By Major Noelle Nelson Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Golden State Division
Note: This is a group activity with craft and Biblical application.
This activity works well for one group, several smaller groups (like at a retreat), or even for a Zoom event! In this case, at a regional Women’s Ministries Mini-Retreat held on Zoom, each Corps group created their own ‘masterpiece’ and shared the final project for everyone to see. The ‘crafting’ element can be especially appreciated by ladies who may not be into traditional crafts.
Basic idea: First, the ladies scurry to find the items on a list. Then they work together to create a ‘Masterpiece’ sculpture with the found items! (but they don’t know that part yet…)
Supplies: ⦁ String and/or tape (to hold things together if needed) ⦁ A list of random items ⦁ Camera to photograph the ‘Masterpieces’ (phone camera is perfect)
Scavenger Hunt: The ladies will work in teams. Create a list of random, but not hard to find, items for the ladies to find. Ten to fifteen items is good, but you can do more depending on the energy/motivation level of your ladies. You will be reading this list to them, one item at a time.
Sample list:
A pen
Something brown
A mint or piece of gum
A bobby pin
Something green
A book
Something from nature
Lipstick or lip balm
A food item
A napkin or tissue
A stamp
Something made of fabric
Something red
A rubber band
Nail clippers
Note: Each group only needs to find ONE item from each category (example: a group of 5 ladies only needs to find one nail clipper, not 5 individual nail clippers)
Read one item at a time, giving the ladies time to scurry about looking for the item. Once each group has the item, move on to the next item. The same item cannot be used more than once. For example, a tree branch (something from nature) cannot also be the ‘thing’ that is green. They must find something else that is green.
Once all items have been found, announce to the ladies that they will now use these items, and ONLY these items (plus the string or tape if needed), to create a one-of-a-kind Masterpiece! Three to five minutes should be enough time for the ladies to work together to create a fabulous, or fabulously silly!, work of art. An extra ‘touch’ would be to challenge the ladies to name their masterpiece creations, like in a museum. If working with only one group, the ladies can make suggestions for a title and vote on it! Make sure each group photographs their Masterpieces. Perhaps you can print them for a ‘Museum of Masterpieces’ display to hang on the wall in inexpensive frames. Tack on a little sign with the chosen name(s) of said Masterpiece(s), and you’ve got a winner for all to admire and enjoy!
Biblical Application:
There are days when we feel completely put together. We look good, we feel good, and we have confidence enough to conquer the world! But then there are the days when we feel like a hot mess. Your hair is not cooperating. It’s 10 pm and your child has informed you that the popsicle-stick-art project is due… at 8 am tomorrow morning. Somehow a red towel made it into the laundry, and your husband’s white undershirts are now a vibrant pink. Not much is going right, life is hectic, and, frankly, you feel like you’re made up from bunch of random stuff just thrown together. But, just as we took random stuff and created a fun masterpiece, God takes the seeming randomness of our lives and turns it into something of great value. On the days when we feel the most worthless, like the contents of the ‘junk drawer,’ God does not throw us out! He redeems every part of our lives to create a beautiful masterpiece.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10
Right now, the Holy Spirit is at work in your life. He is forming you, molding you, and shaping you as you bring the love of Jesus into the world. Take heart, ladies. For you, my friend, are a MASTERPIECE.
Chorus suggestions: ⦁ Change My Heart, Oh God ⦁ Spirit of the Living God
Attached are some samples of completed Scavenger Hunt Masterpieces.
Download printable instructions for this craft activity:
By Major Noelle Nelson Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Golden State Division
By any chance, do you have a sibling? Multiple siblings? All boys? All girls? A mix of both? Whether it’s one or many, siblings can be wonderful! Or not…
My sister (and only sibling) and I recently revealed to our Mom just how mean we were to each other as kids. This came as a surprise to her, since she’ll tell anyone that we were “such good girls!” That’s probably because our behavior consisted of: ⦁ No hitting ⦁ No throwing things at each other ⦁ No breaking each others’ belongings ⦁ No sabotaging of dates ⦁ No nasty pranks
Little wonder my Mom thought we were just wonderful! But here’s what we DID do, and it’s a short list:
⦁ Making intense facial expressions at each other when Mom’s back was turned ⦁ Using our words to hurt each other’s feelings… the deeper the better
We would say the most hurtful things to each other, sometimes whispered, sometimes in passing, occasionally in the bathroom while the other was in the shower. (Because you’ve got a captive audience when your target is trapped in the shower!) Through our teen years we continued to use our words to hurt each other, embarrass each other, criticize, and make each other feel low and sad. Thank God we were able to make amends, albeit not until our adult years, and become the best of friends, because our words almost destroyed us.
Read James 3:2-12
“We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong. So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brother and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Can you pick olives from a fig tree or figs from a grapevine? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty pool.”
At any given time of the year certain areas of the country tend to be at risk for forest fires. Maybe you can recall the infamous wildfire of 2020 in El Dorado, CA. It became known as the ‘Gender Reveal Fire’ because it was caused by a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device that was meant to explode with either blue or pink smoke. At this point, I’m not sure anyone even remembers what color the smoke was! What we do remember, however, is that tens of thousands of acres were burned, because of a single spark. That same spark that can create warmth and light can also blaze out of control and destroy acres, homes, and even claim lives.
Question: How does the Bible describe the tongue in James 3:6a? (The tongue is a flame of fire)
Yes, the same tongue that can bring words like a soothing balm, can also lash out with words that could destroy another person. Our words hold a lot of weight! What we choose to say says a lot about us as a person. What comes out of our mouths has the power to heal or destroy. That’s pretty heavy. It’s not all bad news, though! We have a choice, and a way to make it happen!
First, Make good choices about what you fill your time with.
Read Luke 6:45
“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart… for the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Question: What are your favorite hobbies? Do you have a favorite movie or book?
What we spend our time thinking about, reading, watching, the activities we participate in… that’s what we are filling our minds with. All these things that we place into our minds will eventually take root in our hearts, and then manifest either through our words or actions. So, go ahead and read the books, watch the movies, chat with your friends! But always ask, would Jesus be doing this, too? Determine that you will not fill your mind and heart with things God would not be pleased with, because this WILL affect the words that come out of your mouth.
Philippians 4:8 tells us, “I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst, the beautiful, not the ugly, things to praise, not things to curse.” (The Message)
Second, work hard at controlling what you say!
Once we have filled our minds and hearts with good things, we still need to work at controlling what we say. We are human. We will always have days of feeling grouchy, irritated, or mad. But these are never good reasons to let our words recklessly fly out.
Question: Do you find it easy or difficult to control what you say? When do you find it most difficult to ‘tame your tongue’? When do you find it easiest?
Read Proverbs 16:24
“Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”
My Dad is a life-long member of Rotary International. The Rotarians have something called “The Four-Way Test of Rotary International.” The test says: Of the things we think, say or do
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Question: How do you feel about these four questions? What would it feel like to have a person think these through before speaking to you (especially when they’re irritated or cranky!)? How would others feel if you did the same? Would your relationships be a bit, somewhat, or a lot better if you did?
If our words don’t match up to ALL FOUR of these, then we should probably re-think the words we speak! Perhaps make it a special goal this week to speak to your family in the same way you would speak to your friends: with love and grace. (We did say that we need to work hard at controlling what we say! Yes, that means sometimes it is hard!)
Finally, allow God to transform you into a new person.
James 3:12 says, “Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Can you pick olives from a fig tree or figs from a grapevine? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty pool.” In other words, you can’t live one way but expect the results to be different. Wouldn’t it be great if people always flocked to you for your words of kindness and encouragement, rather than being one whose words are too frequently salty or bitter? It’s a huge task to transform our way of thinking and speaking! (Again, we did say that we need to work hard at controlling what we say!) But, with God’s help, it can be done.
Read Romans 12:2
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Question: What customs and behaviors of the world do you need to walk away from? How will the people around you know that you have been transformed?
Let God take control and do the hard work! He is there to help you to make good choices about what you fill your time with, help you be successful in controlling what you say, and give you the courage to let Him transform you! Let’s not let our tongues spew hot sparks that can cause disastrous emotional wildfires. Let’s use our tongues to produce words that bring warmth and light, bringing others closer to the Lord.
Prayer time: God, open my eyes to the specific ways I need to change the way I think and speak. I want to be a flame of warmth and hope, not a dangerous spark that can cause harm. Teach me to fix my thoughts on what is true and honorable and right; things that are pure and lovely and admirable; things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Make me more like You. Amen.
Suggested prayer choruses: ⦁ Change My Heart, Oh God ⦁ Spirit of the Living God
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/may-bible-study-scaled.jpg25601707Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-04-28 11:19:002022-04-28 11:19:34May 2022 Bible Study: Tame That Spark! (It only takes a little one!)
By Major Noelle Nelson Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Golden State Division
Sometimes ‘more’ just feels right! I know we’re instructed from our earliest years that wanting more of something is a bit selfish. I suppose that could be true. More cool shoes, more fun toys, more food on our plate, more delicious pie… But seriously, what’s the problem with wanting more cool socks to go with the cool shoes? Is it wrong to want more new books to read when I’ve already got a bookshelf stuffed with ‘still to be read’ books? And is it a crime to want more flowers delivered directly to my office desk? at lunchtime? when everyone passing by can ‘oooo’ and ‘aaahhh’ at their beauty?
I guess one could get a bit carried away with wanting ‘more.’ Because wanting more always leads to wanting… more. Where does it stop? When do we reach the resting place of, “Ahhh! I am at peace because I now have enough!” The answer is pretty obvious, or at least it should be: It will never, ever happen. And yet we sometimes get to thinking it will. We are given a terse reminder in Matthew 6:19, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”
I can relate. I once had the opportunity to buy a beautiful, soft, woolly sweater in Scotland. It came with a card explaining the care and keeping of such a fine garment. In addition to being hand-washed in cold water with a special fiber-preserving cleanser (sold separately), the sweater was to be stored with mothballs as it was a particular variety of wool that moths were prone to eat quickly. Have you smelled mothballs?? And my sweater would smell like THAT!? That was way too much hassle (and bad smell) to keep the moths at bay.
I can also relate to thieves breaking in and stealing. One Sunday we came home from the Corps to find our house broken into and ransacked. It was such a mess, it was difficult to figure out what was actually missing. The few things we did have of any value had all been taken. And things of sentimental value, like the beautiful little cedar chest on my dresser, had been smashed. “…where thieves break in and steal” became a hard truth for me. I still don’t like to have valuable things in my home, just in case.
More, more, more. Is this ‘more’ inherently destructive? Is it ever okay to want ‘more’? To have ‘more’? To be ‘more’? Believe it or not, where Christ is concerned, it is absolutely okay! “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” (John 3:30). When we want MORE of Jesus and continue to put Him first, our priorities and desires shift. As we seek MORE of Him, He fills our lives with more good things than we could ever imagine or hope for! It is exciting to me that God wants us to HAVE MORE! But it’s not the same ‘more’ that the world says we need. When we allow God to shift our desires from ‘stuff’ to the ‘treasures’ that earth cannot take away, we will be filled to the top with wonder, amazement and gratitude! What we get is MORE love, power, peace, joy, and forgiveness than we can comprehend. And that is something we definitely could use MORE of. God wants us to enjoy the fullness of life while we’re here on earth. Instead of filling it with more ‘stuff,’ what God-honoring activities and things could you incorporate more of into your day? Create a list (you can call it your ‘More List’) of what you really need more of. Let’s change the focus of what our ‘more’ is, to what brings glory to Him!
Here’s a little list of ‘good things’ you can aim to get more of:
Get MORE sleep (can I get an amen?)
Drink MORE water
Get MORE exercise
Read MORE
Get MORE organized
Explore MORE
Relax MORE
Have MORE patience
MORE of Jesus, less of ME!
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/may-devo-2-2-scaled.jpg25601440Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-04-28 11:19:002022-04-28 11:19:56May 2022 Devotional: My 'More' List
“April Showers brings May Flowers,” so the saying goes. In this edition of the newsletter, we celebrate the hope that spring brings. Our monthly Bible trivia questions focus on flowers in the Bible, and the devotional and craft ideas are focused on the butterfly, a beautiful symbol of the hope of transformation we have in Christ.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
By Major Cathy Quinn Angoon, AK Corps – Alaska Division
The Sovereign LORD is my strength. HE makes me as sure footed as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. Habakkuk 3:19
In February of 2020, I was out hiking with my dogs on a trail near our house. When I came to an especially narrow part of the trail my foot slipped and I reached out to catch a branch that turned out to not be attached to anything. Needless to say; I went tumbling halfway down a steep embankment. I heard a “pop” in my left ankle as I began my descent. When I finally came to a stop and gathered myself, I knew that my ankle was broken.
I was half of a mile from my vehicle, with no cell reception. Even if I had had cell reception to describe where I was and to get help getting out didn’t seem to me as being feasible. So, I said a prayer for strength, limped the rest of the way down the embankment to the beach and back to my vehicle.
Several months later, after surgery and a very frustrating time of recovery, I decided to face that trail again. By this time, my husband had cleared a trail through the woods that bypassed the narrow part where I had taken my trip. Honestly though, I was a little nervous the first time I walked that trail after my recovery.
Spiritually, we often trip walking on the narrow way and sometimes we reach out for support to things or people that are not able to support us. During these times, we need GOD’s strength and support to get us where we need to go.
We also need to allow GOD to make our paths straight and renew the hope within us. Just because we took a tumble doesn’t mean that we must stay by the wayside. With GOD we can and will walk the narrow way again and enjoy the journey.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Apr-Devo-scaled.jpg25601707Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-04-28 11:15:002022-04-28 11:15:27April 2022 Devotional: Strength and Hope
By Captain Jan Pemberton Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Cascade Division
When thinking about leadership, many thoughts come to mind. When we are working for others, we want our leaders to be compassionate, understanding, and helpful. When we are the leaders, we want our people to see us as competent, strong and have all the answers. However, the reality of leadership lands in the middle, especially when it comes to Christian leadership.
When I was at The College For Officer Training (CFOT), one of our officers said the phrase “Love God and Love Others” often. They would then follow it up saying, “if you do these two simple things, then the rest fall into place.” I find this to be true in leadership. If we honestly love God with all our hearts and genuinely love others, as Christ loved, then the rest does fall into place. Caring about our fellow man does not show weakness; it shows the opposite – strength from God and not from ourselves.
I look back on my life when I was picked on and made fun of due to my family life and economic circumstances throughout my childhood and into my teen years. Because of this, I hardened my heart and held onto my hurt and anger in quite a silence; I saw this as a strength and prided myself on not showing my emotions and acting like things did not bother me. When in actuality, I was in great distress and hidden pain. As an adult, especially after rededicating my life to Christ, I found this was not a strength but a significant weakness.
Throughout various stages of my life, I have had many great women in leadership positions that spoke volumes into my personal life and spiritual life. Throughout my life, pre-dedication and post-dedication to Christ, I have had leaders in my life that spoke to me with their actions or words. One such lady was my Jr. High English Literature teacher, Brenda Eubank. She was a wonderful woman who taught a young, shy, and timid girl with low self-esteem and low confidence that she was worth something. Over the time I was in her class, she showed me that I could become a person of strength and could become more confident. She taught me so much not only with her words but in her actions. Mrs. Eubank asked me to be her Teachers’ Assistant during my study hall period during my Sophomore through Senior years of High School. These were moments she took not only to help her with recording grades or other errands for her, but she took these times to show me that I was worth more than I ever knew. The years she took me under her wing helped me grow and gave me strength and hope for the future.
When it came to my spiritual strength, I had a wonderful “Grandmother” figure in Mrs. Betty McCracken. She was my cousin’s grandmother but adopted my mother and me after the loss of my father. She showed me that there was strength and hope in Christ Jesus during the early years of my life. She shared Bible stories and guided and scolded me like all of her other grandchildren. For this, I am forever grateful. It was this foundation that she helps develop that stuck with me growing up and even to this very day.
Looking upon the past, I had leaders that spoke into my life in the secular world, my spiritual walk, and my ministry career. As I grow in my ministry career, when we humble ourselves and honestly give God our undivided attention and serve Him with humility, we will be strengthened and filled with the hope that can only come from God. My past helped shape me into the person I am today, but my future in Christ will guide me to be the leader He wants me to be.
When looking at leadership, we see those who lead with humility, with a servant’s heart, and give clear, heartfelt direction has more buy-in from the team than those who only direct. Neither is right or wrong, but we must look at our team to see how they respond to a particular leadership style. Being prepared to change our leadership styles for those around us shows that we are willing to adapt and lead.
Scriptures on Strength “But I will sing of your strength; in the morning, I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” Psalm 59:16 “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Scriptures on Hope “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/April-She-Leads-scaled.jpg17062560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-04-28 11:11:002022-04-28 11:11:45She Leads... With Strength and Hope
By Major Sabrina Tumey Sitka, AK Corps – Alaska Division
Read 1 Kings 17:7-16
Have you ever felt that your hope was gone, and there was no strength left within you? This is an all too real experience for many folks day after day. God told the prophet Elijah to go to Zarephath. During a drought, he was to be provided for by a widow. Elijah knew it, and God did, too, but the widow Zarephath didn’t know it!
So…Elijah got to the city gate of Zarephath and saw a widow gathering sticks. He asked her for some water; she went to get him some, and he called out, “And please bring a piece of bread.”
This stopped her forward progress, and her words revealed her empty bucket of hope and lack of strength. She told him, “I don’t have any bread…just a bit of flour and a little oil…I was gathering sticks to make a small fire and prepare a last meal for me and my son…and then die.” She had almost nothing left. (She acknowledged that Elijah had a belief in the Lord his God, but she was defeated and done.) Ever been there?
[This might be a good place to discuss how the ladies may relate to the Widow of Zarephath.]
Yet, Elijah asks her to not give up…not to be afraid. He said, “Go, do what you said, but please make me a small cake of bread first—then for you and your boy.” He told her this is why, “The God of Israel says the jar of flour will NOT be used up and the jug of oil will NOT run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.”
She was crazy brave, and she did what Elijah asked. AND there was food every day for Elijah, the Widow of Zarephath, and her son. Psalm 42:5 states, “Why are you so downcast, o my soul? Why do disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 105:4 exclaims, “Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.”
God wants to help us. He wants us to not give up and quit. We need to anchor to Him and His hope provided in His promises. We also need to draw strength from Him to keep going…to do one more meal, load of laundry, another meeting. He wants to bring us through…He will never fail us.
Questions to consider:
What is one thing God is asking you to hope in?
How is He giving you strength?
How can we, as women, help provide hope and strength to others?
Whom in your life do you need to do this for? [_________________________ write down their name]
One of the things I have learned living in the West is that anything is possible in the spring. This past week we experienced 90 degree plus temps in Southern California and a few days later I woke up to snow in Oregon! Both were a surprise to those who forecast the weather and made for extra cautious news alerts, heat warnings, delays and cancellations in the Northwest.
Spring typically means that warmer temperatures warm the ground which may have frozen over the winter months, as it grows softer and more yielding to plants. Spring is often marked by increased rainfall, which helps to water the infant seeds taking root in the ground. Spring is often referred to as the season of new beginnings, even referred to as the favorite season of the year with its transition into life and beauty before the heat of summer sets in. It’s said after a dreary winter, spring brings forth mood improvement, even causing people to be happier! So many good reasons to embrace the spring forecast and watch and see good things grow.
Whether it’s the bud of a tulip planted the previous fall or one of the earliest crops breaking through the soil, that first sign of new life in the garden shifts our attention to the season that is upon us. No matter how long or cold the winter has been, a new chapter is here.
So as women of God, how can we too harness the goodness of this fresh start and season? We can start with the smallest change to plowing deeply! Be still! Set aside time to spend in the word of God. Listen to music and immerse yourself in the melody and lyrics. Look around at God’s beautiful creation. Be more intentional about showing gratitude. Ask others about their story and share yours!
If you desire to have fellowship and Bible study and are waiting for someone to ask you for a seat at the table and it hasn’t happened, invite yourself! Perhaps God is calling you to be the very one to break forth new ground for someone else or many!
It’s been a dry and weary season for most. What if we forecast for ourselves with God’s help, to grow good seeds of hope, nurturing relationships, patience in the waiting, forgiveness in the hurting, healing through bitterness, or peace over anxiety? Just as the gardener or farmer sets her eyes on the prize and hope of a fruitful crop, so can we harness its hope and strength to then nourish the parts of our life that might be craving a fresh new start. Each of us has an opportunity to plant, fruit to bear, and in return Jesus will bless! There’s never been a greater time for a forecast of strong, brave, and flourishing women needed to burst forth in confidence and step into spring so that others might be revived and flourish too. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, Encourage one another and build each other up. These words alone would make for a beautiful spring forecast and in return good seeds will grow.
Keep shining, beautiful women of the Western Territory and keep your eyes on Jesus! Blessings of grace and peace.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/May-Blog-scaled.jpg14862560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-04-19 09:03:422022-04-19 09:03:44Spring Forecast.... Let Good Things Grow!
By Lt. Faith Hartt Klawock, AK Corps – Alaska Division
As Easter approaches my thoughts wander to the garden that early Sunday morning when Mary Magdalene was overjoyed to see her risen Savior. What better way to draw emphasis to Christ’s redemption for believers than a mini model garden scene of the resurrection?
Supplies: ⦁ Large bowl or pot ⦁ Moss ⦁ Flowers and plants (real or artificial) ⦁ Potting soil (if using real plants) ⦁ Small pot or cup ⦁ Small decorative rocks ⦁ Large stone ⦁ Cross
Instructions:
Begin preparing your Resurrection Garden by placing rocks and soil in the bottom of the bowl or container that will hold your garden.
2. Take the small pot and place sideways in the bowl in the location you want for the “tomb.” You can glue rocks on the rim of the cup if you like.
3. Place rocks on either side of the “tomb” so the pot doesn’t roll back and forth while you decorate. With your leftover decorative rocks you can make a tiny stone path.
4. Arrange the plants and lay out the moss over the top and sides of the tomb.
5. Lastly, place the cross on your mini version of Mt. Calvary behind the tomb. Then take the large stone and put it next to the entrance.
Enjoy your Resurrection Garden! I hope that every time you look at it that you would be filled with the strength and hope that comes from knowing that our Lord Jesus conquered death. He is alive forever and ever, Amen!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Peter 1:3 ESV
Is there anymore hopeful month than April? Spring has sprung and this month we celebrate Easter. Easter is when we celebrate the Death and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He died and was buried on Friday, and on Sunday His tomb was empty!
This month’s newsletter includes a devotional about the hope the cross brings, as well as some Cross Crafts you can make to celebrate the season, and Bible Trivia about the characters of Easter.
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 2 Peter 2:24
He is Risen! It’s April and this month I am reminded more profoundly than ever before, of the goodness of God, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the precious and perfect gift that was given on the cross for me and for you.
I am struck by the fact that one moment, men and women were proclaiming “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (John 12:13) and shortly after, Jesus was carrying His own cross to His death. I am not sure that I can fully comprehend the moment of triumph and the moment of seeming defeat in its fullness. Yet, I know that this was all in the plan from the very beginning. This gift was for me, even before I was born. This was and is a gift for you.
The resurrection is the foundation of my faith. Jesus came in flesh and blood as a man, died and rose again and confirmed that He is the Son of God. His rising from the dead was real and physical and miraculous. He tells Mary Magdalene and the other Mary that He is alive, and I love this – they clasped His feet and worshipped Him. They knew it was Him, they believed He was alive, and they worshipped Him. (Matthew 28:9)
This Easter, I want to have such deep faith every day, that no matter if the grounds shake or the waters roar, I will clasp the feet of Jesus and worship the Risen King. I don’t feel worthy of the sacrifice that Jesus made for me. But I know that I serve a God who in His infinite love for us, gave us this perfect gift so that we can have eternal life with Him. I don’t have to earn it, it is a free gift.
So let us celebrate and sing Hosanna to the King of Kings and thank Him for this gift of life He bestowed on us. If you, or someone you know doesn’t know the Savior, reach out so that we can share the infinite gift of grace, forgiveness, love, and a promise to be with us always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/April-Blog-scaled.jpg25601920Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-04-08 06:34:442022-04-08 06:34:47He is Risen!
March 8, 2022 is recognized as International Women’s Day. It’s an opportunity to pay tribute to all the women who have stood up against an unjust society, paving the way for the freedom of future generations. It’s a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It’s a day to celebrate women from around the globe for their contributions to the world! It’s a day to celebrate our Creator for His love and His plans for every one of us. It’s a day to celebrate YOU!
In Acts 16 we find a beautiful story of a woman named Lydia. I would encourage you to read once again this story of obedience on Paul’s part that led to a transformational life for Lydia.
We find her story here because God had a specific encounter for her, He had a plan to use her in a way she never could have imagined. The story of Lydia is a reminder that God shows up in unexpected places and He uses women in all walks and seasons of life. Her story becomes quite extraordinary and transformational for generations to come.
Lydia by trade, sold expensive purple cloth. She must have had a reputation as someone of influence, wealth, and who was educated. However, she was lacking the most significant detail in her story…she didn’t know Jesus. She was a woman of prayer and as she heard Paul speaking about Jesus, she didn’t waste time to kneel and open her heart. The Word says that she lost no time in confessing her sins and was baptized in the same river where she had gathered many times to pray. We read that members of her household were also saved!! She immediately opened her home to Paul and the other missionaries. This conversion had even greater purpose for the story continues that Lydia became the first person to share the gospel in Europe. God uses women!
Lives are transformed when people see the image of God through you and me. Lydia could have said, someone else can open their home, someone else can go to Europe and share Jesus, but she realized her purpose and allowed God to use her. People need to see God being used in our lives; our lives must be so transparent that others see the heart of God through our actions and love for others, even though we may feel like it’s not enough! You may be searching, doubting or questioning your purpose. Your circumstances may feel overwhelming today. Every woman before us has faced her battles, but God will use you where you are when your heart is opened to His leading. Some are called to a riverbank, some are called to Africa, some are called to the communities right where they are.
We are all called to make a difference for the Kingdom. We are to be Kingdom women! Thank you for loving Jesus and preparing the way for others to follow. I’m blessed to call you beloved sisters in Christ!
Check out this LINK to learn more about how The Salvation Army is celebrating International Women’s Day!
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/March-blog-2-scaled.jpg25601920Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-02-16 09:25:572022-02-16 13:11:33International Women's Day
By Major Vicky Villanea Santa Maria, CA Corps – California South Division
NOTE: This craft is in both English and Spanish
Materials/ Material:
⦁ 10 Palitos de Elote ⦁ 1 Gancho de Alambre ⦁ Tela ⦁ Pistola de Goma y goma ⦁ Cinta ⦁ Cinta Floral ⦁ Decoraciones: cordon, perlas, flores, etc. ⦁ Alicate ⦁ Alambre grueso y delgado ⦁ Tijeras
⦁ 10 Skewers ⦁ 1 Wire Hanger ⦁ Hot Glue Gun ⦁ Hot Glue Sticks ⦁ Fabric ⦁ Ribbon ⦁ Floral Tape ⦁ Decorations: pearls, flower, diamonds, etc. ⦁ Pliers ⦁ Thin and Thick Wire ⦁ Scissors
Step 1: Cut the top of the skewers. Join the 4 skewers together to form a triangle. Next use a good amount of glue and wire to join the triangles and add support. Paso 1: ImageJuntamos 4 palitos formando un triangulo. Ponemos bastante goma y alambre alrededor para soporte.
Step 2: Form an arch with thick wire and bend the ends to hook them together. Place 37 cm of wire and form a half arch. Paso 2: Formamos un arco con el alambre grueso y doblamos las puntas para enganchar entre 37 cm de largo y formamos un medio arco.
Step 3:Place the wire on the previous triangle and bring down 6 cm on both sides to make a curve Paso 3: Montamos el alambre en el triángulo y bajamos 6 cm de los dos lados
Step 4: Join the first triangle with the arch by gluing the arch on top. Place 3 skewers on top of the wire with hot glue to form a basket. Paso 4: Formamos la curva para el triángulo que va encima. Ponemos 3 palitos encima con goma y van a quedar sobre el alambre para formar una canasta.
Step 5: Cut 8 skewers to be 8 cm long. Join 2 skewers with hot glue that will form a V shape: having 4 V shapes in total. Paso 5: Cortar 8 palos de 8 cm cada uno y unirlos de dos en dos en forma de V.
Step 6: Take the wire hanger, cut the sides with pliers to use only the hook, and stretch out the bottom part. Glue the hook to the triangle and add the thin wire for support. Paso 6: Con el gancho de alambre, corten el alambre de los lados con alicates, y estirar el alambre.
Step 7: Place the V shape skewers on the triangle arch in the way that the V shape skewers will be taller than the arch forming the peaks of the umbrella Paso 7: Con los palitos en forma de V coloquen en el triángulo en manera que los palos sean más altos para formar los picos de la sombrilla
Step 8: Wrap the whole shape in floral tape to add support Paso 8: Envolvemos todo el triángulo en cinta floral para fortalecer la forma
Step 9: Cut fabric to the size of the triangle Paso 9: Cortamos tela al tamaño del triangulo
Step 10: Form the triangle with the fabric using hot glue on the peaks of the triangle cut towards the middle, fold the fabric, and glue down Paso 10: Forramos primero el triángulo con goma los extremos y en los picos cortamos hacia el centro y doblamos la tela y pegamos
Step 11: Once everything is covered giving the shape of the peaks, cut the triangle on the backside, and glue the fabric to the first triangle Paso 11: Cortamos el triángulo de atrás y pegamos a los lados tapando el primer triángulo
Step 12: Once everything is covered, decorate the way you would like Paso 12: Una vez todo este forrado lo decoramos con sus detales
Tú eres mi refugio; tú me protegerás del peligro y me rodearás con cánticos de liberación. Salmo 32:7
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
Download the printable version of the directions for this craft.
This month’s issue is all about St. Patrick’s Day. The beautiful, green shamrock is a great reminder of the message of hope found in Jesus Christ. Just as St. Patrick shared the good news of Jesus to the people of Ireland, may we be God’s messengers sharing the hopeful message of the love and salvation of Jesus to those we meet.
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15
Also included in this issue are some great shamrock craft ideas and Bible trivia questions about people who told others about Jesus. As always, there are ideas from around the USA Western Territory to inspire ideas for your own WM group.
By Captain Patricia Torres Ventura, CA Corps – California South Division
INTRODUCTION There is much confusion in the world today in regards of the role of women in marriage. Though the Bible is not a manual that answers every human question, it contains the answer to questions such as: Why did God create Adam and Eve? What is the main purpose of the woman? We will see in the story of Eve that women are a beautiful creation with a huge capacity to influence those around them. Women have a responsibility to use that influence for good and not for evil.
A. EVE, CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD We read in Genesis 1: 27, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female He created them.” Eve, like Adam, was created perfect and in the image and likeness of God, i.e., not only did they have body and soul, but also a spirit. The spirit is the part of us that can know God and have fellowship with Him. Adam and Eve were intelligent beings, capable of thinking and reasoning; having emotions, able to feel and love, and able to make their own decisions.
Eve understood that she had been created to glorify God, to love Him and to have communion with her husband, multiply and fill the Earth. The two understood they needed to fill the earth and subdue it, having authority over it. (Genesis 1: 28)
B. THE FUNCTION OF THE FIRST WOMAN: SUITABLE HELP Chapter 1 of Genesis tells us about the creation while chapter 2 enters more in detail about the formation of men and women. Once the Lord formed Adam from the dust of the Earth, then he said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2: 18). So God made Adam fall into a deep sleep and created a woman from one of his ribs. Eve was created to be of help to Adam, a colleague and a friend.
God didn’t create woman out of the man’s head, so that she does not dominate; He didn’t create her from man’s feet so he wouldn’t step on her, but of a rib, so that she would be his companion. While she was created after the man, it is not to say that it was “a solution of last minute”. She was part of the original plan. Woman is not complete without the man, or the man without the woman. They are equal in value, but with different functions. Within the operation of the marriage, the man is intended to be head of the household and thus ensure the family order. God is a God of order. In the Trinity, the Son is not inferior to the Father; however, He is obedient to his Father’s authority.
C. FOUR PRINCIPLES FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE Hundreds of books have been written about the “secret” for marital happiness. In Genesis 2 we have four principles: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” Genesis 2: 24, 25
In these two verses we find four dynamic principles ensuring the happiness of man and woman. Many family conflicts are rooted in that we’ve broken one or more of these biblical principles. Although God gave them to us thousands of years ago, they are still current and hold much truth and power in the 21th century.
It is significant that the words of verse 24, coming out of the mouth of Adam, “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh,” are repeated three times in the New Testament. Twice said by Jesus (Matthew 19: 5; Mark 10: 7-8) and once by the Apostle Paul (Ephesians 5: 31). These words were declared once before the fall of man into sin and three times after he sinned. Here we have the marriage plan for man, the way God intended it to be, in its perfect state and also among a world of sin.
FOUR SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL PRINCIPLES:
Man will leave his father and his mother…SEPARATION
He will unite to his wife…PERMANENCE
And they will be one flesh…UNION
Were both naked, Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed…INTIMACY
D. THE FIRST ACT OF DISOBEDIENCE In Genesis 3 begins a radical change because Satan is present in the form of a snake, the most cunning of all animals. First he appears to Eve, with the intention of making her doubt God’s goodness: “Did God really say: You must not eat from any tree in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1).
Eve clearly replied: “but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.”
Satan then denied what was said by God. “You will certainly not die”… This is the first lie recorded in history. Eve had to make a decision: God had said “or you will die” and now Satan tells her, ” You will certainly not die.” She had to choose whom to believe: God or Satan. We have to make this same decision daily!
Eve then saw the fruit: that the tree was good for food, it was pleasant to the eyes, that it was desirable to make one wise, and she ate it. Eve chose to believe Satan; she was deceived. Being crafty, Satan did not use this same plan with Adam; he didn’t speak directly to Adam, but had Eve make Adam disobey God. When Eve offered the fruit, Adam had made a decision. He knew very well what God had said, however; he took the fruit.
This story clearly demonstrates one of the special qualities of the woman, a quality that can be used for good or evil: the power of influencing. There is no explanation adequate to the influential nature of women, but it is a reality that the tempter directed himself to Eve instead of her husband.
E. THE IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN
Spiritual Death The entrance of sin results in that the couple was separated from God who is the source of life. The friendship they had enjoyed with their Creator, was now broken. Therefore, they experimented for the first time shame, guilt and fear.
The curse Due to his daring behavior, God cursed Satan and the Earth. But Eve and Adam only received a punishment because God wanted to restore them in the future. a) Satan The serpent would be cursed among the created animals; God said to the serpent that its head would be crushed by the seed of the woman. We will see that this curse was symbolic, noting the future time of the defeat of Satan. b) Woman She would birth to her children with suffering and pain. God made emphasis on the fact that Adam would rule over her. c) Man The land would be cursed because of him, it would produce thorns and thistles for him, and he would have to fulfill his needs with the sweat of his brow meaning through hard and painful labor. Because of his sin he and Eve had to exit the garden, leave paradise, and the door was closed.
F. THE FIRST PROMISE OF RESTORATION God did not allow the first couple to leave the garden that day without first receiving a word of hope. He always has a word of hope… for them and for us. He always offers a way out of our impossible situation.
He not only made them with his own hands, skins to cover their nakedness, but He spoke to them clearly about One who would bring them permanent relief from their sad condition. He spoke of a person who was going to be born of a woman, and that one day would crush the head of that snake which Eve had that fatal conversation with. (Genesis 3: 15)
Satan is personified as a snake. This prophecy stated that one day Satan would encounter one of the descendants son of Eve (speaking of Jesus), but this Son will hurt Satan and defeat him. On the cross, Satan thought he would crush Jesus; but when Jesus rose from the dead, he crushed the head of the devil. The door to the presence of God is no longer closed!
SUMMARY What lesson can we learn from Eve?
Eve was created to be a suitable help for man, a colleague and a friend. When it is understood that women are not in a competition with men, but they are to help and to be friends and companions, then less conflicts in marriage and between sexes will occur.
Eve did not honor the leadership role of her husband and thus suffered serious consequences. The spirit of rebellion in Adam and Eve affected their children and as a consequence one of them killed his sibling. This same spirit of rebellion is present in the world today destroying entire families. Do not allow such spirit to come into your heart.
Eve, along with Adam, was created to conquer their world. God said to BOTH, the man to the woman: “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the Earth, subdue it and rule over it…” (Gen. 1: 28). The word SUBDUE means “conquer” and the word RULE means “govern”.
Did you know that you were created to govern and rule in this life and not to be dominated, nor be a victim of circumstances?
Adam blamed Eve, and she blamed the serpent. When you commit an error, do you have the tendency to blame someone else and or blame the circumstances around you? The first sign of maturity is to accept responsibility for our own actions and to say: “I am guilty” or “I have sinned”.
When a woman recognizes that the purpose of her life is becoming a fulfilled woman. What does this mean?
It means to know God and have full communion with Him. He wants to take your wretched life and make you a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5: 17) What happened with Eve affects us all. Through her and Adam, sin entered the world. But the good news is:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6: 23
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5: 8
Now the only sin which separates us from God is not accepting Jesus Christ as our only Lord and Savior. To take advantage of this salvation, we must repent and confess Him with our mouth. “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart God raised Him, from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that “With the heart, belief for Justice, but with the mouth is confessed for salvation.” (Romans 10: 9, 10) If you’ve never taken this important step, you can do it right now. Pray aloud and with all your heart.
“FATHER I CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD.” I ACCEPT HIM AS THE SOLE LORD OF MY LIFE RIGHT NOW. I BELIEVE IN MY HEART THAT YOU RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD. I REPENT AND RENOUNCE MY PAST LIFE. I THANK YOU FOR FORGIVING ALL MY SINS. I MAKE JESUS THE LORD OF MY LIFE”.
After you do so, Accept the forgiveness of God, do not continue living with guilt. Many women live with a sense of guilt and need to be set free from it. Have you accepted God’s forgiveness? Have you forgiven yourself?
Final Prayer
Biblegateway.com/resources/all-women-bible/eve; Womeninthebible.net/women-bible-old-testament/eve Holy Bible, New Living Translation Carol Stream, IL 1996. Print; www.biblestudytools.com. N.p., n.d. Web.
Download the printable version of this Bible study.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/March-Bible-study-scaled.jpg19202560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-02-15 11:13:002022-02-15 11:13:22March 2022 Bible Study: Eve, the Privilege of Being the First Woman
By Major Martha Trimmer Pastoral Care & Financial Development Officer – California South Division
“Since God chose you to be a holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12 NLT
It was one of those days when I was feeling out of my comfort zone. Having served in Corps appointments for 27 years I knew what was expected of me, what was needed and when to step into action. My world changed when we received the call five years ago that we were being appointed to THQ in the Corps Ministries Department. Going from a Corps appointment to an office at THQ I had lost my footing. I was feeling the loss of a congregation, a community. Everything that I had known had changed. Who were my people now? How do I minister to others in this appointment? I am not saying that ministry does not happen at THQ, only that my ministry had changed so drastically it took me a bit to adjust.
During our lunch time I was sharing with my husband Kyle, how I was feeling. I remember praying with him and sharing with the Lord my desire to serve Him no matter where we were. I prayed, “I know You are still at work no matter our circumstance. We want to join you in whatever ministry You have for us today.” No big deal, right? You have probably prayed the same prayer and moved on to the next thing.
Kyle and I took our walk after our lunch and we saw God at work immediately. As we walked down the street, we ran into a homeless man who did not have any shoes or socks and was using a towel to shuffle his bare feet to make his way down the sidewalk. It was a very hot day, and you could feel the heat radiate from the sidewalk. I asked him to have a seat on the bench and let him know we would walk to the convenient store and pick up some flip flops for him and be right back. The store was about 4 blocks away. He took a seat and said he would wait.
On our way to the store we ran into a woman on her bike who recognized the TSA uniform and stopped us. She said, “Oh, The Salvation Army,” and I said, “Yes; are you familiar with the Army?” She replied “yes,” and then told us that she went through the ARC Women’s program and was now reunited with her family after her struggles with addiction. We asked if we could pray with her and she agreed and shared that she needed a job. So right there in the middle of that sidewalk we prayed that God would meet her need and keep her safe.
We made it to the store and picked up the flip flops, water, snacks, and socks for the man who we prayed was still waiting for us on the bench by THQ. On our way back we were stopped again by another individual who recognized our uniforms and again said” Oh, The Salvation Army.” Kyle and I looked at each other and smiled, and said “yes.” He was a board member from one of the Corps in Northern California. We thanked him for serving on the board and he quickly turned it around and said: “No, thank you for what you are doing.” After a short interaction we continued back to THQ.
We finally made it back to the bench and our friend was still there waiting for us. We provided for his basic needs, left him and went back into the THQ building with smiles on our face. It doesn’t matter where you are, or what your appointment is, God just asks that we join Him in whatever He has for us to do.
“It doesn’t matter where you are, or what your appointment is, God just asks that we join Him in whatever He has for us to do.”
Major Martha Trimmer
This simple walk helped me to refocus on the Lord. You know, those times when the Holy Spirit steps in and gives the needed correction. I am so glad I responded to the Spirit’s prompting. It’s the little things that matter.
Will our paths every cross again with those three individuals? Probably not. Will we ever know the outcome? Probably not, but I still remember how each one of those individuals ministered to me in my time of need.
God is still at work and it is up to us to join Him in whatever He has for us. Sometimes we forget who we are really working for. I prayed a simple prayer that day, and God heard me. I need to make sure I hear Him too. My prayer is that you will be encouraged and lifted up as you continue to lead and serve faithfully where God has placed you.
My journey in leadership reminds me of the song, “If My Feet Have Faltered” (Song #672 in The Salvation Army Songbook, by Albert Orsborn):
1. SAVIOR, if my feet have faltered On the pathway of the cross, If my purposes have altered Or my gold be mixed with dross, O forbid me not Thy service, Keep me yet in Thy employ, Pass me through a sterner cleansing If I may but give Thee joy!
All my work is for the Master, He is all my heart’s desire; O that He may count me faithful In the day that tries by fire!
2. Have I worked for hireling wages, Or as one with vows to keep, With a heart whose love engages Life or death, to save the sheep? All is known to Thee, my Master, All is known, and that is why I can work and wait the verdict Of Thy kind but searching eye.
3. I must love Thee, love must rule me, Springing up and flowing forth From a childlike heart within me, Or my work is nothing worth. Love with passion and with patience, Love with principle and fire, Love with heart and mind and utterance, Serving Christ my one desire.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Mar-She-Leads-scaled.jpg17062560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-02-15 11:12:002022-02-15 11:12:23She Leads... With a Listening Heart
By Captain Joanna Wang San Gabriel, CA Corps – California South Division
A few months ago, I was walking in my neighborhood with my two-year-old son. I decided to pick up the pace a little and started to jog. Things were going great until, all of a sudden, I found myself falling. I couldn’t stop myself and fell on the ground, scraping my hands and knees. For a split-second, I was in shock, unable to move, feeling like it was almost a dream. Then I remembered where I was and who I was with. I looked over at my son, getting ready to tell him to come and hold my hand, realizing the possible danger of the situation, and wanting to make sure that he didn’t run into the road. And then I realized that he was lying beside me on the sidewalk. He was copying my movements. Then, as I sat up, groaning and near tears from the pain, my son sat beside me and took my injured hand in his little hands. He then kissed my hand while looking up at me and saying, “Aw!” Not only did he not run into the road or down the sidewalk where I might not have been able to catch him, but he just stayed with me until I got up and hobbled home. For the next few days, when he looked at my scraped-up knee or injured hand, he would say, “Aw!” with sweet compassion and would proceed to try to kiss the pain away. Such sweet compassion I experienced from the actions of a two-year-old!
I was deeply touched by the compassion that my little boy showed me during that time. In fact, as I experienced my son’s compassionate response to my pain, I was also reminded of how our Heavenly Father shows us compassion as well. Psalm 103:8 says, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.” Our God is full of compassion and He demonstrates it to us time and time again. In fact, this was one of the characteristics of Jesus that stood out the most during His time on earth as He interacted with and ministered to people. We see His compassion when He raised the widow’s son from the dead in Luke 7. Verse 13 says, “When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, ‘Do not weep.” Even though He was going to bring the boy back from the dead, He knew that her heart was broken, and He showed compassion to her in the midst of her grief. Again, we see Jesus’ compassion in Matthew 15 when He feeds the four thousand because they had been with Him for three days without food and He knew that they were in need. In verse 32 it says, “Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’” Also, in Matthew 9:36, we see Jesus compassion yet again. This verse says, “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
Psalm 103:8
Jesus cared deeply for people and showed compassion to them over and over again. Today, He continues to show us compassion because of His immeasurable love for us. He knows that we too are in need. We too are heartbroken at times. We too are in need of things. We too need the Lord to guide us in our lives as we navigate the challenges that we face in this world. And the wonderful thing is that God meets us right where we are, filled with love and compassion, and He shows us that He is with us. And because He is with us, we know that we are not alone, and we will never be alone. Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you are.”
This promise of God’s presence with us is a beautiful demonstration of His compassion for us. And as we experience His compassion, we can also show compassion to others. Second Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
Is your heart hurting today? Do you need our God of all compassion to minister to you? Cry out to Him. He is there! Have you experienced God’s compassion? Ask the Lord to help you to pass that compassion on to others, helping them when they are in need, encouraging them, ministering to them as He leads you. As we experience God’s compassion, may we then pass it on to others so that they too can see Jesus and experience His compassion for themselves.
Prayer: God, thank you for the compassion that you show us because of your amazing love for us. Thank you for meeting us right where we are and ministering to us. Please help us to show your compassion to others too so that they can see you and so that they too can know your love and compassion for them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/March-devo-scaled.jpg17072560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-02-15 11:11:002022-02-15 11:11:59March 2022 Devotional: Compassion...Pass it On
February 14th is Valentine’s Day, a day we focus on love. Let’s spend the whole month of February focusing on God’s love for us, and our love for others. This month’s symbol of hope is the dove. Find out why doves are often pictured on Valentine’s and how they symbolize hope.
Also included in this month’s newsletter are some cute dove/bird craft ideas you can incorporate into your Valentine’s Day celebrations as well as a fun Valentines in the Bible trivia.
Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:5
By Captain Susan Cassin Anacortes, WA Corps – Northwest Division
When it comes to shopping there are two prevailing mindsets around this activity. There are those who love it and those who only endure it out of necessity; hoping to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible and with as little impact to their bank account as possible. If I were to look at my life as a teenager and in my early adult years, I definitely fell into the later category where shopping was just a chore to get through.
To this day, I can’t say I love shopping but my attitude towards this activity was altered after a shopping trip with friends over 8 years ago. Now, I can’t remember what occasioned this shopping adventure, but here we were, just three college students on a budget, probably running errands, who on a whim, stopped in at some department store to do some window shopping.
What began as an opportunity to browse that racks, somehow morphed into us grabbing a bunch of dresses to take turns trying on. In that moment as I joined in with picking out dresses, what normally been a chore, became a memory of fun and laughter to cherish. As we grabbed dresses to try out, seemingly by unspoken agreement, we selected outfits that we viewed as dowdy, garish, and so out of our regular realm of style that we would’ve never had looked twice at them if we were actually on the hunt for something to buy.
As I reflect back on this memory, I experience great joy in recalling how we each took turns trying on the dresses, posing in front of the dressing room mirror, and taking silly group photos. Added to the feeling of joy was the amazement that somehow each of us, different in body shape and size, were able to fit into these dresses. Of course, as you all know from your own experience, the ability to fit into a clothing item doesn’t mean that it works for your body type, coloring, style, occasion, etc.
God created us individually and uniquely. For this reason, the things that might be a good fit for one person, might not work for you or for someone else. In the case of this fashion experiment, some dresses looked way better on me than on my friends and vice a versus. The reality of our uniqueness extends beyond the realm of fashion and our physical appearance to encompass all aspects of our lives. One of these aspects that I’d like to spend our time looking at today is the connection between our individuality and the command we’ve been given to love.
In John chapter 13, Jesus who knows that He is just hours away from being arrested, going through a sham of a trial, and will be crucified amongst two criminals, is sharing one last meal with his disciples. During this meal that we call the Last Supper, Jesus doesn’t waste these last moments of intimate fellowship with his friends and students. Jesus attempts to prepare them that he is soon leaving them, and Jesus continues to teach. In John’s account of the Last Supper, in John 13:34-35, Jesus says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Now, if you’ve read any of the other gospels, you may recall that in Mark 12:28-32, that Jesus summarizes the Ten Commandments given to the Israelites in Exodus by saying that the first and greatest commandment that we have been given, is to love God with all that we are, and the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Knowing that this commandment to love was already established as part of the Mosaic Law found in the Old Testament, makes us question, how is this a new commandment? Well when Jesus refers to this new commandment in John 13:34, the Greek word kainos that is used, is a word that conveys freshness. This tells us that Jesus isn’t introducing a new commandment, but he is instead, giving our perspective or understanding on what it means to live out this commandment, a makeover. Let’s breakdown what this love makeover looked like.
Jesus says, “love one another.” In other portions of Scripture there is a call to love one’s neighbor. The use of the word neighbor though seems to have created ambiguity because it gave people an excuse to define for themselves who counted as their “neighbor.” We see Jesus encounter this very issue in Luke 10:25-37, when an expert of the law who wanted to “justify himself” asks, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus’s answer is to share the Parable of the Good Samaritan and by the end of the telling, the message is clear, your neighbor is everyone you encounter whether they are friend, stranger, or enemy.
Next, we see that Jesus tells his disciples, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). In the Old Covenant way of love, we were to love as we love ourselves. What we see then, is Jesus is redefining the measuring stick of how we love by saying you are love to the same extent that I have loved you.
Jesus’ love was of a sacrificial nature and not just because Jesus died for our sins on the cross. There are other examples in Scripture, even within the same chapter of John 13, when Jesus who should’ve been the one being served, chose to instead serve His disciples by washing their feet. This task was normally done by the lowest slave within a household.
Jesus’ way of love was to disregarded position and pride; even His own and instead display love in action through serving others. Another example of Jesus’ sacrificial love is when He shows compassion to the people who followed after Him by feeding them even though he Himself was hungry and just needed a rest.
Time and again, we see Jesus acting outside of societal expectations to show love. Jesus, listened, spoke, instructed, comforted, prayed with and for others. He also claimed His disciples as His own, calling them his family. Jesus corrected and identified areas of growth for those who followed Him. Jesus loved sacrificially, and the way His love was shown was adapted to meet people where they were at.
At the heart of this new commandment is this idea of loving everyone, even those who think, look, speak, act differently than us in a sacrificial way as Jesus did. Jesus offered no caveat to this commandment, he simply said love everyone, including people we know, people we don’t know, and even the people we don’t like. We are called to love all people.
In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus addresses the issue of loving our enemies. He talks about how if we only love those who love us, or those who we can stand, that this doesn’t set us apart from non-believers because they do that too. Jesus also indicates that in loving everyone we show ourselves to be God’s children since the Father shows loves by sending both sun and rain to the righteous and unrighteous alike.
So if we are to live out the command to love others, what does this look like?
As I began I shared that during my shopping adventure, that while my friends and I were all able to wear the dresses we picked out, that that the fit of those outfits worked better for some than they did for others within our trio. If we think of love, in the same way that we do when trying on an outfit, we come to recognize that the style of love that works for me won’t necessarily work for you. Each of us receives and gives love in different ways. Some feel loved when given things while others might feel loved when a friend spends quality time with them.
You might then be wondering about how we come determine what love is in style for yourself and for the others around us? Well outside for observing and noticing your own behavior, there was a book published years ago called The 5 Love Languages (by Gary Chapman) that talks about how people give/receive love. As a result of this book’s popularity, there are now online surveys that one can take to identify both how you receive love and how you give love. [Check it out: https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes]
The results from such a survey, if shared will give you and others a better understanding of self and those around you who have also shared. The results may also bring you out of your comfort zone as you seek to show love according to someone’s style. For instance, if you normally give love by acts of service but you learn that someone in your life receives love through quality time, you will need to change things up in order to love someone according to the style that fits them best. It’s important to note that while this survey is a helpful tool, that if one were to spend time reflecting on moments when they felt most loved, they’d be about to pin down their own love style.
Additionally if we’re talking about loving everyone, we’re not going to be able to have every acquaintance take a survey before you interact with them. This means that learning what love is in style for an individual, becomes about listening, observing, and noticing those around you. It becomes about trying something new and seeing what happens. If what you try doesn’t work, it means trying something different.
Loving one another as Jesus loves us, means loving sacrificially but also individually. It requires that we become willing to personalize love in the same way that we personalize fashion to fit what works for the individual.
Today as you consider this concept ask yourself
How do I receive love?
How do I show love?
Can I identify what love kind of love is in style for my friends around me?
What can I do to be more observant of others around me?
What is one way this week that I can show someone love in a different style than is my norm?
Prayer:
Lord, we are so grateful that while you love us all equally, that you also recognize the individuality within us. We are thankful that you meet us where we are and love us as we are. Help us to sacrificially love others even when this means getting out of our comfort zone or giving up time doing something else that we enjoy. Today as we consider the many styles or expressions of love that are before us, let us be willing to try to love people in a more personal way that recognizes our uniqueness. Help us to love everyone, no matter who they are. We recognize that this isn’t something we can do in our own strength but in your strength, we’ll be able to succeed. Amen.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Feb-Bible-Study-scaled.jpg14402560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-02-15 11:09:002022-02-15 11:09:28February 2022 Bible Study: Love in Style
By Major Julie Feist Kalispell, MT Corps – Northwest Division
For those who have women who are homebound or are unable to attend, here is a simple program that can be duplicated and mailed or delivered to women. A small Valentine goody could also be included. This program can also be adapted to be a devotional or a Bible study.
Note: When printing, this download is designed to be printed front and back and folded in half as a booklet.
Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. Ephesians 5:2 (The Message)
I don’t know about you – but not only do I want “to be like Jesus,” I want to love like Jesus loves.
Why? Because I know it’s the best way to live. When we love like Jesus, we’re lifted outside ourselves. We shed self-interest — with our spouse, our kids, friends, everyone. His brand of love sees beyond the normal range of human vision — over walls of resentment and barriers of betrayal. When we love like Jesus, we rise above petty demands and snobbish entitlement. We loosen our tightfisted anxiety and relax in a surplus of benevolence.
Most of all, the Jesus model of love inspires us in following the best way to live, “the most excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31b, NIV). I want to love like that!
But can anyone really love like Jesus? After all, He raised the bar of love to extraordinary heights. Love your enemies? Walk the extra mile? Turn the other cheek? Seriously? This is love beyond reason, isn’t it? Of course. And that’s the point.
To love like Jesus, we need to think and feel. We need reason and emotion. Both head and heart, working together. It’s the only way to bring perfect love into our imperfect lives.
Here’s the truth: When you open your heart, love changes your mind. Let that sentence soak in. Your mind can do an about-face and be transformed when it receives a divine impulse from your heart. You’ll experience a revolution in your thinking when you allow your heart to enter the conversation. It’s what Paul was getting at when he said, “You’ll be changed from the inside out” (Romans 12:1b, MSG).
Jesus’ teaching and the example he set reveal at least five distinct and practical qualities of His love:
become more mindful — less detached.
become more approachable — less exclusive.
become more graceful — less judgmental.
become more bold — less fearful.
become more self-giving — less self-absorbed.
Is this an exhaustive list of how Jesus loved? Of course not. But it’s a way to get an earthly handle on this heavenly ideal of love. Time and again, Jesus demonstrated these five qualities and spoke about them, not as unreachable ideals. These are doable.
Today’s key verse reminds us: “Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that” (Ephesians 5:2).
FUN FEBRUARY FACTS
The month of February is American Heart Health Month
February is Black History Month
Valentine’s Day is February 14th
February is the only month to have a length fewer than 30 days.
February is one of the most frequently misspelled words in the English language
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT GOD’S LOVE
God loves you
God’s love is unconditional
God’s love is revealed to us in Jesus
God calls us to love our enemies
God’s love inspires us to love our neighbors with compassion!
Let these verses remind you that God’s love is everlasting and unchangeable:
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. Deuteronomy 7:9 I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/izumi-lacorte-jS4UNRCMqUk-unsplash-scaled.jpg25601707Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-02-15 11:07:002022-02-15 11:07:14February Bonus Resource: Let's Love Like He Loves
Back when my husband and I were dating, early on in our relationship, Frank had to go out of town for a conference and was gone for almost two weeks. In that time, I remember receiving a long love letter from him. In this letter he talked about his dreams for our future, including marriage, family, and our life as Officers together. It was several handwritten pages filled with messages of love.
I was surprised to receive something other than a bill in the mail. The fact that he had written his letter so neatly, which meant he took some time to make legible (I did not fall in love with him because of his penmanship), and he openly shared his heart with me was thrilling. At this time, we had only been dating a little more than 2 months (to be honest, we had dated without dating for a lot longer, but two months was us “officially dating”), so what he wrote was things I had never heard before. He is much more guarded with his words in person, but on paper he was so open and so free, and everything he wrote oozed with love for me.
What did I do with that letter after I read it? You know, I read it again and again and again. I absorbed every word that was lovingly written on the page. I laughed at some of his ideas, cried tears of joy that God had finally led me to the “one” whom I would spend the rest of my life. I carried that letter around with me for weeks (it was tucked in my Bible so I could read it during class since it was while I was a cadet at CFOT). I prayed over it. I dreamed about it. I shared tidbits from it with my close friends! I still have that letter in a special box of treasures 25 years later!
I didn’t treat it like it was junk mail. It was not thrown into the trash unread. It wasn’t casual correspondence that I read once and then moved on with my life. It wasn’t a bill that I dreaded receiving. It was a beautiful letter filled with words of love from someone who is very dear to me.
God did the same thing. He gave us a love letter – His Word! We have 66 books filled with messages from Him about His love for us, and His desire for us to have a relationship with Him. And just like the love letter my husband sent me 25 years ago (he has sent me more since then), I didn’t just look at it once and then discard it. I treasured it! I meditated on it! I cherished it!
Let me share with you just a few of my favorite love verses from our Heavenly Father, who loves us more than any human possibly could love us. Hopefully we will treasure these words, cherish them and meditate on them!
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3
For God so love the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are. 1 John 3:1a
Have you taken the time to read God’s love letter to you lately? May we be women who know God and His love, and love to be in a deeper relationship with Him through reading His love letter to us daily. May we read God’s Word, memorize it, think on it, chew on it, devour and digest it, and most importantly may we take what we read in God’s amazing love letter to us and live it out in our daily lives. May these words be true of each of us:
My passion and delight is in your word, for I love what you say to me! I long for more revelation of your truth, for I love the light of your word as I meditate on your decrees. (Psalm 119:47-48, The Passion Translation)
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ire-photocreative-CDQ9CKvYreg-unsplash-scaled.jpg17072560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-01-14 09:09:522022-01-14 09:09:55God's Love Letter
By Captain Ryan Boyd Missoula, MT Corps – Northwest Division
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37
The story of the Good Samaritan is one that, like you, I have heard a million times. In it, we read that we should love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. And no doubt about it, the Good Samaritan showed great love to the man going to Jericho. But as I was reading this passage, it came to me. Often, we (as people) tend to be more like the expert in the law than the Good Samaritan.
As Jesus is telling this story, the people listening were probably feeing challenged by His words. If loving God means obeying his commands and loving our neighbor means loving with compassion, care, and cost, am I really loving? Am I living up to this standard? We probably feel this way as well when we read these words.
And because we are human, we start looking for a loophole. We know we haven’t lived up to these standards and so we try to bend the standards to fit what we can attain. God says, “do this” and we think “well, surely He meant only do this when I feel like it. I’m totally doing that. I’m such a good Christian.” So, when Jesus says to love your neighbor, immediately they think “well, who is my neighbor?” Because if my neighbor means those I am close to, those I agree with, those who hold the same religious and political beliefs that I do, then YES! Done. So maybe it just all depends on how we define who our neighbor is. So, the expert in the law asks that very question.
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Now this question is not really a question to find out who his neighbor is. It says right in the beginning that he wanted to justify himself. He knew he wasn’t living up to the standard. The question he asks, “who is my neighbor?” is really asking who do I not have to love? Who is my neighbor? = Who don’t I have to love?
That is what he really wants to know. Just how far does my love have to extend and where can it end? So Jesus tells the story of the Samaritan and asks the expert in the law “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
We hear the story of the Good Samaritan and think that is terrible that those first 2 people did not help. That Samaritan man was so nice. That is because we have heard this story so many times AND We don’t have the cultural reference points of those who were hearing this story the first time. I’m sure that the people listening to Jesus were appalled that he was using priests and Levites as the poor examples. Jews felt the priests and the Levites were good people, righteous in fact. And a Samaritan was one of the most despised people to the Jews. They were half breeds. They did not keep their race pure or their religion.
Jesus isn’t teaching people to believe like Samaritans. In this story, He is not even teaching that all priests and Levites are bad. Jesus is answering two questions and doing it in a way that is going to offend some and challenge those who have ears to hear. My goal is to be challenged every single time. The questions are: 1. Am I loving the way that God calls me to love? and 2. Am I loving WHO God calls me to love?
Am I loving the way that God calls me to love?
Am I loving WHO God calls me to love?
Sometimes, loving people is so easy it’s like second nature. We have the world’s best Home League Secretary, Norma, at our corps. She is so helpful and selfless and anticipates needs and meets them. When Josh started coughing during his sermon, the next week there was a water bottle. She takes such good care of us. She’s so easy to love that I want to shower her with gifts and words of affirmation. I want her to see what a blessing she is to me and the Kingdom.
I am all about being real and transparent. Sometimes, loving people is so hard I don’t want to do it anymore. There is a lady who comes in for services at our building all the time. We are the only place she can be inside in town and she suffers from trauma and severe mental health issues. She likes to call me names, she uses our lawn as a bathroom, and she yells at and berates us daily. I don’t want to buy her anything. In fact, days where she doesn’t come visit us are so peaceful.
But God calls me to love her just like I love Norma. The difference is Norma’s love costs me nothing. In fact, I gain with Norma. But loving the second woman costs me my patience, my pride, and, some days, my ability to show love. I don’t tell you this because I think I’m amazing – because I don’t think I am. In fact, I think I fail at loving her just as much as I succeed – but I think that she keeps coming back because she feels God’s love coming from our building. She is my neighbor. God calls me to love her as I love myself.
I can see why the religious people of the day were like Jesus, are you sure? And God is saying yes. 100%. I am sure that you need to love them as you love yourself. When I read the question “and who is my neighbor” I always imagine Jesus saying “everyone I died for is your neighbor. The whosoever.”
I think there’s another side of this story that I never considered until I saw it on a meme. I don’t usually get my theology from a meme, but this one spoke to me. It said: “The Good Samaritan story is not just an example of compassionate spirituality. It is a critique against religious passivity. If “church people” won’t work for justice and mercy, God will find some other people who will.”
OUCH! God uses us to do his work on earth, but we are not the end-all-be-all for him. If we don’t follow his commands, he will find someone who will. His will is going to be accomplished. The question is do we want to be a part of it? And if the Samaritan man – if people who don’t know the Lord as their savior – are just as compassionate as those who do, what does that say about the church?
We need to do better. Who is our neighbor? It’s the whosoever.
By Captain Eunha Kim Eastside, WA Corps – Northwest Division
하나님은 우리에게 성경을 통하여 사랑을 말씀하신다. 성경책은 사랑의 책이라고 하여도 맞을 것이다. 요한복음에서만해도 사랑이라는 단어는 50번을 넘게 우리에게 말씀하셨다. 주님은 왜 우리에게 사랑이라는 말씀을 계속하셨을까? 그것은 아마도 사랑한다는 것이 쉬운 것 같아도 어렵기때문일것이다. 왜냐면 원수도 사랑하기 힘들고 나를 괴롭히는 사람, 나를 싫어하는 사람, 내가 미워하는 사람도 사랑하기 힘들기 때문이다 그런데 하나님은 우리에게 말씀하신다. 원수도 사랑하라고 하시고 구약에서는 내 이웃을 네 몸처럼 사랑하라 말씀하시고 요한복음 13장 34절에서는 더 넓게 모든 사람과 더불어 서로 사랑하라고 말씀하신다 즉, 구약에서는 내 이웃에서 신약에서는 내 이웃 뿐만 이 아니라 내 지역 사회 그리고 더 나아가서 다른 민족까지도 서로 사랑하라고 새 계명을 주셨다 나는 요한복음 13장을 묵상하면서 오늘은 13장 1절 말씀 중에 ‘끝까지 ‘라는 단어가 유난히 눈에 띄었다. 우리는 사랑하기는 쉬어도 끝까지 사랑하는 것이 힘들지 않은가? 믿음 생활도 하기는 쉬운데 우리의 믿음도 끝까지 지키는 것이 힘들지 않은가? 주님께 순종 하겠다 하면서도 끝까지 순종하지 못하는 때가 많다 그러나 예수님은 우리를 끝까지 사랑하셨다 그리고 하나님의 말씀대로 끝까지 순종하셨다 우리는 너무 쉽게 사랑하고 너무 쉽게 사랑하는 마음을 잃어버리지 않는가? 그렇다면 어떻게 주님이 우리를 끝까지 사랑하신것처럼 우리도 끝까지 서로 사랑할 수 있을까? 주님께서 사랑하라 하셨으니 무조건 사랑하는 마음을 갖으면 사랑할 수 있을까? 너무나도 풍족 해지고 있는 이세상은 주님이 말씀하신것처럼 더 많은 사람과 함께 서로 사랑하기가 힘들어지고 있지 않은가? 삶이 풍요로워 지면 우리는 서로 나누면서 서로 사랑할 수 있을 것 같지만 지금의 세상은 점점 개인주의로 나를 중심으로 살며 나만 잘 살면 되고 내 가정만 잘 살면 되는 그런 사회로 변해가고 있다. 35절에는 우리가 서로 사랑하면 이로써 모든 사람이 주님의 제자인 줄 알 것 이라고 말씀하고 계신다. 주님의 제자가 된다는 것은 주님의 말씀대로 살아가는 것이 제자가 되는 것이다. 예수님의 제자로 살겠다고 주님께 날마다 기도하지만 끝까지 주님의 제자로 사는 것도 어려울 때가 많다. 왜냐면 우리의 삶은 항상 똑같지 않기 때문이다. 어떤 때는 평지를 걷다가 어떤 때는 오르막길이 나오고 산도 만나게 된다.그것이 우리의 인생이 아닐까? 오늘의 말씀처럼 어떻게 주님께서 주신 새 계명처럼 내가 너희를 사랑한것처럼 너희도 서로 사랑하라는 말씀대로 살수 있을까? 나는 그 대답을 룻기에서 찾을 수 가 있었다. 나오미에게는 룻과 오르바 두명의 며느리가 있었는데 사랑하는 남편과 두명의 아들을 잃어버리는 아픔을 겪고 두며느리들에게 떠나라고 권고한다. 그러나 두명 중에 한명 오르바는 비전이 보이지않자 자신이 자랐던 곳으로 다시 돌아가고 룻은 어려운 환경에 있지만 나오미와 함께 베들레햄으로 가서 보아스를 만나 결혼을 하게 된다. 나는 보아스를 만나게 되는 그 과정에서 사랑할 수 있는 답을 찾았다. 바로 축복 이였다. 보아스는 만나는 모든 이들에게 주님의 축복을 항상 원했다. 자신보다 낮은 자리에 있는 자들에게도 축복을 하고 힘이 없고 약한 여인들 에게도 축복을 전했다. 그리고 보아스로부터 받은 모든 은혜를 룻에게로 부터 들은 나오미도 보아스 를 축복해 주었다. 축복은 우리가 서로 사랑할 수 있는 축복의 통로가 되는 것이 아닐까? 하나님이 우리에게 원하시는 사랑은 낮은 자를 돌아보며 약한 자와 가난 한자를 축복 할 때 우리는 서로 사랑할 수 있을 것이다. 신앙생활을 하면서 상처를 많이 받는 곳은 의외로 가정과 교회라고 한다 배우자와 자녀를 서로 사랑하지 못하고 신앙생활을 같이하는 성도도 서로 사랑하기 힘들 때가 많다.
우리 모두는 하나님이 사랑하시는 똑같은 자녀이다 많고 적게 가진 자도 아니요 높은 자와 낮은 자도 아닌 우리 모두를 주님께서는 사랑하신다. 주님의 사랑은 나보다 다른 사람을 더 귀하게 생각할 때 축복하고 사랑할 수 있을 것이다. 오늘 하루를 나에게 만남을 허락하신 모든 사람을 더 귀하게 섬기며 축복할 때 우리는 서로 사랑하는 주님의 제자가 될 것이다. “새 계명을 너희에게 주노니 서로 사랑하라 내가 너희를 사랑한 것 같이 너희도 서로 사랑하라” 요한복음 13장 34절
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https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Korean-Devotion-1-scaled.jpg25601707Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-01-07 11:04:002022-01-07 11:05:05February 2022 Korean Devotional: Blessing is Channel of Love
By Lt. Isabella Green Bellingham, WA Corps – Northwest Division
Twenty-four years into my life and I’ll finally admit it, I was an angry kid. I had a short fuse that my sister especially was great at lighting. She would say something, push just the right button, and I would go off on her. Then, in true sister fashion she would run to my parents crying about how mean and awful I was, and I would be the one to get in trouble. Typical right? It sure was in my household.
After every spat and fight, my dad would sit me down, and I would say through my tears, “but Papa! She made me do it! She made me mad!” and he, in all his fatherly wisdom and patience would once again remind me that she can’t make me do anything. I chose to get mad. I chose to react. I chose to do something I knew would get me in trouble. Choices. We all make them. We make good choices, we make bad choices, we make choices with unknown outcomes. Choices.
1 Corinthians 16:14 tells us to “do everything in love.” As believers in Christ, we are called to make choices that reflect that belief and relationship. We are called to make choices guided by love. When we read through Scripture we see time and time again God choosing love. The promise that the rainbow stands for is a promise of love. Gods continuous patience with Israel was a continuous choice He made with love. The birth and death of His son, and all the things Jesus did during His time on earth, is an incredible example of God choosing love, even if it was hard. God loves us, to the point of sending His son to die for all of us. We don’t always make it easy for Him either, but, He always chooses love.
Each and every day, we need to choose love, just as God does. When your sister pushes your buttons, you need to choose love. When your boss tests your patience, you need to choose love. When that car in front of you cuts you off and makes you late for an important event, you need to choose love. When it seems impossible to choose anything else, choose love.
Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Feb-Devo-scaled.jpg17082560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2022-01-07 11:03:002022-01-07 11:04:00February 2022 Devotional: Choose Love
