Health and Daily Living – Page 29 – REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES

As the earth tilts on its axis and the lighting changes angles, we can see and feel Fall gently strolling in.

I don’t know if it’s fond memories of starting a new school year or the cooler air, but this is my favorite time of the year.

Somehow life today seems fresher.

With this new season, God is bringing about some big changes for us and our family. As He often does, it has come suddenly but without surprise.

While spending most of our summer in Dallas raising investor funds, an incredible chain of events began. After much prayer and council from respected advisers, Bill, as CEO, and the Board of Directors have decided to move our new company’s corporate headquarters from San Jose to Dallas.

We now begin the process of leaving one hotel for another to quickly find us all homes.

Starting Sunday I’ll be driving my daughter-in-law, Linda (8 mo. pregnant) along with 3 year old, Anna, and my dog, Lady, to Texas. Bill, Will, Johnny, Abby dog and Lategra (the snake) will follow shortly after. We hope to all be settled in a real home before William Ernest Mapp V makes his debut in October.

As many of you know, this will be our 7th move in four years. Needless to say, we should have the process down by now!

When we arrived nearly two years ago, I was so homesick for Texas, my heart ached for months. Though not really home, because we’ve spent the bulk of our time in a hotel; I’ve fallen in love with the West Coast and will leave a piece of my heart in California.

With each move there’s a grieving process… first anger and confusion followed by a deep sadness which turns to excitement for what’s to come.

When our moving adventures began in 2006 this process took me weeks and sometimes months to get through. With each move it got a little easier to say good bye to the comfortable present and embrace the unknown future.

The decision to leave California was just made over the Labor Day holiday, but today I can happily say I’ve worked my way through all the emotions and am truly excited to see what God has in store for our family and the incredible business opportunity He has given us!

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43:18-19

After sharing my recent health struggles last week, I received several encouraging email from special friends.

One, in particular, had a deep and resounding impact on my spirit. So much that it has given me a fresh vision and purpose for my ministry.

My dearest friend, Whitney, who I met in 2006 during our stay in Louisiana, forwarded me a devotional she receives. It spoke of “Good Afflictions” and how God uses trials to strengthen and grow us into the person He knows we can be in Christ.

One of the verses referred to in Whitney’s email was a scripture I’ve leaned on many times:

For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening-it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained by it.~ Hebrews 12:10-11

If you’ve been reading the Bible for any time at all, you’ve probably experienced what’s known as a Rhema Word. This happened as I was reading the above passage and came to the next verse. [One that had not been previously marked in my Life Recovery Bible–something I do regularly for verses that have spoken to me personally.]

I continued to read…

So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand on your shaky legs. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.~Hebrews 12:12-13

This was a Rhema Word to me!

It’s an incredible experience when a scripture jumps off the page. When God speaks loud and clear to you – there’s great power and no mistaking it’s Almighty God. You know, without a shadow of a doubt, that God has reached out and touched your life personally in a way that no one else can.

For the last few weeks I’ve thought about changing the name of the ministry to simply–Reaching Women– then it would match my Twitter handle. God hasn’t released me to do it.

Then after reading the above verse, I had a revelation about my ministry.

After living a life of addiction, I felt that my ministry focus needed to be towards that… To reach women struggling with all kinds of addictions.

But God has shown me that women are hurting in so many other ways, the least of which is our health!

As I said last week, I want to share what I’m learning about nutrition and health in general. But also, going forward, I want to address specific hurts that we as women encounter in our daily lives.

I’m excited to see how God will continue to use this humble ministry to help women. Even me.

QUESTION: What are some areas of hurt you would like to see discussed?