Even So by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

September 18, 2021 No comments Article

The pressure is mounting.

I still have some residual effects of COVID, a little congestion and occasional headaches, and a week from Monday I leave to speak at a Fatherless Summit in Wisconsin, the following weekend at a women’s conference in College Station, then we hold our Level-Up Conference in Lewisville, TX on October 9^th. That alone requires a lot of work and time. But I trust and know that God is faithful and compassionate and the One who called me to these events will accomplish the task through me and our POP team.

This week, as I was reading in Psalm 106, I was especially thankful for the LORD’s compassion and forgiveness. It’s an account of the Israelites’ history—the good and the bad. After God saved them from a life of slavery in Egypt, they were obedient for a while, but then turned on Him by worshipping idols and sacrificing their children. That understandably made God angry so he allowed His chosen ones to be taken captive by their enemies.

But here is the verse that impacted me: “Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries. He remembered His covenant with them and relented because of his unfailing love. He even caused their captors to treat them with kindness” (Psalm 106:44, NLT).

God was forced to issue discipline, but His love remained the same, so much so that he made sure they were treated with kindness by their enemies.

And I thought about my “even so’s.”

When Lisa turned away from God for seventeen years after salvation, even so, God pitied her in the midst of a career crash and brought her back into His fold.

There have been times where Lisa placed other idols before God, but even so, He allowed her some success and patiently waited for her to come back to Him.

And when, because of the roots of her fatherless past, Lisa feels betrayed, even so, God always restores her faith in mankind through acts of love.

What is your “even so?”

No matter how you may have “failed” in your faith journey, God’s compassion and love never changes for you. He is the God of “even so’s.” He will always forgive. He always restores. And he’s always waiting for us to repent and return to Him. The warranty never expires on His love.

The remembrance of the even so’s gives me the strength to move forward—in difficult times. Today I am thankful that God will never cast me aside. What about you?

Sometimes God Says No by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

September 11, 2021 No comments Article

Over the past couple of weeks of quarantine, I’ve been praying for others who are suffering with COVID, maybe more than I’ve prayed for my husband and myself. My friend Linda sent 101 healing Scriptures to declare over myself, and when I pray these promises found in God’s Word, I also pray the verses over the names of those I know with COVID. Two days ago, I received the devastating news that one of those I was praying for, a friend’s husband, succumbed to the virus. Because he was clinging to life in ICU, I had been fervently interceding for him and believed with all my heart that no matter how bad it looked, God could heal his body. I was devastated when I heard the news that he passed away.

I was one of countless people praying for this godly man, so when an army of intercessors pray for someone—in this case healing—and it does not happen, we may wonder Do our prayers even make a difference? The answer is yes, God answers all prayers, but sometimes He says no.

I think of King David who pleaded with God for his first son with Bathsheba to live and not die. 2 Samuel 12 says David “fasted and spent the nights lying in sackclothon the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them” (2 Samuel 12:16–17). This went on for seven days but when, on the 7^th day of intercession, David found out his child had died, he cleaned himself up, changed his clothes and went to church and worshipped. He also stopped his fast. He was not angry with God, did not disconnect from Him nor did he stop praying. David’s the one who said in Psalm 86: 1-2, “Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you.” David never lost his faith. He still understood the power of prayer but in the case of the prayers for his son, the answer was no.

What I do believe is that God says yes more than He says no. The no’s just seem more magnified. I also don’t know why God heals some and not others. It’s a mystery that won’t be solved on this side of Heaven. But what I do understand is that we cannot stop praying and asking for a reversal of a dire situation. Our prayers can be the difference between life and death. In 2 Kings 20, King Hezekiah was told to put his affairs in order because he was going to die. It seemed final, but with tears, Hezekiah pleaded for more time. God heard his prayers, decided to heal the king and gave him an additional fifteen years. In that case, God said yes.

Maybe God has said no to you after you’ve prayed nonstop for a situation. I know it was difficult when the answer was not what you desired. But even when the answer is no, it doesn’t mean there will not be a yes in the near future.

I want to take this opportunity to invite you to our annual Level-Up Women’s Conference that will take place on Saturday, October 9^th from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Northview Baptist Church in Lewisville. Speakers are KCBI”s Rebecca Carrell, Gateway Church’s Elizabeth Settle, Human Trafficking Survivor, Sandy Storm, newcomer, Alexis Arellano, and our entire Pearls of Promise Team. Worship Leaders are Debra Camp and Katherine Legg. God has been downloading so much material for you during my recent battle with COVID, you will not want to miss what He has to say to you. Take advantage of the Early Bird Special! Tickets are now only $39 and that includes lunch. They are available on Eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/level-up-dallas-2021-tickets-141072470557?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Join us for this incredible time of spiritual refreshing!

COVID Joys by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

September 4, 2021 1 comment Article

COVID is no joke. Scientists have already discovered that the Delta Variant that attacked my husband and me is much stronger and highly contagious. It also takes longer to get over. I have friends who popped back from the original COVID strain in four days. This is probably seven days since the onset of my symptoms and I am now at about 70%. Just when I think I’ve kicked it, I experience a setback. I am not a patient person, so the waiting to feel normal has been difficult.

In addition to extreme congestion and headaches, there is also brain fog and that makes it difficult to write, but today I will attempt to share thoughts. I don’t want to focus anymore on the negative of COVID, but the joys, because there have been many. Here are three simple things I’ve learned through this experience:

People Care– We all go through stretches where we wonder if people really love us, but what I experienced this past week is an overflow of love from so many. I am thankful for all of the friends who have prayed for us. I’ve received many phone calls from friends and daily texts from Pastor Greg and his wife, Donna, at our church. We have not lacked for food. A meal has been dropped off at our doorstep every day since this started. Thanks to Lori, Barb and Kevin, Linh, Jan and Barney and Sharon. Rosemary made sure our sweet Mini-Goldendoodle, Jewel, had food. Thanks also to Suellen, Tracey, Marina and Sharon for the beautiful flowers. I always try to display fresh flowers in my house, and because of COVID, was not able to purchase them. They took care of it and the arrangement makes me happy!
God Cares– We had to postpone our POP Talk television show tapings this week, but one of the programs scheduled was with a woman named Dr. Alex Watkins who has treated thousands of COVID patients successfully with her protocol. When I told her I had COVID, she asked, “Do you want to go through my protocol?” This is not accidental timing. This is God’s timing. I could not get into my own doctor, so the LORD provided Dr. Watkins to provide a regimen that has helped me turn the corner. Here is her website: https://www.livewellmedsolutions.com/contents/meet-the-team. This morning, as I was thinking about this divine appointment, I realized God provided a healing solution even before I contracted this disease. I know there have been many lives lost because of COVID, but I can only assume that there is more for me to do.
I Care- I can get so busy in ministry that I lose track of people I really care about. Being forced to rest has provided some additional time to reconnect with friends via phone or text. I’ve loved hearing their voices. But I also realize I am not alone in this battle, and have had a chance to pray with other friends who have COVID as well. Having it myself has given me an understanding of what they are dealing with. This experience has given me additional compassion. I have been lifting up some in dire shape, one husband of a friend is fighting for his life in intensive care, and every time COVID wakes me up in the middle of the night, I intercede for all of those who I know are sick. It’s the night watch. Today, I will send a Door Dash meal to a friend who was just diagnosed yesterday.

Lastly, I have learned over the years that God does His greatest work in us through suffering. Romans 5:3–5 says, “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” We must cling to Him in good times and bad, and continue to know that He is in control no matter how uncertain circumstances are around us. One day, we will be called home, but in the meantime, we must use our time on this Earth wisely.

I want to take this opportunity to invite you to our annual Level-Up Women’s Conference that will take place on Saturday, October 9^th from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Northview Baptist Church in Lewisville. Speakers are KCBI”s Rebecca Carrell, Gateway Church’s Elizabeth Settle, Human Trafficking Survivor, Sandy Storm, newcomer, Alexis Arellano, and our entire Pearls of Promise Team. God has been downloading so much material for you during my recent battle, you will not want to miss what He has to say to you. Tickets are only $49 and include lunch. They available on Eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/level-up-dallas-2021-tickets-141072470557?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Join us for this incredible time of spiritual refreshing!

Are You Willing? By Lisa Burkhardt Worley

August 31, 2021 17 comments Article

If there was ever a time to pray, it’s now.

I have been busy lifting up prayers for my friends in Louisiana who endured Hurricane Ida.

I have a friend in the Sacramento area, watching the fires approach her home. I have been asking God to pour down rain on that area so the wildfires will subside.

The husband of a friend of mine is in ICU with COVID. He’s made progress but is far from being out of the woods. Every time I think of him, I lift up a prayer.

Now, I am asking for prayers for myself and my husband. Yesterday, I tested positive for COVID and today my husband will see if he has it as well. It was a shock because I was vaccinated, but I was exposed to the virus last week at an event and I guess the exposure was too close and too great. My doctor had no openings, so I believe God led me to the perfect place for treatment, “777 Urgent Care.” The Nurse Practitioner who examined me said, “The vaccine will probably keep you out of the hospital.” That’s an encouraging word. But I am counting on that word and following instructions—taking medicine, Vitamin C, D and Zinc—so I can recuperate at home.

But more than that, I am trusting in the healing power of God.

This morning I was reading in Matthew 8 where Jesus healed a man with leprosy. The man knelt before him and said, “’Lord, if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.’” “Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ And instantly the leprosy disappeared.”

I feel COVID is a little like leprosy. It takes over your body. You have to isolate, and until you are deemed clean, no one wants to get near you. For a people person, ten-fourteen days in the house seems like a life sentence.

I know Jesus still heals. I’ve seen it numerous times. But I am asking him today, “Are you willing to heal me?” I am praying the answer is yes. I feel there is more work to do for the kingdom.

Why I’m on Social Media

August 28, 2021 2 comments Article

I never log out of Facebook, but that does not mean I never stop looking at it. I’m just not sure what my password is!

My social media time is limited. I try to say Happy Birthday to friends, and if I need to post a blog or something about an upcoming event, I do that, but then I usually hop off and go about my day.

For me, social media, in particular Facebook, is a ministry tool that I use to encourage others. In these days when the Taliban is overtaking Afghanistan, when fires are threatening to smoke out northern California and Hurricane Ida bears down on New Orleans, I feel like people need a little good news. Ephesians 5:16 says, “Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days” so Facebook provides an opportunity to encourage.

What does your screen time look like?

A new study, published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, concludes that there is a “causal link between the use of social media and negative effects on well-being, primarily depression and loneliness.”[1] People generally post only the good on Social Media—the extravagant trips, the touched-up photos or the high points in life. We may forget that no one escapes bad. In Matthew 5:45 Jesus said, God “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (NIV). The bad simply doesn’t make it to social media.

Personal Life Coach Roxanne Parks says, “Change your input. Change your output.” Today, will you consider cutting back on screen time in exchange for more time in the Good News, the Word of God? The Bible is designed to encourage, not discourage. It wants to lift your soul and provide hope in a world where hope seems fleeting right now. It’s also a way to connect with the only One who provides stability, our heavenly Father. God is who I want to post about and He is the main subject of my tweets. He’s why I’m on Social Media.

[1] https://www.healthline.com/health-news/social-media-use-increases-depression-and-loneliness#Does-social-media-cause-depression?