by Kelli Garms | Aug 9, 2019 | Family, Women of Crossway, Women's Ministry
Every time I hear the phrase “even if” it reminds me of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace (Daniel 3). They were threatened with being thrown into the fire if they didn’t worship the king’s idol. I’m always amazed by their response: Our God can protect us, but EVEN IF He doesn’t, we will still worship only Him.
Will you worship only God…
Even if you don’t pass that test?
Even if you don’t get that job?
Even if you don’t get that promotion or rank?
Even if He doesn’t restore your marriage?
Even if He doesn’t save your child?
Even if He doesn’t cure that terrible disease?
It is easy to be impressed with those who have gone before. Sometimes we hear these stories so often they lose their wonder.
I’m praying for you today because life is hard, and these questions are hard, and we hope we will make the right choice when we are faced with it!
by kelligarms | Jul 7, 2018 | Family, Women's Ministry
Can you believe we are halfway through 2018? How are your goals going? Let’s take a look.
First, this is not about resolutions. A resolution can be, “I want to lose weight this year,” or “I want to make more money.” These statements are vague and not measurable. We are talking about goals.
Goals should be specific, measurable, and have a deadline.
So instead of “I want to lose weight this year,” a goal would be “I will lose 20 pounds this year.” That is specific, you can keep track throughout the year, and there is a deadline.
Tip #1 Re-evaluate
I don’t know about you, but I am in a very different place than I was at the beginning of the year when it comes to my mindset.
- Look at your list of goals and decide if they are goals you really want to pursue.
I’m not talking about a goal that you haven’t hit so you take it off your list. I’m talking about a goal that sounded good at the time, but isn’t something you are actually committed to pursuing.
Maybe at the beginning of the year you wanted to lose 20 lbs., but you are not willing to sacrifice the time it takes to meal plan and work out. You aren’t willing to sacrifice the money it takes to join a gym or buy healthier food. You aren’t willing to sacrifice your tastebuds and really want to keep eating the foods you like. If this is the case, then losing weight is an aspiration but not a goal.
- Maybe you need to modify your goals to be more in line with who you are today.
My goal in my business was to add a certain number of customers. I have since grown through training and personal development, and my new goal is to serve a certain number of people whether or not they become my customers.
Tip #2 Re-commit
Now that you know the goals on your list are goals you actually want to pursue, sit down and figure out what it is going to take to hit those goals.
Work it out on paper.
- What steps do you need to take to make that goal a reality?
In my business, I know the requirements for me to hit my goal are to bring in a minimum of 4 new customers and one new business partner each month. These are the smaller goals within the big goal. I can then break this smaller goal into specific steps.
- Something that might come up at this stage of the game is the deadline.
Don’t ever lower the target, but you may need to evaluate your deadline.
Let’s say you set a goal of losing 50 lbs. by December 31st. You have been working hard to stay on track, and you have lost 10 lbs. so far. Hurray!! You have lost 10 lbs. That’s amazing! But, is it realistic to think that you will be able to lose 40 more in the same amount of time? It is ok to modify the deadline and still be committed to the goal.
Tip #3 Reward
(how do you like that alliteration? My teacher and preacher friends will surely appreciate it!)
We are incentive driven creatures.
Just think back to your school days when you were offered little trinkets as incentives to do fundraisers. As a mom, I beg my kids to just let me buy them the trinket online! But I have found even as an adult, I am motivated by incentives. My company offers trips, bonuses, and free products. Right now, I’m working toward earning an iPad even though I could just go buy one!
- A reward for hitting your goal will keep you motivated even when you don’t feel like moving forward.
Maybe for a weight loss goal you want to go on a beach vacation. For a financial goal you may want to invest in a new computer or a trip. Make sure you choose something you really want so it will keep you focused on the goal.
If you’ll take a little time to implement these three tips, you will find that it can make the difference between hitting your goals sooner instead of putting them off for another year.
by kelligarms | Jun 19, 2016 | Family
Update: My dad passed into glory on August 2, 2017, just shy of his 70th birthday. He is whole again and in the presence of his Savior.
My Dad, David Lingo, is one of my heroes of the faith.
He and my mom raised me and my two sisters not only in a Christian home, but also in a missionary home. All three of us were saved at a young age and participated in the ministry. My parents were adamant God had not called them to the field, He had called all of us. As a result, I never felt like being a missionary kid deprived me of anything. They also instilled in us we are missionaries no matter where we are. So, when we returned to the U.S. for a year-long furlough, we were still to be telling others about Jesus.
God called us off of the mission field when He opened the door for my parents to become professors in the Missions Department at Baptist Bible College. They spent 20 years sharing their vision and the biblical foundation for missions with countless students. “The God of the Old Testament is a missionary God,” is a statement they all remember well. Although my dad was a missionary kid himself and has always had a desire to go back to the field, he understood he could do more for the cause of Christ by training hundreds of people to go than if he went himself.
During the time he spent teaching at BBC, he became the pastor of a rural church after their pastor was killed in a tragic accident. Through the church, my parents were able to extend their reach by training young couples headed into ministry. Their heart has always been to train and send for the cause of Christ.
About five years ago, everything changed.
As a result of several traumatic events in his life, my dad suffered a brain injury. The medical professionals have called it a “stroke-like event.” His official diagnosis, which is supported by the symptoms we have seen, is Dementia. This brain disease has caused him to lose his ability to communicate and to interact with the present world. Although he speaks, sometimes in English and sometimes in Spanish, his words are jumbled and rarely make a coherent thought. Many days he believes himself to be a young man or a child still on the mission field with his parents. Several times he has grieved the passing of his dad over again because he doesn’t remember it happened.
One thing that has not changed is his tenderness toward the Gospel. Many times he has made himself understood when he is burdened for the lost and dying world. He makes sure those around him have heard the truth of Scripture. He cries tears of happiness when he thinks of all the missionaries serving Christ today. My dad spent his life in the business of communicating the love of Christ, and, although he has lost that ability, his burden for the lost is still so evident.
My sister reminded me today of 2 Corinthians 4:17 “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (ESV). We pray daily for God to heal my dad, and we pray believing that He will. It may not be on this earth, but my daddy will be healed someday. In the meantime, I’m grateful to get to share his legacy with you.
Please pray for our family as we face the daily battles of this situation, and especially pray for my mom as the wedding vows she took 48 years ago, “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health,” are present with her every day. She has lost her spouse, her companion, her best friend, and her leader. He is physically present, but gone in every other way.
Are you facing a “light affliction” today?
Have you lost hope in your situation? Remember your life is only a “mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14, ESV). And when this life ends, we will have eternity to spend in the perfect presence of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. I challenge you to live with the end in mind and stay the course. God will reward your faithfulness.
