Living Your Best Life! Newsletter

Life is hard and when trials and troubles come our way, it's easy to respond in fear and worry.

This month, join us as we encourage you to take things to God in prayer and STOP panicking, fretting, and losing sleep. We must deepen our faith, strengthen our inner core, and rise up to pray.

Learn more about prayer! Begin changing your life one prayer at a time until you know you are living YOUR BEST LIFE!

OCTOBER 2014

Making Prayer a Priority

By Kathy A. Weckwerth, Founder & Exec. Director

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Is it typical that you will make incredible promises to God while you're in a crisis, and then as soon as it's passed you forget? How important is prayer to you? Is it only something that you do when you need help?

Prayer is essential if we are to have an intimate relationship with God. In order for us to have good relationships with each other, we must be good communicators. Why would this be any different in communicating with a most Holy God? The most intimate communion with God comes only through prayer.

Sometimes people think they need special words or Biblical knowledge to go before God in prayer. That's not true! What's important is that you talk with God about everything! Expect Him to help you, answer you, and give you direction.

Sometimes God doesn't answer our prayers right away, and sometimes they're not the way that we want them to be. But here's the scripture that should help us understand. Isaiah 55:8-9 says "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thought than your thoughts." God knows best...He always knows what's best for us.

In order to deepen our relationship with God, we must spend time in scripture and in daily prayer. The more you practice doing this, the easier it will become.

The way to open doors to others is to offer prayer for them as well. God loves us, He wants us to share our joys, our concerns, our troubles with him continually.

Make it a priority. Begin to pray. Pray continually. Pray specifically. Pray sincerely. Pray.

This month, Best Life encourages you to spend time in prayer, and soak it into the fabric of your everyday life. Because when we talk with God, we LIVE in God's presence, and we become our BEST.

For More From Kathy Weckwerth, read this week's blog at:

This week's blog from Kathy

Here's to praying and making life better ... Kathy

How to Begin a Lifestyle of Prayer

One of the best acronyms I have come across that will help you in the process of developing and deepening your prayer time is the word ACTS.

ACTS

A: Adoration

C: Confession

T: Thanksgiving

S: Supplication

Adoration---Start your prayer time just by praising God for His goodness.

Confession---Take time to confess the sins that you have committed no matter how great or how small. Have a clean slate with God.

Thanksgiving---List some specific things that you are thankful for.

Supplication---Now, it's time to earnestly present to God your needs and desires of your heart.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "

Matthew 7: 7 -8

mother teresa

"Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts."

~ Mother Teresa

Why Is Prayer So Important?

Prayer is essential if we are to have an intimate relationship with God. In order for us to have good relationships with each other, we must be good communicators. Why would this be any different in communicating with a most Holy God? The most intimate communion with God comes only through prayer.

We are called to prayer so that we:
Know Him
Trust Him
See Him working in our lives
Use prayer as a tool to win others to Christ

BLM'S Exclusive Interview With Christian Contemporary Artist, Crystal Lewis

(An excerpt taken from our recent YOUR BEST issue!)

BLM: How do you stay relevant and inspirational to today's listener?

Crystal: One can only hope to remain so!!!! I think listening to current music and staying aware of and connected to the current state of the music industry helps. having younger people around that are involved in music helps... as my kids are. and just continuing to stay flexible. I'm one that loves vintage music. I need extra pushes sometimes to listen to new things, so allowing myself to grow and evolve is a process that comes with collaboration and work! Also, I pray that God would be glorified in everything I do. I make my plans to do various things, but continually pray and rest in the fact that he directs my steps.

Dried Cherry & Almond Scones With Honey Butter

On the mornings when you're out raking leaves, taking a hike in the neighborhood, washing windows, or even riding your bike, you may want to come home to something warm and comforting! Nothing hits the spot better than cherry, almond, and butter.

Dough:

3 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 lemon zested

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut into pea size pieces

1 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

1/2 cup heavy cream

Honey Butter

1 stick softened butter

2 T honey

1 orange zested

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a small bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt. Add in butter and mix with your fingers until coarse meal forms. Add cherries and 1/4 cup almonds. Add the heavy cream and combine into flour mixture.

Form dough into 1 inch thick diameter into 6 wedges. Sprinkle each scone with 1/4 cup of almonds. Transfer wedges onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 17 minutes. Serve warm with honey butter.

Honey Butter:

In stand mixer, add all ingredients and beat until creamed. Transfer to small dish and serve on warm scones.

Enjoy!

Hit Pick List

Favorite Song: Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave

Seems like all I could see was the struggle

Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past

Bound up in shackles of all my failures

Wondering how long is this gonna last

Then You look at this prisoner and say to me
"Son, stop fighting a fight that's already been won"

(Chorus)
I am redeemed
You set me free
So I'll shake off theses heavy chains
And wipe away every stain
Now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed
I am redeemed

All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, "Child lift up your head"
I remember oh God, You're not done with me yet.

The Bottom Line:
The Carpenter

Author: Jon Gordon

Reviewer: Jeremiah Palmer

Jon Gordon's latest business fable, The Carpenter, is a good story with an even better message about strategies for success in life.

The book opens with Michael, a small business owner, collapsing while on his morning run. He's attended to by a carpenter named J who happens to see Michael collapse. J stops the bleeding from the fall, calls for emergency help and leaves his business card with the paramedics. While Michael did not suffer a heart attack, the doctor tells him this should serve as a warning. Sarah, Michael's wife and business partner is scared and worried. She insists Michael take some time to recover even though their business is facing some significant pressure. Michael reluctantly agrees.

With some time on his hand, he calls the carpenter who left his card and saved his life. It doesn't take Michael long to realize that this is no regular carpenter. J turns out to be as much a teacher about success and life as he is an exceptional craftsman. Over the next several days, J works on an entertainment center for Michael while sharing his three greatest success strategies.

While the book is not overtly Christian, you cannot help but wonder if Gordon was drawing on the teachings of the greatest Carpenter the world has ever known. The three success strategies highlighted in the book are: love, serve, and care.

The First Strategy is how Christ is our model of loving others - a sacrificial, unconditional love. Note that this is not a call to sugarcoat the truth, but rather to speak truth in love. John 13:34

The Second Strategy that J shares with Michael is to serve. The model for servant leadership is Christ Himself. In Mark 10:45.

Finally, J urges Michael to care for others, his team, his clients and his work. If you want to be a great leader, you must care for others.

The Bible urges us to care for others as well. In the letter to the Philippians 2:3, Paul says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interest of the others" (NIV).

Bottom Line: While there are many other lessons woven into this fable, it is the simplicity of these three strategies that make this book compelling. The strategies can be applied to businesses, churches, organizations of all kinds and most importantly to life in general. For the Christian, this book is a great reminder that the greatest strategies for life reside in the wisdom and the person of The Carpenter from Nazareth, Jesus Christ.

Making Time for Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,
please help me to realize that I don't need some fancy words to be able to come in front of You in prayer. I don't have to be anything ... just myself.

You love me, you listen to me, you hear my heart's cry.

Help me to bring everything to You and leave it at Your feet.

Help me to make time for prayer and to lift needs up during the day.

And Father, please help me to remember that my relationship will deepen when I talk with You, depend on You, and watch how You answer my prayers!

In Jesus name, Amen.

What's Happening at the Grove?

Any woman that lives within close radius of the Middle of Nowhere is so welcome! Come on over ... we have God's Word, good worship, and a big mug of steaming coffee with some fabulous homemade treat.

1025 Hwy 29, Benson, MN SE

The Church in the Grove

(BLM Headquarters)

For More Information, Log onto http://www.bestlifeministries.com

Upcoming Events!

Church in the Grove~ Harvest Home

October 25, 2013-6:00 p.m. Potluck and Devotions with Kathy Weckwerth

Sink, Swim, or Set Sail Women's Conference

Saturday, November 1, 2013, 9-3:30

Faith Lutheran Church, Hutchinson, MN $30.00 a ticket

Sink, Swim, or Set Sail! Women's Conference

Saturday, November 8, 2013. 9-3:30

Prairie Lutheran Church, Eden Prairie, MN $30.00

Best Life Van Headed to Another Conference!

To purchase your copy of the be.attitudes book, log onto be.attitudes Bible study

$12.99 and $9.99 each if you purchase 10+.

A 10-week women's Bible study that will help you to implement Godly attitudes found in Matthew 5.

    Now available: YOUR BEST Magazine Issue!

Click Here:  YOUR BEST fall magazine! $5.00 downloadable.

Make time to pray and begin to invest in your life by trusting God and believing in the power of prayer!

You can find out more about Best Life Ministries by visiting our website at www.bestlifeministries.com or Founder & Executive Director, Kathy A. Weckwerth at www.kathyweckwerth.com

Remember, it's never too late to make changes.

Start today. Start living your best life!

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