July 15, 2013: Volume 2, Number 18
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MORE WITH
30 60 100 MINISTRIES |
The Spiritually Healthy Leader� seriesFirst and Third Wednesdays9 AM - 1 PM30 60 100 MINISTRIES officesAlbuquerque, NM 8/7/13 Spiritual Fitness 8/21/13 Healthy Relationships 9/4/13 Conflict Checkup 9/18/13 Conditioning for the Course 10/2/13 Clearing the Hurdles 10/18/13 Finishing Well More details hereRegister here 30 60 100 MINISTRIES COACHING
* Interactive Group Planning
* Mission Field Preparation
* Leadership Transition
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| Greetings! | A mysterious nudge ... an unsettling disquiet ... a sense of calm or assurance...
All can be a clue to God's stirring that change is on the way.
 Do you look for those clues? Or maybe even when you sense God's leading, you feel uncertain about following. In this issue of The Cultivator, get a better idea about How To Follow the Cloud when God leads you.
We look forward to hearing from you about your spiritual journey this summer. Keep growing!
P.S. Dalton "graduates" from cardiac rehab on August 5. His medical team has OK'd him to travel to Guatemala July 25-30 as part of his grandson's mission project team. Thank you for your prayers, which God is honoring with amazing results!
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COMING UP:
SPIRITUALLY HEALTHY LEADER� WORKSHOPS
| Do you ever ...
- Yearn for a more vibrant relationship with God?
- Feel too satisfied or not challenged?
- Wonder how to be a godly leader without "preaching"?
 Here is an incredible opportunity to reach outside the natural limitations of your personal "box" and live in the power of Christ.
The six 4-hour interactive workshops in the Spiritually Healthy Leader� series will kick off on August 7 with a session on Spiritual Fitness.
Attend one session, selected workshops, or the whole series during August, September, and October. Learn more here!
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30 60 100 MINISTRIES UPGRADED TO GOLD IN GUIDESTAR
|  We're proud to announce that 30 60 100 MINISTRIES has been awarded an upgrade to the Gold Exchange seal from nonprofit information reporting service GuideStar, demonstrating our commitment to transparency. Read and comment on our GuideStar Exchange Report here.
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 Feature: NAVIGATING TRANSITIONS, PART 2
HOW TO FOLLOW THE CLOUD | Some of life's transitions are like chapters in a book: they are clearly marked. When one comes to an end, the next follows naturally, such as a move from one community to another, a wedding day, or a retirement ceremony.
Other transitions are harder for us to recognize. They present themselves more subtly, often over a period of time: a relationship grows deeper. Trusts seeps out of a partnership. An opportunity for ministry presents itself.
Over the course of forty years in the wilderness, the children of Israel moved 43 times, all without the help of a book of instructions or MapQuest to point the way. How did they know when Transition Time had come once again?
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Image: Seth Teegarden
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God's Guidance Then and Now
God graciously provided the Hebrews with guidance and protection in the form of a cloud, which represented His presence: "You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night" (Numbers 13:14). When the cloud moved, so did they.
While the Hebrews had the benefit of a visual guide, today God may not offer that same tangible marker ... but He does not leave us stranded. He has given us the Holy Spirit. A sense of disquiet, dissatisfaction, peace, calm assurance, confirmation, and even a mysterious nudge can all be clues to God's stirring, indicating that change is imminent. The Holy Spirit urges us to tune into God (to look up at the cloud) and see what direction He is telling us to go.
Too Anxious or Too Comfortable?
But in our rush to alleviate that disquiet or nudge, we may miss God's signals. Eager beavers want to race ahead of the cloud and do something for God, not with God, often ahead of His schedule. They forget to look for His direction. If you're too anxious to take action and fail to wait for God's movement, you may forfeit His presence. You may even get lost in the wilderness.
On the other hand, by ignoring or stuffing God's cues we miss opportunities to contribute to His great movement. The temptation to stay settled in one place (professionally, personally, or spiritually) can be great, especially when life is going smoothly.
Imagine the cry going up in the Hebrew camp: "The cloud is moving!" calling a million people to pack their belongings. That's a lot of inconvenience for an entire nation, forcing them to shake up a regular routine and pull up tent stakes once again. It's easy to get too comfortable ... avoid challenge ... become entrenched in a life of familiar comfort ... even when God shouts for our attention through people, events, or circumstances.
God had more for the Hebrew people - more than a life of endless wandering. They looked up each day to see if the page was about to turn.
God has more for you, too. Keep your eyes looking upward. When the cloud moves, it's the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Don't race ahead. And don't wait too long that you miss it.
Growth Point
Be conscious of where God is leading you so you can respond.
Scripture
You, O Lord, are with these people ... your cloud stays over them, and you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. (Numbers 14:14, NIV)
Prayer Points - Name a transition in your life that was clearly marked and one that was less easily identified.
- What can cause you to miss God's cues that He is changing direction for you?
- Which is your tendency - to race ahead of God or to hold back when He nudges you to move forward?
Navigation Transitions, Part 1: Cloud? What Cloud? |
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What People Are Saying ...
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 "The Spiritually Healthy Leader workshop gave me a renewed passion to be ALL I can be for our Lord, serving Him well. This was a huge blessing for me and I want to encourage others to attend the entire series." Clarke H., worship arts pastor
Hear more testimonies from Christians in remote areas served by 30 60 100 MINISTRIES staff here.
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