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Monthly Archives: November 2012

O Sweet WONDER

30 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Inspiration

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

adoration, Apostolic, Christian, exaltation, Inspiration, Jesus Christ, love, Ministry, Pentecostal, praise, reverence, Women, worship

Five Minute Friday

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back and invite others to join in, http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/.
3. Visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community…OK, are you ready? Please give us your best five minutes on: WONDER

wonder-940x626“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called WONDERful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”  ~ Isaiah 9:6-7

I marvel at the great love of God. His wonder surpasses my finite capacity to understand it.  His life-giving, life-changing wonder is seen in every facet of life.  Through the atmosphere, the Earth’s yielding of nature, the creation of humanity.  Through His long suffering patience with mankind, through His mercy and grace that sustains our lives when we’re not worthy.  Oh, His forgiveness.  He forgives us over and over.  He loves us inspite of our wretchedness.  The wonder of His love.  The wonder of His heart.  The wonder of His sacrifice.  When I think of Him, I cannot comprehend His wonder.  He is a wonder in my soul.  I just know that I love Him, O sweet Wonder.

 This beautiful refrain is from an old hymn of the Church. I just learned today that it was written by one of the Founding Fathers of my faith, Bishop Garfield T. Haywood.

O sweet Wonder! O sweet Wonder! Jesus the Son of God; How I adore Thee! O how I love Thee! Jesus the Son of God. 

And yet another praise lingers in my spirit when I think of this word, WONDER

He’s a wonder in my soul; He’s a wonder in my soul; He’s a wonder in my soul; Bless His Name!

wonderRemind-of-love

5minutefriday

People Need The Lord

27 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Blogging, Christian, Compassion, faith, Family, Help, Jesus Christ, love, Ministry, miracle, Parenting, Prayer, suffering, Teaching, Women, Youth

I love this Steve Green song …
 
Everyday they pass me by,
I can see it in their eye.
Empty people filled with care,
Headed who knows where?
On they go through private pain,
Living fear to fear.
Laughter hides their silent cries,
Only Jesus hears.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
At the end of broken dreams, He’s the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize –people need the Lord?
We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right.
What would be too great a cost
For sharing life with one who’s lost?
Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear.
They must hear the words of life
Only we can share.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He’s the open door.
People need the Lord, people need the Lord.
When will we realize that we must give our lives,
For people need the Lord.
People need the Lord
 
It came resounding through my wakefulness this morning.
A three-year old boy is dead.
His mother killed him.
His siblings will now live without their brother and their mother.
A family too is bereaved with no answer or sensibility.
People need the Lord.
Anger, unbelief, sympathy, compassion, hurt flood the mental and emotional cavities of our being.  The huge ‘why’ surfaces to the top. 
Blame, contempt, damnation, and judgment seeps through our humanity.
People need the Lord.
Children are a heritage from the Lord, a reward from Him.
God bless the soul of the young child.
God bless the soul of the mother.
God bless the family.
God bless us all.
People need the Lord.

There Is A Tugging In My Heart

26 Monday Nov 2012

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Proclaim Christ

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Apostolic, Baptism, Christian, Education, faith, Holiness, Inspiration, Jesus Christ, Ministry, Purpose, Salvation, Teaching, Witness, Women, Youth

From time to time I get this ache in my spirit, push in my back, a tugging in my heart to proclaim Christ from the tallest skyscraper to the deepest recesses of the Earth … just to yell, “Don’t forget Christ.”

There is just this tugging in my heart.

We live in a progressive society, folks racing to achieve personal goals, pursuing their purpose and destiny, sleeping out to possess the latest tech gadget, networking in the personal-gain social circles, promoting projects, events, my newest thing, and ‘me’. I’m not hating on any of that because people need that obviously.

There is just this tugging in my heart.

I recall to mind God’s discourse to the Ephesian church … “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” ~ Revelation 2:1-4

In this world of under-education and over-entertainment, hunger devastation and reality television of millionaire lifestyles, debates of tradition and legalism theology, compromise of standards for accommodation, more pacification than commanding of discipline.

There is just this tugging in my heart.

In this world of irreverance, arrogance, rebellion, high-mindedness and zealousness. Civil immorality, unrest, lawlessness. Hopelessness, deprivation, poverty, sickness, atrophy.

There is just this tugging in my heart.

Whatever platform we have in this dark world, we must stand in the identify of God (remember, like Peter did) and proclaim Christ. Tell the world about Jesus, tell them that more than anything, they need salvation by baptism in water in Jesus Name and by the infilling of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance (The Bible), tell them holiness is God’s standard and it is right, tell them what God requires: to do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly before God. Tell them to honor God in word, thought, behavior and conversation.

Tell the world to make Jesus thy first love.
Tell the world to never forget or leave thy first love.

There is just this tugging in my heart.

How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. … For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. ~ John 3:4-6, 16-17

Thank You

24 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Five Minute Friday

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back and invite others to join in, http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/.
3. Visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments.

OK, are you ready? Please give us your best five minutes on … THANK YOU

In this designated season of Thanksgiving, a time to give thanks, I have been participating in a challenge to post what I’m thankful for in my FB statuses each day.  It has been easy because I have so much to be thankful for.  God is so great in my life and He is the One I must give the ultimate THANK YOU each and every day of my life.

Particularly, for this post, I say Thank You for the unexpected ways and times God shows His love, times that take my breath away, that I have no words to adequately express my feelings.

Yesterday, while our family were all saying what we were thankful for, my oldest son said he was thankful for the Patriarch (his paternal grandfather) of our family and for the great legacy that has been exampled before him, his brother and sister and cousins and of the responsibility they have to uphold it for generations to come … that was a moment to remember, appreciate, praise God for and say, Thank You.

Today, when my granddaughter, Jordyn, climbed into my bed and gave me a kiss … that was a moment to say, Thank You.

This evening, when I logged into my blog and found a comment from a prolific blogger that I admire which read, “, I really appreciate you :)” … that was a moment to say, Thank You.

Whatever the language or culture, whatever age, class or gender, understanding the importance of saying, Thank You, to people who bless your life in ways great or small; to a God who is ever present, working on your behalf however bleak or bright your reality may be is a virtue that keeps on giving.

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. ~ Pslam 69:30

After a while you learn… by Veronica A. Shoffstall (1971)

20 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

After a while you learn… by Veronica A. Shoffstall (1971).

Masquerades, Charades, and Facades

20 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Balance, Christian, faith, Fear, Fitness, Forgiveness, inner strength, Inspiration, Jesus Christ, Masks, Motivation, Overcoming, Personal Development, Personal Growth, Purpose, self confidence, Women

 An Event Blog
            I attended a women’s conference this weekend entitled, Surrendering the Mask, which evolved from a book of the same title.  Not having read the book, I only surmised what the theme of the conference would reveal.  I celebrate the young woman visionary, young women speakers and leaders of the conference on its inaugural occasion, they did an exceptional job.
            So the focus was that women wear many different masks for many different reasons.  Masquerades, charades, and facades that disguise and cover up, and I would venture to say sometimes protect.  They are things that we hide behind to keep from being seen by others or secret things that blind, bind and imprison us.  They are life events that have shaped how we look at ourselves: traps of guilt, shame, and failure.  Sometimes these things are imposed by others through violation and some are self-inflicted by poor, irrational or ill-advised choices.
            The dynamic conference speakers talked about masks of control, pain, lack of repentance and unforgiving, toxic thinking, obstructed vision, how masks affect our health and wellness.  One of the speaker’s comments even revealed how masks meant to disguise us from others, can boomerang and disguise us from ourselves. That was a ‘wow’ one for me.
“Masks will be broken not because we are going to break them, but by God’s orchestration.” ~ LSP
            So often God is working things out for and through us, but we manipulate and control situations so that His process is either prolonged or aborted over and over again.  We are guilty of not surrendering all to God, not yielding and trusting Him with the whole of us.  We say, non-verbally, through our behaviors and actions, God I trust you for this much, this far, but this I’m not so sure about.  Or we, of our self-preserving nature, are too afraid to trust Him with the totality of our lives.  So we find ourselves coming time and time again to the altar or threshold of deliverance, only to walk away unfulfilled, undelivered, unhealed.  We must endure the process, even when it is scary, even when we cannot see through the darkness or the murky drowning waters.  Because when we release control, when we take hold of the Shepherd’s hook He extends, when we walk through that portal, open our eyes and hearts, we will find He is there to rescue us.
            One speaker spoke about the mask of pain.  How we must exercise faith to confront the thing we are hiding from. Faith is operative, you have to be willing to defy yourself and other people, risk judgment, reputation, and criticism. The woman at the well, she took a risk.  The woman with the issue of blood, she took a risk. The Shunamite woman, the woman with the alabaster box, they too took risks for what they needed.  How desperate are you to be delivered, uncovered, to emerge from hiding? The speaker spoke of how pain isolates us, but God calls us to Him.  He said in His Word, come unto me, and cast your cares upon me, He’s always reaching out to rescue us.
            Lack of repentance and unforgiving hearts are reasons we wear masks. Like David, we have to confess with a spirit of humility and honesty seeking the face and mercy of God.  Many times, we are guilty of clearly knowing what we need to confess, but we won’t utter it.  Spiritual healing and deliverance comes from an audible utterance to God, an acknowledgement and confession of what we need from Him.  My God, how cleansing it is to speak the thing that you are too afraid to utter!  When you do, you severe the bands of the adversary to use that thing against you, you become free to receive God’s deliverance.  I know, because I did it.  When we give those things to God, we become ‘loosed of infirmities’ that cripple us and have us ‘bent over’ spiritually.  We become free of soul ties, emotional connections, slavery and imprisonment.  We have to give it all to God so He can rescue us.
An appropriate segue was a song verse …
Create in me a clean heart, purify me, purify me
Create in me a clean heart so I can worship you
            Additional highlights for me included … All the masks of emotions that we wear cause our physical bodies to suffer and become impaired with fatigue, obesity, and chronic illnesses.  We already know our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, vessels unto God.  He created these temporal houses and gave us stewardship over them.  Emotional eating is a mask.  Imbalances; lack of discipline and will power; crutches and excuses; seeking comfort for some hidden craziness, some self-satisfaction that does not satisfy.  These are reasons for the mask.  Fitness instructors and experts chime all the time about the importance of having a healthy relationship with food, not living to eat, but eating to live.  In print media, speaker forums, talk show television, we are constantly infiltrated with health and wellness, fitness, and a myriad of ways to get fit, stay fit.  If you, like me, fight this battle every single day, you know we need God to rescue us.
            A few more notable nuggets …(1) satan plants seeds of deception in our minds and thought processes, we must not water, nurture nor believe or accept them.  We must be careful what we invest our thoughts in.  We must take authority over our thoughts.  We must be careful to daily renew our thoughts and consciously remember what God says about us and His ability to rescue us. (2) People seem to always be searching, asking about, seeking to know their purpose and it was clearly demonstrated by one of the speakers that purpose is always right in front of you, it is your essence, but often it is obstructed from view by emotional masks, masks of self-doubt, people pleasing, comparisons, fear of failure and fear of judgment, paradigms, and social and religious constructs.  We need the fortitude and attitude to knock down all those obstructions, to clearly see and embrace our purpose in life
            Finally, I wrote above about one of the speaker’s comments that revealed how masks meant to disguise us from others, can boomerang and disguise us from ourselves. She stated that so many masks of trauma had silenced her voice to the point that she didn’t even recognize her own voice.  That was a ‘wow’ one for me.  I’m always championing for people, especially women and young people to find and use their voice.  Why?  Because I know why the caged bird sings or the masked woman is screaming in silence.  Because she feels inferior, that no one cares to hear her; that her voice doesn’t matter, that she doesn’t matter.  She feels so misunderstood that she masks her voice and her words from being misjudged, picked apart, and trampled underfoot.  I submit, as I wrote in a recent blog post, use your voice even if it quivers and trembles as long as it is seasoned with love and grace.
            One other really poignant thought that was expressed, came from the Worship Leader who stated, ‘Some of us are wearing not only face masks, but masks here, here, here, and here which she demonstrated by pointing to all the parts of her body.  That was another ‘wow’ for me.  When I heard that, I thought, body masks!  But I didn’t get stuck there. I thought we have to exchange these masks for crowns.  Surrendering these masks is a process.  As much as we perform symbolic exercises every time we attend these types of conferences and meetings, often it is a process.  While God does work miraculously and He can do a thing suddenly, often it is a process.  A process that begins with the release of control, the application of faith, an uttered confession to God, true repentance and forgiveness, an insatiable hunger for change, using my voice to speak to myself healthy, positive affirmations, taking authority over my thought processes, and destroying every imagination that obstructs my purpose.
            Lastly, I want to share my God-moment.  The Worship Leader came forth and I felt she began her expressions from a position of assignment.  But as she continued, I felt God transform it from an assignment to a connection with the women in the room.  Then we began to sing, I love you Lord and I lift my voice to worship You, oh my soul rejoice; take joy my King in what you hear and let it be a sweet, sweet, sound in Your ear. We exalt Thee, we exalt Thee, we exalt Thee oh Lord.  In that moment, that worship, I was lost in His presence, bowed down in reverence, assured and empowered.  She directed us to say out loud what we came for and I said, “God, I came for YOU”.  Then we were released to minister to others that tonight they would receive what they came to receive.  For me, that was a God-moment of worship, surrender, and blessing to others.
            God does not want us to wear disguises. So we can end the masquerades, charades and facades. 
            He wants us to live the abundant life that He gave His life for us to live.
            So take courage, remove the mask(s), and put on your crown.  *Q
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” ~ Galatians 5:1

STAY In The Ship (Five Minute Friday)

17 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Inspiration, Motivation

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

faith, Fear, Five Minute Friday, Jesus Christ, Overcoming, Women

FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY … Where a beautiful crowd spends five minutes all writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em. 1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking. 2. Link back here and invite others to join in. 3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community. Oh and Ahem, if you would take pity and turn off comment verification, it would make leaving some love on your post that much easier for folks! Now, set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right. OK, are you ready? Please give us your best five minutes on: STAY

During the tempestuous winds, storm surges, and tidal waves of life, STAY in the ship. Jesus is in the ship.
Life can make us panic, fearful, angry, dispondent, but we can’t jump ship.
We have to STAY in the ship where Jesus is our covering and our surety against the storms.
He’s right there telling the winds and the sea to be still.
He’s right there telling the devil to not touch mine anointed.
He’s right there providing the anchor that we need to ground the ship, our existence.
He Himself is the anchor that will withhold us, sustain us, keep us grounded until the storm passes, until the winds cease, until the waves subside.
STAY in the ship, no matter what it looks like, remember Jesus is on the ship with you.
He is your anchor.
STAY in the ship.

Mark 4:37-41 ~ “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/

FEATURE PHOTO SOURCE: http://www.viewzone.com/noahx.html — The huge anchors would have been suspended from the keel of the ship. This was a common practice among ancient mariners to stabilze a heavy ship and ensure that
the bow is always facing the on-coming waves. A “top heavy” ship, such as the Ark, could easily be capsized by a wave
approaching from the side.

The Good, Bad, AND Ugly!

16 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Seize the day of empowerment!

It was my privilege to attend the Women of Color Foundation~10th Anniversary “Women In Leadership” Conference.  This phenomenal empowerment initiative is the brainchild and passion of Alexandria Johnson Boone.  Learn more about WOCF and its Founder/Executive Producer at http://new.womenofcolorfoundation.com.

I was excited to learn that the Conference was being held at my alma mater, Cleveland State University, in its new Student Center Ballroom where the view of the cityscape reminds you of CSU’s commitment and connection to the Cleveland community. 

Upon arrival, the Registration and Vendor space was already abuzz with ladies signing in and checking out books by Black women authors and other vendor offerings.  I was signed in and welcomed by a very cordial staff, received my Program and choice of Conference bag provided by some of Cleveland’s most recognized event sponsors.

The announcement was made that we would begin shortly and everyone should take a seat in the Ballroom.  Having been taught by my mentor that “Leaders always go up front”, I took a seat at the table right in front of the podium, checking to be sure it was not a reserved table.  There was one gentleman seated at the table and it turns out that I extended my hand to shake the hand of University President, Dr. Ronald Berkman.  Well what a way to start the day.  President Berkman extended the welcome for the Conference.  In his remarks, Dr. Berkman shared two important elements of leadership, (1) the ability to think creatively; and (2) the ability to implement ideas at a number of stages, and to carry them through from start to finish.  He referenced and recommended a book, “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain, http://www.thepowerofintroverts.com.  He shared that the book is about extroverted and introverted leadership and realizing ‘leadership is not all one flavor’.

Following the Welcome, a ‘spark’ was introduced.  She is a CSU Graduate Assistant who came from West African to attend school in Cleveland (I’d like to hear the story behind that decision) and ultimately became a U.S. citizen.  She spoke beautifully, her accent still very present, and with a self-assurance that was engaging and uplifting.  She spoke about her academic journey at CSU and all the people who ‘mentored’ and ‘championed’ her along the way.  One of those persons was now sitting next to me so I introduced myself.  The powerful thing that this young woman shared (at least for me) was “A lot of people speak life into me.” Oh my goodness, that shakes my core even as I reflect and write those words.  She gave distinct instances when someone called her ‘Administrator’, ‘Success’, and while introducing her Dr. Charleyse Pratt called her a future ‘President’.  She said, “You start to become what people speak into you.” Lastly she shared, “Leaders pay it forward”.  I updated my FB status right then, “I already feel empowered and we’re just at the Welcome.”

What are you speaking into others? Who and what are you allowing to speak into you?

We then moved into the Lecture Room for the Conference Presentation.  The Presenter was Dr. Ella L.J. Edmondson Bell, Associate Professor at Amos Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College.  Her academic and career path includes Case Western Reserve, Yale and Darmouth.  She is the author of “Career GPS”, http://www.careergpsthebook.com.

Dr. Bell’s topic was ‘Authenticity’.  She’s a pint-size powerkeg, not tall in stature but has this great height of scholarly and experiential learning.  She shared, “Leadership is needed no matter who or where you are.”  There are different kinds of leaders and leadership styles … she said, “We often don’t see images of ourselves as leaders” because we have this concept of what leaders look like that may not include the perception we have of ourselves.

Highlights for me included: Seize opportunities. You are a blank screen, paint what you want on it … your true authentic self. Avoid self-destruction. Help and support each other … You see me. Help me! Don’t be so self-consumed; divided from your sister. Performance alone will not advance you, relationship is also important. (Yes you did all the work, but what relationships did you build?) You are your best tool as a leader, you’re your best asset.

Then we did an exercise where we had to list our Good, Bad, and Ugly. Yes, self-evaluation … not comfortable with that. But she said number them, write them, then share them with the people in your row.  Our good is always recognized, celebrated and reinforced. We must use it to grow.  In sharing those ‘good’ virtues, we were energized. She encourged: keep the list, grow the list, review it often. Then we wrote the ‘bad’, all that energized chatter turned to engaged thought about what we were writing on those lists.  In sharing those lists, we found that we shared a lot of the same ‘bad’ … how people perceive us and what we know to be true ourselves. Finally, the ‘ugly’.  No one wants to look at that, right? She exclaimed, ‘we must’.  She said, you have to learn to dance with your ugly. ‘Ugly’ is not your identity.  She referenced that Bishop T. D. Jakes asked, “What comes out of the chaos of your life?” Out of the ‘ugly’, the dark, distorted, destructive, hidden, wounded, insecure comfort zones.  The best of us (charistmatic, celebrated leaders) have those places of ‘ugly’ (I recalled that from my Gender and Leadership class).  Some childhood trauma, family dysfunction, identity crises, social, class, ethnic inqeuity, rejection, abandonment … it is from these places, often in our youth, that the ‘ugly’ starts to form.  BUT! It is the ‘ugly’ that gives us muscle, determination and inner strength throughout our lives, it all makes up who we are, our authentic selves.  It is a triangulation, Dr. Bell said, the good, bad, and ugly, all points from which our gifts and blessings proceed. The book she referenced in her presentation, “Leadership & Self-Deception (Getting Out of the Box)” by The Arbinger Institute, http://www.arbinger.com)

What is your good, bad, ugly? Write it? Grow the good, embrace the other and work through it, use it for the development of your most authentic self.

Next, was the Awards Luncheon celebrating and honoring the achievements of three professional women. This year’s honorees included a NASA Aerospace Engineer, the first African American and woman Pastor of an historic congregation, and a leader in the local social sector.  African American women of influence, stature, and success breaking barriers, creating pathways and opening doors. At the end of the Luncheon, all the attendees recited to a partner the WOCF Covenant:

(in part) “I regard myself and you, as being created in the image of God. I see your beauty. I sense your power. I celebrate your potential. I support your prerogative to sing your own song. I share your pursuit of a high quality of life. … In you I see God and in God I see you. You are my friend and I love you.” Powerful!

The Conference continued with two panel presentations in the afternoon. The first panel presented on organizational Mentoring (of relationship and sponsorship) and Championing (of positional power) for others. What leadership competencies would be important for sponsorship? Cases of inequity; someone who demonstrates curiosity, is transparent, builds relationship; someone who demonstrates greatness, is available, connects with people, persons who SHINE in their career pursuits. Highlights: “Learn from every opportunity whether you fail or succeed.” “Keep your antennas up, be true to your convictions, but also open to opportunities.” [In the absence of any external champion] “Recognize your internal champion.”

 The second panel presented on having what it takes to make the grade from the classroom to the boardroom.  Panelists shared that it takes passion (the prevailing characteristic); in some situations, it takes a calling; purpose, perseverance, not only academic, but emotional readiness, and understanding power and the ‘rules of the game’ (which can change midstream, without your knowledge), and it also takes the ability to apply wisdom; self-reliance, “It is up to me”; create your own path, write your own story.  How do you recognize your own passion? It is what you’re good at, what you enjoy, what you live and breathe.  Closing tips: Define things for yourself; set goals; receive advice, but listen to our heart; follow your passion; realize you’re not alone; don’t sell yourself short, know your value; speak to, encouarge and empower yourself. Learn some skills (how to run a meeting); don’t be perfect; speak with authority/boldness, don’t apologize so much; have a short memory, don’t hold grudges; Have FUN!
 
I’ve shared my takeaways from the WOCF Conference because when you experience something great, you want others to experience it too.  So I pray my nuggets will give you a sense of being there.

Recommended books:

What will the WOCF be doing in the future? Whatever the platform, I’m sure it will be empowering!

Quiet Strength

09 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Christian, Inspiration, Women

FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY … Where a beautiful crowd spends five minutes all writing on the same topic and then sharing ‘em. 1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking. 2. Link back here and invite others to join in. 3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community. Oh and Ahem, if you would take pity and turn off comment verification, it would make leaving some love on your post that much easier for folks!

Now, set your timer, clear your head, for five minutes of free writing without worrying about getting it right. OK, are you ready? Please give us your best five minutes on: QUIET

When I saw the prompt for today’s 5-Minute Friday, nothing came to mind immediately. Write something from a scripture verse or a quote, I thought.

Quiet Strength emerged from my pondering. Books bearing the title have been written by former NFL Coach Tony Dungy and about Civil Rights activist Rosa Parks, both individuals who exemplified quiet strength in their approach to adversity and in their leadership styles.

First Lady Michelle Obama, a example herself of quiet strength and grace is quoted, ” … I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life who taught me about quiet strength and dignity.”

So what is this quiet strength? It is the ability to exercise influence without aggressive methods or an authoritarian manner.

It speaks of persons who manage the hard knocks of life and no matter how severe the blows, they find a way to get back up, stay in the fight, and rise to the occasion. With fearless determination and resolve, they live their lives with this undergirding of quiet strength that pushes, lifts, settles and establishes them purposefully and effectually. They are change agents, fence jumpers, ceiling breakers, and ultimately champions for others, including their children and families, communities, and associations.

Quiet strength is somehow unseen and seen at the same time. It is the essence of a person that you cannot see, but is manifested in ways that are keenly visible and tangible. I saw it in my mother as she worked to provide the best for us; I’ve seen it in my Pastors’ wives as they live in a glass bowl observed by glaring stares and imposing expectations of others; and I see it in spiritual leaders who are committed to their call and vow to God no matter the weight of that calling.
This quiet strength, unseen yet seen.

“The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.” ~ Ecclesiastes 9:17(NIV)

**This took longer than five minutes.

http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/

Reflections of a Mentor

04 Sunday Nov 2012

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

(Inspired by MVL’s Master Mentor series) … http://www.myvicariouslyfe.com/2012/10/the-master-mentor.html

When I came to Pentecostal Church of Christ in 1974, two young women in particular mentored me as a young saint, Brenda Rainey and (now my Sister-in-Love) Evangelist Beverly Green (Lewis at that time). They were a Godly example to me and taught me  how to serve, and how to be a leader. They helped develop skills I already had by teaching me, involving me, and even taking me with them to Conventions and other meetings and social occasions.

WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE (in my Oprah Winfrey voice) is critical to the mentoring process is relationship. Involved individuals must be willing to give of themselves while giving to someone else.

Later, as I became a young adult, young wife, young mother, God gave others to impart into my life.  The epitome of a First Lady, Jewel Watkins, Hortense McWhorter Nash, and Evangelist Jerlean McCormick, were holy women who mentored me. Spiritual Mothers, Evangelist Geneva Rucker and Mother Margie Donnell mentored me … There were/are significant others  too, including my Mother-in-Love, Evangelist/Mother Lillian Lipford (in Heaven).

One day though, a family moved from Springfield to Cleveland and became apart of our church family. Charleyse S. Pratt, Ph.D. influenced and impacted my life in a profound way. I remember vividly the first of hundreds of times she took me to an event outside of the church … It was a Toastmistress (at that time) event held in the Higbee store conference space at Severance when it was a mall (You know how long ago that was, right?). I had no idea what was in store for me that day and from that day until now, she has mentored me, advised me, and celebrated me … even to this day.

As a couple, she and her husband mentored us as a young couple with young children, welcoming us into their home, breaking bread together, learning together, and our husbands teaching together. She included me in corporate functions she facilitated or participated in, she shepherded me and I shadowed her. I assisted her in administrative tasks including typing parts of her doctoral dissertation, and documents for her consulitng practice … she was and still is inclusive that way. She, as so many will agree, is a giant IMAX example of excellence, poise, scholarship, achievement, and a speaker par excellence. She is a visual of professional, educational, and the Proverbial 31.

“Evidence of learning is changed behavior.” ~ CSP; “Words create worlds.” ~ CSP

This is in no way an all-inclusive account of how she has blessed my life for more than 30 years including being one of the premiere influences for my going back to school and earning my degree (as she has been for countless others).

My focus more than anything in this writing is to share that mentoring is so much more than a teacher or a coach, it is principally about relationship as well.

BRAVO to mentors and to those who seek them out.

[Disclaimer: The persons named in this writing in no wise complete the list of ‘legends’, strong women, and spiritual mothers who have imparted into my life, especially my Mother, Altha Casey (in Heaven)] *Q

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