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My favorite Missional Motherhood tools (giveaway!)

By: demingglobal114 Comments

Ministry Monday MISSIONAL MOTHERHOOD {Hive Resources} #missionalmotherhoodIn honor of Mother’s Day, I’m giving away some of my favorite things that are helping me embrace the call to missional motherhood.

In this giveaway, you won’t find the typical missions tools – maps, printables on peoplegroups, etc. Instead, you will find some solid resources to help you orient your heart toward the mission God has given you as a mother. 

Treasuring Christ when Your Hands are Full

Treasuring Christ by Gloria Furman {giveaway at Hive Resources}

Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full: Gospel Meditations for Busy Moms is a small book that packs a powerful punch. I need to read this book once a day.

If you’re struggling to find joy in the seeming unending tasks of motherhood, this book is for you. In it, author Gloria Furman helps moms recapture the significance of motherhood – not solely in the activity of mothering – but as an “invitation to worship” the One who created motherhood for himself.

In her reassuring writing style, Fuman walks the reader through the varied and deep implications of the cross for mothering – how grace shapes our view of the mundane and helps us fix our eyes on eternity.

Here’s my favorite quote from the book:

The highest aim of womanhood is being conformed to the image of Christ says author Gloria Furman {Hive Resources}

 True Beauty

Enter to win a copy of True Beauty by Carolyn Mahaney at Hive Resources #missionalmotherhoodMore than anything, the changes and demands of motherhood have reshaped how I view beauty both in myself and others. Because my budget and schedule allocate very little to primping & preening, I thought I’d surpassed the beauty obsession long ago.

But True Beauty by Carolyn Mahaney and Nicole Whitacre revealed to me how deeply embedded my desire to be lovely has impacted my daily walk…and it wasn’t very pretty.

In this book, you won’t find any guilt trips or lectures. Nor will you find any set rules for hemlines or definitions for modesty. You will find a celebration of the truly Beautiful One who created beauty and calls us to delight and walk in His beauty.

You’ll find answers for how redemption changes our need for self-glory (our heart) an our taste in beauty (our behavior).  Every mother should read this book, because it will help her view beauty in is proper Christ-glorying perspective. For mothers of daughters, I can think of no better Mother’s Day present to help in combating the world’s-obsession with self.

Here’s my favorite quote from the book:

A book to help you see and experience true beauty {Hive Resources}

Cup of Hope Coffee

Cup of Hope #Coffee company - Entertaining with purpose {Once a Month #Hospitality at Hive Resources}

My coffee drinking habit has historic roots. Some of my most precious memories involve sipping on steaming cups of joe while visiting family or catching up with sweet friends over lattes.

So, when I found Cup of Hope Coffee, I was able to marry two of my favorite things: coffee and missions.

Founded by a former international missionary to the Himalayas, Cup of Hope Coffee gives 15% of their gross revenues to international missions.

They also partner to plant new churches in hard and unreached areas of the world, while fighting poverty by facilitating partnerships fair trade local farmers, offering leadership and entrepreneurial development tools, and more.

As if motherhood didn’t already generate a need to drink coffee, I now have a legitimate excuse to drink more!

Want to win a set of all these missional motherhood resources? Crossway Books is giving away 2 sets of True Beauty and Treasuring Christ to 2 lucky Hive Resources Readers. And because I love ya, I’m throwing in a pound of Cup of Hope beans for each winner!

Enter below (U.S. residents only). Contest IS OVER – winners announced below! Congrats to the winners!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Mother’s Day!

This post contains affiliate links. To find out more, click here.

 

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

When you’re scared to share (guest post at Missional Women)

By: demingglobal1comment

An easy evangelism tool when you are scared to share {Hive Resources for Missional Women}

I love it when missionaries share tips and tricks straight from the field. But I love it even more when they share their hearts.

At a recent women’s retreat, I had the opportunity to sit under a missionary serving in Central Asia as she shared about her role in bringing the nations to Christ…and even her fears as she shares her faith among them.

As the nations continually pour into our own borders, many of the evangelism tools and strategies used overseas are increasingly relevant here in the U.S.

Here’s one tool my missionary friend demonstrated for sharing your faith when you’re nervous. I as shocked at how easy it was.  To find out what it is, click here. 

 

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Missional motherhood: Being on mission as a mom

By: demingglobal14 Comments

Ministry Monday MISSIONAL MOTHERHOOD {Hive Resources} #motherhood #missions

Whenever I attend a conference, I get a little queasy. Not because I’m anxious meeting new friends or because I’m out of my comfort zone, but because I know the guilt is coming.

Whether it’s the heart-felt messages from inspiring speakers on social justice or the endless line of booths on clean water and poverty-fighting non-profits, it’s typically at conferences that the call to be ‘radical’ in our faith is sounded the loudest.  So, after being presented with opportunity after opportunity “to do” something radical for the King’s kingdom, this momma gets a wee bit weary.

As a homeschooling, work-at-home mother of twins, motherhood often feels the absolute farthest thing from being radical. Instead of jetting off to Uganda, I’m printing out copywork. Instead of buying beaded bracelets that fund education for girls, my budget is allocated for pull-ups and bananas.

I’ll be the first to confess, that my feelings for being un-radical are rooted solely in my own sinful pride.  But all the same, the idea of “being radical” can make the more mundane activities of motherhood somewhat lackluster. 

Missional Women Conference

This past weekend, I attended the Missional Women conference, and while I was excited to soak up some truth from new friends and discover some amazing ministries, I also braced myself for the impending wall of guilt.

But guess what? It never came!

Instead, this is what I found. Being on mission occurs within the “existing reality” that God has appointed for me.

My current reality is I’m the mother of two very unique boys. The ministry of the Great Commission – from which all radical faith springs – is to make disciples of my children first and foremost.  So, right now, for me, radical faith  doesn’t involve third-world countries or soup kitchens; it involves my home.

To that end, I found some great ways at the Missional Conference to be on mission as a mom. 

Kids on Mission

It’s radical to teach your child about the gospel. 

Missional Motherhood - being on mission as a mom {Hive Resources}

Kids on Mission is a non-profit that helps you lead your children to learn, pray, and serve God’s world. Their website is chock full of free printables on world cultures and countries – all designed to give your child a heart for the nations.

Child evangelism tool from Kids On Mission {Hive Resources} #KOM #kidmin

At their booth, I picked up these Cross Gospel Tracts for Kids. This tool is so cool. My boys loved opening the different flaps and talking about what they mean. This tool could be used by an adult who is sharing the gospel with a child and even older children could be trained to use them as they learn to share their own faith.

Compassion International

It’s radical to teach your child to love the world.

Missional Motherhood - Teaching your kids to care for the world's poor {Hive Resources} 

At the conference, we heard musician Shaun Groves share his heart for poverty-fighting group Compassion International.  I love this group because they are Christ-focused and local church-based, meaning sponsored children receive their aid through a local church. But I also love this group because sponsorships that alleviate poverty, hunger, and sickness help keep families together who would otherwise be faced with unthinkable choices.

Why I love Compassion International {how to be on mission as a mom} Hive Resources

At the conference, my family signed up to sponsor a child from Ecuador about our boys’ age. We hope it becomes an opportunity for us to teach our children about generosity and compassion for the world’s poor.

But listen to how big our God is. Later, as my husband researched the area in which our sponsored child lives, we discovered her village was located at the base of a mountain my husband climbed some years ago – Mount Cotapaxi.

God was so good to make that connection for us, because we already have material on this area – photos, postcards, and stories from his trip that we can share with the boys to help them understand where and who is receiving their gifts and notes of love.

We’re praying this ministry becomes a way for us to be radical in living out the Great Commission as we teach our kids to pray for our sponsored child and her family.

In the next few years, God might change my current reality, making the way I live out radical faith look completely different from the way he has designed it today. But for right now, I’m content to live ‘on mission’ right where he’s put me. Motherhood, in and of itself, is radical – something I’m learning each and every day.

I hope you’ll join me for this new mini-series on Missional Motherhood! For the next few weeks I’ll be sharing some ideas and resources for living out a radical faith at home.

Are you looking for ways to be missional right where you are? Check out Laura Krokos discipleship video explaining this principle!

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

How to find community at church

By: demingglobal1comment

Welcome to Ministry Monday at Hive Resources! This series is for everyday women who minister through the everyday mission fields of life. Posts feature resources and ideas for discipleship, outreach events, women’s ministries, Bible study, hospitality, and more. Subscribe today!

Ministry Monday {Hive Resources for Missional Women}

Today, many in the church try to replace community with church attendance, assuming the two ideas are interchangeable. But going to church and living in a community of faith aren’t necessarily the same thing.

Having grown up in the midst of church life, I see a looming difference.

2 Reasons you should stop going to church {Guest Post at Missional Women by @demingglobal #community

If you’re on the fence about getting involved in a local church, I urge you to stop going to a building every Sunday and instead become a true member of the community inside.”

To read my full post, CLICK HERE!

The Missional Women Conference is THIS weekend! Sign up for the FREE webscast here!

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Buy a pin, plant a church

By: demingglobal1comment

Fill your Easter basket with gifts that matter {Hive Resources} #easter #easterbaskets

When my husband and I moved to Pittsburgh a few years ago, we secretly plotted to find the largest church in our area and hide in the back pew.

We were kidding, but sort of not.

But God has a pretty good sense of humor. Instead, he led us to what seemed like the smallest church in the city – a church that hadn’t even officially opened it’s doors!

And while we would have never picked out church planting for ourselves, we’ve been blessed beyond measure to be a part of one.

Through the month of April, friend and fellow Missional Women contributor Joy Rudolph is donating a portion of the proceeds from her Etsy shop to our church plant – Living Faith Community Church of Pittsburgh!

Spring flower pins that make a difference {Hive Resources}

A church planter herself, Joy knows the roller coaster ride of pioneer missions. She interviewed me about our church planting journey over on her site yesterday. I hope you’ll hop over and marvel with me at how God guides us to the exact location he wants us.

Plus, I hope you’ll support our church by purchasing something from her shop!  She sent me these adorable flower pins, and I thought of so many ways to use them – on hats, on wreaths, on just about any jacket or sweater, and even as a meaningful gift in an Easter basket.

Buy a flower pin for spring and plant a church {Hive Resources}

Yesterday, one of my sweet friends I’m discipling stopped by. She looked so cute, I made her try on the black and white houndstooth pin. Thanks for being such a good sport and super cute model, Toni!

Support our church plant during the month of April and  make a purchase from Joy’s shop! What’s more fun that shopping for a purpose?

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Making better disciples: investment vs. sacrifice

By: demingglobal12 Comments

Welcome to Ministry Monday at Hive Resources! This series is for everyday women who minister through the everyday mission fields of life. Posts feature resources and ideas for discipleship, outreach events, women’s ministries, Bible study, hospitality, and more. Subscribe today!

Ministry Monday Making Better Disciples {Hive Resources}

This year, I learned one very big lesson about discipleship.

Discipleship is not about the end result; nor is it solely about the process.

When I first began discipling women in my church, I used a six-week book on the foundations of Christianity. At the end of the book, I expected to see a shiny new follower of Jesus ready to engage the world and culture for Christ.

And although I wouldn’t have admitted it to anyone, I solely thought of discipleship like investing. If I poured all my knowledge of the Bible into a vessel, something great would come out!

But at the end of the day, discipleship in the church planting context has taught me that producing new Christ-followers is not a strategy. Discipleship process is about sacrifice. 

As the discipler, I must spend time to prepare, read up, do my homework to give that person adequate spiritual food to chew and digest.  I must exert a lot of energy pulling my disciple through God’s Word and out of the muck of the world in which they are accustomed to sitting. I must eagerly spend all the resources at my disposal to ensure my disciple is adequately and securely grounded for living life among rough seas.

Typically, this is exhilarating – especially when at the end of that investment period, a disciple is actually produced. But many discipling relationships don’t end that way.

Discipleship is filled with setbacks and comebacks. There are redos and regrets. There are mistakes and miracles.

Sometimes a disciple loses interest.

Sometimes a disciple loses heart.

Sometimes a disciple loses a battle against the flesh.

That’s all very discouraging for the discipler, the one who has invested time, energy, and resources in churning out an effective disciple.

What makes a successful discipleship strategy {Hive Resources series on Making Better Disciples}

It’s easy to write the disciple off or wave the white flag at God asking to be released from the work the Great Commission requires. But it’s in those moments of discipleship despair that the call of the cross shines brightly.

As I was recently reminded by my pastor, discipleship is most commonly about sacrifice, not investment. 

That’s a hard pill to swallow because even in the kingdom, we like the authority and position that comes with the discipleship roles of teacher, preacher, leader.

We like the sound of “investing” – investing in the kingdom, investing in our church, or investing in others. But because ‘investing’ promises a return on work rendered, it can easily speak of the work of our hands.

And if we are not careful, ‘investing’ in a disciple can quickly become a personal commendation of own wisdom or ability.

But I’m learning that I’m not called to make disciples because it’s a good kingdom investment (although it certainly is). Rather, I’m called to make disciples because the sacrifice it requires is a powerful way to live out the story of the cross.

The sacrifice of the cross is setting aside personal rights, commendations, or preference and setting the needs of others before our own. In order for discipleship to continue and thrive, the sacrifice of the cross must be the most prominent characteristic of a discipler.

So, what makes a successful discipleship ‘strategy’? I used to think it was the production of a certain number of effective disciples. Today, I believe that is the wrong question altogether.

In a church plant, where the laborers are scarce and the ground is hard, we come closer to seeing a kingdom reality when we ask “How costly is the discipleship process?”

And it doesn’t matter how much I invest in a disciple, because at the end of the day, when God asks me to disciple someone in his name, ultimately, he is showing me the depths of his sacrifice to make me his disciple in the first place.

Have you ever battled discouragement in discipling a new believer? How did you push past it to continue the hard work of the Great Commission? Share you story below!

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Two Words every Great Commission Servant Needs to Hear (Guest Post)

By: demingglobal1comment

Today, I’m over at my second home, Missional Women, talking about a recent lesson I learned serving in our church plant. Whether you attend a traditional church or a new one, every  woman can walk through this lesson with me.

Two words every Great Commission Servant needs to hear {Melissa Deming for Missional Women}

Taking the gospel of peace to people each day can wear your feet out – it doesn’t matter if you’re spreading the good news on the paved streets of your neighborhood or the Andes mountains of Peru. 

I’ve scaled some mountains in Peru. That was a hard Great Commission experience. But my latest endeavor was even harder – volunteering for 11 weeks straight in the Preschool Class at church. 

It was tiring. And my feet weren’t the only part of me that hurt at the end of the day! 

But last Sunday, two little words changed my entire day. 

To find out what those words were (and to read the rest of this post), click over to Missional Women! 

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Ministry Monday: the 1 thing that always kills the Great Commission (guest post)

By: demingglobal1comment

Welcome to Ministry Monday at Hive Resources! This series is for everyday women who minister through the everyday mission fields of life. Posts feature resources and ideas for discipleship, outreach events, women’s ministries, Bible study, hospitality, and more. Subscribe today!

Ministry Monday - the 1 thing that always kills the Great Commission {Hive Resources for Missional Women}

At the urging of my husband, I finally buckled and signed up for the social networking site, LinkedIn.

For years, I’ve willingly watched the duties of motherhood eclipse those spaces in my résumé reserved for skills and work experience. Instead of news writing, my new greatest skill is twin whisperer. Where editing and proofreading once stood, now my résumé reads cooking, cleaning, and peacemaking. Instead of investigative reporter, I now proudly call myself the shoe-finder.

And while I’ve managed to maintain a few regular freelance projects in the midst of homeschooling my five-year-old twins and blogging, I was hesitant to sign up for a social platform organized around the working world.

But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my skills sets weren’t completely outdated. And as colleagues and connections began to “endorse” some of my areas of expertise, I felt my confidence level and pride (*ahem*) rise.

Whether we’re being honest or not, I think many of us involved in Great Commission activities tend to keep a ministry portfolio. We keep track of the number of times we’ve volunteered, the amount of meals we’ve cooked, served, and delivered, the exact date we spoke at an event, the number of sermons delivered.

The one thing that always kills the Great Commission {Hive Resources}

What do you consider your crowning ministry event? Chances are you’ve added it to your ministry résumé.

But if we aren’t careful, our acts of service can easily become the measure of our worth in the King’s kingdom rather than our relationship to the King. 

Read the rest of my post and the 1 thing that kills the Great Commission over at Missional Women.

Black Friday SALE Get Daughters of the King for 50 percent off this weekend only {Hive Resources}

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Two trustworthy groups for donating to Philippine Disaster Relief

By: demingglobal12 Comments

Two trustworthy groups for donating to Typhoon Haiyan Disaster Relief {Hive Resources}

This is Suzie and Carl Miller, missionaries to Tacloban, Philippines.  When Typhoon Haiyan slammed the Philippines last Friday, the couple survived by floating on a single mattress inside their home.  Like many others, the Millers were given the option to flee the Philippines before the storm hit.  They chose to stay.

Hear the story of Philippines missionaries Carl and Sue Miller who survived the typhoon and what they are doing to rebuild their community {Hive Resources}

Photo credit: IMB photo.

A recent news article recounts why:

“Miller said it was important to go through the tragedy with her neighbors, rather than leaving and letting the neighbors go through the tragedy alone. If they did that, Miller said, “You come back as an outsider to minister. Instead, the Millers experienced the life-changing disaster with the people they love and serve.”

Where to give to help with Philippine Disaster Relief {Hive Resoures}

Photo credit: IMB Photo by Mark Moses.

So far 2,500 have been assumed dead and the UN estimates 673,000 have been displaced.The need is great.

If you’d like to help, consider giving in one of two places.

International Mission Board

The Millers (mentioned above) serve with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

All of the money (100%!) you donate for disaster relief in the Philippines through the IMB goes to that project.  None is withheld for administrative purposes. I love the idea of putting funds into the hands of the servants who are already serving and surviving alongside the people.  

Click to here donate.

Baptist Global Response

You can also donate to another worthy organization, Baptist Global Response.

Baptist Global Response (BGR) is a disaster relief and community development organization that helps the world’s hurting “arise from chronic conditions—like extreme poverty, contaminated water, or endemic hunger—or acute crises—such as natural disaster, personal trauma, or social upheaval.”

You can read more about it and Typhoon Haiyan on their site. Basically, BGR is a worthy enterprise to support because they are a true “kingdom justice” ministry.

Click here to find out more or donate.

Join me by giving to Philippine disaster relief! Pick one of these worthy groups through which to channel your aid!

About

Melissa Deming is the creator of Hive Resources — a site to help women sweeten their walk with Christ through Bible study, ministry and missions resources, and more. She is the author of "Daughters of the King: Finding Your Place in the Biblical Story." Melissa has an M.Div. in Women’s Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.