Media 4 Women

A time for change and innovation…Media 4 Women

Over the past several years, Tonilee and I have been exposed to various types of media and marketing opportunities and services. As a women’s ministry, we felt very strongly about making sure that we did not “market” ourselves or the ministry in a way that distracted or deluded the message of the gospel. We knew that marketing and media would play a vital role in growing the ministry and continuing to reach larger audiences, but we would need to learn how to discern the pros and cons through the process. Through the experiences, however, we have benefited from our mistakes and learned valuable lessons along the way.  It is our desire to help others to learn, to strategize and to be able to make wise choices in their marketing and media plans and/or goals. Whether the entity is ministry related or business driven, keep in mind that marketing and media is big business…it is not an easy game to manage and it can waste your time and money very quickly if you are unfamiliar with its ways.

Within the past year, Daily Disciples Ministries has begun to create its own marketing and media strategies utilizing the tools and resources that are available. With a ton of research, lots of outside resources, and in-house talent, we began to share our knowledge and resources with others. Having our own offices in Carlsbad, CA, including space for onsite video, audio and webcast production, we soon had an onslaught of guests who wanted a “free” consultation to know more. Before long, we expanded the services into website design and development, social networking and media, graphic art design and promotion, self-publishing and much more, based upon the needs of the clients. To be honest, I could not believe the interest and growth. We are still working on the Media 4 Women website and have yet to begun to really market this business, so the need for this type of help is very great. Somewhere along the lines of an ever-changing social media climate, many of us have gotten either lost or really far behind. We need help catching up and making all of this work to our advantage.

Our team is here to help you get going. You can arrange for a FREE consultation at any time by calling Lori at 800-992-0369. You can also email us at info@media4women.com.

On December 5, 2009, the Media 4 Women team is hosting a half day seminar that will provide you with invaluable information, tools and resources that you can begin using

immediately.  You can join the seminar in person or online via Live Webcast. To register, go to http://www.media4women.eventbrite.com.

Nashville Vlog

Spring Retreat with Daily Disciples

Around a year ago, we sensed the Lord leading us to host a retreat. We did not tell anyone but committed the thought to prayer. Well, around 6 months ago, we started getting comments from small women’s groups in the community.  The requests were completely consistent and valid. The smaller women’s Church groups as well as other women’s groups like scrapbooking and book clubs cannot afford the expenses of a retreat. The women sensed a need to be together but wanted their time together to be centered on the Lord instead of the hotel or hassles of planning the event.

It is for these reasons that we believe God has placed on our hearts the desire to host a Daily Disciples Retreat with the theme

“Be still and know that He is God.”

We cordially invite you to our first Daily Disciples Women’s Retreat.

We would love for you to join us. We are very excited!

Friday, March 19 to Sunday, March 21

(5 meals are included)

Check in at 5 PM Friday, March 19.

Dinner will be served at 7pm

To hold your reservation $50 Deposit Due by December 1st, 2009

DailyDisciples.org • 888.727.7206

Around a year ago, we sensed the Lord leading us to host a retreat. We did not tell anyone but committed the thought to prayer. Well, around 6 months ago, we started getting comments from small women’s groups in the community.  The requests were completely consistent and valid. The smaller women’s Church groups as well as other women’s groups like scrapbooking and book clubs cannot afford the expenses of a retreat. The women sensed a need to be together but wanted their time together to be centered on the Lord instead of the hotel or hassles of planning the event.

It is for these reasons that we believe God has placed on our hearts the desire to host a Daily Disciples Retreat with the theme

“Be still and know that He is God.”

We cordially invite you to our first Daily Disciples Women’s Retreat at Forest Home

We would love for you to join us. We are very excited!

Friday, March 19 to Sunday, March 21

(5 meals are included)

Check in at 5 PM Friday, March 19.

Dinner will be served at 7pm

To hold your reservation $25 Deposit Due by December 10th, 2009

After December 10th, $50 deposit and the full amount is due March 10th

Cost: starting at $165 (we have three packages for you to choose!)

DailyDisciples.org • 888.727.7206

or email info@dailydisciples.org

Sign up!

http://ddmretreat.eventbrite.com/

Be Still and Know…

It has been a very long time since I have been on a vacation. Between the kids’ school schedules and sporting events to my husband’s work and my own obligations, it is too difficult to plan to get away. But I have been thinking that I just need to go somewhere restful so I can spend concentrated alone time to think, goal set and relax. When at home, the laundry is never ending, the dishes are always piling and the rug is continually calling out for vacuuming. On a daily bases, I wake up when it is dark so I don’t see any of those things to pray, read and even write. But rarely can I finish without being interrupted with some sort of thought, activity or person seeking my attention. From there, I rush to get ready to rush to work to rush to get home to rush to make dinner…I am sure that many of your lives are set up  the same way. And I have to admit that I personally enjoy the RUSH. I am an adrenaline junkie and work best in a rush. But the more time that has lapsed, the verse “Be still and know that I am God” seemed to be calling to me. Bobbye and I are even planning our first Daily Disciples Women’s retreat in March 2010 with that theme held in Forest Home.  Anyway, long story short…I just got home from Maui. Yes, I spent all my days relaxing, resting, sleeping, swimming while praying, reading, thinking and soul searching. Do you know what I found out? God speaks the same regardless of where you are. No big discoveries, no secret recipes, no new revelations. Just the same God speaking through the same Bible with the same messages that I had at home. Was the trip great? Yes. But I didn’t need to get away to enhance my relationship with the Lord. The messy kitchen and over flowing laundry baskets may distract me but those things do not prevent the Lord from speaking if I am willing to listen. He diligently rewards those who seek Him, anytime and anywhere. He is the same yesterday, today and forever in San Diego as well as Maui. Mahalo…TL

Join us for “Be Still and Know that He is God” at the Daily Disciples Women’s Retreat at Forest Home Conference Center, March 19-21, 2010. To Register go to http://ddmretreat.eventbrite.com .

http://www.dailydisciples.org for more information

Small Adjustments can lead to Big Breakthroughs

I tend to be the main point person when dealing with the specific retreats that we attend. So it’s up to me to do mostly everything from communicating with the church to finding out the specifics of the retreat. Well, last weekend’s retreat was no different. I knew that we were going to Twin Peaks and had all the information stapled together. The packing list included: sleeping bag, flashlight, pillow, towels, toiletries. When Bobbye asked me what she should bring, I pulled out the list and started reading it to her. She listened intently and asked, “Is this a camp ground? Are we going camping this weekend?” I said, “No, it’s a retreat center,” without giving it another thought.

Our Friday morning of the retreat started at 6:15am as we attended the Professional Women’s Fellowship breakfast and then headed up to Twin Peaks. Our dear friends, Karen and Dawn, met us right at the front and asked to help us carry our things in to the room. As I popped open my trunk, the pillows, towels, extra blankets and sleeping bags were right on top. Karen looked at me and said, “You do not need any of that.” I was so surprised to find the Calvary Conference Retreat Center had real beds and linens. Confused, I rechecked the packing list just to find out that I had stapled my 7^th grade daughter’s retreat list to the Chorus Church’s information. I had been following the wrong list.

How can you be so prepared and organized while being so radically off base? It took a lot of extra time, thought and effort to pack things that I didn’t need. I had never questioned the list, trusting in my own skill set. It reminded me a Bible verse written in Ecclesiastes 7:16 “Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise: why should you destroy yourself?”

This was a small mistake in the big picture of things but it made me examine other things in my life. How many times am I going out of my way to make things harder on myself, absolutely convinced that I am right? I might be heading the right way and even able to get to the right place but am I prepared with the right things when I arrive? Am I making the trip of life more difficult in the process? Am I willing to listen to others who are personally involved? Am I spending more time doing or am I really thinking things through? These were great questions for me to ponder while away in the mountains. Sometimes it is not about making big changes but making small adjustments that can lead to huge breakthroughs.

Everything considered, the retreat was amazing! Karen and Dawn clearly laid a great foundation for us to share and teach. Women got saved and clearly women changed. The testimonies absolutely reflected that God is still in the business of setting captives free. We also loved everything from line dancing and homemade ginger cookies to crying and confessing as a group! Thank you Chorus Church of Temecula…our lives were also changed. Despite packing the wrong kind of things, we really had the right kind of time.

Promises

I was talking to my wise friend this morning about the promises of God. Bobbye said to me, “I have learned to look for the promises but not to live for them.” If God gave us a promise, it is His responsibility to fulfill it. Whenever we are given a message from the supernatural, it takes the leading of the Spirit to have it be fulfilled in the natural. Too many times, we take it upon ourselves to complete in the flesh the promises that were given in the Spirit. We look for the promises in the word as well as look for their fulfillment on the earth but in the mean time, we live for the Lord.

Sixth Sense

My house is a bit crazy right now. I have a house full of teenagers and the energy level is very high. The one thing that I have noticed the most about teenagers is their love for stimuli. Everything associated with them is loud and bright and moving very fast. They can text on their cell phone while emailing on facebook while changing the song on the ipod while sorting through a homework schedule and talk to me all at this same time. They are being prepared for a much different life as the world has definitely changed since I was in high school.

My teenage years were very different. Not only because we called the home phone number to talk to a friend but because there were no computers at all! How can you compare the changes that the computer has brought with roll down windows and rotary dial phones? Change has a whole new meaning in today’s world.

But changes in the “things” are not my real concern for the next generation. I am concerned about the many things that compete for their attention. It is exaggerated in the life of a teenager but it affects us all. The world has become so loud in our ears (cell phones, ipods, ichat, music) and so bright in our eyes (facebook, internet videos, television, text messages). These things are not something a teenager will outgrow. This way of life will only increase with advancing technology.  I am NOT against change or technology…I am against constant, continual noise. If we are not proactive in protecting our minds from the noise, we are going to miss out on the things that matter most: a personal, walking talking relationship with the Lord.

I came to know the Lord at 14 years old and heard Him from the first time I read the Bible. I learned quickly that if I was going to seek the Lord, my mind needed to learn to be quiet. I guess it is like developing a sixth sense. When you tone down your other senses, your awareness of God becomes more evident. It is like a blind person who depends more on their sense of hearing and a deaf person who depends more on their sense of sight.  When everything is shaking and moving, it is more difficult to be in tune with your sixth sense of spirituality. If we do not develop ears to hear the Lord and eyes to see Him, we will miss out on the greatest relationship there is on this earth regardless of our age or the stage of life especially since spirituality is not a “sense” but it is a lifestyle.

I know that the employee at the Verizon store told me that the text messaging decreases when your teenager goes to college. And I know that with age brings changes that lead to less noise, however, a lifestyle with the Lord starts by praying to have an eternal perspective. Moses prayed it best in Psalm 90:12, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Moses understood that we live maybe 70 to 80 years on this earth (Psalm 90:10) but eternity is forever. Are we spending our time and giving our attention to what matters for eternity? Are we making a difference here that counts someday up there?

We are going to be teaching the Life in the Spirit study, starting next week. Living a spirit filled life counts for eternity. Too many of us are in habits and patterns that are not good for ourselves or anyone else. We become victims to our own habits because they are familiar. Life in Spirit will give you the ability to change your perspective and adjust your everyday life for eternal purposes. Last night, I read Isaiah 5:13 that says, “but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his hands. My people go into exile for lack of understanding.” The Life in the Spirit study is not “one more thing to do.” It is learning to live in a lifestyle that brings you peace and joy while having an eternal impact on others. Don’t you want to know that the Lord is leading you and counseling you in your every day decisions? Don’t you want to see the Lord move in you in such a way that heaven comes down to earth through your prayers and your words?

We are even videotaping the webcast so if you can’t make the Monday night study in Carlsbad or the webcast study at your computer on Tuesday morning, then you can watch the video at your own time. We will send you the study to your email and the link to click for the video.

If you still aren’t sure, then pray about it. See what the Lord thinks about changing your lifestyle for His glory by doing the Life in the Spirit study. To sign up, click here.

And by the way, my teenagers are going to do the Life in the Spirit study. A new lifestyle can start at any time. It is not about the competing stimuli and changing technology. It is about the priority of whom we choose to seek and what we choose to listen to. There is one letter difference in World verses Word. The “L” can stand for lifestyle and Lord.  We need to make sure we are very clear on these two “L”s as we face the stimuli of the world every day. God will not force Himself upon us but greatly rewards those who actively pursue Him.

Changes at Daily Disciples Ministries

Well, it has been an interesting time here in the ministry this summer. Tonilee and I started writing a new Bible study in April/May on the book of Ezra and were planning to start the study in late June. As we were writing the study, my husband, Tom, seemed very interested in its message. We called it “A Time to Rebuild”. Since he is a General Contractor, he liked the title a lot but it was more about the message of Ezra that had his attention. He kept saying that “we men need to get this” and the next thing I knew…he was starting his own men’s study in his shop. And, he used our Bible study as the content. His study started about a week after ours and it kept growing until it ended. It was not about the study…it was about the power of God’s Word impacting their lives. For me and TL, our hearts have always desired to teach the Word of God…write, teach, lead, disciple…whatever God wants us to do. But Daily Disciples has been solely focused on Women because we are two women who have a heart to reach out to women all over the world. It’s been a total girls’ group…the girl team, as we became known.

But now, God is raising up a men’s group who want to continue doing the Bible studies. We are very excited to be able to offer to our ladies a chance for their husbands to attend the same study with a group of men. My husband, Tom, is still leading and teaching, with the support of several men who share the same heart to further the gospel and reach men all over the world through the study of the Word, prayer, worship and fellowship.  TL and I are excited to see Daily Disciples truly be filled with Jesus’ disciples who are going out and teaching, training, equipping and leading others, whether women, men, teenagers, couples, groups…whatever the Lord wants.

So, check out the new Fall Bible Studies and join us. We will be online webcasting the studies as well. If you would like to host, teach or facitlitate a Bible study, please let us know. We offer Leadership Training seminars on a regular basis.  For more information, visit us at www.dailydisciples.org.

Caution: My Opinion Might Offend Christians

I have waited a week before writing my personal insights into last weekend’s event that we hosted, “Real Issues-Real Answers” or as some preferred to call it, “The 4 Deadly D’s”. In case you have not heard of it, we (Bobbye & Tonilee) held a one-day event just for women. The goal was to bring hope, encouragement and an opportunity for help in one or more of the following areas: Debt, Death, Divorce and Depression. We invited experts in the specific fields including financial advisors, certified counselors, therapists, debt management specialists and a Christian family practice law office. Various other resources were also available onsite including our ministry team, a group of Godly women who have served alongside us at many women’s events and Bible studies. The number one goal: offer HOPE to hurting women; not just the right or righteous answers, but real, honest, open, and maybe not so righteous answers. The second goal: offer this event to women who may not know the Lord personally; in other words, make it an outreach to the community. Ah…the second goal seemed so simple, yet has shown itself not so simple at all. Why? Because some of us Christians really do not understand what an outreach to the “world” actually looks like.

Dare I say that some of our Christian friends just could not understand how we could host an event and not say that the answer is always…”Jesus is all you need.” You see, this event was not about the Christian-ese, pat answers to all of life’s problems, such as “just pray harder,” “have more faith,” or “join a small group.” This event was about real life issues that quite frankly do not fall into perfect lines of Christian doctrine. How many of us have tried to righteously work out our problems and still wonder where God is? Why not be honest from the start? Why not go out and try to help people first and then tell them that there is a God who loves them? Why not be an example of the love of Christ, instead of the one preaching about love, yet condemning your brothers and sisters? Who are we kidding as Christians? Where is our true witness in the world? My opinion…we only want to witness within the comforts of our own churches, groups or circles. And, what effect does that have? We all make each other feel good. We are supposed to edify the Body of Christ, so that we can go out and be a light in this dark world. We had Christians at this event who thought we should have been more “Christian-ese”…I think we offended some of them. We had some Christians who sat on the sidelines while the room had women in it who did not know the Lord, but we were the ones expected to preach from the platform.

The event itself was hugely successful and the women who came have more than expressed their appreciation. There are requests for future events that started almost immediately. Why? Because we need HOPE. We need encouragement. We need HELP. Jesus came and He fed the hungry, healed the sick and set the captives free…then, He offered them everlasting life. That is our heart in doing this type of event on the 4 D’s and we will continue to pray that we can help make a difference in the lives of hurting women…and ultimately lead them to the everlasting answer in Jesus Christ.

-Bobbye

God Got Divorced

Our Real Issues Real Answers Event was last Saturday. Every single response card came back positive. Yet, despite all the advertising, the event caught people off guard. Common words on the response cards were “thank you for being so honest” and “I appreciated hearing from women dealing with real life.” Our objective was definitely accomplished.

The topic that brought the most conversation and awakening was “divorce.”  We did not talk about marriage. We spoke on divorce. Many times in a Christian event, the emphasis is on marriage. Not this time. There are too many of us who are divorced, were divorced or contemplating a divorce. We can hear sermons all day long on why to stay in a marriage so we addressed divorce.

I heard a common statement after the divorce talk as women said, “I am standing for my marriage.”  In other words, regardless of how the relationship is or the choices of their husbands, these women took a stand to remain committed to their marriage. Well, that is great when two people decide to make a commitment to do that.  But I couldn’t believe the stories that I heard about women standing for their marriage when their husbands have left them years ago. One woman told me with tears in her eyes that she was “standing for her marriage” to a man who left her years ago and he has remarried and now has other children.  I looked at her and said, “That’s delusional. That is total bondage.” When is enough…enough. At what point do we get a clue and move on in our lives. Aren’t there other things to pray about and cry over that God will bless than the things that God is not blessing?

In 1 Corinthians 7:15-16, Paul tells us that if the unbeliever leaves you, let him go. Why? Because Paul continues to say that God has called us to peace. If someone leaves you, he suddenly does not believe in you or your marital commitment you both made before man, the State and God. Move on, especially if he is remarried. Be set free. There is liberty with the Lord.

If marriage was that spiritual in nature, why would the Lord tell us that we are freed to marry someone else if our present spouse dies? (Romans 7:3) Marriage is bound on earth. There is no eternal ramification associated with marriage. Jesus told us that we will be like the angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30)

I don’t understand why we won’t allow the dead to bury the dead. We are carrying around dead relationships and expecting God to resurrect them. He did not promise to resurrect circumstances, titles, marital status or relationships; He promised to be faithful to You as a person for eternity. God is not going to ask you, “What have you done with your marriage?” You stand before God some day alone.

In marriage, there are two wills. God does not hold you responsible for your husband’s will or ways. Our prayers cannot control any other person and our scripture verses cannot control God. How are you living for Him personally and individually?  We are wasting precious time by having an earthly perspective and not an eternal Kingdom perspective. It is time to be forgiven, set free and time to walk in the liberty that the Lord has promised you…on earth as it is in heaven.

Let me tell you… God never answered one of my prayers for my marriage but He answered multiple other prayers that I was praying at the same time. No one was more submissive, prayerful, honoring, respectful and willing to be obedient to the Lord and to my husband than me in that marriage. I was convinced that a miracle would happen because I prayed the right prayers and quoted the right verses. I was convinced that a miracle would happen because God answered all of my other prayers. I prayed for people to get saved, they got saved. I prayed for promotions I did not deserve, I got the promotions. I prayed for resolution in conflicts. Guess what? Resolved the next day. I prayed for my husband to want to eat dinner with me…. Nope!  Nada, Zilch. When my husband left me, God was not surprised which is why I believe He never gave me one promise or answered one prayer.

God loves You. He hates divorce because of what it does to the people involved and knows all about it because He got a divorce (Jeremiah 3:8).  Did you know that God wrote His people a certificate of divorce when they turned their backs on Him? If God did not change the heart of His beloved (the nation, Israel), why do we think that God will heal all our marriages?   He understands your hurt and He knows your pain. God knows you by name and He wants to be your first love and the lover of your soul. Are you willing to lay down your desires and be about God’s desire? He came to set the captives free. You are no longer in bondage. Get out, lift your eyes up and see your God reaching out to you. He is willing to help you get through this. Are you willing to let it go?

Please…if you are reading this blog and know of someone making these kinds of choices, please support them. They are going through a lot and need your encouragement and your kindness to get them through. God has blessed us all! Let’s start living like we believe it.

—TL