hcfwomen

What If We Were Real

September 20, 2013by hcfwomenLeave a Comment

There’s a song by Mandisa that says:
“What if I share my brokenness,
What if you share how you feel,
What if we weren’t afraid of this crazy mess,
What if we were real?”

I’ve been wrestling with this one. Because life is messy, and it doesn’t always turn out the way we planned.

When I was growing up and went to church camp as a young girl and a teenager, I would tell God that I’d do anything, go anywhere for Him. I would ask for Him to take my life and change my heart.

But as I’ve gotten older, I’m learning that sometimes actually following God with all my heart is very painful. Something that sounds as “easy” as healthy relating, or forgiving, or embracing a new season, or surrendering…can be excruciating.

And here I thought I was going to be a missionary across the ocean for the rest of my life…Learning to be vulnerable with the people I live with right here is much harder. Learning to get in God’s truth about me, and be open because I know who I am—even if I might be wounded again…even though I am terrified.

So, what if I’m not “perfect”? What if I don’t measure up in the ways that I think I should?

What if I’m just quirky, emotional, creative, and compassionate? What if I’m the one who loves hot tea and crocheting and singing in the car with the windows down? What if I’m the one who loves standing in the rain, looking at the stars out in the country, and worshipping freely? What if I am far from perfect, but beginning to walk through this season of healing, and learning to be grateful and embrace every moment—no matter what it looks like?

What if I am—what if you are—the one who is healing, learning, loving, forgiving, embracing, rejoicing, interceding, and opening up?

Yes, it can be messy. Yes, it can even be painful. But, it is freeing. And it’s so worth it.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

I’d like to take this time to make a shameless “plug” for the upcoming Life Giving Women’s Retreat. 🙂

Coming to the Women’s Retreat can be intimidating for many. Most probably think at one point or another, “The last place I want to be is spending a whole weekend with a couple hundred other women!” But from the smiling faces that greet you at the door, to the kind room leaders, to the creative ones who decorate the tables so beautifully, you know that this is femininity expressed as you’ve never seen it before. Here, you are encouraged to be real, to be yourself, to laugh out loud, to cry, to be embraced, and to feel inspired.

Every year at the Women’s Retreat, I come away in amazement at the kindness of women. It is a place where you will be challenged to be open and vulnerable, but it is also a place of healing. You will build friendships and be blessed in ways that only godly women can bless other women.

So, choose to take courage, step out, and discover what your heart looks like—as a woman. Please, take the plunge this year—come to the women’s retreat! You can register online by clicking here.

This post was written by Heather Dillard. To read more about her, click here.

Family, Fruitfulness, Identity

Agelessness in the Kingdom

September 14, 2013by hcfwomen1 Comment

God is not confined to time or space, nor are those who dwell in His kingdom here on earth. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was between twelve and fourteen when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. John, the beloved disciple, was only fourteen or fifteen when called to follow Jesus. Abraham was ninety-nine when he was told he would become the father of nations. Moses, Joshua and Caleb were in their eighties when called to serve our God. John the Baptist leaped in his mother’s womb when Mary entered the room, expectant with Jesus. King David was still in his teens when God chose him as a future king of Israel. Billy Graham is ninety-four. Beth Moore is fifty-six. I turned seventy last Sunday (September 8, 2013).

OUR NUMBERED DAYS
I was surprised to learn that it was Robert Louis Stevenson in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde who first coined the phrase “my days are numbered,” and not God. I searched for that phrase in four different translations and could not find it. What I did find was that God knows the number of hairs on my head. Also, I discovered where the psalmist prayed, “Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, NIV).

KINGDOM FAMILIES
I am fortunate to be part of a church that teaches God’s kingdom on earth is multi-generational, and trains its members that not just men, or women, but families are being called to rise up and become Kingdom Families to reach the lost and dying in our community. I am blessed that I am, at present, being taught that age is no excuse to “retire” in the kingdom of God.

MUCH TO BE DONE YET
One of my dearest and closest friends recently remarked, “There is much to be done, but little time left for us who are beginning the eighth decade of our life.” I knew how she was feeling and shared a similar battle in my mind. “Sweet friend, only God knows when that day will be for us. In the meantime, let us be on with it.” She unreservedly agreed.

This post was written by Linda Hutcherson. To read more about her, click here.

**In this post, Linda mentions HCF’s Kingdom Families, which teaches parents how to raise kids and teenagers who follow after God with all their hearts. We will be having two Kingdom Families conferences soon, one at the Plainview campus for those raising children, and one at the Amarillo campus for those raising teens. Click on these links for more information and to register.**

God's Presence, Worship

That Face to Face Place

September 5, 2013by hcfwomen1 Comment

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Psalms 100:4 NKJV)

We’ve probably all heard this verse or even sung it in Sunday School as kids. What a simple yet profound instruction: this is how you get into the presence of God Almighty, who has provided a way for us to meet with Him face to face. Be thankful…praise Him…bless His Name, and you might just find yourself front and center with the Throne, face to face with the King of Kings.

While this is a worthy goal of our worship, to enter in and just experience His Presence, to give Him the glory that He deserves, I think that there is something more.

There are so many things about God that I don’t fully comprehend. There is so much of His awesomeness that I’ve yet to grasp. But I do know one thing: There’s always more.

In Old Testament times seeking an audience with the king meant taking your life in your own hands, or more accurately, putting it in the King’s. If you wanted to enter into the King’s presence, you would come in, kneel before the throne, and wait. In the few seconds that I’m sure felt like an eternity, the King would either raise his scepter, a signal that permission was granted to approach, or leave it down, at which point you would be taken away and promptly escorted to your own execution.

Thankfully we don’t serve a King like that. We serve a King that gave up everything He had to give so that we could come before Him–boldly, with confidence, accepted–as his kids. But you know, because He’s made a way to freely come, I think sometimes we have a tendency to lose the reverence, lose the awe of the encounter. We come in, not focused on meeting with the King, but thinking about our last fight with our spouse, or lunch plans, or whatever. And guess what–we’re human. We’re called sheep numerous times in the Bible, and I don’t think it was a compliment. So I’m not here to send anyone on a guilt trip. If so, I’d need to be the first to pack my bags.

But think back to that Old Testament picture. Someone seeking an audience with the king had a pretty important matter to discuss. He must have had a worthwhile case to plead; one worth risking everything in the hope that the king would intervene. And I bet you my last dollar, he came in knowing what he was going to say.

A while back a friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. It came as quite a shock as she was a young mom who was vibrant and healthy. The Sunday following that news, my worship took on a whole new meaning. I had decided I was going to fight for her with everything I had. Those weren’t just songs that morning, they were weapons. They were launch pads for faith to be unleashed. I had the enemy in my crosshairs. It was an incredible time of worship!

It might not be a friend with cancer. It might be a lost family member, or a marriage on the rocks, or a physical illness, but we ALL have circumstances in our lives where we need the King to intervene. We all have places that are totally beyond our control (and probably more than we care to admit!) And we all have instructions for coming face to face with the King. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks, bless His Name, enter boldly. But then what?

Worship is a powerful mixture of Spirit and Truth. When we align our hearts with the truth of God’s Word, something happens. Faith happens. When that faith is focused on a specific target, it paves the way for the miraculous. And when we get to that face to face place, let’s not take it for granted. Let’s know why we came. Let’s ask the King to act and see if He doesn’t delight to respond.

This post was written by Becca Wilhite. To read more about her, click here.

God's Presence, Prayer, Worship

Our Values: Prayer and Worship

August 15, 2013August 15, 2013by hcfwomenLeave a Comment

Prayer and worship create an atmosphere where everyone can experience the presence of God. Pastor Brad expounded on these core values in a powerful way during the “DNA of Harvest” series. Download the talk as soon as you can!

I’d like to share with you what prayer and worship mean to me day in and day out. I don’t see how one can separate prayer and worship. Prayer in this season of my life feels more like an opportunity to re-align myself with God’s heart. I still pray to ask for things from Father, but I also want to sense an increased closeness to hear what He wants to say to me. I want a deeper relationship with Him. Prayer and worship give me a pathway to come to Him and enter into that for which my heart so deeply longs.

It’s a chance to focus my attention on Him and what’s truly valuable in life. Worship inevitably begins to flow from my heart when I wait upon Him. I can’t help it. The more I focus my attention on who He is, what He’s done for me, what I will accomplish in the earth for His Name’s sake, I just can’t help but be grateful and awed, humble and exuberant, fierce and at rest. He’s so interesting! Prayer and worship open my eyes to see Him. I don’t want to miss it because I’m more taken with my issues, my problems or my pain.

Father taught me through prayer and worship that I am valuable to Him. He knows what I’m faced with each day. He’s not going to hang me out to dry, so to speak. Sometimes my circumstances may not look like I’d hoped, but He’s promised to never leave me nor forsake me. Prayer and worship give me an opportunity to declare His truth over my circumstances. I’m not denying that I may not feel good or that I’ve messed up in some way. What I am doing is choosing to recognize that He is greater than my pain or my regret. I am still right with God through the finished work of the cross in Christ. I will make Him my focus and allow Him to transform me rather than trying to fix myself out of my own resources.

Take a moment to think about the things you want to pass on to the next generation that you possess right now. I want my kids to have learned from me that no matter what their life experience is, they can always rise above it with prayer and worship. They can experience what gold will not buy and education will not provide if they will humble themselves and fix their gaze on the Lover of their souls.

This post was written by Jodi Leigh LaFrance. To read more about her, click here.

Boundaries, Identity

Balance

August 1, 2013September 5, 2016by hcfwomenLeave a Comment

I am a stay-at-home mom with three part-time jobs: Zumba Jammer for Zumba Fitness, Zumba instructor for Bodyworks of Lubbock, and Zumba Program Coordinator for Bodyworks. I, as every other woman I know, am the master of multi-tasking—taking great pride in production and efficiency. Watch a movie? Sure! As long as I can get caught up on my ironing pile while we watch. Cook Supper? Of course! But let’s sort through the pantry while we’re at it. Have a tea party? Of course…while I fold laundry on the side. So you can only imagine how freaked out I was when the Lord challenged me to become a “single-tasker.” Is there such a thing? YES THERE IS! After all, we can only be in one place at one time anyway, right? Or can we? Sometimes I’m physically playing with my children, spiritually thirsty because of my lack of self-discipline that week, mentally going over choreography in my head for my next class, and emotionally drained trying to keep up with it all! How exhausting! So I decided to try this single-tasking thing out, and have discovered its incredible power to maintaining a peaceful, joyful, and balanced home!

When my boys are in school and Emma is napping, I get my Zumba jobs accomplished for the day: emailing, getting things ready for the next event, choreographing new routines, etc. I complete my work-related tasks with excellence, since I devote all of me to them. I can now switch over to another “category” of life when I pick up my kids—not worried about other things…just being completely present. This category includes all that mommyhood involves: training, cooking, disciplining, teaching, playing, comforting and loving on my kiddos. Zumba time: Time for another “switch.” I don’t feel guilty that I’m not at home picking up the house or spending time with my husband. I don’t get upset that I’m not on a girl’s night out or watching my favorite show. Nope, those aren’t in this category of life. What is, though, are women looking to be inspired and to stay motivated to live healthy lifestyles.

Then it’s time to run home. We have supper and hang out as a family making memories, and soon get ready for bed with laughter, stories, prayer, and cuddles. And yet again, another “switch.” A switch to husband time comes where I’m fully present and ready to be with him emotionally, physically, and mentally. What a blessing it is to our husbands when we are fully theirs!

Now, not every minute of our day can be compartmentalized with no “overlapping.” But I’ve learned to engage where the Lord has me, and pursue peace, not chaos. You know what else I’ve learned? It’s okay. When I follow His peace in every area and circumstance, while fully engaging in that moment, it’s all okay. I do things with excellence, passion and purpose because it’s WHO I AM, not because it’s what needs to be done. I rest in His peace and my identity in Him.

This post was written by Brandi Wilson.

Faith, Parenting

Faith Through the Journey of Motherhood

July 15, 2013September 5, 2016by hcfwomen1 Comment

It takes faith through the journey of motherhood.

I remember waking up under my bed with my eldest child. I don’t know how we got there, but we did. I also remember being so tired that I slept in the closet to try and find some “me time,” only to wake up in the morning with my three youngest sleeping next to me.

Motherhood can be very tiring, yet very rewarding.
I remember when my children were toddlers; “Mommy” was their favorite word. Each child had their own personality. I remember them running around at the Amarillo Zoo. As a young single mom, I had to put my faith to work. I had to ask God to teach me to love my children like he did. I was pro-active. I took parenting classes and stood on faith that God would continually give me wisdom to know how to raise my children. It’s sad to me now, thinking back to all the time I spent worrying. Worrying that I would mess up as a mother. Worrying that if my child messed up, it would make me look bad.

I learned that when I became a mom, it wasn’t about what people thought of me, but about raising my children in the way they should go. My job was to love them, train them, nurture them, encourage them and discipline them. It took faith to accomplish this. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). I realized that the world had a different view on parenting. I wanted to be the mother God called me to be, so I began my life journey as a mom.

Time passed, and I was able to see all my children grow from children to teens. I had to remember what faith was. I had to stand my ground even when I felt like throwing in the towel. Hormones were raging, and the world encouraged me to give up. But I believed that no matter what kind of influence the world might try to have, that I—their mom—had the greatest influence of all. I realized that it didn’t matter what I said as much as what I did; children are great imitators. Even though my children were growing, I continued to go to parenting classes/conferences.

I have 4 children, so I learned that each one responded differently to growing pains.
I had to remind myself that my teens were not perfect, just as I was not perfect. When they struggled, I loved them through it. I prayed, encouraged, and continued to discipline as needed. Just because they were getting older didn’t mean they didn’t need parenting. Life was crazy busy. I had two band nerds and two choir nerds. Three of my children were 17 months apart (yes, a set of twins). They were busy with school activities and were gone from home more and more. The more they were gone, the more my faith grew. I had two options: 1) to worry, or 2) to have faith that the teaching/training they received would not depart from them. When I felt like worrying was gaining ground, I would talk to a friend for words of encouragement, or ask a friend to pray for me. I have had a great resource of friends through the past 19 years, and they are a treasure. When one of my children would struggle, it was like testing grounds for me as a mom. Did I really believe that God had this? That he had good plans for each one of my children, to give them a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11)?

As of May 2011, all my babies are grown and have graduated high school. My youngest two are 20 year old. Wow! Where does the time go? I know now how important it is to take advantage of every opportunity because they grow fast. Faith is dear to me. I lean on her a lot. I am now entering the Empty Nester season, and my children are each following their dreams through Christ. I have parented the best way I could. Now it is time to once again put faith to work. I pray for each of my children, in-laws, and grandchildren, and then I step aside and allow the Holy Spirit to help them.

I am here for them and always will be. I don’t always have to give advice or fix the situation. I can listen and encourage. I can give a hug, laugh and cry with them—and at the same time, have faith that what God began in each of their lives, he will bring to completion. My journey as a mother has been life-changing. It has taught me the fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Just in case you’re wondering, I haven’t arrived, but I am enjoying the journey of motherhood.

Proverbs 31: 26-28
“She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looks well to the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness. Her children rise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her…”

P.S. My most favorite thing to do is have all my children jump in bed with me and just talk about life.

This post was written by Becca Cruz.

Boundaries, Fruitfulness

My White Picket Fence

July 1, 2013July 5, 2013by hcfwomen1 Comment

Psalm 16:5-6 “Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”

When I think about this verse I think of a beautiful white picket fence surrounding a precious little home with a gorgeous yard. The grass is green and lush, and the flowers are in full bloom. The trees are large and cast a glorious shade. Hanging from one of the branches is a swing. On the spacious front porch are a couple of rockers. My husband Michael and I are sitting in the rockers on the front porch watching our three kids play in the front yard. It is absolutely heavenly! All that is inside the picket fence is mine! Outside the fence are my neighbors’ yards, all beautiful in their own unique way—none the same!

In the picture I described, the picket fence is the “boundary lines.” What is inside the picket fence is what God has given me: His best for me! It is who I am and what I was created for. All of God’s gifts and the wonderful treasures he has in store for me lie within this fence, these boundaries.

These so-called boundary lines were designed to be precious and life-giving to me. I have to choose to be thankful for them and enjoy them! This is not always easy. This verse in Psalms is a call to find who Christ has called you to be, who the Father created you to be, and live fully right there!

My boundary lines (who I am and what I was created for) never change, but how I live that out changes with the seasons of life. Part of what God has called me to be is a wife and mom! It is one of my greatest joys. When my kids were little, I stayed home full time. But as they have gotten bigger I have taken on more things outside the home. As another example, I am not a public speaker. It is not my gifting. On the other hand, I love to pray, intercede, dig into God’s Word and minister to people by interceding for them and encouraging them. It is part of what God created me for. It brings life! Discovering this and being okay with it has brought such freedom to me. I have grown and begun to flourish in finding who I am, what my boundaries are, and staying within them.

All that God has for us is found within the parameter of our boundaries. So who are you? What are you created for? Where are your boundary lines? I challenge you to go before God and start asking him. He is longing to show you; He wants to give you his best! And his best is found within your picket fence 🙂

This post was written by Tissie Beasley. To read more about her, click here.

Faith, Parenting, Prayer

Unshakable

June 6, 2013July 5, 2013by hcfwomen3 Comments

Unshakable: (adjective) utterly firm or unwavering, incapable of being shaken.

Luke 6:47-49 tells us that anyone willing to come to the Lord and put His words into practice is like someone building a house on a foundation set upon a rock. The house can withstand any storm.

What we build our house upon may be all that is left after a storm passes…it matters!

Well, the only way to be unshakable is to have a solid foundation and you’ve got to start somewhere. Our journey started when I was told a diagnosis no mom wants to hear; death was inevitable for our unborn son. After an unexpected delivery at 28 weeks, he was diagnosed with 22 fatal conditions. He was beautiful, so very perfect in every way. After 3 surgeries, a few close calls and 66 days in NICU, he passed away peacefully as we held him.

His name was Callen Clark Wright and the journey of his incredibly short life changed our family forever…it made us unshakable.

When we first heard of a possible diagnosis, we laid the foundation for the situation before us and declared these things aloud: “We will not blame ourselves or each other, and most importantly we will NEVER blame God.” We had no idea what exactly was before us but we knew we had to have a foundation-a sturdy place to start.

During our time with Callen the one thing that remained true was that God was with us. Many people told us how they could clearly feel God’s presence and some could literally see Him. Most people do not understand how we are even still standing. Yes, the loss of a child is very painful in every way.

The grief process is not marked; there are no road maps to get through it, partly because it never ends. But there is hope. Hope that the foundation you built your family on will remain standing through the flood and will allow you to be unshakable in the midst of the process and eventually continue to build.

Being unshakable is not easy, and you cannot do it in your own strength. God is the key to becoming unshakable. He will help and guide you. God will bring joy from the pain. God is the perfect foundation to build upon because He is faithful, always constant, NEVER failing.

PRAY and call out to Him. God will meet you in your circumstance. No matter how small or big it may seem, He is still bigger. Nothing happens to us without passing through His hands first. He will allow us a chance to prevail and become stronger in our faith, but we must be unshakable in our relationship with Him to succeed.

Be encouraged! With God, YOU CAN DO THIS! All things are possible when He is your strength, your foundation, your UNSHAKABLE God Almighty!

This post was written by Victoria Wright. She attends the Plainview Harvest Campus with her husband Justin and two beautiful children, Caycen and Carly.

Budgeting

Debt Free

May 20, 2013July 5, 2013by hcfwomen3 Comments

We reached a huge milestone in our financial life this week. We paid off my husband’s student loan and are now debt-free except for our home. What a journey!

While we were dating/engaged (can’t remember now!), we got involved in a “too good to be true” investment opportunity. We dreamed out loud about how we would spend the motherload just waiting to fill our bank accounts. It felt good to dream until we found out that our investment turned out to be a Ponzi scheme. I didn’t even know what that was at the time; just that the money we invested was gone. Thankfully, we didn’t invest more than we could walk away from and not be too sad. But when your heart is set on big $$$$, it can be a major let-down! We laugh about it today as we drive our used, but paid-for, vehicles, shop local sales, clip coupons and make out our monthly cash flow spending plans (thank you Dave Ramsey).

That was exactly eight years ago. I think it’s almost ironic that this week we finally said good-bye to debt. It feels really good. Here are a few things God taught us along the way.

We learned financial discipline and faithfulness. God seems to be very comfortable with processes. He could’ve allowed us to make a lot of money in that Ponzi scheme, but in His divine wisdom He let us learn how to mature in our financial decisions. We’ve learned (and are still learning) how to work within the financial limitations we do have.
We learned to do life in community. We have had to learn to receive help from others and it is humbling, but it’s not horrible. We’ve learned to bear each other’s burdens (think of someone under the crushing load of a boulder, not a backpack which each person can easily handle). God graciously sent people alongside us to teach us and miraculously give to us as an encouragement to stay the course. Now that we know what it feels like to receive help, we enjoy paying it forward as God gives us opportunity.
Debt is slavery. It is very hard to be the extravagant givers our hearts long to be if we still owe other people and institutions money. Thank God Almighty we’re free at last!!!!

Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Father God, thank You for giving us Your best in Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You for giving us the resources we need to do life spiritually, physically and emotionally. By the power of the Holy Spirit help us to walk out our freedom every day of our lives so we might live and help others live life to the full. Amen!

How has being in debt affected you and your family? What are your stories of becoming debt free?

This post was written by Jodi LaFrance. To read more about her, click here.

Friendship

The Friendship Connection

April 17, 2013June 29, 2014by hcfwomen11 Comments

One of my biggest struggles this year has been in the area of friendships—specifically with other women. Not that I don’t have friends—I do. I have lots of wonderful, loving, godly friends. But this has been a season in my life where many of my friendships have been changing, shifting. And honestly, it’s been hard for me to deal with. Some of it has just been part of growing up and maturing. And some of it is because other people’s seasons have changed too. But, facing that was still painful.

I found myself in this place this year, and I will honestly say I did not handle it well. Bitterness and resentment started taking root in my heart. I was lonely, angry, and disappointed. Life had not turned out the way that I had planned.

But somewhere—even in the midst of all this mess inside of my heart—God found me. My moments of crying out to God (sometimes without words; just crying) became moments where God began to speak to me. He began asking me to “come away” with Him. He began speaking to me the truth of who I really was. And I began to believe it—truly believe it in my deepest heart. I think this is the first time in my whole life that I’ve really, truly said “yes” to who God says I am.

And as these truths began to take root—that I am a daughter, dearly loved, delighted in, precious—God began to soften my heart to the gift of repentance. Not repentance as a punishment, but just agreeing with how God sees the situation. Agreeing that this anger and bitterness in my heart really had nothing to do with the people that I had inwardly leveled it toward. Agreeing that my heart is too precious to carry the weight of such things—things that bring death. God gently spoke that He wants to bring me life. Joy. Peace. Laughter. That He is a good Father, and He delights in giving good gifts to his children (Mt. 7:11).

And so God began opening my eyes to the gift of friendships, all around me, that He is blessing me with. Older women, younger women, women at my work, women living in another country…Over and over, I heard God say, “This is a gift…this is a gift.”

And finally, my heart said yes.

I think this quote sums it up beautifully (from Christine Hoover at http://www.GraceCoversMe.com): “We are not guaranteed or entitled to heart friends. They are gifts of grace, and when we catch glimpses of sisterly love, we must receive it as such with deep gratitude.”

Gratitude, yes… A heart of thanksgiving puts it all into perspective.

I believe that, deep down inside, all of us have been made to connect deeply with other women. So let’s ask God to give us the courage to see and pursue godly friendships. It’s sometimes hard, but it’s such a blessing.

This post was written by Heather Dillard. To read more about her, click here.