Breaking News: I recently received some exciting news: Legacy Shepherding Ministries, Inc. is now an enrolled organization in Thrivent Choice! And you may be able to help Legacy Shepherding receive a contribution. What is Thrivent Choice? Thrivent Choice is a charitable grant program that allows eligible members of Thrivent Financial to recommend where Thrivent Financial distributes part of its charitable outreach grant funds each … [Read more...]
Mentor Training
A Heartfelt Testimonial: One evening, while he was leading a gathering of around 70 people, Tommy Bowman was brought to tears as he described the impact that being the recipient of spiritual mentoring has had on his life and ministry; how he wasn’t sure he’d be able to do the work he’s doing without that sacred space - just for him - to be known, loved, and challenged. The room was hushed as he paused and openly wept. There seemed to be a … [Read more...]
Time Magazine Wrote An Article About My Friend In Prison
William David Linley served his country faithfully in the military for seventeen years, now he struggles with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and is serving sixteen years in prison after being in a 10 hour stand-off/shoot-out with the police on September 22, 2006. Time magazine is telling his story in their recent publication. You can click on the cover picture or link at the bottom to read the Time article. A Brief History: I met … [Read more...]
A Christmas Surprise!
The First Update of 2014: I hope you are having a wonderful start to the new year. For me, there is something life-giving about a new start each year, like a blank slate with endless possibilities. What will we choose to co-create with God in 2014? I’m excited to find out. A Christmas Surprise: A couple I know surprised me around Christmas time with the personal gift of a new camera, as well as the accessories that go with it! I was … [Read more...]
Melanie’s Divine Healing!
Melanie (in the middle) lives with an autoimmune disease that at times leaves her body racked with pain. Even amidst her struggles and tears, she is one of the most positive, abundant, joyful women I’ve ever known. There is something about deep suffering that can bring out the extraordinary in people. Maybe suffering forces people to make choices about what is really important, and in whom they will place their dependency and trust. Maybe … [Read more...]
Dan and Discipleship
Randy's November, 2013 Update: Dan's Identity Shift: “Filled with misguided passion, angst, and an unshakable sense that my value was directly related to my productivity and how I portrayed myself, I wrestled with the frustration of feeling “stuck”. Perhaps much of my frustration came from envisioning what I wanted, and then growing angry when God didn’t deliver. Often I would become weary and frustrated waiting, too paralyzed by fear and … [Read more...]
Blake is Battle-Tested
Blake's Background: “My father was in and out of jail several times when I was young. My parents divorced when I was two or three years old. Our family split up with them. My two older sisters went to live in one place with my mother. My older brother and I went to live in another place, with our Great Aunt Martha, in a town about 20 minutes away. It was supposed to be a temporary solution, but it wound up being permanent. “My mom … [Read more...]
Breath Prayer
Breath Prayer This month’s update describes a spiritual discipline called a “Breath Prayer” that can be very transformative if practiced seriously. I discovered my first breath prayer in the late 90s. I prayed my specific breath prayer regularly for over a year, probably close to two years. God did some incredible work in me through that simple prayer. Read on to discover what my breath prayer was and what it did in me. The following is … [Read more...]
Surfing For God
"Surfing For God" by Michael John Cusick The back cover of the book “Surfing for God”, published in 2012, states that there are over 68 million internet searches for pornography every day in this world, and over 70% of Christian men reported viewing porn last year. Not all of the people who searched for or viewed porn are going to become addicted, but if historical predictors carry forward, probably about 10% will become addicts. … [Read more...]
Tommy’s Discipleship Experience
A Heart For Discipleship: Tommy Bowman is the Directional Leader of Mission Church, a church plant in the Southwest suburbs of Chicago. Tommy and I have been meeting for about a year now. Tommy has a growing heart for discipleship, and seeing discipleship woven into the culture of their missional church. It all starts with the man in the mirror. My old leaders used to asks us, “Who’s your man? Who’s your woman? Who is one person you … [Read more...]
Soul Care Exercises
Below are some time-tested exercises to help you listen to and assess the condition and capacity of your soul. They are wonderful resources to return to again and again, especially when your soul feels depleted. May these simple exercises bless you into fullness and abundance of being. Step 1 - Invite the Lord into the Process: It can be so tempting to rush head-long into things like this, trying to figure them out on our own strength and … [Read more...]
Corporate Shout Out / HGTv & Me
Randy's March, 2013 Update: Shout Out to U.S. Cellular: U.S. Cellular, a telecommunications company, has a matching contribution plan whereby the company matches any charitable contributions made by their employees, including contributions made to faith based organizations like Legacy Shepherding Ministries, Inc. Fortunately for this ministry, one of Legacy Shepherding’s supporter’s works for U.S. Cellular. At the end of the year, the … [Read more...]