Preparing For Your Special Place

 “Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”

What a season it’s going to be:
Women across the world drawing close to God.

How are we doing that? By seeking the face of God and His Wisdom by reading His Word.
Starting Monday, January 22nd, 2024 you will begin seeing daily posts on our Facebook page, of the reading scriptures and video for the day.

HERE IS HOW TO PREPARE:

✅Prepare – your heart, a special reading space, have paper or journal pages for notes, get your Bible, invite others to join you on your reading journey
✅Keep in Mind: Reading is not studying:
  • – inhale. exhale. read.
  • – write down words, phrases, themes
  • – discuss with reading mate or friend, ask your local church leaders, small groups
……
✅Every Day:
  • – go to your special space
  • – Pray and ask for leading of The Holy Spirit
  • – read verses
  • – journal your notes
  • – watch the recommended BibleProject video 🎬
✅Give Yourself Grace
if you miss reading for the day give yourself grace, no guilt or shame – none of this is mandatory. simply either catch up on the missed day, listen to the missed scripture verses, or just start reading with the current day.
✅ Share in the Community
  • – post the one word or theme you noticed in the reading on the community post.
  • – do this weekly if you cannot access do it daily
  • – talk about it with your reading mate, or others who know you are reading through the Bible
And most of all…
Stay encouraged.
Keep the faith.
God sees you. 🙏🏾❤️

Are You Ready To Be Counted IN??

Are You Ready To Read the Bible With Women From Across The World?

The Bible is epic in every way. There has never been or nor will there ever be a more meaningful or masterfully written work. It is not the easiest story to read because it is an ancient book. And, it is long. (It covers over 1500 years). But do you know that with just 15 minutes a day you can read it in one year?  And, if you read for more time than that you will finish it even quicker.  The Bible was originally written in ancient languages from within cultures completely different from the ones each of us live in, today. 

BUT, God has gifted people throughout human history to capture and tell His story so that it is available for and to every human being. God inspired gifted writers who used repeated words and themes as a way to connect the storyline in a beautifully interesting way.  When we encounter words, phrases, or themes that we have seen in the story before, just like in any good movie or book, the storyteller is giving us important clues that they want us to keep them in mind as we read. Noticing these repeating words and ideas is one of the joys of reading the Bible.  We get drawn even deeper into the story as the inspired messages of ancient Biblical writers come alive for us today.

The Bible is not a science or a how to book.  It is the amazingly wondrous story about who God is, what He has done, and what He is doing.  He inspired it to be written so that His creation can draw near to Him to gain understanding. It’s when we see the messages in God’s story as being told through the eyes, words, and culture of its ancient authors, that our eyes, hearts and souls can begin to have a truer, fuller, understanding of God Himself,  the world He created, and our very lives.  Opening the Bible is one way for us to love God with our whole mind. God gives us more of Himself when we seek Him with our whole selves.

The Bible has an overall storyline that can be highlighted in 5 points: (1)God creating: the heavens, the earth, living beings, and humankind to have dominion over all the earth, (2) the downfall of humankind from their royal position based on their choices and  God’s pursuit of redeeming His humankind from its fallen state by: (3) the call of Abraham, (4)the coming of Jesus, and then, finally, (5) the creation of the new heavens, the new earth, and humankind restored to our royal position.

And THIS is why The Bible is the greatest story ever being told.  It is filled with plots and subplots, twists and turns, drama, romance, and even some comedy. Are you ready, to read the Word of God with women from across the world?  If so, then make sure you 

FOLLOW our Facebook page to get alerts for what’s happening in the community.  We have lots of good stuff coming your way. A link is in the post and on the page: facebook.com/loveatthewell.

Tune in tomorrow @ 8:00 AM Eastern Standard Time when I will be live in the community with information on how to prepare for Monday’s community kickoff.

That’s it for now my sisters in faith.

Stay encouraged.

Keep the faith.

God sees you. ❤️

For The Rest of Your Life

Sabbaticals are sweet.  If you are active in ministry and you do not regularly take them, I highly encourage you to take the time needed to rest from your work. It is good for the heart and the body.  During the rest, wait on The Lord to know when it is time to re-engage so that your strength will be sufficiently restored.

 

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Isaiah 40:31 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

Matthew 11:28

 


 

Stay encouraged.

Keep the faith. ❤️

You were born to live, love and lead well.

When Change Arrives

Beloved Sister,

When I was at one of the most desperate points in my life, the words, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, changed my life. They watered my heart’s drought and I knew I could never be without them again. 

As I prayed for God’s guidance for the way forward in 2024, He brought me back to remembering that though we work and serve with all fervor:  He is the heart healer.  He gives people strength and renewed hope. He, The One Who Is Love, grows us into women who know how to love Him, others and ourselves, well.  Apart from God we can do nothing.

 

This Love At The Well season is one of seeking wisdom, deepening faith, and growing in our ability to love well. How? By inviting women from across the world to develop a lifestyle habit of sitting with Jesus, by reading the Bible.  The Biblical story is more than words in books or on a screen. It is God’s breathed revelation of Himself, His Ways, and His creation.  God’s voice and heart, seen and heard through the greatest story ever being told, sets people free to exchange despair for hope, lostness with purpose, and shame for destiny.  This is exactly what the outcast, Samaritan woman, who was longing for love, received when she met Jesus The Christ, The Word Became Flesh, at the well.  Sitting with Jesus is what changes hearts.

Women from across the globe from countries such as: the Philippines, Ghana, Norway, South Africa, the United States, England, and other countries are eager and excited to read the Bible in community.  

To sign up for this worldwide movement of women across the globe reading the Bible, to sign up: HERE.

Here is what we have in store for this season:

  • Special guests
  • Times of Prayer
  • Community member discussions
  • Guest focus teachings
  • Bible Reading milestone celebrations

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16

Stay encouraged.

Keep the faith. ❤️

You were born to live, love and lead well.

Let’s Read The Bible

The Bible is more than just words on a page or screen. It is God’s breathed revelation of Himself, His Ways, and His creation.  God’s voice and heart, seen and heard through The Bible, sets people free to exchange despair for hope, lostness with purpose, and shame for destiny.  This is exactly what the outcast, Samaritan woman, who was longing for love, received when she met Jesus The Christ, The Word Became Flesh, at the well.  Sitting with Jesus is what changes hearts.

Women from across the globe from countries such as: the Philippines, Ghana, Norway, South Africa, the United States, England, and other countries are eager and excited to read the Bible in community.

To sign up for this worldwide movement of women across the globe reading the Bible, to sign up: HERE.

Here is what we have in store for this season:

  • Special guests
  • Times of Prayer
  • Community member discussions
  • Guest focus teachings
  • Bible Reading milestone celebrations

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16

 


 

Stay encouraged.

Keep the faith. ❤️

You were born to live, love and lead well.

Getting Ready

Hey Ladies!!!

I hope your week is off to a good start.  I am so excited about our gathering tomorrow and I hope you are too.

We are moving forward.  Forward into looking at our stories to see the hope, healing, wholeheartedness and purpose in them.

We didn’t go through it all for nothing.  No Ma’am.

We will continue looking at the amazing, awe-inspiring story of the Samaritan woman to see how the details of her life all played a part in Jesus revealing something He told no one else. Her story changed so many others’ lives.  I love this encounter so much because when we see the spectacular in it we know that God speaks specifically to us and will use each of our stories too!

 

For Tomorrow’s Gathering:

  • Bring just one word or phrase that is significant to your story that you are willing to share. (voluntary only.)
  • Read, (just read the story), John 4 – (the Samaritan Woman’s conversation with Jesus).

That’s it!

I can’t wait to see your words or phrases and hear a bit of your story you’re willing to share.

THE GATHERING ACCESS DETAILS:

WHERE: ZOOM – Join us: HERE,

WHEN: TUESDAY, 02/07/23

TIME: 7:30 PM Eastern Standard Time

 

My heart and passion is to help women, especially mothers, find hope and healing so they can live wholeheartedly.
So please 🙏🏾 share this with a mom, aunt, sister or friend, you know..

 

Stay encouraged.

Keep the faith. ❤️

You were born to live, love and lead well.

In Case You Missed It…

In case you missed yesterday’s gathering, here is a snippet of how good and worthwhile it was. Take the timeline challenge (it’s in the video) and join us next Tuesday to share one significant influence – or share in the comments below. I can’t wait to hear more…

Stay encouraged.

Keep the faith. ❤️

You were born to live, love and lead well.

The Significance of Interruptions

Before you are a mother, wives, administrators, accountants, aunts, sisters, cashiers, lawyers, teachers or business owners, you are a woman. Born and created in the image and likeness of God. You have a unique path and story that led you right where you are as you read these words.

Looking over our story is not to place blame (everybody’s got a story) or to magnify our regrets.  It is to understand.  It is to see how far we have indeed come.  It is to see that whether we realize it or not God has been caring for and rescuing us throughout our lives.  It is to see that all the bits and pieces of our story are being weaved together into a great and greater story of love.

All stories include times of joy, happiness, laughter, music, dancing, and play.

All stories also include interruptions (intentional and unintentional) and influences that are opposed to our thriving.  This often results in pains, grief, loss, trauma, anguish, lovelessness, loneliness – at minimum.

As you look over your story, what are some of those interruptions or influences that impacted your thriving?  Are they still influencing or impacting you today? The thing about influences is that they can seep deep down into our heart and soul and begin to: (1)make us think horribly about ourselves, (2)make decisions that stop our thriving, and (3) behave in ways that do us and others harm.

BUT GOD.

God is the GREAT interrupter of anything that stands against what He wants and desires for our lives, and for what He created us for.  If you’re reading to this right now it’s because God wants to get a message to you. That lie you’ve been believing about yourself is indeed a lie.  You don’t need that thing you keep picking up to soothe your soul  – it’s causing you and your family great harm. And by the way you are intelligent and capable of the achievements you dream of – God wants you to trust Him over your self doubt and low self value.

But here’s the thing.  He wants it for you, I want it for you, the women of Love at The Well want it for you – – but do you want it for you?

How long has it been that you’ve been living, trying to live with trauma that keeps messing with your mind, heartache that keeps you from wanting to relate to anyone, pain that keeps your eyes downward and focused on it instead of your children, spouse, family, friends, and life itself?

How long has it been since your life was interrupted?

Do you want it to be different?  Do you want to be healed? Do you want to be whole?

Do you want to live by love, in love and for the sake of loving God and others?

If your answer is yes then join us for Tuesday’s @ The Well is where we come together in community to encourage and support mothers and mother figures to bring all of who we are to God for healing, hope and wholeness so that we can live and love well at home, at work and in community.

Until then…

Stay encouraged.

Keep the faith. ❤️

God sees you.

 

It Was Joy @ The Well

What joy it was to gather with you at The Well!!  We’re just getting started.  We are determined to keep knocking and asking God to heal the hearts of mothers who live with deep shame, low self-value and do not believe God has anything good thing for them.  Shame is a liar and we gather to speak The Way, The Truth and The Life, to those who need to hear.

May nothing keep you from living your divine purpose of loving well. 🙏🏾❤️

These Moving Years

Move, is what I heard.  It was October, 2021.  I didn’t know what to do, where to go, and what was happening to and in my life.  The backstory…

In January, 2020 I was to move to Charlotte, NC for work.  I enjoyed my job but didn’t necessarily want to move. I had my first grandchild, a girl. We saw each other almost every day and I could not imagine being hours away. But after discussing it with my family we came up with a plan where we’d still see each other a few times a month.  So, with keys to the new place waiting, we packed our last boxes and were ready to leave on Saturday, four days later.  That’s when we were all called in to the office and told to work from home for a week or so, surely thirty days at the most, until CoVid subsided.

Almost two years later it was time to return to in-person work.  Well I could no longer go to Charlotte.  Thank goodness I wasn’t required to anymore.  Yup, that was one of those, LOOK AT GOD, moments. I no longer had to move!  So all was good until when in October of 2021 I had a personal tragedy that shredded me in ways I didn’t know was humanly possible. Yup, it was one of those, GOD HOW COULD THIS BE? moments. On my most difficult day I did the only thing I know how. I fell to my knees (literally) and asked God what to do. I heard, “MOVE.”  “What?” I asked.  “MOVE,” I heard again.  God,  I don’t have the strength of mind, heart or body to move, so Lord, if I am hearing You, then You will have to lay a path before me.

This is what happened…

  • God opened every necessary door for me to purchase a home that would serve as a sanctuary for my mind and heart. So I moved.

 

  • I was discontented in my spirit about my place of worship for years.  I knew God was drawing me away.  Not knowing where I was to go and knowing that I had to find a community was lonely and disheartening.  “I don’t want to start over,” is what I said over and over again.  Resurrection (Easter) Sunday as my husband and I searched for a service, I prayed in the car for God to lead us somewhere.  The place we wound up, I knew, wasn’t it.  Later that day, I was asked why I didn’t attend service at New Life.  I couldn’t answer but I did say I prayed to God for direction.  “Well, this is God speaking to you through me, to come back to New Life,” is what they said next.  Shortly after hearing those words I started attending and God has since moved me to return and re-join, in community, the birthplace of my salvation, New Life.

 

  • During this significant shift, doing life (going to concerts, ministry work, brunches with friends, etc.) as I knew it was difficult. My mind and heart needed rest so I took as much time as has been necessary, to just be. I began to hear whispers of “Focus. Focus.”  I knew God was calling my heart and hands back to the ministry work I love with a renewed heart, mind and body.

Perhaps, like me, you are on a reading plan to read your Bible in a year.  I finished Genesis today.  What caught my attention in this year’s reading is how often God told people to move.  It wasn’t by their choice.  It wasn’t according to their timing.  It wasn’t based on how much money they had saved. It was because God had a plan for the good of His creation and they, if they moved, would be blessed by their participation.

And so it is with us.  God can tell us to move at the most unexpected times and sometimes due to the most unwanted of circumstances. When we hear the call to move we may not always know where we are going and we may have to leave behind those we love so very much. That can be straight up frightening. It requires a built-up, rooted trust of God.  It’s the kind of trust that starts you packing while you’re crying.  It’s the kind of trust that keeps you stepping past whispers of folks who think you’ve lost your ever loving mind.  It’s the kind of trust that has you saying to God and yourself, “Lord, I don’t know what tomorrow looks like, but I trust You.”

And so today, after two years of all kinds of heart wrenching moves and moving, I’m here to tell you that I know God is sending me beyond the bounds I put in place. I’m taking down the self-imposed limits that have kept me from seeing the vast-lands and promises God has been speaking to me my entire life.  I’m going where God says.

What about you? Where is it God is telling you to go?  What self-imposed limits have you imposed upon yourself? 

Until next time…

Stay encouraged.

Keep the faith. ❤️

You are born to live and love well.