It is possible to have a marriage that is smooth and satisfying, but you have to know and use the access code that keeps theconnection to your spouse alive and well.—- Bill and Pam Farrel, The Marriage Code
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The Marriage Code – Hot off the Press!
Codes are all around us: access codes for banking accounts, to make reservations for travel, or to gain entry into buildings or our own computers. Do you want to know how to use a code to move your marriage “above the line of success and security” where everything is good, life is enjoyable and romance sizzles? In Bill and Pam Farrel’s newest book, The Marriage Code, couples will learn the secret code to unlock love. The Farrels are relationship specialists, international speakers and authors of over 30 books including best selling Men are like Waffles, Women are like Spaghetti. With their characteristic humor, solid wisdom, and practical illustrations, the Farrels will help you use the marriage code to gain entry into your mate’s heart and life. If you want to trade in conflict for connection, use The Marriage Code.
Pam and Bill’s interview on The Marriage Code will be on Focus on the Family radio October 21, 22.
To go to the live webcast on Focus on the Family on October 22, from 1-3 p.m. MT, go to:
For more information about Pam and Bill Farrel and their resources: http://www.farrelcommunications.com
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Rick and I looking forward to Bill and Pam’s newest book! We have referred to their resources in our marriage workshops, and find what they have to say is very relevant and applicable to any married couple.
Kathryn, when and how did you first get the inspiration to write “Confessions Of A Pastor’s Wife”?
I write about this in the intro of the book. It was literally like a burning bush moment for me. In 2004 God gave me all of the chapter titles all at once. He was literally speaking this book into me! I never expected it! It’s one of the reasons the subtitle is “He Speaks, Can You Hear Him?” I literally ran into my office and grabbed my prayer journal and began writing all of the chapter titles down as fast as He was delivering them to me. They came in perfect speed – it was overwhelming and awesome! I stood there in amazement staring at each chapter title – knowing what would be in every single chapter! Of course, immediately thereafter began to have all of the feelings of being unable, unworthy, and unqualified to do this work. But it was God who gave it to me and He who made the way for it to be completed.
What was the process of writing this book work? Was this an all-at-once kind of epiphany or did this take years in the making, collecting thoughts and ultimately putting them together?
I mentioned before how God gave me the book to write in 2004, but it wasn’t until 2006 that I really began to write it. He had to build my faith further, nudging me along. One of the ways in which He continued the prompting was that He provided me with a life coach to hold me accountable, to push me. Then once I finally surrendered all of the self-doubt, unworthiness and fears I began standing it this beautiful place of faith, with His power. He gave me a joy around it and then I began to write. It was like opening up a vein, it just began to flow. There were times when I couldn’t pull myself away from the writing, that’s when the writing is great! That’s when you feel the power of God, the Holy Spirit moving through you, Him speaking. That’s the gift He gives me in it. I am so thankful for this gift. It’s all from Him, all of it. I love it.
One of the chapters in your book that is titled “Discovering God” you say that there are “moments when God speaks to you through your dreams” does God still speak to you in your dreams?
Oh yes, He sure does, and I hope He never stops! He also speaks to my husband in dreams. Dreams seem to be one of the ways He has revealed major transactions that are headed our way. He speaks profoundly to me through the dreams. It’s not every day, but when it happens it’s intense. In the book I write about some of the dreams He has given me that have come to pass. He’s also done so with Bruce.
You talk about the many ways in which God speaks to us, do you hear His voice as an audible voice or is it an inner sensing voice? Also can you share a few ways in which God speaks and reveals Himself to us, while backing this up through Scripture?
I don’t hear Him in an audible voice, it’s an inner voice that I hear Him, and I hear Him through His Word. Some Biblical references in which God speaks to us are: Exodus 3:14: God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” ACTS 9:15: “But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.’” 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
The book frequently takes a humorous approach; I found the chapter titled “The Bug Truck to be deep and absolutely hilarious all at the same time. It has a kind of an intimate “ya ya sisters” kind of thing? Do you think of your book as something that will appeal more to women than to men? Why or why not?
Women love it, and they laugh as they fly through the pages and then they cry as they land on the very next sentence. It’s been very soul stirring. You know, at first I thought that it would have an appeal mainly to women; however, I am getting incredible feedback and actual responses from men. Men are really able to relate to this book on numerous levels. They have shared how parts of it have essentially moved them emotionally as well. This book is about marriage, talks about becoming a blended family, and talks a lot about Bruce and his approach to our marriage, speaks to raising our children, financial concerns, and being a supportive partnership in marriage. So it has been speaking volumes to men, which I am glad to hear… God is good.
How did your husband Bruce support your efforts with the book?
Bruce was totally supportive. He was an encourager to me. He prayed for me, he knew that this was something new for me and he enjoyed the process along with me. I think he was rather fascinated with the way that God had spoken this book into me.
Was he at all curious of just how much “confessing” appears in the book?
I’m sure he was a bit, but interestingly enough he wasn’t asking to read it, he wasn’t asking me what I was writing. I found that interesting, because if it were him writing a book, I know that my curiosity would get to me, I’d want to read each page as it was written. He didn’t do that at all. He just watched me as I wrote, sat back and smiled at it all.
What do you think is the essence of what you felt compelled to say?
Oh wow, that feels like a loaded question! There are so many things regarding faith, family, how God moves and so much more. I think the two main things that I want people to recognize is how God uses each of us, and the other thing would be the most beautiful and profound ways He speaks to us. He uses you to speak into my life, into my heart, to hear Him. This book is a portion of my life story, (not all of it certainly and there are more books to come). In this non-fiction faith story, you will find pieces of your very own faith story as you turn the pages, you will hear the quiet whispers being spoken lovingly straight into your very own ears. God has a way of speaking; He has a desire to be heard, and to be trusted by us. He has such wonderful and glorious things to reveal to us, not only through His powerful Word, but also through all of His people. I am compelled by God to share the ways in which HE SPEAKS to us, all of the many and wondrous ways… through Dreams, through Wise Counsel, through the Stillness of Meditation Alone in our Closets, through The Whisper of the Wind, through a Bumper Sticker, through Children, through the Clouds, and in so many other ways! None of them are farfetched at all! I want it to be known how the Holy Spirit works, in the holy and mysterious ways. He wants us to hear Him so He uses the multifaceted ways to grab us, ways that He knows we will hear. The Bible reveals to all of us many of the ways He speaks. Through Clouds, through Donkeys, through Burning bushes and the list goes on and on. Our lives are a walk of faith, struggle, joy, and more struggles and more faith, but we are never alone, never without El Roi – Our God who sees us.
How has the book been received so far by those who have read it?
It’s been really cool for me. My sister called after she read it and said “Wow, I’m so surprised, pleasantly surprised!” She didn’t realize the writing ability that I had; I laughed and said that I had no idea either. My mom and dad love it, and of course they would. My mother-in-law raves about it and says I should be on Oprah, which makes me laugh. Bruce loves it, of course. My kids adore it; my sons-in-law enjoy it and are proud of me, Of course each of my family members would respond that way. What has been wonderful to see though is all the reader responses on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, all give it 5 Star ratings, even men have made comments on it. The other blessings are the emails and calls and notes that I have received telling me how the book has moved them, how it’s spoken to them, increased their faith walk, made sense in areas of their lives where they needed that exact Word from God. Others, tell me that there are so many places that they can relate, and still others tell me that they feel like they know me better, and understand the way that God Speaks because of it. This is the essence of the book, and speaks directly to the subtitle “HE SPEAKS CAN YOU HEAR HIM?”
What, in your opinion, will readers find most surprising about the life of a pastor’s wife?
That we are just as human as they are, we make mistakes. I will make more mistakes, certainly not intentionally, just because I am human. I am very honest and candid in sharing my truth, my life, and my confessions of when and how I have messed up, done things the wrong way and what I’ve learned from it. I think that they can have certain expectations of who we are as a “Pastor’s Wife” or who we should be, that in reality we just aren’t. And yet, they may also find that to be refreshing. I am a leader among women, and enjoy that role, and I am a woman who loves the Lord with every inch of myself and want so badly for the world to love Him as much as I do. I hope that they find me to be normal, very real, and see that I am trying to walk out my faith the best I can. They may be surprised to note that in my daily living I am a bit ditsy, (OK, maybe that won’t really be surprising!
What are your plans for the future in the publishing world? Think you have any more books in you?
Oh yes, there are at least four more to come. I have also written a Bible Study Companion to this book, it’s in the first stages of completion. I have written a guided Biblical Meditation titled “In The Potters Hand” which is derived from Jeremiah 18:1-5, and it is beautiful, and profound and straight from God. It can be found on www.AwakeningsLifeCoaching.com. I am also in the beginning stages of the second book now. This is truly a calling the Lord has placed right in the middle of my heart.
What else does God have you doing these days Kathryn, and how can our readers connect with you?
I am in the process of writing more books, and just finished the Bible Study Companion to this book. I am a Life Purpose Coach, and I do two day 1-1 individual retreats facilitating Life Plans for women, the part I love is which is an amazing thing to witness, is when a women discovers her purpose and passion. My husband also does Life Plans for men. We do couples’ Life Plans as well. I am an instructor through LPCCI for those who are interested in becoming a Life Coach. I am an international speaker and enjoy traveling to the various parts of the world encouraging and sharing the wonders of God! My websites are www.AwakeningsLifeCoaching.com (based on Isaiah 50:5 “He awakens me morning by morning…) and www.KathrynBonner.com I am putting together Writers Retreat in September for Christian Women. They can register for this retreat and find out more about this opportunity by going to my website www.WomenOfPassionatePurpose.com
The following is an interview with author Linda Newton about her new book.
What a timely book, 12 Ways to Turn Your Pain Into Praise: Biblical Steps to Wholeness in Christ! With our current economic and political climate we certainly need steps to turn our pain into praise.
I agree. I find that the same tools that help us deal with our damaged past can guide us through an insecure future. I wrote this book to help people who feel “stuck” because of the dysfunction, divorce, depression, abuse, grief and guilt in their lives, but I am walking through these same principals each day in my counseling office with folks who are dealing with the difficulties of job loss, anxiety, and marriage issues in a struggling economy.
You’re a counselor and an abuse survivor. Will you tell us a little of your story?
I grew up in the deep South and I wish I could say we spent happy hours saying, “Yes Ma’am” and “No Sir” and “Good Night, John-Boy.” But nothing could be further from the truth. In reality, I was ten years old before I realized that God’s last name wasn’t damn! My Daddy took off when I was five, and raising four kids alone brought out the worst in my mother. She became abusive with a bust-your-lip, black-your-eye kind of punishment–the kind of pain that stings your face for a while but sears your soul for a lifetime.
The neighbor-lady from across the street took me to church, I found Christ and He changed my life. That church helped me get to Christian college. On my quest for my own healing, I became a Christian counselor and have had the privilege of working with God’s precious people for the past seventeen years in my office at a growing church in California.
You talk about one of those people, Donnetta Jean, as she moves through the steps to get the healing that she needs. Is she a real person?
Donnetta represents the many damaged people in today’s postmodern culture—distanced by pain from the God they desperately need.
When I read a self-help book, I love to see personal examples of the tools presented, but I find myself wondering how the person in the example turns out. In 12 Ways you get to walk through the process from start to finish as you see the healing of Donnetta Jean unfold. Then you know the path for your own healing.
You started each chapter with a word that starts with the letter “P.” That had to take some work.
Each chapter is one of the steps, and I did that to make them easy to remember. I’m at the stage of life when I stop and think and forget to start up again! Alliteration helps things stick in my head.
My first “P” is Perspective. Chapter 3 and 4 include Prayer and the Power we find in God’s Word. They are pivotal parts of recovery, to be sure, but until we adjust our perspective to see what’s good in life, we can’t reap the benefit of prayer and scripture reading. Before I shifted my perspective, God could have parked a burning bush by my front door to convince me of His love, and I would have stamped out the fire and complained about the inconvenience! It took a long time for me to train myself to see the cup half full instead of always seeing it half empty. But without that fundamental change, it wouldn’t matter how much God intervened in my life to bring good, I wouldn’t see it as such.
This book can serve as a workbook for the reader as well, right?
Yes, at the end of each chapter, I’ve included an exercise titled, “Truster Reconstructer” to help the reader pause, ponder and personalize each step. I told you I like alliteration! If you complete the exercises in this book you will have the equivalent of 12 sessions of therapy. At the national average of $80 an hour, the price of one book is quite deal! But don’t stop with just one book. 12 Ways works as a powerful small group study. Each chapter presents an obstacle to faith and the scriptural solutions for that obstacle. Women have shared with me they feel like it is equivalent to 12 weeks of applicable Bible study.
In your chapter on People, your mentioned the importance of confidence only you didn’t call it self-esteem. You called it “Jesus-teem.” What does that look like?
We have heard enough over the past few years about self-esteem, but Scripture tells us that when we embrace the Lord’s view of ourselves, we’re free to be comfortable in our own skin. God’s view of us is revealed in his Word and through the compliments of others. In chapter 3 about the Power we find in the Bible, I have included a page full of verses with the personal pronouns left out and a blank space provided for you to write in your name. That way you can take ownership of each verse, let it soak into your soul, and change the way you feel about yourself. When we can fully get our heads around how God feels about us, it changes the way we feel about ourselves. That’s Jesus-teem!
You mentioned compliments defining us. Can you explain that?
My old pastor used to say that compliments are bouquets thrown from the hand of God.
When we don’t take the compliments given to us, it’s as though we are ripping the heads off the flowers God has given us, throwing them to the ground, and stomping them. Compliments are God’s way of telling us who we are. When we receive them it builds our confidence in the qualities and gifts He’s given us. But when we don’t, we remain static and self-critical.
I took those words to heart and stopped dismissing compliments some twenty years ago. In that time God has had the opportunity to remake my self-image. Before that I had to climb a ladder to look an ant in the eye!
“Jesus in the Rearview Mirror,” now there’s a title. Tell us about that chapter.
God has a plan for us, but many times the view we have of what is happening around us as we cruise through life is often challenging, even frightening. From our viewpoint, looking through the windshield, we only see calamity, but all the while God is working. Later, when we look back over our lives, as we peer into the rearview mirror, we are able to see the Plan that God was working out all along. Recognizing God’s plan builds our faith.
In your chapter on Pardonyou share about the healing power of forgiveness. It’s not always easy to forgive someone who has caused us pain. Was that difficult for you?
It was one of the hardest things I had to do. That’s why I walk through the process with you. We learn that forgiveness doesn’t make the offender right; it just makes us free. We also see that forgive and forget is not a biblical concept. Instead it’s forgive and set boundaries.
Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is ourselves, and many times we find that we have to forgive God because He didn’t do things the way we thought He should.
You present a powerful prayer exercise to help people unpack their emotional baggage in the chapter on Provision. What can you tell us about that?
Years ago a wonderful Christian counselor taught me this life-changing prayer exercise to help me dump the anger, hurt and resentment of my abuse. Until that point, I thought I would have to bear the burden of my painful childhood forever.But I walked out of her office that day a new person. I have had the privilege of sharing this gift many times in my office and now, I am sharing it for all to read. It’s enough that abuse victims have experienced pain, we don’t have to keep reliving it. We can be set free, thank God!
The pain in your life hasn’t hindered your sense of humor, has it?
I hope not! My goal for all the books I write is for the reader to laugh, learn, and leave each page feeling closer to the Lord.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your book?
Since the book’s release last fall I have heard feedback from readers and I can say with confidence that whether you are seeking tools to empower those you are helping or needing the tools to transform yourself, you will walk away from this book spiritually stronger as you learn to:
¨ remove your offender’s face from God and stop blaming Him for life’s pain
¨ stop renting space in your head to bad memories and offenses
¨ relinquish the stinkin’ thinkin’ that causes you to emotionally circle the drain
¨ stay constantly connected to Christ with time-tested tools to process your pain
¨ realize your full potential as you seek God’s divine purpose for your life.
Thanks so much for having me on your blog. I hope your readers will visit me online at www.LindaNewtonSpeaks.com. Please remember that God deeply desires to turn your pain into to praise.
A valley has high walls that seem huge and close in on you. It is a dark passage with limited sunlight. Valleys define the landscape, making it more rolling and rugged. Mountains and hills seem so huge and mighty, while the valley may not be noticed. But it is there, giving depth and definition.
In our lives, a valley could be the times of great despair and loneliness, filled with uncertainty. Everything goes wrong and seems out of control.
Many people in Scripture walked through valleys. We can have the assurance that we are not alone when we are in a valley. The Israelites were in the dark valley often in their wilderness experience. Daniel walked through an intense valley in the lion’s den,and still knew the Lord’s protection. Job faced a dark and lonely valley and was led through it by his great faith. The disciples walked through a valley despair after the crucifixion.
The prophet Jeremiah shows us how to change our focus from despair to hope in Lamentations 3: 19-26. “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them,and my soul is downcast within me. “ (v. 19)
But then Jeremiah changes his focus from the dismal situation to the character of God. “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope. Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”
Are you in a valley? Remember what Jeremiah did, and re-focus on the the Lord’s faithfulness.
Usually I pack along some light snacks when I travel, like granola bars or bottled water. It’s nice to have something as a quick pick-me-up when the journey gets long.
On our faith journey, we need to take along some nourishment. Otherwise, when the road gets tough, we can get weary and have to stop. Nourishment for our Christian faith journey is found in the word of God, in prayer, in worship, and fellowship.
The word of God feeds us. “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statues of the lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. ” Psalm 19:7
Prayer connects to God. ” Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
In worship we lift our eyes from the struggle of the journey to focus on the Almighty One. “Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” Exodus 15:11
Fellowship with others gives us encouragement for the next stage of the journey. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another…” I John 1:7
Today, be sure to take along something to nourish your spirit.
A faith journey begins with seeking God. We all have different starting points–some began a walk of the Christian faith as a child, and some later as adults. Throughout life we continue on this journey of faith, yielding more of our lives to Jesus Christ.
The Christian faith is in God the Father, the creator of all the details of the world, in Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith, and in the Holy Spirit as our guide. We have a road map–the Bible–to read and follow for instructions and guidance.
The faith journey opens our hearts and minds to the mysteries of God’s love. Where will it take us? Through the wilderness like the Israelites? Or following where God leads, like Paul on his missionary journeys?
We are all at different places. Some might be in the valley, on a level path, by a quite stream, or on a rocky road. Wherever your faith journey takes you today, seek the Lord as your tour guide. His commands give us what we need for the journey.
“I run in the path of your commands for you have set my heart free.” Psalm119:32
Thelma Wells had a successful banking and corporate career. She has spoken all over the country and around the world, done a lot of radio interviews, had her own television show, and written a lot of books. Many are familiar with her from the Women of Faith conferences. It seems she has “done it all.”
So when she left Women of Faith in February 2008, what was next?
Thelma: Actually, I really did not fully understand what I was going to do. I was simply following the very clear instructions of God that it was time to go. I had a few speaking engagements on my calendar but certainly not enough to make ends meet. My total dependence was on God and waiting to see what He had in store for me.
Your new book, Don’t Give In…God Wants YOU to Win!, is based on a real life experience. Will you tell us a little of that story?
I was in elementary school when one of my friends told people she was going to beat me up. I could not understand why but it was real. After school for two days I faced a crowd hungry to see a fight and a girl who I thought was my friend hit me and frighten me to tears. One the second day of my fighting ordeal my great grandmother who raised me gave me some strong advice, “Thelma, the only way to deal with a bully is to fight them. You better fight her tomorrow and beat her up. If not, you’re going to get a whipping when you get home. That was the determining factor. My Granny who had taught me that ladies don’t fight had just reversed the instruction to “fight the bully.”
I did fight her the third day and hit her hard, so she ran home, not me. I learned that when we are faced with the bully, the adversary, the enemy of our souls, the devil himself, the only way to win is to fight him with all the ammunition we have, the Whole Armor of God.
This book is about spiritual warfare, demons, the Holy Spirit, and some pretty heavy-duty areas. Why write on this topic?
In this day and age when all around us seems to failing like our economic system, the government, relationships, health, self-worth, business and workplace situations, the church, wayward children, divorce and so much more, it is imperative that people have something sturdy and reliable to hold on to. Everyday we are fighting some kind of battle small, great or tremendous. When we don’t know how to fight against the disappoint, heartache, confusion, depression, and all the emotional and spiritual fall out from these issues, we become desperate, violent, vicious and vile. John 10:10 tells us that the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy us. But, Jesus has come to give us life and that life more abundantly than the feelings of no hope. This book teaches about the only hope we have and how to use that hope physically, emotionally and spiritually with a guarantee that we are winners when we do.
In your book, Don’t Give In…God Wants YOU to Win!, you talk about doing rituals as it relates to fighting the good fight of faith. Will you explain that word to us and give us an example?
The word ritual is used on to denote the routines we have in our daily lives like fixing our hair, dressing ourselves, and being prepared for the day. It means nothing more than that and nothing mysterious that would attract any evil forces.
Spiritual warfare and putting on the armor of God is a daily activity for you. Is this because you’re a nationally known Christian speaker and author, or is this something that everyone should be aware of?
Spiritual warfare is the state of our lives whatever and whoever you are. We fight against anger, gluttony, smoking, frustration, and everything else that can make us less than our best. The warfare that we are in daily is because we live in a fallen world where Satan thinks he has power. Each and everyday he tries to confuse us into thinking that things are unfixable, out of control, etc. He is the greatest liar of all times and he lays tricks in our minds, if we let him. From the moment we were born until the day we die we will be fighting spiritual warfare. However, the good news is…people who have accepted Jesus as their Savior never have to fight alone. The end of the story is that Jesus and His people win and the devil is a number one loser!
Thelma, this book was released at a perfect time. So many people are struggling just to survive. They’ve lost jobs, money, health, marriages, and more. Many just want to give up! What can we do if we are in those situations to prepare for victory in the battle of life?
When you’re in a battle these are the things that must be done in order to win:
• Put on the helmet of salvation to cover your thought life.
• Put on the breastplate of righteousness to guard your heart against devil and sin.
• Put on the girdle of Truth so that you will be able to understand what real truth is and be able to use the Sword of the Spirit (The Word of God – the Bible) in every situation as Jesus did when He was tempted by the devil in the mountain.
• Put on the shoes that have prepared you with the preparation of peace so you can march and stay fit as you tell other people about the goodness and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• Hold up the shield of faith believing that God will keep every Promise He made for our good.
• Pray for each other and for ourselves by asking God for what we need, seeking His perfect will in all we do and knocking continually until we know God has answered our prayers. We must realize that God does not answer all our prayers the way we want Him to but whatever way He answers them, they are for our good and for His glory.
• Praise God with thanksgiving for all He has done and will do for us. The worship of God brings us into an atmosphere of being able to fight the good fight of faith and WIN.
Where/how does “submitting to God and the devil will flee from you” fit into spiritual warfare?
God asks us to do a simple thing, trust Him enough to give Him all of us. That’s hard to do when you try to control your life yourself. It really amounts to us (you and me) worshipping ourselves instead of worshipping God. When we live in humble submission to God, Satan will try to attack but God is our Protector. This is not a one-time submission to God. Everyday and sometimes during the day we must ask Him to lead us not into temptation and to protect us from evil because evil is always near. We are told to pray without ceasing. This means that we must stay in the attitude of prayer 24/7. It’s simple but it presents a challenge for us because we are so distracted by our day, our desires, our dreams, our relationships, etc. that we often forget that none of this would be possible were it not for the Lord who grants it. Submission means to let God be the driving force and the guiding force in our lives and trust Him that He will do exceedingly abundantly over and above what we can ask or think according to His power that works in us. The most peaceful, contented condition of my life is when I actually and earnestly turned my entire life over to the direction of God. I can now recognize when Satan tries to tempt me, confuse me, and drive me into doing or saying things I should not. It has come about with trust in God and practice of His word. Satan will attack but God will counter-act.
Most of us are familiar with the list of spiritual weapons available for us to use as listed in Ephesians 6. You have a way to remember these that might be more relevant to today’s woman – as a mom, wife, business woman, etc. Will you share these five things with us that you do daily when you’re getting “dressed” in the morning?
You’ve been known as the BEE lady, but it seems you’re evolving into more than that? Where do you see your ministry heading in the future?
God has so many surprises for me that my heart is overflowing. I have a teaching and preaching anointing that has made my ministry one of integrity and worth. God is doing great things in my life and reinventing some vital things that will be seen by everybody in a few weeks. He has guaranteed me that the international travel I’ve done over the past thirty years, the seeds I’ve sown over my lifetime, the barriers and tough times I’ve overcome are about to pay off in many different ways. He has put Christian people in my life that have and are changing the course of my life in great and wonderful ways. I will be taking a group to Israel next November, on other Ready to Win tours throughout the world, working with World Vision in their child sponsorship program, presenting mini Ready To Win Conferences throughout the world, and whatever else the Lord assigns me to do.
Congratulations on your first Ready to Win Conference. We heard you had an awesome weekend in Garland, TX with a great group of speakers, musical artists, and attendees. Having done so many conferences in the past, why do another conference?
This is not just another conference. This Ready To Win Conference does not just excite people or create positive thinking, it gives everyone, saved and unsaved, the winning weapons to fight off all the wicked in this world. People are not only encouraged to win the war against the evil one, they are given easy to understand tools that they have reported are so vivid in their minds that they can apply every day in every situation. Coming together in a group and learning these tried and true skills is so much easier to understand than writing it in a book or seeing it on DVD. The reports have been that this works because they were able to see it, hear it, feel it, and use it instantly and forever. In today’s world, another conference is not what we are about. We are about people joining together from different denominations, ethnicities, geographic locations, languages, and thought systems and getting insight and instruction that can bring people of all walks of life together to become a mighty army against the forces of evil.
Thelma, it seems you are all over the Internet these days. Anyone can find you on your web site, Facebook, Twitter, web casts, a blog tour, the You Go Girl Network, and other cutting edge things with technology. Why is it important for you to use all these various methods to spread your message?
Technology is the way God planned for us to get His message to the world according to Matthew 28:19.
Where can our readers buy your new book and register for the webcast?
On my web site, which is ThelmaWells.com. They can click on the July RTW On-line Web cast button to learn more or register for the next series of web casts that start on July 7. You can also watch this video to learn more…click here.
My new book, Don’t Give In – God Wants YOU To Win! is also available online and at local bookstores such as, Family Christian Stores, Lifeway Christian Stores, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble Book Stores, Mardel’s, Anchor Distributors, Christianbook.com, and many other stores and vendors throughout American and the United Kingdom.
Is there anything that we didn’t ask that you’d like to share with us?
In all we’ve said, we need to remember that Jesus loves YOU and has a plan for your life. This plan includes you living a life free from worry and anxiety. God is in control of everything. When we trust in Him, give Him our lives to guide, seek the will of the Father, ask Jesus to be the Lord and Master of our lives, and accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are winners and nobody or nothing can take that away from us!
Thank you, darling, for having me today on your blog. I hope you and your readers will visit my web site at www.ThelmaWells.com. And remember always be READY TO WIN!
Having had a recurrence of oral tongue cancer I am interested in this this book. Here is an interview with author Candy Wood Lindley about her new book, Face of Faith.
What is it about?
When I (Candy) was thirty years old, I was hospitalized for the removal of a pea-sized cyst in the nasal cavity. Instead, I was diagnosed with an inoperable malignant tumor the size of a baseball situated underneath the brain in the center of the head in an inoperable area of the head. Grade-three bone cancer is not receptive to chemotherapy or radiation. They told me that I could lose the right side of my face.
I had always thought that I was a Christian, but I had never really surrendered my life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In the hospital room that night I was finally at the end of Candy – emotionally, mentally, and physically. I ask God to totally take over my life.
My circumstances didn’t change, but God began to change my heart to one seeking His will only for my life whatever that might be.
Two weeks later I met with a craniofacial surgeon at the Mayo Clinic. He was very upfront about my surgery and my prognosis. No sugar coating.
Miraculously, he instead attempted to remove the tumor in its entirety, and it worked. Even more miraculously, he took the bones to the face that had been thrown in the trash and reconstructed my face. I had a new face. And was cancer free.
What goes through someone’s mind when they are told they have an inoperable tumor in the center of the head and could lose the right side of their face? You were thirty years old. That’s pretty overwhelming.
For me, the will to live took over. That stubborn will to fight no matter what the odds.
There were complications after that first surgery. What did that involve?
Seven months after the first surgery, infection spread throughout the forehead bone and forehead skin. I was put in isolation. Five weeks later and four more surgeries, I returned home weighing 79 pounds with a shaved head, sunken in forehead, and two skin graphs on the front and back of the head.
Two years later on a routine check up trip to the Mayo Clinic, the tumor recurred. Same place. This time the size of a raspberry. So they did the whole first surgery again.
During those three years of nine surgeries and frequent trips to the Mayo Clinic, did you ever ask God “Why me?” Were you ever angry with God?
I never asked God “Why me?” I did ask what was going on? I didn’t understand. I asked why He was allowing so much in my life, but not so much why it was happening to ME. Yes, I was angry with God often. Thankfully someone informed me that God could handle my anger.
How do you address the importance that society has put on beauty?
There is nothing wrong with wanting to look the best that you can look. I personally have always enjoyed experimenting with makeup and getting professional makeovers, especially now that I am facially disfigured. I want to make the most of what I have. But at the end of the day for me, the make up comes off and the hairpieces come off. If my confidence depended on beauty, I could be devastated. And many facially disfigured people are.
In a world obsessed with perfection of the outer appearance and makeovers of every kind, God is more interested in a different kind of makeover – one that lasts – a makeover of the heart.
That’s what happened with me. He began a makeover of my heart. And He’s still working on me!!
How did your husband handle the stress of your illness and the new Candy?
Unfortunately ours was not a happy marriage before I was ever sick. It was an emotionally abusive household. After twenty-four years of marriage, Lee filed for divorce.
Candy, you have experienced emotional pain and physical pain. Which is more difficult?
Physical pain is difficult– especially chronic pain. It is wearing and can affect a person emotionally as well. But there are medications for pain. But the emotional pain of abuse is sometimes more difficult, I think. You can’t take a pill for it. It requires a lot of time and counseling. Only the Lord can heal the broken heart and enable us to forgive.
Where can we find out more about you and this book?
Please visit my web site at faceoffaithbook.com. Thank you for letting me visit with your readers today!
“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
Here’s great new for today–the Lord delights in YOU!
With all your imperfections and flaws, you bring a smile to the Lord of the universe.
This verse in Zephaniah gives us a snapshot of God’s nature and depth of his love for us.
It show us His presence–God is with us. He does not abandon us, but claims us as his own.
It shows us His power–He is mighty to save. He redeemed us through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, demonstrating His great love for us.
It shows us His action of love through delighting in us. Like a dad watching his child performing in a little league game, he cheers us on. He delights in us with pride when we hit the ball far or make a great play. But when the team loses, this loving Father is the one who still
takes us for ice cream. Why? Because he loves us anyway. He not only cheers for us when we win, but believes in us when we lose. He shows us his grace even when we are disappointed with ourselves.
His action of love quiets us when we are troubled. I observed a tender scene in a doctor’s office recently. A mom was waiting while her child’s broken arm was being set. Upon awakening from the anesthesia, the child immediately cried for her mother. When mom held her, she quieted down, and immediately quit sobbing. She quickly went to sleep in her mothers arms. This is a beautiful picture of how God’s love can quiet us.
The last action of love described in this verse is that God rejoices over us with singing. Sometimes he rejoices over us with a quiet lullaby, and sometimes with a celebration of joy and fireworks. He rejoices over us when we share His love and grace with others. When we worship Him wholeheartedly, God smiles.
Why is it so hard to believe the truth that God delights in you, quiets you with His love, and rejoices over you with singing? Do you think you aren’t “good enough” for God to be pleased with you?
Don’t believe that lie.
Release your fears and surrender to the loving heavenly Father.
Posted by nancykaygrace 
Posted by nancykaygrace 
Posted by nancykaygrace 
