One day Charlie Brown was talking to his friend Linus about the pervasive sense of inadequacy he feels all the time. Charlie moaned, “You see, Linus, it goes all the way back to the beginning. The moment I was born and set foot on the stage of life they took one look at me and said, “Not right for the part.” (Peanuts)
When God called Moses’ name from the burning bush with a job for him, Moses had a true identity crises. Despite the fact that from the moment of his birth God was setting him aside and preparing him for this exact moment of history, when God called his name, Moses questioned God and said, “Who am I that I should go?” He felt as if He was not right for the part that God wanted him to play.
As we read Moses’ story in the Bible, we might look at his life and see God at work and God’s plan for Moses. But we get to read about Moses in a few pages of the Bible. Moses, however, was living his life from day to day – just was we do. We don’t get to fast-forward to the end of life and put all of life’s pieces together and see how God has orchestrated events in our lives so that they all make sense. We just have to live today, learn from yesterday, and trust God in His will and plan for our lives.
For Moses, however, let’s look at the key events in his life that led to this burning bush moment where God calls Him out from shepherding sheep to shepherding God’s chosen people.
- Moses’ mother placed baby Moses in a basket and set it in the river to save his life
- Pharaoh’s daughter discovers him and raises him as her own child which makes him royalty and gives him the right to stand before Pharaoh
- He grows up in the palace to learn court etiquette and Egyptian government and politics that he would need to know in order to stand before Pharaoh to petition the freedom of the Israelites
- He kills an Egyptian task-master which sends him fleeing from Egypt and he begins shepherding sheep
- While a shepherd, Moses gains the experiences he needs to to Shepherd God’s chosen people and he learns to wait on God.
- He has a burning bush experience where God calls Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
Have you ever wished for a burning bush experience? I have. It would make things so much easier sometimes if God spoke from a bush and just told me what He wanted me to do. But in Moses’ burning bush experience, he questions God about whether or not he’s the right person for the job. Remember that Moses had fled Egypt because he was wanted for murder of an Egyptian task-master. Perhaps this was the moment in his life that he was thinking about that caused him to ask God, “Who am I that I should go?” He knew he messed up and now, why would God choose him?
When God calls us to a task, don’t we often ask the same question? “Who am I that you would send me?” We start listing our perceived failures and telling God all the reasons that He should choose someone else. We never stop to take the time to look back in our lives on those very experiences that were “failures” to see how God might have been growing and equipping us for just this moment. If the God of the universe and the creator of the world who is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful) is calling your name, then He certainly knows your failures, your strengths, your weaknesses…and they all are perfectly in line for the task to which He is calling you. In fact, those very experiences you are questioning – the ones you see as failures – are the ones God has been using you to equip you, prepare you, and train you for what He is now asking you to do. So change your question: “Who am I that you would send me?” to a statement: “Here I am Lord, send me!” If He’s calling you, then you are the perfect person for the job.
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Don’t forget to memorize this week’s Bible Verse.
In 2020 our emphasis is on revival for America with three key words: revive, renew, and redeem. You will begin to see the elements of our website and posts reflect this emphasis. We hope you’ll join us in praying for God to pour out the Holy Spirit with a mighty rushing wind of revival for our nation and around the world.
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Our key verse for revival is 2 Chronicles 7:14. “If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. Our verse last week focused on praying. This week, we’ll focus on seeking God’s face.
This week’s memory verse:
Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
Meditate and apply:
Will you commit to praying with us in 2020 that God will revive His people, renew our faith, and redeem our land? We feel such an urgency and desperation for revival. If God is moving your heart for revival, write your revival prayer in the comments along with your state or country.Â
#revive #renew #redeem #revivalinAmerica #revivalin2020 #WCM
Now you can receive the weekly memory verse straight to your email inbox. Sign up below.
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T-shirt Fundraiser Event:
As we focus on Revival for America, 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray,and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.” This design was created as we focus this week on seeking the face of God for revival. Jeremiah tells us that when we seek God, we will find Him when we search with all our hearts. You’ll find the design in tees for women, mugs, bags, and other products. Check them out in the Spreadshirtand Teespringsshops.
Thank you for helping us grow!
Click here to view the Teespring store.Â
Click here to view the Spreadshop StoreÂ
#allyourheart #seekandfind #seekingGod #WCM #teespring #spreadshop
BOOKING NOW! Be a host site for the NEW God, Love & Marshmallow Wars Book Tour & Couples Conference:
This event helps couples understand why the daily activities found in the book will equip them to build a stronger marriage and the book provides them with 365 intentional activities to take what they learn at the event and apply it on a daily basis. Through the event, couples will discover the Biblical “why” behind the categories of activities found in the book and the “how” these activities are important to building a stronger marriage. Focus points of the event includes :
- How memorizing scripture together and studying God’s Word together as they study, meditate and apply scriptures related to marriage and life issues will help them develop marriages that honor God.
- Why utilizing fun conversation starters that spark meaningful conversations will keep interest alive as they continually learn new things about each other.
- Why keeping romance alive is essential to intimacy and connectivity.
- How making memories and working together builds relationship investment bonds and how these investment bonds can become the knots that keeps them together through the tough times.
- How they can understand what they are or are not contributing to the marriage as well as how they might be contributing to problems or potential problems within the relationship through the use of targeted, intentional personal reflections
- Why it is important that couples never stop dating and how group dates with Christian friends can be both an encouragement and accountability to their own relationship.
During the event, couples will be given an activity from each focus point to do together, making this event an interactive, fun, and engaging event with practical, hands-on learning. Unlike other couple events that are over when the event ends, couples who attend the GLMW event will be able to apply what they learn when utilizing the book on a daily basis for a year. Since the book is not dated, couples are able to reuse the activities year after year to continue being intentional in strengthening their relationship with each other and with God as they strive to live out God’s design for marriage every day.
Learn more about hosting this event at your church or conference site by clicking here.
About the book: The GLMW book contains 365 daily challenges for couples to strengthen their relationships to each other and with God. Couples will complete activities such as Scripture memory, conversation starters, relationship builders, learning about Biblical marriage, romance builders, personal reflections, and date ideas. Click here to purchase your copy. (This link will open a new widow and take you to Westbow Press’ bookstore.) It is also available at Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble
#GLMW #couplesevent #GLMWbook #intentionalmarriage #Godlymarriage
Looking for a keynote speaker for your next ministry event? Julia is now booking for 2019 and 2020 Christian events for women’s and couples’ ministries for both small and large events.
Book with us now.
Julia is CEO of Wellspring Christian Ministries, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people and couples develop a passionate relationship with God. A public speaker, conference trainer, event planner, and blog writer, Julia is a two-time graduate from Grand Canyon University with a bachelor in Psychology and a masters in Professional Counseling. Saved as a child and raised in church and in a Christian home and private Christian School as a Pastor’s kid, Julia has taught Sunday school, led music, played the piano, served as Children’s Director, and engaged her gifts in many other areas of church life. Previously employed with the Florida Baptist Convention, Julia organized events and led conferences for church ministry assistants. Today, Julia enjoys sharing her journey as a growing Christian with others looking for a deeper connection with God. Through Bible study and her own life experiences, God has given Julia a passion to help couples understand God’s design for marriage while they learn to place God first in their marriage, cultivate meaningful relationships, build intimacy, and address the tougher issues that come in every marriage so that they can experience a marriage that honors and glorifies God. Julia also loves mentoring, teaching, and working with women to help them learn to live as Godly women.
With her history and experience growing up in both small and large churches, Julia enjoys bringing top level quality events to churches of all sizes. Her father largely pastored small churches and therefore she understands that these vital parts of the believing community need to be good stewards of the resources God provides them with. This knowledge inspires her passion for being available with a fresh perspective for those who want to provide their congregations with meaningful spiritual growth opportunities, regardless of size.
To request more information or a booking,Â
fill out the online form here.
Or call us at 904.524.8073
#JuliaBruce #speaker #keynote #author
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We are praying and seeking God for Revival in America in 2020. The path to revival can be found in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Watch the video on this verse created by our CEO.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves….” This week we have featured several resources on prayer. We hope you’ll choose one for your own personal Bible study and join us in seeking God with a heart of humility and pray with us for God to send a revival to America in 2020.
Check out the Christian Book Distributor resources below.
Our organization receives an 8% commission on any item you purchase through these links. However, the product price is the same for you. There is no increase in your cost for us to receive the commission. All commissions receive support the work and ministry of Wellspring Christian Ministries.Â
Seeing Jesus: Seeking and Finding Him in the Scriptures
By Nancy Guthrie / Tyndale House
In Seeing Jesus, author and Bible teacher Nancy Guthrie shows how Jesus is revealed in the Old Testament through 60 brief, but insightful readings. Your eyes will be opened to the epic scope of the Bible’s story like never before, as you see Jesus at the center of God’s plan to save his creation from the very beginning. Adapted from The One Year Book of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament. Features an imitation leather binding and a ribbon bookmark.
Experiencing God’s Presence: Learning to Listen While You Pray
By Linda Evans Shepherd / Revell
What if every time you had a conversation, your best friend never got a word in edgewise? Your relationship would be less than fulfilling–for both of you! In the same way, a fulfilling prayer life is more than just regularly talking to God. And it’s more than checking items off a prayer list. God loves us so much that he wants us to draw close enough not only to talk but also to listen.
Now, from the award-winning author of When You Don’t Know What to Pray, comes a bold and life-transforming book that will help nurture a vibrant two-way relationship with God. Linda Evans Shepherd shows you how to develop a dialogue with God, continually seeking him and seeing him at work in your life. Steeped in Scripture and filled with personal stories of answered prayer, this book also includes sample prayers and action steps you can put into practice immediately.
Diligently Seeking God: Daily Motivation to Take God More Seriously
By Gary Henry / Wordpoints
What difference does it make whether we seek God? Diligently Seeking God offers a complete year of daily meditations that will help you look at this question more honestly. Each page explores a different dimension of our need for God and invites you into a deeper desire for Him.
Written in a style that is both reverent and comfortable, Diligently Seeking God meets us as real people and wrestles with the questions that come to us in our most personal moments.
No matter where your spiritual life is right now, this book will beckon you to higher ground. Whether you see yourself as being a Christian or not, Diligently Seeking God will: (1) Motivate you to take God more seriously every day, (2) encourage you to focus on God, rather than on yourself, (3) challenge you to make God a greater priority, (4) help you to make positive choices for the quality of your life, and (5) inspire you to keep going when life is hard.
Provocative and passionate about life’s most important subject, this book will make a difference in your spiritual growth. Diligently Seeking God will nudge you where you need to be nudged.
A Woman Seeking God: Discover God in the Places of Your Life – eBook
By Dorothy Kelley Patterson / B&H Books
Discover God in all aspects of your life! Examining everyday experiences in the light of God’s Word, Kelley Patterson will help affirm your faith in God’s daily presence. In this collection of 36 essays, she shares insights on family life, dealing with adversity, the power of prayer, intimacy in marriage, and evangelism. A daily Bible reading plan is included. eBook Version.
Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible Through the Year
By Faith Alive Christian Resources
A daily prayer book drawn from an ancient Christian tradition.
For hundreds of years, Christians have observed the “daily office”–prayers offered to God at regular times of day. This practice, now experiencing a wide resurgence, can help your life become a vital, lifelong conversation with God. In Seeking God’s Face you’ll find a simplified daily office–intended for once-a-day use–designed especially for thoughtful Christians.
Seeking God’s Face provides an entire year of daily prayers and readings, each featuring seven elements, including:
- an opening prayer of adoration
- a psalm and Scripture reading
- suggestions for personal prayer
- a prayer based on a classic creed or confession
- a closing blessing
Forward by Eugene Peterson
By Bernard Bonowitz / Cistercian Publications
52 Weeks: Seeking God Through His World and His Word
By Rachel Carter Welborn / Come and See Photography
21 Days of Praise: Seeking God’s Face Instead of His Hand
By Lucille Willis / WestBow Press
By Stephen Kendrick & Alex Kendrick / B&H Books
Many people feel they are less than who God says they are. We get our identity from our careers, our political positions, family roles in the family, and other things. This small group study uses clips from the film Overcomer to examine how we determine our identity and how we can find our true identity in Christ.
The Bible study is geared for adult groups to use prior to the movie or just after seeing the movie. The study includes clips from the movie.
The Overcomer Bible Study Kit has five sessions and includes:
- one Bible Study Book
- one DVD with a promotional video and five 2-4 minute video sessions
Session Topics:
- Who Are You?
- You Are Broken
- You Are Chosen
- You Surrender
- You Declare
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Overcomer, Blu-ray/DVD/Digital
By Provident Films From the creators of War Room, Courageous and Fireproof. Basketball coach John Harrison’s high school team is crushed by the closing of the town’s largest employer. Hundreds of families move, leaving him running a struggling cross-country program. But then he meets Hannah and begins helping this unlikely runner attempt the impossible in the year’s biggest race. Starring Alex Kendrick, Priscilla Shirer, and Aryn Wright-Thompson. Rated PG. Dove approved (12+). Approx. 119 minutes. Blu-ray Exclusives:
Special Features:
Other Features:
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God, Love, and Marshmallow Wars: 365 Daily Challenges to Grow Your Marriage
Have you seen Julie’s new book: God, Love and Marshmallow Wars? This book contains 365 daily challenges for couples to strengthen their relationships to each other and with God. Couples will complete activities such as Scripture memory, conversation starters, relationship builders, learning about Biblical marriage, romance builders, personal reflections, and date ideas. 
Looking for a speaker for your next ministry event? Julia is now booking for 2019 and 2020 events. 
