devotional
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Catching A Vision For The Future
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A Real Chip Off The Old Block
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Gather The Girls Together!
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Costumes For Candy And To Conceal
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Tough Tattoo
TOUGH TATTOO
When my daughter Shelby graduated from High School, I took her to a tattoo parlor for her Grad gift! Call me a bad parent and say what you like, but this is a tattoo that just had to be inked!
During her last year of High School, Shelby’s desire to get a tattoo of the Hebrew word for “endure” kept increasing. She researched Hebrew words, sketched it, had Todd sketch, researched tattoo artists and kept talking about how ‘one day’ she was going to get this tattoo. It wasn’t an if, in her mind, it was a when.
Not Just a Rebellious Teen
This was more than a rebellious teenager’s want for a tattoo to look cool.
You see, graduating high school and getting this far in life, just being alive hadn’t been a cakewalk for Shelby, and at the time of writing the devotion it didn’t seem like it was going to get much easier as an oral surgeon had put Shelby on a soft-food diet for two months to ward off the need for jaw surgery.
Eating mushy foods alleviated her from having to go under the knife but unfortunately didn’t take her pain away, and this is just one of the many health issues she’s had to endure.
Powerful Reminder
Every time Shelby feels like life is too hard like she can’t make it through, she looks down at her wrist and the word Endure. It reminds her of how God’s helped her in the past and gives her the faith to believe she can rise above the current circumstance.
HEBREWS 12:7 encourages us to Endure hardship
Jesus’ knew life wouldn’t be a cake-walk so he put encouragement in His Word to help you face trouble head-on, with strength and resiliency. You too can endure. You can make it through the tough stuff.
Joshua Had to Endure
In Joshua chapter 1, God was empowering Joshua with His words by telling him to “be strong and courageous, and then he’d emphasize it by saying… “Always be strong and courageous.”
“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous.” (Joshua 1:6)
No Cake Walk
God commissioned Joshua to lead the nation of Israel stuck in the desert for four decades to inherit the land, but it wasn’t going to be a “cake-walk” for them either!
The Israelites had to “endure” a lot of battles to fulfill all of God’s plans for their lives and make it to the Promised Land, so He kept reminding them to “Be strong and courageous”.
I’m so proud of Shelby! Like Joshua and all the Israelites, she’s learned to be an overcomer by living out this verse. She’s strong and courageous, and you can be too! God will give you what it takes to endure, so you, get to your Promised Land!
***Check below to find the link to Shelby’s interview on Soul H2O Radio
PRAYER
Father… I thank-you that you give me what it takes to endure! May I be strong and courageous in all that life throws at me, trusting you will be with me all the way to the Promised Land! In Jesus Name…Amen!
- Hebrews 12:7
- Joshua 1:6-7
- Matthew 24:13/Mark 13:13/Luke 21:19
- Romans 15:4
Shelby’s Interview on the Soul H2O Radio & Podcast Show
Season # 3 // Episode # 54
TOUGH TATTOO
Release Date: 2021-02-06 @ 12pm EST / Podcast releases at 3pmEST.
Replaying Friday 2021-02-12 @ 2pm
Streaming on: joyradio.ca & MyJoyRadio App.
Uploaded as Soul H2O Podcast on iTunes & Spotify Wherever you listen to podcasts.Shelby’s Blog: http://www.faithandlace.weebly.com
Shelby’s Blog that tells a bit of what she’s had to “endure” https://faithandlace.weebly.com/blog/what-is-your-crossORIGINALLY POSTED: June 23, 2014
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Leadership Leads… Good or Bad
“...from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.” Jeremiah 23:15 NIV
All my John Maxwell training is going to be put to the test in three and a half weeks when I’ll be moderating a panel on Leadership at the Women’s Connection District Retreat in Grimsby, Ontario. {If you’re going, make sure to stop by my table and say hello!}
I have some amazing ladies on the panel who hold various organizational leadership roles in business, government positions, church leadership, and home management. The goal is to elevate the confidence of women in leadership positions and practically help improve their skills, enabling them to walk further and faster into the destiny God has for their lives.
As we’ve been preparing for the panel, I can’t help but look back and rate my skillfulness as a leader. Lots of passes, and plenty of fails. My thoughts went back to my first leadership position as a big sister. 🙂
Sometimes, my little sister, Lori would follow me around playing ‘Copycat’. Remember that annoying childhood game where people followed you around; often one-step behind you, repeating every word you said, copying move you made? Lori used to drive me crazy doing this! Thankfully, we’ve grown up and now have a great relationship! {Don’t we look cute together now 🙂 } As a “big sister” I hope I’ve given Lori more good examples to follow than bad ones! No matter how small your leadership role may seem, it will have a huge impact because
Leadership Leads…Good or Bad!
RECOGNIZING YOUR REACH
Sometimes we minimize the effect our leadership has in the home, school, court, field, rink, church or place of employment. Whenever God has elevated you to a place of leadership, people are going to follow in your footsteps—It’s a scary thing!
A friend once said to me,
“I was forced to go to church and I won’t put my kids through that.
I don’t want them to be forced to live what I believe but to be able to choose for themselves.”Since she never took her kids to church, they simply followed her lead and have seldom gone to church because they were never given another option to choose from. Failure to give guidance is, in fact, leading, since it causes people to blindly follow your example and not know why.
[tweetthis]You’re leading, even when you try not to lead. #leadership [/tweetthis]
Our leadership in life is followed,
much more than we recognize.Today’s verse comes from the book of Jeremiah. In his time, many of the prophets weren’t leading well. They weren’t proclaiming God’s word to the people, but instead speaking what they knew the people wanted to hear, so they would keep following them… following them down the wrong path.
These false prophets were sharing a watered-down message with false hopes that led the people to be disappointed in God; causing them to turn away from Him. Jeremiah had to swim against the tide of his time as their poisonous message,
“spread throughout the land”.
Leadership was difficult for Jeremiah, but he knew his responsibility was to clear the path for others, so they could follow the right way; because
[tweetthis]Leadership Leads… Good or Bad #leadership[/tweetthis]
So, what’s going to spread in the future as people follow you?
Prayer
Father… I’m overwhelmed when I recognize that you have given me such influence in my world. Help me to be wise with my words and actions so that my life impacts others to know and love you more! May others follow your plans for their lives as they see me chasing after the destiny you’ve set before me. In Jesus name…Amen
I WILL RISE
Women’s Connection Conferencehttps://womensconnection.ca/events/conference
If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll join us
Don’t forget to sign up for the Leadership Panel}.
- Ephesians 1:5
- Hebrews 13:7
- James 3:1
- 1 Timothy 4:12
If you liked the refreshing in this #SoulH2O devotion, you’ll love my latest Soul H2O Devotional book: 40 Thirst Quenching Devotions for Women.
#Dare2Share
Post in the Comment Section below and bolster the faith of someone else!
Other posts about my journey with John C. Maxwell, the JMTeam, or John’s Books:
John C. Maxwell And God Want You To Be A Talent-Plus Person
Mentored to Lead by John C. Maxwell
WHERE YOU CAN OFTEN FIND ME LINKING UP MY BLOG WITH OR PLACES WHERE MY WRITING HAS BEEN FEATURED
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Soul H2O Book Launch
Publishing my second book, Soul H2O is such a different experience than with my first. With the release of Water In The Desert I didn’t know what I was doing AT ALL! Now I know A BIT more and realize how difficult it is to get a book out to market successfully. It’s not that it can’t be done, it’s just harder than I imagined. Luckily I’m not one to shy away from the hard stuff. Thankfully, God has been doing some crazy amazing things in my life that are perfectly positioning me for the Soul H2O Book Launch.
I’m most excited that God is perfectly positioning the right people in my life to help me learn how to do this ‘writing career’ thing.
BOOK LAUNCH TEAM
I’m completely blessed to have blogger Christine Duncan of Precepts and Life Preservers taking the lead on the Soul H2O Social Media Book Launch Campaign and I hope you join us. It’s gonna be fun! Christine has planned out posts that all you have to do is share and I’ll be doing my best to make it worth your while with some special perks J You’ll get a prerelease PDF of my book. I’m doing a Facebook Live today, Wednesday, September 21st that will tell you more. Hope you can watch live. If not check the video out later. I’ll post it on my author Facebook Page.
[imic_button colour=”btn-primary” type=”enabled” link=” https://sherrystahl.com/book-launch/” target=”_blank” extraclass=”” size=””]Soul H2O Book Launch Info Page & Launch Team Sign-Up Link[/imic_button]
Here’s the link if you want more info. You can even see a sample of the book’s interior here too.
For this book launch I’ve learned, and am still learning SO many new things!
I just learned how to make videos with iMovie! Are you in a time where everything is new for you? Do you know what I’m talking about? Have you ever moved, started a new job, school, gym or church? Ok, enough with the interrogation questions. You get what I mean!
It’s an unsettling feeling when you’re in totally new territory. I’m so thankful that the Bible is full of relatable people. They’re not perfect, they’re flawed. They’re not always brave, they struggle with fear and some get this ‘I don’t know exactly what I’m doing or where I’m going” feeling. God keeps bringing me back to the story of the Israelites crossing over the rushing Jordan river on dry ground into the promised land story in Joshua 3-4.
My life is mimicking their experience on both a professional and personal level. In both areas I am facing a sea of raging uncertain circumstances that will either be the blockage to God’s promises or the pathway to His blessings. In both situations it’s the second time I’m facing a similar circumstance that didn’t exactly get me into the ‘Promised Land. Both got me on the journey, but not quite there yet. I believe the Lord is speaking to me that these ‘second battles’ are the breakthrough battles that lead to overriding victory!
Here’s a verse that was shining off the page as I read through the story in Joshua:
“However, stay about half a mile behind them. Don’t come any closer to them so that you will know which way to go because you have not gone this way before.”
Joshua 3:4God directed the Israelites to follow the ark. They were to stay far enough behind it so they could get a clear vision of where it was going to follow on an easy path.
God has perfectly positioned me to stand behind some great women of the faith and watch what they’re doing. Authors like Karol Ladd, Mary DeMuth, Jennifer Strickland, Sheila Wray-Gregoire, Sue Detweiler. Speakers like Peggy Kennedy and Tracey Mitchell. Bloggers like Kelly Balarie, Crystal Storms, Sarah E Ball and most recently Lindsey Hartz. TV Hosts like Cheryl Weber and Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson. Publicists like Ellen Graf-Martin, Jeane Wynn and Katie Nguyen. I don’t take these new relationships for granted. I thank God for bringing women into my life that encourage, challenge and inspire me to pull out all the stops and move forward with all that God has for my life. I hope you do the same!
I’ve been given some opportunities that not a lot of Canadian authors receive. I’ve been offered the opportunity to promote Soul H2O across North America in three phases. First with the Social Media book launch team. Second in Bookstores across Canada during December. My publisher, Warren Benson of Word Alive Press has coordinated US distribution of my book through Anchor Distributors. Soul H2O is going to be available for purchase in all the Christian bookstores across the US and Water In The Desert is already available! Now to get the US stores like Family Christian and LifeWay to stock the book like Canadian bookstores are doing. This is how I feel that God has perfectly positioned me for the next level in publishing with these distribution channels.
Since we live in the real world, all this great opportunity costs, and boy does it cost! Because of this…
I’m doing an Indiegogo Campaign!
To help execute these opportunities and make them the best they can be, I’ve set up this campaign to presell and sell my new books.
[imic_button colour=”btn-primary” type=”enabled” link=”https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/soul-h2o-book-launch-books-jewelry#/” target=”_blank” extraclass=”” size=””]Soul H2O Book Launch Indiegogo Campaign[/imic_button]
I’ve partnered together with Word Alive Press, Helena Cho of Goodworks Jewelry and 100 Huntley Street’s Missions arm, Crossroads Relief and Development Water Projects to offer you some pretty fabulous deals to help bless you as you as you partner with me in bringing His refreshing word to people, at the same time providing clean water to people in need! Check out the deals on my Indiegogo Campaign where you order the books. You’ll be personally and beautifully refreshed, some even drenched! (You’ll have to check out the Perks to know what I’m talking about here!).
Thanks for your love and support!
~Sherry
xoxoThis mock-up of the book represents what the book looks like. It is the perfect purse sized devotional to carry with you anywhere, so you can read, anytime. Stuck at a doctor’s office, no problem. Waiting at the DMV, no problem anymore. Spend your time waiting while being refreshed to OVERflowing!
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Encircle
“Mountains encircle Jerusalem, and God encircles his people—always has and always will.”
Psalm 125:2 MSGOne of the best perks of being a mom is getting and giving hugs! When my kids were little and would get hurt they would always come running to me for a squeeze. A cuddle seemed to help everything from cuts to bullies on the playground. Like a big hug, God desires to ENCIRCLE us in His care.
So often the enemy wants us to feel like we’re outnumbered…on the losing side…all alone, but feelings aren’t always in line with reality. This verse brings us back to the truth of where we are and where God is. The writer of this Psalm is speaking to a people who have known what it was like to be encircled by their enemies, and attacked from all sides. God wanted his people to be confident that He was encircling them. Just as God opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant to see the host of angels protecting him from his enemies, God desires for your spiritual eyes to be opened so you know that He has you surrounded!
Let God ENCIRCLE you today. Close your eyes and feel His warm embrace. Know He’s watching over, protecting and loving you—always has and always will!
Prayer
Father…I’m overwhelmed to think that the God of the Universe wants to hold little ‘ole me! May I allow you to encircle me, and shield me from all the enemy would try and do to take me down. Let me walk in the confidence of your protection and love as I feel your embrace. In Jesus Name…Amen!
Book Signing–Tuesday!
ICRS (International Christian Retail Show)
Tuesday, June 30th 4-5pm
Anchor Distributing Booth #211 -
Daddy
“The Spirit you have received adopts you and welcomes you into God’s own family. That’s why we call out to Him, “Abba! Father!” as we would address a loving daddy.”
Romans 8:15 (The Voice Translation)Years ago I read the book The Shack. It told a fictitious story of one man’s journey to be able see God as He truly is: a loving, good father. This man’s view of God the father was marred by the experience he had with his earthly father. I loved how the main character’s wife called God “Poppa”. Whenever I write out my prayers I call God “Daddy”. It was after reading the verse above one time that I began addressing him this way. There really is no better way to describe the relationship I have with our Heavenly Father. To me He truly is “Daddy”!
At church our pastor talked about the issue of fatherlessness and how, statistically speaking, not having a father in your life is detrimental to your well-being. It’s a longing deep within each of us to have a good relationship with our fathers. We want them to love us, care about us and be proud of us. We desire to have our dads around. When this need is not met we are at a disadvantage and the enemy knows it. He uses this God-given need for fatherly love to his benefit. If the devil can get a man to not be the father God desires for him to be, it’s like he rolls a strike, taking down all the pins. The husband, wife and children all are left with a deficit.
The only person who can completely fill this gaping need is God himself! He will often use others to help, but wants more than anything for us to let Him be the one we call Daddy!
Prayer
Father… I thank-you for adopting me into your family! It’s a concept I find so hard to fully grasp. Help me to know the depths of Your love so that I can put my complete trust in You. Help me to open up my heart and let you be the Daddy that I desire and need so my heart can be full! In Jesus Name…Amen.