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Leap of Faith
by Shannon Parish
Three days after my 46th birthday, just this past
month, I was laid off ... again. As many of you know, it can be rather
difficult to make ends meet on a ministers salary. The choice
then, is that most likely, the wife will seek outside employment to
bolster the family's personal finances.
Just a short year ago, another company I worked for
was sold, and all 250 of its employees were suddenly without a
paycheck. After a couple of stints with a temporary agency or
two, I landed a position that has without a doubt been my most
enjoyable outside of ministry work.
Things change. My employers needs
change. Suddenly, once again, I found myself without a regular
paycheck. The decision was so unexpected that it nearly took my
breath away. But what amazed me the most, was my response to
this distressing news.
Let me take you back a year and a half. It had
been twenty years since I had been in the secular workforce.
Like many of you, our finances had hit the bottom of the barrel, in
fact, our barrel had a rusty old hole in the bottom! With all
the courage I could sum up, I headed out the door to find employment
elsewhere.
After my first interview (which was pretty
disastrous), I heard the Lord speak to my heart. "Are you going
to 'shot-gun' this job hunting, or decide on what you really want to
do. If you could have what ever you wanted, what would it
be?" It didn't take me two seconds to answer. I love
to encourage people. Nothing could make me happier than to work for a
company that did motivational training, and I said so.
To make a long story short, my first assignment with
the temp agency was at a large national training company! Six
months later, the company was sold, and I could not shake off the
feeling that this was not the end, but a beginning for me. God
had a plan for my life, and the desires I had would not go to
waste. I was in training. This job was only enough to whet
my appetite.
Another couple of temp jobs later and I landed a
dream job with two professional trainers who shared my time in a
single office. A breathtaking year later, their needs changed
and I was let go. However, not without gleaning a fascinating
education in the world of entrepreneurship and professional
speaking. Now I was equipped, and thanks to my two wonderful
mentors, was motivated to do something about it.
A need was revealed to me that small business owners
and speakers are well acquainted with. I call it being between
the proverbial rock and hard place. It's okay at first to be in
business for yourself, but when that business picks up, who will do
labor that is necessary behind the scenes? A need for an employee
becomes obvious, but the finances to pay for such an important acquisition
is out of reach. What then? Most burn the candle at both ends.
When I was given the news regarding the end of my
time in the office, I felt empowered not depressed! The need I
had experienced and tried to fill alone in the office now became my
motivation. We had an entire ministry office set up at home. I
have talent, skills and motivation. Now I had knowledge.
That night, God dropped the final puzzle piece into my heart. By
morning, I had begun my own company. You can visit my web site by
clicking here:
God has great things in store for us. IF we
will receive them. What has struck me the most about the change
in me, has been that these opportunities were always there. But
I never looked. I never considered that I was 'good enough' to do
something about it - and worse of all, I had a false image of meekness
that prevented me from taking action against my circumstances.
Somehow the religious excuse of 'it must be God's will' was first on
my lips when asked why we were so poor. What kind of a God did I
serve in those days? A very patient one - that's who! He
continued to equip, train and mature me until I could finally one day
realize that all of life was a preparation for greater things.
All things are temporary, and can fade in an instant like a puff of
smoke.
What was needed in my life was this realization, and
the attitude of 'detached enjoyment'. Nothing BELONGS to
me. All things belong to God! Then what worry do I have? Letting
go, and enjoying the training of the Holy Spirit through each life
event that I pass through is empowering. If you want the thrill
of a lifetime - Take a Leap of Faith!
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Josh 1:7-8
Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
NKJV
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- The last time you failed,
did you stop trying because you failed - or did you fail because
you stopped trying?
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TAKE THE TOUR!
And thank God for the faithful
partners who make this all possible!
www.sarahstent.com
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CHAT NEWS!
Joy In The Kitchen has a poll presently open to take
your vote on what is the best time for you to enjoy live chats with
other pastors wives and ministry women. Chats will beginning
shortly - so place your vote now! Go to www.yahoogroups.com
and register if you haven't. Then click on the Joy In The Kitchen
link, then the Poll link in the lower left hand corner.
PLACE YOUR VOTE
NOW!
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WHOO
HOO! Another WINNER!!!
Begaye@aol.com found last
week's colored ball. Her free art print is in the mail!
Congratulations Brenda!
NEW GAME!
Find this colored ball on one of our web
pages, (not this page) and be the first to send us an email
telling us where you found it, and you will win a free art
print signed by the artist!
 LOOK!!!
He's still dancing!
I'll give you a hint - he's NOT in the archives!
Find
the dancing penguin and win 3 prints!
Each week the winners will be named in the next
newsletter...(if the objects are found.)
Once the ball and penguin are found - they will move to another page
to begin a new game!
Contributing a prize is a great way to show off your talents or business!
Contact Sarahstent@sarahstent.com
for more information.
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Deut 29:9
Therefore keep the words of this covenant,
and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.
NKJV
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Dissatisfaction
and discouragement
are not caused by the absence of things
but the absence of vision.
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I've been rounding up my best recipes to use for our 40th Anniversary Vow Renewal/Celebration of Marriage and Reception next month and thought you might like a couple to use now or to put in your file for special occasions.
The first recipe, Rainbow Slices, is one dough, flavored and colored differently, and layered in a bread pan, inverted and cut into 1/4 inch crosswise slices, then each slice is cut into 3 equal pieces. I have quadrupled the recipe for large receptions. It is an easy way to make beautiful, tasty quantity cookies.
RAINBOW SLICES
1 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 drops red food coloring
1/4 cup finely chopped red candied cherries
2 oz. semisweet chocolate or 1/3 cup (2 oz) semisweet chocolate pieces, melted
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
1/3 cup flaked or shredded coconut
Line a bread loaf pan (8 x 4) with waxed paper or foil. In a large bowl, beat together butter or margarine, sugar, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder and salt, beating until blended.
Divide dough into 3 equal portions. To 1 portion, blend in red food coloring. Then add candied cherries. To another portion, add melted chocolate and walnuts. To remaining portion, blend in rum extract. Then add coconut. Press pink dough in an even layer in bottom of lined pan. Cover evenly with chocolate dough. Top even with white dough. Cover and refrigerate until firm several hours or overnight. To bake cookies, preheat oven to 350. Invert pan of chilled dough on a board; peel off waxed paper or foil. Cut into 1/4-inch crosswise slices. Cut each slice into 3 equal pieces. Place 1 inch apart on
un-greased baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove cookies from baking sheets; cool on racks. Makes about 84 (2" x 1 - 1/4") cookies.
COCONUT PINEAPPLE BARS
1/4 cup butter
1 cup of firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup sifted flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
Cream butter and sugar. Add flour, salt and coconut. Work with fingers
until mixture is like crumbs. Press firmly 1/2 of mixture into buttered and floured pan 9 x 9 x 3/4. Spread pineapple filling over. Cover with remaining 1/2 mixture. Press firmly down. Bake at 350 degrees
until golden, 35 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack.
PINEAPPLE FILLING
Stir together 3/4 cup sugar, 3 tbsp cornstarch and 1/4 tsp salt in 1 qt saucepan. Stir in 8 oz can crushed pineapple, including syrup. Cook and stir constantly brining to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
~ Dot
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CHUCKLES & THOUGHTS
In response to the petition sent out regarding
school prayer:
I am in New York. A couple of years ago a Public School teacher named
Mildred Rosario got fired because she prayed for a group of students
(fifth grade I think) who had lost a friend. It was a big issue up here.
She eventually got her job back, the school system agreed to compensate
her but she decided to leave her job and started a campaign to put prayer
and Bible reading back in schools.
She is all over Washington talking with politicians. She's organized
hundreds of people to sign petitions asking prayer back in school, and
has taken groups to Washington to peacefully voice their desire and to
pray for the political leaders of our nation.
Let's pray that all our efforts be combined as one body that we are in
Christ. It is just a matter of time for the Church to take back what the
devil thought he stole from us!
Carola I. Pagan
New York
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WEB SITES & RESOURCES
Visit our LINKS page at: www.sarahstent.com!
Joy in The Kitchen Volume 4 Issue 18
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