This weekend I’ll be heading north from my home in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Mackinac Island! Woo Hoo!
I’ll be the keynote speaker at a women’s retreat being held at The Grand Hotel. I’m so looking forward to meeting the dear women from Woodside Bible Church White Lake Campus! I can’t wait to see what God has planned! 🙂
I’ll so super excited to be teaching “Red Hot Faith: Lukewarm is NOT our Norm“.
Except for when I taught Benj’s 4th grade class, this will be the first time I’m teaching my Red Hot Faith material since I was in Ancient Laodicea. I cried most of the time I put my Power Points together – in absolute we of where God has taken this message.
If you’ve spent any time here at *She Sparkles*, you know the “Red Hot” story. In October 2010, I confessed I “had a secret“ and wanted to start writing a Bible Study. Just for fun, here’s part of my original, fired up, passionate message –
Hey Friends 🙂
Can I let you in on a little secret??
You may remember when I hinted about my Tues & Thurs “work days” ~ but yes, I am working on writing my very first Bible study. Woo Hoo!!
It’s title?? “Red hot!” I’m so excited I can hardly stand it!! 🙂
However, the truth be told, I feel like a big, sloppy fish out of water!
What in the world do I know about writing a Bible study?? I didn’t even grow up in church, led an embarassingly rebellious life, and still get confused about the books of the Bible. What am I thinking?
I mean, I love working through Bible studies, selecting Bible studies for women and I am so passionate about the Word I can barely sleep at night, but write a Bible study, really??
But then I read words like this from Erwin McManus….
Erwin shares… “We need to live wide awake because there are diseases killing millions and we need to find a cure, famines leaving multitudes starving and we need to provide food, economies leaving families homeless and we need to create opportunities for work and wealth, genocide that must be stopped, slavery that must be ended, water wells that must be dug, children who need to be loved, relationships that need to be healed, elderly who need to be cared for, beauty that needs to be created, futures that need to be saved, and dreams that we must not let die or go unfulfilled..”
Oh sign me up, Erwin!! I WANT TO LIVE “WIDE AWAKE”!
I want to live a RED HOT, passionate, effective, fruitful, purposeful life in Christ!! You too??
I don’t want my life to be so focused on me or my comfort or what’s for dinner or what’s on sale at Walgreen’s or whether I’m a size 8 or a 10 or, for crying out loud, what size Jennifer Hudson is this week.
How easily I can get distracted from what really matters. What matters to God. What is important to Him and to His heart.
Let’s live our lives Red Hot! Let’s ask God to use us to make a difference in this lost and hurting world. To reflect His goodness and His grace wherever He might have us…whether it’s at Starbucks, or in an office, or on a missions trip, or in our own neighborhood.
Let’s live our lives Red Hot and look for those divine opportunities to be His hands and His feet. Let’s live our lives looking for a child that needs love, a friend that needs a hug or an encouraging word, a co-worker that could use a listening ear.
Let’s live our lives Red Hot ~ and allow Him to do immeasurably more in and through us than we could even ask or imagine. There is a future that needs to be created, and it is waiting for us all to wake up and get out of bed.
I am so FIRED UP about what I am learning!!
Have you ever studied Rev 3 and the church in Laodecia?? Watch out if you are with me, if you ask me about it, I will start spewing everything I am learning, my arms will start gesturing, and you will get a 15 minute sermonette if you wanted it or not.
The Bible is so brilliant I just can’t help it!!!
P.S. A HUGE thank you to my awesome friends, “prayer posse”, and the amazing Monday night gals for journeying with me!!
I love when I get little care packages, like this from dear April in Virginia….
What a blessing!! Thank you!! I’m so glad God didn’t intend for us to journey alone!! Love you guys!! 🙂
Can you believe it?
That original “shout out” for prayer and confessing my secret led to me teaching Red Hot retreats, a Red Hot Monday Night Bible Study, and then most recently, filming a “for real” DVD Bible study that will come out next year.
Only God!
Thankfully I am finally feeling better after a long week of being sick (thank you so much for your prayers!). I’m still heavily medicated and am desperate for God to show up – but I’m so excited I can barely stand it. I love, love, love sharing God’s Word with others! Woo Hoo!
And guess what else? I even bought an outfit in red. I’ve never worn red in my whole entire life! Thankfully my friend Lori is super good with make-up and she helped me find a new red sparkly lipstick too. I’m stepping out of my comfort zone here, friends!
My honey John is coming along for the trip – and he’s promised to take lots of pics. If you’d like some “sneak peeks” – feel free to stop by my Facebook Ministry page here (or just go to https://www.facebook.com/#!/CindyBultemaspeaker)
What are you up to this weekend? How can I pray for you?? I’d love to hear from YOU!!!
Have a Red Hot faith-filled weekend!
God’s richest blessings to you!
P.S. Would you mind taking a minute and praying for this event? I’ll be speaking 4 times Friday night, Saturday AM, Saturday PM, & Sunday AM. May the Lord move in such a way that hearts and lives are changed for His purpose and glory alone! 🙂
Cindy- I can’t wait for your Bible study! I will buy it!! Oh, I will be praying for your weekend. I know God will use you in mighty ways. God has given you a story to tell. Tell it, girl!! Blessings, Shonda
Shonda, you are so fun! You are an amazing Red Hot cheerleader, my friend! Thanks for your prayers! God is so faithful!
Blessings to you too!
Cindy 🙂
Good luck this weekend. I am all over your study when it comes out in fact, I hope you hold the bible study in town so I can attend. Hint hint. Sounds like a fabulous study. I am glad you are feeling somewhat better and we all know God will show up. He has a plan this weekend starting with you being there. Praying for your weekend and I can only imagine the fall colors you are seeing on the way up and back down to GR. Enjoy!
Courtney,
You aer so super sweet! I’d love to hold another Red Hot Bible study here in town – especially if you’ll come! I miss you!
Thanks for your prayers and friendship. You are loved!
CIndy 🙂
Cindy~Your message this weekend was powerful! Thank you so much for sharing your story and for making each and everyone of us ladies feel special and included. What a blessing your Bible study is to our Woodside Women!
Jen –
I had so much fun getting to know you this weekend! I’m so glad we were able to connect first thing Friday night! Please keep in touch as you can. Sweet blessings to you!
Cindy 🙂
P.S. And thank YOU for making me feel special and included!! 🙂