Sharing the Gift of Influence

I want to share YOU in my sphere of influence. I want to support you in ministry whether it is big or small. I want to give back as so many have given to me and helped me along the way. Are you interested in posting on my blog? Let me know!!

Im Moving!!!

Hey yall - ha ha, i know what you are thinking - she is moving again????!!!!!  Well, not my physical body, but my blog.  I have decided to buy into Wordpress and move everything over there!  SO in a couple of days you will find everything at www.leighgray.com

Hope to see you there!!!  I hope to be back in action by Thursday or Friday.  Thanks

Much love, Leigh

How do you know when you have suffered?

²⁹ For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him  Phil. 1:29


Have some question weighing on my heart and mind today.  Hopefully I can get them all out before the kids wake up.  We don't have school today and my daughter had a sleepover........hopefully they will sleep a long time!!  


Take a look at another interpretation of the same scripture above.  There's far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting. Phil. 1:29


Wow - suffering is as much a gift as trusting - that is deep and profound and convicting too.  


How do YOU know when you have suffered for Christ?


Have you ever suffered for Christ?  


What was that like?  


Did you get to the point where you felt it was a gift?


How do you tell the difference between suffering and discipline?


Is physical sickness and disease part of suffering? 




I really would love your thoughts on this!!  You are welcome to email me as well.  I have lots of opinions, but I want to hear from you.


Have a wonderful day - I'm off to do laundry!!   

I've got my spurs out!!! Can I count on you?

Hebrews 10:24-25

The Message (MSG)

 ^22-25So let's do it—full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.

I can not tell you how many times people will leave the church because no one called them to say they are missed. I can completely understand where the people are coming from, BUT....... when they were here who were they calling to say they missed them? It goes both ways. I do good to make sure I have 6 heads in the car, mine included, going to church and then getting back home. I can hardly think who was not there. But the one way to make sure we are constantly encouraged is to be an encourager. Kind of like to have a friend, you have to be a friend. The Christian life is nothing more than a constant giving of ourselves. If we receive anything back, then praise Him, but do not expect it.

With that giving mind in perspective the verse above says "let us consider". That consider there means to contemplate. "How we may spur one another on" That spur means to move someone in a direction for results and it actually means doing something for them. So giving... it might take some work. Many times it will not be a rash or rushed decision. Now just because you get a quick idea doesn't mean it is not a valid one or one to not take seriously in doing for someone.  Do this or that................now! Sometimes i react, sometimes not. But the main point is that we are to consider - contemplate, look for ways, be creative (ugh) - how we can spur one another one - move each other in the direction to be encouraged.

The last verse says that we are to "encourage one another". That is not needed to be explained, but I did look up encourage. We are to be like Christ and He is our encourager. Advocate is the most common word used for Jesus as it pertains to encourage. He speaks to the Father on our behalf - praying for us. How cool is that??? In the Greek it is parakletos!! I love that word.

So friends - it is going to take a movement, effort on our part to encourage one another to achieve what He has called us to. We have to encourage one another - spur one another on towards love and good deeds - and good eating. When we feel a moment of weakness coming on - to overeat, to eat cruddy food, to not go to church, not attend Bible study, to skip out of aerobics, to not meet with a friend.................... pick up the phone and call someone. Because here is the deal, if things work the way the Lord intends them to - someone calls you for a "spur on" and you do just that. Encourage them off the ledge and back to right thinking - rational thinking - you do not need another Little Debbie Swiss Cake roll. Then when it is your turn for a 'spur on' you have someone to call for encouragement. That is what God means when He says to not give up meeting together. Come together as often as possible, but when you are down do not give up on one another - spur on!!!

Who is the one you can call for a "spur on"??

Its a Crappy Day

I think we all know that serving the Lord has days of much crappiness. We are not immune from hardships and sickness. But what will make it better?

3-16-10 Side by Side

Ever wondered what Speaking Thru Me Ministries is all about? Watch this video and you will get a better understanding. And then if you dont mind, you would please post this to your facebook or send in an email to others helping us to get the word out. Thank you so much!!! Shoulder to Shoulder!!

All of a sudden my wheels fell off!!

Sometimes I think we get so caught up telling people to die for Christ, to reject yourself, to think only of others.............. Don't get me wrong all of that is so true.  Paramount in being a true follower of Christ.  But i also long for others to know that following Christ is a lot of fun.  Jesus is a blast.  Because I find such joy in being with Christ and following Him the latter things mentioned don't seem like such a drag - much like they are communicated at times.  So today I have a funny I found as I was studying Ex. 14.

Exodus 14 is the story in the Word about the Israelites crossing the Red Sea.  They were all complaining and Moses set them straight with a huge statement that really needs to be put to memory!!  As my buddy, Ryan Warren always say, that'll preach!

Ex. 14:13-14  ¹³ Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you're never going to see them again. 

 ¹⁴ God will fight the battle for you.
      And you? You keep your mouths shut!"

So then Moses, through the power of the Lord, parts the Red Sea.  So all the Israelites are crossing over on DRY ground as the Egyptians are still pursuing them.  As the night went on the Lord wanted to up the confusion of the Egyptians  and frustrate them all the more - i call it toying with them.  Destruction is on the way, but He is allowing them to get toyed with to make an even bigger statement - He is Jehovah God!!  

Verse 25 cracks me up - ²⁵ He made the wheels of their war-wagons come off, so it was hard for the wagons to be moved. So the Egyptians said, “Let us run away from Israel. For the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

I know I'm being sarcastic here - but yes, it would be very hard for any vehicle to move if all the wheels fell off!!!  Isn't it great that something so weird as all of a sudden wheels on wagons falling off made them have an "awe-ha" moment!  As they looked around and were not doing really well pushing the wagons on their own, one of the brighter warriors, must have been an wheel engineer, must have looked up and said, "Wait a minutes guys, this must be their God.  We gotta get out of here.  The wheels just fell of - who knows what is next...our heads!!!  Let's go".............but it was too late!!!  

Just having some fun today.  Some Leigh interjection there!  Have a great day and please keep your wheels on!