Summer is right around the corner and it is a great time to break out of routines and try something new. For the month of June we are going to “Just Be Adventurous.”
To be adventurous is simply to explore unknown territory, to try something new. Hellen Keller said, “Life is either a great adventure or nothing.”
In this month’s newsletter are some ideas to help you become more adventurous, and a devotional reminder that we never adventure alone, This month’s Bible reading plan is 30 days of Scripture that shows how God directs, guides and leads us.
You go before me and follow me. you place your hand of blessing on my head. Psalm 139:5 NLT
When I was younger, I was not very adventurous. I did not climb mountains or jump from cliffs into the waters below. As a matter of fact, I was quite timid. I was shy enough to even hide behind my dad in crowds. As I grew older, and after I met my husband, I was exposed to all kinds of adventures that I had never even considered doing. From camping and hiking to fishing and kayaking, not to mention sky diving, my life was full of adventure. My eyes were opened, and I found an adventurous spirit I did not know I had, which has helped me to explore all the beautiful creation that God had provided for you and I to savor.
When I came to know the Lord as my personal Savior, I was young. I knew in my heart what I had committed to, but I do not think I understood fully what the possibilities were for me as believer, a follower of Christ and a daughter of the King of Kings. As I have grown in my relationship with Christ, what an adventure it has been. I not only realized His calling on my life to be a minister of the Gospel, but I opened my heart to the world of that ministry, and He has taken me all over the world to see His hand at work. It has been quite a journey so far!
If I had only realized a little earlier in my life, the adventure I would take, maybe I would have been a little bolder sooner. But, no regrets, God has called me, and I am holding on to His hand for this incredible journey and taking in every moment and opportunity He gives me. Psalm 16:11 says: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of JOY; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” There is adventure and joy and peace in the journey of faith. I choose to be bold for Christ, to reach new heights in my walk with God. I pray that each of you who read this will seize the opportunity to just be open and available to serve Him boldly, heading into the bright future He has for you. Adventure with Christ awaits!
Book Review by Major Charity Kramerius Personnel Officer – College For Officer Training
I recently read the book How to pray, a simple guide for normal people, by Pete Grieg. It’s a quick read, or a short audio book read by the author himself, a person whose clear passion for prayer lead him to co-found and promote the 24-7 Prayer movement around the world.
Mr. Grieg uses the Lord’s Prayer to challenge ordinary believers at all points in their faith journey to pray simple, honest and powerful prayers. It’s not a formula book – how often to pray, where to pray, specific words that would honor God or sway God’s heart. The focus is placed on form – having a genuine heart for God and pursuing a loving and deepening relationship with Him through prayer
Before I even read the first word of Chapter One, I was captured. I like to think of myself as normal and appreciate things put simply. In the intro “How to Read This Book in a Couple of Minutes,” I was challenged to pause. “To start we must stop. To move forward we must pause. This is the first step in a deeper prayer life: Put down your wish list and wait. Sit quietly. ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’” (pg. xiv). From the beginning, Mr. Grieg shares from his own experience. “Merely by showing up, you make a declaration of intent…After decades of night-and-day prayer, I have come to believe that 99 percent of it is just showing up: making the effort to become consciously present to the God who is constantly present to us” (pg. 10).
As women Officers, many of us are pulled daily in two opposing directions…be the heart of the ministry while keeping the show on the road at a heart-stopping pace. Balance family and ministry. Pursue and protect a personal time with God as well as serve others sacrificially. Mr. Grieg brings things back to the basics with the encouragement to keep our relationship and communication with God “real,” as a way of practicing God’s presence and receiving His power. I recommend this book and encourage listening to the audio version. The book is also the basis of a 24-7 Prayer video teaching series, The Prayer Course, available free online with a Toolshed of supporting materials.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/IMG_0224.jpg16662500Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2021-05-13 09:44:212021-05-13 09:44:21Book Review: "How To Pray"
Book Review by Captain Ryan Boyd Missoula, MT – Northwest Division
Grace for the Good Girl is a book by Emily P. Freeman. But it was the subtitle for this book, “letting go of the try hard life” that hooked me.
Freeman discusses how being “the good girl” can keep you from experiencing true freedom in Christ. Having been a good girl all my life, this idea both intrigued and scared me. But Freeman talks about letting go of our masks and being who we are – loved by a God who isn’t impressed by our status as a Good Girl.
There were so many parts of this book that I really resonated with, and my favorite thing was how I felt seen and understood – but also called out on my unconscious belief that I had to be “Good” for God to love me. If you find your identity as the “Good Girl” – the one who always follows the rules, the one who is dependable and can be counted on, the one who is letter of the law – then I would recommend that you read this book and help free yourself from the chains that you are creating so that you can live in the true freedom that Christ provides.
My favorite quote from this book is, “Ultimately the law will make you so miserable you’ll want to die. Then you will find that someone already died for you.” It’s time to stop finding our value and worth in being Good and to start finding it in the One who offers it freely.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Grace-for-the-Good-Girl-by-Emily-Freeman-Inkwells-Images-scaled.jpg19202560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2021-05-13 09:35:502021-05-13 09:40:47Book Review: "Grace for the Good Girl"
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/May-Bible-study-1.jpg484364Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2021-04-29 12:20:002021-04-29 12:21:04May Bible Study: What Could Be Found Through The Loss
Spring is in full bloom and in May we celebrate the National Day of Prayer, so this month our theme is “Just Be Prayerful.”
We are commanded in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to pray continually.
Included in this month’s newsletter is a Bible reading plan that looks at prayers throughout the Bible, as well as a information about National Day of Prayer, and ideas to use your phone as a way to prompt you to pray.
Corrie ten Boom wrote this about prayer: “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” Do you use prayer daily to guide your life or just occasionally when your life goes flat?
Need more inspiration about prayer. Captain Rutendo Masango, corps officer of the Pasadena Tabernacle Corps in the California South Division, recently wrote a great article, “Intentional Prayer” located on NHQ’s WM website. In her article she includes some great ideas of how to spend time with God in prayer. Check out her article: https://wmresources.org/blog/intentional-prayer/
Don’t forget to download this month’s issue of the Inspire Newsletter
It is May – the month that we celebrate Mother’s Day. I am blessed to be called mom by three amazing kids (Ryan, Emily and Sam), and I am even more blessed to be able to call two women mom: My mom, Major Glenda Berko and my mother-in-love, Cathy Desplancke. I need to say thank you to the two moms in my life, because both women have helped shape me into the woman I am today.
My mom, Glenda, instilled in me at a very young age the importance of being in God’s Word daily. As a little girl, even before I could read or truly understand the Bible, my mom made sure that God’s Word was part of our daily lives. As a young child, we always had a “Daily Bread” box on the dining room table – it was shaped like a loaf of bread, and inside where pieces of paper with different verses printed on them. Every night before we prayed for dinner, we would take the time to read one of the verses.
Besides daily verses at dinner, every night she would have devotions with each of us three kids. As a little girl, she would read to me a Bible story book, but when I started to learn to read, mom would use little booklets called “Precious Promises” to do our daily devotions before going to bed. These little booklets had a verse each day, and a short little devotional. I remember those booklets because they had Precious Moment drawings on every page.
At first my mom read to me, and then I slowly sounded out the words and eventually I read them to my mom. After I had reading under my belt, every month in the mail we would each get a copy of “Keys for Kids” a short devotional magazine with a half-page devotion each day, with Scripture, and sometimes there were fun games to do as well. Soon my mom wasn’t there to be with me for by bedtime devotions because she knew I would do them on my own.
One of the practices my mom taught me was instead of making resolutions for a New Year, choose a yearly verse, which was to be my theme for the year. In the front of one of my Bibles, I have the yearly verse I have chosen for myself since 1991 (the year I graduated high school). It is so amazing to see how God used the verse or short passage to guide and direct me through the coming year.
Psalm 119:15-16 says, “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” My mom not only lived these verses but taught me to do the same.
I met my mother-in law, Cathy, in 1995. From the minute I met her, I just felt like she was a friend. She was so sweet and kind. Even before I started dating her son, I felt a kinship with her. My husband is 10 years older than me, but from the time my husband was born, Cathy has been praying for the woman that he would marry. That just thrills me to think that 10 years before I was even born, my mother-in-law prayed for me. She is a faithful woman of prayer.
Besides being a prayer warrior, in all these years that I have known and loved my mother-in-law I can honestly say I have never heard her say a hurtful word about anyone. I truly believe she genuinely loves everyone.
Eleven years ago, she fought through breast cancer, and although cancer is no longer in her body, she is left with chronic pain. Despite all she has been through, she never wallows in her situation, doesn’t complain, and doesn’t seem to ever question God with, “Why me, Lord?” She smiles through and endures. Through it all, her faith remains strong and she continues to be a woman of prayer and praise.
Paul writes in Ephesians 4:29, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” These words describe Cathy. Her words are always encouraging, kind and beneficial to those listening. She challenges me to be a woman with gracious words.
There are so many other women who have had impact in my life, but I want to say thanks to my two moms. Mom, thank you for teaching me to be a wise woman of the Word. Cathy, thank you for teaching me to be a wise woman with my words. I pray not only that these two grandmas will similarly impact my three kids’ lives, but that I too will influence my children for eternity.
Whether you are a mom or not, how has your mom or mother-in-law impacted your life? What other women have had an influence on you throughout your life? What women have served as spiritual mothers in your life? How are you spiritually mothering others? Whose lives can you inspire and encourage today? If there are women in your life that have made a difference, perhaps this month take the time to tell them “thank you.”
Book Review by Major Angelina Koenig Medford Citadel, OR – Cascade Division
Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren is a book that discusses how our ordinary, daily lives are shaping us and forming us to live and respond to others. However, this book looks at the spiritual implications in our daily moments as moments to meet God and work on our beloved-ness and holiness with a holy God.
The author shares that God said of his son, Jesus, “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased” before Jesus did anything extraordinary. God said this before Jesus performed miracles before he died on the cross and rose from the dead. God is well-pleased with us, before our feet hit the ground. “But each morning in those tender moments—in simply being God’s smelly, sleepy beloved—I again receive grace, life, and faith as a gift. Grace is a mystery and the joyful scandal of the universe” (Warren, 20). We pray and ask God to transform us; yet, we don’t really stop and think about the formation happening in the every-day moments we have. From brushing our teeth to the losing of our keys and the arguments with our spouse or children, these are the moments God invites us to see our beloved-ness and pause for grace and transformation to happen in our lives and the lives of others.
My favorite part of the book are the straight-forward comments that bring the reader to light-bulb moment of awareness and acceptance of our beloved-ness because God so loved the world and God loved us first. I enjoy taking the knowledge of the “I-know” this to the “I see this” and “I see how this works in my life”. This, this gives me the affirmation of the beauty of God’s grace in my life.
I would recommend this book to anyone who needs to learn to accept and see their beloved-ness in God. When we question our self-worth, this book is a gentle reminder of God meeting us in our daily moments to affirm our beloved-ness.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/liturgy-of-the-ordinary.jpg499333Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2021-04-14 08:15:002021-04-14 08:15:14Book Review: "Liturgy of the Ordinary"
Book review by Major Rubina Navarro Assistant Training Principal – College For Officer Training
Is your spirit discouraged? Has the burning flame for ministry dwindled? William Booth’s The Seven Spirits: or What I Teach My Officers, I believe will inspire and reignite the flame.
This book contains series of Addresses delivered by General William Booth to the Salvation Army Officers at the International Congress held in London, in June 1904. His writing is full of knowledge, practical counsel, Biblical principles, encouragement, and call to action for not only Officers but anyone who desires to live out the zealous calling that the Lord has placed in our lives. The structure of the book goes through the Seven Spirits, which Booth references to the seven spirits in Revelation; the Spirit of Life, the Spirit of Purity, the Spirit of Devotion, the Spirit of Holy Warfare, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Faith, and the Spirit of Burning Love. Booth’s explanation for the seven spirits reveals his heart and mission for his Officers.
While this book is short and can be read in one seating, I would suggest allowing yourself time to grapple and marinate oneself to the depth of our Founders teaching and counsel. From reading this book, I found myself encouraged and affirmed in my calling as a Salvation Army Officer. I recommend this book and it worth having a copy in your office.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/51g6n386bxL.jpg500344Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2021-04-14 08:11:002021-04-14 08:16:54Book Review: "The Seven Spirits or What I Teach My Officers"
Spring – a time to celebrate new life and new beginnings. This month we also celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Savior. That is reason to rejoice. This month’s theme is “Just Be Joyful!”
To be joyful means “feeling, expressing, or causing great pleasure and happiness.” The tomb being empty on that first Easter morning, is the greatest news and should cause us as believers to rejoice.
Included in thismonth’s newsletter is a Bible reading plan for the month that focuses on Christ’s death and resurrection and the reason for our joy! Also included are some easy ideas to help celebrate the real reason for Easter, as well as a devotional that reminds us of what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross and rising from the dead.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3
Book Review by Major Lynn Stewart General Secretary of Program Development to LA Metro Area Coordination California South Division
Rest is something that doesn’t always come easy to us as women. We try and navigate the day while wearing ten different hats going in ten different directions. Add to that worries about Covid 19 and all the mess going on in our world. It can be overwhelming to say the least and that is why I was drawn to this devotional book, Be Still and Put Your PJ’s On – 52 Restful Devotions for Women by Michelle Cox and Sylvia Schroeder.
I’m a girl who loves PJ’s! There’s nothing like getting cozy and putting on your favorite cute jammies and making a good cup of tea. The next progression naturally ushers us into the opportunity to Be Still and to REST. While in quarantine mode I was so quick to turn to Netflix or Amazon prime to so call rest but learned quickly that I could only fill that void for so long. I realized what I was lacking was time with my Savior, the giver of rest, peace, and comfort.
I enjoyed this book because it gives practical ways on how we can be still and rest. It’s filled with delightful though provoking devotionals, reflection time, and REST prompts that’s beneficial to your daily life and mental health.
In the introduction the author writes: “For many of us, rest is something that is almost foreign. It’s out of reach on most days. We know better, but we fill our days with enough tasks to keep six people busy. And then we wonder why were tired, grouchy, or don’t feel like doing anything. It’s time for us to use the commonsense God gave us: to realize that rest is a good thing, and that God designed our bodies to need it. For most of us, that’s going to require some changes.” Are you ready?
I highly recommend this book for the weary woman searching for REST. I pray God speaks to you in a powerful way as you turn these pages and spend time with Him.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10a ESV
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/be-still-and-put-pjs-on.jpg13332000Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2021-03-19 09:11:132021-03-19 09:12:27Book Review: "Be Still and Put Your PJ's On - 52 Restful Devotions for Women"
Book Review by Captain Vickie Harvey Divisional Secretary for Program – Northwest Division
I am raising my hand, “I want to know God, personally and intimately”. I believe we all want that as Christian women. Lysa Terkeurst truly spoke to my heart in “Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl”, as she shared her experiences and the scriptures that have shaped them, into our everyday reality. If you’re tired of the same old thing every week – going to church (or watch church), praying and trying to live right; then this is the book to get you out of that spiritual funk.
Lysa Terkeurst will challenge & impact you as she seeks to lead women to the truth of the Gospel and equipped to live it out in everyday life. We need more than Bible knowledge – we need to live in true relationship with Christ because as women, we have a deep emotional desire to be in relationship. As we navigate through life, God desires more than a checklist of spiritual tasks completed. His desire is for us to be in a deeply fulfilling relationship with Him.
This book would be great for a new believer and a great reminder for mature believers. Lysa has also taken this book and developed a supplement that is available for a small group Bible study. I recommend this easy read book to any woman who wants to see God, hear God, and know God for themselves.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/becoming-more.jpg580580Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2021-03-19 08:48:052021-03-19 09:13:12Book Review: "Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl"
Happy Spring! I have enjoyed being back in a place where I can anticipate seasons as I remember. In South Africa the seasons are reversed, and I remember my first Easter in 2016 thinking it was odd to be in March watching trees arrayed with bright fall colors, leaves covering the ground and the hint of fall. I wasn’t looking for earth preparing for winter. I was looking for new birth of flowering trees, tulips, and daffodils. I enjoyed the seasons in my new surroundings, but I had to stop and think about my expectations especially around Easter.
The photo shared in this blog is a picture of myself and a woman I met at a retreat during my first fall season of Easter. We were playing a game where one person was blindfolded and the other used only their voice to guide their partner through a very difficult obstacle course. I thought over the years of being in youth work I had played just about every game but this one was different. We were strangers and had been paired up as partners. We each had a turn at being the one blindfolded and the one leading, giving instructions to go left, right or exclaiming, “Be careful there are steps to climb!” The game, of course, was about listening, trusting, and believing something and someone you couldn’t see.
The real difficulty came when 20 other women were giving similar instructions. My partner was trying to listen for a voice from a person she had just met. She didn’t recognize my voice because she didn’t know me, but I kept calling her name. I tried to lean in as close as I could without touching her in order to guide her so she would feel safe. As the game continued, I could see her confidence and trust build as she began recognizing my voice and following my commands amongst the noise around her. At the end of the course there was relief and a feeling of accomplishment as the blindfold was removed, our eyes locked and she exclaimed, “There you are, I recognize you now!’
There are over ten separate accounts where Jesus made His appearance known on the road to Emmaus. The Disciples saw a pilgrim and didn’t recognize Him at first. Then his hands broke bread just as they would have seen Him do time after time and they knew him immediately.
At the time of resurrection, when the tomb was rolled away Jesus first appeared to a woman whose name was Mary Magdalene. She would have just endured the hardest night of her life. She sees Him but mistakes him as a gardener. John 20:14 “At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.” Mary Magdalene turned around and saw Him standing there but thought him to be the gardener. She doesn’t recognize Jesus at first, but Jesus certainly recognized her. Then something happened when he called her by name. The intimacy of knowing her name is enough to bring her out of her grief and she recognizes, it’s Jesus.
Scripture tells us she had been the one who was released from her bondage of Satan’s demons by Jesus himself. No wonder there was such great love and care for him, as she had experienced up close and personal his saving grace. Her life reminds us that Jesus offers us total deliverance from the bondage of our past. Mary had an important part to play that night, and all would be revealed.
Do you recognize Jesus today? Are you following his voice even though you can’t seem to find your way out of a hard season? The same God who was raised from the dead, who appeared in the flesh, is the same God who will raise you from the grave and will empty your tomb. Perhaps today it’s a tomb of loneliness, doubt, and fear. God called Mary’s name in the midst of her confusion and grief. Isaiah 43:1 is a reminder that he knows us! “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name, you are mine.” As we continue to embrace this Lenten season and the earth breaks forth spring, let’s walk in the assurance that He is our great Shepherd who leads us so that we may walk in confidence of who we are in Him.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/April-Blog.jpg619828Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2021-03-15 07:42:012021-03-18 11:16:31Do You Recognize Him?
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/get-out-of-your-head.jpg500500Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2021-02-17 14:08:102021-03-19 08:38:56Book Review: "Get Out of Your Head"