What if on this Thankful Thursday …

You lose your keys …

You lose your dog …

You can’t find your purse and you’re late to a meeting …

You get home with all the hamburgers and no fries …

Or you’re at the checkout at some grocery store and realize  you forgot the eggs in the deepest darkest part of the store. So you have to haul all the way back to get them.  Worse yet, you fill your cart and get ready to check out and you realized you left your wallet at home.

The inconveniences of life.  The stuff of life. They can be a real pain in the neck.

You know what I mean.  That is the stuff that drives you crazy. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of those crazy things happens to you or me today on this Thankful Thursday.

Yet, we must remember that it is in those crazy inconvenient  moments, when we are convinced we can’t learn anything from what’s happening that God can use any experience to make us better women of God. As I have said before He can use the good, the bad and the ugly but we have to let Him.

We can learn peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control and so much more. But we must just remember to call on the Lord when the stuff of life is getting us down or overwhelming us and yes driving us crazy. Francesca Battistelli has a really cute song about this very topic. i hope you will check it out.

The ever-present world is always watching and our children also look to us to see how we handle the difficulties of life.

What kind of woman will you be when you are inconvenienced on this Thankful Thursday or any other day?

God can use everything to make us better and stronger women of God, but we must let Him.

Life is Life and Life is full of things that don’t always go our way.

So on this Thankful Thursday, remember that the stuff that drives you crazy just might be the stuff that God uses to change your life and the lives of others around you!

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as we learn to be crazier about God than the stuff that drives us crazy!

You may call it something else at your house, but we call “It” that.  The thing you feel when you know you can’t take one more step, one more move, one more phone call not returned, one more whatever.  It is when you’re flat-out “spent”.

You have nothing left to give yourself – or anyone else for that matter.

To be honest friends, I have felt that more than once in the last several years.  Starting over a life is not easy. Losing my parents, who were such strong Godly pillars in my life, and simply having to make so many decisions about our life and life’s work has been flat-out exhausting at times.

But I know many of you are walking through the same journey as Winters and I are.  I also know it could be even harder and I am grateful it is not. On this Thankful Thursday I am grateful for the friends that have chosen to stand beside us and face our future, or “giants” as Winters calls them, together with us.  I am thankful for those friends that say” how can I help,” and “what can I do,” or simply “I love your latest post or Winters’ interview”.  Words that speak hope and words that speak life to weary journeyman.  I pray I give the same encouragement to you and those I meet.

In Everyone Needs A Sam, Winters writes that many will go to the mountain top with you.  There are many who want to tag along when you are important, but few will walk life’s dark valley with you.  He talks about those faithful friends that will join you in your lowest and darkest hour as you are searching for a  light switch, and they bring the flash light.  I pray I am that kind of friend, packed with a flash light and willing and ready to turn it on at a moment’s notice. I thank God for all my flashlight-carrying friends.  You are a blessing to us.

We have been on the mountain top of success and we have been in the deep valley of despair.  We have been rich and we have been poor.  But as the apostle Paul said, “I have learned to be content no matter the circumstances.”

This past week was a week of reflection.  That can be a good thing, but only if you come out the other side with more perspective and understanding.  And so I did, have more insight and perspective that is.  I wish some of the events of the past could have been different, but they weren’t and if they were different I would probably not be sitting here typing this post.  So again, I have a deeper appreciation for the here and now.

Winters is a deeper, more compassionate and wiser man than he was and for that I am so grateful. Because of the path we have chosen Winters Writes.  It is his gift.  His calling. Non-conventional as it may be.

I recently read a phrase on an artist friend’s business card the other day, it simply read:

“Sometimes on the way to the dream you get lost and find a better one”

I love that.

I think it can be so true , often we have a plan. We think we know what we want and we head out on the journey, dreams packed, prepared and ready. We have great plans.  However, along the way you find an even better one.

New passions, new purpose and new opportunities may pop up right in front of us and we must be open and willing to see the new dream God may have for us.

If the word of God says “He will give you the desires of your heart”, then the way I see it He will either give you the desires of your heart or change your heart’s desire.  I really do think it is that simple.  There may just be a new dream God is just trying to birth in your heart and life.  It might be right around the corner. One prayer time or devotional away from being birthed.

So if you have “hit your wall,” you have lost your “whatever” and you feel completely spent and on top of that you are afraid  your dream is just out of reach …

Be open.

Be willing.

Be restored and renewed.

Ask God for eyes to see and just wait, any moment your friends will start turning on their flashlights.

You are not alone.

On this Thankful Thursday dear friends, be renewed as you step into new purpose and new dreams! Because frankly maybe the new dream is better than the old one anyway.  And thank God for the friends with flashlights.

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today on this Thankful Thursday as we remember that what ever we are walking through, God has not been taken by surprise, you are not lost, but found.

And the Dream, whatever it may be, is still alive and well in your heart and soul whether it be an old one or a brand new one!

We can’t just stop the clock and start over.

We can’t take back the words we said or the words we did not say. We can’t get back the missed opportunity to hug our children, say I love you or share the gospel with a stranger on a plane.  That moment is gone…

We can spend a lot of time torturing ourselves trying to get something back we once had or at least think we had.

I can’t undo the progression of my parents health decline and the decisions they made, we made or wouldn’t have made.  They are done. Those choices are final and in the past.

Life is fragile.  We must handle it with care. Most of the time we can’t go back and fix things. We can say we are sorry. We can ask for forgiveness. We can try to re-do what we have done but it is done.  We can do a lot of thing but rarely do we get a “do over”.

Yesterday I wrote on my Facebook page that “Sundays always feel like a new beginning. Whatever you did last week is behind you and the week ahead is a chance to have a fresh start. If you long for a fresh start with our Lord and Savior all you have to do is ask. He is there waiting and ready to help you walk through any and everything!

That is the beauty of our relationship with Jesus Christ, we get a “do over ” in sorts because God is the  God of new beginnings.  What a gift to have a loving Savior who forgives and forgets.  He says ” I will never leave or forsake you”.

As I write in the Power Prayer Girls Handbook, walking in forgiveness, freedom, purpose and power are key tools to being a mighty intercessor for Christ! As well as letting go of the past and the things that hold you captive.

Embracing and celebrating who you are in Christ is key to your spiritual success!

You must also celebrate your gifts, your talents and your treasures! Today look at what is ahead of you~Focus and think on that which is good, pure, right and lovely… Think on these things… Phil 4:8.  Focus on what you have and not on what you don’t!

The story of the prodigal son is the best story ever about starting over.  The prodigal Son basically got a “do over”. No questions asked~No lecture, no “I told you so” . Just celebrations, killing the fatted cafe and putting on the royal robe and ring!

That my dear sweet sister is what Jesus offers you and I!

Jesus welcomes you and I into a life we could never truly comprehend.  One of forgiveness and unconditional love.  One where rules and regulations are more commandments to help guide us to a more intimate life with Christ.  We are the prodigal Son and the Father, well, is the Father. A Father with an embrace that can change your life forever!

So if today you find yourself in need of a “do over” and in need of the loving touch of a forgiving father remember that He waits with His arms wide open to receive you~ no questions asks.  We must simply come putting the past behind us!

Remember your brokenness makes you more beautiful! We are new creations in Christ!

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as we walk in new freedom, forgiveness, and a future full of hope and praise God for Do Overs!

P.S. Winters the Writer and editor is out of the office, so please forgive any errors!

But the funny thing was next morning I found myself in a bit of a slump and it surprised me.  I was quite taken back by a deep urge to reevaluate the years I have had on this earth.

Questions like:  Am I doing what God has called me to do?  Am I fulfilling my purpose?  Is there anything I need to be doing I am not doing?  And yes, is there anything I doing that I should not be doing? And finally, when next year rolls around am I going to be saying the same old thing?  Will I have finished that book I have put aside, learn to spend more wisely or get back into counseling as I feel called to do.  Those are issues in my life that are still not resolved.  You may have some like that too.  The nagging issues of life that seem to frustrate you rather than inspire you to change.

I found myself on the phone with a dear friend, reduced to a ball of tears that Thankful Thursday. But that seemed to be just where I needed to be.  She offered great wisdom and insight.  Thank God for the Sacred Few.  Thank God they listen even when the are too busy or when they have heard the same sad story a million times.  Life is hard sometimes, and so is growing old, growing up and the  whole process of trying to be our better self.

It did not take long for the counselor in me to kick into high gear and I asked myself “what in the heck is going on”.

I determined  it almost instantaneously.  The bottom line was pretty much two things:

I missed my Mom and Dad.  Every year on my birthday, since as far back as I can remember and long after I was married, I was awaken to the serenade of Happy Birthday.  Mom and Dad would either stand by my bed or they would call me and celebrate my birthday this way.  It was sweet and Oh so special.

Birthday memories last a lifetime and for that I am grateful. We carry this tradition on in our home every birthday. And I simply missed them.  But Winters provided yellow roses and a birthday serenade in their place and it was quite lovely I must say.

But I also relived one more thing was going on in my heart.  I knew I still was not doing all I felt God has called me to do.  And I thought of my mother and all the things she left undone. All the dreams she never fulfill. I have books not finished and the clarity on how to proceed in my ministry is still unclear.   And as I have said before, you must make time for the dream. But we must also remember it is not too late to do what God has called us to do. It is not to late to change.  It is not to late to be the person you want to be.  You too might find yourself today in a bit of a re-evaluation and that is ok.  That is how we grow and that is how we  change.

So I did what anyone would, I had a good cry, bought some new eye shadow and got a good hug from my friend at the beauty counter and then looked toward the future and said, “Okay God I am listening, what is next?” And I also said, “God, what do I need to do that I am not doing and what do I need to stop doing?”

Those could be two questions you might want to ask yourself on this Thankful Thursday. Remember, it is not to late to be all you feel God wants you to be and do all that He has called you to do by your birthday next year!

On this Thankful Thursday you might want to use this day to ask God to help you get from where you are to where you need to be.  I promise He is listening and ready and willing to help guide and lead you into His perfect will!

So dear sweet friends, be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as we remember it is not to late to allow God to fulfill His purpose in our lives and change for the better!

On this Thankful Thursday this is my prayer for you,

Go out into the world in peace.

Have courage.

Hold onto the things that are good.

Do not return anyone evil for evil. But give strength to those who are fainthearted, helping those who are afflicted

and giving honor to all of God’s creation.

Go and love the Lord.

Rejoicing in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Go in Peace

Dear friend, If you face this Thankful Thursday a bit worn out, and overwhelmed by life I pray this prayer encourages you.

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today on this Thankful Thursday and remember you are loved!

Frankly, I must bee honest.  I shielded mine.  I shielded them from the pain and hurt I knew they would feel if they watched the videos and heard the recounted tails of horror.  But that really all came to a head last week when we watch the unthinkable happen again to the Twin Towers.  The middle SON vowed to never fly.  The SONS were all holding back tears and tears were indeed the right emotion and yes, followed by anger.

The show we watched was indeed graphic.  They were not ready.  I was not ready.  I never was and never will be.  But in the moments before I could say “cover your eyes” or “leave the room,” we saw human beings falling and jumping to their deaths.  That is just really hard for children to comprehend.

Real life.  Real death.  And as I explained to the SONS, this is not some war game on your play station or PSP –  this is real life.  And real life has some very dark, horrible and grievous moments in it. And this was certainly one.

I remember many things about my mother, but  every year as we approach the anniversary of 9/11 I can remember her calling me like it was yesterday.  Mom was a native of New Jersey who had frequented the streets of New York for years, with horror in her voice as she said” Turn on the TV a plane just flew into the Twin Towers.” She knew right then and there it was no accident.  I assured her it was an accident and she simply said “No Corby, this is no accident.” Her voice had a sound unlike any sound I had ever heard from her before.

Her voice resonates in my mind every time I think of 9/11.  None of our friends or family were lost that day.  All those we personally knew in New York or New Jersey were safe.  However, several of their friends were killed

But it was early this morning I watched such an inspiration message about Lauren Manning, who survived 9/11 and had burns over 82% of her body. An amazing women and amazing story.  Her book is entitled  “Unmeasured Strength”.

In the interview she said  the following things that so stood out to me on this Thankful Thursday:

1. I made a conscious decision, a very conscious decision, to live that day.  I became determined to heal.

2. I have reconciled that I live with vast degrees of imperfections

3.  And I’ve learned to inhabit the body that I have

4. I am more relaxed with the notion that not everything turns out the way we think it should

5. I am more forgiving and patient

6.  We can be touched by a tragedy but not be held by it!

Amazing how the human spirit can triumph over tragedy.  This woman is beautiful from the inside out!  She said she chose to live that day. Others did not have a choice.

Wow amazing life-giving words on this Thankful Thursday.

Later I picked up the morning newspaper and  it said that at 1:00p.m. on Sunday they were asking all Cowetans to observe a time of remembrance by ringing bells and sounding sirens.  The very thought of that then as I read it, and even now as I write it, brings tears to my eyes.

A city full of bells and sirens.  Ringing in honor the lost  that day.  What a beautiful thing to do for such sad moment in history.

I feel certain on that horrible day ten years ago, the angels of God were ringing bells in glory and sounding horns as they ushered in so many to heaven.

On this Thankful Thursday, I pray that you are blessed and encouraged and that you hear the message of hope in the midst of all the tragedy.

You lose your keys …

You lose your dog …

You can’t find your purse and you’re late to a meeting …

You get home with all the hamburgers and no fries …

Or you’re at the checkout at some grocery store and realize  you forgot the eggs in the deepest darkest part of the store. So you have to haul all the way back to get them.  Worse yet, you fill your cart and get ready to check out and you realized you left your wallet at home.

The inconveniences of life.  The stuff of life. They can be a real pain in the neck.

You know what I mean.  That is the stuff that drives you crazy. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of those crazy things happens to you or me today on this Thankful Thursday.

Yet, we must remember that it is in those crazy inconvenient  moments, when we are convinced we can’t learn anything from what’s happening that God can use any experience to make us better women of God. As I have said before He can use the good, the bad and the ugly but we have to let Him.

We can learn peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control and so much more. But we must just remember to call on the Lord when the stuff of life is getting us down or overwhelming us and yes driving us crazy. Francesca Battistelli has a really cute song about this very topic. i hope you will check it out.

The ever-present world is always watching and our children also look to us to see how we handle the difficulties of life.

What kind of woman will you be when you are inconvenienced on this Thankful Thursday or any other day?

God can use everything to make us better and stronger women of God, but we must let Him.

Life is Life and Life is full of things that don’t always go our way.

So on this Thankful Thursday, remember that the stuff that drives you crazy just might be the stuff that God uses to change your life and the lives of others around you!

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as we learn to be crazier about God than the stuff that drives us crazy!

I hope you will love it as much as we do. It’s an all new look, but the same divine purpose of God – to give Him the glory and help women grow in their faith.  That is the message of Christ and the one I want the whole world to hear!

I think it was more difficult to build this site than birthing the Sons of Thunder! Really, I am not kidding.

In 2008, I started corbywinters.com on a wing and a prayer. We were in the throes of handling my parents’ rapid health decline and it was indeed a very difficult time in our lives with work and family.  But for those of you who follow my ministry and have read Stepping into Purpose ~ you know that I don’t really believe there is a perfect time to follow God’s call on your life.  If you are waiting for the perfect timing or perfect season, I do not believe it exist.

There is only obedience. There is only faith.  There is only a surrendered heart. That, my sweet friend, is what makes a season perfect – when you act on faith in purpose.

With the new design comes many new features. Thank the dear Lord for my very, very patient husband.  Winters has put up with a thousand and one changes.  We also want to thank our very patient graphic genius guy from Kansas, Brian White of TriLion Studios.

These two men have made my dreams come to life! They have blessed my life in ways I could never really adequately express. I am confident that God is about connecting people with people and through a series of connections God brought us Brian.  Thank you.

Over the next few weeks you may see slight changes and I will be starting YouTube messages that will give me an opportunity to connect with you even more!

My desire has always been to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with you in a way that is relevant to your everyday life while presenting  a gospel that also revolutionizes our lives and the world around us!  We can be transformed and renewed by Jesus Christ and His saving Grace!

It is a gift.  That is why I have a free gift under the “About Corby” section. I want everyone who visits this site to have a oppurtunity to hear about Jesus and what He did for us on the cross at Calvary!

If I have said it once, I have said it many times.  God wants to use you in a mighty way to change the world for HIM and I know we can – even if it just one person at a time.

I pray that you will continue to follow my website and the blogs.  I write and speak to empower, equip and encourage you to fulfill God’s call on your life.  I also write and speak to help you fulfill your dreams, passion and purpose in Christ too!

As most of you know, I write two regular weekly posts and sometimes add others.  If you are currently on my email list I would like to personally invite you to subscribe to my website so you can get updates automatically.

I have an all new and improved Teen message called Pure Empowerment!  I am so excited to share this with young women everywhere as God opens the door.

If you know of women that you feel would be blessed and encouraged by visiting corbywinters.com, I pray you will send them my link and encourage them to subscribe to my website.  They can be friends on Facebook too. I would love for you to pray for me and for my ministry.  I also would love for you to pray for Winters and I as we both step more boldly into our purpose.

We will have two new books available very soon and I am finishing the Power Prayer Girls Handbook even as we speak!  These are tools that we pray will bring others closer to Christ! Which means we will also have a store soon too!

I want to take a moment to thank the Power Prayer Girls, The Sacred Few and all my SAMS for their support of my dream and my calling to be a ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  To those of you who wrote sweet words of support and encouragement, I can’t thank you enough! I cried through all of them and I was very humbled by what you wrote. Thank you again!

To the Sons: may you leave a legacy that all will be proud of, but most of all that will honor God. Create a legacy that is eternal and not just that of hay, wood and stubble!  Be prophets unto the nations, my sweet Sons of Thunder! What a gift you are to me.

To my parents, thank you for leaving me a legacy that is one I am so proud of and pray will bless many lives as I share your message of hope and love.  Thank you for gifts you gave me.  I pray I make you proud as I carry on the mantle you passed onto me.

And finally, to Winters, so glad  a cord of three is not easily broken.  Thanks for stealing a dance with me when you can, laughing every chance we get and making the Little Black Dress a better women than she was before she met you! Thanks for being a SAM and not my best friend! Ha Ha!

Dear friends, be blessed and encouraged as we change the world!

I think there are several key points in this tiny yet, powerful statement: We must be confident when setting out after our dream. Confidence and courage are so important.   We must go in the direction of the dream.  We won’t achieve our dream if you we do not set our eye on the prize.  We must see it very clearly in our heart and minds.  Imagining how you  will get there and what it will be like when we do!

Set your heart and mind on fulfilling God’s call on your life. Then go after it with all your heart, soul and mind.

You must set out to get there on purpose!

So to create the life you have always dreamed of you need a plan!

Start today…Write down just a short note to yourself and clarify your dream!  Then list 5 to 10 things you will need to do to get you on your way to fulfilling that dream in your life!

Then sister, go after your dream!

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today as you start fulfilling God’s call on your life and commit to get somewhere on purpose!!!

Today we finish what we started ~ True Love!

As I said last week, one thing I love to talk about is True Love! I never seem to tire of it, True Love that is.

I believe in True Love …  I always have and always will. I always believe that true love will prevail in the end.

I believe and pray the SONS of Thunder will find True Love!  I have already been praying for their future brides.  You can read more about that here, if you like.

I believe my friends will find true love too, even if it has been taken away before.  It will come back. It always has a way of finding its rightful place, whether in your heart or only in a precious memory.  I witnessed my parents true love all the days of their life.  Yes, true love faces hard times, but true love endures all things.  

And on days when life is hard and I am weary by life’s many responsibilities, I remind myself of True Love!

But one of my sweet friends once said to me she didn’t believe in true love. WHAT! I remember saying! You do not believe in true love? It can’t be so … No, No, No,  you must believe in true love.  It is impossible not too!

Have you not seen The Princess Bride, Somewhere in Time or Sleepless in Seattle and well, the list goes on!

Who doesn’t love a good old movie where love wins in the end!  But let’s remember, Hollywood is one thing and the God of the Universe is a whole other realm.

Those are just movies … Created simply by man …  That is Hollywood…

God can do so much better than Hollywood!

Let’s get serious about what true love really means on this Thankful Thursday.

Any one that has seen a baby born, a sunset or has experienced real forgiveness knows that the power of true loves does exist.

People, directors and Hollywood can’t even compare to the capability of the Love of  God!

His true love and saving grace are in His Son, Jesus Christ.

So on this Thankful Thursday my mind is pulled to real, True Love.  The true love of God and His Son, Jesus Christ!

As I shared last week, I am moved  by music. Songs inspire me and often pick me up when I need it.  My parents loved music and made it an intricale part of my life.

I am so moved and inspired by the Phil Wickham song,  True Love!  I cannot listen to it and not feel the incredible power and transcending love of Jesus Christ.

This artist shares so vividly the love of God displayed on the Cross!

On this Thankful Thursday as you read the lyrics I pray you know how loved you are:

And just for a moment remember that True Love does exist:

Come close listen to the story
About a love more faithful than the morning
The Father gave His only Son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Father’s Broken Heart
Tears were filling Heaven’s Eyes
The day that True Love died, the day that True Love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that True Love died, The day that True Love died

Search your heart you know you can’t deny it
Come on, lose your life just so you can find it
The Father gave His only Son just to save us

The Earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt The Fathers broken heart
Tears were filling Heaven’s Eyes
The day that True Love died, the day that True Love died

Now, Jesus is alive

Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Oh, He is alive
He rose again

When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that True Love died, The day that True Love died

Come close listen to the story…

Be blessed and encouraged abundantly today on this Thankful Thursday as you come close and listen to the story about a love more faithful than the morning and never forget that the Father gave His only Son just to save us!  That, my dear friend, is True Love and something to be so thankful for on this Thankful Thursday!

John 3:16 says it all! Check out Phil Wickham’s video on YouTube. I have also posted it on my Facebook page. We as believers are so blessed to know and experience true love – now pass it on!

Lyrics by to Ethan Gillette, Zach McK , Jimmy H. for these lyrics