Role Models

Philippians 4:9

"Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

Do you believe we live in an era that's desperate for positive, godly role models? If the Housewives of Orange County, or New Jersey, or Atlanta are what we are learning and putting into practice - we are doomed for dysfunction.

A few months ago, I got to meet a woman whose books radically changed my thinking and my marriage. This woman was my mentor, though, I'd never met her in person. In fact, I used to use her books like how-to manuals. I would refer to her - to my friends - by her first name, Nancy, as if she was my BFF. She didn't know me from Adam's house cat.

So when she walked into my first Iron Sharpens Iron Meeting in April and introduced herself, I nearly fell over! She had no idea - no clue - about the impact she had had on my life and my marriage. And there she was, staring me in the face! What a sweet gift from Jesus for Him to allow me to meet someone who so profoundly changed the course of my life.

This dear woman I am referring to is Nancy Cobb. She is the co-author of The Politically Incorrect Wife, How to Get your Husband to Talk to you, Is There a Moose in your Marriage, and The Best Thing I Ever Did for My Marriage.

Nancy accepted Christ when she was 42 years old. She had 4 children in 5 years. (Yikes!) She was the teaching leader for Bible Study Fellowship in Raleigh, NC for several years before moving to Omaha, Nebraska where she served as director of Women's Ministry in her church for 12 years. She managed a staff of 33. She's appeared on local and national television; she's done 100's of radio interviews around the country and even had her own radio segment devoted entirely to marriage.

The really neat thing about Nancy's story is that, as Paul Harvey used to say, "and that's the rest of the story." She can share the rest of the story. She can share the rest of the story following years of living out God's principle of submission. You see, her husband's faith became sight 3 years ago - when Ray went to be with Jesus. So she has a perspective on submission that truly tells the "rest of the story." In other words, her perspective is different because she CHOSE to respond in a completely radical way despite what many of her friends may have been doing or thinking at the time.

Nancy responded to a few of my blog posts last week. Her comments MUST be shared. (BTW -I asked for permission!) I also asked what her thoughts were on submission and spiritual leadership in the family. (Several of you sent notes to me indicating that YOU are the spiritual leader in the home. This may be the case for many of you.) This week, thanks to Nancy, we'll cover this.

So hang with me each day; you will not want to miss a single post of a woman whose actions we CAN put into practice, a woman who we can emulate! And when we do, we are promised a peace that comes only from God Himself from within our homes.

God willing,

Wednesday: Spiritual Leadership in the Home

Thursday: The Rest of the Story

Friday: 3 Reasons we just Can't or Won't

Don't Forget:

Chick-fil-A; Cary Towne Center, Cary NC

Thursday, July 21st - 4:30-7:30pm

Can't wait to meet you in person :)

Chicken and Witches

Women, wives, mothers - bring your family and friends to Chick-fil-A @ Cary Towne Center:

Thursday, July 21st

4:30-7:30pm

for an evening of fun, fellowship, and exciting give-aways!

As friends and supporters of Knowing God Ministreis, I wanted to personally invite you to our first fundraising event! Your presence will help us launch exciting, life-changing Knowing God Ministries initiatives into the community this fall.

Our vision is to help women and Christian leaders to not only know about God, but to KNOW HIM PERSONALLY, and for their lives, their families, and areas of influence to be impacted as a result of this relationship.

Bring your family or a friend for dinner or just for one of Chick-fil-A's new yummy peach milkshakes! I'd love to meet you if I don't already know you.

*Be sure to say you are there for Knowing God Ministries to ensure we receive the donation*

Hosea 4:6

My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.

Do you have a keen sense of personal space? I do! I'm almost a little neurotic about it.

As soon as someone broaches my threshold, I slowly begin backing up. First with my head and shoulders, then with my feet until the person is out of my space. (Deep down, I think it's a fear of bad breath!) The same is true of today's post. I'm concerned that you'll perceive it as getting a tad too far into your personal space. But my calling is to build up the Body of Christ, to grow the Body to maturity.

Today's post is something that the Lord has been searing on my heart ever since I began seeing the posters and ads for Harry Potter. So, if I'm in your personal space, take it up with the Lord. I'm merely the messenger.

So are you a Harry Potter fan? Will you be joining the masses this weekend in viewing this much anticipated flick?

Years ago, before I had children of my own, I taught a 4th grade Sunday School class in the church we were members of at the time. I'll never forget when the Director of Children's Ministry organized an outing - church buses full of kids - to watch the first Harry Potter movie ever released.

Something about that didn't feel right. The best way to explain it was a lack of peace. So I remember going to the Word to see what God had to say on the subject of witchcraft. I found He says much on the subject. I'll merely share a few.

Deuteronomy 18:10 -

Do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft.

1 Samuel 15:23 -

Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.

2 Chronicles 33:6 -

Manasseh practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft and he consulted with mediums and psychics. He did much that was evil in the Lord's sight, arousing His anger.

Revelation 21:8 -

But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshippers, and all liars - their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

Yikes! Surely, sweet and handsome Harry Potter wouldn't rouse the anger of the Lord. It's just an innocent movie; it's make believe. Can't we have any fun?

Girlfriend, the devil is so subtle, so smooth. The Bible says that Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). There's a whole world religion that practices witchcraft called Wicca. There are an estimated 500,000 people in North America who are practicing Wiccans. Wiccans often practice magic to exert supernatural influence on the world and people.

Do you see the trail? "Harry Potter is so cool! I wanna be like him! Or, I wanna date someone like him. Oh, what do you know, there's a religion where I can find someone like him!"

I met with a woman earlier this week whose ex daughter-in-law is a Wiccan and forbids her children (my friend's grandchildren) from going to church or learning about Jesus.

Based on what I see in God's Word, Harry Potter is dangerous.

The Bible says, "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Protect yourself and your kids from falling under the spell of precious Harry Potter.

A Life that Counts

Ezra 1:3 tells us that King Cyrus proclaimed freedom for the captives of Judah. Ezra 2:64 tells us only 42,360 people took him up on the offer and left their captivity to return to their homeland of freedom.

Why is this significant? I was pondering my morning reading on the way to my kids' school this morning. Then it dawned on me: how easy and comfortable it is to stay in our captivities than it is to expend the effort to get out. Yet Jesus, our KING, has proclaimed FREEDOM for us. (Isaiah 61)

What are our captivities? The captivity of depression, oppression, bad habits, lifestyles that contradict our public persona, bitterness, religiosity... The list could go on and on.

I pondered what it took in order for those 42K+ to be free and the same is required for our freedom. God has a good plan for our lives. He has a life purpose for each of us. But we must be freed from our captivities. What does it take?

• Willingness to leave our comfortable surroundings - the familiar habits


• Mediocre pew-warming


• Often leaving our families - psychologically, emotionally, and culturally.


• Lives possibly seeming unworthy in the eyes of pop culture.


• Leaving paralyzing fear in order to follow God to freedom!

Those exiles who sacrificed eventually arrived in their homeland - the place God wanted them to be. Their lives have been recorded for all eternity. Their lives counted before God.

I want my life to count for God too. Do you? God has a promised land for all of us this side of heaven. I'm still traveling to mine. The road is often uncomfortable and lonely. Sometimes I find myself complaining (Lord, forgive me). Yet I want all that God wants to give me - I want my life to count for all eternity. I hope you'll join me on this journey-