cheristrange
Cheri Strange…Leading women to stretch beyond ordinary,
one reach at a time....

If you are like me, mediocrity is not your style. You want more than an ordinary Christian life. You want purpose. You want to be fruit-bearing in all you do. You want to exit this planet with Godly satisfaction that you have finished the race God set specifically before you.

If this is you, then we are going to need to stretch together beyond what's comfortable and reach past what's familiar. Don't worry, a life beyond ordinary is attainable (Deut. 30:11), but it will require us to be intentional in what we do; discerning in all we choose; and passionate in how we love. Join with me for a little stretching beyond ordinary...one reach at a time.

Cheri Strange, PhD

Christian Speaker & Author
Temple, Texas

Ideas for Spiritual Refueling

Tuesday, 10 May 2011 11:20 Cheri Strange

For 16 weeks, I have decided to set aside extra time to spend with the Lord. I don’t know about you, but I get depleted spiritually and emotionally. If I do not devise a plan for refueling, my empty state begins to affect my family, my friendships, those with whom I minister, and even the people in line with me at Wal-Mart! It’s not pretty!

      You can check out my previous post, Intro. to Spiritual Marathon Training for plans as well as a schedule I am keeping for the month of May. It’s really very doable. Basically, I’m spending 30-50 extra minutes to strengthen my walk with the Lord – 3 times a week for the summer. Then on the weekend, I will spend about an hour doing the same. As the training intensifies, the weekend time will grow to prepare me for Race Day – which will take between 4 ½ - 5 hours. Frankly, I can blow that kind of time at the outlet mall on a Saturday and never feel an ounce of guilt. The difference is I know what to do with 4 ½ - 5 hours of shopping. But do I know how to use the same quantity of time with the Lord?

       Today, I want to share a few ideas for what extra time with the Lord might look like for you and me. Remember, God longs for a richer, fuller, more intimate relationship with each of us. It’s not as difficult as we make it. Here are a few things I plan to do over the next weeks:

    1. Read the Bible. I love the One-Year Bible. It allows me to have a starting and stopping point. If you are new to regular Bible reading, the One-Year Bible is an excellent place to start. It takes about 15 minutes. Because I have established this daily discipline, I have picked up my Chronological One-Year Bible in addition to the one I’m reading daily for the summer. I don’t have to think about anything – just go to today’s reading and read.
    2. Read a Christian non-fiction book. I chose The Hole in Our Gospel. Again, this is not a difficult task --- it’s simply a choice to sit and read something that will pour into me instead of wasting my time on something I would normally do. If you don’t know what book to select, go to your local Christian bookstore and select one that sounds interesting from the best seller’s selection or the section for women’s interests. 
    3. Join a Bible study or choose to do a study alone. Several different publishing houses produce high quality materials that speak directly our needs. Of course, there are the Big Ones: Kay Arthur and Beth Moore. But there are others, too. Peruse the Bible study section and you will find excellent studies put out by Lifeway, AMG, New Hope, and others. If you find one you particularly love – please post a comment.
    4. Use the Web. There are great organizations that offer daily devotionals and blogs that encourage and instruct the reader. I will be linking some of these to my blog as we go.
    5. Walk and pray / Pray and Walk. Get outside and simply spend time talking with the Lord about all that is on your mind and in your heart. Take 20 minutes. Pray for your neighbors. Pray for your children and grandchildren – longer and more intently than you do in the midst of the chaos.

Before you know it --- the training time for the week is gone. And you will begin to feel rejuvenated and ministered to. Let the pouring in begin…

Cheri Strange Written on Tuesday, 10 May 2011 11:20 by Cheri Strange

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Living a Life that Outlasts my Prada

Are you living a life that eternally impacts those around you? Do you have a deep desire for your life to truly matter? God designed us with this yearning. But how can we live a life that makes an eternally significant impact? Cheri leads particpants through Biblical examples of those who tuned their lives to God and changed the world forever. When principles and practices from these examples are applied to daily living, our lives take on purpose and lasting significance that will impact those around us. Cheri shares how to live with an eternal perspective and world-changing potential, using our favorite accessory -- the purse. Participants will be equipped to live lives that ooze with quality and Jesus flare. 

Letting go of ordinary...

If you ask a child, "What would you like to be when you grow up," the answer will never be, "Marginal." Charles Spurgeon professes that no one ever meaders into the kingdom of God. No. If we hope to be anything beyond ordinary, we must be intentional. This topic is bursting with Biblical examples of those who made intentional choices to seek hard after God, living extraordinary lives, and those who did not. Participants will leave with practical ideas and suggestions for how to determine what needs to go and how to grasp hold of God's best.

 

The Difference Between Us and Them: Habits of World-Changing Christians We Need to Know

Ever wonder why some Christians seem to live more fruitful and productive lives than others? What if the differences were related to something as simple as habits? If simply changing our habits would help us lead the fruitful lives God intends, then we need to know what they are and how to incorporate them into our lives. In this session, Cheri leads participants through ten habits effective Christians share in common that separate them from the majority of Christians. Participants discover what these habits look like in everyday life and are given tools for how to begin incorporating them daily.

Living Beyond Schedules, Homework, and Carpools: How to Stop the Madness of Life Just Happening

Where does it all go? From the moment our eyes open, our days are non-stop. Whether you work in the home or in the workplace; have zero children at home or six -- much of our lives just seem to happen to us. How do we get control of the madness and keep controlso that our days, however mundane the tasks, remain significant? In this session Cheri addresses common life-stealers and ways to combat them. Participants will leave with practical ways to manage their busy lives and tips for how to rid themselves of what keeps them in a life that is just happening.   

More than a Blur: How to Make the Most of the Early Childhood Years

Women with young children in the home have at least three things in common: snot on their favorite outfit doesn't phase them, they have learned to stand to eat, and personal hygiene has become a negotiable. Personal time completely disappears for years. It is no wonder many of us look upon those years with blurred vision, unsure exactly how we managed to get through it. But it doesn't have to be that way. In this session, Cheri will provide participants with practical ideas and suggestions for how to do more than just get through it, turning those years into blessing instead of a blur.

Ordinary Is as Ordinary Does: Extraordinary choices to transform your marriage.

Marriages between Believers should be more satisfying, more healthy, happier, and last longer than those from outside the church. However, marriages within the church experience similar pitfallsand devastating ends at the same rate as those outside the church. The good news is that much of what makes marriages satisfying, healthy, happy, and forever is within reach. Participants will learn current trends in marriage fall-out within the church, practical steps to take which help fortify marriages, and strategies that are proven to lead couples toward experiencing the satisfaction and joy God intended in marriage.

 

Just Stretch: The Life you Want is within Reach

Ever feel like you just can't be who God wants you to be? The Bible is clear: if you are still breathing, God has a plan for your life. Abundant living is not for the few. God is not in the business of holding out on us. He has promised, if we week Him, we will find Him, if we seek with with all of our hearts. That means living an extra-ordinary life is going to require us to stretch, but it is within reach. Cheri gives participants Biblical success stories of those who were willing to stretch beyond ordinary living in order to live extra-ordinary lives. She will help paticipants find courage through failure, strength to keep growing, and solutions used by Chritians who have impacted the world - living lives just like yours.

 

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Key Verse

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Deut. 6:5
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