You Are Saved

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By Commissioner Colleen Riley

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11.

This time of the year is especially poignant for Christians. It is the beginning of the story as it were. Thousands of years ago, in a small town, in the most unlikely way, the Savior was born, not for His benefit, but for ours.

I imagine that it was both a frightening and amazing night for Mary and Joseph. The birth of your first child is something awe inspiring and a little scary at the same time. Picturing myself in a stable on what I assume to be a very cold night, surrounded by animals, giving birth to not just my son, but the Savior, is something I can’t quite grasp. But Mary did. Mary in those moments, was just looking at the face of her son, her first child, the one she deeply loved. Then the angel of the Lord appeared, the shepherds stopped by and gave honor to this child that they had been told about, but Mary, pondered in her heart all that she had seen and heard. The Savior had been born. The beginning of the story.

This boy would grow up with a carpenter father and a virgin mother to become a sacrifice for each of us. Luke Chapter 2:40 tells us “And the child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.” God sent His one and only Son to live as a man, to understand how you and I live, to have feelings and emotions, to be tempted, heal others, have joy, share sorrow, and to raise people from the dead. And, He was to be a living sacrifice for you and me.

It is not enough to read about Jesus. We must know Him and to accept Him as our personal Savior. John chapter 14, Jesus is speaking to His disciples, even though they were with Him and learned from Him, still did not KNOW Him. In verse 6 He answers them “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Jesus was born so be in relationship with you and I and to draw us closer to Himself. We are saved by the beautiful and unending grace of God in our lives when we confess our sins, and turn to Him, he is faithful and forgives us.

We can thrive and flourish in our identity in Christ. You and I, made in the image of Christ, have our identity in Him. As you celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas, look further than the stable. Take a deep reflection on this very beginning of the journey to our salvation. Jesus came, he grew in strength and wisdom. Jesus taught and healed and was loved and put to death on a cross for you and for me. There is joy in our celebration not just because of the birth, but where this birth took Jesus, for our sake. It is the greatest gift of all – salvation!                                                                                                                               
I pray that you will accept this gift, if you haven’t already. It will change your life. And if you have a relationship with Him, that this year will be another reminder of His perfect and sacrificial love for you. God bless you!

Devotionals: Reflections on Justice

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We are excited to announce a brand-new series of daily devotionals produced by the IHQ Women’s Ministries Department, “Reflections on Justice.”

The series contains 31 devotionals, written by women of different ages and stages of life from across the international Army, making it perfect as a daily reading for an individual or a group. Each daily reading contains Scripture, a devotional reflection, a prayer and a challenge to bring goodness, justice and light into the dark places in this world.

As well as being available to download and print for individual use, “Reflections on Justice” will be available as a reading plan on the Bible App by YouVersion. We are inviting you to read the devotional series with us as part of a global reading event, starting on 1st November and ending on 1st December.

Find everything you need to know here: https://salvationarmy.org/ihq/reflections-on-justice

November 2024 Newsletter

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You are Priceless! You are Fully Known by God! That is the theme of this month’s newsletter.

O Eternal One, You have explored my heart and know exactly who I am; You even know the small details like when I take a seat and when I stand up again. Even when I am far away, You know what I’m thinking. Psalm 139:1-2 (VOICE)

Included in this month’s newsletter is a devotion, prayer idea, conversation starters, and Bible reading plan to help you focus on your identity as being fully known by God. As included are “Identity Statements,” verses that proclaim who you are in Christ for you to memorize, meditate on and claim in your life.

Download this month’s newsletter:

November 2024 Newsletter.pubDownload

Be sure to check out our Spotify Playlist of songs that speak of who you are in Christ: WM 2024-2025 Priceless

November 2024 Craft: Fingerprint Tree

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By Major Gaylene Yardley
Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Southwest Division

This craft is a tree with all the lady’s fingerprints as leaves in fall colors. You can make one print together and display it in your meeting room, or provide enough canvas so each lady can have their own tree to take home.

Put the Scripture Verse on it: “How precious to me are your thoughts O God. How vast the sum of them!” Psalm 139:17

You can put each woman’s name by their fingerprints and then put the scripture at the bottom. Perhaps you want to put the words “He Knows My Name” on the bottom.

Supplies needed

Finished project

Enjoy yourself and be thankful that God knows you fully and you are not one the same.

As you craft, perhaps play the song “He Knows My Name” by Francesca Battistelli

Download the printable version of this month’s Devotional, Craft & Bible Study:

November 2024Download

November 2024 Bible Study: I am Known

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By Major Gaylene Yardley
Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Southwest Division

Begin by meditating on the song “Known” by Tauren Wells

Read Psalm 139:1-24

Questions for discussion:

Am I important to God? Yes!
Romans 8:27 – “God already knows our deepest thoughts. And He understands what the Spirit is saying, because the Spirit speaks for His people in the way that agrees with what God wants.” (ERV)

Why am I important to God? Because He loves you!
Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
1 John 3:1 – “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
Jeremiah 31:3 – “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”
How is it that He knows me so well?

Because the scriptures tell us so.
Psalm 119:73 “ Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.”
As we look at Psalm 139:13 and 14 we find that we are made and knit together in our mothers’ womb. In looking at Psalm 119:73 we also see that we that we were made and formed by God the Father. What a joy to know the creator and the creation He made us to be.

What are some scriptures about being fully known?

  • Luke 12:7 Hairs on your head are numbered.
  • Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.
  • Psalm 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Being fully known by God is one of the best things we have going for us. Because of this verse we can understand that God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die and to rise again for us. I pray that you know how important you are to God and that you are blessed to be fully known.

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Let’s sing to close out this time of study, Jesus Loves Me

Jesus loves me, this I know.
For the bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but HE is strong!
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
The bible tells me so!

Download the printable version of this month’s Devotional, Craft & Bible Study:

November 2024Download

November 2024 Devotional: Fully Known

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By Major Gaylene Yardley
Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Southwest Division

Begin by singing or listening to the song “He Knows My Name” by Paul Baloche

Scripture Passage: Psalm 139:13-14

This portion of scripture is a favorite of mine.  It came into my life at a very important time as a corps officer in a very challenging corps.  I often felt like I didn’t fit into this place or the appointment.  I asked God what He was doing and why He put me in a place where I was the odd one out.  Many things happened in this corps that I could write a book about.  It was a place that I learned the power of God and His will for my life.  It didn’t happen overnight.  It took quite some time, but God is faithful, even when I am not.

Psalm 139 is so important as it tells us how important we are to God.  He is our creator and the one who knows us best.  We are fully known because of His love in creation.  Genesis 1:27 tells us that “God created us in His image Male and female ~ He created us.”  Because of this we can know that we are fully known. 

Have you ever created something with your hands?  If you are like me, it never seems to come out as I saw it in my mind’s eye, but it still is a creation that I made and therefore it is important to me as the creator of it.  Creating something from nothing gives us a feeling of accomplishment and achievement.  We did that and it may not look like we thought it would, but it is our creation. 

Psalm 139:13-14 reads; “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mothers womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Look at all the ladies sitting around you today and the difference there is in each one of us, but even in those differences, we are created in His image.  He knows us fully as He is the one who created us.  Psalm 139 tells us so many wonderful things that God knows about us.             

  • He knows when I sit and when I stand.
  • He knows my thoughts.
  • He knows when I go out and when I lay down.
  • He is familiar with all my ways.
  • He knows what we are going to say before we say it.
  • He knows where I try to hide.
  • He knows I cannot hide from Him.
  • He knows my frame or body because He was there when I was created.
  • His eyes saw my unformed body.

What a wonderful list this is and how almost unbelievable it is that He could love me so much that I was made by His own hands.  I am fully known!  Known, because He is the maker, creator of who I am. 

I began by telling you that this chapter came to me during a very challenging time in my life as a mother, pastor, officer, daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend.  It was a time that a young woman of my corps became pregnant and told me first.  Her mother didn’t speak English and she wanted me to talk to her mother and let her know that she was pregnant at the age of 14.  I was so sad for her, and I was so nervous to try to talk to her mother as we had no common ground, no common language.  I went into my office and asked God to help me be a messenger of truth and peace in this situation. 

 I went to see her mother and to talk to her about the uncomfortable situation.  The mother was understandably upset.  She yelled, she cried, she became angry, she had all the emotions a mother would have in this situation.  She immediately told the young girl that she should go and have an abortion.  I only know that because the young girl was translating for her mother and for me.  The young woman cried and ran off.  What was I to do?  Lord, help me with this.  I need you now. 

I opened my bible to Psalm 139 and read it, in English, and asked God to speak to this mother as I read the words that said, “You knit me together in my mother’s womb, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”   After I finished reading the chapter, I excused myself and left the house.  The next day the young lady came into my office and told me that her mother had changed her mind and that she could have the child and give it up for adoption.  I told her that I would help her anyway I could.  After going home that night I told my husband and we agreed that we would take the baby and offer to adopt it. 

The young lady gave birth to a beautiful little girl and decided to keep her.  For the first two years of her life, my husband and I were able to help her and to see tis little one grow and to be nurtured.  She was at the corps every program that she could be, and we were able to speak truth and Jesus into her life as well as her mother. 

This scripture is so important for each of us as God has a plan for us.  Something that He has ordained for us to do and to be.  He is our creator and because of that, we are fully known!

Prayer:  Father, we thank you for knowing us because you created us for your pleasure.  We thank you for the differences we all have and for the things we share that are alike.  We love you for your great love for us.  Your sacrifice of Jesus shows us your perfect love.  We thank you that we are fully known because your word tells us so.  Thank you for all you are to each of us!  Amen.

Download the printable version of this month’s Devotional, Craft & Bible Study:

November 2024Download

Battle Cry!

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Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham, World President of Women’s Ministries shares this letter:

As followers of Jesus, we are called to be salt and light in our communities, bringing hope, healing and transformation wherever we go. Battle Cry is a movement that seeks to empower and mobilize women to engage in local acts of social justice; it is our response to the call of Isaiah 1:17: ‘Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed.’

The Salvation Army has always been home to women involved in social justice and action that positively impacts the world. I think of my friend in New Zealand who, having recently retired from a long nursing career, is seeking a space to continue her ministry of care among those in need of judgement-free guidance and medical attention. I consider the 19-year-old who combats period poverty among peers through fundraising events that partner local stores with community centers. Her thoughtful intervention has helped many female students.

These examples remind us what is possible when women use their gifts and skills for the greater good. This is nothing new for Salvation Army women, but we have a responsibility to intentionally nurture, tend and guide this organic, missional work for all generations. This is where Battle Cry comes in!

To engage in Battle Cry is to identify a social need – no matter how big or small – and to feel released to respond to it. It is an invitation to rally your team of friends, colleagues, mums, daughters and granddaughters together, and consider how to serve as a uniquely placed and gifted group of women. Work to your strengths – if you can sew, then sew; if you can teach, then teach; if you can cook, then cook; if you can network, then network. Use your skills to connect with people beyond your usual corners. Step outside your church building and do something beautiful for others, in the name of Jesus!

Globally, The Salvation Army recognizes the role of women in addressing social justice issues. Our desire is that, through these first Battle Cry resources, we will see more women stepping confidently into their calling as agents of social justice. A devotional plan will be released over the coming months and, later in 2025, online courses will educate and equip those who are interested in exploring informed justice response.

Though we may doubt that our offering will make much difference and it might seem easier to leave things to the professionals, we must remember that, as is the way of the Kingdom, we each have a part to play. Start simple. Start small. Start with what you know. There will always be a place for high-level, trained and coordinated responses, but your contribution to creating a better world is also needed. We are stronger together.

My prayer for you is this: ‘May God bless you with discontent with easy answers, half-truths, superficial relationships so that you will live from deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, abuse, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, equality, and peace … May God bless you with the foolishness to think you can make a difference in the world, so that you will do the things which others tell you cannot be done’ (Sister Ruth Fox, 1985).

I invite you to join us in this important work. Together, may we be bold in speaking out with wisdom and grace, and may we be courageous in our pursuit of justice.

Grace and peace to you,

Bronwyn Buckingham

Commissioner
World President of Women’s Ministries

International Headquarters has re-launched the Battle Cry resources from the International Women’s Ministries Department.

On their website – https://salvationarmy.org/ihq/battlecry-resources – you will find resources such as a variety of Battle Cry posters and an information brochure that can be downloaded and used at all levels of our global movement. This site will be continually refreshed with resources, stories, and translated materials.

International Headquarters hopes that this information will be used to stir the hearts of our women and girls to step out and engage with our communities to positively impact the world.

We need to be bold in our response to the needs in our communities. Florence Booth was when she began the ministry to women many years ago. We too are called as Salvationists to do something. This is our chance! Let’s rise to the challenge and help to sound the Battle Cry for all women and girls.

For more information check out IHQ’s website: https://salvationarmy.org/ihq/battlecry-resources

God Knows Me

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By Major Beth Desplancke

Recently, I had the wonderful privilege of attending the USA Central Territory’s Abide Women’s Conference in Green Lake, Wisconsin. It was so exciting to go to a part of the country I had never been to before (first, but hopefully not my last, trip to Wisconsin). I was privileged to be invited to teach a workshop at this event. Although I was excited, I was also anxious. Going somewhere new meant there would be a lot of faces I did not know, and they would not know me.

I am friendly by nature, and have overcome a lot of shyness, but the thought of going to an unknown place, with unknown people, where I sort of knew a few people, was scary. Who would I sit with at meals? (Asking to sit at a table brings back lots of anxiety recalling the traumatic events of my middle school years when people did not want me to sit at their table). Would I spend the entire weekend alone in a sea of 700 women?

I knew that there were four people that I had met before. I worked with one at camp in the summer of 1989, another I met at a conference I attended two years ago, and then two that served on the same national committee as me (one of which invited to me to come participate in this weekend). And for the record, none of these four women would I call close friends, but acquaintances.

One of my assignments for the weekend was to help with the registration of all these women attending this event. I saw lot so faces, and heard lots of names of women I did not know. To my surprise, there were three additional names and faces I did recognize. Women from The Salvation Army USA Western Territory (where I am from) who are now settled in the central part of the US.

The lady next to me at registration, Cindy (a new friend I made over the weekend), would see a familiar face, and say, “I know you” and would find her name on the list. Each time she said that I felt a little lonely. I was startled when a sweet lady who was checking in said to me, “I know you” with a bright, big smile and arms opened wide, ready to hug me. I had no clue who this woman was, and I knew for certain I had never met her. She did not know me.

But I responded to her open arms, and we mutually hugged each other. She asked me how I have been? I responded with “fine.” We had a brief conversation. I have no idea if she ever realized the fact that she didn’t know me. But for that moment, I was reminded of the importance of being known.

The lady who claimed she knew me and hugged me, I never saw again over the weekend. I did get to meet lots of new friends, but to the woman who claimed she knew me, and offered this “lost in the crowd” person a warm greeting and friendly hug, I am eternally grateful.

It feels good to be known, for someone to recognize me, and know my name, and to truly know me. What a comfort it is that God knows me. He knows my name, and everything about me. David writes in Psalm 139:

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain (v. 1-6).

JJ Heller has a beautiful song, “Fully Known.” The song begins with these words:

Have you ever felt lost
Driving down the same road every day?
And you’re caught in traffic
But everyone feels a thousand miles away
Does anyone see you?
Does anyone care? Does anyone know your name?

And then the chorus proclaims:

You are fully known by the Author of space and time
He won’t let you go
And you cannot change His mind
No, you cannot change His mind.

In a sea of people, God knows you. He knows your name. He knows your thoughts. He knows the way you take. God knows all about you. There is no mistaken identity; you and I can never get lost in the crowd. Celebrate the fact that you are fully known by the Author of space and time.

From Trash to Treasure

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By Major Gaylene Yardley
Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Southwest Division

From Trash to Treasure – Acts 3:1-26
It was, is, and will be only through Jesus that…

  1. The lame man was restored – v. 6-10
    a. Physically Restored

Illustration: Many years ago, I found myself in a new appointment with upholstered dining room chairs. They were, of course, white and they were no longer white. I felt bad when I looked at those chairs. They were so dingy, distressed, and dirty. The Lame man was I am sure, all those things, dingy, distressed, and dirty. After being carried to the city gate called “Beautiful” every day to beg, I ‘m sure he looked a little like my chairs. I decided one day that I was going to do something about the look of those chairs, they were nice chairs, they just needed to be physically restored. Therefore, they were restored and now look like they have a new life. Restoration of trash to treasure is like this…Jesus takes our trash that we make of our lives with the decisions we make, and He alone can make our trash into a treasure.

  1. You can be restored – v. 17-20
    a. Spiritually Restore

Verse 19 tells us that we need to repent and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out! What a great promise that if we accept Jesus as our Savior and God, we can have our sins taken completely away.

Illustration: I have a big whiteboard in my office that I put all kinds of notes on. I even use my windows for notes. When I am done with one of those things on my list, I just wipe it off the window or whiteboard. It is gone if I use whiteboard markers. If I do not use those, it stays there a bit longer until it wears off. We do not have to wait for the wearing off with Jesus. He takes it off immediately and it is gone!

  1. All things will be restored in the end – v. 21-26

We are heirs of the kingdom due to our adoption into His family and as we continue to follow His will in our lives, we have the assurance of being with Him in the end. We will be restored to a new heaven and in new bodies and in perfect fellowship with Jesus forever.

Trash to treasure is in the eye of the beholder.

What can you do today with any of these things I have brought into the program? The treasure is in your creative mind. Let us see what we can make today from this “stuff.’

Directions
I found these at a thrift store, and I like mushrooms so I wondered what I could do with it. Thanks to Pinterest, I found some great ideas. I picked this one as I love wind chimes. The Hat was my creation as I doodle all the time.

I also made a dirty felt hat into something fun to wear. I used sharpie markers and hairspray to set it.

This is what I found and wanted to make into something I liked. I paid $3.00 for it.

Supplies needed. I bought the long-beaded garlands from Hobby Lobby for half price and got two times as many beads from that.

I got the buttons from the thrift store.

For attaching the beads.

The bells were half price at Hobby Lobby and on a garland of their own. I cut them apart.

This is the finished project. I really like it. It is fun and a bit funky like me.

Use gloves if you have problems with your skin and jute. It can mess you up.

Download printable directions:

From Trash to TreasureDownload

You are His Precious Child

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By Colonel Genevera Vincent

I was very blessed in my life to have two very godly grandmothers who always made me feel special. There was never a doubt in my mind that I was precious to them-that I belonged to them. My paternal grandmother was outgoing and involved in every aspect of our little corps, taking the position of YPSM for many years while my maternal grandmother was a very shy, quiet lady who would never speak in public. While she never learned to read or write, the love of God was evident in the way she lived her quiet life. I saw Jesus in both my grandmothers and felt special to God because of their godly influence in my life.

On April 28, 2023, I became a grandmother…affectionally known as Nana! My prayer for Callum is that he will grow up knowing he is precious, to his family and to God. When we visit, it warms my heart to listen to our son and daughter-in-law read Bible stories to Callum at night before bed. He will know at the very start of his life that he is God’s precious child.

The scriptures give us many wonderful reminders of our worth in Christ. The book of Isaiah is broken into two themes. Part one, which includes chapters 1-39 is known as the book of judgement and part two, which includes chapters 40-66 is known as the book of comfort. Here, in part two, Isaiah prophecies about the exiles being brought home, and restoration of the nation begins. In Isaiah 49, beginning with verse 8, God is promising the restoration of the nation which he loves and cares for even though they are feeling forsaken and forgotten by God. Verse 15 gives us a beautiful picture of God’s love and care for us. It’s impossible to read verse 15 without feeling precious!

“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”

What a reminder of our worth! While we can’t possibly fathom a mother who can so easily forget her baby, this scripture reminds us that it can and does indeed happen. Not so with God! A mother may forget and not show compassion, but God will not forget you. God will not forget me. We have been created in the image of God and we are precious to him…engraved on the palms of his hands.

Psalm 139 is yet another reminder of how precious we are to God. The whole psalm speaks of our being known and loved by God. Verses 17-18 from the Living Bible reads, “How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me. And when I waken in the morning, you are still thinking of me!”

Have you ever had someone remark to you, “I have been thinking about you a lot lately?” How has that made you feel? I would assume that it made you feel loved, cared for and precious. While on summer vacation this year, I was able to connect with a cousin I have not seen in over thirty years and a school friend I have not seen in over forty years. In our conversation we remarked that reconnecting after all these years was the “icing on the cake” to our vacation. Reminiscing and reflecting on our growing up years, reminded us of how precious our time was together and how precious our friendships were. I left my hometown this summer following vacation, feeling blessed to be able to reconnect after so many years with people who are precious to me.

I recognize that there may be people reading this blog whose upbringing left you feeling unloved and uncared for. Like the nation of Israel while in exile, you may have even felt forgotten by God at times in your life. I want to assure you again that YOU ARE HIS PRECIOUS CHILD! You are loved, you matter, you belong in God’s family. In God’s family there are no favorite children. Someone has aptly said, “There is nothing we can do to make God love us any less and there is nothing we can do to make God love us more.”

Please hear this, GOD LOVES YOU! You are precious to him and there is nothing more beautiful than watching people flourish in their identity in Christ as his precious and dearly loved child.