by Bethany Lethbrdige

Do you ever struggle with doubt? Doubt in your ability to do that which has been set before you? I do. There have been seasons in my life where doubt has crippled and almost consumed me but, thankfully, doubt doesn’t disqualify us from leadership.

After graduating from teacher’s college, I taught for four years at an international school in Kuwait. Though I cherish those years and am grateful for the opportunity and experiences I had, my time there was not without its own unique challenges. My third year in particular was a very difficult one. I thank the Lord for helping me through that year because, without Him, I wouldn’t have made it through. For a long time I doubted myself and my ability to teach. That experience left me scarred and bruised and I didn’t know if I would ever teach again. I didn’t really want to. God, however, works in mysterious and miraculous ways. I am now employed as a supply teacher for the school board in the city where I live and I have really enjoyed my experiences thus far.

Experiencing doubt doesn’t exactly seem like a blessing. For me, it used to conjure up feelings of darkness and despair. However, I have come to realize that it is, in fact, a blessing from the Lord. When we doubt ourselves and our abilities, we are able to see our own limitations and recognize our need for God. Doubt helps shift our perspective in a healthy way. Through it, we are reminded that we can do nothing apart from God. We NEED Him and His strength because it is only though Him that we are able. Doubt helps us remember that it is not about us, but rather it is about God working in us and through us.

I am reminded of the passage from Matthew 14:29-31 where Peter, when he took his eyes and focus off the Lord, experienced doubt:

Then Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”

Are you experiencing doubt in yourself and your ability to do what God has called you to? That is a good thing! It takes our focus off of ourselves and places it onto God. It is only through Him that we are more than conquerors. Doubt does not disqualify us from leadership, it helps direct us to the One who is calling us, and He is faithful and will see us through.

by Debby Baril
I stood under the shower for a long time. Streams of water flowing like the tears of people enduring violence and destruction. Words spoken long ago echo through the corridors of time and spill into my heart.

How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! ‘Violence is everywhere!’ I cry, but you do not come to save. 3 Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence.”
(Habakkuk 1:2-3a).

Shock, anger, anguish, spinning minds, heavy hearts. Questions that refuse to be silenced. Habakkuk doesn’t mince words; he pours out his raw complaint before the Lord and then declared he would wait for God’s answer.
(Habakkuk 2:1).

God reminds the prophet that: the just will live by faith (2:4); the glory of the Lord will fill the earth (2:14); and the Lord is in the Temple (2:20). He promised him one day the tables would turn in a way no one could imagine. God’s word moves Habakkuk from wondering and waiting into worship. He remembers the Lord’s fame and past deeds (3:2) and he rejoices (3:17-19) knowing he can trust God for the present and the future.

Often, I shake my head and whisper, “God, I just don’t get it?” God whispers back, “You’ll just have to trust Me on this one.”

A picture of faith is seen in a First Nation’s woman carrying her child on her back held in place by a traditional shawl. Trusting God is resting our heart upon the strong and sturdy back of our Heavenly Father.

Our faith is not in circumstances or people, but in the One who sits on the throne. Jesus, by his life, death, and resurrection destroyed the works of the evil one, demonstrated how an authentic human should live, inaugurated His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, and is now in charge, even though it may not look like it.

With each new believer, the Kingdom of God expands.

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13).

Through us the glory of God spreads on earth as the Holy Spirit works in us transforming us from glory to glory into His image (2 Corinthians 3:18).

We, His Church, are the Temple of God where the realms of heaven and earth meet, and through which His Kingdom rule is to be manifested. In the face of crisis, evil, and destruction the Church is to rise and shine and be the hands of healing and the voice of hope.

Let your heart rest in His strength, your mind remember His deeds, and your spirit rejoice in the knowledge that He is in charge, and His Kingdom is moving forward through you.

Writer and Speaker

by Stacey Weeks

I’m a sucker for musicals. I adore it when actors burst into song and dance. If only life were like that – free, expressive, and perfectly choreographed. One particular musical includes a high-energy number that makes several declarations about love and finishes with a declaration that a man who does those things loves you.

As a contemporary romance author, I write often and frequently about love. The majority of readers expect a swoon-worthy romance built on growing affection and admiration between the main characters. Readers want a love that conquers all. But life consists of more than romantic love. As ministry leaders, we are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 4:7) in such a way it illustrates our love for Christ (John 13:35). We are to sacrifice our lives for them if need be (John 15:13). The secret to this kind of love is not found in a feeling. It’s found in a choice to walk by the Spirit.

Walk and Talk in Love

Those who walk by the Spirit will not gratify the desires of the flesh, which are in opposition to love (Galatians 5:16). Titus 2 commands the older women to teach the younger women to love their husbands and children. If we can teach someone to love, then we can learn love; therefore, a decision to love can precede the feelings of love.

Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 13 defines love with actions. We can choose actions that align with the fruit of the Spirit over actions that align with the desires of the flesh. When we forget the power of the Spirit that lives within us, we are impatient, unkind, envious, boastful, arrogant, and prideful women that insist on our ways. When we ignore the Spirit, we become irritable, resentful, rejoicing in wrongdoing instead of truth. We are weak, without belief or hope, and defeated. Scripture indicates that we can change these actions regardless of how we feel.

Examine your Heart

The first step in loving better is to examine our lives for enmity, strife, and fits of anger and heed the warning that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:21). We abhor the evil we see rooted in us and hold fast to what is good, praying the Lord transforms our actions of obedience to genuine love that outdoes others in showing honour (Romans 12:9-10).
I confess I do not always do this well. Many days, my default response is to keep records of wrongs. Those records make for exciting reading in a novel, but in life, they illustrate my need to confess and repent. If God can take this self-centred, short-tempered woman and give me all I need to obey, He can also enable you to choose love even amid ministry difficulties. The desire, feelings, and blessing will come as you walk in obedience.

Call to Action: What decision will you make today in order to love someone better?

Read about books by Stacey Weeks

by Heidi McLaughlin

Not an edifying Christian question is it? After all, we are supposed to love God and our neighbour as ourselves. But with the polarized opinions and controversy going on in our world, this is a necessary question. I had to face this self-examination in 1993 when I started working as a Comptroller in a VW/Audi Car Dealership.

A tiny, five-foot woman brought out the worst in me. She was a body shop technician who took an instant dislike to me and made my life miserable. I tried to stay out of her way, pretend to like her, and thought that would solve the problem. But God challenged me otherwise. He had me look directly and honestly into my heart by leading me to 1 John 4:20 which says:

If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?” That verse shook me to the core. I fully believed I loved God with all my heart and could not come to grips with the thought that I might actually hate this woman.

For weeks my conversations with God went something like this:

Heidi: “God I don’t really hate her, I just don’t like her behaviour. She is rude, swears, and is loud and I don’t like being around her.”

God: “If you don’t love her, you don’t love me.”

Heidi: “But I do love you, God.”

God: “If you profess to love me, you must also love her.”

Heidi: “God help me. Please love her through me.”

And that’s how it started. I finally recognized that I needed Jesus to love her through me. I realized it’s not about my superficial effort or trying to imitate Jesus. It’s an inside, heart job. It’s about being a channel for God’s love. On my own striving and even trying to do loving things, I failed miserably. Each time. Once I allowed the Holy Spirit to love through me, things started to change.

Things started to change.

Daily I prayed: “God please love her through me” and over time my heart changed. She still irritated me with her rude behaviour but now I saw her differently. She was a struggling single mom barely making ends meet and she was angry at the world. She saw me as having the high salary with the easy life. As God shifted my thinking, He shifted my heart. Over time I extended grace, eventually gave her flowers and hugs. It took two years of prayers but finally, I was able to say, “I do not hate her, in fact, I think I love her.”

God taught me a powerful lesson that is never far from my thoughts these days. With so much hate in the world, we need the Holy Spirit to love through us especially when we disagree. The Holy Spirit is available and ready to answer our prayer: “God help me to love _________________.” Who needs this prayer from you today?