Light My Path Ministries

cbarker — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:59:39 +0000

Lessons from the Garden #1

cbarker — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:55:28 +0000

Spring has arrived in Texas! After a record breaking winter in the DFW area (12 inches of snow within 24 hours!) the perennials have awakened with vigorous growth. In my garden some of my favorite perennials, Mexican mint marigold and Texas Aster, have generously multiplied, outgrown their beds and are threatening not only their own well-being but are also inhibiting the welfare and growth of their companion plants. I have begun dividing and transplanting these overachievers not only to enhance other areas of my landscape but also to maximize their blooms and keep them from infringing on the survival and maturation of the neighboring plants.
Transplanting temporarily sends them into a melt-down causing wilt and droop but by the beginning of summer they will have established themselves, spreading out, multiplying, and permanently rooting themselves in their new niche. Watching these perennials go through this cycle of growth, crowding out other plants, needing to be divided and transplanted prompts me to meditate on why God has instructed and at times forced his people (since the beginning of creation) to multiply and spread out: leaving a safe environment and taking the aroma of Christ to those who are saved and perishing (II Corinthians 2:14-16).
I ponder the advantages afforded us and others when we get out of our safe zones and submit to God’s instructions to “spread out”. Perhaps this command is not only for the benefit of those who need to hear about the Savior of the world as I have always thought but does “spreading out” challenge us to grow in greater faith and dependence on God? Does “spreading out” encourage and facilitate growth in those who we might have unintentionally intimidated or overwhelmed by our zealousness and spiritual growth? Does “spreading out” impel all of us, strong or weak, passive or aggressive, to grow, flourish and bear fruit as God expects of us?
How can you transplant yourself so that you can grow and at the same time encourage others to grow and flourish in the knowledge of God and our Savior Jesus Christ? How can you enhance God’s kingdom and at the same time empower those around you to mature in their faith?

cbarker — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 23:23:03 +0000

Have you made a New Year’s Resolution? Every year at this time there’s lots of buzz about making resolutions for the New Year. Losing weight, saving money, being a better parent, living a healthier lifestyle – similar resolutions made every year – some easy to keep but most abandoned by the end of the month.
Most resolutions focus on improving self – making oneself a better person, a more attractive person, a wealthier person. All of those have positive merit but what about seeking to strive to be obedient to God, becoming a stronger aromatic purveyor of the fragrance of Christ, a child of God exercising the gifts of the Spirit that bless others?
Would a more valuable resolution be one that focuses strengthening one’s spiritual self instead of refashioning one’s physical self?
Moses spoke to the Israelites (Deuteronomy 30:11-20) before he died of what their focus should be and the priceless value of strengthening that focus:
“For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach.
“It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’
“Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’
“But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.
“See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity;
in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.
“But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them,
I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it.
” I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,
by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
(New American Standard Bible)
Jesus (John 14:15, 21) speaks very succinctly and personally to us about this same subject:

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
(New American Standard Bible)

Resolve to strengthen your spiritual self. Choose life.

cbarker — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 02:53:04 +0000

Rainbows are beautiful reminders that God’s covenant is our life line. With the rainbow covenant (Genesis 9:12-16) we can sigh with relief that we won’t have to secure our safety in catastrophic waters like Noah did. This Rainbow covenant has reminded man, over and over of the immutability of God’s word and that our safety has been secured. The sign of the covenant is not a rare phenomenon, but it brings awe and remembrance every time it makes a debut in the sky. Unlike succeeding covenants, this one was unilateral—it asked nothing from Noah or creation, it was simply God’s perpetual promise of his power and the surety of His word. The rainbow: simple but powerfully memorable—God’s handshake on a commitment to a creation He loves.
Rainbow Covenant

Cultivate your Life Garden

cbarker — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:01:08 +0000

Spring beckons the farm girl in me to come out so once again the gardener has emerged. Every April and May grasses and weeds attempt to take control of the flower beds provoking my perennials to struggle for recognition amid the horticultural mayhem. Ridding those beds of weeds and grasses is a tedious chore that I wish only had to be done once in my lifetime! But to every gardener’s dismay it is a chore that requires steadfast diligence and a determination that beauty will prevail. Every time I do this necessary gardening task it reminds me to steadfastly “cultivate my life garden”.
One such life garden lesson that I unearthed from this year’s bed-cleaning was that weeds and grasses not only look ugly on the surface of the soil but they embed themselves underneath the dirt, out of sight, lethally entwining themselves around the roots of my beautiful perennials and annuals! Even though my flowering beauties look healthy and thriving, I know that once the heat and drought of summer sets in those plants will quickly be robbed of moisture and nourishment by those pesky weeds and grasses that co-habit the underground berth of my beautiful plants’ root system.
God put Man in His garden (Genesis 2:8, 15-17) to care and work it. And as we read on in Genesis sin tangled itself into the life of man, casting him (us) into the perpetual role of pain-staking laborer. Tending our life garden requires vigilant pruning and weeding in all areas of our lives. Just like my annuals and perennials appear to be healthy and thriving now, so can my life appear to look swell on the surface but deep down sin has taken root and it will be only a matter of time before it’s in plain sight, spoiling my ability to purvey the fragrance of Christ (II Corinthians 2:14-16).
So, diligently cultivate your life garden. It’s impossible to destroy every weed, but we can definitely control their propensity to hide the beauty of Christ in our lives. Dig deep; you never know what you might unearth.

What did you do last weekend?

Karla Taylor — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:13:05 +0000

Light My Path Ministries went to the third annual Women Walking With God conference in Wichita, KS. What a blessing to be there! We listened to some great speakers and were inspired. We hugged lots of old friends and we made some new ones. We laughed out loud at humorist Kathy Bishop. We soaked in the incredible sounds of The Herndons singing. Most of all, we just spend some time with other women who are also dedicating themselves to being the best that they can for the Kingdom. If you have not been to a Women Walking With God conference make plans now to attend next years at the end of April. We will certainly be there again! Here are some pictures from the weekend.

The Best Ladies Bible Class

Karla Taylor — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:59:59 +0000

I am a believer in vibrant Ladies Bible class programs. Programs that involve women in relevant discussions about God’s word, introspection into how to change your life for the better based on God’s word and relationships that grow out of those times. A congregation that has a growing, warm ladies Bible class program will benefit on so many different levels. An interesting event happened in my adult Bible class about a year ago that started me thinking about this.   There are about 100 people in the Bible class that I attend at my home congregation. During our discussion a man raised this question to the fellow men: “How many of you are here because your girlfriend…your fiancé…your .wife….initially brought you?

I was bowled over by the show of male hands.

By far, the majority of the men in the class raised their hands. Now, most of them have grown beyond attending for their wife – they are ministry leaders, deacons and elders, but their initial motivation was through their wife or fiancé or girlfriend.

So that started me thinking about some of our most recent contacts that are studying and obeying the gospel…most of them were the women. The initial contact to the family came thru the woman. Hmmmm…

The Lord’s church needs to be a place where women have the opportunity to grow spiritually. It has to be a place where they can drink in the Word of God, it should be a place where they can ask questions about life and receive Godly answers. All of these things happen in a vibrant ladies Bible class program.



Genesis is Real for Women Today

Karla Taylor — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:42:32 +0000

As we write our 14^th study guide, Connie and I are thinking very deeply about the book of Genesis and how it relates to our 21^st century lives. For the next few weeks, we are going to sharing some thoughts from the very first book of the Bible.

In my house sits a very old table and buffet. It belonged to my husband’s grandparents. This table and buffet were one of the first pieces of furniture they bought when they were married. My husband remembers sitting at the table when he was a young boy. As a child, my mother-in-law ate supper at this table and pulled dishes out of the buffet. When I pull a chair up to the table I am sitting down at a tangible piece of our family history. When I pull dishes out of the buffet, I am part of a long line of Taylor women who have been hospitable. This table and buffet help build my identity – who I am and who I want to be. The tie me to the past and give me courage to face the future.

For a Christian, a beloved child of God, Genesis serves the exact same purpose. When I read the creation account and think about what God created for me from the very beginning, I stand in awe. God created this entire world for me! He made plans from the beginning – plans to give me place to live, plans to communicate with me, plans for me to prosper, plans for me to have work to do, plans for me to come home to live with Him eternally. When I carefully read and meditate on the words at the start of Genesis I know so much about who I am and who God wants me to be.

More Bible Study

David North — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:38:49 +0000

Womens Bible Study

We all need to do more Bible study. One of the best ways to do that is to encourge daily Bible study in conjuntion with regular Bible classes. That is what our Ilumination series is all about. Each lesson has five sections to do during the week to help each one prepare for the next class.

What a great way to get more women studying the Bible every day.