813 - A Woman Inspired Online Conference

A Woman Inspired!!!!!!!! You need to sign up!! http://www.awomaninspiredconference.org

I will be speaking on Thursday and I want to "see" you there!!!

Here is the basic info. This is going to be an life changing online event and we don't want anyone to miss it!

March 15th-19th, 2010 - only one week left to register!

Register Today for 12.95!

This conference is all about giving you a spiritual dose of adrenaline because we all need it sometimes.

This event's speaker line-up is phenomena (Get Revived Speakers)l. These are some great women of God, humble enough to serve and strong enough to stand up and proclaim His word to all who are in need of hearing it. This conference is for any woman in need of revival in her spirit.

What you can expect for $12.95:

* Live sessions, entirely online, with some of the Christian community's most popular speakers and authors.

* Ability to download all of the MP3's from all the sessions, as well as handouts, chat logs, and presentations.

* Participation in real-time question and answer sessions with all of your favorite speakers.

* Lots of downloadable swag as well as entries to win some great prizes!

* Fellowship: make some new life-long friends and experience some fun and fellowship.

Visit A Woman Inspired at: http://awirevival09.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

732 - We interrupt the regularly scheduled program

Hello Friends!!  

I just realized that I totally forgot Whole Heart Faith yesterday.  I tell you what, when I miss one regular day in my week all seems to go haywire!  If you will let me explain you might feel a tad bit more understanding and then we can go from there!  ha!

1) Thank you all for praying for my dad and for asking again and again how he is doing thus far.  Your concern and genuine interest sure can make a heart rest easier when your rock is going under the knife and not feeling so well!  He is doing so much better and just about all recuperated!!  He is very, very healthy and in shape for his age, my momma too.  As so as he can he will begin training again along with my mom for the next big Senior Olympic Basketball tournament.  I think this next one will take them to Australia - yes, they are beyond good and talented!!  

2) Resolution Conference - things are still going well for the planning and execution on that conference coming on Sept. 26 to Marion Civic Center.  I am so very excited, but getting a bit of fear about me as well.  I need to stand more on the One that called me to this mission instead of doubting that people will not show up.  It is going to be awesome, now if I can just get the word out and convince the people to come!!  Ticket sales are happening, but need to sell a whole lot more!  

3) Tennis Camp - for anyone in the area the week long tennis camp will take place the 3rd week of July.  It is Monday thru Friday from 9am to 10:30am and is $45.  Space is very limited!  Grades completed K - 8.  Contact me soon to get your name on the list.  Thx!  July 13-17.

4) Radio - I am kind of in a holding pattern with the station.  I have set a goal of having a once a week 2 hour program until school starts - then possibly moving to everyday.  The problem is that I can not figure out the programming.  I have a Mac and it just does not act like the PC program and no one else has a Mac.  Love my Mac, but not right now.  So i am kind of stuck at going forward.  I know this is the direction the Lord has for me and I am excited to get started, but this one hurdle is just about to do me in - ha!  Where are all the Mac peeps when you need them?  

5) Did I tell you I have been invited to go on a Compassion International trip along with my ministry partner Ginger More and a few other speakers?  Tentatively we are going at the end of October.  I am so so sos sosososoooooooo excited about this opportunity!  I have wanted to get more and more a feel for what Compassion is all about since I share it with so many other people and this I know will do that.  It will help me to develop more of a passion for the ministry and a greater understanding for what they do!  I am pumped and honored too!  

6) Last but not least, my 2 year project with my cousin Heather Hargis of writing a book is finished.  We have set a release date  for all major bookstores as Sept. 6 I think and I actually received my first set of copies yesterday for presale!!!!  AND i actually had someone come by last night to get one!!!!!!  It was kind of surreal!  "Loving God, Loving People   Living out the Vertical in a Horizontal World"  They are $11.99 plus shipping if you are interested!  I have a limited number, but would be glad to get one to you before I run out!!  I would even sign it for you - that sounds kind of funny.  ha ha!  

I am so very excited, but not sure I would ever do it again.  I don't really enjoy writing for a deadline and do not feel very confident in my writing.  I am too passive and let too many things slide.  Many thoughts of.........."awe shucks, I am sure they know what i mean, I don't have to explain any further!"  Not so good in the writing world.  At least I had my incredible cousin to help pull and pull details out of me that I just was thinking everyone knew and understood.  She was fabulous and so patient!!  With Heather I would consider writing again, but I am not sure she would consider me!! ha!  

7) A Woman Inspired  - I will be speaking at this conference next week.  Leave a comment today and you will be in a drawing for a free ticket.  I am very excited on this opportunity too.  Last time the ladies were so awesome in keeping in touch and sooooooo kind in their comments.  It will be fun, but I am so excited about the topic.  Go to the website to find out all the information!!  

Today is our last day of school.  We go to each school and receive report cards and then are home for the day...............yeah!!!  I have so much to catch up on and so many emails to return and FB messages too.  I have not forgotten all you people out there!!!  Just so you know I am not as regular on my blog in the summers.  I will be waking to run 30 minutes later than normal and QT and stuff.  My home ministry to my family takes much more of a front seat in the summer because they are right at my feet and I love it!  We have so many things already planned plus I will be moving into the new house too!  Keep praying for a buyer for the current home.  I know it is not a good time to do this 2 home thing, but I am trusting He will send the buyer in His time!  He has always done it before!  

Phil. 4:5 says, "Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near."  Oh Jesus, help me to remember that!!  Help me to show that - help me to be that - help me to show YOU!  I love you!! 

Don't forget to leave a comment and be eligible for a free ticket to A Woman Inspired!  

Thanks and Love, Leigh

Resolution Conference

631 - Resolution

Lord, I really like the sound of that word. Resolution. Being resolute. Resolve. I remember hearing that word so often after 9/11.

This morning in Luke 9:51-55 verse 51 just shouted out to me. "As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem."

Jesus did not just do a few things and then decide or even ponder the decision to go to Jerusalem - no, He just about did an about-face and made a bee line there - almost. In fact the actual word means "to strengthen, establish, to stand firm, to be resolute". He was going and He knew he had to - no options and no backing out.

But what was the big deal? He had gone to Jerusalem before... But this was the end. This would be the last trip. This is why there needed to be strength, He was going to establish The Kingdom, standing firm in His purpose, and resolute in his actions. This was the final straw. This was the final action and the one that He was born to do! There was no turning back. And the whole time, even before the beginning of time, He knew well the pain and humiliation He was about to endure. He was Resolute!

Oh Lord Jesus - if i could have the same focus. Lord, If i could go about my day not thinking of myself, but the purpose that you have for me - NOW. Not in 5 years or even 5 days, but the NOW. Lord, forgive me for not pursuing Your purposes near enough. I get too sidetracked. Lord, I love your focus.

Your grace amazes me. You are kind enough to not let me know what I am headed for...always. There are many things I would probably not be resolute in if I knew what I was to endure both good and bad. Lord, thank you!! That is a display of your grace and mercy and I thank you!

I just peeked down further in the scripture. The next few verses about men that Jesus met on His way to the Cross. Those that wanted to follow, but had one thing they had left to do. Honorable things, but still one thing holding them up. Bury the dead, saying good-bye, etc. But nope, You are asking us to be resolute - set out to do the purpose and have purpose! Dieing was your end and the beginning of all Victory for us!! Oh Lord thank you for not losing your focus, for being resolute, and for following through to the end for our beginning!!! Praise you Lord!! Thank you!!

What a beautifully awesome weekend. Friday night was home with the kids - they still like us. Saturday Tucker went to a fair with some friends. Clay and I took the kids to the movies - oops, I read the Internet wrong and the movie was not there. So after church we tried it again... Longshot - awesome movie. There was some language that I was unaware of, but the message and family meaning was awesome! The big girls had friends spend the night and Tucker got in another trip to Holiday World. Man, great times!! Thank you Jesus!!

628 - Lose THE Power

Lord, my tennis team won its first match!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are now batting 500. I guess i do need to admit we have only played 2 matches, but they are doing so well. Now if i could only walk and actually get with it myself I think we could see some turn arounds! They have been real troopers dealing with me though!

I go for the MRI results today. I am doing so much better i just can hardly believe it. I do still wear those big boots, but hopefully I can get those off today and scale down to a different model. Sarahjane is also getting her stitches out from the biopsy. I pray that all goes well.

Lord Jesus, this morning I find myself in Mark, again! This is the account that I have come back to time and time again. The little boy that is demon possessed and the dad asked the disciples standing around arguing to heal him. They can not. At the end of the story we realize that they can't heal because of a lack of prayer.

My devotion brought attention to the facts of why it might have been impossible for them to heal. One explanation really hit home with me. The opposition was not just lurking around, but this time the disciples were in direct combat with them.

As I am preparing for this conference in Sept. 2009 I have met some combat. Most of it is not in real skin. It is a mind battle that I have to take to the Lord. (But my word, those can be the worst of all battles.) Nevertheless, there have been battles with the skin as well. God has revealed to me the concept of having both men and women there just like a regular church service. Just this will not be at a church, will have incredible worship, and will be at a very non-threatening location. And yet there have been a few to just not get it. Not get the concept of wanting to bring in both genders whom probably have not step foot in the church in a long time.

When the opposition arises I want to fight. I want to try to rationalize it out with the Pharisees - can you rationalize and justify and make clear a vision that has not all been revealed. Walking in faith will not make sense to many, well, actually very few. I can get so exhausted from trying to fight out the faith walk instead of just walking out the faith and allowing Him to put out the fires.

Father I realize very obviously that this is not my war - life in general i am speaking of. I am in it, but You are the Victor and Champion. I try to take on too much myself. I do that with just the generalities of life, but also in my walk with You as well. I have found that in a true walk of faith much of the walk is blind, one foot in front of the other, and a complete depletion of myself. That depletion of myself is not belittling me, it is a a relinquish of any authority I might think I have in my life and doing as He desires. Total surrender, palms open, and heart tender.

Oh Spirit - today my heart is excited. I am excited to see Your Word jump off the pages and be led by Your Spirit! Lord Jesus, I do ask for your Spirit to invade me to the fullest today. Make me aware of ways that I can be a blessing to so many around me. Help me to be patient with the tennis girls and my family to be patient with me during this trying time. Lord, may Your favor continue to embrace my days and my mind to be always turned to You. Jesus, reveal Your plans to me as I wait in expectation of what is ahead!! Oh Lord, show me Your Glory!! Fill me!

617 - Be Engaged - Think Bigger!

What is God asking you to do right now? I don't mean if God has ever asked you to do something, I mean right now He is asking something of you - Are you listening? God always wants to engage us in things that He is involved in. Are you willing to respond and think big?

The line of questioning above reminds me of the time Jesus asked the disciples to feed the 5000. On this occasion Jesus and his guys had been ministering all day and were ready to retreat. They asked Jesus to make the crowd go away. Jesus replied with an odd statement and probably very frustrating to the the disciples, "You give them something to eat." Jesus was not solving the problem, but giving the disciples even more to do. He was engaging them - big time!

Coming from Charlotte, NC we had every conference under the sun not only come to the city, but most of the conferences came to my big church. It was not uncommon at all for me to go to each and every event - I LOVED it. I would always come home with so much excitement and energy. But it was one of those things that unless you are there it was too difficult to explain. No matter how dramatic I got with Clay he just didn't feel it the way I did at that time. Bummer!

It was not long after moving to Southern Illinois that I began to thirst and starve for that kind of ministering again. And then the Lord asked something of me. I was at a Mark Schultz concert down in Marion and as I stood up to look around the Lord whispered in my heart, "Bring it here - men and women alike." Over time He revealed not just a music concert, but speakers and worship for both the man and woman at the same time. Not a marriage conference at all, but a worship/ministering conference for both of all ages. Something for the area of Southern Illinois that doesn't make us drive to St. Louis, Indy, Chicago, or Louisville. The impulse girl that I am said, "Sure thing Lord, I would love to do that." Then the fear began to set in.

As the disciples began to pass out all they had, 5 loaves and 2 fishes, I am sure the fear began to set in. "What happens when we get to the sixth person? What happens when I can not feed a baby? What happens when i run out? What if more people come up?" I think there was fear there as well even though they had seen Jesus work all the miracles not only that day, but throughout His ministry.

In verse 16 of Luke 9 Jesus gave thanks and then gave the food to the disciples to let them be engaged in the miracle happening. Jesus could have multiplied the food immediately, but instead He gave the food to them to see and feel with their own eyes and hands all He was doing. It was if He was saying, "Come on guys, take part, be engaged, think bigger, and trust Me." After feeding everyone I believe it to be no coincidence that there was 12 baskets leftover for each of the disciple. When we give of everything, even a heart lacking in faith, He still faithfully provides filling us in unimaginable ways!

Speaking Thru Me Ministries has just been granted 501(c) tax exempt status. That means that we are able to take donations and give the donor a tax benefit. Yeah!! But having said that we have little to nothing in the pot to speak of. If you remember correctly our speakers take no kind of speaking fee. I would say we have even less than 5 loaves and 2 fish. Nevertheless God has given me this story today to encourage me that He will provide in abundance.

September 2009 I have rented the Marion Civic Center for a conference for men and women. I have already booked Curtis Jones, Beth Moore's son in law, to speak. I am working on the worship leader and a few more speakers. Priscilla Shirer has already gracefully declined. So i continue to reach my hand in the basket to pull out more and more loaves and fishes. Every time I begin to panic - will anyone show up - how will i ever pay for all this - what if my speakers cancel at the last minute - how is this different than anything else - I reach my hand once again in the basket and He provides...scripture, cards from friends, emails from family, holy nudges!!

So, what is it for you today? What is He calling for in your life to be engaged and think bigger? Can you hear Him today? Have you taken the time to sit before Him today? Listen to the voice of the Savior! Keep digging for more loaves and fish!! It is there!!! He is there!