The lines on my face don’t bother me nearly as much as the lines on my soul. Sometimes insomnia plagues me and I often lie awake in dawns early light asking God far too many questions yet not pausing long enough for answers. Waiting is a difficult burden to bear.

It seems it is not within our human nature to cultivate a healthy relationship with waiting. No matter how hard we try, we still seem to worry, ponder, and ruminate far too often than we should on situations and circumstances of life that we can not control. We live in an instant gratification culture that is conditioned to receiving what we desire in a matter of moments. Packages still show up on our doorsteps in an ice storm, groceries get delivered to our car after we click a few buttons, and telemarketers call every week offering us internet that is faster than the speed we had the week before. We don’t seem to struggle with much in our first-world culture. Though there always seems to be an exception to every rule of life: we struggle with the ability to let go and let God… be God.

Psalm 27:14,

Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.

We are well aware that the scriptures encourage us to wait. Everyone seemed to wait for everything and anything that was of value to their character development and purpose. As leaders, more often than not the answers and guidance we wait for is not just for us but for the body of Christ that we serve. But know this truth: the pressure and war between our flesh and spirit to fulfill the ache that dwells within our soul is a fight worth fighting… and fighting well.

In the Hebrew language, the word wait is translated a qavah and it means to wait, hope for, look, and expect.

Perhaps if we changed the very words we speak, we will create a new and powerful weapon with our mouths and lead with the language of our heart. Instead of using the word wait, we can use the word hope. Or look. Expect.

I am hoping on the Lord. I am looking to the Lord. I am expecting of the Lord.

We may not wait so well in our human nature, but our spirit knows no bounds when we hope, look, and expect that our King will lead us through the wilderness to witness the peak of the mountain top we are seeking.

Maybe it’s my age. But I really enjoyed our family Christmas celebration this year!

First of all, we were all together – something of a feat in these times.

I caught snatches of conversations:

• a young lady just coming out of some personal struggles of her own, choosing to spend time talking with her Grandmother, in spite of Nana’s hearing loss.
• an uncle encouraging a niece to ‘keep fighting the good fight’, as she deals with ungodly worldviews at university.

I was grateful for a strong mature man, seeing & responding to the needs of the older & weak-er among us, with patience and grace.

• Our daughters, who each I know carry personal burdens, yet regularly bless others.
• Our youngest granddaughter lovingly made home-made treats for her Grandpa.
• A couple of my issues were solved: an overworking furnace / an uncooperative iPad.

These were some snatches from our family-time this year. I woke up the next morning with a heart full of gratefulness!

FAMILY – one of the major themes at Christmastime.

Then, this morning, this verse jumped out at me:

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family, by bringing us to himself through Je-sus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.” (Ephesians 1:5 NLT)

I’m thankful that I learned about God’s love and desire to adopt me! God’s family includes some from every corner of the world. We’re a family of stronger ones who carry responsibility to help some weaker ones, of younger ones who bring joy to the hearts of the aged ones among us… – we’re a family!

Many times I wonder in amazement about us giving our Father ‘great pleasure’, as this verse says. Really? Surely He sees the stupid, even hurtful things we do at times. But just as a parent’s heart is full of joy watching their little one grow, and just as a parent doesn’t save their child from every difficulty knowing they need to develop strength of character, so our Fa-ther brought us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and continues to cherish his children!

Here’s a verse to snuggle in with:
“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family …
this is what he wanted to do.”

Amazing! But so Wonderful!

A Special Treat From the Father

One evening, the loving Father gathered some of his children together & said, “I have a special treat for you tonight!”

Magically, he took them to Nepal and showed them a young Mom. From a Hindu background, and having borne 3 daughters but no sons, she found her identity not from her Nepali culture but from being a daughter of her Father. Confident & purposefully she strides through her days, training other young Nepali ladies about the incredible freedom of being in the family!

Then they were transported to Egypt. They saw secret gatherings of thousands of Muslims who’d had visions and dreams of Jesus Christ and were now also in the family.

Then to China where a woman falsely accused and under house arrest, began seeing her captors as her children that she loved dearly. She experienced her Father in that room with her each day of that house arrest, infusing her spirit with hope, with love, yes even with joy. And when she and her husband were finally freed, government officials in their homeland, with tears in their eyes, recognized the miracle they had witnessed.

Then they landed in Uganda, East Africa, and saw Christian women befriending the wives of soldiers, sharing meals, learning their hearts’ cries.

And on to Jordan, where Christians reached out in love to the thousands and thousands of refugees who had fled incredible violence and destruction in their homeland. They saw hundreds come into the family! Shortly afterwards they moved to new homes around the world taking the wonderful news of this family with them! And the Christians in Jordan realized that they, in helping these refugees, were themselves totally revived in their love for the Father.

The Father transported his children east to the Philippines. His daughters there operate a mandatory parental-training program for the thousands of slum dwellers of Manila, sharing practical knowledge and the news about the family they can join. Many of them have, and now know hope and freedom as children of the Father.

At the end of this evening, the Father said to his children, “Well, what do you think? I’ve given you this special treat tonight so that you may know that I am still really active all over the world. And so that you may have confidence that I am also working in Canada. Let my love and power strengthen you as you go through each day. I’m doing infinitely more that you can imagine!”

(This special treat from the Father was the Celebration of Nations that took place during the Women Together International Leadership Forum, “CALLED: It’s Time for More: Equipping Women for Purpose, Passion, & Influence”. October 2018)

In our early ministry years, I twisted an easy and light yoke into something cumbersome and weighty. I believed I had to excel at every single thing because my faulty logic dictated that everything depended on me. That was a lie. No one excels at everything, not any bible-time or modern-day person, not Moses, not Joshua, not you or me. There is great freedom in knowing that while we carry responsibility, it is ultimately not up to us.

In Exodus 17:8-13, Moses commands Joshua to lead Israel in the battle against the Amalek people. Joshua is an assistant to Moses and will eventually succeed him. Joshua is the soldier wielding the sword, but Moses promises to stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in his hand. Moses and Joshua knew and respected their specific roles in God’s plan.

We engage in a battle every time we open the church doors or speak God’s truth to a friend, and we have different roles in planting the seeds of faith. Some of us plant, others water, but it is always God that gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-9).

On the day of the battle, Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. We don’t know why Moses invited the other men to accompany him; we only know he did. As Joshua and his men fought the Amalek army, Moses stood with the staff of God in his hand as promised. When he held up his hand, Israel prevailed. When he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. Then, Moses got tired.

Ministry is exhausting. E-X-H-A-U-S-T-I-N-G. It is spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically taxing. There were times I feared I couldn’t continue, not because I lacked desire for God or because of hardship, but because I was spent— entirely and utterly fatigued.

But Moses’ hand grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun” Ex 17:12.

Moses was not strong enough. Moses needed help. Likewise, we must resist pride and welcome friends into our struggles. Joshua could not win without Moses uplifting his hands. Moses could not uphold his arms or even stand upright without Aaron and Hur. Some plant, others water, but God gives the growth.

God may use us in many God-glorifying, Christ-exalting, Holy Spirit empowered ways, but the victory belongs to the Lord. It is not up to you. It’s not even about you just like this passage in Exodus is not really about Moses or Joshua. It’s about God, and God is building his church. God is bringing the victory.
“And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword,” Ex 17:13.

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CALLED International Leadership Forum will wrap up on Saturday, Oct. 27
with an inspiring session led by Judy Rushfeldt on the topic of The Leader’s Destiny. We interviewed Judy to find out more about her own leadership journey, the leadership struggles she sees in other women, and why she’s excited about CALLED.

Judy, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your ministry?

Judy: I’m an author, speaker, and publisher of a women’s outreach e-magazine LifetoolsforWomen.com. Although I teach and preach at my local church, my ministry over the past 25 years has focused on women. My passion is to equip women to step out of their comfort zones and cultivate the courage, character, and faith necessary to fulfill their potential in Christ.

When did you first sense a call to leadership? What prompted you to respond to that call?

Judy: It wasn’t any one event or moment in time; in fact, I had no desire, plan, or vision to become a leader. After my career in magazine journalism, I went to Bible college, after which I was asked to teach Bible studies and lead a women’s ministry. Then I started receiving invitations for speaking engagements at women’s events and churches – all of which were way out of my comfort zone. As God opened more opportunities, and I continued to step into them, a passion emerged to see women to become whole in Christ and fulfill their divine potential. And to my surprise, I grew to love leadership.

What do you think is the number one struggle women face in leadership today?

Judy: I think the number one struggle for all women is silencing the inner critic that tells us all the reasons why we don’t measure up – that we’re not good enough, gifted enough, smart enough – to pursue the dreams God has placed in our heart. If we focus on those inner lies, they will rob us of our faith, confidence, and courage, ultimately immobilizing us from becoming all that God created us to be. We need to remember that our calling comes from God. Our ability is in Him, and whatever He has called us to do, He will empower us to do.

Tell us a bit about your talk.

Judy: My talk is entitled, The Leader’s Destiny: It’s time for More. Purpose is not a destination; it’s a path. God wants us to be open to dream new dreams and step into places of greater vision, effectiveness, and influence. I will be sharing about how to press through the obstacles that hold us back, embrace change, and move forward on the pathway of purpose.

What excites you about CALLED? What are you hoping to take away from the conference?

Judy: I’m excited to spend time with women who love God and desire to fulfill their leadership call.

I would love to walk away from the conference with new friendships with other leaders, a deeper revelation of our Father’s faithfulness, and greater passion and determination to step into more and follow God wherever He leads. And I want every woman who attends to walk away feeling more equipped and empowered to fulfill her God-inspired dreams.

What would you like to say to women who are still “on the fence” about attending CALLED?

Judy: If you are longing for more – more vision, more faith, and more empowerment to step into places of greater effectiveness and influence in your calling, you don’t want to miss CALLED. You’ll be encouraged and equipped for the MORE that God has for you!