Each of You Must Take Responsibility

Read the quote below and fill in the blanks based on your life and expectations:

“Yes, I want to serve God-as long as it’s ______________. Yes, I want to do His will-until it becomes ________________for me. Yes-I want to hear His words long as long as it’s more about ________________ than actually having to ____________ as long as He’s not asking me to_____________________________________ as long as it doesn’t mean I have to_______________________ As long as I like it.”

Now let’s read through the quote above with the original blanks.

“Yes, I want to serve God-as long as it’s convenient. Yes, I want to do His will-until it becomes a tad uncomfortable for me. Yes-I want to hear His words long as long as it’s more about telling people things than actually having to do things, as long as He’s not asking me to get more involved than I actually am, as long as it doesn’t mean I have to deviate much away from the way I’ve been operating thus far. As long as I like it.”
-Priscilla Shirer – “Life Interrupted”

Maybe your version of the quote sounded much better than Priscilla’s. But if we’re honest, I’m sure most of you share some similarities.

Responsibility…A word that may make you want to run for the hills!

For me that word is hard because it’s in my nature to take responsibility for far more than I can handle. The other day my boss commented to me that I can’t help but take responsibility. This is somewhat of a blessing and a curse because my response can be extreme.

I previously worked for a church of 8,000 in their small groups area. I got burned out by taking on too much responsibility. When we moved to Nashville for my husband to start a new job, I applied for everything under the sun BUT ministry. I worked for a couple of months in other areas and then, God pulled me aside and said,

“You are going back into ministry.”

But after two years of being on staff at Cross Point Church, I often find myself in the same place. Taking on too much responsibility that often feels bigger than what I can handle. Sometimes I just want to let go of what he has called me to do.

How many people does God talk about in scripture who had these same thoughts?
Moses
Abraham
Sarah
Joseph
Christs’ own disciples
Mary
& of course Jonah, who did everything he could to run away from God’s calling on his life.

In Acts 2, Jesus said that He was sending the Holy Spirit and that it would be better for us. Better than even having Him with us. Isn’t that incredible? I don’t think we remember that as often as we should. God gives us this great big charge, “Take responsibility,” and we forget that we now operate with the Holy Spirit.

We don’t have to do it on our own.

Even though it did not come to me in a burning bush, recently I was standing in my kitchen and felt the Holy Spirit saying, “You can NOT do this alone, and I haven’t ask you to. With Me, you will do this, it’s the only way it can be done.” I had to take responsibility because He has given me His work, quit literally.

Ask yourself these questions:

Does responsibility make you want to run?
Do you take on too much responsibility?
Do you need to start saying yes to things that God is calling you to do?
Do you need to take steps to get out of your comfort zone?
Do you need to say no to many things so you can really focus on the few things God has called you to do well?

Tonight marked the start of a new Cultivate Her semester and we were joined by 106 women from the Nashville area as part of our newly formatted gathering that will meet every other Monday night over the next few months. If you missed the first gathering, it’s not too late! Come join us for the next meeting at Cross Point’s Bellevue Campus on Monday, February 7th at 6:30 PM!

This semester was kicked off by founder, Jenni Catron, sharing her vision for Cultivate Her, something that’s been a dream of hers for many years now. The Scripture that we’re using as the basis of our time together as a mid-sized community is from Galatians 6:4-5 and reads, Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work that you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. (The Message).

That passage will be the basis of a seven-week curriculum that we’ll unpack together called “Uniquely You.”

Our guest speaker was a brave soul, Brian Dishon, who took upon the challenge to inspire us to reach our “P.R.I.M.E.” He used the analogy of a diamond he named “Precious,” who journeyed from many miles below the earth’s weighty surface, through volcanic heat, the chiseling of unnecessary baggage and the final chipping and shaping necessary to bring her to her best self, a shiny, rare and exquisite stone that is now admired by all. Much like the diamond, Precious, we, too have to take the journey from moving from our comfort zone, surviving through the heat of the fire of suffering, experience and resistance and finally letting go of our unnecessary baggage and emerging as the beautiful creations that we’ve each been created to be.

Dishon described the acronym “P.R.I.M.E.” and outlined the process as follows:

P = Purpose: What is the (insert your name here) “brand” – define your purpose.
R = Who are you going to Reach – for every purpose, profession or ministry, it’s not about what you’re doing but who you’re reaching – define who that is.
I = Intentionality. We must surround ourselves with people and things that intentionally push us forward, pull us up when we’re down, hold us back when we’re prematurely ready to move and finally, hold us when we need to be held. All of these qualities probably aren’t going to be found in one person, so we have to be intentional with who we surround ourselves with so that we have the support and accountability we need to fulfill our purpose.
M = Method. We have to have a plan, even if it’s just small stepping stones toward a larger goal.
E = Execution. If execution and implementation don’t exist, even the best of ideas and dreams won’t ever see the light of day. We have to be willing to develop a method that keeps us moving onward toward our purpose and execution, experience and evaluation are all crucial in seeing our purpose come to full fruition.

Following this week’s inspirational and challenging talk from Brian Dishon, we were left to discuss several questions that I’m sure will have you and many of us considering how we can best be at our “P.R.I.M.E.” – how would you respond to them?

Who or what have you allowed to define you?
What are some of God’s promises about who He created us to be?

If you live in the Nashville area, we would love to invite you to our Cultivate Her meetings!

We’ll be starting our new semester on Monday, January 24th.  We’ll meet every other Monday night at 6:30 PM at the Cross Point Bellevue Campus.  Cultivate Her is a mid-sized community group that seeks to connect, engage and inspire women to develop their unique giftedness and leadership influence.  I can’t wait to get started!

You can sign up HERE (be sure to note “Cultivate Her” in the comments box).

If you live in or around Nashville, let me encourage you to make plans to join us:

Wednesday, November 17th

7:00 – 8:30 AM

Cross Point Nashville Campus

I’m very excited about our special guest for this month’s event.  Dr. Kellie Hargis will be sharing with us about Leading through Tension.  Our own Trish Davis will be interviewing Dr. Hargis and sharing more of her story.  Trish has raved about the leadership she has seen displayed by Dr. Hargis who is the Principal of Bellevue Middle School where Trish’s boys attend.  I know that we’ll be inspired!

Dr. Kellie M. Hargis, daughter of a Western Kentucky coal miner [Billy] and full-time homemaker [JoAnna], was born and grew up in Madisonville, KY.   Dr. Hargis began her career as an educator in her hometown, serving as a fine arts, humanities, and music educator for grades 7-12.  While in Madisonville, she was honored by Centre College with the Outstanding Educator Award in its Governor’s Scholar Program. After moving to Nashville in 1999, she made the transition into the field of school counseling.  Since then, Dr. Hargis has served as school counselor for students in grades PK-12 in both regular and alternative education settings for Wilson County and Metro Nashville Public Schools.  As Director of School Counseling Services for the Tennessee Department of Education, she introduced the Tennessee Model for Comprehensive School Counseling and established the first annual Tennessee School Counseling Institute.

Wanting to be more involved in direct service to students at the local level, Dr. Hargis transitioned into the role as Assistant Principal at Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School in Nashville, TN.   During that time, she was selected by the Director of Schools and Vanderbilt University to participate in P.L.A.N. (The Principals’ Leadership Academy of Nashville).  Dr. Hargis was also selected by Vanderbilt to travel to China as a part of E.L.L.E. (The Educational Leadership Learning Exchange) to research and study the education system in Guangzhou, China, in the summer of 2008. Then, just last November, she was asked to lead the MNPS School Counseling Department as Executive Director.

Kellie holds a B.S. degree with music education certification from Austin Peay State University and an M.A. Ed. from Western Kentucky University.  She completed the doctoral program in Educational Leadership and Policy at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University in 2007 and was awarded the Arville V. Wheeler Award for outstanding scholarship. The focus of her research centered on the issues of equity & access in college perceptions, preparedness and participation.

You can choose one of more of the items in the poll below:

If you have other thoughts or ideas, please be sure to share those with us in the comments section!

Thank you!!

Have you ever had a plan in mind…what you wanted to be when you grew
up, where you saw yourself in ten years, how high on the ladder you
hoped to climb…and you find yourself looking around at your life and
thinking, “This is NOT what I was expecting!” Sometimes our best-laid
plans don’t materialize the way we hoped because God’s vision for our
dreams was beyond what we had planned for ourselves.

Join us for

“God Ruined My Plans”

at October’s Nashville Cultivate Her event.

Featuring our guest speakers:

Natalie Robertson & Diana Sumpter

Wednesday, October 20th

7:00 – 8:30 AM

Cross Point Nashville gym

RSVP in the comments.

Can’t wait to see you there!

I’m so excited about gathering with over 120 women leaders here at the conference.

But one thing that I’m even more excited about is that we are officially announcing today…

 our first ever Cultivate Her Conference!

May 12 & 13 in Nashville, TN

You can register HERE for early bird registration.

Speaker line-up and more details to be shared soon!

FINDING HOPE WHEN HOPELESS… FINDING JESUS

Three years ago, a girl—we’ll call her Rachel—walked through Mercy Ministries’ doors for the first time.

Rachel was born to parents who never wanted her—and they told her so constantly.  She grew up believing she was no more than a mistake, wondering what she did to deserve such abuse at the hands of those who should have protected her. These were her PARENTS!

When most girls turn 13, they’re giggling about boys and trying on lip-gloss.  When Rachel turned 13, she was sold into sex trafficking by her own family, for less than $100, abandoned like trash on the side of the road.

Tormented by nightmares and tangled in a web of lies, Rachel never knew she had a way out.  When she escaped this horrific trap and led to Mercy by a friend, Rachel met the God who was watching over her even in her darkest moments.

She began to change her thoughts, learning Jeremiah 29:11 by heart: “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

It didn’t happen overnight, but gradually Rachel began to see herself as God saw her—loved, valuable, and chosen by name.

She found Mercy…  She found Jesus…

Sarah was far too young to be a mother when she got pregnant—by her own biological father.  To hide his sin from the rest of the family, Sarah’s father knew he couldn’t bring her to a doctor.  He took matters into his own hands and used a coat hanger to kill the unborn child.  This was her FATHER!

Sarah was locked up in shame and self-hatred when she arrived at Mercy.   How could anyone look beyond her horrible past?

Sarah’s counselor told her to listen to Joyce Meyer’s teachings while here at Mercy, and as Joyce shared how her father abused her as a child as well, Sarah learned to hope again.  After all, if God could rescue Joyce from that pit and use her story as inspiration to thousands of people across the globe, then maybe, just maybe, He could do that for Sarah, too.

When she realized that God had sent His son to redeem her long before she even existed, she slowly began to believe, “This is never what God wanted for my life.  He loves me.  My biological father may have hurt me, but I have a new heavenly Father who promises that nobody will ever take me from His hand again.”

Sarah found Mercy… She found Jesus…

Like many Mercy grads, Rachel and Sarah left the program with their lives transformed and their hearts anew.  Many of Mercy’s grads have wonderful families of their own, loving the Lord, and some on the mission field – these young women are now thriving as productive members of society.

Since Mercy Ministries opened in 1983, girls like Sarah and Rachel have been set free from all forms of abuse:  human sex trafficking, unplanned pregnancies often times due to incest or rape and life-controlling issues that include eating disorders, depression, self-harm and addictions.  This FREE Christian residential counseling program offers help to girls 13-28, again at NO COST! There are homes all around the country in Nashville, TN; St. Louis, MO; Lincoln, CA; and Monroe, LA.

More than 2-thousand other young women have successfully completed the program. They, too, found Mercy…. They found Jesus…

For more information on Mercy Ministries, visit www.mercyministries.com.

We’ve also tinkered around here on the blog to see the level of interest from women around the country, and what we’re quickly discovering is that you guys are eager to connect and grown in your leadership.

So this next year we’re really gearing up to expand our influence beyond the city of Nashville and do our best to connect with all women who are hungry to connect, engage and inspire one another.

So, here’s our first big announcement!!

Cultivate Her in partnership with Leading & Loving It
Is excited to invite you to join us for lunch in Atlanta sponsored by Mercy Ministries

Come and connect with other women in ministry and leadership if you are in the Atlanta area or attending Catalyst.

Thursday, October 7th
12:15pm (during the Catalyst lunch break)
at the Gwinnett Arena (location of Catalyst)

Sorry, we’ve reached capacity and the event is sold out!

If you’ve tried to drop in over the last week and got a big warning message, we’re so sorry.   The Cultivate Her site got hacked pretty good and we had to call in some reinforcements to get us cleaned up.  We’re all good and back on track now…

And just in time to remind you that our next event is coming soon!

In fact, this month we’re celebrating our

1 Year Anniversary!

I can’t believe that we’ve already been connecting, engaging and inspiring women for an entire year!  It makes my heart happy.

I hope you can join us as we share some stories and celebrate together!

Wednesday, September 15th

7:00 AM

Cross Point Nashville Gym

4301 Charlotte Ave

RSVP in the comments to let us know you’re coming… and be sure to bring a friend!