Victory Over Defeat! How a SANA Based Group Changed Two Women's Lives.

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This Week's Featured Organization: Touch the Hem Ministries

***Being Tried by Fire*** 

 ♦♦ Introducing Two Women Who Now Walk In Victory Over Defeat!! ♦♦

STARTING WITH A STRONG FOUNDATION

After a SANA intro video, two ladies connected and Touch the Hem Ministries was formed. This group makes a way for women to press through the crowd to receive their healing. Just as the woman with the issue of blood knew that if she made it to Jesus she would be made whole, (Luke 8:44).

Taneka Young, one of the founding leaders of Touch the Hem Ministries, shared:

“Shamilla Pennington and I was talking through this in the beginning. We noticed we both had the same passion and drive for women. We saw a lot of women were in need, but not talking about it. We both had already experienced a breakthrough in the group. It was laid on our hearts to do something to help other women experience their breakthrough as well.”

After speaking with Reneé LaLond who had expressed the same vision to the founder of SANA, Pastor Ced Reynolds, they knew it was God seeking the three of them to start Touch the Hem. The purpose of the group is to help restore women to their rightful place in the Kingdom. “We just knew SANA was a great place to begin,” Young cheerfully said.

Why They Said YES

They saw so many beautiful women. Their faces! Their struggles! Their heart and their lives. In spite of all their obstacles, those same women stayed in the background and said nothing. They would not even speak up in the crowd. So, Shamilla, Reneé, and Taneka decided something needed to be done to help change the outlook for these ladies.

Women are usually known to be compared, competitive and in many cases -- against each other. But, Touch the Hem was formed in an effort for sisters to support sisters. “When you hurt we all hurt. When you celebrate we are celebrating with you,”Young said.

They have excelled in their mission week after week. In this atmosphere, women have found a place like none other where they receive authentic love, concern, and support for what they are facing. This caused women to open up more, trust each other, bond, and create new healthy relationships with one another.

Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they are now able to reach women who were previously overlooked, abused, misunderstood and even misinformed. God was faithful and delivered the leaders to their breakthrough. Each of them knew they were being called upon to give back to other sisters through Touch the Hem.

The ministry was initially organized within Single and Not Ashamed – a social media group for single men and women who are not ashamed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Touch the Hem is a platform where women can honestly voice what's going on in their life without feeling they will be judged or criticized.

“We gain our strength from pressing. Sometimes they have to press to get their breakthrough and get their healing,” Young said. The amazing leaders of Touch the Hem Ministries have created an environment that opens the door for every woman who crosses their path to experience spiritual, emotional, mental, relational, physical and even financial healing.

Woman on a Mission
Kim Ussery Transformation
Today she stands as a survivor and a powerhouse in God.

“When I first got on the Touch the Hem call, I just knew there was a need to be surrounded by women (like this) who were mighty in the Lord that would help me out on my journey,” Kim Ussery said.“My life is about being a mighty woman in God, and I knew there would be things I would be able to share. I knew the women were truly mighty in prayer. So I quickly latched on after that first call. It was very powerful.”

Recently Ussery was the victim of a hit and run accident. She was driving and before she knew it, her car was going across a 4 way highway. “I reached out to Touch the Hem, and they started immediately praying for me,” she said. “The women are genuine and when they say they are praying for you, they truly are. Every week we are hearing praise reports from the previous week's prayer requests!”

After the incident, Ussery had plans to get her car fixed and get back on the road again. Then the unfortunate fate happened where she actually received notification that her car had been shot. The gunshots made the car inoperable. It was totaled out by her insurance company. Obviously this was now time to find a new vehicle. However, she had no down-payment money or credit to purchase a car.

This was indeed her opportunity to lean on the sisters in Touch the Hem and to trust God. The leaders' recent teaching series on 31 days of Unquestionable Trust, equipped Ussery to drive away from a local dealership as the owner of a new 2013 Nissan Maxima, which is an upgrade from the Altima she had in mind.

All we can say is look at God!!

“So when you see me praising Him, now you know more about the story. My confidence has grown in myself and my own prayers from being involved with Touch the Hem, Ussery said. Two years ago, Ussery tried to commit suicide. “It was the worst 36 hours of my life,” she said. “I had so many problems piled on top of each other.” The enemy was trying to get her to drive into that lake as she sat there contemplating taking her life.“The battlefield of the mind was vicious, but now two years later I have the victory!”

Ussery gushed of God's goodness, saying: “It's nice to have nice things, but are we learning a lesson while we are going through it? When I had nothing, I watched God bring people in my life that sowed into me. I was never homeless or had my electricity turned off. God remained faithful!”

An earlier series in Touch the Hem titled “40 Days of Worship” started the process of taking her life to unimaginable heights. It set the stage and prepared her to overcome the battles she would face. There's still more that God has in store for her future. She also was promoted to help out and minister as part of Touch the Hem's leadership team for a period of time as well.

To partake in this amazing experience, connect with any of the leaders including; Shamilla Pennington, Taneka Young, Reneé LaLond or Ta'Nikki Graham. Their passion to bring a fresh Word every Thursday is fueled by knowing “as women we don't think we are worthy of love. We want you to know that you are already validated even though you don't think you are,” Taneka Young said.

“We are excited about the lives being restored. When you come willing to press you will receive virtue.” Touch the Hem Ministries is where women can find everything they need – from better friendships to her life’s purpose. Don't miss another opportunity to Touch The Hem!!

In Faith and Love,

Tami Anderson, Editor-In-Chief

Special thanks to Del Carter for editing services.

The Leader in Who? by Joy R. Wilson

Here in SANA we talk a lot about leadership. Innovative leadership to be exact—We exist to support and empower singles through innovative leadership for the purpose of transforming their communities.-- But you may feel like the term “leader” doesn’t apply to you. You may be thinking, I don’t have a leadership position in my job or in my church or even in my family! So who are they talking to? The leader in who? Well…we are talking to you!

I know you have a lot of evidence and reasons to support you believing you are not a leader, but hold on a minute. Hear me out!

People don’t just become great leaders after they are given a leadership title or role. Most great leaders displayed leadership qualities long before they ever obtained position or title. Let’s take a look at a biblical leader, Joseph son of Jacob who was a leader long before he was given the position of leadership, and at the same time I hope you will see how you too can be and are a leader right where you are.

If you know the story, you know that Joseph was the favorite son of Israel (Jacob), and for that his brothers hated him. When Israel displayed his favoritism toward Joseph in elaborate fashion by giving him a hand-made, multi-colored tunic, the brothers plotted to kill Joseph and be done with him forever. One of his brothers, Judah saved Joseph from death and convinced the brothers to sell him as a slave.

Pause—So Joseph was a slave? I thought you said he was a leader? Yep, you’re right. He was a slave and it is here that we will pick up our study. Upon arrival in Egypt, Joseph was bought by Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. Genesis 39: 2 says “The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man…” Joseph was a slave. It wasn’t exactly slavery as we know it in the United States, but nevertheless he was not a free man. He was many miles away from home. No family. No friends. No relief. And he had to work to stay alive. Perhaps you are or have been in a similar state. Maybe you are on a job where you are the lowest person on the totem pole. Maybe at your church, you just go and get a word of encouragement for you to make it through the week but that’s about it. Maybe you feel very isolated and alone. But if Jesus is the Lord of your life, you are not alone. As with Joseph, He is with you. He doesn’t just wait for you to become a leader and then show His presence. He is present with you now, and he will help you be successful right where you are.

As the Lord continued to bless Joseph, Potiphar noticed and gave him a promotion. He made Joseph overseer of his house and all that he had. In fact, it got to the point that Potiphar did not know all that he had—his net worth-- except the bread that he ate on a daily basis. That is an incredible amount of trust! What can we glean about leadership from this point? Well in addition to God’s favor, Joseph was a solid servant. You see trust at this level does not happen accidentally. Joseph, no doubt, built Potiphar’s trust in him by being timely, impeccable with his word, truthful in his dealings, and most importantly, looking out for his master’s good and not his own. Joseph probably recognized that as long as all was well with his master, all would be well with him also. If his master was prosperous, then the trickle-down affect would be that Joseph would have food, clothing, and shelter as well—even if it was far from family and home. The secret to leadership is service. Great leaders are those who seek to serve others to the best of their ability. They do not hold back or half-heartedly commit with a “what’s in it for me” attitude. Leaders can be found volunteering at homeless shelters and battered women shelters. Leaders stay after church to help clean. Leaders share ideas with their coworkers to help them be more successful, rather than selfishly trying to out-do their coworkers. Leaders share the lessons they have learned in life so that someone else can make better choices and avoid the same mistakes. True leadership is service.

So getting back to our story, Joseph eventually caught the lustful attention of Potiphar’s wife. At this point Joseph could have disgraced his integrity and tried to use this situation to his advantage. He could have given in to the wife’s evil intentions and perhaps blackmailed her with the truth for his personal gain.  But he maintained his integrity and for that Potiphar’s wife lied on him. Her lie resulted in Joseph being thrown in prison. Our lesson here is leaders do what is right no matter what. Leaders know that doing the right thing is far more important than doing the profitable thing. For sure Joseph wanted to be free and get back home to his loving father. But he didn’t allow bitterness or anger to push him to act out. He did not have the mentality that he had nothing to lose so why not? No, Joseph knew that his character would be soiled if he gave in. He did what was right even to the point of being falsely accused and punished. Do you need a leadership title or position to start doing the right thing? Does what you say and do only matter if you have a management/leadership position? Nope and nope. In fact, people who have no moral character before becoming leaders, are likely to struggle with doing what’s right after obtaining a leadership position. And, it is highly likely that they will have acquired that position through evil means. Doing what is right all the time, is a stepping stone to leadership.

Once in prison, Joseph had to diversify his skills. He brought with him his habit of servant-hood, moral character, and of course, the Lord was with him. Once again, the keeper of the prison developed a trust in Joseph such that he did not even check up on Joseph because he knew that everything would be well taken care of. After a while two prisoners came that had dreams they did not understand but they knew that their dreams were a message about their futures. Joseph’s response was “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me please.” Wait a minute! Did we miss somewhere that Joseph had acquired the skills of dream interpreter? No. But what we do need to notice is Joseph’s total reliance on God. In his continuing effort to serve others, Joseph desired to interpret the dreams of these prisoners, the baker and the cup bearer of the Pharaoh. But rather than puff himself up and attempt to serve out of his own strength, Joseph submitted himself to God to be used to help these people. Real leaders know that their own power is very limited. Real leaders continuously tap into the true source of power which is Jesus Christ. Real leaders are empowered to do things they may not have training for or experience doing by their relationship with the Lord. God wants to empower you to do each and every task you face each and every day. No matter how menial, nor how big you think it is. When you rely on God to help you do what must be done, you are leader because it will be done with excellence and God will get the glory. Real leaders forfeit their glory to and for the Lord.

So Joseph helps the baker and the cup bearer and in exchange he asks that they remember him and speak favorably about him to the Pharaoh so that he may be released. Notice that Joseph did not try to make an underhanded deal here. He maintains his integrity as we have discussed before. For a long time it seems that Joseph has been forgotten until the Pharaoh himself has a dream that needs interpretation. Good thing Joseph has experience in this right? So the cup bearer remembers Joseph and he is brought before Pharaoh to interpret the dream. Not only did Joseph interpret the dream that foretold of the coming seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine, but he also came up with a plan that would spare the lives of all of Egypt as well as position Egypt to become a wealthier nation than ever before. His advice was so sound that Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of executing this plan and made him second in command of all of Egypt. You would think this is it, right? He made it. Joseph rose from being sold into slavery by his brothers, to being a servant, to being a prisoner, to finally getting that leadership position. But no, this isn’t the prize. This is not the accomplishment for which Joseph receives the “Real Leader” award. You see during the seven years of famine Joseph’s family needed food and his brothers came to Egypt to by grain. Yes, those same brothers hated him and sold him into slavery in the first place.  When the brothers came to Egypt Joseph did not seek revenge on them for betraying him. He did not verbally abuse them or throw them into prison. He did not refuse to sell to them. When Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers he tells them “Do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life,’ Genesis 45:5. He forgave his brothers and used his resources to help his family. Joseph brought all of them including, his old father Israel, who thought he was dead, to Egypt so that they would not perish in the famine. Leaders know that everything they go through is to help someone else down the road. It may not look good at the time and it may even be harsh, cruel, and unfair. But leaders trust in God knowing that He will make all things work together for their good and they will use all of their experiences to serve someone else. Real leaders don’t get an attitude once they do have the title and the power. Instead they continue to be good stewards of that which they have been given. They continue to walk in integrity, serving others, and trusting God.

So what do you think? By now you should see that you can be a leader in your everyday life. God wants you to be leader not by doing big and great things, but by doing little things greatly. When you are on time for work, true to your word, and a good steward, you are a leader. When you are faced with a challenge and you immediately turn to God, you are a leader. You may think that you don’t have a leadership position and that you don’t matter. You may think that no one sees you. I can tell you for certain, someone is always watching you. Will you give them another disappointment to watch? Or will you show the people around you that you are a leader because you are being led by God? And by the way, God is always watching. He sees what you do in secret and will reward you openly. Real leaders know that their true service is to God. Real leaders want all that they say and do to be pleasing in His sight, whether man sees it or not. You don’t need a title or position to be a leader. You don’t have to have a list of degrees to be a leader. I am challenging you to be a leader every day. Joseph was a great example of how to lead in the lowliest of positions and his consistency brought him to place of leadership. He didn’t get to be a leader and then have to figure out how to behave. He had been practicing it all along. So will you accept the challenge? Will you step out on faith and trust God to empower you to lead in your everyday transactions? Will you answer to call? The world is waiting for the leader in who? The leader in YOU!

What Leaders Can Learn from Abram by Tremayne Moore

During my quiet time I was reading Genesis 12 & 13. As I started reading, this was dropped in my spirit. I’ll give you the first 4 verses of Chapter 12 and then share what was dropped in my spirit:


Genesis 12:1-4 says this:
Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Now many times we talk about prosperity, and all that when we read those verses. Let's look at this from a leadership perspective. Abram was called out of his comfort zone (or we could say comfortable place), leaders when they want to be effective, will step out of their comfortable place. Abram had faith in God to obey; leaders step out into the world of the unknown. But a leader that's grounded in Christ can leave a legacy like Abram.

Let’s look deeper into those verses: God said to Abram that He will make him a great nation, bless him and make his name great. Sometimes when God wants to bless you, He has to get you away from your comfortable place like He did with Abram.  Abram had nothing to lose but everything to gain when He stepped out and left his country. Leaders when they’re going for something big, they have nothing to lose going in. I’m sure Abram counted the cost before leaving. They say that leaders aren’t born, and every leader that has left a legacy counted the cost. So I ask every child of God, do you want to be used to the fullest? Count the cost and be open to His Spirit and what He’s trying to say to you. Don’t be alarmed if He pulls you from your surroundings. He has so much for you. I’m willing to believe that every leader can testify to that.

Let’s look down in Chapter 13 (I promise you that I won’t be long). Let’s start at verse 10 when Lot and Abram split up. I want you all to see this.

Verses 10-13:
And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.

I want to stop here for a minute. As you are walking with the Lord, don’t think that everything that looks good is what is supposed to be in your life. Pray, get alone with God, fast, before making a hasty decision. Leaders carefully count the cost and discern before making decisions that could have an impact that’s either good or bad. Lot lifted his eyes and saw that the land was well watered. And he went for it. Now Abram gave Lot the first choice. That is what you call serving – giving other people a voice. That’s what good leaders do. But I also want to bring out here is the power of choice. We live and die based on choices we make.

Now watch what God does after Lot leaves Abram (starting at verse 14):

And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”

A godly leader always gets alone to let God speak to Him because he knows that God is a leader’s provision. It doesn’t get better than that. In fact, faithfulness to God always brings promotion. Think about it, Abram left his country, and always trusted God as his provider and God elevated Abram – which you’ll find as you read on in Genesis.

But what I wanted to show was that in order to discover that God is not a man that He should lie, that He watches over His Word to perform it; He will fulfill every promise to us, we have to take that step of faith to Him and allow Him to direct our paths and be obedient to Him no matter the cost. That’s how you can be a leader after God’s heart and get this: in the Bible, when Abraham, Isaac & Jacob passed away, you’ll find that people always made reference to the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac or the God of Jacob. They’ll remember you and want to serve the God that you serve.

Blessings.

The Mayne Man

Don't Forsake Your Purpose because of Your Past by Tremayne Moore

Don’t Forsake Your Purpose Because Of Your Past

During a prayer call with some of the SANA member and when #SANAMama Mary Smith was speaking near the end, this topic dropped in my spirit. Considering we have over 1200+ members and we only hear from a very few, one has to wonder what’s going on. As a man with Aspergers Syndrome, I have a tendency to ask a lot questions within my own mind. So with that, here’s what is floating through my mind as it relates to this wonderful group: I believe many of you are here with the purpose of growing in the knowledge of God, how to be a leader in your community as a single man/woman of God. If this is you, then you’re definitely in the right group. Some of you are here for the mere fact of trying to sniff out the brothers to snag (or to sniff out the sisters to snag one). On behalf of the leadership, men’s prayer team and women’s prayer team, you’re in the WRONG group. Now, here’s the final reason why some of you are here (which will be the focus of this blogpost): I believe some of you reading this are sitting on the sidelines holding onto a lot of baggage stemming from multiple things (abuse, divorce, used, neglected, low self-esteem, personality/mental issues, and the list could go on). Some of you have a phobia of rejection, and a need for acceptance.

Can I take a moment and be transparent with you as a single man of God? I know this is not the norm for a man to be transparent in front of everyone, but you know there’s nothing wrong with testifying of the goodness of God. Some of the items I mentioned above I have actually lived through and yes, I still have struggles (which I’ll share some of them with you). OK, I grew up in a two-family home (my parents stayed married until the day my father passed – September 2012), and I have a younger sibling. Things seemed pretty normal until I was psychologically tested in pre-school; the end result was that I had Aspergers (a lower version of Autism). When I was 8, my mom’s half-brother came to live with us because he failed 4th grade. Although he’s two years older than me, he started physically abusing me, and two years later, he started sexually abusing me (which lasted for 7 months). Now keep in mind, I was on the verge of thinking this lifestyle was normal. It wasn’t until I was 11 that my female cousin introduced me to sex. Now watch how God does something in me. Although this was going on, there was always a hunger for me to know who Jesus is.

Now let’s stop and take a look for a minute at what’s going on: here’s a child at 11 pretty much being sacrificed to the devil (my mother handing me over to my uncle) in the natural. But in November of 1986, my female cousin & I stopped being involved – which brings me to my first testimony: since that month to the time you read this blogpost, I’ve been abstinent. Now, I lived my teenage years pretty much alone and I started writing poetry to get what’s on my heart out. I did graduate high school (my second testimony). Many kids who have been abused struggle with life. My mother was against me reading the Bible every day in the home, so God provided me a way of escape via the military in 1994 and I got saved in 1996 (my third testimony). In 2001 I graduated with my degree in Accounting.

So far, it sounds like God really brought me out. I know many people have stories similar where God brought them out.

What are some of my struggles? In 2008, I was diagnosed with PTSD as a result of the abuse I suffered from childhood. So, I’m in therapy. Even with that diagnosis, I released my first book a year later and would share a fictional version of my story 4 months before my father passed away.

The message is not to promote me, but to promote God and to encourage you to not forsake your purpose because of your past.

P.S. Perhaps you’re on the sidelines because you believe you need a mate to complete your purpose? That will come, God will provide as you get moving on your purpose. If you continue to sit on the sidelines, you are not only robbing God, you’re also robbing yourself and others your gift! God will give you more, as you get moving in your purpose.

In closing, know that in order to be effective in your community and fulfill the great commission of Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18-20, you have to GO!!!

If you’re hurt because of what happened in your past, you’re in the right group. We want to pray with you, fast with you, intercede for you, because we are family!!!!

Besides, you can’t say you’re part of the team if you’re constantly on the sidelines. Get in the game, we need you!!!!

Blessings.

The Gift of Encouragement by Lin Johnson

Lin's Lessons:
"The Gift of Encouragement"

To make (someone) more determined, hopeful or confident. . . . This is how Webster’s Dictionary defines the word encourage.

It is said that a word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success. No matter who and where we are, our lives will always have a need for encouragement. It acknowledges our efforts, supports our passions and validates our humanity.

At some point (often many points), in our lives, we seek the hope that encouraging words gives us. And at very pivotal times, it can be as necessary to our heart as oxygen is to our brain. The RIGHT word will revive us. It will drive us. We rest in the sweet savor of its strengthening power.

I remember a few years ago, I encountered someone who was facing an obstacle on their purpose road. They made a decision that made them feel like “This is it”. I distinctly remember one of the many conversations we had. In the midst of their tears, I said “you are still who God created you to be. That mistake doesn’t change your purpose.” Well, I didn’t give that conversation another thought. Years later, I ran into that person. As we began to converse, they said before I miss the opportunity, I wanted to say thank you. Of course, I replied, for what? They began to say that even with all of the support, prayers and encouragement they received during that period in their lives, what made the difference was the encouragement that I gifted them. They said it gave them the confidence to go on. It took me by surprise to say the least. But more importantly, I was grateful. Because, unbeknown to them, in that moment, I was
in need of encouragement. I am a firm believer that God does ALL things well. He allowed the very same words and person to pour back into me what I poured into them. And it was I, who walked away with renewed hope and encouraged to go on.

We often, unfortunately, THINK they’ll be okay but neglect to SAY you’ll be okay. We often overlook the difference between thinking they’ll win and telling them you can win.

Can you remember a time in your life when that material gift was nice but it didn’t make a difference? When gift of physical presence was always appreciated but it didn’t move you. But it was the gift of encouragement, the empowerment through a word that gave you strength.
For the believer, the Bible does this for us. God’s word, instruction and support is the CPR to our dying souls. Likewise, are our words to our brother at home with us, our sister on the phone miles away, the little kid next door or the stranger in the grocery store. Our words have power and when we make the deliberate choice to gift them to someone with remnants of love, we become change agents in their lives.

The Bible tells us that anxiety weighs down the heart but a kind word cheers it up (Proverbs 12:25NIV). God have given us the ability to make a difference through the words that we speak. Proverbs 25:11 says “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver” (KJV). When our words are formed as gifts of encouragement, given seasonably and applied properly, it adjust to the need of the person it’s spoken to and agrees with the character of the person speaking.

The gift of encouragement is free and renders no harmful consequence much like God’s unmerited grace towards us.

I will be the first to admit that it is not always an easy task to speak words of life to someone, especially when it is life that may have let us down. But it is our call to duty. Our individual responsibility to live out this divine assignment. Speaking life to anyone, including yourself, must be INTENTIONAL. It is a seed that always bears good fruit.

How will you be an encouragement to someone today? How will you encourage yourself?

My gift of encouragement to all of you:
You were created in God’s image and you are enough. He sees you in the spirit and He sees you perfectly. He considered you and called your name. Be confident in the faith. Be hopeful of your journey. I pray that you are strengthened by these words.

Love Yourself? By Joy Wilson

Often times as singles we are advised to learn how to love ourselves before seeking the love of another. Take yourself to the movies. Treat yourself to dinner. Buy yourself some flowers. Tell yourself you're beautiful/handsome. Well, I've done all of these things, and yet it was never quite the answer. If you're supposed to  feel like you have reached some sort of singleness mastery level because you checked these off your list, well... I definitely did not! No matter how many times you punch the “Loving Me" card, it probably will not bring you the love you are looking for.

Where in the Bible does God instruct us, or even encourage us to love ourselves first? Doesn't the Word say “You shall love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and all your strength?" (Matthew 22:37) Throughout scripture we are admonished to love God first, deny ourselves, and even lay down our lives for friends. So where did all this “love yourself," come from?

The concept developed from the theory that if you truly love yourself, you will not tolerate anyone mistreating you, nor will you abuse others. Nice idea, but contrary to the Word. And I know plenty of people who love themselves, but are still very unhappy. Self-love cannot cure loneliness. Self-love cannot sustain you during your singleness. Self-love cannot heal your broken heart. Self-love cannot rescue you from a difficult relationship. Self-love is not strong enough to pull you out of an abusive or dangerous situation. Only God's love can do all of this.

I John 4:19 says “We love Him because He first loved us." He loved us FIRST. That is the key. You see the problem with loving yourself is you must first be loved by LOVE Himself...God IS love. How can you love yourself, or anybody else if you are not tapped into the endless source of love?
In John 15:4 Jesus said, Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
You cannot love yourself unless you accept His love for you. His love is patient, kind, longsuffering, and fearless. You cannot give, even to yourself, what you have not been given.
God's love is the only love that can rescue you. So whether you are in a relationship or not, good or bad, God's love supersedes all problems and issues and at the same time, God's love bankrolls your life with abundance of peace, and joy. That same peace and joy you're supposed to feel sitting at the restaurant eating a fabulous meal...by yourself.

It's not loving yourself that makes the difference. It's knowing He loves you that does, truly. When you know that all He did was for you. When you know that you are a precious pearl to Him. When you know that he has orchestrated a symphony to play the sound track to the wonderful life he has planned for you. Then, you can love someone else because you are choosing to love them from a full love tank. Self-love cannot heal your emotional wounds and fill your love tank. You must surrender completely to God's love. Take it all in, although you are not even capable of grasping the depth of His love! When you accept God's love you begin to see your true value. Your value to Jesus is the foundation for loving yourself. Not some prideful, materialistic list of activities you do for yourself.
So...yes I take myself to the movies and treat myself to dinner. Not so that I can brag about loving myself. I do it when I want, if I want, just for the pure enjoyment. I only love me because He loves me. He loved me first.

Lin's Lessons by Lin Johnson

Lin's Lessons:
The Leaders's Ship

A leader doesn't have to announce themselves because their presence alone, renders the appropriate introduction.

Do you remember being in school, sitting in the class room for the first time, waiting for the teacher to come in? And when the teacher arrived, he or she appeared to be scanning the students before ever saying a word. It is because the moment a teacher steps into a classroom of children, they have the ability to identify who's leading the pack. There is an innate aura that comes from a natural born leader.

Sometimes, the person leading isn't even aware that they carry that characteristic. As children, the ability to lead must first be recognized. By young adulthood, the power to lead has begun to develop. As an adult the skill to lead is refined.

But regardless of when or how the leader in you begins to appear, there is always a responsibility that is sometimes joyful and light and often times, tiring and heavy. Similarly, like the cocoa skin you got from your Mom or the never-ending height you inherited from your Dad, there is nothing and I do repeat nothing that you could do to change the leader God created you to be. The only decision you make is how to use it wisely.

Wise leadership....saying it almost feels like an oxymoron and seems so far fetched in today's times. Does it still exists?

There was a time when it was easy to point out the good teacher, the moral abiding policeman or even the truth telling preacher. I am just of the belief that this does NOT have to be the days of ole.

As a leader, who has so often been doubtful about my propensity to lead, I have come to the conclusion that the greatest challenges aren't just about leading but more often than not, being assured of where am I "leading" to. However, being obedient to Christ by lending my ear to His voice of instruction, I have become confident in my walk and it has empowered the leader He created me to be. Through my relationship with Him, I have found this to be true, no leader leads alone. Good leaders are concerned about developing leaders and don't care much about having fans. You must have a set vision but the ability to adjust with the journey. Great leadership WILL test you. It will question your motive, push your patience and toughen your skin. Great leadership will teach you the difference between fruitful endevours and fruitless expeditions. It requires your commitment and transparency. It will evoke humility and truth. Sometimes it will reward you, often times it will not. But it won't kill you! Being a leader isn't for everybody or just anybody. It is for those who are willing to fight for others while sacrificing themselves. For those who know that it's never about looking down to see but looking over to help. It is for those who know that the job is the reward.

" A Leader's Journey"
An "efficient" Leader knows....that you must first be an effective follower.

A "true" Leader knows....NOT to say "go" but "come"

A "committed" Leader knows...... It's not about being fascinated with the journey but being faithful to the destination.

A "wise" Leader knows..... That the loss is not the focus but its lesson is what's fruitful

An "anointed" Leader knows...... that with God your steps are ordered but without God there is no place to go.

Leaders are not always in leadership and being in leadership is not indicative of being a leader. Jesus was the ultimate example of leading with a servants heart. He was dedicated to the plan: life for the follower, the instruction of Heaven and the cost of the call.
Are you a LEADER?

Isaiah 6:8
Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then said I, “Here am I. Send me!”