What is your ministry or special gifts? What has God called you to do and are you walking in this ministry? Or, like so many of us, are you dragging your feet, not necessarily disobeying God’s direction, but hesitant for one reason or another?
Last week, we chatted briefly with author Vanessa Miller during her Celebrating Women in Ministry Blog Tour, but unfortunately our site went down several times. So, my apologies to those who tried to join us, but were unable to do so. We’re back today to wrap up with Vanessa.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vanessa Miller of Dayton , Ohio is an Essence best-selling author, playwright, and motivational speaker. Her stage productions include: Get You Some Business, Don’t Turn Your Back on God, and Can’t You Hear Them Crying and Abundant Rain. To date, Vanessa has written the Rain Series and the Storm Series. The books in the Rain Series are: Former Rain , Abundant Rain, and Latter Rain. The books in the Storm Series are: Rain Storm and Through The Storm . These books have received rave reviews, winning Best Christian Fiction Awards and topping numerous Bestseller’s lists.
BOOK TRAILER (Yesterday’s Promise)
Yesterday’s Promise is the first book of a series entitled, Second Chance of Love. Whitaker House plans to release the next two books in October 2010 and January 2011. Visit her online at www.VanessaMiller.com.
Also read the excerpt of Yesterday’s Promise and answer the questions Vanessa brought posed last week:
What do you think about women preachers? Should they preach the gospel or do you believe God has designed another path for women in the ministry?
Vanessa, thanks so much for joining us again today! Again, I apologize for the issues last week.
Now…what is my ministry? I sincerely think God has called me to work in the literary industry and I’ve done my best to follow that path. There are times when I’ve questioned if something is the right move or if a particular service should be offered, so it does get hard at times as the mission with RAWSISTAZ is to support and promote our authors, all of them. Yet, sometimes…some of the books and covers themselves make me want to rethink a few things. I still don’t have it all figured out, but through RAWSISTAZ, the editing and reviewing, and other things I do, I feel I’ve been blessed to be able to share my love of literature with others, to help a writer improve their work or even with the websites, to design a site that will work for the author to showcase them and their work.
-Tee
Everyone, please check out the video of Yesterday’s Promise and excerpt posted last week (link is above) and share with us what you think you would do in Melinda’s position? Do you think love could find a way if the one you loved was opposed to women preachers?
Good Morn Vanessa ! Thanks for joining us. As t Tee’s question, Melinda should follow her heart in terms of what her calling is and man’s desire is second. If he cant find it in his heart to let her do what she do..she doesnt need him.
::by the way Im a self professed heathen but I know what’s right:: LOL
:;adjusting halo::
LOL. We need to get you into some of my books so you can change your status to a self-professed, woman of God, how about that?
Vanessa
Linda, I didn’t get to respond earlier, but I agree with you. I’m looking forward to reading the book and finding out what happens with the characters.
Oh and my calling I think is working with children which I have done in the past as the Director of READ for 5 years and hope to do again in the future.
Working with Children is a good thing. I work with the children at my church. I’m over our children’s Bible study program.
Hey Vanessa – I didn’t know you were over the Children’s Bible study ministry. Whew! Just when you think you know someone! LOL!
Yes, I’ve been the administrator of our Wednesday night Children’s Bible Study program for about two years now.
Let’s see if I can answer all the questions.
I believe that there is nothing wrong with women preachers and for them to be leaders.
If I was in Melinda’s position I would honor my father’s wish of allowing the other person to be Bishop but I would have to follow my heart about whether I stay at the church or whether I go. I think it is hard enough for women who preach as it is so I don’t think I could marry someone who is against it but who knows what could happen if we did marry and he was able to see a different light through my work.
I believe my ministry is teaching and encouragement. People always tell me how encouraging I am when things are going wrong and I also feel strongly that teaching is what i am supposed to be doing. It seems to come easy to me and I enjoy it a lot.
Hi Vanessa,
I missed the chat last time but I want to know where the inspiration for Yesterday’s Promise came from. Is this something you have seen in dealing with the ministry?
Hi Criss, I was doing a book signing in Indianapolis when the idea for Yesterday’s Promise came to me. The woman seated next to me was a preacher and she had written a book about the struggle for women to preach. I didn’t even know there was a struggle at the time, but then a man walked into the room and began yelling at this woman. He told her she had no right trying to preach to men and that women were supposed to be silent in the church. That’s when I knew I had to write this series.
And by the way, please keep encouraging people. Sometimes this world can beat people down so bad, that they need an encouraging word to help them get back up.
Vanessa
Wow. It is always interesting to me how people translate scripture and use it against people but for him to come yell at her in the store is wrong.
I look forward to checking out Yesterday’s Promise and will stop by your website to see your other books soon too.
Thanks again for chatting with us today. :0)
Hi Criss! So glad to read your comment. Would like for you (or Vanesssa or anyone who’s compelled by the topic in her book) to expound on the interpretation/misinterpretation of 1 Cor. 14:33-35. I know it has been used for years now to exclude women from preaching the gospel.
Okay Michelle, here’s how I handle that in the book…
Acts 2:17-18 is a statement from God about how He would pour out his spirit upon all flesh in the last days…
However I Corinthians 14:33-35 and 1 Timothy 2:11-14 are opinions and preferences of men reflecting the day they lived in. I personally believe we are living in the last days, so I believe that God has done what He said He would do and that is why men and women now preach and prophesy.
Vanessa
And thank you for chating with me. I appreciate it!
Vanessa
I am a little blue today, yesterday I went to Borders/Waldenbooks on Clinton St here in Chicago to purchase Donna Hill and Ms Millers new book well when I got there I was shocked they didn’t have Yesterdays Promise.
I immediately asked for the store manager and while speaking with the women she said there wasn’t a huge demand at that location for the book. I wanted to scrream I said if if the demand is 2 people its beter to have it stocked then to have the demand and the book not stocked. She said it doesn’t work like that. So I asked if she could order it and she did, but I’m not going to get it from that store I just wanted the book on the shelf…ARGH…
Anyway I did get it and will be starting it after I complete a few review books received last week.
Tee you know I have love for you and the things you do in and for the community – I thank God for you sis.
Sis Miller – your ministry is one I have followed since the Rain series and I cannot wait to find out if Melinda and Steven move out of God’s way so that He can work in their lives again.
My favorite topic of discussion, the Lord, ministry, spiritual gifts and my relationship with the Trinity.
Umm I believe my ministry is also through words, in what way I don’t know. So every opportunity I get to review a book, write a letter or send a friend a ” I was thinking of you” email, card or letter I do.
We find in Genesis 1; 28 the words “to be fruitful and increase in number”
I believe to be fruitful means to produce and increase means to replicate, but here’s what absolutely makes me jump for joy. I and this is just me, believe the author of Genesis wanted us to PRODUCE FRUIT TO BE TASTED BY OTHERS”. A tree produce the seeds, the seeds produce fruit and the tree doesn’t eat the fruit..
So we MUST learn to be a blessing to others; that’s my ministry and every day with Gods grace I’m trying. When I miss the mark I know I have missed it and I ask for forgiveness, walking the talk is tough but again through His mercy there I go…
Pray for me
.-= — Visit Missy´s site & last blog post at: Reader’s Paradise Book Club posted a new blog entry: Good Medicine: A Return to Common Sense; By Carol Roberts, M.D =-.
Thank you so much Missy, many times my readers will just leave the bookstore if they don’t see my book. But if I had more people like you, then the stores would start carrying more of my books.
As far as ministry goes, it took me a long time to recognize that my ministry was writing. I knew I wanted to be a writier, but didn’t think I could claim that as a ministry. I now have no problem saying that writing is my ministry!
Vanessa
Aw’ritey Holy Spirit goheadMsMiller…lol
Missy, I hope you’re feeling better! Thanks so much for your kind words and for joining in the discussion again today. I like how you closed with “So we MUST learn to be a blessing to others” and hope we can all remember this in our day to day interactions with each other.
I’m so proud of you, Vanessa!
We’ve been around for years and we met so long ago. I’ve been a fan of your work and I’m currently trying to hunt down your newest work!
Be blessed for more to come.
.-= — Visit Sylvia Hubbard´s site & last blog post at: PRESENTATION: How To Drive Traffic To Your Website (powerpoint) =-.
Thank you so much, Sylvia, but please do what Missy did. If they don’t have the book in the store, ask them to order it.
Vanessa
Hi Vanessa,
I am so glad to have you here with us today.
As far as women in the ministry…yes, I do believe that women can and should be preachers. This is from someone who was raised in a Holiness Church, where women, at one time, were not allowed to even sit in the pulpit. Over the years, with a lot of biblical teaching and alot of tearing away years and years of traditional thinking (doing it because that was they way it was done forty years ago), we now have women ministers in the church.
As far as my ministry, I believe it is teaching. In my church several years ago, they were looking for an Adult Sunday School teacher and they were trying different individuals out every Sunday. Being a new convert (about eight months), I was asked to give it a try one Sunday and I did. It fit like something I had been doing all my life. I am also one of the teachers for our Children’s Ministry program.
-Brenda
Hey Brenda, I’m glad the church has changed its stance on women preachers (at least some churches that is). Because I have benefited from the ministry of women preachers.
And I also work in the Children’s ministry department at my church. Great place to be!
Vanessa
Vanessa,
I have benefitted as well. We have some great women preachers, who I feel give a little something extra to the ministry.
-Brenda
Vanessa, thanks for joining us again and sharing more with the RAWSISTAZ family. And a special thanks to those who participated.
And thank you for hosting me on your site. I truly appreciate it!
Vanessa