Recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month

 

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The world's attention has been on domestic abuse the last few weeks with the death of Gabby Petito. As October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, guest blogger Terri Webster, shares some vital information about this stain on our society. Terri is a true Titus 2 woman and has been instrumental in helping women in need and at one time started a ministry that helped women who sought a safe refuge after abuse. Her novel, Journey to the Forgotten Coast, spotlights the trauma of domestic abuse. She recently released the sequel to this story in, Island of Refuge. Read to the end of the post to find out about a giveaway for Terri's book. 

by Terri Webster

She may stand in line behind you at the grocery store. You might pass her on the street every day or work side by side at your job. She even sits next to you every week during worship at church.

Sharing Inspiring Blogs to Read and Follow

by Barbara Latta

I thought a good way to start the year would be to share some of the blogs I read and follow for advice, inspiration and direction. The internet brings a whole new world to our way of gathering

Sharing Inspiring Blogs to Read and Follow

information and experiences.
You will be blessed by reading any of these blogs. 


Lisa Hetzel is a living kidney donor. She writes about the importance of organ donation and answers questions and dispels myths about transplants. 

Terri Webster has set up a foundation for women in various stages of need and writes to encourage and inspire hope in those who are hurting.

Bobbie Iliff shares her story of finding Christ and filling her life with living water. She will be hosting Free Beauty Treatments to Pamper and Nourish Your Soul on February 10, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at the Monroe-Walton Center for the Arts in Monroe, Georgia. 

Julie Garmon has written numerous articles for Guideposts and shares lovely thoughts and encouraging posts about learning from friends, life and love.

Edie Melson shares instruction and direction about writing, social media and marketing. Her classes and blog are the inspiration that started this blog of mine.

Lori Hatcher shares posts and devotions teaching us to have a closer walk with God and listening to His voice. 

Putting On the New is a website sharing daily devotions from a different writer each day and one that I contribute to each month. 

LaTan Roland Murphy is a worship leader and interior decorator who brings decorating tips into our worship life showing us how to make everything beautiful. 

Christa Hutchins gives instruction on finding your purpose for a ministry or business and keeping everything organized. 

Cindy Sproles writes Appalachian fiction and is the co-founder of Christian Devotions. She writes from the heart about God's remedy for life's struggles.

There are many more that help me in my writing journey and my devotional walk with God. I hope you will visit these sites and see what helpful and encouraging words you can encounter for your life. Click on the name and you will be taken to their site. 

Please feel free to share any blogs or devotion sites that inspire you.

Happy January!

Inspiring Blogs to Read and Follow (click to tweet)

Say Good-bye to Procrastination this Year

This week's post is by my friend and writing partner, Terri Webster.

by Terri Webster

Do you struggle with procrastination? I’m raising my hand high right now because I do.

Do you struggle with procrastination?

I have many great intentions and ideas. Unfortunately most of them never make it from my head and into actionable reality.

It’s incredibly frustrating.

We are now already in the second week of 2017.

Have you set your goals yet for this year, made your New Year resolutions? Do you have a plan?

I no longer make resolutions. I’ve tried setting goals, but have only been about 50% successful.

What’s the difference between resolutions and goals? 

A goal is a target; an end result that is reached over time. A goal needs a detailed plan; steps on how you’re going to reach the desired results.

A resolution in relation to a new year, is an intention; something you intend to do immediately, but maybe without a laid-out plan.

You might make a resolution to stop smoking or begin an exercise program. But without a step-by-step plan on how you’re going to keep the resolution, will NOT put you among the 8% of people who actually achieve their new-year resolutions. (www.statisticbrain.com)

A goal needs a detailed plan.

I’ve recently learned that successful goal-setting comes from writing them down and then displaying them where you see them regularly.

Last year I set several goals. A couple of them I stuck with and gained wonderful results and blessings. I had a plan in place, with the complete realization that it would be God’s power that enabled me to carry through with the plan.

I can’t tell you what the other goals were. I didn’t write them down and make a plan.

On Sunday, January 1, 2017, I heard a powerful message at church about setting goals. The key is writing them down with a plan of action. Then make sure they’re posted in plain view for you to see daily.

The pastor outlined detailed prompts based on Luke 2:52, which states, And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Since our main goal is to be more like Jesus, this makes it basic and simple.

·         Grow as Jesus did, ie, gaining wisdom and growing spiritually

·         Grow as Jesus did in stature/body; our physical state

·         Grow as Jesus did socially with God and man. Finding favor with God and people.

He ended it with these five words: “Don’t wait! Do it now!”

The pastor challenged us with a timeframe of writing down your goals and plans within 24-48 hours. If you put it off, or wait until a better time, the odds of completing your goals falls drastically.

If you wait until the wind and weather are just right, you will never plant anything and never harvest anything. Ecclesiastes 11:4

Wow! How many times have I waited until I thought there was a better time?

Writing down goals brings success.

According to a Harvard study, those who had goals in their heads, but didn’t write them down, earned about twice the amount of those who had no goals at all. But those who had goals and wrote them down, earned ten times more than those who had no goals, and those with goals only in their head.

I knew if I waited until my next day off or a “better time” to write down my goals and make a plan, it wasn’t going to happen.

My pastor suggested to first clarify on paper what is important to you. Make a list of what you value and what you want.

Once I did that and framed it with Luke 2:52, the rest flowed out into an outline where everything fit on one page.

Under each category, i.e., Gaining Wisdom, Growing in Body and Gaining Favor (Socially), I listed steps on how I was going to accomplish each goal.

Within the first 24 hours my 2017 Goals and Plan of Action was complete!

I am giddy with excitement because setting goals and following through has been a major issue for me.

I’m staring down the tunnel of turning 60, in the not-so-distant future. It’s time I follow through with what’s important to me and achieving goals I’ve only talked about for years.

I hope you’re now encouraged to set your personal goals and make a plan of action. It’s never too late. There’s no time like the present because guess what…later will never come!

Don’t wait! Do it now!

I pray an abundance of His rich blessings on you as you sit down in the next 24-48 hours and write down your goals and plan of action.

Here’s to a wonderful and fulfilling 2017!

Terri

Say good-bye to procrastination this year (click to tweet)

Terri Webster

Terri began writing in her private journals as therapy to cope with the pain and hardships of being a single mom. This grew into a passion to write with a purpose.

She published “Markers for Single Moms: Finding God’s Direction in the Chaos,” in 2013. She wrote and composed “When All Seems Lost”, performed by Sara Oliver, which is the inspiration for her next book, “Prayer Markers for Single Moms: When All Seems Lost.”

Other publications include stories for Chicken Soup for the Soul and numerous feature articles for a local newspaper.

Terri founded Spring Ministries, Inc., in 2011, and is a member of EMACW.

Single Parent Christmas

Today's guest post is by my friend and fellow writer, Terri Webster. 

by Terri Webster

Getting through the holidays can be especially difficult for single parents. Making new

traditions, discovering a new normal, and staying involved and connected were a few ways I dealt with the holidays throughout my single-parent years.

I remember my first Christmas as a single parent, 27 years ago. This memory is etched in my mind with countless others as if hanging on a museum wall.

My daughter was a toddler and her brother was six. The holidays that year were prefaced with the dissolving of my marriage to their father in November. Thanksgiving was a blur.

As I was attempting to pick up the shattered remnants of my life, reality of being a single parent suddenly draped over me like a sopping, wet blanket on a cozy fire.

My kids were going to be with their dad Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. To

add insult to misery, I was sure some of that time would be with his girlfriend, who just happened to be my best friend. It never occurred to me that my kids wouldn’t be with me Christmas Eve.

In the early days of our separation, and divorce, not a day went by that I didn’t throw myself

at the mercy seat of God for strength to get through each day. Sometimes I shook my fist at Him in anger for allowing my family to be ripped apart. When I quit blaming God, I found great comfort and strength, as I depended on His word daily like an IV drip.

When pouring my heart out at His feet during these scary changes, He showed me how to rise above my circumstances and discover new ways to celebrate the holidays as a family.

I went to church as planned that first Christmas Eve. During the dreaded drive home alone, I purposefully focused on the true meaning of Christmas. I thought about Jesus leaving the comforts of Heaven to come to our broken world and become the payment for sin. He made a way for me to have a personal relationship with Him that will last all of my life on earth and into eternity with Him.

I found a big surprise waiting on me when I got home that night. The gift of peace was waiting. Joy was there too, along with comfort. Exhausted, I fell into bed while listening to Christmas music. I woke up Christmas morning to my kids coming home, excited to go see our other family members.

One single mom says, “I always try and do little things with just my daughter and me, like

making funny videos, and acting silly. We’ll take a drive and I let her play whatever music she wants while we sing and dance in the car. I don’t have a lot of money so the cheapest things we can do that will make memories is what’s important to me. We go to my parents’ a lot, as it’s the one thing that has been constant and stable in my daughter’s life. She’s at the age now where she understands the true meaning of Christmas and knows it’s not about a lot of presents.”

The holidays don’t have to be about expensive presents and buying things you can’t afford.

Something else a single-parent family can do together is volunteer at a local food pantry, shelter or other outreach. This will surely put things into perspective if you have a roof over your head, know where your next meal is coming from and have several outfits to choose from every day.

Finally, whether it was December 25^th, winter, spring, hot or cold, Jesus was born homeless in a stable. His parents had nothing to give Him that first Christmas. He lived on purpose. He died as penalty for our sin, then rose from the grave back to life so we could be with Him for eternity. That is the reason for the season and plenty to celebrate!

How do you handle holidays when you feel alone? Share your thoughts.

Terri Webster

Terri began writing in her private journals as therapy to cope with the pain and hardships of being a single mom. This grew into a passion to write with a purpose.

She published “Markers for Single Moms: Finding God’s Direction in the Chaos,” in 2013, facebook.com/markersforsinglemoms. She wrote and composed “When All Seems Lost”, performed by Sara Oliver, which is the inspiration for her next book, “Prayer Markers for Single Moms: When All Seems Lost.”

Other publications include stories for Chicken Soup for the Soul and numerous feature articles for a local newspaper.

Terri founded Spring Ministries, Inc., in 2011, and is a member of East Metro Atlanta Christian Writers. You can visit Spring Ministries on Facebook facebook.com/springministriesinc.

Markers For Single Moms

Book Review Friday

by Barbara Latta

Terri Webster became a single mom 25 years ago when her dream of a perfect marriage was shattered. She remained a single parent for 19 years and during that time she learned to depend on God through the truths revealed in this book.

Markers for Single Moms

Through a series of events she became born again and found new life with Christ. Her healing journey was a step by step process of learning to rely on God for all her needs.

Markers for Single Moms: Finding God’s Direction in the Chaos will guide a single mother through the journey of hoping again and learning to let Jesus fill all the emotional holes single parenthood can leave in her life.

Terri uses an experience she had on a hiking trail where she went to be alone and talk to God. She followed rocks on the side of a mountain that led her down the opposite side. After realizing these were markers to direct hikers, she looked ahead but couldn’t see all the stones at once.  Only after she reached the one in front of her could she see the next one, then the next, and the next. This allowed a hiker to stay on the trail and not get lost.

She knew then God was directing her life the same way. He gave her markers for her life to follow and as she trusted Him with each step, the next one was revealed.

This book will help the reader find these thirteen markers for her own life. The first one is "Meet Jesus", others include "God is Your Provider", "Victim or Victor?", and "Pressing On". 

Terri's passion is to help women who have suffered through the difficulties of raising children alone. She has started a ministry for single women located in Covington, Georgia called Spring Ministries.

Terri’s blog is My Writing Well.  Her book is available at Amazon.