Welcome to New Life Design

Prayer & Praise Update

Prayer & Praise

Hi Everyone!

I guess most are in full swing of Christmas shopping, decorating, cookie baking, etc…!  I can’t believe that this time of year is here already!  That means that New Life Design has been up and running for 3 1/2 months now.  Wow!  Time really does fly when you are having fun!! 

I can truly say we are having a great time around here.  It is awesome to be right in the middle of watching God transform lives.  We have several already far enough in the process where the “lights are starting to come on” so to speak.  They really are walking in a “new Light”.  I just sit back and enjoy hearing their comments of excitement about what they are learning…sometimes I just weep tears of joy because many have hurt so bad and struggled so hard and the moment the “Light” dawns in their minds and hearts it is just overwhelming.

 Please keep praying daily for us!  I read this note this morning while studing on prayer:

“D.E. Host, the man who took over for Hudson Taylor, wrote a book, Behind the Ranges.  He was working in two villages in China.  The people with whom he lived and worked were not doing that well.  But the people in the other village who were across the ranges were doing well!  He visited them now and then, but they were always doing great.  He began to ask the Lord what was goin on.  How could those across the ranges be doing better than those with whom he lived and worked?  The Lord showed him the answer.  Although he was spending much time counseling, preaching, and teaching, to those with whom he lived, he spent much more time in prayer for those across the ranges.  He concluded that there were four basic elements in making disciples: 1. prayer, 2. prayer, 3. prayer, 4. The Word..in that order and in about that amount.”    Leroy Eims, DTS Chapel   

Some specific requests:

1.  Our Clients – as the story above noted – pray, pray and pray some more!  We now have around 10 individuals and two couples going through the coaching process!  We are half way to full capacity in just 3 months!  Praise the Lord!!

2. More New Clients – Join me in praying that as folks are ready to hear this message that God will allow New Life Design to cross their paths and they will have the courage to call us.

3.  Speaking Engagementon December 7th at Pleasent Grove Baptist Church for their Women’s Christmas Dinner.  They have almost 300 women signed up.  Pray that God will clearly communicate His message through me.  Topic for the evening:  Keys that Unlock the Mystery of Prayer.

4.  Support Raising for Rebecca and Myself.  Continue to ask God to raise up donors for our ministry so we can keep doing what God has called us to do!

Thank you so much for your prayer support!  We love you and appreciate you! 

“God does not say we must have a great faith, but faith in a great God!”  Dr. Lee Turner – The Grace Discipleship Course

Enjoying the New Design,

Dana

Open House

Welcome

We are having an Open House!  Come out and see our new office on December 14, 2007 sometime between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.  We want to let our friends and donors see where we are and what we’re doing.  Food & drinks will be provided.  Pray that God will accomplish His purposes for this event.  Hope to see you there!

🙂 Rebecca

New Connections

Identity

God’s Word IS alive and active!  I was reading 1 Peter 2:9 this morning, and God began to make some new connections in my mind.  It is a familiar verse that I have read many times.  Isn’t it amazing how God’s Word never grows old!  I just love these Ah Ha! moments.  Here is the thought progression and the connections that God made today:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”        ~1 Peter 2:9

I am a chosen race...I am chosen...I am accepted!
I am a royal priesthood...royalty...I am significant!
I am a holy nation...I am holy...I am acceptable!
I am God's own possession...I belong to God...belong...I am secure!
My purpose is to proclaim His excellencies...I have a purpose...I am significant!

If you are a believer, then you, too, are ACCEPTED, SIGNIFICANT, and SECURE!!

Rebecca:-)

Dishwashing Revelations

Identity

I was washing dishes the other day and God began speaking to my heart.  I was getting stressed as I thought about the things I needed to do that evening.  One of them was to return something I borrowed.  This was the dialogue in my mind:  

“ME:  I have to return this tonight.  I have to return this tonight to show him I am responsible and dependable.  GOD (as I heard him in first person):  I don’t have to show him anything.  I don’t have to prove myself to him.  If there’s anything I want to show him it’s Christ.  How can I show him Christ if I’m striving to show him I am responsible and dependable?” 

Many times in my life I have thought about doing good in order to show people Christ, to be an example to others.  I thought, “If I’m going to show people Christ then I must act like Christ”, so I strived to be like Christ.  In this scenario, people weren’t really seeing Christ at all.  They were seeing my flesh(my efforts) trying to acheive my own righteousness.  I had it all backwards.  I don’t have to do anything.  I don’t have to strive to be responsible or dependable.  I just abide in Christ and let Him live through me.  That’s how Christ is seen!

Rebecca:-)

Our Faith Journey Pt. 4 – The Choice

Our Faith Journey

Hello everyone and welcome back to the Faith Journey Blog.  Last time in part 3 we talked about the role of perseverance and faith.  Today we are looking at “The Choice”. 

You may be thinking, “what do you mean by “The Choice?”.  I am talking about the choice to turn back, to give up on walking by faith and go back.  There are some interesting verses in Hebrews 11:13-16.  Let me share them with you…

“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.  For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.  And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.  But as it is, they desired a better country, that is a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” 

About a year ago I had the privilege of taking my ladies that attend our Wednesday Morning Bible Study through the study Patriarchs by Beth Moore.  In that study we took a very detailed look at Abraham’s (also known as Abram before God changed his name)calling to leave the land of Ur and travel to a land promised to him and his descendants.  Apparently, half way through that journey to Canaan, Abraham’s father Terah who was 205 years old died in Haran. (Genesis 11:32)  Abraham was right in the middle of stepping out in faith following God – not knowing where he was going and his own father dies.  We often experience trials like this in our journey of faith. 

I know for me personally, I can identify somewhat with Abraham.  Just after I graduated from college and moved to Texas to start Seminary my father passed away.  Here you are struggling to be obedient to God, taking a big step to follow Him not knowing where it will lead you and then tragedy strikes.  Many of us have been in similar shoes.  When this happened to me, I obviously had to return home to be with my mom and bury my father.  After things were settled, there came the question, “Are you going to continue to follow and trust God or sit here where it is comfortable?”  I could have called off going to Seminary and following God’s call on my life.  It would have been easy to do that because my first two months out there were not easy at all.  As a matter of fact, they were quite miserable.  It was my first taste of being away from home and on my own.  My job was tough, school was tough, my roommates were at each others throats constantly those two months, my car broke down three times and left me stranded on the side of the road (no cell phone-too broke to have one), I accidentally backed into someone – no damage thank goodness – all the while calling home only to find my father’s condition was deteriorating.  Mom and Dad both tried to hide that, but I knew in the back of my mind things would not get better.  After having such a tough experience to look back on, going back was not what I wanted to do.  I had a choice.  I even tried to pursue going to a different Seminary thinking that would be better, even closer to home.  Yet, I remember that day walking down the hallway that God spoke to my heart, “Dana, you have to go back.”  I knew that my calling depended on it. 

Likewise, Abraham could have turned back and gone home.  Back to the familiar – the comfort and ease of home, friends, stability etc…  Yet, he choose obedience.  He buried his father, helped his family and then God called out to him again.  Genesis 12:1-3 says that God called forth to Abraham again and reminded him of the promise that he would be a great nation with many descendants with a land of their own one day.  It is interasting that verse 1 says, “Now the LORD said to Abram…”  Look at that word “Now”.  I was As if to say, “Now, that is done and Abram, it is time to move forward.”  When we have these moments of interruption in our faith journey it does not mean that God can’t be trusted or that He has lost control.  I think the opposite is true.  He may be asking, “Are you still going to trust me “NOW” that this has happened?  Do you believe I can work even through this?  Do you love me enough to trust me despite your circumstances?”  Wow…big questions to ponder.  Well, the choice is yours and mine.  Are we going to press on and go where God leads or do we turn back.  One helpful hint here…according to Hebrews 11:13 if you are focusing on the comforts or things that you left, you will have opportunity to return.  My friend, if God has called you forward you can’t look back.  You can’t focus on what you left behind or you will stumble and fall as you are trying to move forward.  So, what do you say…let’s make a deal….you take my hand and we will keep moving forward together!

Dana

Our Faith Journey Pt. 3 – Perseverence

Our Faith Journey

Hello everyone!  We hope that you are enjoying the New Life Design Blog!  We encourage you to let us know your thoughts by responding in the comment section.  If God spoke a word to you while reading, or if you have questions or comments about the ministry please let us know.

About this thing called perseverance….I am learning that perseverance is like a nice glove that slides perfectly on the hand of faith.  At the beginning of last April as I was pondering over the calling to begin New Life Design, I had a few unanswered questions. To be quite honest, some fear began creeping into my heart.  I knew my flesh felt uneasy about leaving what was familiar and the familiarity of a weekly pay check.  While reading in Hebrews 11 one day my eyes glanced up to the end of chapter 10 verses 35-39.  “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.  For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.  But my righteous one shall live by faith; and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in Him.  But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”  As you know Chapter 11 then begins telling us that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  We see there that Enoch obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.  The very next verse (vs.6) then says, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  Obviously, that was all the confirmation that I needed to put to rest my doubts.

As we have “persevered in faith” Father has provided most graciously for New Life Design.  He has not let us down.  The phone even rang again today and we are continuing to add clients.  Thank goodness that God knows the pace at which to send them because if they came any faster Rebecca and I would really be taken for a loop – for those of you who know us, we know you are laughing right now and don’t worry, grace allows us to laugh at ourselves with you!

What has God called you to?  What dream has He planted deep within your heart and mind?  Are you afraid to follow the dream?  I know how you feel, but listen….if God is in it – if God is for it – who can be against it?  If God is in it and for it you must persevere!  Oh the joy we miss out on by not follow Christ in faith.  God bless you on your faith journey. 

Dana

Lies and Truth about Significance

Identity

I have always believed that one’s career should provide a portion of significance in life.  Because of this belief, I have experienced quite a bit of inner conflict.  I love my current job, but it doesn’t make me feel very significant.  I get caught up in thoughts like, “What if I had majored in something different in college?  What if I had gone into the corporate world and had a more prestigious job making a significant salary?  I’m not meeting the standard./I’m not good enough.  Did I make the wrong choice?  I should be ‘making more of myself’.”  It’s thoughts like these that tie me up in knots.  Praise the Lord!  He has set me free from this!  A couple of weeks ago, He revealed a very important truth to me–God didn’t design my career to be a source of significance.  He, Himself, makes me significant.  He is the creator.  He is the only one with the authority and power to assign value to His creation.  He says I am “fearfully and wonderfully made”.  He says I am “holy and dearly loved”.  I am now very content in this job that I love because I now know that it’s not supposed to give me significance.  That’s God’s job!  What a sense of peace and freedom believing the TRUTH brings!

Rebecca 🙂

Praise & Prayer Requests

Prayer & Praise

Hello Prayer Team!

If you have been keeping up with our blogs you have seen that we have been doing a lot of praying!  Rebecca mentioned the Prayer Retreat that we did last week.  That was an incredible experience.  I can not put into words what that experience meant to me except to say that it was the most productive 48 hours of my life!  This kind of experience really sharpens your senses to the Holy Spirit and His presence in and around you.  We really felt like God gave us some keen insight about several things concerning NLD (New Life Design).  I will be sharing some of those things in this email update. 

Below you will find an updated prayer and praise list.  We thank you for your continued prayer support daily for NLD!

Praises

1.  As you may have seen in a previous blog last week we did add 4 more clients and that has come through “officially”!  We have several more potential clients so pray that if it is God’s timing that they will contact us.

2.  The NLD Brochures for advertising that we are having designed will soon be finished and ready for printing.  We have been praying for the money to cover the cost for printing and constantly tweaking our budget in preparation to pay for them.  We were not sure what the exact cost would be but we found out that it will be about $400 cheaper than we were expecting!!  So…I am happy to announce that due to some small unexpected donations that have been given and our constant “tweaking” we do have the money to pay for the printing now!  Thank the Lord!!  God really does take each ones “small amount” and turn it into something big to accomplish His purposes!!  He also uses gifts and abilities that He has endowed us with to accomplish His purposes as well – so special thanks to John for donating his time & talent designing and Rebecca for her work “tweaking” our budget to make sure we are able to do this.  God has blessed us with some great folks with some great talents!!  Ministry happens because of you!  We are grateful!!

Prayer Requests

1.  Continue to pray that our phone will ring with new clients as the Lord directs and has people ready.

2.  We need more folks to be monthly support donors.

3.  Support Dinners – Monday, October 29 & Tuesday November 15.  This is an idea that we have been praying over for several weeks and on the prayer retreat we felt like God gave us the “green light” on this.  He has mapped out the details – who, when, where, and how.  This idea involves two dinners in which different folks would be invited to attend.  After a meal together we will share the vision and ministry of NLD with those present.  We will let them know how God showed us this plan and called us out to do this.  We will then help them understand the direction that we feel God has asked us to pursue and then ask them to prayerfully consider becoming a monthly donor for NLD as well as a prayer team member.  We feel like God has laid specific families on our minds to invite to these dinners.  Please pray that God would begin to prepare their hearts and minds about this and that they will walk in obedience with what He shows them to do.

4.  Pray for God’s protection over the ministry of NLD.  Remember – the enemy is not happy that this ministry is up and running!  (1 Peter 5:8)

5.  We are in the midst of decision making concerning some items of insurance.  Ask God to grant us wisdom and insight to make the right decisions. 

Thank you for your faithful prayers!  Because of our new identity in Christ Jesus we have complete access to our Father and can approach His throne with confidence and faith believing that He hears us and will grant us our request!  Oh, speaking of prayer…I have been asked to speak on December 7 at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church at their women’s ministry Christmas Dinner on prayer.  Please ask Father to give me a specific word from Him to share with them on that special night.  Also pray for their planning and prep.  I know they would appreciate it!

Enjoying The New Life! 

Dana

Prayer Retreat

Prayer & Praise

Dana & I went on a Prayer Retreat last Thursday & Friday to bathe New Life Design in prayer.  It was an incredible experience!  We talked to God, and we listened to God about His plans for NLD.  We interceded for our clients and asked God’s hand of power and protection to cover the ministry.  This was a very special time for me, personally.  I enjoyed getting away, being still and quiet, and talking/listening to God.  It was definitely an intimacy building time.  I experienced several “aha” moments as I read scripture and prayed.  We decided to make this a regular event for New Life Design.  When I was in college and in China, I had my own personal days or half-days of prayer, but I’ve fallen out of the habit since I returned to Powder Springs 3 years ago.  I’m thankful for the reminder of how great it is!  I encourage you to try it as well.  Take a weekend, day, or a half-day, find a quiet place without any distractions, and enjoy the presence of God. 

Rebecca:-)