It's More Dear To His Heart

Hey friends and family!
As most of you should know by now, I'm taking a big step toward the Kingdom dream that the Lord put on my heart. The women's ministry He called me and gave me a vision for is beginning.
Phylla House is a ministry for divorced or widowed women, and it brings them into a compassionate community so that they can heal and impart wisdom from the Lord to each other.
The baby step is a 6-week Bible study starting April 8th.

I worked super hard on getting the website from imaginary to functional, and pushed through the frustration of having no idea how to do it, and trusted the Lord to come through. He did! It's done! It's live! Hallelujah!! Phyllahouse.com

An amazing family from my church stepped forward in support, offering their home and their wisdom to push this dream forward. Answered prayer!

Women can sign up at phyllahouse.com/bible-study and they can choose either Mondays or Tuesdays, which is a big commitment for me, but I am so willing.

Last night I got super discouraged, because nobody has signed up yet.
I started to count all the negatives.
I started to feel terrible about it!

Then God ministered to my heart through a devotional called Streams in the Desert, a gift from a dear friend.

Phylla House is more dear to His heart.
I can trust Him.
I can leave it with Him.
I haven't failed, because it's not up to me. I'm being obedient. I haven't held back, I haven't abandoned the ship. I haven't withheld the vision. My passion hasn't waned.

They are His daughters.
Phylla House is His ministry.
His little church of sorts.
His community.
His body.

So I choose to trust the prophecy and the dream, because in trusting that, I trust the One who gave it to me.
I trust His timing.
I trust His Spirit.
He is alive.
He reigns.

Hope lives.

Healing will happen as naturally and miraculously as the flowers that start 'neath the snow.
Not due to my effort.
Not for my glory.

For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
Romans 11:36

Rebuked

"He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise."
-Proverbs 15:31

Loud and clear, I heard it.
I felt that sinking feeling, the one we feel when we're reprimanded in front of the whole class. I messed up.

What I did may sound silly to you. You're probably gonna snicker and think "Helena, that's not even bad." Trust me though, it was.

You know when you go to a restaurant and you order the same thing, because you've had it before and you know how it tastes and what to expect?

I ordered cheese pizza.

Nothing wrong with cheese pizza, but as I looked through the menu, I saw different combinations, different foods, crazy toppings, and I was hungry.
I had decided in my mind that I would try something different, get a little crazy, if you will. Then, as the server took the order, I defaulted back to cheese pizza.


Menus taken away, server out of sight, chatter resumed, and then it hit me.

I found myself waiting for cheese pizza. Seriously?

Enough time passed for me to think about this decision, and I realized that I do this in several areas of my life. I default back to what I feel is familiar, choosing things I feel I can control. When I got home from the race, for example, the first thing I did was apply to a hospital. Why not work at a place I've worked for the last 3 years? That's logical.

However, the Lord has given me an alternate plan and a deeper hunger.

It takes a lot more faith and trust to go on a limb, try new things, allow myself to be surprised, and not order the cheese pizza of life.

Jesus is teaching me that courage.
He keeps assuring me that there is more in store for me than I can imagine and keep trying to choose for myself.
He is daring me to try, to ask, to seek, to knock.


In His rebuke, He said 'you know better than to ask little of me.'

Busted. Rebuked.

More, please. Surprise me. 

It Starts Here

As I drove into Laurel Park to run its mile loop, I began looking for the trail start. I didn’t see it, but I spotted the half-mile mark. Good enough, I thought. I parked my car and began my run. 

Halfway through the loop, I found the real start sign. 

Most of you know I feel called to women’s ministry, but I didn’t know where to start. 

I followed the Lord’s leading to Georgia, of all places, and hit the ground running.

I’ve been serving in the Adventures In Missions office and taking classes in the afternoon, as part of the Center for Global Action (CGA) curriculum. I've been meeting with several people who have taken me under their wings, people whose words I take to heart and whose faith I admire. I even signed up for a web design class! I started attending Revolution Church and now I am one of the leaders for their brand-new youth group, Recourse.

The pace has been wild and new, but I kept on running.
Lo and behold, I spotted my start sign...

Leading a Bible study!

The very first Phylla House Bible Study for divorced and widowed women will be here in Gainesville, Georgia. It’ll be 7 weeks long, meeting on Mondays, from 6 to 8pm.  With the Lord’s blessing, there will be ladies who are willing to meet and allow me to lead them in a very special study through relevant and sensitive subjects. It kicks off April 8^th and goes until May 20^th.  If you’re interested and available, send me an email at phyllahouse@gmail.com.

I've been working on the website, and it isn't much yet but I'm learning: phyllahouse.com

The Lord is calling and I'm answering.

How’s that for a start?