Mar 14, 2014 | Jennifer LeClaire Exclusives, Spiritual Growth
Christian blogger Frank Viola interviewed Charisma news editor, Jennifer LeClaire, recently about the women’s roles in the body of Christ. Viola: Tell us a little about yourself, your ministry and your work with Charisma. LeClaire: I’m a single mother of a...
Mar 6, 2014 | Spiritual Growth
Feeling misunderstood? As I shared in my last column, it seems I’ve been misunderstood my whole life. That’s why I had to find ways to deal with those negative emotions and the reactions they spark in my soul. Last week, we talked about four reasons for...
Feb 27, 2014 | Spiritual Growth
Whether you're operating in full-time ministry or full-time motherhood, maybe you can relate. Nobody likes to be misunderstood. Indeed, it can be downright discouraging to be doing your utmost for His Highest and have your own family, friends—and brothers...
Feb 27, 2014 | Spiritual Growth
It seems I’ve been misunderstood my whole life. I was an extremely shy kid, but some thought I was just a snob. Fast forward a few years, and I embraced blue hair, black clothing—and more misunderstanding. As a prophetic voice, I’m attacked, maligned...
Feb 7, 2014 | Spiritual Growth
“To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Ephesians 3:10-11). This verse says that...
Jan 31, 2014 | Spiritual Growth
On Chosen Generation with Pastor Greg young, we discussed healing from wounds in the church. Many of us have experienced hurt in the church. What do we do with that? How does that effect our relationship with God? How does it effect our relationship with other...
Jan 24, 2014 | Spiritual Growth
Have you been hurt in church? What are you supposed to do? How do you handle it? Leave the church? Confront the issue? Bury it? Lash out at the person who hurt you? When people are hurt by a church or church member, how can this conflict be resolved? What does this...
Jan 17, 2014 | Spiritual Growth
We except to be mistreated in the world, but we’re often blindsided—and get out feelings hurt—when brothers and sisters in Christ don’t invite us to the party, talk behind our backs, or aren’t there for us in a time of need. I wrote a...
Jan 10, 2014 | Spiritual Growth
Check out this spiritual warfare video teaching. (Click the headline to watch the video.) Satan is sometimes called the Accuser of the Brethren (see Rev. 12:10) but I've discovered he's also an Accuser of Almighty God. Satan will do anything he can to drive a...
Jan 10, 2014 | Spiritual Growth
Satan is sometimes called the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10), but I’ve discovered he’s also an accuser of almighty God. Satan will do anything he can to drive a wedge between you and your loving Creator. He points a finger at God when...
Jan 3, 2014 | Jennifer LeClaire Exclusives, Spiritual Growth
Have you been hurt in church? What are you supposed to do? How do you handle it? Leave the church? Confront the issue? Bury it? I wrote an article some years ago called “Overcoming Hurt Feelings God’s Way.” It gets so many reads, and it's such a...
Dec 26, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
When I was a teenager I had a laundry list of chores, from emptying the dishwasher to vacuuming the floor to dusting the house to washing the car—to laundry. At first, I enjoyed the chores because it made me feel like I was helping out my mother and I was...
Dec 12, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
When I sent my daughter on an inner-city mission trip in another state, I was shocked to later learn that her temporary home church did not believe in miracles or some gifts of the Spirit. Indeed, this revelation was more shocking to me than the Hawaiian church where...
Oct 18, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
Whether in the world of work or the work of the ministry, everybody likes to feel appreciated for a job well done. But some strive, scratch and claw for promotion. There’s nothing fundamentally wrong about hoping God notices your faithfulness, increases your...
Sep 19, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
Jesus knew who would betray Him, but we don’t always see betrayals coming. Sometimes it's a blindside—but then again, shouldn’t we expect it? After all, Jesus said that in the end times many “will be offended, will betray one another, and...
Aug 23, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
“Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Is. 43:19). That rhema word from Scripture nearly four years ago kicked off a season of change in my life...
Aug 2, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
Open your ears, God, to my prayer; don’t pretend you don’t hear me knocking. Come close and whisper your answer. I really need you. I shudder at the mean voice, quail before the evil eye, as they pile on the guilt, stockpile angry slander. My insides are...
Jul 12, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
J. Lee Grady last week compiled a list of the “Top 10 Rudest Things People Do in Church.” He mentioned talking during a service, texting or surfing the web, sleeping, clipping fingernails during church (I’ve actually seen this one and it grossed me...
Jul 4, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
I’ve faced my fair share of slander from the accuser of the brethren. Sometimes it comes through religious spirits that type 50 words per minute and rip off an email without considering the spirit in which they're written. Other times it comes through...
Jun 28, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
“Shake the dust off your feet.” I wasn’t really surprised when I heard the Holy Spirit say those six words—but when I read the Scripture in context it sent me into intercession for the ones who rejected the word of the Lord. The sad story...
Jun 20, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
A practicing homosexual man can’t call himself an authentic Christian. It’s a contradiction of biblical teaching—it’s blatant sin. So when a gay couple started visiting a South Florida church, the pastors welcomed them with open arms. But when...
Jun 14, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
Get-rich-quick schemes, er, programs are a dime a dozen—but they’ll leave you with empty pockets and plenty of useless products if you buy into them. And the get-rich-quick gospel may cost you a little more. You may remember the question-mark-suit-wearing...
May 30, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
When I was a small child, my grandmother used to read me Bible stories—and not from books with large letters and colorful cartoons. I’m talking about King James Version stories from her tear-stained, oversized, white leather-bound Bible. As I was so young,...
Apr 5, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
If you’ve ever been weary, you are in good company. Moses grew weary of holding up his hands when the Israelites battled the Amalekites (Ex. 17:11-13). Job grew weary in the midst of his heart-wrenching trial (Job 10:1). And David grew so weary with his groaning...
Mar 18, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
We were about to take a great leap of faith. Everyone was excited about the new season. But I sensed something awry among the leadership team. As I stood before the group, the Holy Spirit moved me to warn them that the enemy was looking for opportunities to knock...
Feb 8, 2013 | Spiritual Growth
Last week, J. Lee Grady asked a pointed question in his Fire in My Bones column: What part of Galatians 3:28 don’t we understand? Galatians 3:28 declares, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female;...
Dec 14, 2012 | Spiritual Growth
Lee Grady penned a no-nonsense article last week cleverly titled “10 Stupid Things Ministers Should Never Do.” The ministry of Dr. Mary Ann Brown left an impression on Lee, and in his article he recalled some of her sage advice, which was: “Lee,...
Oct 11, 2012 | Spiritual Growth
Over the weekend I discovered a new rumor about why I left a certain church some years ago. Yes, apparently people there are still talking about me years later. I wish I could have told the congregation why I chose to leave, but the Holy Spirit told me to “go in...
Sep 14, 2012 | Spiritual Growth
I didn’t hit a cop. And I didn’t resist arrest with violence. But one dishonest police officer with a chip on her shoulder just about ruined my life. I was in my mid-20s when my fiance came over one day in a foul mood. One unkind word led to another and I...
Sep 14, 2012 | Spiritual Growth
I just couldn’t fit in. I loved the worship. The messages were Christ-centered. The congregation was growing. But try as I might—I served on a team, I joined the Bible school, I went to the prayer meetings—I just couldn’t fit in. And I...
Jul 17, 2012 | Jennifer LeClaire Exclusives, Spiritual Growth
I used to have such thin skin you could see my heart through my chest, or at least on my sleeve. I’ve had to learn to toughen up over the years, especially in the face of a constant barrage of verbal attacks from religious spirits who sometimes don’t like...
Jul 13, 2012 | Spiritual Growth
When I got saved I became a hardcore student of the Word. But when stressful situations arose it seemed I couldn’t remember the Scriptural principles until after I’d stumbled over my own flesh. As a young Christian, it was frustrating to know the right...
