I am proof that God does indeed call women and absolutely compel them to become church planters.

It was never my idea to be a church planter.  I did not (in the flesh) want to do this at all!  I even felt a little angry at God in the beginning for MAKING me do this. (sigh)

I was finally at a place in my writing ministry where editors were calling me and asking me for articles.  That only came after many years of rejection letters and tears from having my articles turned down.  But I didn't give up.  I kept writing and God blessed my efforts.

I co-wrote a book for Focus on the Family.  I had hundreds of articles published in magazines like Leadership Journal, Pray! Magazine, Rick Warren's Toolbox and so forth.  I was being asked to be a keynote speaker on a regular basis. 

I was also a pastor on staff at a growing church.  A journalist friend and I were leading a successful Christian writer's group. I felt very good about where my life was and where it was heading.

And then God told me that He wanted me set all of that aside to start a church. I was petrified! I knew how great a burden it would be and how high the cost would be personally to me and my husband.  I did not want to do it!

Yet, I was completely overwhelmingly compelled! BHCC had it's first public service in September of 2002!  Since then it's been a wild, crazy, wonderful, scary, INCREDIBLE ride! 

I've lived through a church split, horrific satanic attacks, accusations, judgments, rejections, ridicule and more.  At the same time, I've walked on water, side by side with my awesome Lord!

I've seen many incredible miracles & miraculous healings.  My own mother has been healed of stage 4 lung cancer!  So many signs, wonders and miracles!  We've baptized more than 60 people and see tons of transformed lives!

I've been totally exhausted and wanted to give up many times through the years but always, always, our Precious Lord would renew my strength and compell me forward once again.

I am soo incredibly grateful that He wouldn't let me quit.  I'm so awed at how He has provided and blessed our socks off at times! Our church is healthy and strong and growing quickly.  We've past a hundred people and continue to have visitors every week.

And yet I am so continually aware of the fact that I can take none of the credit for any of the success. I've personally messed things up and made so many mistakes.  BUT GOD kept working and building and blessing.....

One of the biggest mistakes I made in the early years was making it too much about me.  I was so insecure and so worried about....well, me! Now I look back and wish so much I had kept my focus on Christ alone!

Our church has always been HIS idea and I'm really just a small piece of the picture.  I am merely His servant and it has been HE who has built this church.

Yet, it breaks my heart to have so many male pastors especially still look down their nose at me and other women pastors and say that we are not called by God to be pastors and church planters.  It bothers me, not because it's about me, it bothers me because they are holding so many other women back from being the person God has called and equipped them to be.

So this new blog begins a new chapter in my life.  I want to reach out to other women and encourage them to become the person God wants them to be.  I want to help train, lead, and equip other women to be pastors, church leaders and church planters.

The devil has had his way in holding back women in the church for too long!  The workforce in the Body of Christ is about to be doubled.  God is raising up women like never before!  Woman, your time has come!  You are not alone.  Together, we can rise up in our calling and become History Makers!

Wait and see all that God is about to do with women in the US!  Be bold!  Be courageous!  And most of all; be a Christ Driven Woman!!!