The second of Indiana Baptists’ Women’s Retreats was held this weekend, and this one had 500+ ladies attending!

Heather Payne was such a great blessing with her music and talks!

The retreat was themed “Savor Life”  – with a coffee take-off on 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 — “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.  And who is adequate for these things?”

The breakout classes were wonderful, and I’ve listed the topics below, FYI.

If you’re planning a retreat for your church, I’d recommend that you attend a well-planned annual retreat like this one, and you’ll be inspired to quality and purposeful planning to make a difference in women’s lives.  It did!

Here’s a photo of Steve and me giving a welcome to the group. He’s quite brave, I think, to show up even for just a minute or two with that many women!

Retreat Breakout Classes:

- The Purpose-Driven Granny

- Are you Directionally Challenged?

- Feel the Fear…now do it anyway!

- So you want a great Women’s Ministry? (my class)

- The Thrill of Hospitality and the Agony of the Feet (my class)

- Super Woman’s Holy Makeover

- Compelled by Love

- Are you a carrot, egg, coffee bean or M&M?

- It’s all about the creamer

- Special Spiritual needs

- Digging deeper

- Engaging the younger woman in ministry

- Mentoring women

- Logged On or Tuned Out

- Witnessing is like a bag of popcorn

Titles don’t explain it well enough, but get the picture? There was a wide variety of breakout conferences for women of all ages, moms of all stages, ministries in the church and community, and classes just for fun.

And with all that, I heard more comments about one class than any other: Witnessing is like a bag of popcorn.  Sonja Roberson (Florida Baptist Convention) truly inspired women to share Jesus. I didn’t get to attend, but it must have been really something!

Praying that the fruits of this wonderful event will spread all over our state.

I spotted a new book that you women’s ministry leaders might enjoy. 

It’s called Devotions Galore–Warm-Ups, Wrap-ups and Prayer for Women’s Groups. 

If you read my book, Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministry, you will remember that I’d recommended that you plan a brief fellowship coffee during your women’s ministry. This fellowship time might come between a Bible study or missions class and a ministry project, and it just lasts fifteen minutes. The purpose of these minutes is threefold:

1) Fellowship – informal, relaxed friendship-development, mentoring, laughing, chatting in a large-group setting

2) Snacks – it’s the “meet and eat” thing, but it can be healthy snacks!

3) A very brief devotional. Bring hearts together with a prayer, testimony or Scripture.

The majority of minutes during the coffee break are devoted to fellowship. Announcements and prayer requests are printed or written on a whiteboard. The fellowship time concludes with a one-minute devotional from God’s Word.  (That takes lots more effort to plan well than a fifteen-minute devotional!)

I just skimmed through this new book and thought you’d find several great ideas for simple, short, memorable devotions for your women’s ministry group. 

Keep on shining!

I received the cover art for my new book, Deacon Wives, which is scheduled for release by B&H Publishing in June 2009. 

Want to take a peek at the cover?  Click here:  Deacon Wives

If you are a deacon’s wife, this is the book you’ve been awaiting.  When your church ordains deacons, this will be a great gift book to encourage new or experienced deacon wives.

As a long-time pastor’s wife, serving in a small, medium and large church, I’ve observed first-hand the important value of deacons and their wives. As a denominational leader’s wife, I’ve watched hundreds more, and I’ve come to an important conclusion: deacons and deacon wives radically impact a church’s harmony, its ministry, its effectiveness and its growth. When a church selects a man to serve in the role of deacon, his wife naturally has unique opportunities to serve alongside him.   

Deacon Wives provides fresh ideas for those important leaders. It will challenge them to a new level of commitment and joy. The book is chock-full of suggestions and practical tips for ministering to church members, growing as a Christian, and prioritizing God’s work within a busy life. It emphasizes the Biblical mandate for wives in 1 Timothy 3:11, and demonstrates the seriousness of words, attitudes and actions.  And as a bonus, a detailed teaching plan for an enjoyable six-week study for deacon wives is included in the postlude.

I’m absolutely convinced that the wife of a deacon can make a difference—in her family, her church, her community—in eternity!

Can’t wait to see it in print! dd

http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=8841585 - Amazing photos here.

So there I was, walking down the street on my way to the CVS drugstore in downtown Indy this morning.  I did notice extra people around, but it was close to lunch and I didn’t think anything of it.  Suddenly I realized that people in a crowd ahead were pointing up.

My heart stopped as I gazed at the vertical scaffolding on the side of a huge high rise, hanging by one end.  There to the side, about 22 floors above me where it had fallen, dangled three window washers who had been working on the scaffolding.  

I’ve got to admit that I couldn’t leave. I just stood there, along with crowds of others, and watched and prayed as our valiant Indianapolis firefighters rapelled down from the top of the high rise and rescued the men.  It was tedious work, and I found myself holding my breath. It was captivating.

I can imagine the fear those men felt today.  I prayed that God would calm them and comfort them.

All of us face fearsome moments in life. I haven’t fallen from a scaffolding on a high rise, but I’ve had some really frightening moments in my life, even just this past year. Maybe you’re having some fearful moments today.  If you have a personal relationship with God, here’s the answer:

Psalm 56:11 I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? 

God cares about every big and little detail, and he’s instructed his followers to “cast all their cares upon him.”  What a comfort! 

And if you don’t know God as your father, email me and let’s talk.  You’re in a more precarious position that those window washers!

Oops – my photos don’t download today! Look at photos on this site: 

 http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=8841585

It’s always an exciting day when Rick Warren uses a “Fresh Ideas” article on his website.  Don’t miss the current newsletter on Rick Warren’s website, Ministers Toolbox–they’ve used one of my articles. What a joy! 

Ministry Toolbox offers bimonthly newsletter of wisdom and tips to encourage ministers. The website subscription is free.  

We’re in Iowa for another day. Steve’s meeting with North Central States leadership and I’m going with friends to ride a water taxi on the Mississippi River tomorrow. What’s a water taxi????

Debbie Hammond, wife of our North American Mission Board President, hosted a wonderful conference for wives of state leaders during the State Leaders Summer Meetings in Atlanta this week.  What quality leaders we have in our denomination’s ministries!

Months ago, Mrs. Hammond had invited me to share with these ladies at the conference.  Her team planned an adorable theme – “You Can Always Spot a Lady” – using ladybugs as a springboard to encourage these important leaders.  When my new book, Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministry, came out, she told me how thrilled she was to find a little ladybug on the cover art. Did you even notice that little bug? Isn’t God good to work out small details?? 

Nice Surprise!

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Mrs. Hammond provided a copy of my new book, Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministries, for each attender.  Pray for the spouses of Baptist state leaders across our nation. 

We returned from a needed relaxing time of vacation in beautiful Colorado, and life has returned to “normal.”

After all this time, I’m hitting the home stretch! I’ve been taking a few seminary classes at a time, working toward a masters degree in Theological Studies from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.  It’s possible that, with a heavy fall semester, I’ll complete that degree this fall.

I’m leaving tomorrow to go to Lynchburg VA to take an intensive class, WRSP 545 Global Worship. I’ve already prepared six pre-assignment reports, and there is a term paper and several post-class assignments.  There are seven instructors from all around the country, and I’m excited about a wonderful class. I’ll fly from there to meet Steve in Atlanta for the State Leadership meetings at North American Mission Board. 

I do have a book proposal due soon to B&H Publishing, and it’s coming along great. I’ll let you know all the details as that one unfolds. (It will be my favorite book so far!)

I’m looking forward to several future speaking opportunities about women’s ministry and pastor or deacon’s wives events. 

7/28        North American Mission Board State Leadership Meeting, speak at spouse’s event

8/27        Women’s group at Immanuel Baptist, Newton, Kansas

9/12        Ohio Baptist’s Statewide women’s retreat, Senaca OH 

9/19-20   Florida Baptist Convention statewide Leadership Retreat, Lake Yale FL

9/26-27   Southside Baptist Ladies Retreat, Booneville IN

10/11       Whitewater Baptist Association Ladies Day

10/24-25 Southwest Association Ladies Retreat

10/31-1   East Central Association Deacons and Wives Conference

11/21-22 Deacon and Wives Conference at Redhouse Baptist, Redhouse KY

1/13-15   North Central States Rally, Indianapolis IN

3/20-22 (2009)  Tennessee Baptist Convention event, Missions Get-Together, Gatlinburg Convention Center, TN

2/5-6 (2010)  Kentucky Baptist pastor/deacon/spouse retreat

Our daughter and future son-in-law will spend a week with us in September, and  the big fall event for our family is their wedding on November 8th!

Our state convention’s 50th anniversary is in October, so those will be wonderful days.

Of course, there are all the weekly Indiana travels with Steve in between all these things. Pray for us as we enjoy all these wonderful, purposeful days. It’s a great honor to serve our God in these ways.

So you can see life is busy.

But with purpose.

1 Corinthians 9:24 “Run in such a way that you may win.”

It was an amazing trip!  We went to the “Super Shoot” bench rest shooting event near Wadsworth Ohio.

Steve’s Uncle Ferris and Aunt June Pindell were quite influential in his childhood. They practically raised him!  Uncle Ferris has been bench-rest shooting (precision) for 64 years, and this is his favorite shoot. 

He actually invented the PPC cartridge, used by precision shooters everywhere, and he held the World Record in bench rest shooting for a decade. 

Although Uncle Ferris is unable to compete because of his                                                                           age and health, he wanted to attend the shoot, so we were the “chauffers.” 

It was amazing! As we walked around with Ferris and June, it was like escorting royalty!  Shooters from dozens of countries around the world were ecstatic to see him, asking for his autograph, taking photos, and a shooter from India even bowed down in honor of him! 

We met shooters from Canada, France, Germany, Ukraine, Austria, Russia, Dominican Republic, New Zealand, England, Australia, and lots more! It was like traveling the world.

We met a plethora of important people in the shooting world. (See my photo below with Jim Carmichael, editor of Outdoor Sports magazine.)

The scenery, the weather, the people — it was a perfect trip. But the best part of the trip was the smile that was stuck on Uncle Ferris’ face the entire time. 

The annual meeting for Southern Baptist State Executive Directors was in Hawaii! 

This group of state leaders and their wives are amazing. The friendships are wonderful, and we found plenty of time for being “tourists” between meetings–exploring the island of Kawaii, snorkeling, whalewatching, beachcombing, and even ziplining! 

Can’t help but be amazed at every view of God’s beautiful creation.

Below: Ready to zipline at Jurassic Park filming site – Steve and Diana along with Thane and Susan Barnes (executive director, Nevada)

The planning team for the Indianapolis Leadership Prayer Breakfast met this morning. What a delight to meet Christian brothers and sisters from across our city! 1 John 2:10 says, “He that loves his brother abides in the light…”

Steve and I have attended this breakfast for several years, and I was honored to be invited to help with planning.  

For you who live in the Indy area -

Here is info if you’d like to attend or help with the event:

1) Want to attend?   Tuesday, Oct. 16, 7:30-9 AM  Indiana Roof Ballroom (downtown) Reservations: 705-0159 X230 or kellym@ipriority.com. Tickets are $25, or $200 for table of 8. I’ll attach the invitation link soon.

2)  Want to help?  I’ll be recruiting several volunteers to help with setup, ushering and registration that morning. If you’re an early riser and would enjoy helping, email me! Jesuslivesindiana@gmail.com