Upgrade Your Ministry: Continue Learning

Morgan Farr is a wise and practical teacher, distilling the truth of God's Word and applying it to everyday living. In this Ministry UPGRADE, she encourages us to keep on learning, for our benefit but also for the sake of better ministry.

"Learning shouldn’t end in a classroom," Morgan says. "It should be a forever part of the Christian woman’s life."

I (Dawn) agree with Morgan. We should always be lifelong learners, and nowhere is this more important than in our walk with God and ministry for Him.

Morgan continues . . .

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to let the pursuit of knowledge take a back seat. However, for Christian women, the call to learning should be a continual and integral part of our lives.

Our commitment to growing in wisdom, knowledge, and faith should stay in the forefront of our minds.

Let’s explore why every Christian woman should continue learning and what she should do with that knowledge. 

1. Get Wisdom

Even though history has not always been kind to women’s education, we see in scripture that learning and growing is a crucial part of life.

Proverbs 4:7 states,

"The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding."

This verse reminds us that wisdom and understanding are precious treasures worth pursuing at any cost. This means that wisdom and understanding are not one-time acquisitions but ongoing pursuits.

Learning isn't just about acquiring academic knowledge; it's also about deepening our spiritual understanding.

Ephesians 4:23-24 urges us to:

"be made new in the attitude of your minds"

and to "put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

Spiritual growth is a lifelong journey, and learning plays a pivotal role in our development as followers of Christ.

Consider joining a Bible study group, attending seminars, or dedicating time to daily reading and reflection. 

2. Give to Others

Learning isn't just for personal enrichment; it's also a means to serve others effectively.

Proverbs 31:26 (NIV) describes a woman who

"speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."

When we continually upgrade our knowledge and wisdom, we become valuable sources of guidance and support for our families, friends, and communities.

God has given us unique talents and gifts, and we can use these gifts to bless others.

By investing in our growth, we can better equip ourselves to serve those around us.

This might look like using your skills as a bookkeeper to help a college student build a budget, or using your wisdom as a grandmother to minister in a children’s church. God gave you unique skills and experiences. Use them to give knowledge to others.

Let me share a real-life example.   

A YouTube star, Rob Kenney, created the channel “Dad, How Do I?” where he took his real-life experience and started making videos to help people walk through things they may not have learned from their parents.

I accidentally stumbled across his videos two years ago when I was trying to figure out how to replace a toilet seat. I was struggling and super frustrated, so I googled, “How do I replace a toilet seat?”

His video gave me the help I needed.

Now, that may not seem like a big deal, but when you realize that I had four kids ages six and under and my soldier husband was away—let me just say that there were a lot of tears when I finally fixed this silly thing that was creating so much frustration in my home.

Kenney's skills and willingness to share them helped me and my family, even though we have never met! 

3. Grapple with Relevance 

It is easy to feel irrelevant after hitting age twenty-nine. But that doesn’t have to be the case.

Just because you don’t know the latest TikTok dance doesn’t mean that you don’t have knowledge to share.

Find what you are good at and let your church or community leadership know you want to give in this area.

I guarantee you there is a place where you are needed!

For example, being able to sew my husband’s name tape and patches on his Army uniform has saved us a fair amount of money during his military career.

• I could ask my chapel about putting up a flyer letting other military wives know I have this skill.
• I can either offer it to them as a free/low-cost service, or I can teach them how to do it themselves.

We are told in Titus chapter two how older people should mentor younger people, yet this doesn’t happen often in church.

I see a divide between the older generations and the ones coming behind them because we don’t know how to communicate our willingness to learn and teach.

As Christian women, our commitment to learning should be an ongoing journey guided by the Word of God. Through this, we enrich our lives and fulfill God's purpose for us, becoming the women He designed us to be.

So, upgrade your commitment to learning today and let it be a continual part of your life for God's glory

What skill can you share with your community? 

Morgan Farr is a succulent-cultivating, book nerd, aspiring author. She spends her days homeschooling her four young children and training her working dogs. As an Army wife, Morgan has learned to lean heavily on Jesus as she walks out military life. She is the Director fo Publishing at Planting Roots, a minitry for military women and wives. You can connect with Morgan on all major social media channels using her handle: morgandfarr.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Pexels at Pixabay.

Is Fundraising Biblical?

Sally Ferguson writes devotionals and articles of consequence, and she even wrote a coloring book for children. As a speaker, she helps women find encouragement from God's Word. She is also helps women plan women's retreats and leads them herself. In this Biblical Discernment UPGRADE, Sally asks a question about fundraising, a topic dear to her heart.

“I was surprised recently to learn some people don’t think churches and Christian ministries should do fundraisers,” Sally said.

Fundraising can be a hot-button issue in some Christian circles, but I (Dawn) think Sally explores it with both insight and compassion.

Sally continues . . .

As one who was in church with my parents every time the doors were open, I grew up with a well-rounded view of the church and money.

My sister and I were eager to put our coins in the offering plate when passed down the row. It was seen as a privilege to be a part of God’s work.

When I graduated to the youth group, we each became a part of the fundraising team to ensure all could afford our ministry opportunities.

Church camp and youth conventions were a time of teaching God’s Word and growing in relationships. We came home from our mountaintop experiences ready to tell our friends at school about the transformation we’d encountered and how Jesus could make a difference in their lives, too.

Had we not done fundraising, maybe half of the group could not have attended.

It’s unthinkable that some of us would not have been included in those trips.

In the years following, I’ve been a part of fundraising for all types of church events, so it puzzled me that someone wouldn’t consider it biblical. It made me want to find out for myself what God says about our finances.

Exploring Fundraising Biblically

1. We’re told in Malachi to bring a tithe to God.

That foundational gift is to honor God’s care of us. He gives us all things, but only requires a tenth given back to support the ministry of His House, as planned in Numbers 18:21.

“Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don’t open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams” (Malachi 3:10 MSG).

2. The early church modeled community for us in the way they took care of each other.

Acts 2:42-47 tells us people sold their possessions in order to provide for unmet needs.

People were so excited about what they were seeing take place around them, they joined forces to expand their reach.

3. In Romans 15:27, Paul says it is right for us to share our material blessings with those who bless us spiritually.

Have you felt joy when you gave to another? It has a boomerang effect in blessing the giver as much as the receiver.

Not only has fundraising helped our church reach goals of sending people on mission trips and building campaigns to expand ministry facilities, but it has also helped to build camaraderie within the church.

The process of working together toward a common goal bonds us together and builds community.

When we witness something accomplished that is bigger than ourselves, we get a faith boost because we know God is at work in our midst.

“In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14 MSG).

So, let’s circle back to the beginning.

What Is Fundraising?

Fundraising is raising funds for a particular need that otherwise wouldn’t be met. It’s money pooled together above and beyond the general tithe for a specific occasion.

Maybe you would call it an offering or a gift, but fundraising can look like many different things:

• A new church van for picking up children for Sunday School
• Packaged goods for the church food pantry.
• Bottle and can drive for missions.

One more story.

Our church issued a Backpack Challenge for members to fill backpacks with school supplies. One little girl turned in hers with a request. She had added clothes in her size for another girl to have for the first days of school.

Our youth pastor agreed to pray for that specific recipient.

Later that week, she received a call from a local agency. Guess what they asked for? Yep, that specific size was needed for a little girl!

Two gals learned about the power of prayer and that God cares about the details—when one responded to a fundraiser.

It was a great reminder to all of us that the smallest can teach us the biggest lessons.

What does fundraising look like to you?

Proverbs 3:9 admonishes us to honor God with all of our possessions. May we do so with generous and joyful hearts and wallets, as we look for ways to enhance ministry opportunities beyond the walls of our church.

What do you think? Is fundraising biblical?

Sally Ferguson is a teacher of God’s Word and a student of people. Whether leading retreats or small groups, she loves to see the light shine when hope abounds. Sally lives in western New York with her husband and her dad. Her current project is a Bible study for caregivers. Catch up with her at sallyferguson.net.  

Do You Have Spiritual Dementia?

Kathy Collard Miller is one wise woman! She's learned that wisdom in the trenches of spiritual growth. In this Spiritual Maturity UPGRADE, she creates a unique application—spiritual dementia—to physical dementia."Larry and I were challenged as we took care of his mother who had Lewy-Body Dementia," Kathy said. "Then I later realized I have spiritual dementia"

I (Dawn) wondered, "What is spiritual dementia? Do I have it? How would I know?" Kathy didn't leave me wondering.

Kathy continues . . .

My 91-year-old mother-in-law, Audrey, had wagged her finger at me, exclaiming,

“You are so mean, Kathy. You dropped me off yesterday several blocks away and I had to walk home in the hot sun.”

I was stunned how to answer. Of course, I hadn't done that, but because of her dementia, she believed it was true. She had a form of dementia called Lewy-Body (www.lbda.org) and with that came paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations.

In that journey of caring for her, Larry and I learned a lot.

To my shock and dismay, I learned I have spiritual dementia.

To some degree EVERY Christian has spiritual dementia.

Here are three primary symptoms.

1. Spiritual Delusions

Audrey had delusions which were very real to her. Nothing Larry and I said ever changed her mind about anything, even obvious proof.

I knew the Lord was speaking to me. I am faced with spiritual truth constantly, and some of it I reject.

I read the Bible and mentally cast away anything that is not within my already-determined belief system . . . or feels like too much of a challenge to obey.

I began to evaluate:

• Am I casting away truth?
• Am I rejecting God’s ideas because I can’t acknowledge I don’t know everything?

Romans 12:2 urges us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (ESV).

2. Protecting Your Image

Audrey often said, “Someone stole my hearing aids.”

When I found them, she replied, “They put them back.”

Because of her paranoia, Audrey wouldn’t take responsibility because then she would be faced with knowing she is incompetent.

I see myself in her reaction.

My goal is to appear competent, dependable, and efficient. If I can’t answer some biblical question or my answer turns out to be wrong, I try to explain it in different ways. I have a hard time admitting I’m wrong.

3. Taking Things Personally

When Audrey lived in assisted living before coming to live with us, if someone was whispering, they were whispering about her. If someone was upset, they were upset with her. She took everything personally as if it was a reflection of her.

I can be the same way.

When I fixed Audrey's breakfast, she said, “I couldn't eat all the cereal because you put too little milk with it and it got too dry.”

Hearing the accusing word “you” raised defensiveness within me. I thought, “She thinks I always do everything wrong.”

But then I remembered Audrey was raised in the depression and wasting anything was shameful. She was actually saying, “I hope you won't think badly of me because I wasted the cereal. But I couldn't eat it. It’s too dry.”

Knowing the underlying reason helped me be gracious toward her and reminds me to be compassionate toward others.

Maybe it's not all about me but their own struggles.

When the new believers he mentored had problems, the Apostle Paul didn't take it personally.

He wrote,

“. . . Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God” (2 Corinthians 1:12 NIV). 

We can trust God knows the truth about us.

Every one of us struggles with spiritual dementia to some degree. God will help you just like he is helping me.

Which symptom of spiritual dementia (if any) do you struggle with?

Kathy Collard Miller has continued to be in awe of God’s ability to use her through writing over 60 books and speaking in 9 foreign countries and over 30 US States. Her newest women’s Bible study book, God’s Heart for Your Marriage (available in print and Kindle), is perfect for individual or group study. Kathy and her husband, Larry, of more than 50 years, are parents, grandparents, and lay counselors, and they live in Boise, Idaho. Visit her at www.KathyCollardMiller.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Benjamin Balazs at Pixabay.

Embrace Light in the Darkness

I first met Sherri Cullison at a writer's conference, and I was instantly drawn to her eagerness to discover all that God had for her life. When I discovered her tragic story, my heart ached. But later I saw how God used even this to shape her and her ministry to others.

In this Hope UPGRADE, she reflects on how God helps us embrace His light, even in our darkest hour.

Sherri says, "The moment I stepped into our living room and found my fourteen-year-old daughter Sarah’s lifeless body on the floor, my world became dark.

When I (Dawn) let that sink in—how I would feel if that were my child and the "darkness" that would suddenly surround me—it takes my breath away. How can a person survive such deep sorrow? Sherri explains it's not a "how"—it's a "Who."

Sherri continues . . .

The room where I watched my three children laugh and play and open Christmas gifts suddenly became a death room.

A heaviness hovered in the air. In my mind, my home was no longer a brightly-lit home of wonderful family times, but a dingy, evil place.

My youngest daughter had made an uncontrollable decision and took her own life.

Instantly I concluded that someone must have done this to her. I was in shock.

I threw my purse across the floor and called for help. Surely this was a mistake, a nightmare I was lost in.

 I called 911 and gave dispatch the information.

“Just stay on the line with me, Mrs. Cullison. Help is on the way,” the dispatcher said.

My tragic circumstance might not be the same as yours today. Maybe you’ve lost the love of your life. Maybe you’re facing serious health issues. Maybe you lost a baby in the womb. Maybe you lost everything you owned and you’re starting over.

Whatever you’re facing today, I want to encourage you that darkness doesn’t have to live in your life forever.

Each day you face doesn’t have to be hopeless for the next.

Even though darkness appeared to envelope me that night I lost my daughter, I was not alone. God brought light into my moment of despair.

On the phone with the dispatcher, I blurted out, “Are you a Christian?”

“Yes,” she quietly responded.

“Can you please pray with me?” I pleaded.

“There is a pastor’s wife here in the room with me and I’ll put her on and she’ll pray with you.”

I can’t remember the words she prayed, but I know it comforted me. Calling on the Lord in a time of devastation wasn’t attributable to me.

I don’t even remember thinking I should pray. The words simply flowed across my lips in desperation and fear.

I remember when I was a little girl lying in my bed at night, I felt very alone in the dark. I was afraid. I was convinced there was danger because I couldn’t see anything around me, even though I had two sisters in the room with me.

I pulled the blankets up around my face and cuddled up to where I felt I was safe.

I was hiding from nothing, but I didn’t know I could ask for help.

Soon my body relaxed, and I fell asleep until the morning light.

Isn’t that what we find ourselves doing sometimes?

When we face a hopeless situation, we feel afraid and panic. We know there must be help somewhere, but how and where do we turn for help?

You may feel you’ll never recover or that nothing in your situation will ever change, but let me encourage you with these three ways we can find light in our darkness.

1. Call on God that Very Moment

Matthew 11:28 (NIV):

"Come to me. all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest."

Don’t wait. Whether a simple “help me” prayer or an offering of a river of tears, or even an outcry in anger.

If you feel you don’t have the strength, ask someone to pray with you. Not only will it bring instant light from His presence, but He will give you rest.

2. Follow Jesus and Not the Darkness

 John 8:12 (ESV):

". . . I [Jesus] am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Too often we depend on possessions and even others to be our light, but Jesus encourages us to follow Him because there we’ll find the light of our everyday life.

3. Allow the Lord to Light the Lamp of Your Soul.

Psalm 18:28 (ESV):

"For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness."

If your lamplight is no longer lit, please don’t turn away or resist His help. Often it can mean the difference between life and death. 

When we find ourselves in moments of panic and despair and feel surrounded by darkness, we need to remind ourselves that there is hope in the warmth of light’s glow.

God holds tomorrow and He also holds you. His embrace today can help you get through your unknown tomorrows.

When you face darkness in life’s hardships, what are your intentions today to address them tomorrow?

NOTE:  September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. If someone you know is in crisis, contact the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988.

Sherri J. Cullison, author and speaker, knows the pain and devastation life brings. Whether your hope is treading or sinking, Sherri’s heart for hope reveals how we can manage our everyday struggles to claim joy and love life.  In her recent book, SOS: A Mother’s Story of Survival, Rescue, and Hope in the Darkness of Teen Suicide, Sherri shares the heartbreaking loss of her daughter and the evidence of God’s healing, forgiveness, and restoration. Sherri and her husband live in Arizona and have two children, seven grandchildren, four pianos, and one RZR. Contact Sherri at www.sherrijcullison.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Joe at Pixabay.

'Jesus, Help Me Love You More!'

In this Spiritual Growth UPGRADE, Dawn reflects on our love for God—why do we lack in love, what does our Savior think about our love, and what can we do to grow our love?

Have you ever read a story in the Bible, and the Holy Spirit took you down a different path than you ever would have expected—a "rabbit trail" that led to a deeply personal lesson?

That happened to me.

It was while reading the story of Jesus healing a boy who was possessed by an impure spirit (Mark 9:14-29). The boy's desperate father brought the boy to Jesus, saying, "if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

Jesus noted the "if," and then said, "Everything is possible for one who believes."

The father immediately exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

That was quite an admission. The father recognized that he DID have some faith—otherwise he never would have brought his son to Jesus.

But he also had doubts. He needed help from Jesus to go further into faith.

As I read this conversation, I felt a twinge of conviction. But it wasn't about faith. The Holy Spirit zeroed in on the depth of my love for Jesus—or rather, how weak it was.

I cried out to Jesus,  

"Dear Jesus, I do love you. But help my lack of love . . . help me love you more!"

I believed that He would help me with my weak love, just like he helped that desperate father with his weak belief.

Over time, I considered some of the things that hindered that love, and things I could do or change to refresh and grow my love for Jesus.

Four Ways to Grow Your Love for Jesus

1. Remember the Love Jesus Expressed on the Cross.

Jesus said,

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (John 15:13 NIV).

Jesus loved us so much that He went to the cross to die for our sins and—when we trust in that sacrifice—secure eternity for us in Heaven.  

The Lord's love for us is mysterious and extraordinary, and our love for Him should reflect that.

The Savior chose to love us while we were wretched sinners (Romans 5:8), so unlike Himself, so that He could make us more like Him (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5; Romans 8:29).

When we begin to take that for granted, we become ungrateful for His grace and mercy, and our love for Him cools.

When we remember the cross, it should motivate our love for our Savior.

2. Believe that When Jesus Died, It Was for You, Personally.

It's one thing to believe that Jesus died for the world, but we may forget that, by application, He died for us as individuals—as if we were the only one needing salvation.

The childhood song says it well: "Jesus loves ME, this I know. . . . " The message of the gospel is a love letter to us. We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

3. Pray for a Deeper Manifestation of His Love.

Jesus cannot love us any more—He demonstrated His love in dying for us (Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:9-10).

But that does not mean that His love cannot be more deeply manifest to us—made more evident or certain, or displayed to make clear or more easily recognized.

We keep the Lord's commands because we love Him; and Jesus said when we keep His commands, He will love us and "show" Himself to us (John 14:21).

Also, His love is made "complete in us" when we love one another (1 John 4:12).

4. Allow Christ's Love to Stir Up Your Own Love.

Just as we warm ourselves by a fire, we can kindle love for Jesus as we sit by the "fire" of His love.

Once that love is kindled, we can encourage it to burn hot through a number of actions.

We can:

• Read and meditate on Jesus and the "law of the Lord" (Psalm 1:2; Hebrews 12:2a).
• Speak about the Lord and help others see Him more clearly—"bring them" to Jesus.
• Be careful not to displease of offend Him—how can we say we love Him when we cherish the sins for which He died, when we place people and things ahead of Him?
• Stand against the Lord's enemies—Matt. 5:43-44 tells us to love our enemies; but realize that we must never compromise with the stated enemies of Christ (cp. Psalm 139:19-21).
• Hate sin (Proverbs 8:13)—and love, respect, and obey God's commands.
• Abide in, live in, Jesus—remembering that Jesus abides with us as we abide in Him (1 John 2:28 ESV; 1 John 3:24; 4:13).
• Pray continually—keep the connection with Jesus "live" and active (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
• Praise and worship Him, remembering that God "inhabits" the praises of His people—He loves to dwell there (Psalm 22:3 KJV).
• Be ready to forsake or lose any lesser things, if need be . . . for Him (Matthew 10:37; Luke 16:13; John 15:19).

So, yes, we trust that Jesus will help us in response to our prayer for deeper love for Him, but there are also many things we can do to improve it ourselves.

Every one of God's children should be growing in love for Him and for His Son, Jesus. If we're not, we need to seriously consider what is standing in the way.

Do you need to pray what I did—"Lord, I love You . . . help me love You more"? Do you see any hindrances to God not answering that prayer?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Radu Florin at Unsplash.