Tag: #women’s events

You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby! LET’S WIN!!

There was a slogan from the late 1960s and early 1970s spurred by the women’s equality movement that emphatically declared, “You’ve come a long way baby!”  While the movement itself represented both things with which I fully agree as well as things with which I decisively disagree, I can say with clarity, “I have indeed come a long way from where I began! HUGE strides!”

For my WINNING WINS-DAY report, rather than a video, I have chosen to post a photo from 2011.

Leah Fort, January 17, 2011 “Life Lessons on Success”    Women’s Council – Chamber of Commerce, Amarillo, Texas

In this photo I am addressing members of the Women’s Council of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce with the theme Life Lessons on Success. It was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  What a terrific day to share my personal story of how major traumatic incidents in my life did not define me nor prevent me from becoming the woman I am purposed to be.

That day, I shared my signature presentation The VineSweet Connection. In it I reveal the incidents that led to a life riddled with trepidation and the five steps I took which led me out of FEAR into FABULOUS!

Jesus made clear this beautiful connection, The VineSweet Connection, when He said,

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

My WINNING report today is that I have risen as VICTOR this side of those circumstances! My path is defined by my walk with the Lord, Jesus Christ. I am grateful that by placing my trust in Christ, I have grown tremendously and as I walk this path am able to meet with success.

You see, there was a time in my life I would have chosen the unsuspecting corner rather than standing in front of a crowd of two, much less two hundred, five hundred, a thousand, etc.,  making a presentation. Yet here I am, living proof that God can and will change a person from the inside out, make him/her completely new, give him/her a voice for His glory and His Kingdom!

In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success. Proverbs 3:6

What are the results of my WINS?  Because of my changed life, one HUGE win for me is the many opportunities I have to share my story and help overwhelmed people grow personally, triumph over past experiences, and find true success.

I would be remiss if I ever fail to bring glory and honor to the Lord for ALL the wonders He has performed in my life.

Through Him, therefore, let us [ME!] constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. Hebrews 13:15 (AMP)

ENERGY = LIFE
LIFE = JESUS CHRIST, The VINE
You + LIFE = POWER
This is the VineSweet Connection

Join me as we Connect to The Vine!

2018 GOD with US!

Another cold and glorious morning! I am ALIVE!

The question for all us living, breathing folks is simple: How do I make this world a better place because of my life?

The only way for each of us to make this world better is for each person to fulfill their own place.

And how do you do that? Simply, be YOU!

YOU are unique. No one else can fill YOUR place and YOU cannot fill anyone else’s place.  So…

Seek The Lord. Call on Him.

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. ~ Isaiah 55:6

The great thing is that the Lord is always near because He dwells in us through the power and presence of His Holy Spirit.  God’s Spirit is the very essence of who He is and He wants to fill each of us with His presence!  The truth of this is vastly beyond my ability to fully comprehend, yet I know it is the truth!  How?  Because I experience the joy of His presence in my life every single day!

This truth is the reality of what we just celebrated at Christmas.

Jesus left the splendor and majesty of Heaven to come to earth. God Incarnate. He was born as a baby–fully human and fully divine. Jesus  came as Emmanuel–God with us.  He grew up, lived his life, had siblings and worked. He began ministering to people. He selected His disciples; a group of regular people, much like you and me. He walked, talked, taught, ate and slept. He healed the sick and delivered the afflicted. He also prayed, wept and mourned over the condition of mankind. Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.

He gave Himself. He is the only One worthy–completely free of sin, spot or blemish–to be offered as The Sacrifice on our behalf. He died. He was buried. He rose from the dead. His disciples saw Him as the resurrected, risen Savior. Before He ascended to Heaven, He made a promise to send a Comforter. That Comforter is the very essence of Himself, His Holy Spirit, who dwells within us.

Jesus, through the power and presence of His Holy Spirit, is still Emmanuel, God with us because He dwells within us!! Share on X

What’s more is that I(we) did not have to ask Him to make this sacrifice. He chose to give Himself before I knew I needed Him.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit–fruit that will last–and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.        ~John 15:16

He promises to be near to us, to reveal His presence to us when we ask.  We are taught this from the apostle James when he stated, ”Come near to God and he will come near to you.”  He goes on to tell us we can be clean before the Lord when we, through the blood of Jesus, “Wash our [your] hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8)

When I seek Him and draw myself near to Him;

He will draw near to me and direct my path.

He will show me His will and purpose for my life.

He will enable be to produce the fruit that will last. Love.Joy.Peace. Patience.Kindness.Goodness.Gentleness.Faithfulness.Self-control. (Galatians 5:22)

He will inspire me to move forward to fulfill that purpose.

It’s time. Let’s go!!

 

Discovery Weekend

Just returned Saturday evening from a quick jaunt to Abilene, Texas for the weekend.  What a great time we had!

I always and absolutely love when Mike and I have opportunity to travel together, anywhere!  We enjoy the ride. It’s a fabulous opportunity for us to talk; whether a visit about how we enjoy our family, friends, and others we dearly love, talk of ministry, discuss serious matters, or share giggles and laughs about our own silliness.

This particular weekend would be classified as a working trip.  We were together as Mike came alongside to support me as I close in on finalizing the requirements for ordination in the Church of the Nazarene. We spent about ten hours in a classroom setting called Discovery Weekend. Mike participated in the course with me and enjoyed the opportunity. Of course, I LOVED it!

Mike~my blessing, my gift, my husband, for almost 36 years~ sitting through a class with me and a room filled with other pastors preparing for ordination.

 

I could talk for days on end about the solid-as-granite support Mike is to me! As I pursue the call of God on my life, Mike supports my education, my travels, my speaking ministry, and has been the instrumental backbone for me and with me in music ministry. So, KUDOS to my man, whose rigid strength is also my shield!

Now, about this weekend:  We gathered with old friends and made new ones. The weekend was exceptional as we had opportunity to spend Friday and Saturday with a room full of fellow pastors and Kingdom workers. We gathered as laborers for the Kingdom of Christ to learn together.

The focus of our time was to discover our personal strengths as ministers, learn more about how those strengths are exhibited  in performing our various ministries, how we work with other pastors, leaders, and volunteers, and how we relate to our spouse and family.

What a joy as Dr. Linda and Rich Cantwell presented the information and facilitated our class time.  The weekend was a blessing, an informative and entertaining experience encouraging one another as we develop and grow as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am thankful for our District Superintendent, Dr. David Downs, and our Assistant District Superintendent, Earl Robertson, for facilitating a successful meeting.

We ended our time taking Communion together. The presence of the Lord beautifully noticeable on the countenance of each person in attendance filled my heart with His peace and gratitude.

A few pictures from this weekend:

 

Dr. Downs addressing our group Friday evening.

 

 

 

 

Fellow pastors and classmates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The reason we gathered this weekend; to discover we are each uniquely designed as a masterpiece in God’s Kingdom! Eph 2:10

 

 

 

 Mike, me, Groban George-Pastor of Arabic language Church of the Nazarene, and Earl Robertson, Assistant District Superintendent

 

 

 

Truly, there is no greater joy than serving the Lord. May you discover the strengths placed within you by our Lord and the gifts of His Holy Spirit and walk in them as you encounter the people in your sphere!