Christmas has always been a special time for our family. I remember as a little girl the wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen as my grandmothers and mom were cooking. The excitement of the soon coming extended family to celebrate with us the joy and laughter. We would be sipping hot chocolate as we decorated the beautiful tree that Dad had cut down.
One year after Jon and I had married, as we always did, we went to Mom and Dad’s for the holidays. As we entered the living room where the normal beautiful tree was the center of attention, we noticed that this one was a bit straggly. Dad with his great ability to embellish on a story began to tell us what happened. “As your mom and I were walking through the woods, I kept hearing, “please pick me, please pick me. I want to be the “Christmas tree” for a wonderful family.” So what were we to do but pick this straggly one, and Mom did wonders making that straggly tree beautiful. It was a memory making Christmas that year with the straggly Christmas tree story.
I am so grateful that when I too was like that straggly tree, undone and in need of a savior God, even before the foundation of the world saw my need and sent His Son, Jesus to this earth to be born in a manger on that first Christmas. Then He grew up to die on an old rugged cross so that I could become something beautiful and live for all eternity in His heavenly home. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, so that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life.”
Have a blessed and thankful Christmas.

Phyllis

As I am getting older, I am learning more about what really matters in life. There is a story told by Janice Hune, an associate professor at Kansas State. She said that she was using obituaries as a little window to look at cultural values. She discovered obituaries of the 19th century focused on the deceased’s character while in the 20th century it centered on their financial worth and work.
A life well lived has some qualities that are unmistakable. It is a life of significance declared by God Himself in His word. That life has a significant purpose, to “tell” the great works of God. Psalms 71:18 “When I am old and grey headed, oh God forsake me not until I have declared Your mighty strength to all generations.” Deuteronomy 6:5-7 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your being. You shall teach these things (what things?) the wonders of God to your children and grandchildren. You shall talk of them when you are in your house, walking by the way, lying down and rising up.” Then, “trust” in the Lord. Psalms 31:14 “Trust in the Lord and rely confidently in Him.” Psalms 28:7, “The Lord is my Strength and Shield; my heart has learned to trust in Him.” Then a significant life has learned what the word “toil” really means. When I am feeling unworthy because I am unable to work in the Lord’s fields because of age, sickness, weaknesses, etc. we must remember what our Lord said when the disciples ask Him, “What are we to do, that we may habitually work the works of God? Jesus replied, “This is the work of God that you believe in Jesus Whom the Father has sent you.”
Keep telling, keep trusting, and keep toiling in believing prayer! You are one of the Lord’s most precious significant ones. Our God has declared it!!!!!
Joy,
Phyllis

This time of the year when all the shrubs and flowers are in bloom takes me back to an event that happened several years ago,   when Jon decided to prune (cut back) our front yard shrubs.  When he pruned them, HE REALLY PRUNED them, if you know what I mean.  A man with electric hedge sheers can be so dangerous.  You guessed it, they were just stumps by the time he finished. Not one leaf was left.   He tried to reassure me that in the coming spring, they would be even more beautiful.  I hate to admit it, but when spring arrived….all the new growth on those old shrub stumps was fresh, thick, and gorgeous.

Would you say, that one of the most difficult things for us to accept is when God has to cut away (or prune) unnecessary hindrances from our lives so we can be more like Jesus?   As in horticulture, Spiritual pruning is always done with God’s purpose in mind.  It is used to modify direction or to train.  Do you know that God uses adversity for His purpose in our lives?  As soon as our mind gets snagged on the difficulties, we must take them directly to our heavenly Father, as He knows just how to handle them.  He is always saying, “Come!”   Do we really deep down know that He has a greater good in mind when He allows trouble to come?

We can rejoice in Psalm 1:6: “I am confident of this one thing, He that began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ.”

Joy,

Phyllis

Seems like everywhere we turn, “bad news,” on the TV, radio, news, etc.  If we are not careful, we will be sucked into the gloom and doom.  Just like many of you, my life has been filled with ups and downs.  When this happens to me, I find recounting the mighty works of God helps me move from “fear” to “faith,” and I say with confidence, “BUT GOD.” Let’s travel through the Bible and see that when God’s children were up against the impossible….with God all things are possible. Just a few reminders:

Exodus   God’s children were in Egyptian captivity with no deliverer, an impossible situation? ….BUT GOD through Moses delivered them, parted the red sea so that they walked on dry land to cross over to safety and provided every provision that they would need on their journey.

Daniel 6   Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den with no way out, impossible situation?….BUT GOD stopped the mouths of the lions and saved Daniel because of his faithfulness to the Lord.

Matthew 1   Jesus was born of a virgin, impossible?….BUT WITH GOD all things are possible.

Matthew 14  When there were no provisions, with five thousand hungry men, plus women and children and only 5 small loaves and 2 fish with which to feed them, that’s impossible?…..BUT GOD.  They were fed and had 12 baskets left over.

Luke 24:6 Jesus was crucified and in the grave for 3 days, an impossible situation? …BUT GOD, “Up from the grave Jesus arose,” and God raised Him from the grave so that we could experience salvation and live with God eternally!

My personal testimony of six months in depression years ago with seemingly no hope… BUT GOD.  “God inclined to me and heard my cry.  He drew me up out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay and set my feet up on a rock.  He put a new song in my heart.”  Psalm 40

When we surrendered to the ministry and sold our pharmacy, I wondered about our needs being met, but I can say in over 40 years of ministry now OUR GOD has met in abundance every need we have ever had. “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

When our life seems to be out of control, when fear and confusion are overwhelming, let’s remind ourselves of OUR GREAT GOD, Who is always the same, yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Phyllis

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The word for today is, “encourage.”  Have you ever had someone to be an encourager to you?  I have been blessed through the years to have people like that in my life.  Sometime life can get very discouraging.  Many years ago, I went through months of depression and the Lord brought people around me to encourage me that I could keep on trusting God and in time He would bring good out of that experience. Romans 8:28 says, that all things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose. Little did I know that the very experience of that depression vaulted my future speaking career in Women’s Ministry? To this very day the Lord has been gracious to me to bring encouragers in my journey with God.

In Psalms 11:25 the Bible says that a generous person will prosper and they who refresh others, will be refreshed.  Hebrews 3:13, states that we are to encourage one another day after day, while it is still day.  Everywhere we turn we meet people that are living with discouragement, and unfulfilled hopes and dreams.  Have we been so busy with our own agenda and problems that we just pass them by without a word?

  Oh Lord Jesus, let me be that one that shares your love and encouragement to those that You place in my life.

Blessings,

Phyllis

As our heavenly Father does quite often, God has been reminding me of things that I thought I had already learned some time ago.  Surely, I am not the only one that He has to keep reminding of His truths found in His Word.  “The steps of a good person are ordered by the Lord: and they delight in His way.” Psalm 37:23

A few months ago, I was confronted with an opportunity to re-learn this truth.  As would happen, Jon and I came home from a ministry trip and the TV, the home phone, and internet were not working.  Being very perturbed, I called the company that provides our service and told them that they needed to get that fixed ASAP.  As the service man came to get the problem fixed, it was as though the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “now that you have a captive audience, tell him about My love.”  So I shared with him God’s love, gave a gospel tract, and thanked him for listening.  Suddenly it dawned on me that the scripture that says, “Give thanks in all things,” was finding its way in my heart in a very practical way.  I look on break downs and broken stuff differently now.

Several weeks ago, I once again had the opportunity to experience this truth.  In the middle of a seminar I was teaching at a women’s retreat, my cell phone rang.  It was the airlines calling to let me know that my flight home was cancelled.  At first, I was irritated; then was reminded by the Lord that my steps are all planned.  So I really began to get excited to see what God had planned for me at the airport. While waiting to possibly get a later flight, I sat next to a lady who was heart sick over a major hurt that the family was having with their teenager. She needed a listening ear and an encouraging   word. I was able to remind her of God’s love for the teen and her, also committed to pray for them both over the next weeks. I got an email from her the other day, saying there had been a definite change taking place in their family and thanked me for praying. 

With our heavenly Father there are no “oops” just opportunities.  Lord, help me to not be perturbed when things happen to disturb my day, but instead be excited for what You have in mind.

Phyllis

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Believer’s Fellowship has been hosting Ladies’ RefreshHer Retreats annually for the past 18 years.  Phyllis has been our most requested guest speaker.  Each time she has come with a fresh Word, inspired and humbly led by the Holy Spirit. She has a passion for teaching and mentoring women to have a closer walk with our Savior.

Her messages are prayed over and delivered boldly without compromise.  Even in this, she is loved by our ladies for several reasons.  She has a way of explaining the Word and bringing life to it.  She interacts and ministers to the women individually as well. At one retreat, Phyllis sat on the sofa reading a book out loud to women who sat around her late into the evening.  She makes herself available to the women at all times.  It is not at all unusual to see her talking or praying with a woman during free time or late into the evening after most others have gone to bed.

Following are some comments from the ladies attending the retreat in 2013, “ Living Kingdom Life.”

“Phyllis is amazing and God speaks to me when she speaks.”

“She helped me understand the difference between the law of the Word and loving people.”

“Phyllis is a great speaker.  Very heart changing!”

“I brought a friend that was in pain and having issues and Phyllis personally ministered to her.”

“I am challenged in the Word every day.”

When asked what lesson was learned personally:

“To give up my treasures so that He (God) can take care of them.”

“To yield my treasures to God and let Him take care of them! Yes Them!

“Placing my family “Treasure” in God’s care instead of having to carry the burden of care and safety    

  myself.”

“Renewed my spirit and refreshed my soul.”

“Helped me find more grace.”

“Makes me want to read the Bible and know it.”

“Made me take a closer look at my relationship with Christ.”

As Woman’s coordinator of Believer’s Fellowship, I highly recommend Phyllis.  I personally leave broken, inspired and highly encouraged to continue on in the ministry and for the Lord.  Her love for her husband, her family and most of all for her Lord Jesus Christ is evident!

Trusting Jesus with you,

Rebecca Stricklin

Women’s Ministry Coordinator

Believer’s Fellowship –Spring/Magnolia, TX.