Archive for month: May, 2021
June 2021 Inspire Newsletter
Summer is right around the corner and it is a great time to break out of routines and try something new. For the month of June we are going to “Just Be Adventurous.”
To be adventurous is simply to explore unknown territory, to try something new. Hellen Keller said, “Life is either a great adventure or nothing.”
In this month’s newsletter are some ideas to help you become more adventurous, and a devotional reminder that we never adventure alone, This month’s Bible reading plan is 30 days of Scripture that shows how God directs, guides and leads us.
You go before me and follow me. you place your hand of blessing on my head. Psalm 139:5 NLT
Walking with Jesus is truly a great adventure!
Need previous issues of the INSPIRE Newsletter? They can be found at the following links: May 2021, April 2021, March 2021, February 2021, January 2021 December 2020, November 2020, October 2020, September 2020, August 2020, July 2020, June 2020, May 2020, April 2020, March 2020, February 2020, January 2020, December 2019, November 2019, October 2019, October 2018-September 2019
Just Be… Adventurous
By Commissioner Colleen Riley
When I was younger, I was not very adventurous. I did not climb mountains or jump from cliffs into the waters below. As a matter of fact, I was quite timid. I was shy enough to even hide behind my dad in crowds. As I grew older, and after I met my husband, I was exposed to all kinds of adventures that I had never even considered doing. From camping and hiking to fishing and kayaking, not to mention sky diving, my life was full of adventure. My eyes were opened, and I found an adventurous spirit I did not know I had, which has helped me to explore all the beautiful creation that God had provided for you and I to savor.
When I came to know the Lord as my personal Savior, I was young. I knew in my heart what I had committed to, but I do not think I understood fully what the possibilities were for me as believer, a follower of Christ and a daughter of the King of Kings. As I have grown in my relationship with Christ, what an adventure it has been. I not only realized His calling on my life to be a minister of the Gospel, but I opened my heart to the world of that ministry, and He has taken me all over the world to see His hand at work. It has been quite a journey so far!
If I had only realized a little earlier in my life, the adventure I would take, maybe I would have been a little bolder sooner. But, no regrets, God has called me, and I am holding on to His hand for this incredible journey and taking in every moment and opportunity He gives me. Psalm 16:11 says: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of JOY; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” There is adventure and joy and peace in the journey of faith. I choose to be bold for Christ, to reach new heights in my walk with God. I pray that each of you who read this will seize the opportunity to just be open and available to serve Him boldly, heading into the bright future He has for you. Adventure with Christ awaits!
Book Review: “How To Pray”
Book Review by Major Charity Kramerius
Personnel Officer – College For Officer Training
I recently read the book How to pray, a simple guide for normal people, by Pete Grieg. It’s a quick read, or a short audio book read by the author himself, a person whose clear passion for prayer lead him to co-found and promote the 24-7 Prayer movement around the world.
Mr. Grieg uses the Lord’s Prayer to challenge ordinary believers at all points in their faith journey to pray simple, honest and powerful prayers. It’s not a formula book – how often to pray, where to pray, specific words that would honor God or sway God’s heart. The focus is placed on form – having a genuine heart for God and pursuing a loving and deepening relationship with Him through prayer
Before I even read the first word of Chapter One, I was captured. I like to think of myself as normal and appreciate things put simply. In the intro “How to Read This Book in a Couple of Minutes,” I was challenged to pause. “To start we must stop. To move forward we must pause. This is the first step in a deeper prayer life: Put down your wish list and wait. Sit quietly. ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’” (pg. xiv). From the beginning, Mr. Grieg shares from his own experience. “Merely by showing up, you make a declaration of intent…After decades of night-and-day prayer, I have come to believe that 99 percent of it is just showing up: making the effort to become consciously present to the God who is constantly present to us” (pg. 10).
As women Officers, many of us are pulled daily in two opposing directions…be the heart of the ministry while keeping the show on the road at a heart-stopping pace. Balance family and ministry. Pursue and protect a personal time with God as well as serve others sacrificially. Mr. Grieg brings things back to the basics with the encouragement to keep our relationship and communication with God “real,” as a way of practicing God’s presence and receiving His power. I recommend this book and encourage listening to the audio version. The book is also the basis of a 24-7 Prayer video teaching series, The Prayer Course, available free online with a Toolshed of supporting materials.
Book Review: “Grace for the Good Girl”
Book Review by Captain Ryan Boyd
Missoula, MT – Northwest Division
Grace for the Good Girl is a book by Emily P. Freeman. But it was the subtitle for this book, “letting go of the try hard life” that hooked me.
Freeman discusses how being “the good girl” can keep you from experiencing true freedom in Christ. Having been a good girl all my life, this idea both intrigued and scared me. But Freeman talks about letting go of our masks and being who we are – loved by a God who isn’t impressed by our status as a Good Girl.
There were so many parts of this book that I really resonated with, and my favorite thing was how I felt seen and understood – but also called out on my unconscious belief that I had to be “Good” for God to love me. If you find your identity as the “Good Girl” – the one who always follows the rules, the one who is dependable and can be counted on, the one who is letter of the law – then I would recommend that you read this book and help free yourself from the chains that you are creating so that you can live in the true freedom that Christ provides.
My favorite quote from this book is, “Ultimately the law will make you so miserable you’ll want to die. Then you will find that someone already died for you.” It’s time to stop finding our value and worth in being Good and to start finding it in the One who offers it freely.