StaceyRising.com

About ten days ago I received an email from a group in South Africa asking me to come and speak at their annual retreat.  I was thrilled and excited, but there was one catch.  NEWIM (Networking Evangelical Women in Ministry) is a non-profit organization designed to encourage women that are in ministry.  The annual retreat is designed to bring in women (that typically do all the organizing, planning and programs) and give them the oasis retreat experience to refresh, restore and renew their souls.  The catch is, I have to pay for my own airfare... approximately $2,000. Once I get to South Africa, they will take care of everything.  In a strange way, I had TOTAL peace about accepting the call and believing God to provide my airfare. I had an idea...I would make Christmas stockings, purses and messenger bags out of burlap.  Our local coffee shop. The Drowsy Poet roasts its own beans and they agreed to donate the burlap sacks for me to use.  So it was time to start sewing and creating ...
(Read More)

Ever since the movie, "Bucket List" was released on the big screen there has been a lot of talk about what people want to accomplish before they "kick the bucket."  Well, this last month our church did a series on Generosity.  This was a unique twist to the typical tithing bible study.  If you have been a follower of Christ for any period of time, you know that God asks us to give ten percent of our income as a tithe and then He promises to bless the rest.  I am all about a blessed ninety percent, over a cursed 100%. So the basic idea of our Generosity Study was learning how to give to others, your church and whomever God lays on your heart, GENEROUSLY!  The first thing we MUST do to embrace this generosity lifestyle is to set up our finances so that we are not stretched beyond measure.  How many times have you wanted to do something for someone or meet a need in your church, but you just "couldn't afford it?"  It is time for Christians to STOP living beyond our means, STOP using ...
(Read More)