Happy New Year! This month we are focusing on flourishing by deeply rooted in the spiritual discipline of Journaling. In her book Spiritual Disciplines: Practices That Transform Us, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun defines journaling as, “a tool for reflecting on God’s presence, guidance and nurture in daily comings and goings. Journals can be kept regularly or during time of transitions.” The new year is a great time to begin the discipline of journaling.
Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles and the judgments he pronounced. Psalm 105:5
Inside you will find a devotional, conversation starters (or journal prompts), a monthly Bible reading plan and other resources to help you incorporate the spiritual discipline of journaling in your walk with Jesus.
Growing up in a rather large family, 7 kids and two parents, we lived a life that was by today’s standards, “lower middle class.” We didn’t have a lot of material items, my 3 sisters and I shared one bedroom, and we had just one station wagon to get us places. I look back and the memories I have are good ones. We may not have had many worldly possessions, but what we had was enough.
When my parents were promoted to glory and it was time to clean out their small apartment, one of the items I desired the most was one or two of my mother’s journals. I enjoy from time to time, randomly picking up one of her journals and reading what she wrote on a specific day. Even to this day, my eyes tear up when I see her beautiful handwriting, making my heart ache for her. I love to read what she had to share, a special scripture on her heart, a hymn she was thinking about, commenting on one of her children or grandchildren. There was nothing philosophical or deep theological thoughts, just sweet musings of her blessed life and her gratitude for all she had.
I believe I have inherited her love of journaling. I journal almost every day and much of my journaling takes place in the early morning, with my cup of coffee, my favorite pen, my current journal, and my Bible. So much of what I journal has to do with Scripture verses that have spoken to me, what God is doing in my life, and just random thoughts. My journal is also where I keep my prayer lists. I love to put names, situations, that have been given to me to pray for, but also those things that come to mind. I love to refer to past prayer lists and see how God has been so faithful in his answering those requests according to His will and time.
Last year as Brian and I were planning for retirement, I was grieving over losing “my” flock. One morning in prayer and journaling, I asked God where my new flock in retirement would be? The answer I received so clearly was, “your grandchildren.” I have 7 amazing grandchildren ranging from 16 years to 3 months, and each one of them precious to me. God told me to get them their own journal and to begin journaling to them in their book. January 2022, I began to write in 6 of those journals, adding the newest one in February of this year. I do not write every day, but I do write in their journal on their birthday, when they have done well in school, or excelled on their sport team. I always write that I pray for them constantly, that I’m proud of them, and that I love them.
The legacy that was left to me by my mother has been the impetus behind this new endeavor for my new flock. My desire is that when my grandchildren read their personal journal, see my handwriting, they will treasure the words and sentiments I have given to them. I have not decided when or what age I will give it to them, or if it will go to them upon my promotion to glory. But for now, I will write to each of my flock, making sure they know how special they are to me and more importantly how special they are to Jesus. Spiritual writer Henri Nouwen said, “writing can untangle thoughts, express our emotions, and give artistic expression to life.” Writing is a spiritual habit: Writing can be a true spiritual discipline.
“Writing can untangle thoughts, express our emotions, and give artistic expression to life.”
Henri Nouwen
Journaling helps you declutter your mind, which leads to better thinking. Writing in a journal also sharpens your memory and improves your learning capability. There’s a reason why when you take the time to pen your thoughts, plans, and experiences, you remember them better, while also feeling more focused.
I love what Psalm 5:1-3 states, “Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, My king and my God, for to you I pray. My voice You shall her in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.”
Journaling is a way of slowing life down for even a few moments. Covered in prayer, and saturated with God’s Word, journaling can be a powerful way of hearing God’s voice in the Scriptures and making known to Him our requests.
I came across this anonymous quote which adds value to the idea of journaling. “One of the more effective acts of self-care is also, happily, one of the cheapest.”
Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/aaron-burden-CKlHKtCJZKk-unsplash-scaled.jpg19222560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2023-12-14 12:27:452023-12-14 12:27:49January 2024 Devotional: What's All This About Journaling
By Captain Joy Groenleer Assistant Training Principle College for Officer Training
Prior to her retirement, College for Officer Training Officer, Major Millie Bearchell, shared a testimony about her excitement as she began planning her new ministry with her future congregation. In this testimony, she shared that one of her most prized possessions is a journal written by her late mother. This love for journal writing was passed on from her mom to her as journaling became an important part of her daily quiet time with the Lord. When entering retirement, Major Millie planned to continue journaling, and instead of just writing in her own journal, she committed to ministering to her new congregation – her 6 grandchildren – by starting individual journals for each of them to one day receive at a still-to-be-determined time. What a beautiful ministry!
Share Your Experience: Do you enjoy journaling? If so, describe what you include in your journal. What are some important things that you record? Prayers? Prayer requests? Prayer victories? Daily thoughts? Recording of daily events? Poems? Quotes? Drawings? Do you share these journals with others?
In her book, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun includes a chapter on the spiritual discipline of journaling. She defines journaling as “a tool for reflecting God’s presence, guidance and nurture in daily comings and goings.” Journaling is an effective spiritual discipline that many choose to do to draw themselves closer to the Lord as they articulate how God has been moving, what He has been teaching, and how He continues to be faithful. Journaling gives us an opportunity to sit, meditate, listen, and to write what is on our hearts as we reflect and remember. Calhoun states, “This practice includes keeping a written record of God’s ways in your life.”
“[Journaling is] a tool for reflecting God’s presence, guidance and nurture in daily comings and goings… This practice includes keeping a written record of God’s ways in your life.”
Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
For today’s Bible Study, we will be looking at passages of Scripture from an author who loved to keep a written record of God’s ways in various people’s lives. In fact, his journals gave us two New Testament books – the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. Let’s turn to Luke 1:1-4 and Acts 1:1-2 to see who this author is and what he wrote.
Read Luke 1:1-4. 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
The writer is Luke, who was a physician by trade (Colossians 4:14), which meant that he certainly focused on details. Luke is mentioned in Philemon 24 as a fellow worker of the Apostle Paul, joining him on some of his missionary journeys. In this passage, we can see how and why Luke wrote his Gospel.
In verses 1 and 2, Luke states that there were many who wrote about the things that Jesus did and said as writers unfolded the Lord’s life and ministry as the Messiah. He also shares that the gospel was handed down to them by those who walked with and talked with the Lord. These eyewitnesses saw with their very own eyes what Jesus did, and heard with their ears what Jesus said.
Questions for conversation:
Discuss the impact that gospel writers have made because of their journaling of Jesus’ life and ministry. How would we understand the Good News were it not for men, inspired by the Holy Spirit, to write what they witnessed?
What are some pros and cons about reading others’ eyewitness written recording of events?
In verse 3 and 4, we read how and why Dr. Luke wrote the Gospel that bears his name. First, he stated that he “carefully investigated everything from the beginning.” Scholars believe that Luke had not met Jesus personally and was not an eyewitness to the things that Jesus said or did. However, Luke shared in this Gospel that he thoroughly investigated everything, which would have included interviewing many eyewitnesses to put together a complete historical and gospel narrative of the life and ministry of Jesus. The Gospel of Luke starts from the beginning, even before Jesus’ birth, as Luke starts his book with Zechariah’s story and Mary visiting Elizabeth. Jesus’ birth doesn’t happen until the 2nd chapter of his Gospel. Luke also includes Jesus’ story as a 12-yr.-old speaking with religious leaders. He carefully researched everything from even before Jesus was born to his childhood to his life as a teacher, preacher, and our Savior.
Luke also mentioned that “he decided to write an orderly account.” Luke described Jesus’ life after thorough collection of accounts, evaluation, organization and putting the pieces together in an orderly fashion.
Finally, he mentions the purpose of his writing, “so that you may know the certainty of the things that have been taught.” Luke addressed this orderly account to “most excellent Theophilus”, who some believe was a wealthy donor and convert who paid for Luke’s literary work. The term “most excellent” was used to refer to high-ranking noblemen, and thus, Theophilus may have been such. In addition, other scholars believe that, since the name means “friend of God”, could have been written to any Christian reader.
Questions for conversation:
Knowing that Luke wrote his Gospel after careful investigation from the beginning and writing an orderly account, what are your thoughts about this Book of the Bible and the accuracy, effectiveness, and power of its message?
Luke was a highly educated and gifted writer. However, God does not expect us to be as gifted as this author when it comes to the spiritual discipline of journaling. We simply need to be open to the Holy Spirit in sharing our thoughts, prayers, and writings. Discuss this.
Read Acts 1:1-2 1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
The writer of the Book of Acts is none other than Dr. Luke himself. When Luke refers to his “former book”, he is talking about the Gospel of Luke. Notice the person that Luke addresses in the verse above. We see here that Luke is writing to the same person, Theophilus, as a continuation of his former book.
As a fellow worker with the apostle Paul, Luke now shifts the attention from Jesus in the Gospel of Luke to the effects of Jesus’ ministry in the Book of Acts. We see Luke giving another orderly account of the early church and the works of the Holy Spirit as the gospel continued to be spread not just to Jews but to Gentiles as well. The Book of Acts continued with the narrative that Luke began, and furthermore included narrative accounts of what Luke and other apostles experienced firsthand as the Gospel spread throughout all the world!
Questions for conversation:
Discuss some significant events and stories that stand out to you in Luke’s recordings of the early church and the ministries of Peter and Paul in the Book of Acts.
Discuss how Luke left a legacy for others because of his journaling, recording, and remembering God’s ways and works.
As we’ve studied both passages, we learned that Luke may not have been an eyewitness to the life and ministry of Jesus, but he carefully investigated the things that were fulfilled, and he decided to write an orderly account. Why? He decided to write because he wanted Theophilus to know the certainty of the things he was taught. Through the investigating, collecting, analyzing, organizing, journaling of Luke, we too can know the certainty of the things that we have been taught.
Challenge and application:
Read the Books of Luke and Acts in their entirety to understand the Gospel fully and to reflect on the beginnings of the early church.
In her book, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun includes some things that we can do to practice journaling:
a. Keep a written record of God’s ways in your life; journals can include a collection of clippings, drawings, collages, articles, poems, quotes and so forth.
b. Journal daily or weekly or during significant events and transitions.
c. Making journals and scrapbooks for children or others (like Major Millie is doing in retirement for her grandchildren).
For the month of December we are focusing on flourishing by being deeply rooted in the spiritual discipline of Celebration. In her book Spiritual Disciplines: Practices That Transforms Us, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun defines celebration as, “a way of engaging in actions that orient the spirit toward worship, praise and thanksgiving. Delighting in all the attentions and never-changing presence of the Trinity fuels celebration.”
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:10-11
Inside you will find a devotional, conversation starters, a prayer idea, a monthly Bible reading plan and other resources to help you incorporate the spiritual discipline of celebration in your walk with Jesus.
ByCaptain Felicia LeMar Hilo Temple, HI Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
In the book of Zephaniah, we find beautiful promises that are worth celebrating who we are in Christ. These beautiful promises are so needed for us today, especially in the world we live in. With the demands of our daily lives, we can become easily overwhelmed. We find ourselves juggling multiple roles and responsibilities, which leads us to find validation and love from the world around us. This leads us down a path filled with insecurities and hurt. But in Zephaniah 3:17, we can celebrate the promise of knowing God is with us, He takes delight in us, He no longer rebukes us, and He rejoices over us with singing.
The Lord God is With You
As we celebrate the birth of our loving Savior, we can be assured that God is with us every day of our lives. Matthew 1:23 says, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). God’s presence is always with us and is a reminder of His love for us through the birth of His Son Jesus Christ. This means no matter where we go, God’s presence is with us always. In fact, God is already there and waiting for us! We learn this through Psalm 139:7-10.
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
Knowing God is always present, provides us with comfort through our joys and sorrows. Through these times, He is celebrating us in our joys and comforting us in our sorrows. As Christians, we can be confident in knowing we are always in the presence of God.
God Delights in You
The Creator of the Universe takes delight in us. What an amazing thought! Our Heavenly Father sees us as His beloved daughters and takes delight in us. We are all unique in our own ways. No one in the whole entire world is exactly alike! Psalm 139:14 says, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Sisters in Christ, when we are feeling unworthy, celebrate the promise of how God takes delight in each of us individually!
He Will No Longer Rebuke You
Our God is a gracious, loving Father. We see this through the birth and death of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus was born to redeem us from the sin and brokenness in this world. Isaiah 9:6 says, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. We no longer live in the darkness of our past mistakes, failures, and sins. These no longer define us, and we can celebrate the freedom we have in Christ. We are daughters of God who are forgiven, redeemed, and made new.
Rejoice Over You with Singing Our God rejoices over us with singing! The meaning of the phrase “rejoice over you” literally means “dance, skip, leap and spin around in joy.” He loves us so much, that it brings Him all the joy that we are His daughters. I imagine God rejoicing over us, just as the angels rejoiced over the birth of Jesus in the book of Luke. The angels sang praises to God, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14) Today, let’s celebrate God’s rejoicing over us as His beloved daughters.
Dear sisters in Christ, let this verse be celebrated and remain forever in our hearts as a beautiful reminder of God’s promises!
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
Prayer Dear gracious heavenly Father, we thank you for your Word. We are so humbled by your love for us and how you take delight in us. We praise you for how amazing your love for us is, that you will no longer look at our past mistakes and failures, instead you rejoice over us with singing! Lord, we ask in our times of doubts, feelings of unworthiness, and uncertainties that we continue to praise you as our Mighty Warrior who comes to save us! We love you! In Jesus’ Name, Amen
By Captain Victoria Mercer Kaneohe, HI Corps Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division
Context: Before reading the passage of Scripture, it is always important for us to look at the context of the whole book of Exodus. We should look at who wrote it, why did they write it, to whom did they wrote this for, any key themes in the book and what was the culture like back then. The reason we should do this is because it can be very easy for us to look at a Bible passage and try to relate to it from our current culture and our own understanding, when really, back then, culture was very different, and this will help us to see why God did what He did and how it can relate to us today.
Exodus was written by Moses, whom God used when He set the Israelites free from their long 400 years of slavery to the Egyptians. The audience that this was written for was the people of Israel, and it was written to record the events of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and their development as a nation. It was written in the desert during Israel’s wanderings (somewhere in the Sinai peninsula). The key theme we see is Redemption in the book of Exodus.
God sent Moses and Aaron (Moses’ brother) to speak to Pharaoh and for him to let God’s people go (anyone else thinking of the movie Prince of Egypt and the song? No…just me…haha). Pharaoh’s heart becomes hardened, and he refuses. He refuses not just once, not just twice, but nine times! One, that shows how hardened his heart was and two, it shows how many chances God gave him. There were nine plagues that hit Egypt before our passage: the plague of blood, the plague of frogs, the plague of gnats, the plague of flies, the plague of livestock, the plague of boils, the plague of hail, the plague of locusts and the plague of darkness. This is a good transition for us to read our passage of Scripture for this study.
Read Scripture: Exodus 12
What about Jesus You may be wondering what the Passover has to do with Jesus being born (it is Christmas time after all). Also, what does it have to do with the spiritual discipline of celebration that we are talking about this month? It has so much to do with it!
Our God is so amazing! Before He created our world, He knew His amazing plan of redemption. During the time of the Exodus when God saved His people from slavery to the Egyptians, He knew His plan of ultimate redemption from our sin. All along, He orchestrated every detail. How did He do that with regards to the Passover? Passover was a Spring holiday that took place between March and April and was followed by the Unleavened Bread Feast and the First Fruits Feast (all took place three days within each other). The way the blood was placed on the door looked something like this:
Blood was placed at the top and the sides of the doors, sort of looking like the shape of the cross (hmmm…I sense a foreshadowing coming on!). Passover took place on a Friday and then the other two feasts took place on Saturday and Sunday. How does Jesus fit in with this? He was the Passover Lamb for us! He was perfect, God Himself, and He willingly chose to come and be fully human (tempted as we are yet He did not sin) and die a criminal’s death, taking on so much physical, mental, and emotional pain on our behalf. It doesn’t end there. He also took on the FULL wrath of God against the sin of the whole world! And, as someone wrote on the festivals of the Jews: “…the Passover pointed to the Messiah as our Passover Lamb whose blood would be shed for our sins. Jesus was crucified on the day of preparation for the Passover, at the same time that the lambs were being slaughtered for the Passover meal that evening,” (Holy Land Site).
Now we see how Jesus fits in with Passover, but what about our theme for the month on the spiritual discipline of celebration? Where does that fit in with all of this? Simply put, our God is a God of Joy and Celebration. He is the One who created it! It was His idea all along. The people of Israel had many holidays and feasts they were told to celebrate, and they always did it in community. The focus of all of these was God Himself, whether that meant giving to others, remembering all He has done for them or sacrificing sin offerings for the wrongs they have done. In Nehemiah, when the walls were built and he was leading the third group out of captivity, Ezra read the Law of the Lord and the people starting mourning and grieving: “Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” …Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” …Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly,” (Nehemiah 8:9-10, 18 NIV).
In The Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, a quote that really struck me was this: “The world is filled with reasons to be downcast. But deeper than sorrow thrums the unbroken pulse of God’s joy, a joy that will yet have its eternal day,” (29). Throughout God’s Word, we see how delightful His commands are, how He gives abundant life, to rejoice always, to always give thanks, and to praise the Lord. The more we dive into His Word, the more we get to know His character and who He really is and not just what we think we know about Him.
Other Passages to Read: Some other passages to read and dive into that discusses more on the festivals and holidays, delighting in the Lord and His Word, and rejoicing are these (this is not a full list of all that there are): Leviticus 23, Deuteronomy 16, Psalm 48, 106, 119 and 150, Philippians 4:4-8, and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Questions: Christmas can be a hard time for some of us who have lost loved ones and has been a time of grieving. For any of you reading this who have lost someone you love dearly, I am so sorry for your loss and know that you are not alone. When we look Biblically, the people celebrated together and not alone and we see celebration happening regardless of circumstances, such as Paul when he wrote the letter Philippians and was in prison (the main theme throughout it was joy). Here are some questions for all of us to ponder:
Where do I see the character of God in the Exodus 12 passage? What characteristics do I see?
What was the importance of Passover to the people of Israel?
Why was it so important for them to observe Passover annually?
Why was celebration a community thing and not to be done alone? What does this say of God’s heart?
How do I see true joy found throughout the passages discussed above? Now, some personal application questions to ponder:
Is my focus on Christmas on God and all He has done and celebrating Him, or is it about something else?
Why is it important to celebrate with others? What good would it do not only for my faith, but also my relationship with others?
Has the true Christmas story of Christ coming become habit and routine, or do I see the how amazing it really is? (Something that may be helpful for this is not just looking at the passages from the New Testament about His birth, but also looking throughout the Bible to see the whole picture and all God orchestrated for Jesus to come at just the right time and just the right way).
I hope and pray this was helpful for those reading and that God uses it to give all of us a deeper love of Him and His Word, and a deeper gratitude for all He has done for us. God bless.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Dec-Bible-Study-scaled.jpg17082560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2023-11-30 10:54:012023-11-30 10:54:05December 2023 Bible Study: The Lamb Who Was Slain
By Major Jasiel Tumale Guam Corps Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division
Materials:
Pinecone (Big)
Christmas ornaments
Clear bowl
Tea light
Glue Gun with glue sticks
Directions: 1. Glue the pinecone in a clear bowl. 2. Decorate the pinecone with assorted Christmas ornaments. 3. Turn on the tea light (battery operated).
Every morning when I walk into Territorial Headquarters to begin my workday, I am greeted with these words: “Find Joy.”
What a great reminder as I start each day. No matter what the day holds -meetings to attend, emails to read, reports to generate, people to talk to -whatever I encounter that day, I need to find joy in all that I do. I am going to be honest; some days it is easy to find joy in what I am doing, and other days, not so much.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so the Christmas song proclaims, but often during this season of rejoicing, that isn’t always true. With all the holiday hustle and season stress, comes the blues of busyness and instead of being filled with joy, our hearts are more pulled toward the words of Ebenezer Scrooge, “Bah Humbug!”
Christmas is the time when we celebrate the birth of our Savior. The birth of our Savior isn’t just joy but GREAT joy! The angel declared to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born:
Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:10-11
The shepherds heard this announcement of a baby being born that will bring great joy to everyone, and of course they must go and see for themselves. They must consciously choose to leave their routine and go and find this baby that would bring great joy to all. After seeing the baby, they leave and must share their joy with others. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told (Luke 2:20).
Later, when the Wise Men were searching for the King of the Jews, they followed a star that led them to Jerusalem, and an encounter with King Herod. They learn of a prophecy that declares this king would be born in Bethlehem. After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where they child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed (Matthew 2:9-10).
We all know that the Christmas season is busy: Christmas shopping, gift wrapping, kettles, nursing home visitations, food drives, Angel trees, preparing toys and food for families in need, parties, baking, decorating, cooking holiday dinners… the list is endless. In all the busyness, we can miss the opportunities to find joy.
How do you find joy in it all? It is a matter of choice! The shepherds and the wise men had to consciously seek out and find the joy. Yes, the calendar is full, and there are lots of activities taking place. Yes, some things are non-negotiable and must be done, but other things we can choose to say yes or no to.
Finding joy might mean saying no to something so you can have one evening at home a week, where you sit down with the family and enjoy a home-cooked meal or spend the evening baking or watching a Christmas movie.
Finding joy could mean saying no to buying things on credit and only spending what you can afford.
Finding joy may mean driving home the long way after a busy day just so you can enjoy the lights of a beautifully decorated neighborhood.
In the busyness of the season, I must plan joy breaks once a week. I usually enjoy iced drinks (which I normally consume faster) but I find joy going to a coffee shop, ordering a hot drink and sitting at a table and savoring each sip. As I slow down, I listen to some of my favorite Christmas carols, or simply enjoy reading a book for fun. After a chapter or two, or after I finished my hot drink, my joy is restored, and I am ready to face the rest of the activities and things that must be done.
In addition to the once-a-week joy breaks, when I find my attitude is in need of an adjustment, and I am not able to find joy in the moment, I close my office door and listen to a favorite Christmas Carol that brings a smile to my face. One of my favorites (I think the video is what makes me smile) is Born is the King (It’s Christmas) by Hillsong Worship. Another favorite of mine (not a Christmas song but is sure to put a smile on your face) is Joy by For King and Country.
In all of the busyness of this season, may we seek out and find the joy that comes through a child’s smile, a thank you for your service, or baking homemade goodies to bless someone else. Challenge yourself to find joy in each day. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24 NLT).
May you have a joyous Christmas and a joy-filled New Year!
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/find-joy.jpg20161512Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2023-11-17 08:02:042023-11-20 07:59:48Find Joy
Every year the women of The Salvation Army USA Western Territory are always so generous in raising money for our Territorial Project. This year we are raising money for:
Nuuk, Greenland
Group Participation Meetings & Weekend Camps for Women & Children
Ensenada, Mexico
Shelter for Victims of Violence
Las Vegas, Nevada
SEEDS of Hope Anti-Trafficking Program for Women
Watch the Rooted in Christvideo which gives details of our project.
By Captain Jennifer Swain Administrator of Program San Diego, CA Adult Rehabilitation Program
Supplies*:
8.5x 11 watercolor paper
Crayola watercolor palette
Blue painters tape
“Thank you” stamp
Ink pad
Glass of water
Paper towel
Plastic tablecloth
*Most supplies can be purchased inexpensively at Amazon or the Dollar Tree!
How to…
Cover your surface with a plastic tablecloth to ensure paint does not get on your work surface. Cut watercolor paper in half (vertically or horizontally) then fold in half to give the look of a greeting card. Open paper and lay flat. Place a piece of painters tape along the folded seam to ensure paint does not bleed.
Pick a color from your color palette. This will be your focus color. Wet your brush and dip it in the color you’ve chosen. Once you’ve wet the paint, make three matching paint puddles on the inside of the lid. Rinse your brush and add a small amount of black to one of the color puddles. Rinse your brush again and add a lighter color of paint to one of the two remaining color puddles. At this point you should have three shades of paint.
Starting close to the painters tape, and using the darkest shade of color, brush the paint left to right. You’ll want cover about one-third of the card surface space. Without rinsing the paint start using the next lightest shade of paint on the middle third of the card. You will want to blend the colors together where they meet to create the effect of shading. The lightest color should be at the based of the card and be blended with the center color.
Allow the paint to dry, gently remove the painter tape, and then stamp with your “thank you”. Write a personal note inside and give to someone who blessed you! This kind of tangible gratitude blesses the one who receives, and the one who gives, it!
“In everything give thanks…” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 TLT
By Major Linnea Desplancke Administrator for Program Canoga Park, CA Adult Rehabilitation Center
Live simply – Remain Grateful
I was walking by this shop, and this sign caught my eye. I stood there thinking about how true it is for us to live as simply as possible and more importantly, remain grateful. When ingratitude remains in our hearts, it is not possible for us to live a life of victory and serenity. When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they were full of joy and gratitude to God for saving them from their captivity. But they consistently lost hope when the journey took too long, when Moses was on Mount Saini too long, and when they complained about the food God provided them. Not to mention, their shoes and clothing never wore out. One day Moses had enough of their complaining and said, “Quiet!” Moses replied. “Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the Lord?” (Exodus 17:2b)
So often we too complain to God about things and situations when something does not go our way. We question God asking where He is and why is He not answering our prayers. We start to think that we can take care of ourselves better than He can. Going back to the way we used to live seems like a good idea. But we are only fooling ourselves. Trying to do life without God will most certainly end in disaster. We will fall back into our old sins and many even start committing new ones. Failing to see the things in life God has given to us, makes us truly ungrateful. If we want to have gratitude in our lives, we need to let go of our ingratitude, ask forgiveness from God, and immediately start to look at the things God and others have done for and given us. Psalm 92:1-4 reminds us to give thanks to God and praise Him for all He has given us.
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre. You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.
As far as living simply, this can more difficult. We fill our lives with stuff, spending exorbitant time on our electronic devices, and other things that distract or take away from time with our families and more importantly, God. We spend money we do not have trying to keep up with our neighbors or to get the latest gadget. It is hard to slow down, check out our lives, and see where we can live more simply. We can fill our boredom with reading the bible or in prayer. We can call up a friend or take a walk. Being grateful is a great way to live simply. When our hearts are full of gratitude, there is no room for living large. The Beatitudes say it simply, “God bless those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.” Matthew 5:5
You may be thinking, that’s easy for you to say. But once I was in a place in my life that my gratitude slowly slipped away. Before I knew it, I did not think God was working in my life at all and all I could see what He was not giving me and I was not getting what I wanted. This was a dark season for me. I was not a nice person to be around nor was I engaged in the ministry I have always loved. Like a bear with a sore tooth, I snarled and growled at anyone that dared cross my path. I started getting more involved with things, outside my ministry and family, that were not good and not helping me or others. Soon all I could see was what other people had that I did not, and this made me very angry. I started doubting my calling. Of course, my husband noticed this and asked me what was going on. I looked at my life and saw how far I had fallen from where I was meant to be. I did some soul searching with God and saw I had not been grateful for what He had done for me and given me. I also realized that my life was very worldly and that was a problem. So, I prayed, sought forgiveness and starting to live simply and grateful again. Since that point I am at peace, loving my ministry wholeheartedly, and full of fresh love and vigor for His people. Daily I remind myself to live simply and remain grateful. It is a whole new and fresh world for me.
In case you were wondering, I went back to the shop and brought that sign.
By Major Kim Williams Administrator for Program Phoenix, AZ Adult Rehabilitation Center
Read Daniel 3:1-30 NIV
Question: How did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego show their faith and belief in the God they served?
How many times have you heard, “Have an attitude of gratitude?” Is that before or after morning coffee? Is it even possible to have gratitude in all situations? I have a friend that is now with the Lord, and she would give praise to God for the “Good, Bad, and Indifferent.”
It is so easy to praise the Lord when all is going your way. The coffee is perfect, the bills are paid, little Johnny got all A’s on his report card, and you just lost another 10 pounds on your diet. I don’t know whose life this might be, but it sure isn’t mine.
Mine is more like I set the coffee pot before going to bed but forgot to turn it on, little Johnny has detention and I gained 10 lbs. on the diet.
We can find it in our relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit to have a heart of gratitude when the good seasons seem to be in the distance and the bad is like a dreary cloud hanging over us for a season. You get bad news from the doctor, children are having difficulties, grandkids are being too exposed to worldly decay, the car breaks down, or you’re having personal relationship problems.
Is this the time we reflect and give thanks in all circumstances? Are we rejoicing always? What is our prayer life like at this time? (see 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Here is the thing – life is going to happen, the good, the bad, and the indifferent!
The Good News
No, the great news is that we have this amazing gift as followers of Christ, that in spite of the chaos, hurts, and thunderstorms of life, we can still be filled with gratitude and joy because of the abundant love God has for each one of us.
It is His mercy that God shows our broken selves and the grace that He pours into us is reason enough to dig deep in those valleys of life and be able to live with a heart of gratitude. When we take time to be mindful and see the amazing works of God, we can be prompted by the Holy Spirit to overflow with gratitude, joy, grace, and mercy.
Question: What can you do to begin the daily process of recognizing the goodness of God so you can life with a grateful heart during the good, the bad, and the indifferent?
Start a Gratitude Journal. Here are some ideas of what you can include:
Write your prayers of thanksgiving.
Contemplate the chorus, “Count your blessings, name them one by one and you will see what the Lord has done.”
Look up scripture about rejoicing, gratitude, mercy, joy, etc.
Read Galatians 5:22-23. What fruit of the Spirit is evident in your life? What fruit of the Spirit do you need more of right now?
Learning to live with sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading and embracing a life of gratitude in the good, the bad and the indifferent is not looking at the world through rose-colored glasses. This is a gift and treasure from God that comes through His Son, Jesus, when we seek to follow Him and His word found in the Scripture.
We may not receive all the answers we want, the way we want them answered, but we can still be filled with a grateful heart through anything, if we have the same attitude as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had along with the confidence they had in God Almighty.
Daniel 3:14-18 And Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[a] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Question: Are we so firm in our relationship with Christ, that when the indifferent comes, we are able to enter the blazing furnace with gratitude, joy and confidence in who we are in Him?
We can have that attitude of gratitude because of our relationship with Christ.
We continue our series on being “Deeply Rooted in the Spiritual Disciplines.” For the month of November, we are focusing on the spiritual practice of Gratitude. In her book Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transforms Us, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun defines gratitude as, “a loving and thankful response toward God for His presence with us and within this world. Though “blessings” can move us into gratitude, it is not at the root of a thankful heart. Delight in God and His good will is the heartbeat of thankfulness.”
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done. 1 Chronicles 16:8
Inside you will find a devotional, conversation starters, a prayer idea, a monthly Bible reading plan and other resources to help you incorporate the spiritual discipline of gratitude in your walk with Jesus.
The dictionary defines Gratitude as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” When you come down to it, gratitude is really all about attitude. It’s easy to be grateful for blessings and/or things when everyone is on the same “playing field”, when we are comparing apples to apples. True gratitude, however, may be put to the test when someone receives thanks for something that you feel should have been directed your way. Gratitude may be put to the test when someone receives a promotion that you were denied. When we feel wronged in some way or slighted, it may not be so easy to feel grateful. Gratitude can quickly dissipate when we begin to feel resentful for the praise and tangible things others are receiving that we are not.
It’s times like these that call us to take the “balcony view”. The balcony view allows us to take a step back from daily routines and even the mundane and see the bigger picture of our lives and circumstances. When we take the balcony, panoramic view of our lives and remove ourselves from the “weeds”, we are more apt to conclude that we have lots to be grateful for and life is not so bad after all!
When we consider the aspect of gratitude, it is very closely linked to the word validation. The longing of every individual is to feel validated. We may not admit that readily, but it is true. We all need encouragement and validation. A very important question to ask ourselves is, “Where am I looking to receive validation”? “Who am I wanting to receive validation from”? When we can take the balcony view and see our lives from a distance and understand fully that our true worth is in Jesus, we will find it easier to temper our longing for recognition with our God-given worth. Gratitude will become easier when we are able to find that balance. I would not want to indicate here that this is an easy process because it is not! It takes time, prayerful reflection, and moments of introspection, to move us from a place of self-pity to a place of gratitude where we truly understand the worth that God attaches to our lives.
In case you have forgotten how God feels about you, let me remind you of what Jesus said in Matthew 10:29-31. Jesus is preparing to send out the twelve disciples and they were sent with several instructions and words of advice. In verse 29, Jesus asks, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.” He continues, “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” If you’ve ever longed for validation, here it is! I don’t know about you, but these verses make me feel truly grateful!
True gratitude is supernatural work. I think if we are all honest, we would say that when we compare our lives with someone who has less than we do, in monetary and opportunity resources, we find it easy to say, “God is so good to me” and I have a sense of gratitude for all that God has provided. However, when we compare our lives with someone who just seems to have everything handed to them on a silver platter, without having to expend much energy, it can lead us to question why. Why is it that I must work so hard for what I get while others just have it handed to them? That’s when gratitude requires supernatural work. To stay positive and not wallow in self-pity requires us to look beyond the tangible, temporary things of life and have an eternal view. When we can view life from an eternal perspective, it’s then we understand our true worth in Christ and can flourish as a result. After all, if God notices when a sparrow falls to the ground and he declares that we are worth more than many sparrows, what more will it take to give us a grateful heart? So…
Give thanks with a grateful heart, Give thanks to the Holy One; Give thanks, because he’s given Jesus Christ, his Son. And now let the weak say ‘I am strong’, Let the poor say, ‘I am rich’, Because of what the Lord has done for us; Give thanks!
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/p-a-g3ttr9mQSbY-unsplash-scaled.jpg17072560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2023-10-06 14:05:382023-10-06 14:05:42Flourishing in the Spiritual Discipline of Gratitude
By Captain Ryan Boyd Denver Red Shield Corps, CO – Intermountain Division
I once had a friend who asked me what I did on my day off. When I started listing the unending responsibilities I had at home, she cut me off and said it didn’t sound much like a day off to her. “Well, if I don’t get them done on that day, when will it get done?” was my exasperated reply.
Busyness is often worn as a badge of honor in our society. We book back to back meetings and activities and wonder why we are always exhausted. We were not made to go all day every day. Like our electronics, we need a time to recharge our batteries.
Exodus 20:8-11 says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
It seems to me that we have taken the ten commandments and made them nine commandments and a suggestion. We treat this instruction from God as an optional activity instead of the mandate it is. As the Israelites are heading to the Promise Land, God gives Moses instructions for them so that they will live in a way that pleases God. We know that the first four relate to our relationship with God and the last six relate to our relationships with others.
God knew it was important for us to rest. Not sleep in, not have a lazy Saturday, but to rest. To trust in Him to provide for our needs. Now, most of my Sabbaths involve sleeping in because that is what my body needs to refresh. Even if it is just thirty extra minutes, I feel it when I wake up. But Sabbath rest goes much deeper. It is resting from my work knowing that I am not the one who makes the world go around – God is. I am not the one in control – God is. And when I spend my time dwelling in that knowledge, I can enter the rest that God provides.
But Sabbath rest goes much deeper. It is resting from my working knowing that I am not the one who makes the world go around – God is. I am not the one in control – God is.
Captain Ryan Boyd
In Mark 2:27-28, Jesus tells the Pharisees that man was not made for the Sabbath, rather the Sabbath was made for man. Taking a Sabbath is not something we do because we want to check off something from our “Good Christian” to-do list. It is not meant to be a burden at all. Instead, it was made for us to refresh and delight in what the Lord has provided for us. We are supposed to be joyful during our Sabbath. Originally, it was intended to give reprieve to the Israelites who had the mindset of an enslaved person – their brains told them they needed to work all day every day. God said no – my plan for you is better. Enter into the rest I provide.
The Pharisees morphed the Sabbath into something it was not intended to be – rigid rule following. They burdened the Israelites with their preferences instead of sticking to God’s intentions. And the people suffered for it by missing out on the freedoms that Sabbath provides. Ray Stedman wrote, “So there are two aspects of the Sabbath—creation and redemption. There is a rest of cessation; a ceasing from our own works. But then there is the rest of rejoicing in the mighty delivering power of God.”
So there are two aspects of the Sabbath – creation and redemption. There is a rest of cessation; a ceasing from our own works. But then there is the rest of rejoicing in the mighty delivering power of God.
Ray Stedman
If you are anything like me, rest feels weird. I always feel as if there is something I am supposed to be doing. Only in recent years have I been able to start fully resting on a Sabbath day. I would love to have the same day every week, but scheduling makes that impossible. So I take it where I can. I take Fridays off so that I can get all my errands and schoolwork done so that Saturdays are clear for rest and delighting in the blessings God has given me. If I can’t make Saturday work, I find a different day.
We prioritize what is important to us. Making adjustments to create space for Sabbath is hard, but so worth it. Resting in the knowledge that God is in control brings a peace that cannot be described.
Take a Sabbath. Rest. Obviously it is important for us to do, because God made it a commandment.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/katie-moum-2nOYe49Jz_s-unsplash-scaled.jpg25601707Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2023-10-06 13:59:162023-10-06 13:59:19October 2023 Devotional: Take a Sabbath Rest
By Captain Amber Ohl Bozeman, MT Corps – Intermountain Division
For me Smash Books are just a more beautiful journal. I think of it as a doodle pad, journal, maybe even a scrapbook; but it doesn’t have a set plan. It can be messy, it could be overstuffed, and most of all, it doesn’t have to be perfect.
When it comes to Sabbath, we might be stuck in the idea that it is a rigid day of rest with all these rules and such. But Sabbath is a day to focus on who God is and to be able to be refreshed. That is my hope for this smash book, that we are able to compile all these different amazing ways to be able to focus on God, but also to refresh ourselves. One of my favorite examples is found under the “T” section and that is take a nap, listen. Sometimes we just need a nap.
1. Gather some supplies. I recommend that the journals would be an 8 1/2 by 11 size. Michaels is a great place to get them as they are either on sale or you can find a coupon through their rewards app. Other supplies include the printable pages attached, scissors, mod podge, brushes, scrapbooking paper, stickers colorful pens, wasabi tape, and anything else that your women might light. This might be a good time to clean out some drawers or leftover art supplies.
2.With this activity, they can work at their own pace. It’s easy as explaining what to do and let them have at it. They can cut out the letters to the word “SABBATH,” some of the ladies just did a rough cut, while others cut on the lines; both works. I would encourage that the letters are placed about 10 to 15 pages apart. This will allow for when they do engage in their Sabbath activity provides that extra space.
S – Sing/Songs. Write lyrics that help you connect you to God
A – Attributes. What are the attributes of God? OR A – Actively Rest. How can you actively rest?
B – Bible – Book by Book
B – Be in Nature
A – Art. Doodle in these pages while spending time with God, search online for Bible art that can be pasted in these pages to color, or pick up a craft that you have not done in a while.
T – Take a nap. Talk with a friend.
H – Hobby. Whether it is a hobby that you have not done in a while or it’s something you wan to try.
3.One thing we did was add an envelopes so that we could use that to tuck away some small notes or cards.
4. I added extra pages that are some examples of a word to associate to each letter of “SABBATH.” I would encourage your ladies to add in their own that would help them on their Sabbath.
5. Also, Pinterest is a great resource if you ladies would like some extra pages. Maybe they want to add in some coloring pages or look up verses to color.
6. Remember it does not have to be perfect; that is what’s fun about smash books!
Prayer for you: For this moment of Sabbath may God help you engage in true Sabbath rest. May you unattach from the daily burdens and the concerns that are yours. May you pause long enough to pray, be present enough to enjoy, and slow down enough to rest. But most of all, I pray that you may worship the One who gives us Sabbath.
Download a printable version of these directions. It has also has extra printable pages and quotes to include in your Sabbath Smash Book.
By Major Karen Schmig St. George, UT Outpost – Intermountain Division
Introduction
I’m not sure if you have trouble observing Sabbath in you daily lives? According to research based on Lifeway Research, seven in 10 churchgoers take their Sabbath on Sunday. Few take it on Saturday (5 percent), Friday (1 percent) or Monday (1 percent). For 23 percent, they don’t take a day of rest. I can testify that I am one of the 23% that typically do not take the time to have a sabbath day of rest. If I do take a day off from the business of the Corps, I will find something else that needs to be done. Anything from housework to shopping. I am good at finding something to do to keep me busy. In this Bible study we are going to explore what “Sabbath” really means and by reading scripture we will find out why God says it is so important to practice it in our daily weekly routine.
Read Hebrews 4:1, 9-11.
1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
According to Britannica.com the Sabbath is defined as: “The Sabbath. The Jewish Sabbath (from Hebrew shavat, “to rest”) is observed throughout the year on the seventh day of the week—Saturday. According to biblical tradition, it commemorates the original seventh day on which God rested after completing the creation.”
Sabbath was introduced to us from the very beginning when God created the Earth. We read in the book of Genesis that God created the heavens and the earth in six periods of time, which He called days: “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it” (Genesis 2:2–3).
The factor, or the thing that the Sabbath was pointing to, is Jesus Christ. He is our rest. It doesn’t matter whether you go to corporate worship on Saturday or on Sunday, or your choice of a day during the week, because that’s not what really matters. What really matters is that you find your rest in Christ!
We take sabbath to acknowledge that we need God, we need time dedicated to him. A time to rest. This doesn’t mean that all we are to do on a sabbath are pray and sleep, though prayer and rest are central and needed. It can also be time with family or hobbies. So many times, we’re burning the candle at both ends. So busy with work that we don’t stop to really appreciate God’s presence in our lives.
Let’s Read Luke 10:28-42 NIV
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
In these we read that account of Mary and Martha. Martha just going and going on her own trying to make things just right to the point frustration. For most of that have a servant heart that is very easy to get caught up in. Keeping ourselves bust serving others and making sure everything is done in all our power to help and please others. Jesus reminds Martha that Mary had chosen what was right, to rest at Jesus’ feet, to bask in his presence and his love.
Sabbath is an act of humility before the Lord.
Matthew 5:3 (NIV) says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
“Being poor in spirit”, we are like paupers, relying on God and only God to fill us. It is a sin to think we can just keep going and going without acknowledging God and our need for his help. It’s silly for us to think that we are too busy for God, the one who gives us all of our provisions in the first place. Sabbath goes beyond just one day as well. We need dedicated time daily to rest in Him.
Even Jesus needed time with his father, who are we to act as though we don’t. Make a plan today, put it on your calendar, in your day timer. Schedule time for God, be intentional about it. Start learning also to say no to others if that is your crutch to not taking time to rest in God. This is of central importance to our spiritual health. Make a date with God, pray to Him, take in his word and grow in him daily. May God bless you as we all go through this great adventure, we call life with a great Savior who never fails us.
Questions to Reflect On:
Are you taking a weekly Sabbath?
Are you taking time daily for the Lord?
What can you do differently in your daily/weekly schedule that will allow you to take a Sabbath?
What does God have for me in my day of Sabbath, through this day of rest?
What do I have for Him in my Sabbath day, through this day of rest?
How will this be lived out with others in gratitude, joy and celebration?
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/marissa-grootes-flRm0z3MEoA-unsplash-scaled.jpg25601920Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2023-10-06 13:58:072023-10-06 13:58:12October 2023 Bible Study: God's Given Gift of Rest
Welcome to the second year of the Flourish Newsletter. Last program year, we focused on flourishing in and through different seasons that we all go through. This year we want to flourish by being “Deeply Rooted in the Spiritual Disciplines.” Each month we will focus on one spiritual practice that will help us to establish deep roots, grow and flourish in our walk with Jesus.
For October we are focusing on the practice of Sabbath Rest. Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, in her book Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us, defines Sabbath as “God’s gift of repetitive and regular rest. It is given for our delight and communion with God. Time for being in the midst of a life of doing particularly characterizes the sabbath.” The desire of observing sabbath is “to set apart one day a week for rest and worship of God.”
“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” Genesis 2:2
Inside you’ll find a devotional, conversation starters, a prayer idea, a monthly Bible reading plan, and some other resources to help you incorporate a weekly Sabbath into your spiritual walk with Jesus.
In The Salvation Army USA Western Territory, we want ministry to women to flourish, grow, and thrive. Below are easy links to information on our website, that should answer questions you have about ministry to women and also offer other insights and helps to make sure ministry to women is flourishing in your local corps.
Ministry to Women Guidelines and Ideas
Our Fundamental Purpose explains the aim, purpose and expectations of ministry to women in your local corps.
If our ministry to women is to grow and flourish, we need our roots to go deep in Christ. Our purpose in programming, while it includes fun and fellowship, is ultimately to lead women into a deeper relationship with Christ. A program with deep roots is one with a rich spiritual focus. Your Roots, Your Strength
There are endless possibilities of what ministry to women can look like in your local corps. Below are guidelines for several programs.
Home League Guidelines will explain the aim, purpose, and all the details about Home League.
Junior Home League Guidelines will explain all the details of having a Junior Home League program, for girls ages 11-15.
Baby Song is an exciting Salvation Army outreach program for babies, toddlers and their parents.
Women’s Ministries Special Events highlights some extra possibilities for ministries to women: holding a Women’s Sunday, as well as Divisional Events and Leadership Institutes.
Leadership Development
As women of The Salvation Army, it is vital that we take the opportunity to assess our own emotional, physical, and spiritual health on a regular basis. Flourishing in life starts with caring for ourselves well so that we can care for others well. It is vital to assess where we are in these areas and make a reasonable plan for how to be a loving, wise, and mindful steward of ourselves and others. Healthy Work/Life Balance for Soul Care
Qualities of a Leader helps identify the qualities you should be looking for in women to develop them local leaders.
Revamping or Refreshing Ministry to Women
Is ministry to women feeling a little stale? Answer the questions on A Fresh Assessment to help you see new possibilities for ministry to women in your community. Defining What We Value will help you with a list of possibilities for new ministry to women opportunities.
All About the Numbers – Statistical Information and Financial Guidelines
If you ever have questions about how to report ministry to women on your monthly statistics be sure to check out the Statistical Quick Reference.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Flourish-Logo-Full-Color.png11821390Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2023-10-06 10:55:092023-10-06 13:53:45A Guide for Ministry to Women
The Salvation Army USA Western Territory BABY SONG STATISTICAL REPORTING
Baby Song is an exciting Salvation Army outreach program for babies, toddlers and their parents. Baby Song provides an opportunity for: parents to assist their babies in language development and interaction through music; babies to experience developmentally appropriate songs, activities and games; parents to build relationships with other parents; parents to gain parenting tips and information; and to reach out into the community.
As Baby Song crosses over boundaries, not just applying to one age group, but to the whole family, it has been decided to record Baby Song attendance as stated below. It is important that there is consistency around the territory in recording the program, so please contact the Territorial Youth Department or Women’s Ministries Department, should you have any questions regarding this.
As a Baby Song session consists of two separate sections, it can be recorded as two meetings in the following way:
The Baby Song/Music Section
Count attendance in Cradle Roll line 3310. Include everybody – children, parents, leaders, helpers.
The Fellowship Section
Count parents (if majority are women) in Women’s Ministries line 3001–option code 33:
Any activity during the Baby Song/Music Section should be recorded under the Cradle Roll (line 3310). If the parents and children are together during the fellowship section, you will only count the parents in Women’s Ministries line 3001–option code 33, not the children.
It is important to note that there needs to be some spiritual aspect to record Baby Song as Women’s Outreach. It can be in the form of a prayer, a ‘thought for the day’, or a Scripture verse.
The Salvation Army USA Western Territory STATISTICAL QUICK REFERENCE
Women’s Ministries is the umbrella term that covers all ministries offered to women in The Salvation Army, which includes Home League and Women’s Ministries Groups. Where Home League falls under WM group, International Headquarters requires special reporting as it is an international program. Statistics should be reported on NSS Corps form as follows:
Line 3001 Women’s Ministries Line 3001-31 Home League (meetings, attendance, volunteers, volunteer hours) Line 3001-33 Women’s Ministries Groups Participants (meetings, attendance, volunteers, volunteer hours) There is no membership for WM group. Please add non-Home League members, first-time participants, per program year. Line 3001-34 Women’s Ministries Corps Special Event (meeting, attendance, volunteers, volunteer hours)
Line 3003 Junior Home League Junior Home League – Junior Home League is a self-esteem development program for girls, ages 11-15 years old. It provides insight to personal improvement and skill building, and serves as a mode to encourage the four elements – Worship, Education, Service and Fellowship. The Junior HL will also provide a link to full acceptance as a Home League Member. A Junior Home League member may become a Home League Member when she reaches the age of 14 years, if desired, and membership may automatically be transferred. Meetings can be held weekly, bi-monthly or monthly according to need and local circumstances.
Record membership of Jr. Home League. Record meetings, attendance, volunteer, and volunteer hours. ** NOTE: Do NOT record girls attending HL meetings here. This line is for established Jr. HL groups **
A record must be kept of each group, with names, address and attendance. This register will be examined by the reviewing officer at the time of the Women’s Ministries Review and Revision, and a report will be sent to the Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries. Home League meetings, attendance and volunteer hours may be counted and reported on the NSS form, line 3001—option code 31. Women’s Ministries Group meetings, attendance and volunteer hours may be counted and reported on NSS form, line 3001—option code 33.
DIVISIONAL SPONSORED EVENT
When special events are hosted by the Divisional Women’s Ministries Department such as: one day institutes, rallies, leadership training, divisional event planning, multiple day events including camps, retreats, conferences or similar events, the statistics are to be counted as follows:
Line 3002 Women’s Ministries Events. Record attendance, volunteers and hours. ** NOTE: No corps units should be using these lines.
Line 3002-601 Women’s Ministries Events – Camps. Record the number of meetings/sessions in Women’s Ministries camps for fellowship held, and the combined total attendance. Line 3002-602 Women’s Ministries Events – Rallies. Record the number of meetings/sessions in Women’s Ministries rallies held, and the combined total attendance. Rallies are gathering for Women’s Ministries; may include prayer meetings for a purpose. Line 3002-603 Women’s Ministries Events – Conventions. Record the number of meetings/sessions in Women’s Ministries conferences and gatherings for networking, and the combined total attendance. Line 3002-604 Women’s Ministries Events – Institutes. Record the number of meetings/sessions in Women’s Ministries and the combined total attendance. Institutes are gatherings for learning experience.
⦁ Divisional Headquarters Reporting. Every individual meeting/session is to be counted by the Division on a divisional line 3002.
Example: for a one-day event that includes three sessions with planned programming, the total number of meetings/sessions is to be (3). For a multiple day event every meeting/ session with planned programming is counted. For example, if there are two united sessions on Friday, four united sessions on Saturday, two united sessions on Sunday, the count for the event is 2+4+2=8. A meal with no program is not considered a session. If the meal is a banquet with programming, then it may be counted as a session. If the meal has only a prayer and song, it is not counted as a session. If a workshop time is scheduled with 6 individual workshops, the workshop period is counted as 1.
Every session/meeting will have an attendance recorded. Divisions are not to simply multiply their total registration by the number of sessions. A recorded individual attendance is combined for all sessions/meetings and then recorded on the attendance line. In the event of a workshop period, the combined total attendance of all the workshops is recorded. Divisions are asked not to submit the total registration for workshop periods with the assumption that every registered participant attends a workshop.
⦁ Corps Reporting. Number of days of event times number of delegates equals meetings/attendance recorded on line 3001-34. (3 days = 3 meetings)
COMBINED MEETINGS AND ATTENDANCE
Several Corps may join together for a one-time area meeting for fellowship, leadership training, or special interests, etc. Every Women’s Ministries group from various corps will report its own figures on the corps NSS. The sponsoring Women’s Ministries group must not report the total figure. Each corps will count one meeting and the attendance of their corps ladies only.
If it is a combined Women’s Ministries meeting, each local corps will record their attendees on the NSS report line 300I–option code 31 for regular meetings. If it is a combined Women’s Ministries program, each local corps will record their attendees on the NSS report line 3001—option code 33.
WOMEN’S MINISTRIES CORPS SPECIAL EVENT
A Women’s Ministries Group Event is a program for women only with the purpose of evangelism and outreach, such as: a corps women’s retreat, a mother daughter banquet, a community hosted Women’s Ministry meal (breakfast), Local Leadership training, Bike-A-Thon, Walk-A-Thon, Prayer Walk. There is no membership for a Women’s Ministries Group Event. This is not a family event, please see Other adult groups/family activities. Attendance for a Women’s Ministries Group Event is recorded on the NSS form line 3001-34 titled Women’s Ministries Corps Special Events.
WOMEN’S MINISTRIES FUND-RAISING EVENT
When a Women’s Ministry fund-raising event is held on a day other than the regular meeting, it would be counted and recorded on line 3220 — Other Adult Group/Family Activities, and the total attendance recorded.
When the fund-raising event is on a regular Women’s Ministries meeting day, the pre-event time (time needed to set up, give instruction, etc.) should be counted as the regular meeting. The Women’s Ministries members there and others attending would be recorded under Other Adult Group/Family Activities — line 3220. These will be recorded in NSS as follows:
Home League Regular (line 3001-31) or Women’s Ministries Group Participants (line 3001-33) 1 Attendance of the group (in pre-event time) 20 Other Adult Group/Family Activities (line 3220) 1 Attendance (during the fund-raising event) 35
VOLUNTEER HOURS
Women’s Ministries Local Officers are considered to be volunteers, and their time at Women’s meetings should be counted as volunteer service.
If a Women’s Ministries Group is purely spiritual in nature (for example, a weekly Bible study or Home League worship service) no volunteer hours may be counted.
When Women’s Ministries Group participants are involved in community or corps projects, their hours may be counted as volunteer hours as a WM Group/HL.
The Corps Officers are never considered volunteers in any WM activities.
SOLDIERS & ADHERENTS MADE THROUGH PROGRAMS
Line 1510 Soldiers Made Through Programs. Record the number of soldiers added to the roll as a direct result of Women’s Ministries.
Line 1515 Adherents Made Through Programs. Record the number of adherents added to the roll as a direct result of Women’s Ministries.
SEEKERS
The statistical count of seekers or converts in Women’s Ministries should represent the number of women indicating a definite decision or response for conversion, holiness or consecration. This decision could be demonstrated by kneeling at the altar but could also include other expressions of intent such as raising of hands, standing at one’s seat, decisions in home, office, or elsewhere should be counted as seekers.
Line 2405 Adults Seekers Section 1. Record the number of seekers 14 years of age and over, not entered in the Seekers’ Register, and not listed on the Recruits’ or Soldiers’ Roll of any Salvation Army Corps. (First time seeker in TSA)
Line 2410 Adult Seekers Section 2. Adult Seekers Section 2 – Record the number of seekers 14 years of age and over, previously entered in the Seekers’ Register, or listed on the Recruits’ or Soldiers’ Roll.
FAMILIES LINKED TO CORPS THROUGH WOMEN’S MINISTRIES
Line 3005 Record the number of new families linked to the corps as a direct result of a women’s ministry program.
BABY SONG Baby Song is an exciting Salvation Army outreach program for babies, toddlers and their parents. Baby Song provides an opportunity for: parents to assist their babies in language development and interaction through music; babies to experience developmentally appropriate songs, activities and games; parents to build relationships with other parents; parents to gain parenting tips and information; and to reach out into the community.
As Baby Song crosses over boundaries, not just applying to one age group, but to the whole family, it has been decided to record Baby Song attendance as stated below. It is important that there is consistency around the territory in recording the program, so please contact the Territorial Youth Department or Women’s Ministries Department, should you have any questions regarding this.
As a Baby Song session consists of two separate sections, it can be recorded as two meetings in the following way:
The Baby Song/Music Section
Count attendance in Cradle Roll line 3310. Include everybody – children, parents, leaders, helpers.
The Fellowship Section
Count parents (if majority are women) in Women’s Ministries line 3001–option code 33:
Any activity during the Baby Song/Music Section should be recorded under the Cradle Roll (line 3310). If the parents and children are together during the fellowship section, you will only count the parents in Women’s Ministries line 3001–option code 33, not the children.
It is important to note that there needs to be some spiritual aspect to record Baby Song as Women’s Outreach. It can be in the form of a prayer, a ‘thought for the day’, or a Scripture verse.
The Salvation Army USA Western Territory JUNIOR HOME LEAGUE PROGRAM
Junior Home League is a self-esteem development program for girls, ages 11-15 years old. It provides insight to personal improvement and skill building.
WHERE DID JUNIOR HOME LEAGUE BEGIN?
It all commenced in 1967 when a concerned Officer’s wife had the interests and needs of young girls in her Corps at heart. Would a Junior Home League be the answer? This exciting idea was presented to the Territorial President of Women’s Organizations in Canada (at that time Mrs. Commissioner C. Wiseman), who readily accepted the suggestion – and thus the Junior Home League was born in the Canadian Territory and it spread like a flame throughout the Territory.
MEMBERSHIP
When a prospective member is ready for entry into full membership a special ceremony should be held when the Member receives her Pledge Card and makes her promise. The whole aim and purpose of the group is to provide a link to full acceptance as a Home League Member. The Junior Home League member can, if desired, become a Home League Member when she reaches the age of 14 years. If so, then Membership can automatically be transferred. The Junior Home League member can, however, defer her transfer until a later date if desired.
ROLLS
A separate Register should be secured for the Junior Home League group. Cash records should be kept separate, but, with agreement of the Corps Officer, the Home League Treasurer could be responsible for making bank deposits or withdrawals.
LOCAL OFFICERS
Local Officers for Junior Home League, such as a Junior Home League Secretary and Junior Home League Secretary is encouraged. Other positions can be commissioned/warranted as necessary.
MEETINGS These can be held weekly, bi-weekly or monthly according to need and local circumstances. The day and time should be planned to suit the majority of prospective members.
Meetings ought to provide FAITH … FUN … FELLOWSHIP … FOOD. In addition, there should be an opportunity for growing – some learning experience, personal improvement, self-development, that challenge as well as stimulate interest.
ENROLLMENT
A special ceremony is suggested for the enrollment of Junior Home League Members. The Junior Home League members have their own Pledge Card – and it brings its own peculiar thrill to stand before an earnest group of young girls, some of who have never had any connection with a church before, look into their fresh, sincere faces reflecting the glow of the candles nervously in their hands and hear them repeat their pledge and then pray … “God … give me strength and guidance that I may carry out this pledge.”
JUNIOR HOME LEAGUE ENROLLMENT SERVICE
A table is set up with a beautiful cloth, an open Bible (modern translation) a Home League flag and a Salvation Army flag, and a large white candle. Sufficient candles for the new members are supplied. The large candle is lit at the commencement of the enrollment.
(Supply young people with details of portions to be read in unison)
As the names of the young people are read, they take their places at the front, standing in a semi- circle around the table. Their leader and the Officer stand at the opposite ends of the semi-circle.
(The Officer conducts the enrollment. This enrollment may also be conducted in a Senior Home League Meeting).
OFFICER: The Salvation Army Home League is one of the largest women’s organizations in the entire world, and it is a privilege to welcome girls into this fellowship. They are the Home-makers of the future and we believe they appreciate the Christian emphasis in the home and will endeavor to practice Christian precepts in their daily living.
The Jr. Home League Motto is “With goodwill, doing service.”
The Home League Program is four-fold and these young people before us will tell us what this program means to them. –
(Young people read in unison) WORSHIP: In Worship we will seek the guidance of God, our Heavenly Father, in all the decisions we shall have to make in the days that lie ahead, and we will attend a place of worship whenever it is possible.
FELLOWSHIP: We believe in Fellowship well planned; in social life, good entertainment and an out-stretched hand to all, no matter what their race, color or creed.
EDUCATION:Education is wide in its scope and involves not only the gathering of facts in order to pass an examination, not only acquiring skills and crafts but should direct our whole attitude to life and people.
SERVICE:We are called upon to serve wherever there is a need; in our home, in our Church, in our community and faraway places of the world. We give practical aid to the poor, the lonely and the discouraged, and we engage in Missionary and local projects for the good of others.
CHARGE: As Jr. Home League members I charge you to uphold the ideals of the Four-fold program of the Home League and support the Seniors and share fellowship with them.
YOUNG PEOPLE: We light a candle signifying that we believe in Jesus the Light of the world who gave Himself to disperse the darkness of sin and bring peace to every heart.
(The girls light candles and then repeat the Pledge from their cards) (Leader hands out Pledge Cards)
JUNIOR HOME LEAGUE PLEDGE
As a member of the Jr. Home League, I promise to the best of my ability to promote its four-fold purpose.
WORSHIP: I will seek to honor God daily
FRIENDSHIP: I will seek to be kind and understanding at all times
EDUCATON: I will seek to “think” beyond the confines of my own life and circumstances
SERVICE: I will endeavor, in some small way, to be of service to others
I now ask God to give me strength and guidance that I may carry out this pledge.
Suitable Song and prayer by Corps Officer or Home League Secretary
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/evgeniy-alyoshin-YF80qEzcEW8-unsplash-scaled.jpg17072560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2023-10-05 14:08:202023-10-06 09:03:38Junior Home League Guidelines
The Salvation Army USA Western Territory MINISTRIES TO WOMEN SPECIAL EVENTS
WOMEN’S SUNDAY It is encouraged that every corps feature Women’s Ministries Sunday within a program year (October-September). The purpose of the day is to inspire and celebrate the women of your women’s ministries groups and recognize the various women’s ministries groups.
a. This annual event may be extended to include:
a rally to which representatives of other women’s groups (Army and non-Army) may be invited
other special programs, such as music, drama, film
a celebration of family
b. Women’s Sunday also provides an opportunity for women who belong to Women Ministries groups but who do not normally attend Sunday worship to hear and respond to the message of salvation.
Plans for the observance should be made at the planning meeting. Home League members and Women’s Ministries group participants should be used in the meeting(s).
A narrative report of special activities is included in the Quarterly Narrative Report. In recording statistics, it is to be noted that Women’s Sunday attendance should be recorded as senior corps activities and are not to be entered as Women’s Ministries statistics.
DIVISIONAL EVENTS All divisions must hold at least one camp, conference, retreat, or rally per year focused on the specific needs of women. Home League local officers and members and Women’s Ministries Group participants should be encouraged to attend these events. The programs are designed to be beneficial spiritually, mentally, and socially.
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTES Leadership institutes sponsored by the division will be planned by the Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary annually or bi-annually or according to the needs of the division. Corps-sponsored leadership training sessions are also encouraged. It is expected that all local officers, leaders and potential local officers and leaders be encouraged to attend to take advantage of these opportunities.
