Women and Personal Development - You Empowered! 3 Transformational Building Blocks

People are experiencing fear and anxiety everywhere, however, you don't have to be a victim of the current economic down-turn. Learn to live your best empowered life!

In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; Draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].

Ephesians 6:10 (Amp)

What is empowerment? Is the question I asked the group of women in a class I taught entitled "Women empowered for success." There were various answers given to this question which were all correct, however, I gave a general definition as follows; To give the means, ability, or opportunity to do; empower, enable, permit .

In the Greek the definition as relates to Ephesians 6:10-11 is: 1) To be strong, endue with strength, strengthen 2) To receive strength, be strengthened, increase in strength 3a) be bold, headstrong

You have the means, ability, opportunity to do! Receive strength, increase in strength... through what? Through your union with Him, The Lord!

Here are three building blocks for empowerment.

1) Total Wellness: It's important that we are empowered "spirit, soul and body." This entails every area of our life. If we are not physically well we are left with a handicap and are hindered from achieving our best empowered life. It does no good to pursue your dreams and desires only to be bound by sickness and disease. Stress is a big contributor to chronic disease.

2) Give attention to your thought life: As a man thinks so is he is what the bible tells us. Think on the positive. Focus on the positive. Replace negative thoughts with a positive mindset. No, this is not the only thing it will take, however, this is an important ingredient to implementing empowering personal development strategies.

3) Surround yourself with like-minded people: It is important to surround yourself with people who are going where you want to go, think like you think (positive mindsets of course) and have a similar philosophy for life as you do. Negative individuals will only drain you of your power energy and distract you.

You have everything within you to lead a dynamic and successful life in 2009. It will take a good system, connecting with the right people, resources and creating a positive environment to achieve this. I invite you to request free access to my transformational newsletter "Highlights of Empowerment and Total Wellness." Click here to access now

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Robin Tramble http://www.RobinTramble.com is a life empowerment mentor/trainer/coach, business woman, Motivational speaker, Author and Editor/Publisher of Time2prosper - Receive empowering coaching emails subscribe by sending a blank email to empoweringwomen@freeautobot - We will never trade, sell, or give your information to any third party without your express permission.

Christian Women's Retreats - Ministering to the Whole Woman

Ask many Christian women how they feel, and the answer is pretty simple: they're tired. The many roles women play leaves little time for reflection and renewal. Many women have found themselves playing the role of not only wife and mother, but also as taxi driver, nurse, coach, and many times, as a stand-in for dad. Most women also hold down a steady job to pay the bills. Many of these harried ladies say of themselves that they don't even know who they are anymore. Too much stress and not enough down time can create a very unhappy wife and mother. It is essential that these types of women go regularly to Christian women's retreats.

What kind of atmosphere is necessary for a woman to relax and rejuvenate? Typical women's retreats include times of study, discussion, and prayer. It is imperative that a gal thinks about some of the deep longings of her heart. She should be able to consider things she wants to change in her life, and how she would like to deepen some of her relationships.

Not all Christian women's retreats follow this same agenda. Some retreats focus on unstructured conversation time, while others are geared toward lengthy silent meditation. There is a women's retreat for every kind of Christian woman.

While there is no rule for how long a retreat should be, the most common Christian women's retreat takes place over a weekend, usually starting on Friday evening, and ending Sunday afternoon. Some folks may choose to take a week, or a month. Some ladies even take a sabbatical for several months, or even years.

Small details can really add to the atmosphere of women's retreats. Meals. recreational choices, sleeping arrangements, and setting... all of these can greatly increase a woman's experience of spiritual refreshment. Because no two women are alike, not every retreat is helpful for every woman. There are hundreds of different Christian women's retreats offered in every city, state, and country.

Mark Dubler is the Executive Director of Otyokwah Camp & Retreat Center and a Christian Womens Retreat expert. Check out our great discounts for first-time groups at Camp Otyokwah.

Jumping at the Oportunity

My heart is deeply moved as I attempt to write this.  In a land where devastating poverty exists, it is paralleled by spiritual poverty; the comparison can easily be seen with uncanny exactness.  In Africa, I’ve witnessed the effects of nourishment.  In small villages or communities where the Body of Christ was involved in the people’s lives, ministering to them, working side by side with them, building the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, the fields were greener, the land itself appeared more nourished, and the people (although very poor according to our standards) were rich.  However, in communities lacking the Bread of Life, the land was also lacking nourishment to sustain life essentially causing incomprehensible poverty.

The Bread of Life brings life to the physically and spiritually impoverished.

“He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” (John 21:16)

If you go on to read the very next verse, you find Simon Peter more frustrated as once again Jesus asks him, “Do you love me?”  Jesus then tells him “Feed my sheep!”

What greater gift can be given than food – life sustaining nourishment giving strength and bringing health to anyone who will eat?  In fact, a great man of God spoke to me on this very subject a few days ago pointing out the necessity of ministering to the physical needs of man before they can receive spiritual nourishment.

Jesus, when speaking with Peter, understood the relationship between spiritual and physical nourishment.  His admonition to Peter to “feed My sheep” was more than merely offering a piece of bread to a hungry person, He spoke of the need to involve both the natural bread and the Bread of Life – where life sustaining nourishment which gives strength and brings health can be found.

We claim to love the Lord just as Peter answered, “Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.”  When the Lord questions us in the same manner our immediate response is much the same: “Oh yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  I declare that He then admonishes us all, “Then feed my sheep!”  Don’t just feed them physically – they have need of spiritual food.  Don’t just feed them spiritually – they have need of physical food.

Jump at every opportunity opened up to you to feed the hungry – both physically and spiritually.  If you meet the physical needs, you will have greater success ministering to the spiritual needs.

You don’t need to go to Africa to find the hungry.  Take a friend to lunch, take a meal to a shut-in, deliver a meal to a single mom overwhelmed with life’s responsibilities.  Then, give them Jesus.  Show them the natural bread then introduce them to the Living Bread.  Hear the passionate urgency in Jesus’ voice: “Feed My Sheep!”

Father, our hearts are so overwhelmed with the desperate need for daily bread – spiritually and naturally.  Show us opportunities to feed Your sheep, to minister to physical needs as well as spiritual needs.  Put within us a deep passion for those who are hungry; give us courage to accept this calling.  Show us opportunities to reach Your sheep with Living Bread – the Bread that more than satisfies.  Oh Lord, we pray for those who do not know You as the life-sustaining Bread of Life.  Teach us how to reach them – teach them through our hearts of compassion as we surrender once again to You all that we are and all that we do.  In Jesus’ name, amen and amen!

“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”  (John 6:35)

© Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

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Simply to love Him

After 24 years of marriage, I am in the midst of a divorce. It was the last thing I ever expected to happen in my life. Because my husband and I have very strong personalities, we’ve had our challenges. I’ve often looked longingly at other calmer, more “comfortable” marriages, and always believed that God would heal and change our hearts. Many, many prayers have been prayed over this marriage. In spite of this, we finally reached our breaking point.

The hardest part of this has been the feeling of failure, and of disappointing God. I am well aware of the scriptures regarding divorce, and I know how much He hates it. So as I begin a new life apart from my husband, I am torn between feeling absolutely undeserving of God’s blessings, but knowing that I desperately need His help, His love and His guidance.

This morning during my quiet time, I read Psalm 91, and a few verses jumped out at me.

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will rescue him, and honor him.” Psalm 91: 14-15

It occurred to me as I read those verses that God’s only requirement for deliverance was that the psalmist loved Him, and knew His name. That was it. Not a successful marriage. Not a flawless Christian life. God only asks that we love Him, and He will be there for us. Period. 

As I read those words, I stared at them incredulously. Wow. “Lord God,” I said, “if there is one thing I can say with absolute and complete certainty, it is that I love you with my whole heart and soul, and I do know Your name.”

As I stand before Him, I can’t claim anything else. Even what little righteousness I have within me is like rags before Him. How great, how glorious to know that all He wants from me is my love. Not works, thank God, because my works are in shambles.

He will answer me. He will be with me. He will rescue me. And look…He will honor me–even as I feel like such a failure. And all of this, simply because I love Him. What an amazing God.

Praise Him.

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Praising God Even When I am Weary

By Ja'Les

When I woke up this morning I was greeted with weariness and I quickly recited this scripture out loud
Galatians 6:9 (New International Version) “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
I have found that if I speak in faith and call those things that are not as though they were, speak God’s word to my situation versus allowing my situation to dictate my response or feelings; I emerge stronger and more rooted in my faith. Yes, this morning my flesh wanted to smack the snooze button on my alarm clock and my body was pleading for another half hour of sleep but I chose to state positive, faith-filled declarations over my morning. I ensured that I guarded my gates: I focused on ensuring that my mouth spoke praises and declarations of faith, my ears listened to praise and worship to usher my spirit into one of thanksgiving and my eyes turned away from the never ending list of what must be done in any given day. No, I am not saying that I am one who functions without schedule but I do seek to have my one on one time with my Heavenly Father.
Later this evening my husband received a phone call that he would be heading back to work. My husband works in an industry where he is away from home 28-58 days at a time and is home for 10-14 days. Tonight he was given a half hour to pack and say his goodbyes before traveling to the job site. He has been working in this field for nearly three years now-yet when he’s given short notice it’s tough. I count my blessings that he is employed in his field allowing me the opportunity to be a stay at home mom with our son and also pursue my educational goals. However my heart still yearns for him to be home. I once again had to choose faith-filled words and thoughts speaking the word over my husband asking God to lift his heart, guide his steps, give him wisdom and discernment, prosper his hands and send him back home swiftly and safely. Before he drove off this evening, we both recited out loud Galatian 6:9 (New International Version) “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

http://www.thechristianwoman.com/blog/2010/09/praising-god-even-when-i-am-weary.html