Pat Sikora
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DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
Are you reaping a lot more weeds than fruit in your life? Are you working hard and seeing little or nothing for it? It may all be because of your attitude and what comes out of your mouth. You see, we are created in the image and likeness of our Creator God, who spoke the…
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FROM GRUMBLING TO GRATITUDE: THE POWER OF YOUR WORDS
Are you a grumbler? Complainer? Many of us are… Do you wonder why things don’t go well for you? Why you’re depressed or angry or broke? Maybe it’s because you’re letting the wrong words come out of your mouth. We see the impact of the Israelites’ grumbling and complaining in the book of Exodus. God…
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Symbols & Practices of Halloween | Part 3
The church has never been able to “sanitize” or “redeem” Halloween, as it was able to do with the pagan festivals that became Christmas and Easter. Christmas and its pagan symbols were transformed to celebrate the birth of Life. The pagan meanings are now mere history. Easter was transformed to celebrate the resurrection of Life.…
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Symbols and Practices of Halloween Part 2
Do you know the true meaning of Halloween? ***Trigger Warning*** Halloween is one of the two highest “unholy” days in Satanism, whose adherents sacrifice both animals and humans during October and especially during the Halloween season, from October 13 to November 4. Halloween is also the most important day in Wicca (witchcraft). It is the…
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Symbols & Practices of Halloween
Do you know the meaning of the Halloween symbols and practices we use today? Halloween as we know it originated in the Celtic festival of Samhain [pronounced sow–wain], about two thousand years ago. The Celts were an ancient tribe living in the British Isles and what is now northern France from about 700 B.C. to…
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Should Christians Celebrate Halloween
I used to love Halloween. My birthday is just two days later, so it was the easiest birthday party for my mom to handle. Send the kids out trick or treating, then come back for cake and ice cream. We lived in a very small town, and it was a very long time ago, so…
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Freedom from Condemnation
Everywhere I turn, I’m seeing videos and posts about conquering giants. Honestly, I think that’s what’s on God’s heart right now. And it makes sense—look around. The battles in our world are heating up, and too many of God’s people aren’t equipped for the fight. We’re still carrying attitudes, habits, and yes—sins—that keep us from…
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HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT?
Sometimes, our giant feels like an elephant. Huge. Overwhelming. Dangerous. Noisy. Smelly. Scary. If it were smaller, we could tackle it. Conquer it. Succeed. But an elephant? Where do you start? How do you get a handle on it? You look at it from the front, and you see one thing. But you turn your…
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A Small Group to Meet Every Need: Four Types of Groups-Action
Action Groups An action group is one that comes together for a different purpose, but that incorporates many of the elements of small groups, especially community. For example, a choir can be a choir, or a choir that shares a brief Bible study, prayer requests, or care for one another. This type of group is…
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A Small Group to Meet Every Need: Four Types of Groups-Focused
Focused Groups A focused group comes together for a specific purpose and/or a limited time. It may focus on a particular type of growth. For example, I’ve led groups where I’ve gathered several women who have been “invited to leave” other groups because their wounding caused them to overwhelm the group and leader. We focused…
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A Small Group to Meet Every Need: Four Types of Groups-Closed
Closed, Limited Duration Discipleship Groups This is my favorite type of group. They meet for a specified time and have a closed membership during that time. These groups may meet for anywhere from six weeks to a year. They are perfect for the September to June schedule or the quarter schedule many churches follow. During…
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A Small Group to Meet Every Need: Four Types of Groups-Open
Open Multiplication or Cell Groups Does your church have groups for every need? Do you know that when it comes to small groups, one style won’t fit everyone? As I’ve led groups over the years, I’ve identified four types of groups. If you have some of each in your church, your ministry will be more…
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Verbal Abuse in the Church
Does unity in the church require ignoring verbal abuse from the pastor or other members? In the interest of unity, should we just suck it up when we experience a pattern of abusive behavior? That’s the question I’m living these days. I’ve just been “fired” from my volunteer leadership position at our church. The how…
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Writers! Do You Have a Critique Group?
I’ve been part of a critique group for at least 20 years. Maybe more. When I was a young writer, I didn’t think I needed any help. I got compliments on my writing. I had a book published. No big deal. But at a writers’ conference in California, I met a woman who turned out…
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Anticipating 2024
Anticipating 2024 Can I make a confession? I hate Christmas! Or perhaps more explicitly, I hate all the extra work Christmas entails. I enjoy the lights, the decorations, the focus on the Reason for the Season, the traditional meals, and especially the extra time with the family. But I struggle to enjoy any it because…
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Guilt or Shame? Do You Know the Difference?
We had completed a successful ministry session just a week ago, but Susan continued to say how dirty she felt every time she “let God down” by not doing everything perfectly. Many of the things she was reporting were not really sin. They were unhealed attitudes about herself. And frankly, some of them made sense…
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Let’s Take Another Look at Halloween
As October rushes upon us, young and old begin thinking about Halloween. The stores have been filled with ghosts, goblins, and witches for at least a month already. Soon neighbors will decorate their yards with as much gusto as for Christmas. Halloween is the second most expensive holiday in America, close on the heels of…
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Forgiveness Heals
“I want to forgive, but I just can’t.” “After what he did to me, I’ll never forgive him!” “I’ve forgiven and forgiven, but I don’t think it took. I don’t feel any different.” Forgiveness is an absolute key to healing. We simply can’t heal if we don’t forgive. But what is forgiveness and how do…
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Christmas: The Rest of the Story
If you’re of a certain age, you probably remember Paul Harvey. He was a radio commentator who would begin a story and then go to commercial break. After the break he’d tell “the rest of the story,” which would put an entirely different spin on the original tale. Back in December, I had the opportunity…
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FROM GRUMBLING TO GRATITUDE
Are you a grumbler? Complainer? Many of us are… Do you wonder why things don’t go well for you? Why you’re depressed or angry or broke? Maybe it’s because you’re letting the wrong words come out of your mouth. We see the impact of the Israelites’ grumbling and complaining in the book of Exodus. God…