The Art of Sacred Influence - Notes Worth Sharing

Here are my notes taken at the Arkansas Ministers' Wives Luncheon and Conference this weekend.  Our guest key note speaker was Kathy Litton.  She spoke with authority and wisdom that comes from experience as she has walked in the sacred influence of the Holy Spirit.  Her words spoke volumes to the young women who sat at her feet and stood as a clanging reminder for the women my own age to whom she ministered.

*We live in a "thumbs up/thumbs down" world.  People are always giving one of these symbols to our husbands.
*Character and wisdom are important attributes.  Talent is over-rated.

Kathy made us aware of the effect of our influence.  She gave us both positive and negative ways that we can influence our husbands and assured us that we will always be influential in both ways.  This came with a warning...that our influence might stir our husbands to act.

Ways we can be a positive influence - displaying an authentic spiritual passion; having Godly character;  showing Biblical love; sharing their vision; relying on wisdom from above (James 1:5).

Ways we can be a negative influence - when an action is about control, changing, or for criticizing; when we don't discipline our own emotions (Emotions are TRUE, but they are not TRUTH...Lead your heart - don't follow it.  1 Peter 3:4); having a lack of humility; complaining, comparing, criticizing (Philippines 4:5); never speaking words of encouragement

She had so much more to say, but this is it in a nutshell.  If you ever get the opportunity to hear Kathy speak...do it!  I want to take a look at these each day and put them into practice.  This particular conference was for wives of ministers exclusively, but I think her advice can be applied to any Christian wife concerning her Christian husband.

Kathy recommended "Sacred Influence" by Gary Thomas as a good read.