MAY BOOK CLUB MEETING
Meet author of "Our Journey, Essays on Shades of Women"
Earlee Washington
DATE: May 29, 2009
TIME: 7pm (Sharp)
PLACE: Thompson Wealth Management
400 Corporate Point, Ste 595 Culver City, CA
Mrs.
Washington is a pre-licensed professional at Abundant Life Counseling.
Her primary focus is on women's issues, including grief and loss
issues, depression, anxiety, marriage and family conflicts, etc.
She
will
be discussing her latest book and answering questions at our May Book
Club Meeting. If you would like to purchase a copy of her book, please
contact me at 310-671-4966.
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Will You Answer His Call?
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND
W.I.T.N.E.S.S. Book Club Ministry | Intercessory Prayer Conference Call
PRAYER WITHOUT WALLS
MONDAY, June 15, 2009
Time: 6:30 pm - 7:15 pm
Conference Dial-in Number: (712) 432-0800
Participant Access Code: 206418#
Send Prayer Requests and Praise Reports Via E-Mail: prayer@witnessbookclub.com
Kimberley Thompson Intercessory Prayer Leader
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If
you are interested in becoming a member of W.I.T.N.E.S.S. Book Club, or
supporting our ministry by sowing a seed please visit our website at www.witnessbookclub.com ------------------------------------
Do You Want To Write a Book?
Attend an AuthorizeMe Seminar
facilitated by Sharon Elliott
AuthorizeMe
is a company dedicated to conducting enlightening, challenging,
practical, and hands-on writing seminars designed to help launch
attendees toward their publishing goals. You will leave this seminar
with:
Your book completely planned A complete table of contents A full chapter synopsis A full proposal template And much more!
To register for the upcoming workshop, which will be held June 12-13, 2009, visit www.authorizeme.net or call 310-508-9860
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Thank
you for reviewing our monthly newsletter. Our desire is for each
article to encourage, inspire and uplift you. So set aside a quite place
to read the articles for the month of May, and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you.
Jacques McNeil, Founder and Publisher
jacques@witnessbookclub.com Angela Williams, Editor
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Are You Satisfied With What's On Your Plate?
Are You Satisfied With What's On Your Plate?
by Jacques McNeil
"Not that I am am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content."
Philippians 4:11
On May 22, 1993, David and I said "I Do." For our Anniversary this year, he surprised me with a much needed family vacation; a trip to Orlando, Florida. While on the trip I noticed a recurring theme with our daughter. During each meal, she meticulously selected her servings of choice. However, when we were prepared to enjoy our meal, David and I were inundated with questions about our dishes.Her focus immediately turned from what was on her plate, to what was on our plate. After observing her behavior meal after meal, the thought occurred to me; we often respond in the very same manner. God has blessed us immeasurably, and opened countless doors for us, yet we find ourselves discontent with what we have. We find ourselves feeling as though this is good, BUT.....this is not where we planned to be at this phase in our lives and certainly, this couldn't be where God intended for us to be either.Discontentment can cover a wide range of issues, such as being single and desiring to be married; being married and desiring to have children; having a job and desiring another job; or living in an apartment and desiring a home, etc...Now, are these desires bad? Of course not, BUT, if we are seeking that which we desire more than we are seeking God, a re-evaluation of our priorities is necessary. A lack of contentment can be synonymous with "The grass is always greener" syndrome, but it can also develop into a "Keeping up with the Jones'" syndrome, which can negatively impact relationships with family, friends and co-workers, and more importantly, our relationship with the Lord. You see, our pop culture encourages discontentment, but as Christians, we are to dance to the beat of a different drummer. Romans 12:2 states, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." One definition of contentment is, "A state of mind in which one's desires are confined to his lot, whatever it may be." Being content is a result of trusting God and trusting God is a direct result of developing an intimate relationship with Him. As our trust is developed, we will be able to rest in the fact that He really does have a plan for OUR lives, and He really is working all things together for our good. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Sisters, our contentment can only be found in God and in Him alone. We must choose to be satisfied with and grateful for what's on our plate. We must take our eyes off "Us" and place them on our All-Knowing, and All-Powerful God. Continue to ask, seek and knock, just make sure you are seeking the Creator more than what He creates. |
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Radical Thinking | I Will Not Be Silent
 Radical Thinking | I will Not Be Silentby Kimberley Thompson
Did you know that
Christians are being killed spiritually or aborting their Christian
walk every second by apathy or indifference. Shocking huh! What is even
more shocking is that many of us do not even know that we are
succumbing to this state of being until we have drifted too far off the
shore. For instance, how many times have we put off our time to pray,
read the word or go to church or small group until another day. Or if
that does not sound familiar maybe you thought I won't pray about that
because you think it is too small or too big. Apathy is
defined as a lack of feeling, emotions or complacency and indifference
is defined as having no strict preference among two alternatives. "The
concept of apathy became more well-known after World War I, when it was
called "shell shock". Soldiers who lived in the trenches amidst the
bombing and machine gun fire, and who saw the battlefields strewn with
dead and maimed comrades developed a sense of disconnected numbness and
indifference to normal social interaction."¹ Far too many
Christians are choosing to opt out due to the pressures of life. We
are walking around "shell shocked" and have become numb to the
vicissitudes of life. This condition has left us vulnerable to the
diabolical attacks of the enemy, who wants to trick us to think that he
does not exist. It is critical that when the rubber meets the road it
is not the time to check out. We need to be intentional and disciplined
in our prayer life. Prayer is essential to combat against the spirit of
apathy and destroy the enemy's schemes. Here are a few strategies to implement in your prayer life. - Deepen your understanding of who God is so that your faith is strengthened.
- Put on the whole armor of God: (Ephesians 6:10-18)
- Guard your heart: (Proverbs 4:23) Pray that your heart does not get hardened or become complacent
- Renew your mind: (Roman 12:2) Daily study the Word. Remember God's Word is truer than your experience.
- Praise Him in Advance: If confuses the enemy (Judges 7)
¹Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apathy |
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Birthing The Dream
 Birthing The DreamBy Dana Frelix
When I think of birthing a dream into reality, I am reminded of the various stages of pregnancy before childbirth. The first trimester represents those of us who are newly pregnant with God-given dreams. The second trimester represents those of us who have been pregnant for a while, but are not yet ready to deliver; and the third trimester represents those of us who are just about ready to give birth to our dreams. Whatever stage you find yourself in, the common theme for each is that there is still work that needs to be done.
For the person with a new dream there is a need for some serious nourishment, much like a woman who discovers she is newly pregnant. What is inside of her does not yet look or even act like a baby, but it has all the potential of developing into one of the most precious gifts from God with proper nourishment from its mother. Likewise, a new dream from God has the potential to grow into something that will bring Him great glory; however, it must be fed with seeds of faith that come from God's Word. These seeds, along with proper preparation will help it develop, grow, and be prepared when its time comes.
Others of us have dreams that we have had for some time now. We've nourished them with some seeds of faith, and have given them some preparation, and yet we are still not ready to deliver. Don't lose heart at this point. God's Word tells us that though the vision tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay (Habakkuk 2: 3). Just as a mother in her second trimester of pregnancy cannot stop taking care to nourish her unborn child, so it is with the one who holds a dream at this stage. Keep doing the things necessary to ensure the dream stays alive. Continue nourishing it with seeds of faith and preparation.
The last of us are in the final stage of birthing our dreams. This, too, is a very critical stage; in fact it is sometimes the most challenging. Like a very pregnant woman in her third trimester, we've nourished our dreams with seeds of faith, and we've done everything within our ability to prepare it to be able to survive on the outside of us-- some of us might even be tired and weary from having carried the dream within us for so long; however, now is the time for a different type of work to begin. It is now time to enter labor and push that dream out of us! For the pregnant woman, pushing during any time other than at the appropriate stage in labor would be detrimental for both mother and child, just as pushing our dreams out of us before its time would yield devastating results. Pushing for those who are ready to birth our dreams looks and feels unlike anything that we've ever done before. Pushing takes us to the outer limits of our faith and abilities, causing us to do things we've never done before.
What are you willing to do to push that dream out of you? For some, pushing looks like sewing a financial seed of faith. For another pushing equates to spending more time in prayer seeking God for direction; and for another, pushing may ironically be simply resting in God and His promises, and allowing Him to bring the dream to pass in His timing.
Remember, the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all. (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Let me encourage you to continue nourishing your dreams with faith and preparation, and trust God that your time will come and He will birth your dreams into reality!
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W.I.T.N.E.S.S. Book Club's Annual Tea & Membership Drive
We request your presence at W.I.T.N.E.S.S. Book Club's Annual
Tea and Membership Drive.
Join us for an afternoon of fellowship, laughter and delightful
delicacies. This special event is a great opportunity for members to
introduce WBC to your family, friends, and co-workers, so please extend an
invitation to them.
You are welcome to attend even if this will be your
first time participating in one of our events. It will be a great time of
networking with a dynamic group of Spirit-led sisters.
Event Info
Date:
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Time: 1:00pm until
4:00pm
Location: Lady
Effie's Tea Parlor
453 East Adams Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90011
(213) 749-2204
Ticket Price: $28.00 per person. Includes:
Special Entertainment, Party Favors, lunch and much more.
LUNCH MENU:
Mama D's Tea Cake & Strawberry, Egg Salad on
Mini Croissant, Chicken Salad on Prairie Bread with Asparagus Tip,Traditional
Cucumber Sandwich, Pastry, Grapes and a Pot of Tea.
Attire: "Afternoon Tea Attire." Please feel free to wear your
most beautiful hat, although hats are optional.
To purchase tickets, please
contact Jacques McNeil at 310-671-4966 or via email at jacques@witnessbookclub.com.
You are also welcome to make your checks payable to W.I.T.N.E.S.S. Book Club
and mail to:
W.B.C.-Annual Tea P.O. Box 451536 Los Angeles, CA 90045. FINAL DEADLINE to
purchase tickets is June 20, 2009.
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Quote of the Month
"We tend to forget that happiness doesn`t come as a result of getting
something we don`t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating
what we do have.
~Frederick Keonig
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