August 26, 2023

Recently a lady messaged me that she only will do a women's event theme by searching through the Bible and finding her event theme there. I of course didn't agree with her and tried to comment back in a nice way but making the point that I didn't agree. I think the Holy Spirit moves in all parts of our lives and gives us what we should share from a variety of places. Yes, even a women's ministry event theme or even a yearly theme for our women.

I think having to find what we want to share in women's ministry meetings and what direction we want to go by only finding that direction by physically opening our Bible and wanting led by the Spirit to magically find that something is kind of out there and frankly a little ridiculous. If you are a mature Christian, you know that's not how God always works.

Be careful of God-limiting thinking

That kind of thinking of such a narrow scope limits God and what He can do. God shows each of individually so many different things just in life itself. He teaches us of His truths in nature, in our surroundings, and so many things. He teaches us from the stories and lessons we hear from other people. He teaches us from the leading and guiding of our pastors from the pulpits of our churches. He gives us the Holy Spirit to lead and to guide us.

We were given the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us, and if He only did that when we opened our Bibles and found something specifically written there, then we would be in a whole heap of trouble. Life moves all around us and the Holy Spirit will move in many situations and events. The Holy Spirit can lead us to a biblical truth or remind us of something that glorifies God when we least expect it.

Being Biblically Sound is a Given

We of course want everything we do in our church women's groups to be based on God's Word and glorify the Lord. We want everything to be sound doctrine. We want everything to be solid biblically. We want the foundation of anything we do in our church women's groups to be grounded on the Word of God.

Doing everything we do in women's ministry should be built on God's Word. All of that is a given. If you are a women's ministry leader and not doing that, then you have no place being a women's leader. Basing things to be in line with God's Word is paramount.

If you follow the Spirit, you will bear Fruit

What I want to remind you of is that you can find your ideas for yearly themes and event themes from anywhere that the Holy Spirit leads and still have them grounded in the Word. If you are having that close relationship with the Lord personally as a women's leader should, then you will be allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you in the right direction. If you are staying in God's Word and staying close to the Lord in prayer over your women's ministry plans, then God is going to guide you.

If you are attentively listening to the Holy Spirit, then you won't have to worry that your ideas and what you want to use in your women's ministry are selfish plans or are not Spirit led.

It makes sense. Doesn't it? That if you as a leader are allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you, then your decisions will be God honoring. I think that makes sense to me. When we follow the Spirit and allow complete control, it's then that we bear fruit.

Don't Listen to the Naysayers

Don't let anyone make you feel bad for finding inspiration where the Holy Spirit has led you, whether it is something He guided you to directly from reading God's Word, something in God's creation, something another person said or from their story, or even from the internet.

Finding something in an unconventional place to teach and share with your church women's ministry isn't something to be ashamed of or anything like that. Be happy that the Holy Spirit worked and showed you something you can use. Glorify the Lord about it! In the end, isn't that what everything is about—glorifying God? It's what that thought in 1 Corinthians is all about.

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Look for God's Approval, not mans

Listening to God is always the best choice

When we allow God to lead us, amazing things can happen. I've written things that I have received tons of emails and messages about over the years that started out as just little insignificant things that I felt led to write about and share. I think of one time I was cleaning out my purse in the car waiting for my kids and wrote about that and I am always amazed at some of the emails I have received over the years and still receive concerning that devotional. I called it, "What's in Your Purse?". I talked about the baggage we carry around and unnecessary things, and that spoke to so many women about the big baggage in their lives and the hurtful past that they carried around with them for years.

God touched a great number of women because I cleaned out my purse one day. Isn't that amazing? We cannot limit God. We need to allow Him to work, even in the mundane things and the ideas and plans He chooses to show us no matter where we are in life, whether sitting in a parking lot, walking a trail, or even roaming the internet. God can do limitless things through us, so let's not limit Him for what He wants for us as individuals and as leaders of women.

I think of what Samuel said to his people in the Old Testament.

Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. 1 Samuel 12:24

We need to consider what great things God has done and will do if we serve Him with all our heart. We have to allow that openess for the Spirit to move. We can't put a limit on what amazing things God can do. We must allow Him to move through us.

Let's get back to the Holy Spirit. When we allow the Holy Spirit control of our lives, He doesn't lead us astray. Our yearly themes and event themes that we choose as women's leaders will not be carnal if the Holy Spirit is our Guide.

Copyright ©2023 Julia Bettencourt

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