Join us for an interactive and engaging fellowship where we explore a four-step process for resting our body, mind and soul so we can be living testimonies for Christ.
As we head into the busy summer months, will you take time to R.E.S.T.? We invite you to join us for the last fellowship of Scott Ink before we break for the summer and reconnect in the fall.
Rose Sheehan, our speaker, will walk us through a four-step process for resting our body, mind and soul so we can be living testimonies for Christ.
To join us for the June 2 fellowship, complete this RSVP form by CLICKING HERE. You will be emailed a link to join us via Zoom.
Rose Sheehan Biography
Rose was born in Santa Clara, Cuba, and emigrated to the U.S. when she was seven. Her family fled to Miami, where she grew up. She graduated with an undergraduate degree in French and is multilingual.
Rose initially thought she would have a career in diplomacy and translation, but God had other plans and she was accepted to law school. Rose owned and operated her law firm for many years and then was called into corporate leadership.
She has led teams in large-scale real estate brokerage firms in the title insurance and closing divisions for the last several decades.
Sensing the Lord’s call to help others in a new way, she is currently enrolled in a master’s degree program in Human Services Counseling at Liberty University and continues to work full-time.
Rose has a background in traditional Korean martial arts called Tang Soo Do. For 20 years, she earned the rank of fourth-degree black belt and is considered a first-level master in this art. Rose has been married to her husband, Patrick, for 31 years and they have an adult daughter. They live in Boynton Beach, Florida.
One of Rose’s core values is proactivity, especially regarding mental and physical well-being … “A life lived proactively is a well lived that glorifies God.”
Register by May 31, and don’t forget to invite a friend!
To join us for the June 2 fellowship, complete this RSVP form by CLICKING HERE. You will be emailed a link to join us via Zoom.
Join us for an interactive and engaging fellowship where we explore how journaling and studying God’s word can help during times of anxiety.
This Online Fellowship is for you if you:
Want to develop better coping skills when you’re faced with worry, fears, doubts and anxiety
Want to have a deeper understanding of God’s character and the hope He provides to those struggling with anxiety
Want to learn more about how journaling can help provide a healthy therapy and outlet for anxiety
To join us for the April 28 fellowship, complete this RSVP form by CLICKING HERE. You will be emailed a link to join us via Zoom.
The definition of anxiety is “distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune.” The Bible and Jesus’ teachings directly address the worries of life, which can lead to anxiety and how to be encouraged by scripture.
During our April 28 fellowship, Julie Harbour will lead us in a simple yet practical exercise of dealing with anxiety through Biblical journaling.
During this time, Julie hopes you will:
Gain knowledge about the amazing brains that God has given us, especially regarding anxiety.
Understand the importance of meditating on God’s word.
Experience a time when your brain is flooded with God’s calming and reassuring truth of His word.
Learn more about Julie and her heart for helping other women in her bio below.
Please know Julie is not a professional counselor. She has walked through seasons of anxiety like most of us have and has discovered the value of journaling. She will show us how to use journaling as a method for addressing anxiety and will share her personal experiences.
Julie Harbour
Julie is a native Texan! She was raised in a Christian home and attended church with her family. She has been a member of several different denominations. Her childhood was spent in the Methodist church. She joined the Baptist church as a teenager and today attends a non-denominational church.
Her educational background is also diverse. Julie earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She later earned an MBA from TCU in Fort Worth. In addition to her degrees, the health challenges she and her son have faced led her to earn her Certification as a Natural Health Professional (CNHP). Most of her working experience was as a classroom teacher in a public school. Here, she began her intrigue and interest in the extraordinary human brain! She also worked briefly in the business world as the Educational Services Manager for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Her many educational, work, and service opportunities in the church showed that her gifts were in her communication abilities.
Family has always been of utmost importance in Julie’s life. She has three wonderful men in her life…her husband, a teacher and former football and wrestling coach, and her two teenage boys. Although she loves all the men in her life dearly, being the only female in her household has given her a hunger and appreciation for female companionship.
Today, you will find her caring for her family’s needs, working in her yard, reading a good book, or having coffee with a friend. She loves nature, science, art, music and everything related to creating! Her prayer is that God will direct her to use her strengths and gifts to meet the needs of others.
Invite a friend to join you, and bring your journal and pen!
To join us for the April 28 fellowship, complete this RSVP form by CLICKING HERE. You will be emailed a link to join us via Zoom.
Join us for an interactive and engaging devotional on preparing our hearts for Easter.
For our March Friday Fellowship on Zoom, we’ll be hearing from a unique and talented woman of faith, Vicky Dobbs.
Who is Vicky?
Here is a brief bio on Vicky:
Vicky is a native Pennsylvanian who grew up as a Roman Catholic in Amish Country (Lancaster, Pennsylvania). She left the Catholic church when she was 18 and joined a Bible church. Vicky graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. She speaks French, having begun her college career as a French major, and studied abroad for a semester in Nice, France.
More than 35 years ago, she moved to Texas and married Stan, the love of her life! She has been in Baptist churches since moving to Texas.
Vicky is a lifelong learner. Before becoming a mother of four children, she worked in marketing for Compaq Computer Corporation in Houston, Texas. She was a homeschool teacher for her four kids through seventh grade.
She also taught in homeschool co-ops and at a private Christian school. She earned 36 continuing education credits in Bible through years of Bible study (mostly Precept/Kay Arthur). She has volunteered in various capacities within the church and community, heavily emphasizing teaching children. She taught aerobics and worked for 24 Hour Fitness for 20 years until the pandemic.
She is an empty nester and enjoys traveling around the globe with her husband, Stan, of 35 years. She is working on a Master’s in Theological Studies.
To join us for the March 31 fellowship, complete this RSVP form by CLICKING HERE. You will be emailed a link to join us via Zoom.
For those who have the Scott Ink Scripture Calendar, here are my thoughts behind the verse for February and why I chose the graphic I did.
For those who have the Scott Ink Scripture Calendar, here are my thoughts behind the verse for February and why I chose the graphic I did.
Along with memorizing each verse for the month, I would encourage you to do a little Bible study asking the questions:
What is this verse about?
What does it teach me about God, others and myself?
How can I apply it?
Here’s how I answered those questions with this month’s verse, which addresses how to walk in faith, not fear.
What is this verse about?
God doesn’t want us to live in fear. Because of Christ’s work on the cross, He has conquered death and if we believe, confess our sins, trust in Him, and have faith, we have salvation.
So Christ’s work on the cross gives us the power to live free from our sins.
I can replace my fear with faith, knowing God’s love for me and Christ’s work on the cross gives me power over my fears, and I can rest in His goodness to experience peace and a sound mind.
What does it teach me about God, others and myself?
Reflecting on this verse, I’m constantly in awe of how much Christ loves me to die for me. And how much our Heavenly Father loves me to send His only son to serve as the sacrificial lamb so that I could be cleansed of my sins. Christ lovingly took my place on the cross. I have deep gratitude and love for Jesus because of this selfless act. Since Christ is our model of how we live as believers, we should strive to love others selflessly like Him.
How can I apply it?
When my mind darts to a worst-case scenario or something that invokes my deepest fears, the Holy Spirit reminds me of this verse to walk in faith and not in fear. And because God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)? God is on my side, and I don’t have to live in fear.
This verse has strengthened and empowered me in my faith. I spent much of my life living in fear from when I was a little girl to my adult years. When I started meditating on 2 Timothy 1:7 a few years ago, I realized Jesus’ powerful work on the cross defeated the enemy and his plans to foil our lives.
When Christ is our Savior, we can exchange our fear for faith and have victory in our minds. Our fears find a comfortable home in our minds and want to take up residence filling every room, closet and cupboard. But Christ’s sacrificial love sweeps away the cobwebs of fears and lies so we can live powerfully in His love for us.
I would love to hear from you: How did you apply this verse to your life?
About the graphic:
This image is heavily influenced by Valentine’s Day, in pink and Cupid’s arrows. The arrows, however, are representative of spiritual warfare and God’s powerful love to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16) with His ultimate act of love when He died on the cross for us.
Use encouraging verses to provide comfort, hope and strength for situations when words are simply not enough.
It happened several times last week.
I encountered situations and circumstances where I heard about illnesses, hopeless situations and trials where I didn’t know what to say or think.
So I did what comes naturally to me – I shared scripture with those hurting and struggling.
Going to God’s word for hope and encouragement is something I’ve done intentionally for the past couple of years when I’m faced with a problem. I use the Notes file that looks like this on my smartphone to gather verses that have encouraged me.
What is your lifeline?
As I encounter scriptures and verses that speak to me through some trial or struggle I am wrestling with God, I type it into my Notes file. In sharing scripture with others, I’m not overlooking or dismissing their problems; rather, it’s simply a way to minister to them through God’s word to offer hope and encouragement.
Over the last two years, that Notes file has grown and became a go-to lifeline for me when faced with any big or small problem. What better lifeline than God’s word?
During the past week, I had several opportunities to pull up the Notes file and send encouraging verses to others.
In learning about a friend struggling with an unexpected cancer diagnosis, I shared these verses:
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
For a friend who was overwhelmed and depleted, I shared this verse:
Psalm 51:10
Create in me a pure heart O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Which verses are your go-to lifeline for daily encouragement? Don’t have any? Consider going to God’s word and finding ones that uplift and encourage you and start your own Notes file. Or ask a friend or family member.
As you come across verses, keep adding to that Notes file. My Notes file has 14 verses that help me to not focus on the problem, but on the God who is bigger than the problem. The verses are a beautiful reminder that He will carry me through the trial as God has done before.
In a recent Bible Study Fellowship lesson, a question asked, “How do God’s people find hope … find a strengthening Scripture to share with your group.” Scripture does strengthen us during our weakest, most troubling and frailest moments. It counters our weaknesses, our troubles and our frailties with strength that only God alone can provide.
Praying and claiming God’s promises
If you want to go deeper in your walk, pray a particular verse back to God and claim it for your life. I’ll give you an example. Last week, my heart was weighed down with worry and anxiety about a work-related problem. These verses in Philippians came to mind:
Philippians 4:6-8 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
This is how I prayed it back to God and claimed it for my life:
Dear Lord, you tell us in your word not to be anxious about anything. Lord forgive me for my anxiousness about _____________. Lord, please take over the situation and remove this anxiety I feel. Lord, I ask for your peace to fill my heart and relieve my worry and insecurity. Help me to trust in you for a solution to this worry. Please guard my heart and mind against taking up that worry again and remind me that I have already surrendered it to you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
God’s word has the power to encourage, inspire and uplift you. And the beautiful thing is that as you become more familiar with scripture, the Holy Spirit will flood your mind with those verses and you’ll be able to recall them as quickly as a favorite childhood memory or your mom’s birthday. Not only can it encourage you personally, but you may also be led to encourage others.
The next time you’re stumped and don’t know what to say to a struggling friend, turn to scripture. Use the Holy Spirit’s leading to either pray that scripture for the person privately or share it with them directly.
A supermarket’s ‘Aisle of Shame’ inspired me to create a scripture calendar to help encourage others to memorize, reflect and be transformed by scripture.
In December 2020, I was shamelessly shopping at Aldi’s infamous “Aisle of Shame” (AOS), and I came across these calendars — see the picture below.
For those unfamiliar, there is a shopping aisle in Aldi that peddles every type of home goods, clothes, shoes, small appliances, rugs, seasonal decor, you name it.
Christmas was around the corner, and I was looking for a cute and practical gift, and the price point was right. So I picked up several to give as presents to friends and family. I liked it so much that I even purchased one for myself!
Working from home, I thought the calendar would be a nice size for my dining/office table. I also liked that it was portable and could take it from room to room. It checked a lot of boxes.
My favorite calendar – gone!
When I went back the following December to purchase some more calendars for 2022, they were nowhere to be found. I even went on an Aldi Facebook Group to ask if they were available elsewhere in the country but no one had seen them. Maybe it was a supply chain issue?
Having taken a visual design class from former graphic designer Pamela Wilson, and with several years of desktop publishing under my belt (as a journalism major), I decided to design my calendar for 2022 using Canva, a desktop publishing tool for those who are not professional designers. I printed it at the local Staples and recycled the wood base from the previous calendar. Here’s the one I designed for 2022.
out of sight, out of mind
For 2023, I once again scoured the AOS for the calendars but once again, they were nowhere to be found. So I decided to design another calendar but for this year, I wanted to add a verse to each month. For the past couple of years, my spiritual goal has been to memorize scripture more and be intentional with what I surround myself with.
You’ve heard of the phrase out of sight, out of mind?
This calendar – with the verse – would be in full view and top of mind. Since the calendar is right by my laptop, it’s in front of me for at least 8-10 hours a day or more.
2023 Scott Ink Scripture Calendar
Being intentional about what I see regularly, and surrounding myself with God’s word, would help me in my spiritual goal of memorizing scripture. During the day, our mind gets cluttered with many worldly images, voices, words and influences, not to mention negativity. If we’re not careful and intentional, it’s easy to get discouraged by worldly thinking.
Having this simple, 6×4-inch calendar right in front of me allows me to focus on key verses from God’s manual for life – the Bible.
Being intentional with spiritual goals
Over my lifetime, studying scripture, praying God’s word, and claiming the promises found in the Bible have allowed me to undergo transformations and metamorphoses like that of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Memorizing scripture transforms and renews my mind, allowing me to shed old ways of defeatist thinking and embrace a life lived with greater peace and clarity. Like that butterfly, I can break out of the chrysalis of sin, shame, doubt, fear and worry and take flight to experience true freedom in Christ.
What we think matters. Filling our minds with God’s word and meditating and reflecting on it change our thinking. You replace the old, destructive thinking patterns with new patterns that offer hope, promise and guidance for daily living.
A humble seed germinates
I thought other friends and family might benefit from memorizing scripture, and I thought of offering the calendar to them so they could be inspired and encouraged, too.
I reached out to my friend, Christie Hayes, who works for a local printer to get a small batch of the calendars professionally printed. Next, I needed to get the wood stands made. That proved to be a more difficult task. When I went online to purchase the stands, the most affordable stands I could find were in China, and the earliest they could be here was at the end of January. The ones I found on Etsy and Amazon were at a much higher price point, boosting the price of the calendar beyond what I wanted to charge.
Freshly printed copies of the calendar turned a vision into reality.
With the clock ticking (this is a calendar after all!), I knew a late January arrival wouldn’t work as I didn’t want the calendar to become outdated. So I sprang into action and did what isn’t always a first and natural response – I prayed.
After praying, the Lord brought two men to mind from my church who were wood craftsmen. I reached out to them – one of whom was in my Connection class – and they got on board with my idea and agreed to help. A huge thanks to Brian Wilson and his dad, Don Wilson, a veteran! They are so kind and easy to work with and understood the project’s urgency.
The local Woodcraft store had these beautiful walnut blocks on clearance. We were able to make three stands from each block of wood.
The Lord continued to guide our path as we searched for affordably priced wood for the stands. We found some beautiful walnut wood blocks that had been marked down at the local Woodcraft store. After purchasing the wood, the Wilsons got to work and made a prototype of a walnut stand to hold the calendar. Christie gave me the paper sample to ensure the calendar fit into the stand. Everything fit perfectly (whew!) and off we went to get started on production.
Looking back on how quickly the calendar came together reminds me of this verse that encouraged me from Proverb 16:3: Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
We got the calendars printed within 10 days and the wood stands made.
Above, our girls, Ellie and Priya, helped stain the wood with Danish oil, while Jaia worked on address labels.
That’s how this very humble seed sprouted into the Scott Ink Scripture Calendar. I’m reminded of this passage:
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. — 1 Corinthians 3:5-8
Why memorizing scripture is powerful
Thank you to my family and friends who have supported and believed in me as I turned this idea into a tangible product. A special thanks to Susy Eversull, my aunt-in-law/love who helped me to proof the calendar and has been my biggest sales gal! 😘
Whether you purchase the calendar or not, I hope you will intentionally decide to memorize God’s scripture more in 2023.
Don’t know where to start? Select a few of your favorite short verses from the Bible. The Psalms are my go-to book of the Bible for finding encouraging, uplifting verses. You can also find some of my favorite verses in this blog post, Are You Spiritually Fat, But Not Faithful? God’s word never returns void meaning it produces good things as Isaiah tells us:
It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. — Isaiah 55:11
Whether you read God’s word, memorize it, reflect on it or even apply it, why not let it prosper in your life? I look forward to hearing about the fruit it produces!
VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL! From 1/23 to 2/15, with every calendar order, you will receive five free Valentine’s Day postcards and stamps to send to your Valentines (until I run out!) The postcard features the attributes of love as found in 1 Corinthians 13. Send them to your BFFs, family, grandkids, nieces, nephews, friends or whoever you want to show some love to this Valentine’s Day! CLICK TO ORDER
