Summer 2011 Overcoming Fear
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11).
I lost the election.
Our LWML group was only one year old, and it was time to re-elect our rookie officers. Those of us who had been selected as our group's first leaders were willing to tackle another year as a team, but a decision was made to have a "true election" for the position I had been holding — secretary/treasurer. Someone else ran with me, and she won.
With my brave face on, I sat through the closing moments of the meeting and came to understand why people who lose elections may feel no choice but to give up, back down, fade into the woodwork, or just simply leave. But I really didn't want my "LWML dream" to be over after only just one year ...
Disappointment aside, during the next couple days I had to deal with a pit in my stomach whenever I thought about what it would feel like to be in church on Sunday — reading about the election results in the church bulletin, coming face-to-face with the women who had voted for someone else.
Ascending the stairwell into the church narthex that Sunday was an early exercise for me in overcoming fear, having faith that "this too shall pass." Hard stuff for that twenty-something gal, yet the best lesson I could ever learn.
At our next LWML meeting, I volunteered to be devotions chairman for the coming year. It was a creative task that I found myself enjoying; I figured that I'd be happy doing that job for a second year, too, but that was not to be the case when the next elections rolled around.
No one was more surprised than I when the group elected me president the following year. My inner doubts echoed, "It's not my turn yet; I'm not experienced enough." But with my brave face on once again, I sat through the closing moments of that meeting ... knowing His plans are not mine.
Good thing.
Nancy Graf Peters
Editor-in-Chief
editor@lwml.org
Features
2 A Woman on a Mission: Kim Roeske's Story PDF
8 Red Sky at Night PDF
10 The Gift of Tears PDF
12 Debunking Those "Leader Fears" PDF
13 My Road to Leadership PDF
16 S'Mores, Anyone? PDF
20 El Regalo de Lágrimas (The Gift of Tears) PDF
23 Mission Grants Ballot -- Peoria Convention PDF
In Every Issue
1 btw ... Fear Not (I Love You This Much) PDF
11 Grandma's BLOG PDF
11 Lets Pray PDF
12 Faith Talk Tips PDF
14 Young Women's Page PDF
Priscilla's Story — The Rest of the Story PDF
15 Teen Page PDF
22 LWML Product Depot PDF
23 LWML Mission Grants Update PDF
24 Lutheran Women in Action PDF
28 Exclusively for You on the Web PDF
28 Gifts Of Love -- It Takes a Team PDF
29 President's Page PDF
Bible Studies
17 Jesus -- My Shield and My Deliverer PDF
18 Overcoming Fear In The Face Of Trial PDF
19 Superando el Temor Ante la Prueba PDF
21 Who am I to Be a Leader PDF
Music
Fear Not (I Love You This Much) (download using the link, or listen below)
Audio Player Audio Player Audio Player
Full LWQ File: 2011summer.pdf
