Olive Tree Ministries
Olive Tree Ministries would like to communicate the truth of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to all people and to encourage and stimulate personal growth in Christ. It seeks not to be identified with any one denomination but to be supportive of the central truths of faith.
Morning Devotional
The Anchor Holds
By Jack Witte
February 8, 2010
“God puts us in positions, all the time, for a reason … You can say … ‘Why is this happening to me?’ But you have to understand that it’s happening for a reason, and God is doing it to strengthen you.”
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees has become a household name when you think of NFL football. From being injured seriously and then traded, he was named NFL player of the year and led his New Orleans Saints to victory Super Bowl 44. Drew Brees sees God’s hand in everything. His quotation above brings real meaning to all of us who faces the challenges God puts in our paths. How many times have you and I asked the question … “Why is this happening to me?” Drew reminds us that whatever happens in our lives we can be assured that God has a reason and a purpose, and through His grace we will find the strength and the wisdom to handle whatever we face. Some of us will face challenges more difficult than others. I think of those who are going through cancer or other serious illnesses. How difficult the treatments can be. Your hope for recovery might be questionable, yet God is right there with you and His promise is that He will never leave you, He will give you strength, He will give you hope. All we need to know is that He is with us and He will see us through.
Father in heaven … Your grace is sufficient. We ask Your help this morning, that You will give us direction and hope as we face the many challenges this world brings us. We know You have a purpose in everything that happens in our lives, and we put our trust in You and in Your purpose. You are our Anchor and You will never fail us in our times of need.
Song for the week:
Praise His Name!!
Seeds of Thought . . .
Called to My Family
By Janette Stone
I have been amazed at the number of different relationships I have. Probably looking forward to the Whole Woman Conference has made my mind turn toward the importance each of these relationships have for me and how I may also be important to the people that these relationships lead me to touch. Although each of you probably hold these same places in others lives, I thought it would be interesting to list the position I hold for a number of people in my family.
I am an aunt, cousin, sister, daughter, mother, mother in-law, grandmother, and wife. They total seven different positions held in others lives. When adding up the number of people in which God has placed in my life through family, the sum could be well over a hundred.
God, with deliberate planning, placed us in each individual’s life and with thoughtful care put us in the position of aunt, cousin, sister, daughter, mother, mother in-law, grandmother or wife. Reading Psalm 139, reading Isaiah, reading Jeremiah gives us a sense of the call God gives us to fulfill these various ministries within our family with purpose.
I am called to be an aunt, I am called to be a cousin, I am called to be a sister, I am called to be a daughter, I am called to be a mother, I am called to be a mother in-law, I am called to be a grandmother and I am called to be a wife. My heart leaps with the thrill of the privilege given me by God. Others might have the stingy call of only one thing. Others might be overwhelmed when asked to do two things. But I? I am called to the many people within my family.
I like my family. It is full to the brim with strangeness, and it could not be more interesting to me. How dull to have an un-strange family. How does that kind of family keep your attention? You see with mine, I never know just what is going to happen next. What an adventure!!
The words we will hear one day from Jesus will not be of theology, but of life. The life we are called to of loving the ones given to us. Love them if they never, ever, in a thousand years change. And, by doing that? I know that we will be seized with the compassion of Christ Himself.
Withholding love from the ones that God has given us to minister to - our family - says that Jesus does not influence our thoughts, that He has not inspired our life and that we have never been near enough to Him to catch the love He has for our family.
Janette
Stone
Founder & Director
WHOLE WOMAN CONFERENCE
2010
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We hope that you will take the message of love, share it with
others, and live it in your life.
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The keynote speaker for the Whole Woman Conference 2011 will be
Rhea Briscoe
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Whole Woman Conference
January 2009
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Melissa Chamberlin
Circle of Life Photography
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