God Incidence

The Timing Was Right

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It might not seem a lot to you, but it is to me. You see, I’ve had a bit of a stressful day and have had to deal with some authorities about an ‘issue’ that has been troubling this household. It seemed like no-one wanted to help us at all, we’re kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. Then I was given one tiny little bit of advice today that I’ve acted upon and hopefully, over time it will bear fruit. But it left me feeling exhausted, teary, stressed and not able to focus as well as I normally do during my work day.

And then I got word late this afternoon that I have been nominated Member of the Month with the Christian Business Women’s Network online. Of course, the tears started again, but this time it was because God knew I needed lifting up and what a wonderful way for that to happen. So, I just thought I’d share it with you here.

Business Networking for Christian Women

The Christian Business Women’s Network is a faith filled business group hosted on Ryze. Our main focus is to pray, share, teach, learn and encourage one another in our business ventures. Read more of the CBWN Vision and Purpose here.

As Christian Business Women, we should be outshining the entire business community. We have the favor of God! As we build a successful business we are more and more able to build the Kingdom of God! Let’s stand by one another and seek the very best always. Submit your profile for the CBWN Directory now!

Pick up FREE, Networking Your Way To Success Tips Series, here!


 Kathie Thomas

 Kathie is our CBWN Featured Member for the Month of September 2006. Kathie loves to encourage and provide sound advice. Her presence on the network is a testimony of dedication and a selfless attitude for helping others! Kathie, thank you for being a blessing to the network and to the body of Christ.
Kathie, is the Owner of A Clayton’s Secretary, “the first Virtual Assistant Network in the Asia-Pacific region, second in the world so that makes us one of the longest running Virtual Assistant & Home Based Secretary Networks globally.”

If you are eligible (female) I encourage you to visit the Christian Business Women’s Network and see what is on offer there for you personally. Bless you, KMT

Right Time, Right Place

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This was sent to me by one of my daughters.

January this year, I travelled to Ireland to complete a five month course studying and working with horses. Previously, I had completed another course that offers a scholarship to this stud in Ireland. I applied for the scholarship, but didn’t achieve this.

However, I still believed it was a place I was supposed to go and that I would get a lot out of doing the course. So, I applied outside of the scholarship, deciding I could afford to pay to go. Again, I was knocked back being informed I was on reserve and if anyone declined their acceptance, I was in line. I was encouraged by mum to see how I could improve this position and make it into the course so I contacted them and it was suggested I work another year and apply again with updated references.

Over twelve months I gained invaluable experience, applied again and was accepted. As a Christian I was aware that I should be looking for a Church to attend while overseas, but didn’t look into this wholeheartedly. There were other things too, I would be missing out on while over there – my guitar, Christian friends, family and people to speak into my life. Silly, but although most of these could be provided through a Church family, I didn’t give much thought to looking into one that would be similar to that which I attended at home (an AOG) in the country.

I’m definitely not using this as an excuse to just sit around and expect God to provide, but amazingly when I arrived at the stud, the first thing to greet me in my room was a guitar – it belonged to my friendly German roommate. Now if this wasn’t enough, one of the other girls who I grew close to also had one and was learning, so we were able to play together and encourage each other.

Coming up to my first weekend off, I was in my room reading my Bible with the door open. One of the girls wandered by and spotted the book. I quickly found out she was a Christian – the only other Christian on my course. She too had the coming weekend off and took me to a Church she had been attending as she had been living in Ireland for some time. The Church – one that just happened to be recognised as an AOG – had an amazing family and we were quickly welcomed in, soon attending young adult services when free and a weekly bible study.

I have a list of goals for my life and studied French while in high school and although I hadn’t touched on it for a couple of years, still wanted to visit France and improve my French. The young Christian woman took me and another friend to her home town of Angers in France over a long weekend that she managed to get off for each of us and I was blessed to attend her Church – another AOG – while in the country and meet some of her gorgeous friends.

Following my course, I was able to visit the country again for two and a half weeks, staying with the other French girl on the course – the one who had been playing guitar with me. Even interests that aren’t needs in my life, but rather wants, God provides for.

Through delaying my want to do this particular course for a year, he put me in an environment where I was able to have a strong Christian friend, my wants were provided for and many opportunities were given to live out my faith, serve others and encourage them and even witness. Coincidence? I think not.

Christine

The Power of Prayer

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I came across this one today and it has such a powerful testimony about prayer that I just had to share it here.

Matthew 18:19-20 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

His nightmares began each day when he awoke. James Stegalls was nineteen. He was in Vietnam. Though he carried a small Gideon New Testament in his shirt pocket, he couldn’t bring himself to read it. His buddies were cut down around him, terror was building within him, and God seemed far away. His twentieth birthday passed, then his twenty-first. At last, he felt he couldn’t go on.

On February 26, 1968, he prayed for it all to end, and his heart told him he would die before dusk. Sure enough, his base came under attack that day and Jim heard a rocket coming straight toward him. Three seconds to live, he told himself, then two, then…

A friend shoved him into a grease pit, and he waited for the rocket to explode, but there was only surreal silence. The fuse malfunctioned.

For five hours James knelt in that pit, and finally his quivering hand reached into his shirt pocket and took out his Testament. Beginning with Matthew, he continued through the first 18 chapters.

“When I read Matthew 18:19-20,” he said, “I somehow knew things would be alright.”

Long after Jim returned home, as he visited his wife’s grandmother, Mrs. Harris, she told him a night years before when she had awakened in terror. Knowing Jim was in Vietnam, she had sensed he was in trouble. She began praying for God to spare his life. Unable to kneel because of arthritis, she lay prone on the floor, praying and reading her Bible all night.

Just before dawn she read Matthew 18:19-20. Then she immediately called her Sunday school teacher, who got out of bed and went to Mrs. Harris’ house where together they claimed the Lord’s promise as they prayed for Jim until reassured by God’s peace.

Having told Jim the story, Mrs. Harris opened her Bible to show him where she had marked the passage. In the margin were the words — “Jim, February 26, 1968.”

I don’t think we are nearly aware enough of how crucial our prayers are for the lost and hurting. Sometimes we don’t get to see the fruit, but God hears and answers our prayers! Don’t be discouraged today — keep lifting your voice in intercession and expect great things! There’s so much work to be done!!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Rivka and Elianna Whitten
Negev, Israel

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You’re Allowed To Do Nothing

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God speaks to us through all sorts of avenues – whatever it takes to get our attention. Saw this one on Light Seeker.

You’re Allowed to do Nothing

I’m really not much on about things like fortune cookies, et al, but I DO believe God can and DOES speak to us in a myriad of ways- including such things now and then. The key is being open and listening to hearing his voice at any time. I mean, he spoke through a donkey to Balaam once!

For example, last year on vacation I opened a “Dove Dark Chocolate Promise” candy and God used the message on the wrapper to speak to me. At that time I wasn’t sure it was really God, but when I opened another one a day or so later, it had the same message. And because God was “pumping me so hard in the ribs with his elbow,” I knew I needed to take the advice he was offering through this particular medium. I even might have blogged about it at the time.

Anyway, with that preamble I’m here to tell you I opened another Dove candy tonight and was almost bowled over with the message:

“You’re allowed to do nothing.”

Now that probably means nothing to you, but just this morning I said to Debbie: “I’m feeling guilty this year on vacation. Like I shouldn’t be just doing nothing.”

Now you can take that kind of stuff as coincidence if you’d like. But I don’t believe in coincidence – I believe in Godincidence. Either that, or a coincidence is just a time when God chooses to remain anonymous. Take your pick.

This morning in my prayer time, I asked God about my idleness (when we need to be working to win the world) and he told me it was okay to rest. I’ve always believed that, but for some reason, I’m having trouble shutting things out this year and stopping the mad rush of busyness I left back in Maine.

Okay, God – I get it. I heard you and I’ll listen. Too bad it took me over a week of vacation to start thinking about stopping.

Tomorrow we’ve got a few things planned, but I think I might just map out a nice nap on the couch.

– posted by Seeker of The Light @ 6/30/2006