CHOSEN, Partners in the Harvest

It's OK.... He chooses us.... Teaching from the Apostles' Network Retreat

2011-04-13T08:52:00.001-07:00

Choose to be healed...

2011-04-12T10:16:00.001-07:00

He Chooses Us because He 'knows the plans He has for us' Apostles' Network

2011-04-12T06:46:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 31:25 " She is clothed with strength and dignity;she can laugh at the days to come "

CHOOSE TO BE CHOSEN

2010-09-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

Today I pray that we all chose to be chosen, that we chose to embrace who God has created us to be, and begin to ask the Lord to show us how He sees us.... that we would feel honored and empowered... this prayer is for us

WHEN I NEED TO CHOSE TO BE CHOSEN
"... Infuse my mind with a renewed sense of how much You have invested in me and how much You desire to do through me in the onward movement of Your kingdom. It is for Your name's sake, Your glory, and Your vision that You bless me. You guide and inspire me because You have great plans for me You want me to accomplish. You have chosen me; may I choose to be chosen today and live with spiritual self-esteem, motivated by this sense of chosenness. Your word for the day is, 'Be not afraid, I am with you!' You are my Lord and Savior. Amen. "

Growing in the mind of Christ

2010-07-12T10:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I need reminders daily to keep me growing in faith and in the 'mind of Christ'. Joyce Meyer's teachings are a wonderful tool for me. When I feel as if I'm 'wandering in the desert', and need to get back on track, I often go to her website (joycemeyer.org) and check out the on line teachings.

Today, I listened to this one and... Bang! Snap! ... I'm off and running toward the goal, ... to being developed, by faith, into the likeness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Maybe this tool will be an encouragement for you too! Here's the link... take time to be a 'Mary', and lay down your 'Martha duties'... The Lord longs for your time and relationship...
http://www.joycemeyer.org/ourministries/broadcast/ (What's on Your Mind Lately?)

If you have a 'tool' that brings you to your 'Mary' time, please share with us in the comments....
Peace and love to you all,
Ellen

Through Wisdom a house is built... Proverbs 24:3

2010-06-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

As I grow to embrace my identity in Christ as His partner in the harvest, I constantly have to look to the 'triggers' that keep me from being the 'chosen partner' He knows I can be. I keep learning that I must first examine my heart and 'die daily to my sin'. It may be that my disappointment may actually be coming from old wounds that still need healing.
It may be that you're feeling anger, frustration, resentment, disappointment or distance from your husband, a friend, a person in the Body, or God and so, I offer this prayer for a new understanding, new love, new passion, and new wisdom because "through wisdom a house is built..."

Excerpts from 'The Power of the Praying Wife' Stormie Omartian
... Take my old emotional habits, mindsets, automatic reactions, rude assumptions, and self-protective stance, and make me patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled. Take the hardness of my heart and break down the walls with Your battering ram of revelation. Give me a new heart and work in me Your love, peace, and joy (Galatians 5:22,23)...Only You can transform me.
Show me where there is sin in my heart, especially with regard to _____ .I confess the times I've been unloving, critical, angry, resentful, disrespectful, or unforgiving toward _____. Help me to put aside any hurt, anger, or disappointment I feel and forgive ____ the way You do---totally and completely, no looking back. Make me a tool of reconciliation, peace, and healing...

FOR MY MARRIAGE...
Teach me how to pray for my husband and make my prayers a true language of love. Where love has died, create new love between us. Show me what unconditional love really is and how to communincate it in a way he can clearly perceive. Bring unity between us so that we can be in agreement about everything (Amos 3:3). Make us a team, not pursuing separate, competitive, or independent lives, but working together, overlooking each other's faults and weaknesses for the greater good of the marriage.
Make me a new person, Lord. Give me a fresh positive perspective, a positive outlook, and a renewed relationship with the man You've given me. Help me see him with new eyes, new appreciation, new love, new compassion, and new acceptance. Give my husband a new wife, and let it be me.

It is AMAZING what God does when we ask. He cares more about changing us than our circumstances. Let the God of love and life renew you...

Peace to your homes my sisters,
Ellen

When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. Proverbs 31:21

2010-06-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

Fear.... False Evidence Appearing Real... have you ever heard that acronym ? How true it is when we fear. We imagine things that aren't real. Now knowing the deception of fear, I offer this prayer for us, from The Power of the Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian.

"Lord, You've said in Your Word that "there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18). We pray You will perfect us in Your love so that tormenting fear finds no place in us. We know You have not given us a spirit of fear. You've given us power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). We pray in the name of Jesus that fear will not rule over us. Instead,may Your Word penetrate every fiber of our being, convincing us that Your love for us is far greater than anything we face and nothing can separate us from it..... May the Spirit of the Lord rest upon us, "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord" (Isaiah 11:2)."

Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Peace and love ,
Ellen

Marriage reflects Gods love

2010-06-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

Behind the mask...

2010-06-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

First CHOSEN retreat in Norcross GA

2010-06-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

On May 27,28,29 2010 CHOSEN had it's first retreat. 18 clergy wives from the Living Waters Network under Bishop TJ Johnston and Network Leader Mike Murphy, gathered at Simpsonwood Retreat Center in Norcross, GA.
Rees Johnston, the sponsoring Bishops' wife, greeted the ladies to what was to be an amazing time with their first covenant partner, the Lord. The retreat began by sharing supper and then a time of fun introductions and plenty of Praise and Worship. Acton Beard presented her first teaching on " Our first covenant partner, God, who has chosen us for this harvest " .
The next day started with more teaching and understanding of the wives own identity in Christ; understanding how God sees their gifts and talents for this partnership. And, of course, more worship, food and fellowship. The day ended with soaking prayer and individual prayer from Rees and Acton. God brought healing, refreshment, encouragement, and empowerment!
The last day equipped the ladies with tools to bring back to their 'vineyard' to keep their ministries producing fruit!
Plans have already begun for the next CHOSEN retreat.... TBA ! Stay in touch... it could be your Network. And if it's not, get in touch with your Bishops' Wife or your Network leader to request a retreat in your Network. To request information or contact us about a retreat, visit www.amchosen.com

Welcome to Chosen, Partners in the Harvest

2010-06-14T08:40:00.000-07:00

A vision, as Bishop Chuck Murphy defined it in his Chairman’s address at the 2010 Winter Conference, is: seeing a need, seizing the opportunity and taking action. Late last year the Lord encouraged a few women with a common vision to minister to TheAM pastors’ wives. They decided to share this vision with bishops’ wives. The bishops’ wives agreed that there was a pressing need to teach, support, and encourage these women and we committed to partner together and take action !

The Chosen team partnered with TheAM’s Acton Beard, a counselor and expert in the area of clergy marriage. With Acton’s guidance, Chosen will be offering retreats across TheAM through network-based gatherings in the US and Canada. The retreats will offer pastors’ wives an opportunity to worship, hear biblical teaching and testimonies from bishops’ wives, and share and pray with one another.

In addition to helping wives answer the difficult questions and weather the storms of being partnered in ministry, Chosen is designed to recognize and encourage women in their own unique gifts and talents. This is not simply a crisis ministry. God has something to offer even the most blessed partnerships. His divine encouragement, direction, and blessing are things we all seek in our lives and ministries. We call the ministry Chosen, Partners in the Harvest because we believe that while the clergy spouse is called, his wife has been chosen by God to share in the work and joy of her husband’s ministry. In Ecclesiastes God’s word tells us how important it is for the called and the chosen to be one. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.

A fundamental ingredient of each retreat will be the opportunity for wives to explore their own unique identity in Christ and gain a stronger understanding of their appointment by God for kingdom work. Retreats are also designed to assist women as they discern their gifts, acknowledge God’s plan for their marriage, and keep their vineyard safe and producing fruit; to be empowered to walk in confidence as they fulfill their role as a partner in the harvest.