The Glaring Flaw by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

November 23, 2021 No comments Article

For the first time in about eight years, I have been inconsistent in producing Pearls of Promise blogs. Because of a full class load, I’ve had to answer the question, Do I write a blog or do I complete this assignment? As much as I love all of you, I choose the assignment even though there is so much to share.

I promise it will get better next semester. I will be back to four class hours, which seems manageable. I miss the POP blog. It’s one of my favorite ways to do ministry and share God’s truths.

So in light of Thanksgiving, I want to be honest with you about a glaring flaw that I discovered about myself this semester. I am not grateful enough.

We were required to complete a Christian Character evaluation for school. I scored high in “faithfulness” and “compassion”, but alarmingly low in “gratitude.” I wondered why that was and then I figured it out. I don’t slow down enough to think about what I should be grateful for. There are many things I cherish, like my faith, family, health, friends, home and adventures. However, because of busyness, I guess I take all of those gifts for granted.

So today, I am putting on the brakes before I launch into my next school assignment to thank God for the restoration of my life, from a lost fatherless girl to a servant of the King, and for all the many blessings he has given me in both the good times and the bad. I can actually say I am grateful for the trials like my recent COVID bout, because the disease forced me to lie down by still waters and think about all that I am thankful for.

What about you? It’s Thanksgiving week. Will you take thirty minutes out of all the holiday preps to step into the throne room of God and to tell him why you are grateful? I desire to improve in this area, and as I close, I want to tell you how thankful I am for you and grateful you follow the POP blog.

Have a beautiful Thanksgiving.

The Divine Appointment

November 13, 2021 1 comment Article

Do you believe in divine appointments?

I am wrapping up a trip to one of my favorite cities in the world, New York City.

It’s a place where I worked in broadcasting for several years, and lived just north of the city in New Rochelle, New York back in the 90’s.

Tuesday night we celebrated the theatrical premiere of my friend Jenn Gotzon’s movie, The Farmer and the Belle: Saving Santaland.

But I was also up here to tape an interview for a documentary to fight antisemitism. I felt like this assignment flowed directly from God, and now all of the pieces of the documentary are ready to edit. I know the project had God’s hand on it because it came together so quickly.

I enjoy shopping, so after the movie premiere and documentary taping day I decided to spend some down time checking out the Nordstrom’s at Columbus Circle. It’s difficult to travel to the shopping capital of the world without bringing home at least one trophy! I had a dollar number in mind to spend, and because I am a jewelry lover I headed to that department first where I came upon a trunk show featuring Freida Rothman Jewelry.

To my surprise, the designer, Freida Rothman, was actually there. I told her why I was in New York City, and shared with her about the documentary. She responded by saying that both sets of her grandparents were Holocaust survivors. She then gave me a hug for what I was trying to do through my documentary titled “The Resurgence of Antisemitism: How Did We Get Here and What Do We Do About It?”

She led me to a pair of earrings that represented her grandparents’ journey to Brooklyn, a place where they felt safe from the horrors they experienced in the concentration camp. Rothman told me the etchings and the steel on the jewelry were highly indicative of Brooklyn. For many reasons I knew I had to purchase them. One was to support Rothman in the remembrance of her grandparents. Another was to provide a reminder of the journey I have had back to my own Jewish roots; and third, as a tangible visual representing this period of time where I’d received a personal call on my life to fight antisemitism.

It was a divine appointment orchestrated by God.

However, the earrings purchase took up all of my self-imposed budget. I was short one sweater for this trip, and had planned to find something at Nordstrom’s, but everything was more than I wanted to spend. When I told Rothman I loved jewelry she said, “Yes, you can buy a sweater at TJ Maxx and you’ll look a million bucks with a beautiful piece of jewelry.” I had passed a TJ Maxx on the way, so went back to that store and bought a sweater for $25 that will go perfectly with my new earrings.

I did not think this meeting with Freida Rothman was a chance encounter. I believe God placed me in Nordstrom’s as a confirmation that the documentary and the journey I am on is of Him, for Him, and that I am a messenger not afraid to defend His people. It was a beautiful divine appointment that He prearranged.

What about you? Are you paying attention to your divine appointments?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Above by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

November 2, 2021 1 comment Article

What if we asked God to see things from His perspective in every scenario we face?

The sickness.

The betrayal.

The move.

The job loss.

While difficult at the time, we often look back and see that what occurred was necessary to take us to a new level spiritually, or to put us in place for the next assignment God had for us.

The question is, “Why can’t we see our lives from above when we’re in the thick of it?”

Another question we might ask is, “Why don’t we trust the one who is above all?”

John 3:31 says, “The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.”

God has different perspective of our situation. He sees the future. He knows where He is leading us. He has an intricate plan in mind for our lives—and sometimes to get us there, it involves hardship.

So when we go through the next difficult season, let’s pray, “Lord God, will you help me to see this from your vantage point—from above?”

Endure or Quit? By Lisa Burkhardt Worley

October 26, 2021 No comments Article

Are you facing a life roadblock right now?

When experiencing a frustrating delay or impasse, the easiest thing to do is throw up our hands and quit. Who would blame us? But before we walk away from a scenario, we have to ask “Was this a call of God or did we bring this on ourselves?”

As many of you know, I’m in school, and started a new class a week ago, on top of doctoral work. One of the requirements in this class on antisemitism is to produce a ten-fifteen minute presentation on the subject. When praying about this project, a twenty-eight minute documentary unfolded in my mind. Every section. Every detail. It would require some work, but it could be done. I believed it was a direct download from above.

But I’ve faced a few unexpected roadblocks. I have found that many Jewish people do not want to talk about antisemitism, perhaps due to fear, and this is an important part of the documentary. So this morning I am asking myself, “Was this a call of God or was it my idea?” I remembered how the details unfolded and I thought, God wants me to do this so I need to trust him and endure.

Even though I am discouraged, Philippians 4:13 reminds me “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” When the Apostle Paul prayed for the Colossians, he not only prayed for their wisdom and understanding, but he also prayed that they would be strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that they might have endurance and patience.”

Job, who we are probably all familiar with, was stricken with health issues and lost his family, but in Hebrews 5 he is called “a man of great endurance.” Job’s life was restored, and James says the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy” (James 5:11).

Are you needing a little extra help to endure?

The Lord God, our provider can impart what is lacking. Romans 15:5 refers to our heavenly Father as “the God who gives endurance and encouragement.” If you need endurance, turn your scenario over to God and ask Him to work on your behalf. You are not in this alone.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19 NIV)

You’re invited to our monthly POP Chat on October 27th at 6:30 p.m. CST where Aurora Ortega Geis will be speaking about “33 Days in the Valley.” If you are in a valley right now, or have been in one in the past, join us for one hour on POP Chat to be encouraged! Debra Camp will provide our worship. Email us at: info@pearlsofpromiseministries.com for the Zoom link.

Creating Space to Hear from God by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

October 19, 2021 No comments Article

I thought I was distracted.

A detailed plan for a unique television program interrupted my thoughts during my morning quiet time. I kept pushing what I thought was an interruption away, but the download wouldn’t stop. Then it hit me. Maybe the Holy Spirit was trying to speak, and wanted me to record what He was saying. It was at that point I began writing this plan down. I always know when something comes from God because it’s often bigger than what I could accomplish in my own power, and like Peter, I begin to sink when I take my eyes off Jesus. In this case, both happened.

This directive from God came during my time of prayer where I had also created space to listen. I am trying to do better with listening because it is a desire of my heart to hear the voice of God. What about you?

Through my studies this semester, I’ve learned a lot about the importance of creating space to hear the voice of God, so at our Level-Up Conference I provided a formula for doing so, using the acronym SPACE. I thought I’d share.

S- Set aside a time of solitude to just listen and hear God’s voice. A voice can be an impression on your spirit, it could be a thought that you know is not yours. That’s how I often know that it’s God’s voice because I would have never come up with the idea myself. It’s rarely an audible voice.

P- Put away your to-do list, or any thoughts that might interfere with hearing from God. For myself, the best time to stop and listen is after I’ve worshipped, read the word and prayed. At that point, I am in the presence of God. I shouldn’t get up and get busy. I need to just “be.”

A-Ask God what he wants to say to you. When the prophet Samuel was a little boy training under the guidance of the Priest Eli, God spoke to him while he was in his bed, and he didn’t know who it was at first. He thought Eli was calling him, but he wasn’t. Eli, who figured it out, told Samuel to say: “Speak for your servant is listening.” We can do that as well.

C- Come empty. Don’t come into God’s presence with any agenda. When we pray, we are seeking direction for specific things, but the Bible says God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. Be open to whatever He has to say. The download I received for a television show was clearly not my idea. I thought, More work! I am in ministry today because I was open to His leading. I am in school again studying about my Jewish roots, because I listened to the voice of God.

E- Expect to hear from God. I am not saying you are going to hear from him every time, but if you create space in His presence, you are going to receive more divine messages. That’s exactly what I do when I blog. Often, I will sit at my computer without an idea for a blog, and I just wait for the Holy Spirit to speak into my soul and provide a topic. He always does.

Creating space to hear from God could potentially change the course of your life. I know it has mine. God loves you all so much, but He doesn’t want a one-way conversation, and He desires to share some exciting things with you. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

I want to know what’s on God’s mind! What about you? Let’s do this together. Let’s start creating space.