in my weaknesses, which include being bossy, impatient, and demanding, I fail. This spring is a good time for me to dig deep to discover what annoys me enough to push me into the flaws that linger near the surface of my personality. And get
Let’s talk it over.
Six Spring Cleaning Questions for Leaders 1. What has changed in me as a leader — my priorities, my purpose, my dreams? 2. How have I struggled with a sense of pride this past year? 3. What words of mine hinted at criticism or dissatisfaction? 4. Throughout this crisis, have I treated others as Jesus would treat them? 5. What is most important as I start anew? 6. Who are the people I can engage now, and how can I bring them into my leadership team?
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UNDER pam farrel | love-wise.com
pressure
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continue to add heat, both the pressure and temperature inside the vessel will rise. Steam has six times the heat potential. This increased heat transfer potential is why steam is such an effective cooking medium. 1
In the same way, pressure can make your marriage better, just as food in a pressure cooker will be preserved well and taste scrumptious, so will your marriage become “tastier” if it can handle the pressure. In 10 Secrets to Living Smart, Savvy and Strong, I share in detail one of the pressure cooker times of our marriage: Bill was ill, all three of our sons got injured in football, my brother had a heart attack and I felt torn with the painful question of “Who do I help first?” In addition, finances were exceptionally tight, there was an emotionally painful conflict with people we trusted, plus the daily pressures of midlife: hot flashes, night sweats and the aches and pains of aging bodies and minds. The apostle Paul knew this kind of stress:
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8–9 NIV
You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors (James 1:3 MSG). I am a country girl, and I love the beauty of watching a seed grow into a plant and a plant producing nutritious fruit and vegetables and then enjoying eating the fruit of our labor! However, the fruit is sweeter and the vegetables last longer if they are cooked and canned. To accomplish this, we often used a pressure cooker. So how does a pressure cooker work? Online kitchen expert, Miss Vickie, describes it like this: The only way to make the steam hotter (or to boil the water at a higher temperature) is to put the system under pressure. This is what a pressure cooker does. If we fit an absolutely tight cover to the pan so no steam can escape while we
“Pressed” means “pressed upon,” like in a vise; “perplexed is a term for “puzzled”; “persecuted is the picture of harassing to cause pain; “struck down” is the knockout punch, but not a death blow. Have you ever felt like you and your mate are there? Are you pressed in from every side, puzzled, harassed, and knocked to the ground by life? Many of us, due to pressure of the pandemic, are wondering “How can we move our relationships forward in a healthier way?” 1
http://missvickie.com/workshop/howdoesit.html
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—continued from page 15— In these pressure-pounding times, it is easy to play the blame game. If he would have only done this, or she should have known to do that. It is a no-win spiral down that slippery slope. That is like opening the pressure cooker too early — which can cause a big mess. If you’ve ever heard of a cooker exploding, mainly the cause was the cooker was forced open before it has completely cooled down. When the cooker is opened too early, it can “blow a gasket.” The pressurized contents will explode all over! So how do you avoid that scenario with a real pressure cooker? One experienced cook gives this advice: “A blow-up is avoided by waiting until the pressure has dropped before opening the lid. If steam hisses beneath the weight as it’s touched, the cooker’s contents are still under pressure and must continue cooling down. If steam doesn’t hiss out, even after the indicator weight is lifted off the cooker,” 2 it is safe to move forward. Here are a few ways we have learned to handle love in the pressure cooker of life and not blow our TOPs:
Take a breath. 2
C. Jeanne Heida, http://voices.yahoo.com/how-prevent-vintage-pressurecooker-blowing-5308345.html?cat=7
Stop and pray a simple prayer like counselor Dr. Sylvia Hart Frejd: “Lord, I give You everyone and everything”
Operate in the opposite. If he is grumpy, bring cheer; If he is depressed, offer hope. One way to do this is to pray and ask, “Lord, which fruit of the Spirit would bring comfort to my mate right now?”
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)
Place the issue in perspective.
Some seasons are just plain HARD! Instead of blaming each other, which adds steam and may cause one or both of you to “blow a gasket,” follow our example. We safely defuse the pressure by looking at each other and saying, “It’s not you; it’s not me; it’s just LIFE!”
Lord, help us not blame one another. Instead, help us become good at safely releasing steam for each other when caught in the pressure cooker of life. Amen
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THE BIG QUESTION
Q: In one place, the Bible said to be angry, and in another it said to put away anger. Isn’t that a contradiction? If you allow those thoughts to replay in your head, you’ll stay angry. Instead, we should be “taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB). Now let’s consider the command in Ephesians 4:31.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Ephesians 4:31 ESV) In contrast to Ephesians 4:26, I believe this passage addresses long-term anger.
cynthia . simmons | clsimmons.com
You refer to a couple different verses in Ephesians and another in Colossians that repeats the same command. Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” (ESV). This is short-term anger. The Greek verb “be angry” is passive, meaning “allow yourself to get angry.” However, in the middle of that sudden anger, you must choose not to sin. That’s huge. For example, if you witness a drunk person bashing into your car in the parking lot, you experience righteous indignation. Laws in the Old Testament protect your person and your property, so God would be angry at the injustice too. That anger produces a rush of energy, and you don’t want to misuse that by calling the driver names or even hurting him. Notice the last part of the Ephesians verse. God commanded us not to stay angry overnight. Let’s face it. To maintain anger, you must fuel the fire by rethinking the car collision or devising ugly names for the person who whacked your car.
If you allow anger to simmer, it grows and turns into bitterness, producing slander and malice. For example, imagine after the driver dents your car, you must get a rental while yours gets fixed. Unfortunately, you have to accept a vehicle you hate. Your fury expands as if you blew air into a balloon, and you wish you could throw darts at that man who had the audacity to drink and drive. Mulling over the wasted time, you devise ugly names that you hurl at the driver under your breath. After your car is fixed, you feel it doesn’t drive the same, even though the mechanics did their best. You can see that man’s face while seething over your loss. You start worrying about keeping your car safe and losing your temper with anyone who drives fast. You might even yell at people on the highway who appear too tense.
In that situation, God commands you to put aside the anger and all the problems it produces. In summary, if you feel rising anger, you must not let that anger boil over into sin. As for long-term anger, let’s do spring cleaning in our hearts. I often pray for God to pry open the filing cabinets in my soul and find evil I’ve forgotten. Ask God to remove the smoldering bitterness and allow fresh air into your soul.
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big fail?
IT’S TIME TO BOUNCE BACK julie zine coleman | juliecoleman.org
He was a young pastor, happy in his ministry and life as a husband and father. Then, during an intensely emotional counseling session with a woman, he succumbed to temptation. They committed adultery together. As he drove home that night, he knew nothing would ever be the same again. His ministry was over. As a Christian leader, do you ever worry a big fail will keep God from using you? You are not alone: fear of disqualification can keep many of us hiding our failures and disguising our weaknesses.
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If anyone had reason to fear he’d become unfit for ministry, it definitely was Peter.
Peter’s Triple Feature We all know the story: the night of Jesus’ arrest, three different times, people asked if he was with or even knew Jesus. Three times, he answered with a resounding NO. He left the scene weeping bitterly. I imagine Jesus’ earlier warning was ringing in his ears:
“Whoever denies Me before men, I will deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:33 NASB 1995 Earlier, Jesus had commended Peter on an insightful proclamation, promising:
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven.” Matthew 16:19 NASB Heady stuff. But in light of what had just happened, it now seemed for naught. But was that God’s intention? Jesus had actually warned Peter of his coming test and its eventual outcome: “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32 NASB 1995). You will deny me. You will weep bitter tears. But the result of all this will be an ability to help your brothers as they go through similar tests. God would use Peter’s experience to transform him into an amazing help to those who would fail after him. Into the ashes, God would breathe redemption and new life.
Another Chance Shortly after the Resurrection, Peter met up with Jesus on a beach in Galilee. I imagine it would have been an awkward moment, meeting Jesus’ eyes with the enormity of failure heavy on his heart. Jesus took him for a walk. “Simon, do you love Me more than these?” Peter’s passion and angst shone through his response: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love You.” Two more times, Jesus asked the same question. At the third, Peter cried, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love you!” And Jesus said: “Then tend my sheep.” I think as he reflected back, Peter realized Jesus was giving him three chances to right the wrong of his three
denials: three acknowledgments of Jesus, three chances to set the record straight. Then, without one word about his failure, Jesus reinstated Peter. You are forgiven. Now go and shepherd others, as I have shepherded you. Did he do what Jesus said? Yes. Did God use him? Yes!
A Lasting Legacy Peter went on to become the leading apostle and preacher after Jesus’ ascension. We find him leading the disciples in Acts 1 when they needed to replace Judas. After being filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples spilled out into the streets. Who speaks to the crowd of pilgrims? Peter. Three thousand believed in Christ that day. It was Peter who performed the first healings in Acts, and after that, Peter and John were the first to be arrested for preaching Christ. Peter was given the vision for Gentiles to be included in the Kingdom. He even wrote two of the books of the Bible. I can go on and on, but you get the point.
The story of Peter’s denial is in every single Gospel. But interestingly, none of the writers were with Peter that night. The only way they could have known about it was if Peter told them. Why was Peter so insistent about sharing his big fail? Because God’s response was a demonstration of His grace and forgiveness. Because the story we are to share isn’t about us, or what good people we are or what moral standards we have. Our story is about our redemption through God’s grace; God reaching down in mercy and nailing our sin to the cross, as Jesus paid our insurmountable debt. That’s our story. Through God’s redemption, His breathing life into the ashes of his failure, Peter understood: the story was not about his accomplishments or credentials. It was about God’s grace. No doubt, those who heard Peter’s story were encouraged. A time of intense persecution was coming, and many would fail to pledge their allegiance to God under threat of death. But even as they heard their own words of betrayal, they would know that where sin abounded, grace would abound more. My pastor friend, who felt he’d ruined his life with his sinful encounter? He and his wife worked through the issues together. God healed him and healed their marriage. He is now working in prison ministry, where men with checkered pasts gain hope for themselves through hearing what God did for him. God heals us, but the scars we bear from our failures remain. But rather than a detriment, they stand in testimony to His grace. It’s the best news ever: nothing is beyond the forgiveness of God.
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are you
listening? mabel ninan | mabelninan.com
I plugged my ears with my headphones as I sat down for my manicure. I smiled at the aesthetician and gave her the purple nail color I had picked out for my nails. “Nice color.” She peered at my chipped nails through her glasses. Eager to tune in to my favorite podcast, I pressed play on my phone before entrusting my hand to my experienced aesthetician. The podcast hosts who were discussing creativity and productivity captured my interest. I paid little attention to the elderly woman until she began painting my nails. When she reached my second nail, she closed her eyes. Was she nodding off? Annoyed, I watched as the elderly lady painted and repainted my nails, struggling to stay awake. When she finished the manicure and started the pedicure, I unplugged my headphones. I began talking with the lady, hoping to keep her awake.
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“How is your business doing during this pandemic?” She gathered her supplies and examined my feet. “I have to pay rent whether the salon is open or closed.” She looked at me for a brief moment and looked away. “It has not been easy.” I searched for words to comfort her but came back empty. I remembered it was the Chinese New Year. “Happy New Year! Are you doing anything special with your family?” “I cannot take any days off. I have to work hard.” The aesthetician glanced at me, nail filer in hand. “But no matter how hard I work, it’s never enough.” “I understand. I can’t imagine how difficult that must be.” My heart sank. I felt a pang of guilt for being irritated at her earlier. I noticed the dark circles underneath the aesthetician’s eyes and the lines carved on her forehead and cheeks. How many times did she nod off at work from exhaustion? I asked more questions to get to know her. I was all ears as she narrated her struggles. When the pedicure was done and paid for, I thanked her and gave her a hug with my eyes. Back in my car I prayed for her. And for me. Why did it take me so long to give the lady my full attention? How could I be more present and listen to those around me? I asked God to teach me how to listen well. Like Him. One of my favorite qualities of God is that He is an amazing listener. We can pray with confidence because our God, the God of heaven and earth, promises to hear us:
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14 NIV). He gives us His complete attention:
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 1 Peter 3:12 NIV Every word, groan, sigh, and whisper. Nothing escapes His ears.
How can we be good listeners like God? As Christian communicators and leaders, most of us spend time trying to communicate our wisdom, but it is crucial that we also cultivate the skill of listening. Here are three ways you can learn to “listen” better:
1. Be available While waiting in line at Costco or at the post office, we can put away our phones. Our body language signals our availability and willingness to participate in the conversation.
2. Ask questions A simple conversation starter like, “How are you doing today?” shows people we are interested in them.
3. Welcome interruptions Sometimes, God puts us in situations that require us to sacrifice our own comforts or change our plans and pay attention to the needs of those around us. At the nail salon, I didn’t want to be disturbed. I wanted to simply relax by enjoying my podcast. But I believe God orchestrated the events that day so that I could put aside my agenda and give the aesthetician the gift of listening.
Like God, we can love others by lending them our ears. As we hear people share, the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual insight into their condition and helps us discern how we can serve them. Listening opens the door for God to step in and use us as His instruments on earth. Writers and speakers, let us keep one ear pressed to the bosom of our Heavenly Father so that we are tuned in to His thoughts and plans. And let us keep another ear peeled to the cries and appeals of the people around us. As we become better listeners, we will become better servants and God will use us in a mighty way to accomplish His purposes on earth.
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AVAILABLE WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD.
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MUSICREVIEWS BOLD VISION #1 heather van allen | music reviewer
FIRST15 the invitation The Invitation, released March 19, 2021, is the debut EP from First15 Worship, a new endeavor to provide praise and worship music as an accompaniment to the First15 devotional series. Featuring a different voice on each track, these five songs are designed to pull people into worship as they enter God’s presence each day. “As believers, we want a real connection with God every day, not just on Sunday,” Craig Denison, founder of First15, says. “Finding an abiding connection with God in the busyness of everyday life isn’t easy, especially on our own. ...With The Invitation, we’re creating worship for the weekday to help you find and keep a meaningful connection with your Creator.” Worship music can actually be a powerful tool that encourages us to pause for a few moments of stillness in the morning before our feet hit the ground running to accomplish all the day demands. First15 has issued each of us The Invitation to do just that — choose to sit still soaking in God’s presence for a while.
TIM TIMMONS here Songwriter/vocalist Tim Timmons reminds us of the power in starting the day with a grateful heart with his new album, Here, released April 16, 2021. The eight-song record starts with the upbeat “This Is the Day,” reminding us to rejoice in the simple blessing of each new day. “I’m now 21 years into a 5-year death sentence with an incurable cancer diagnosis…. One of my primary reminders is to practice thankfulness for another day that I get to wake up,” With his songs, or prayers, as he considers them, Tim’s desire for listeners is that we would find ourselves flipping the concept of living for Jesus into the reality of living with Him. Tim does not hold anything back with his voice, which he raises to God with a faith that places confidence in our Savior’s presence. He sings as someone who wants to experience the limitless power released through worship from a truly thankful heart. It seems he would like his listeners to experience the same — in abundance.
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jennifer taylor | profile contributor
TERRIAN
“You have to live with your hands open and be ready to receive whatever the Lord has for your life.”
T ER R I A N
light it up
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Toby’s team, but I just never felt ready for that. Actually, I didn’t know who Toby was, so it wasn’t like alarming or anything,” Terrian said. “Once I did American Idol and was eliminated, we felt like it was time to make that connection.” Upon meeting Dan in Franklin, Tennessee, he set her up with a couple of different songwriting sessions while keeping her name in Toby’s ears. “He allowed me to sing on an album called ‘Beatitudes,’” she said. “Eventually, I got to go in and fill in for Toby’s background vocalist, Nirva. At that time, she was getting ready to leave. So, they felt me out to see if I could be a potential background vocalist for him. I joined DiverseCity Band and signed with Gotee Records in the same year. It was just like perfect timing.”
At just 24 years old, Gotee Records singer/ songwriter Terrian has a Billboard #1 hit with “Light It Up” from her “Genesis of Terrian” EP. She’s also the lead female vocalist in TobyMac’s DiverseCity Band, and she was one of two Contemporary Christian Music artists to appear on Spotify’s Black Lives Matter playlist. Like one of her musical influencers, Alicia Keys, sings, you might say, “This Girl is on Fire!” But this Memphis girl is humble. She gives credit where credit is due. Terrian knows all her success is a direct blessing from God. Like many artists, she started singing in church at a young age, and early-on, she wanted to make music her career., and she knew early that she wanted to make music her career. In elementary school, a choir teacher helped Terrian nurture her gift. In middle and high school, staff helped her with more hands-on help that led to different music opportunities like singing in choir and a band. As she was preparing to graduate high school, she was introduced to Jill Dyson, her manager, and Angel Street, a nonprofit in Memphis that helps girls develop by providing musical training in communities with limited artistic opportunities.
“So, it’s just like every season the Lord had the right people there at the right time to help me become better as a singer and artist,” she said. “It’s been an awesome journey.” Another Memphis connection led to meeting Dan Pitts, TobyMac’s manager. “He always wanted to connect us to
Upon meeting Dan in Franklin, Tennessee, he set her up with a couple of different songwriting sessions while keeping her name in Toby’s ears. “He actually gave me an opportunity to sing on an album called, ‘Beatitudes,’” she said. “Eventually I got to go in and fill in for Toby’s background vocalist, Nirva. At that time, she was actually getting ready to leave. So, they were feeling me out to see if I could be a potential background vocalist for him. I joined DiverseCity Band and signed with Gotee Records in the same year. It was just like perfect timing.” And all of this happened after being eliminated from American Idol in 2015. She said the experience was really fun, and she would recommend it to any person who wants to be an artist. “You are put in the contest with people who want to do the same thing as you. You get to sing together and have fun. You’re going through this super hard process together and you make such good friends. I’m still cool with some of the people that I met there,” she said. “You get to form real relationships. It was hard for me to be eliminated because it was difficult for me to trust the Lord’s plan. What’s funny is that it wasn’t that I necessarily wanted to be on the show, I was just sad to not be around my friends anymore. After that sting wore off, that’s when I started living open-handedly ready to receive whatever the Lord’s will was for my life. That just provided so much peace for me. That’s led me to where I am today. I don’t stress about opportunities or where I am in my career. I do the work that I can do, and I just leave the rest up to the Lord.” Prior to releasing her “Genesis of Terrian” EP, she released some slower, mid-tempo songs, but it was the Hits Deep 2020 writing sessions that really opened the door to her current success. She started writing with Darren and Kyle from We Are Messengers, as well as Gabe Patillo, who is also part of the DiverseCity Band. “I came across a sound that I had wanted to do for so long, but I just didn’t know the people to do that sound within our industry. They were just willing to have fun with me,” she said. “We didn’t feel like
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“Don’t try to walk into doors that you know the Lord isn’t trying to open because you’re stressed about opportunity and furthering your career.” —continued from page 27— there were any chains on what we were doing. We felt super free to create. Once we came up with the sound, it felt like the beginning all of a sudden for me, which is why I called it the “Genesis of Terrian.”
Now, I have this newfound baby that’s my sound, and that’s something I’m super passionate about. It just feels like it’s marked the beginning of my musical journey.” Terrian said she didn’t know how the response would be to her debut project, so to see its success has been awesome. “Once people started receiving it and loving it, I was just glad that we stuck to what we were loving and what we were excited about in that room while we were writing. People are connecting with it, and that has just meant so much.” As for the Black Lives Matter playlist, she said that came out of nowhere. “We didn’t know what would happen with that song because it wasn’t a single that we were going to put to radio or anything. We were just like let’s release it because we really like it,” Terrian said. “Then this playlist picks it up, and they have millions of people that listen to it. So that meant a lot as well. Kirk Franklin and I were the only two Contemporary Christian Music artists that made that playlist. I was so glad that I got to represent the church in that space. Just seeing the things the Lord has been giving us over the time that I have been releasing music has been super sweet. I’m super grateful.”
In hopes of building on that success, Terrian is focusing on all things music now, including more writing, touring and finishing her songwriting degree at Visible Music College in Memphis. “Just trying to balance all of that and still honor my deal,” she said. “Create stuff that I love but not put too much pressure on myself. That can be a little nerve-racking, creating a whole other project. Hoping the content is good.” She’s also incredibly grateful for the people who have contributed to her success. “He’s just brought the right people at the right time along the journey. I’ve had many mentors my entire life. That has been so helpful,” Terrian said. “My parents and my husband have been amazing. I have many great people around me and holding me accountable, making sure that I’m staying on the right course.” To keep her on that course, Terrian lives with open hands and focuses on Isaiah 26:3, the verse that inspired her song, “Stayed on Him.” “You have to live with your hands open and be ready to receive whatever the Lord has for your life. That has provided me so much peace for my journey. I think every artist must have peace of mind because it is a fickled industry. Success looks different for everybody,” she said.
“It may not happen when you want it to happen. It may take years, or it could happen instantly. Whenever it happens, you want to make sure that you have peace of mind. That you aren’t being swayed and stressed by every little thing. 29.
out with the old
IN WITH THE NEW penelope carlevato | penelopecarlevato.com
Out with the old, and in with the new. How many times have we heard that idiom and applied it? Recently, when trying to declutter our house in anticipation of a move, I wondered if this applied to all areas of my life or just a physical thing? Did I need to get rid of old thoughts and ways of approaching things in my spiritual life? Move on, let go, purge? Was I still hanging on to some old ideas? We recently moved to another state. It was a difficult move. Several offers on our house fell through, we couldn’t find a new home, and then everything fell into place. But, just as quickly, it all fell out of place. We did sell our house and were ready to move into my dream house, and it was almost “perfect.” However, the sellers of my “perfect” home couldn’t find another place, so we were left homeless. Our things went into storage, and we moved in with my husband’s cousin. As we continued to be on the alert for a house to come on the market, we realized that things were changing. We had to let go, be flexible, and relinquish our plans. Our old way of doing things wasn’t working. God had something else in mind. Any house that came on the market immediately sold, and often with bidding wars and multiple offers. I was not looking forward to those conditions.
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But God had other plans for us. One of the other agents in our realtor’s office knew of a couple going to put their house on the market. We had the opportunity to see the house before it went to multiple listings. We prayed and felt the nudge to put in an offer, and they accepted. The house we bought wasn’t the “perfect” house I imagined. It looked good, but once we moved in, we realized we had a lot of work ahead of us. I wasn’t surprised when our new pastor preached just the message I needed to hear.
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. Philippians 3:13 NIV I hadn’t noticed the word “straining” before in that verse. I thought when God was opening doors, things went well. I had to let go of that concept and realize I needed to push forward and get on with the new life in our new home. Because this house wasn’t the “perfect” house I hoped for, I began to complain. I knew if I kept complaining about the house, I would be missing his blessing and the benefits of this move. Life isn’t always a rose garden.
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33 NIV I certainly didn’t want to be like the Children of Israel, who got stuck and didn’t move forward as they feared the enemies and complained about the menu God had graciously provided.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing. Philippians 2:14 NIV Anytime we lose our trust in God’s ways, we are susceptible to turning back into disobedience. So, yes, I had to dump the old and move on with the new. God never disappoints. He will use us where we are and use what we have. I don’t know why we are in this house and not the other “perfect” one, but I know I must be obedient. I can’t look back and wish for something that is not going to happen. After that sermon on not looking back, I knew I had to get rid of my old thoughts and ideas. I needed to substitute praise for the complaining and concentrate on the things I like about the house. I love the new refrigerator with the huge freezer drawer on the bottom! It’s also amazing what happens when we gaze at Jesus and glance at our problems; things do change. We can successfully be out the with old and in with the new. My job is to keep walking in the path God has shown me. It may not be what I wanted or thought it would be, but when I am obedient, God gets the glory.
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19 NIV We are looking forward to having friends over for a bar-b-que in our new home. We have a great deck that will be fun for entertaining. A favorite salad is our son-in-law’s recipe. It’s an easy side dish and goes perfectly with just about anything. You can customize it with your favorite additions or dressings. I love the cranberry dressing to give it a little zing.
Rich’s Spring Fling Salad 8 to 10 cups baby spinach, washed and dried. 1 cup raspberries 1 avocado, chopped ½ thinly sliced red onion ½ sliced English cucumber ½ red pepper, thinly sliced 1 cup grape tomatoes Optional: candied pecans Serves 4 to 6
Cranberry Salad Dressing ½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce ½ cup wine vinegar 2/3 cup olive oil 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp sea salt Combine all ingredients in a covered jar and shake until mixed. Keeps in refrigerator 2 weeks.
Find great recipes like this in Penelope’s book: The Art of Afternoon Tea: From the Era of Downton Abbey and the Titanic. Available autographed from penelopecarlevato.com \or by emailing penelopesteatime@gmail.com.
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dr. saundra dalton-smith | ichoosemybestlife.com
DECLUTTER
YOUR EMOTIONAL CLOSET
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The mind is often like an unruly child. If you tell a five-yearold to have a seat in a chair and then leave the room for 10 minutes, it’s unlikely they will still be in that chair when you return. In the same way, your mind may resist settling down. The good news is your mind can be disciplined and trained. One strategy you can use is what I call using a mental word chair. Have one word you choose to say in your head whenever your mind tries to stray. If you struggle with worry, your word may be “peace.” So every time your mind attempts to get out of its “peace chair,” you say the word “peace” to redirect your thoughts. Another tool you can use to focus your attention is to focus on a characteristic of God during those times when your emotions try to challenge your faith.
When you think of spring cleaning, you may have an image of mops, brooms, and trash bags filled with items you no longer need. Spring is a great time to get your physical spaces clutter-free, but it’s also an excellent opportunity to access your emotional space. If you find yourself battling negative self-talk, feeling overwhelmed, and struggling with life’s stressors, let’s look at some ways to reorganize your thought life. You can get rid of many negative emotions during spring cleaning, and anger is at the top of the list. You will need to confront this feeling rather than trying to put it in the corner of your emotional closet. If you try to hide it away, it’ll just grow stronger and cause you more distress. Face your anger by determining what is at the root of these feelings. Is your anger directed at the actions of another? Or are you angry at yourself?
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger. Ephesians 4:26 ESV Everyone will experience this emotion at some point. The goal is not to allow anger to become a permanent fixture in your life. Address it quickly. Start by taking a moment to seek God about the cause of your feelings. Follow your vertical conversation with a horizontal conversation with the object of your anger. Look for ways to find solutions for the issues rather than placing blame. The temperatures outside may be warming up during spring, but you can learn to stay cool emotionally. Focus on organization. Just like you would organize your house when it becomes too cluttered, take this opportunity to learn to organize your mind when it becomes cluttered too. Avoid letting jumbled thoughts overpower your thinking process. Resist mental multi-tasking and deal with one situation at a time. Take time each day to clear your mind. You can accomplish this through meditation, prayer, or any relaxing activity that helps you focus your thoughts.
Forgiveness is also a tool needed when doing emotional decluttering. Focus on forgiveness if you’re holding onto negative emotions dealing with situations where you feel someone has wronged you. You may not feel the person deserves it, but you deserve to be at peace. Think of it as doing something good for yourself instead of letting someone off the hook.
Forgiveness is like unchaining yourself from the emotional weight of the offender’s actions. What’s a good reorganization project without a few checklists? Just as you make a list of your chores during cleaning, make a list of some of your short-term and longterm dreams and goals. When you list them out on paper, it gives you something concrete to work toward. Post your list where you’ll see it often, and cross things off as you accomplish them. Include some God-sized dreams that stretch you to trust him more as He enlarges your territory. Be open to new ideas. When you open yourself to new situations and ideas, you’ll bring a unique freshness and more opportunities into your life. It might feel safe to stay closed off, but eventually, you’ll feel that things have become stale.
Life in Christ should feel like spring. There should regularly be new things blooming. Don’t be afraid to have fun and embrace joy. Spring cleaning for your mind doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be a healing and restorative process to let go of thoughts that are no longer beneficial. It’s like getting a fresh start, and you can fix your mind on things that are lovely, true, honest, pure, and praiseworthy. Leave enough time after spring cleaning your mind and your home to enjoy life and nature. Learn to see the beauty in things that you’ve taken for granted. Take a walk, get some fresh air, or get up early one day to watch the sunrise. These things will give you new perspectives on life. Remember, your mind-body-spirit wellbeing is vital. It’s more critical than those household things you clean every spring. Use these tips to spring clean your mind, and enjoy your new beginning free from stresses and negativity.
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bethany jett | bethanyjett.com
spic & span
PLANNER HACKS with bethany 34. leadinghearts.com
them from your working memory, which reduces brain overload.1 Heaven knows I need less brain overload. Gather last year’s planner, previous months, or any scrap papers with to-do lists and create a master list of to-dos that didn’t get done. Any item that still needs to be completed can be written on a new sheet. Then discard the old one or save it (if you prefer).
3. Remove unneeded pages. If you’re using a disc system, chances are good that you didn’t use all the sheets of paper that came with it. Flip through the used pages and remove any that don’t have any writing on them. They can be redated and repurposed!
4. Shred. Recycle. Toss.
An often-overlooked item in the spring cleaning to-do list is the calendar. Whether you’re
The rule in the Jett house is that if our name and/or address is on it, it gets shredded. Spam mail gets ripped in half when it arrives to indicate that it goes to the shred bin.
5. Store your used planner pages.
a virtual planner or paper fanatic, spring is the perfect time to gather fresh pages, new pens, highlighters, and sticker books if you want to get all decorative … which I do … and create some pretty planner pages.
The classic-sized Happy Planner pages fit beautifully in a gallon-size freezer bag. Simply remove from the discs, slide papers into the bag, squeeze the air out, and zip shut.
But first, we must get rid of the old to make way for the new.
You can use a manila envelope or file folders if you like, but the storage bag keeps the pages waterproof. Now that we’re done, it’s time to plan.
Grab your paper shredder, trash can, and a bin for recycling, and turn on your favorite show for background noise. It’s time to clean up the calendars.
Clean Up Your Digital Files
For more planning and organizing tips, follow @bethanyjett on Instagram.
Digital files are just as important to clean out as paper ones. Along with your online calendar, you can use this opportunity to delete any duplicate files, along with ones that aren’t relevant anymore. And remember to empty your digital trash can when you’re done.
Clean Up Your Paper Files Paper files can be more difficult to manage since they’re tangible. This process can often feel overwhelming, but if you take it a step at a time, you’ll be able to find planner peace quickly.
1. Evaluate your system. If you started the new year with a fresh planner, is it continuing to work for you? There are countless options from the binding (spiral or disc) or the layouts (horizontal, vertical, color-blocking) to the type, brand, or style (Hobonichi, bullet journal, Happy Planner, Day-Timer, Erin Condren, Levenger, Simplified…).
2. Create your master list. According to Hilary Scarlett, author of Neuroscience for Organizational Change, writing things down removes
¹ https://www.koganpage.com/article/plan-your-day-with-yourbrain-in-mind
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praying away the
COVID COBWEBS linda evans shepherd | gottopray.com
Do you have a few COVID cobwebs in the corners of your house? I do too, and I even have a few occupying the corners of my mind. It’s time to sweep free of all that has held us prisoner
this past year. For as John 8:36 says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Let’s apply the freedom of the Son to the cobwebs of fear, depression and hopelessness.
Breaking the Cobweb of Fear If you’re tired of the cobweb of fear, refresh you mind with this mighty Scripture from Isaiah 41:13, which quotes God saying:
“For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you’” (ESV). Reread this Scripture. Let the words breathe into your spirit. Recognize that it is God himself who is gripping your hand. How can you be afraid when He’s got you?
Breaking the Cobweb of Depression If you’ve gotten caught in this cobweb, read the good news of 1 Peter 5:7, which says,
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” Imagine you’ve filled a wooden chest with all your anxieties and chained it to your ankle. Dragging such baggage
makes it hard to walk free. But God has given you the key to freedom; all you have to do is push this burden over to God. He will carry the weight of this difficult year and its entanglements. Take a deep breath and know that you are free!
Breaking the Cobweb for Hopelessness Untangle yourself from this cobweb with the power found in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (ESV). Read this Scripture again and open your heart to God. Stay still and allow Him to fill you with joy and peace. Invite the presence of the Holy Spirit to help you abound in hope. Now thank God for setting you free. You no longer have to live entangled in these COVID cobwebs. Pray the following prayer to help keep these cobwebs at bay.
Dear Lord, Thank You that You hold my hand and will never let go. Thank You that I do not need to fear, for You’ve got my fears, and You’re working out the details of my life so I can live in Your freedom. I cast my worries, anxieties, stress, cares of this world, health, as well as my needs on You. You can provide peace as well as solutions to my every concern. Fill me with your hope, joy and peace through the power of Your Holy Spirit so that I will no longer be entangled in the cares of this world. I declare that I am free because the Son has set me free. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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PODCASTSPOTLIGHT BOLD VISION #1
TODAY’S HEARTLIFT WITH JANELL janell rardon Sometimes the story we tell ourselves is not really true. Sometimes the story others tell about us is not really true. On “Today’s Heartlift with Janell,” Author, Trauma-informed therapist, and Professional Heartlifter, Janell Rardon, opens conversations about how emotional health and mental fitness effects absolutely every area of our lives. When we possess and practice healthy, strong, resilient emotional health practices, life is so much better. A reviewer shares: “Soothing words, uplifting stories Listen in the car, as you take a walk in nature, or sitting by the ocean soaking up God’s creation. Janell gets right to the heart of matters of the heart, mind, and spirit. Start your day with her encouragement or end your day with a soothing ‘conversation’ with Janell.”
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN NOW 38. leadinghearts.com
ARISE ESTHER STORIES OF FAITH AND COURAGE dawn scott damon Esther’s obedience to God paved the way for her nation to be saved from destruction. Our nation is also under attack by an enemy sworn to destroy us. God is calling us back to Himself. Just like Esther, you can intercede on behalf of your family, your community, and your world. Arise Esther Podcast Host Dawn Scott Damon shares open conversations with “modern-day Esthers,” ordinary women who have overcome obstacles, made leaps of bold faith, and stepped up to be used of God in an Esther moment of courageous leadership. No matter if it’s an interview with a multi-award-winning recording artist, best-selling author, or the girl next door— each episode will encourage you to rise to become an Esther ... for such a time as this.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN NOW
clean sweep YOUR SOUL michelle lazurek | michellelazurek.com
Most women love jewelry, flowers or candy for Valentine’s Day. Not this girl. I asked for a
closet organizer. Weird, I know. But when anything in my life is cluttered, it causes me anxiety. As I watched my husband install it, my heart leapt for joy. I filled garbage bags with clothes hidden so long I forgot I had them and swept the dirt out until everything had a place. When I was done, I felt something: I felt joy. It took a lot of perseverance to get there, but the thought that my closet would never become out of control again was worth every minute of effort I put into it. The next morning, my back hurt and muscles throbbed from a job well done, but I still felt weighed down, just in a different way. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. That was until a church conflict soon reared its ugly head. Suddenly, all the old emotions from the betrayal emerged as if they had been on the surface all along. I realized I hadn’t dealt effectively with everything I had felt regarding the tension. I knew I had to forgive, but I didn’t feel like it. Little by little, that unwillingness crept into my soul and cluttered it, much like the excess of all those cute skirts and tops.
make people question who my God really is. I prayed and cried out to God with weeping. But I did the back-breaking, gut-wrenching work my soul needed. I came out of it not only with the emotional and mental freedom a child of God deserves but with a testimony of such goodness and mercy it would make any Father of that child proud. How about you? Is your soul cluttered, weighed down by the emotional baggage that comes from bad circumstances or the hindrances of life? If you need to sweep clean your soul, try some of these strategies: Examine your heart. Is there unconfessed sin, unforgiveness, anger or bitterness keeping you from being free? Journal your feelings and the events tied to these feelings. If you aren’t sure what those events might be, ask the Holy Spirit. Name the offense. Speak out the offense using the statement outlined above. Speak out each offense individually. By doing so, you take away its power. Don’t make a blanketed statement, clumping all offenses together. Satan might try to use an individual event to lie to you and say you are still bound. Don’t let him.
“I choose to forgive ________ for __________. And whatever my feelings can’t catch up to, the blood of Christ will cover.”
Declare the truth. Many of us forget the authority Jesus gave to each of His disciples: “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” (Luke 10:19). Use your voice and declare the truth. Tell Satan where he truly belongs. Declare your home and church a place where the Holy Spirit is welcomed and where Satan is ousted. That is the authority we have the privilege of walking in every day. Let’s not forget where (and to whom) we belong.
Just like my closet, my soul needed to be organized and swept clean. So I did what Lysa did. I dotted my journal’s lines with words so strong that to say them out loud might
Soul sweeping is tough. It takes hard work, perseverance and repentance to sweep and maintain its cleanliness. But the freedom and joy you gain is well worth the time and effort.
Lysa Teukeurst, in her book, Forgiving What You Can’t Forget, talked about an exercise her counselor had her do after reeling from her husband’s betrayal. He had her write out on index cards each offense he had committed against her. Then she spoke out each offense with this statement:
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SENSITIVITY READERS VERSUS CENSORSHIP dr. sabrina black | drsabrinablack.com
Over our lifespan, we have all been exposed in varying degrees to misinformation and stereotypes about people in different cultures whether it was intentional or subliminal. As we have matured and been exposed to greater levels of truth through the Word, our education, and experience, some of us have questioned our miseducation; others have embraced it. However we have chosen to process the information we have received, as we communicate, whether through spoken or written word, our biases are revealed. The challenge now for speakers and authors is to realize that the people for whom we have developed stereotypes may be our audience. The question becomes, how do we effectively communicate with authenticity and sensitivity in a way that allows others to
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know that if we don’t understand them, we want to? In our endeavor to be culturally sensitive, many are reaching across the divide and seeking to build relationships as well as awareness. Organizations and corporations are establishing programs and committees to address concerns for diversity. It is a blessing to be part of the AWSA organization which provides cutting-edge information. Attending conferences and reading news alerts, posts, the magazine, and other forms of communication that are designed for professional and personal development are so important. We have access to the Who’s Who of female Christian authors and speakers. We have a community of leaders and world changers that have impacted positively the way our industry is shaped. At our recent AWSA Arise Esther conference, a panel was held where I was privileged to share alongside Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, Babbie Mason, Dawn Scott Damon, Yolanda Powell, Rosalinda Rivera, Linda Evans Shepherd and Edwina Perkins. We addressed the issue of racial relations and sensitivity reading in publications. Prior to our conference, I did not think much about the relationship between racial concerns and sensitivity readers. I don’t even know if I had heard the term said aloud. Yet I was assigned on the panel to answer the question: What is a sensitivity reader, and how do they impact diversity and inclusion? I started by securing a definition. A sensitivity reader: •
reviews manuscripts before going to press to ensure that the stories are told accurately,
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helps to eliminate typecasting and stereotypes,
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works with the author or the publisher to point out blind spots of cultural insensitivity that the author or editor may have missed,
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helps to ensure that you don’t alienate or offend the very people that you’re trying to reach or represent, and
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is there to help, not hinder.
There are many great benefits to having a sensitivity reader. If this is the case, then why is there such controversy regarding it? One of the concerns that authors have is censorship. The concern that the author’s voice will be lost; that their flare and style of writing will be changed, or the emphasis being made will be cut in the edits. Censorship means to examine on order to suppress or delete anything considered objectionable or offensive. The thought of censorship is also controversial. We may feel as though Big Brother is hovering over us and we must demand our rights to freedom of speech and the press as outlined in the First Amendment. Sensitivity readers are not new. They are what we used to refer to as subject matter experts. Their area of expertise just happens to be race, religion, gender, sexuality, and issues of appropriate representation. It was not unusual for people to
use subject matter experts when they were writing about a field for which they had limited or no knowledge. To help give your story authenticity and depth, you would often consult the people in that field or profession for which you were writing about. For example, police officers, mechanics, artists or homemakers. Focus groups would even be held to gather data to help ensure authenticity. Even well-known book series like Dr. Seuss have invested in sensitivity readers over the years and continue to monitor their work. One week after the AWSA Arise Esther conference, The New York Times and the US News released articles stating that six Dr. Seuss books were being pulled from publication and circulation due to racist imagery. If I did not understand the value of monitoring one’s work, I would’ve thought this was going too far.
Dr. Seuss is well loved by adults and children. What could possibly be wrong with his books? On the 117th anniversary of Theodor Giselle’s birthday (Dr. Seuss’ real name), the company formed to preserve his legacy identified six books from over 60 classics that were pulled from publication because they contained images of Asian and Black people that incorporate negative stereotypes. Children learn at an early age to discriminate based on what they have been taught. The announcement coincided with the National Education Association’s Read Across America Day. The concern over these images had been raised in the past by parents and librarians. The people spoke. The Dr Seuss Foundation knew it was not a joke. Those books have been canceled, and it’s not a hoax. Having a sensitivity reader is important. They catch what we often miss. We often don’t see misrepresentation because we don’t intend any harm. It can be easy to see sensitivity readers as part of the new cancel culture. The culture that wants everything questioned and sanctioned. It is sometimes hard to hear the truth or to see it in print. Everyone wants to be represented well or at least accurately. Life in some areas and communities or cultures is hard. It’s tragic.But it’s even worse to have that story told without compassion or concern for the reader and clarity for context. When I now think about sensitivity readers, I recall the Scripture in Ephesians 4:29.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. KJV Let us all be open to improving the quality of our work that we may reach the masses in love and with sensitivity.
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rhonda rhea | rhondarhea.com
— L OV E —
off-the-shelf by the book
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a person. I would love to tell you I’ve never neglected giving needed attention to the people I’m called to love. But I have. Does it ever happen to you? You see someone across the room and avoid eye contact so the person doesn’t mistakenly feel welcomed into a conversation. Or you’re at the grocery store and quickly jerk your cart to an aisle you don’t need to visit to dodge a conversation with the neighbor down the street. I so regularly need to dust off my compassion and grace and to become intentional in the way I love.
Active love doesn’t avoid. As a matter of fact, it purposefully searches out opportunities to love—even to love the unlovely. To love the annoying. The foolish. The depressing. The smelly. The inconvenient people. An active love, dusted off and in use, is a love that goes yet beyond that. A God kind of love runs to meet those people. It’s no secret that we can love like that as we allow the God of love to do it in us.
My favorite part of dusting the bookshelves in my office is the part where I never really do it. At all. And actually, it’s my personal belief that if there’s dust on a bookshelf, that means there aren’t enough books on it. Incidentally, I’m always on the lookout for more books. And for more reasons to buy more books. Okay yes, I may have a bit of a book problem. Some may think me “shelf-ish” (I know, I can’t believe I said it either). I think I’d rather call it a dust problem, but whatever. My favorite way to dust the bookshelves? Turn on the ceiling fan. After a few swirls of the fan I figure the dusting is done and I can sit down and read a book. I won’t deny that I do have a lot of shelves—with a lot of books protecting all those shelves from dust. I was standing in the doorway staring into my office the other day and suddenly found myself thinking it’s a little embarrassing that though I have so many shelves and so many books, there’s not a book in there anywhere that I can pull to open up a secret passage. What an unfortunate oversight. Neglected secret passages aside, though, there are oversights along this life journey that are so much more unfortunate. I wish I could tell you that I’ve never overlooked
Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8 HCSB To love unselfishly is to allow the God who is love to work in us. Anytime we do not love others, we’re testifying to the world that the gospel hasn’t changed us on the inside as we claim. It’s like shelving our gospel effectiveness. Our love for others is our testimony. We’re the book others read, as it were.
By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:35 HCSB O Lord, may we be quick to love the unloveliest. As You work Your love in and through our lives, may we ever love like You. Here’s hoping we’re on the same page. Me? I’m mostly an open book.
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awsa memberships MEMBERSHIPS FOR CHRISTIAN WOMEN COMMUNICATORS The Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA) has two levels of membership including: AWSA PROTÉGÉ — For women who feel called to communicate. Membership includes: • • • • •
Newsletters with the latest news and resources. A link to watch “Storytelling for Writers and Speakers” video class. An invitation to attend our live events at our conferences and retreats. Access to AWSA Coaches. Eligibility to join our Protégé Power Call — a weekly live, call-in training with expert teachers.
AWSA PROFESSIONAL – For women who are professional writers, speakers or communicators. Membership includes: • • • • • •
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An online networking and resource loop. Newsletters with all the latest news and resources. A prayer loop. Opportunity to submit to AWSA’s Leading Hearts magazine and Arise Daily e-devotionals. Opportunity to submit books for possible review in Leading Hearts magazine and purchase cover and features for strategic promotion. An invitation to attend our conferences and retreat where you can submit proposals as well as meet editors and fellow professionals who will give you the publishing and speaking insight you need to know to succeed.
intensives & certification
AWSA Mastermind Groups — a mentor group for AWSA professional members only. Meets twice a month via video conferencing. Your Mastermind facilitator will ask you and other attendees four questions: • • • •
What are you working on? What did you learn since we last met? What do you need help with? How can we pray for you?
You will be amazed what you will learn as well as the bonds you will create!
Certified Coaching—For AWSA Professionals ready to coach the next generation. • • • • • • • •
Double, triple your writing and speaking income. Take your income and influence to a radically new level. Remove your roadblocks to your writing and speaking career. Identify and clarify your writing and speaking goals and help others do the same. Get paid for developing clients in leadership, writing and speaking skills. Recognize the scams and pitfalls in the publishing industry with guaranteed ways to avoid them. Identify your God-given dreams and develop a clear action plan to achieve them. Develop camaraderie, community and lifelong friendships, as well as peer-to-peer support in your ministry.
Our Coaching Certification was developed under the guidance of Professor and Life Coach Cynthia Cavanaugh and guest experts. It includes a copy of Your Plan to Achieve Your Professional Speaking and Writing Dreams, a coaching workbook for AWSA-generated clients.
Inner Circle — For AWSA Professionals looking for advanced training. • • •
As a member of the AWSA Inner Circle, you are signed up for monthly online training and group coaching. Inner Circle Members can also watch the replays of the classes. You will be the first in the know, the first to have the ability to sign up for VERY SPECIAL and EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENTS!
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contributors meet the publisher
LINDA EVANS SHEPHERD @LINDASHEPHERD is publisher of Leading Hearts magazine. She is also a best-selling author, an in-demand speaker and president of Right to the Heart ministries. She is founder of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA). She lives in Colorado with husband, Paul, and son, Jimmy. www.Sheppro.com
meet the editor
AMBER WEIGAND-BUCKLEY @BAREFACEDGIRL is managing editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine and brand manager for AWSA. She is a writer, speaker and multi-award-winning editor, having spent 23 years in the magazine industry. She is a mentor for AWSA Protege and host for Christian Book Buzz. Amber is owner of #barefacedcreative, providing branding support for authors, speakers, businesses and missionaries. She and her Brit-native husband, Philip, live in Missouri with two of their daughters: Imogen and Penelope. Their oldest, Saffron, is a student at Missouri State. www.barefacedgirl.com
contributors
KATE BATTISTELLI is a self-described “accidental writer” and author of two books. She is Mom to Grammy-winning recording artist Francesca Battistelli and Mimi to Franny’s five children. In her acting career, she toured for nearly three years in the Broadway National Tour of The King and I, playing Anna opposite Yul Brynner as the King. www.katebattistelli.com DR. SABRINA D. BLACK, author of “Live Right Now” is the clinical director of Abundant Life Counseling and Coaching, LLC. Her dynamic message of life’s struggles, temptations, and triumphs challenges others to deal with the real issues of daily living. www.drsabrinablack.com PENELOPE CARLEVATO is the author of The Art of Afternoon Tea: From the Era of Downton Abbey and the Titanic as well as Tea on the Titanic, First Class Etiquette. and her latest, The Tea Lover’s Journal. www.penelopecarlevato.com JULIE ZINE COLEMAN helps others to understand and know an unexpected God. She is a popular conference and retreat speaker and holds an M.A. in biblical studies. Julie is the managing editor for Arise Daily. Her book, Unexpected Love, is a study on the conversations Jesus had with women. www.juliecoleman.com SAUNDRA DALTON-SMITH is an internal medicine physician, author and speaker. She is the founder of the I Choose My Best Life ministry. www.ichoosemybestlife.com PAM FARREL and husband, Bill, are relationship specialists, international speakers and best-selling authors. When not traveling, you will find them at home on their live-aboard boat in Southern California. www.love-wise.com BETHANY JETT is a former youth minister’s wife and high school cheerleading coach turned author, speaker, and business owner. She earned an MFA degree in communication with a concentration
on marketing and public relations. Her goal is to apply those skills to writers, authors, and brands. www.bethanyjett.com MICHELLE LAZUREK writes books and articles and coaches others through editing, writing, etc. Her writing has appeared over two hundred times in various places such as Christianity Today’s Gifted for Leadership, Charisma Magazine, Movieguide Magazine, Just Between Us, and The Upper Room. She is also a literary agent with Wordwise Media Services. www.michellelazurek.com MABEL NINAN Mabel Ninan hopes to inspire believers to embrace their pilgrim journey on earth and live out their identity as citizens of heaven. Her first nonfiction book will be published by Harambee Press of Iron Stream Media in 2022. www.mabelninan.com/ KAREN PORTER is an international speaker, the author of six books, and a successful business woman. She is president of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, serves on several boards, and coaches aspiring writers and speakers. She and her husband, George, own Bold Vision Books, a Christian publishing company. www.karenporter.com RHONDA RHEA is an author, humor columnist and TV personality. Her newest release with co-author Kaley Rhea, Off-Script & OverCaffeinated, is available on Amazon. www.rhondarhea.com CYNTHIA L. SIMMONS is the mother of five grown children, past president of Christian Authors Guild, radio host, media coach. She writes both fiction and non-fiction and loves history. She ministers to women of all ages but has a special place in her heart for young mothers and homeschool mothers. www.clsimmons.com JENNIFER TAYLOR is a reviewer and profile contributor for Leading Hearts magazine. HEATHER VAN ALLEN is a music reviewer and profile contributor for Leading Hearts magazine.
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