Five Minute Friday: Opportunity

Today I am participating in Five Minute Friday, where a group of writers get together and write about a one word prompt for 5 minutes.  Today's word is “Opportunity ”

Opportunity. What does this look like?

Everyday I feel like we are flooded with opportunities.

We can choose whether we decide to take them or let them pass by.

Often when we choose them, they will lead us down a new, unadventured path.

This week, my family had a new opportunity arise. At first it seemed like something small. But now I believe it was possibly an answer to a prayer that I had been praying.

We are looking around for opportunities to minister all the time I believe, but maybe don't recognize them when they come up

An open door, a question asked, an opportunity to help someone even in a small way, these are all opportunities to see God in our lives.

And these opportunities could possibly lead us down a path and change our direction. Maybe that's what God intends.

We are not building ministries. We are building the kingdom.

Every Believer Has a Ministry

Ministry is not a place you arrive at. It is something already happening, moment by moment, day by day. Every single believer on the planet has a ministry right now. You don't need another person to affirm you or send you. Jesus already said go! (See Mark 16: 15 and 2 Corinthians 5:18.)

There is somebody in your world right now that needs to hear the about Jesus. They need to hear and know that God loves them and they are already forgiven of their sins. They just need to know it, believe it and give their hearts to Him.

It only takes a moment to become a new creation and be transferred from the darkness to light.

I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. -Acts 26:17-18

what are you waiting for? The One Thing No One Ever Tells You About Sex

what are you waiting for? The One Thing No One Ever Tells You About Sex is a book we have been waiting for about a topic that has not been tackled clearly enough, sex. Author Dannah Gresh in researching this topic has uncovered some fascinating things about God’s purpose for the union that takes place between man and woman.

The book is a combination of many things. First, the author has researched many words found in the original Biblical text and found that they don’t mean exactly what the average person thinks they do. Second, Gresh shares from personal experience her own challenges surrounding this topic within her life and marriage. Finally, Gresh shares on how to follow God’s plan for this sexual union in order to have the healthiest experience a married couple can have.

The author also tackles many tough subjects in this book. It makes me blush a little to even rewrite some of the chapter titles, but here goes! Chapter titles include but are not limited to: “not all sex is the same,” “the lesbian question,” “our porn problem,” and “the line.” All of the chapters were very informative and a super teaching and ministry tool. The one thing in the book I didn’t completely understand was the prayer for breaking soul ties. That is something I will have to further research for myself.

I learned while reading this book! I love it when I find something that teaches me and makes me better. This book gave me a better understanding of God’s purpose(s) for sex. The author tackles some tough topics and answers them with the upmost respect for the reader with a heart of love. I was very impressed by her tact and ability to share what God’s word says, in a non-confrontational manner, with the intent of bringing a hurting person to the light of God’s truth.

I recommend this book for anyone who would like to know more about what God’s Word really says about the subject. It needs to be talked about because God created it and He said that everything He created is GOOD. If you have made mistakes in the past this book can put you on the road to overcoming them. I also think this book would be a helpful tool for parents of tweens and teens. Youth and college age ministry leaders would benefit from reading this book as well.



Disclaimer: I received this book from Waterbrook Multonomah as part of their blogging program in exchange for a book review. I was not required to give a favorable review. The opinions expressed are clearly my own.

Voices of the Faithful, Book 2

The stories of missionaries on the field have always been of great interest to me. Anytime a missionary ever came to a church I was attending, I was on the edge of my seat. Voice of the Faithful, Book 2, compiled by Kim P. Davis, and created by Beth Moore, is a devotional full of these stories.

Created to be a 365 day devotional, Voices of the Faithful, Book 2 contains stories and prayers from missionaries spanning the entire globe. This devotional is divided into sections, categorized by months, containing a new topic for each month. Topics include “Divine Appointments,” “Lessons for the Young,” and “Hope for the World.” The daily devotionals contain a scripture, story from a missionary, and a prayer by that missionary at the end that you can pray as well.

I especially enjoyed the introduction by Beth Moore. Her heartfelt passion for the missionaries is displayed in eloquence. In her usual teaching fashion, she explains the heart of God in the lives of the missionaries contained in these pages. As I read through the pages, I was touched by the courage and persistence of the missionaries as well as their ability to learn from mistakes as they continue in the work God has called them to.

If you would like to go to the mission field, but for whatever reason, are not on that path at the moment, I recommend this book. It will give you an opportunity to sow into the lives of other missionaries through the daily prayers you lift up to God on their behalf. This is not a Bible teaching devotional, so if that is what you are looking for, you might want to select another book to meet that need. As I was reading, in my desire to learn and experience the life of a missionary, I was a little disappointed with the lack of details about each individual life. There are details, but I am sure that for the safety of the missionaries and the people they are serving, information must be limited. Voices of the Faithful, Book 2 will be an asset to anyone who desires to serve God and His heart, “who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”