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Monthly Archives: May 2017

May 18, 2017

A Woman Who Builds

 Written by Kelly Elders

 In Proverbs 14:1, it says that a wise woman builds her house and a foolish woman tears it down. So many times we can do both. When we are good then we speak good things but when things are bad we struggle to say good things. We build by our words which begin with our thoughts and turn into actions. There is a builder inside all of us but we need to get rid of the demolisher within us. We are born to build a home, a vision, a dream, a child, a marriage or a ministry. We need to be women who build themselves, others and the kingdom!

Women Who Build Themselves

Jude 20-21 But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!

When you know you are accepted and loved then you will be able to love and be accepting of others. So many times when we are rejected or mistreated we think its about us but the truth is, its more about the other person. We need to resolve that we are loved and accepted by the One who really matters! Build yourselves strong in His Holy Spirit and no one will be able to tear it down.

Colossians 3:12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

There are some things we never leave home without like our underwear! I can only hope. He is telling us to make Love the “must have” in our wardrobe. The Love hat is the first thing we put on in the morning before we put on mom hat, business hat, work hat, ministry hat or anything other hat. Put on love and wear it well!

Women Who Build One Another

When I think of success in ministry, it is when others find success. Ministry is about others not ourselves. If you aren’t lifting others and moving them forward are you really doing ministry? We need to be cheering others on and forward. We don’t have time to compete, compare or criticize. Understand, your destiny has your name written on it and no one else can replace you. It was created and designed with you in mind. What God gives you, no one can take from you and what God takes from you, let it go. Insecurities will keep you from propelling others forward and in turn limits God’s ability to use you.

Women Who Build The Kingdom 

There are two types of builders. First, you have the Demo Builder. She has a hammer in one hand and a sledge hammer in the other. She designs and builds and it looks like its coming along very well but soon she is frustrated and begins using the sledge hammer to tear down all she has built. Sometimes it’s because what she has began to build doesn’t seem enough, she second guesses herself, or someone begins to criticize what she is building. If that person was building they wouldn’t have time to criticize what you are building. So its a constant starting over to either please others or impress others. God isn’t looking for cookie cutter homes but for a custom built home that no one else can build.

1 Chronicles 7:20-27 Descendants of Ephraim

20 The descendants of Ephraim were Shuthelah, Bered, Tahath, Eleadah, Tahath,21 Zabad, Shuthelah, Ezer, and Elead. These two were killed trying to steal livestock from the local farmers near Gath. 22 Their father, Ephraim, mourned for them a long time, and his relatives came to comfort him. 23 Afterward Ephraim slept with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Ephraim named him Beriah because of the tragedy his family had suffered. 24 He had a daughter named Sheerah. She built the towns of Lower and Upper Beth-horon and Uzzen-sheerah.

Next, you have the Bold Builder, Sheerah. When her father, who was Joseph’s son, lost his sons he was so defeated. His sons were thieves and taking what didn’t belong to them. They were trying to succeed by taking from others and they lost their lives in the process.

Through all the grief of Ephraim you never read that he clung to his daughter or even looked to her ability but the chronicler mentions her name in the middle of a genealogy in which most of the women are never recorded. It contains fathers and sons yet we get this small and brief mention of a woman who dared to build! God will always make your story read by someone.

She was the granddaughter of Joseph who knew something about overseeing a city. Building was in her DNA! Sheerah had a vision and a dream and was able to build 3 cities. Can you imagine, during the time when women were not empowered and she builds not one but 3 cities! What could we build if we had a vision? She may have not had the cheering from her family but apparently she had a vision others believed and helped her bring to pass. She must have orchestrated contractors, mason workers and others to do the work. They trusted her ability to see a city that did not yet exist.

It says she built in the low and high place. No matter what situation you find yourself today high or low, choose to build. She built a city in the Lower Beth-Horon, a low place. You can build in a low place. Candice Lightner who lost her daughter due to a drunk driver chose to build in a low place. She developed MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, which helped bring awareness and change laws. She knew how to build in the low place.

Maybe today you are in a high place of position and influence, build! Use your place to build. Sheerah built Upper Beth-Horon, a high place. Every First Lady of the U.S. uses their position to make a difference whether in human rights, education or equal rights. Many have paved the way women enjoy today. If you are in a high place do as Esther did, use your influence to build. She saved the people of God just by using her influence with the king. She was born for this cause to save much people alive. You were born to build!

All you need is a vision, a will to do and love and nothing can stop you from building that dream, that child, that marriage or the kingdom! There is a Builder within us all.

For more from Kelly Elders, please visit KellyElders.com

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May 11, 2017

Brighter and Brighter

Four years ago I lost my Mom. On the day she died I remember thinking, “who’s gonna pray for me now?” I know that’s an extremely selfish thought, but it’s the truth.

My Mom and I fought regularly. Still, she prayed for me relentlessly. There is nothing like the power of a praying Mom, a Mom that declares the Word of God over her children. James 5:16 NLT reads the earnest prayers of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Praying parents emulate Jesus because Jesus lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). There is power in prayer and in the promises of God.

I experienced the power of His promises even as I grieved. We grieve when we lose someone we love, and we grieve when we lose something that we love such a job or exciting opportunity. Even so, grieving eventually ends because we have the promises of God. Ecclesiastes 3:4 tells us that there is a time to mourn and time to dance, and God promises to heal the brokenhearted and bind up our wounds (Psalms 147:3). Jesus promises that we have the Holy Spirit as our Comforter, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, and Strengthener (John 14:26 AMP), and the Word promises that our path shines brighter and brighter until it reaches its full strength and glory (Proverbs 4:18 AMP).

Mourning passed as I walked through the grieving process with God, and realized that I could trust Him with my future. Mourning passed as I realized I could trust Him to heal my heart and wounds. He was and is my Comforter and Ever-Present Help even when the pain felt unbearable and never-ending. As I grieved I felt pain like I’ve never felt before and my mind was nearly consumed with crazy-making thoughts because I just wanted to make the pain end. For the first time in my life I could understand how mental breakdowns occur.

Guilt, anger, and loss nearly crushed me. But God IS His Word and He flooded me with His Truth and counsel. He reminded me that I have the mind of Christ, that He loved me, and He told me to start expressing my emotions. God’s voice is unparalleled because it is absolute Truth always motivated by unconditional love. I knew that if I was not obedient I would likely lose my mind. It was challenging, yet God had already led me to a support group, surrounded me with supportive praying family and friends, and His grace secured me. Mourning passed because God promised that my path shines brighter and brighter. No matter what happens, He has already guaranteed that my future is brighter than my past. It was hard to believe that when I was grieving, however God has been beyond faithful to me.

How could my life grow brighter after death and loss? Only God can do that, and He did it for me. He placed three faithful women in my life that call me daughter. They cover me in prayer and nurture my growth. I’ve known two of them for nearly a decade, and one since I was eight years old. Last week, I remembered how I asked “who’s gonna pray for me now?”  The next day one of women told me “you are my daughter and I cover you in prayer.”

I cried when she said that she was covering me in prayer because I knew that God was answering me. Mom is not replaceable, yet God graciously provided loving people just for me ahead of time. One of the other women proudly calls me her daughter every time I see her and when she introduces me to others. It means a great deal to me because despite our quarrels, Mom was always proud of me and she believed in me. It’s not a coincidence that I still have a motherly figure in my life that is genuinely proud of me. Not because of what I do, only because I am her daughter. She was placed in my path to make it brighter.

My path is brighter than it was when Mom died because mourning has passed and I will see her in Heaven. My path is brighter because I know that God is still answering the prayers that she prayed for me. Mom always prayed for my protection and favor, and I have never had a broken bone or surgery, and I frequently enjoy favor and God-given opportunities. My path is brighter because I am growing closer to Him- my God who answers prayer, heals my heart, and keeps His promises.

Mom’s, may you be wildly celebrated and honored this Mother’s Day and always. Thank you for praying and declaring God’s promises over your children. Thank you for showing them who Jesus is and thank you for your unrelenting love. God loves you and your children. Your path, and the paths of your children will grow brighter and brighter. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you and your children all the days of your lives, and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalms 23:6). Happy Mother’s Day!

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