Well, it’s here! My favorite time of the year is serving at She Speaks. Ok, that and when school starts back.

Last night a few of the Proverbs 31 Ministries speakers began to arrive in Charlotte. We had dinner at an Italian restaurant where the company, conversation, and food were fabulous.

…for most of us anyway. They ran out of Lasagna which highly disappointed Miss Wendy Pope. Remarkably all was not lost when the waiter brought her a freshly baked slice to take home for FREE at the end of our meal.

I’m not sure if our waiter was working for his tip or worried about his life. Wendy was a bit flabbergasted with the waiter when she found out the restaurant ran out of her favorite dish! I softly reached for her knife and gently slid it across the table and into my lap… just in case. (Just kidding)

God’s ways are so interesting. Saturday morning at the conference Wendy will be speaking on how to make it “in the wait!” God calls us to live out our messages and boy does He provide the opportunities to do so!

Personally, I hate waiting whether it’s in a line, in traffic, at the doctor’s office, or waiting for the internet. It’s just not fun. Most of the time, I find myself acting like a spoiled-rotten child of God demanding he give me what I want NOW! That attitude doesn’t go over well with God. Just recall what happened to the children of Israel who grumbled and complained about not getting what they wanted. Most were put to death! Yikes!

In truth, what we’re saying to God when he doesn’t give us what we want is this. God I don’t like what you’ve provided for me. I want more!

What I need to remember is that God is not only my provision, but He is for me. God wants to give me good things. Some things I think I need I really don’t. Sometimes God says “no” for my benefit. Other times He is simply saying, “Wait. Not right now. You’re not ready. In due time, I’ll give you that.”

God’s provision may not come when we want it, but its coming is certain. And… the things He withholds are for my own good. Just imagine if God have you and me everything we asked for. Yikes!

At the restaurant, Wendy realized right away that “waiting” on her Lasagna was one of those opportunities to flesh out her message. She did so beautifully and God blessed her with a free slice. I can’t wait to glean more lessons from her message Saturday morning about how to “wait” in the wait!

Wish you were here!

The 11-12 Goodlettsville ALL-Stars returned home yesterday with the State Title!! We sent home every team and went undefeated. From here, it's on to the World Series in MS.

Parker led the team in home runs! He had 3 in yesterday’s best 2 out of 3 championship game.

At first, it appeared that Parker was off of his game. His second time up to bat he just stood there and took three strikes without swinging once!!!

Usually, I'm not a competitive person. Don't get me wrong. I love watching my son play ball. I cheer without fail for our team, and I even paint my car. But secretly after 6 days of continuous baseball, I was ready to go home win or lose. The whole scene was losing it's appeal for me.

Suddenly, when Parker stood there and struck out without even swinging the bat something came over me. I yelled from the stands, “You get three swings, you know! Use them next time or I will!”

It just popped out of my mouth before I knew what I was saying as if I were overcome by some baseball spirit. Others in the stands laughed at my response which was so out of character for me. I quickly placed both of my hands over my mouth in shock of what had spilled out! It's not like Parker hadn't struck out before. He had. The difference was he went down swinging. This time, it was as if he didn't even try. That's what pushed my button. I don't mind if my children give it their all and fail whether it's sports, school or life. I do care if they don't try. That became obvious.

As it turned out, my motivational speech worked! The next two times Parker came up to bat, he hit a home run!

I'm so proud of him and the rest of the team! They all played hard. In doing so, they earned the State Title!

It's good to be home. Now, I can look forward to and finish my final preparations for She Speaks!! I hope to see some of you there! It's my favorite conference. I look forward to it every year!

Hello blogging friends!

My family and I had a restful and wonderful time at the beach. In fact, my daughter stayed an extra week with her friend, Briley whose family came down the week after us. A part of me wanted to stay too. I LOVE the beach! However, my husband and I had somewhere else to be...the ballpark in Knoxville, TN!

Our youngest son, Parker, (soon to be 13) is playing baseball for the Goodlettsville All-Stars. So, we left Florida and were State bound!

So far, our team has gone undefeated with no runs scored from the other teams. Last night, Parker had a BIG Night! Here's what the Dixie Youth Homepage reported:

The Goodlettsville 11-12 All-Stars played their second game of the state tournament today versus the host team from Kingston winning 10-0 in four innings. Parker Campbell pitched strong innings giving up only one hit, striking out 5, and walking one. Campbell also helped his cause in the first with a line drive bullet over the center field fence for a quick 2-0 lead. Two more homeruns were hit by the lads in blue and gold with one each coming from Zander Jett and Aaron Pecenka. That brings the homerun total to 6 spread among six different players.

Tonight we added another victory to our side winning over Parkwood 10-0 again!! But that's not the only exciting news I have to share.

Our very own Austin Franklin pitch a PERFECT game striking out 12 batters in a row ending the game in the fourth inning with a 10 run lead!

Excitement around here is bouncing off the walls!!! The boys are playing hard giving it all they've got to become the State Champions of 2009!!

Today I'm packing for the beach!!! We leave tomorrow. I can hardly wait. I love vacationing at the beach and we haven't been to the ocean in two years.

Last night my family and I were anticipating what we would do at the beach. My daughter wants to snorkel. My husband wants to play tennis and eat some fresh fish. I just want to be "led by the still--or in this case wavy waters, lie there, and let the Spirit of God restore me!" Ps 23:3--my emphasis.

As we were talking about all the good things we want to do, the subject of sharks came up. They always do. I'm terrified of them. That's why I like to vacation on a beach that has clear emerald waters. I want to be able to SEE my toes and what's swimming along side of me. Smart woman, huh?

All our talk about fish reminded me of the time we had Gold-fish. However, we didn't have them long.

At the time, Peyton was in first grade and Parker was just a toddler. Peyton had won a Gold-fish at the School Carnival. So, like any good parent would do we stopped by the store, purchased as small fish bowel, and provided our new pet a home. Peyton fell asleep looking at her new fish.

In the morning, tragedy had struck! The fish was...well, he had...you know...he was upside down in the bowel.

Peyton was devastated! How does a parent easy the broken heart of their daughter? You buy another fish!

Again, the following morning, the fish was dead! We googled to make sure the water temp was right and how much food to give the fish...so far we did everything right. Why were the fish dying? It was a huge mystery, but we continued to buy more Gold-fish.

Then, one morning I noticed Parker coming out of his sister's room. His chubby little hands were wet with water. Curiously I asked, "What are you doing in there, Parker?"

He replied, "I pettin' da fishy!"

Mystery solved.

Don't you hate it when computers malfunction?! I do. My post for today was supposed to post automatically, but didn't. Anyhoo, here you go...

I'm so glad you stopped by today! Whether you popped over from today's devotion, Exposed, or you simply stopped by, Welcome!!

No one likes to be the center of embarrassing moments. That’s why talking to God about sin can be difficult. We feel ashamed and embarrassed. Perhaps we feel this way because we expect God to react in judgment. The opposite is true. Take the story of the adulteress woman found in John, chapter 8: 1-11.

We can see clearly in this story how Christ’s love is greater than sin.

It must have been an unruly scene until Jesus stepped into the situation. Caught in the very act by the Pharisees, the woman’s fate hung in the balance. I imagine that the adulteress woman felt unbearable loneliness and fear as she lay naked in the streets at the mercy of those whose desire was to stone her to death. Sin does that. It separates us from God causing us to experience aloneness and fear. This is a sure sign we need to search our souls and confess our sins so that we can have peace and enjoy God’s sweet presence again.

The adulteress woman also found indescribable love when she came face to face with her sin. Finding herself in the horrible situation of being caught in the act of adultery must have caused her great shame and brokenness. But broken is always the right place to be when we’re reaching out for Christ’s love and forgiveness. All eyes were on Jesus as the Pharisees anxiously waited to see if Christ would condemn and punish her. With rocks in hand, they awaited His response.

Jesus said, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (verse 7).

I imagine the woman staring deep into the Savior’s eyes. First with great terror, but then suddenly, she knew by His soft eyes that no matter what happened next, she could face it. What relief she must have felt when she heard the sound of rocks dropping to the ground and the scattering of feet.

"Jesus asked, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin” (verses 10-11).

Jesus gave this woman what every heart needs---love and forgiveness. [Something our children need, too. See July 6th post]
Don’t misunderstand. The woman was guilty and according to the Law of Moses, she should have been put to death. But Jesus, instead of condemning her, chose to save her. He chose to save us all by dying on the cross as payment for our sins. We must turn from our lifestyle of sin just as Christ commanded the woman to do. If we do this, you and I have this promise; “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9).

Although God administers grace, forgiveness of sin doesn’t mean absence of consequences. When our children disobey, privileges are taken away and they are usually sent to their room. While they may want to stay in their room and sulk, their dad and I won’t let them stay there for long. We lovingly bring them back into the family by playing a game or watching a movie together. Eventually their arms unfold and they warm up to our love. Although their privileges may not be reinstated at this point, they are brought back into the family where they know they are loved, accepted, and forgiven for their actions. Likewise, in the story of the adulteress woman, she still endured the consequences of being caught in the act. Everyone knew it. Nevertheless, she was forgiven and restored.

The goal of God’s love is not to approve our sin. It’s to transform our lives. While we must suffer the cost of our actions, God is not out to condemn us. He’s out to set us free from the chains of sin that bind us. Therefore, we have nothing to fear.

Despite the fact that Jesus was saddened by the adulteress woman’s sin, He saw her potential. That’s how he sees you and me. No matter how far we miss the mark in living out His plan for our lives, God is never ashamed to offer us His love. He’s not waiting for us to mess up so that He can punish us. He’s waiting to restore us. Therefore, we should never be frightened to stand in God’s presence before His throne of grace and mercy. It’s there that we find peace and new beginnings. Our testimony becomes something like this. “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you” (Psalm 86:5).

© 2009 by Micca Campbell, An Untroubled Heart. All rights reserved.

If you’re a fear-driven parent, you could be leading you child down the very path you’re so desperately trying to avoid. Good news. There’s hope. Check out my article, Are You a Fear-driven Parent, featured on Crosswalk NOW, and discover practical tips for parenting by faith instead of fear.

I also want to add some parenting tips for guiding adult children.

This past Saturday, I had a radio interview with LuAnn and Friends on Encouragement Café. During the interview a caller expressed her grief over the choices being made by her adult son. She was also struggling with how to “parent” the situation. Here are a few tips I offered:

First, Stop Parenting Your Adult Child. Once your child reaches eighteen years of age, your parenting is done. Don’t misunderstand me. You can still guide your child just in a different way. You and I stop parenting and start mentoring. We should only offer advice and guidance when invited to do so. This is hard. I know. I’m a mother of a twenty-three year old. When he makes choices I disagree with or disapprove of, I want to rush in and correct him—sometimes even judge him. However, this only drives my adult child away from me—often pushing him to do the opposite of what I’ve suggested. We want to avoid this at all cost. The first step is realizing our relationship with our adult child has changed.

Secondly, Love Your Adult Child Unconditionally. You and I gain the right to mentor our child when we love them unconditionally. In fact, they will begin asking for your opinion instead of trying to avoid it when they trust that no matter what they are loved. Children are going to make mistakes in life. They will even sin and do things against God’s law—just as we have. Yet, when we sin, the bible says that nothing can separate us from the love God—NOTHING! (Romans 8:38) Thank God that His love is strong enough that nothing I do can destroy it. One very important truth we must never forget is--its love that draws us back to God.

Consider the adulteress woman. We know for certain that she was guilty because she was caught in the act. Did Christ judge her? Did He condemner her? No! He gave her what every heart needs…love and forgiveness. Then, after the woman was convinced of His love, he said—“Go and sin no more.” Christ didn’t come to excuse our sin but to restore the sinner.

There’s a pattern in this story. As parents, we’d do well to follow it:

Love no matter what (plus) forgive all (equals) the right to mentor.

Finally, Love Your Child Not Their Actions: When you and I maintain a healthy adult relationship with our child, we can influence them for good. If we write them off because they’re going against our beliefs, how can we be a voice of truth? How can we point them from darkness back to the light? We can’t. This means we need to be involved in their life. Take interest in their dreams and passions. Then, when a bad decision is made by your child, you’re present to hold them accountable.

One way to achieve this is by taking your child to lunch. Instead of pointing out what they’re doing “wrong” ask how you can pray for them. Share your heart. Perhaps you could share a similar story from your own life as to why you’re concerned. Ask if you can encourage them with scripture, resources, etc... on the subject. If it’s something they really want to correct, ask permission to help hold them accountable.

If you don’t see eye to eye, ask if you can share your convictions about why you’re against their choice or sin. Remind them that while you don’t approve of their choice and can’t be an active participant, you love them. Then, [THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT] find ways you can support your child and continue your relationship. It’s the only way you’ll be able to influence their life with truth.

You and I can also pray for our child. Pray that their eyes will be turned from darkness to light. Pray for their hearts to be turned toward God and His ways. Pray for godly mentors to come into their lives. Pray for experiences, songs, and occasions to come along that remind them of what’s right, good, pure, and noble. Then, trust God to work behind the scenes drawing your child to Himself and to all that is right and true.

"We all want freedom: political freedom, intellectual freedom, moral freedom. We want freedom from prejudice, freedom from ignorance, freedom from poverty. And we even search for religious freedom."

Read more for Billy Graham, click here http://www.billygraham.org/News_Article.asp?ArticleID=581&BA=1760&QR=116

Wishing you all a safe and happy 4th of July!

Both of my children came home from church camp spiritually renewed and on fire for God. The theme of this year’s camp was, “Crazy Love.” I can testify that they are both crazy in love with Jesus. They’ve been in this place before. Now, their biggest concern is staying in love.

We’ve all had mountain top experiences. They are wonderful. The downfall is maintaining what we’ve experienced on the mountain at home in the valleys of life. But the truth is we CAN stay passionate about God and continue to grow in our relationship with Him.

How? One way is to meet daily with God in His Word.

Hear me out. I know you’ve tried this before and perhaps feel like you’ve failed. Been there. I’ve also been on the other side and know that it’s doable as well!

I think what changed is how I approached my time with God. Instead of thinking of it like a religious duty, I began to consider the benefits:

…Blessings follow those who delight in God’s law; it’s how we come to know God and His ways; we gain wisdom and direction for living life; faith in God increases—just to name a few.

So allow me to give you a new perspective on how you approach reading your Bible.

1. Read it with Reverence: Begin by acknowledging God is God and there is no one else like Him. Remember that the words you read are from Him. They are not rules to follow, but love letters written to you, His child. Kneel before God in your heart. Be still and ask God to reveal who He is and what He wants to say to you.

2. Ask the Holy Spirit for Help: If you and I try to read the Word with our own understanding, we’ll miss the true meaning. God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts. You and I can’t grasp the thoughts of God on our own. We need a helper and God has provided one—the Holy Spirit. In Ps 119, David asks the Spirit of God to open his eyes; to give him understanding; and to turn his heart toward God. We’d be wise to do the same. In fact, we’d begin to see new insights and develop a greater love for God and His ways. We’d see growth in our faith and obedience to His Word.

3. Read with the intention to keep God’s Word in your heart: In other words, live out what you learn. Apply it to your life. Crave its instruction. Obey its truths and mediate on them day and night. In order for God’s Word to truly influence our lives, we must think about it day and night. Then, we will be able to live like we’re on the mountain while in the valley.
Read Ps 119. Ask God to teach you to understand His Word and enable you to live it out. He will.

I love to hear or read about success stories, don’t you? I especially love a success story that involves secrets and mystery. It makes them all the more captivating and inspiring.

A few months ago, while sitting in the doctor’s waiting room reading a magazine, I came across such a story. The tale was about Carol Burnett and how this very successful comedian got her start in show business.

It was based on a spiritual principle.

“How can something based on a spiritual principle also be full of secrets and mystery,” I thought to myself. …But I kept reading.

Carol was a stage-struck drama student at UCLA living on hopes and dreams. Once the school year ended, one of her professors was leaving for Europe. He invited several of the students to his home to entertain his guest. Carol and one of the boys in her class performed a scene from Annie Get Your Gun.

Afterwards the students were invited to stay for dinner. While in line at the buffet, a man Carlo had never met before inquired about what she planned to do with her life. Carol responded.

“I hope to go to New York and make a career for myself on stage.” To which the man responded, “What’s stopping you?”

It was money, of course.

The stranger smiled and offered to lend Carol one thousand dollars. Suspicious of the man’s intent, she declined. The man quickly went away and then returned with his wife making the offer again. This time the stranger included three conditions.

First, if she met with success she was to pay the money back within five years.

Secondly, she was to never reveal his identify.

Finally, she was to pass the kindness on to another person in similar circumstances.

Carol took the night to think it over—feeling like the whole thing was a dream. By the next day, she accepted the man’s offer and took off for New York.

It was tough.

Without experience, she couldn’t get a job. Running out of money fast, Carol began to hound agents for work. Tired of her nagging, one of the agents suggested she put on her own show. That’s exactly what she did!

Carol gathered all her out of work friends and they put on a show that was written, orchestrated, choreographed, performed, and sung by each of them. The show ran for three nights. Almost everyone who was someone in New York came! It couldn’t have gone better.

The day after the show closed, Carol received job offers from three agents. That’s when the magical doors swung wide open and her successful career took flight!

Five years later, Carol paid back her sponsor. All these years she’s kept her promise too. Carol has never revealed his name. Nor has he revealed why he helped her as he did. Nevertheless, Carol learned a valuable, spiritual lesson that she would use the rest of her life—give in secret without seeking credit.

Hummm…that is a spiritual principle. The bible calls us to be kind to one another; to live generously helping our fellow neighbor. When we do, it comes right back to us. Perhaps not in the way we gave kindness, but in some form it comes back. I’ve experienced this truth in my own life—from both the giving end and the receiving.

Oh, yeah. What about the last stipulation? Does Carol help others succeed as she was helped? Well, that’s her secret, isn’t it?

Do you have a story about how someone’s kindness helped you succeed? Perhaps you were the kind person that helped another. I’d love to hear your story!