By Major Angela Strickland Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Golden State Division
Beauty is only skin deep…Beauty is in the eye of the beholder…common things we’ve heard said about beauty.
Our 18-year-old daughter is at that age where wearing make-up and styling her hair have become a bit more “needed” (job interviews, leading worship, youth group outings) than it was a few years ago. I am at that age where my hair is turning gray and the wrinkles that used to be in my clothing are now also on my face.
We are both acutely aware that with the emergence of social media websites such as Tik Tok and Instagram, things like lash lengthening mascara ads, plumped up lips and perfect eyebrows are given high status and warrant “likes” and comments from others.
It tends to make us look at ourselves in the mirror and measure our worth against what we presume society thinks is important. This can cause internal conflict resulting in low self-esteem or a lack of confidence.
Thankfully, we have a deeper sense of the value our Father places on us. What is on the inside is more valued than outward appearance.
Proverbs 31 is well known for its description of what a woman should consider about beauty. Specifically, verse 30, which tells us that “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised” (NIV).
There is nothing wrong with outward beauty. Outward beauty is temporary, but inner beauty is described throughout Proverbs 31 about a woman who isn’t built solely on charm and beauty. There is a little more to this woman. She is wise, a provider, works hard, has a good sense of humor, helps others, she is strong and so much more. A woman who fears the Lord has characteristics of one who fears being separated from God. So, she lives her life worthy of His calling and commands.
His Word reinforces for us that true beauty is found on the inside. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 3:3-4 that “your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”
The next time you pass a mirror, don’t think only about what your physical image reflects, but consider whose you are and how you can reflect the beauty of His holiness.
Let’s Pray…
Father, thank you for looking beyond our outward appearance and for seeing our internal beauty. Allow us to see ourselves as you do and reveal in us areas that need transformation so that we may reflect the true beauty that is found in our relationship with you. Help us to look beyond the surface in others, and to acknowledge the godly qualities you have blessed them with. May our lives exemplify your love and grace so that others might draw closer to you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Enjoy this song by Jamie Grace, that you are “Every Bit of Lovely”:
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/peter-kalonji-LH74lRYvBY4-unsplash-scaled.jpg25601707Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2024-12-16 13:06:472024-12-16 13:07:03January 2025 Devotional: Beauty from the Inside Out
By Captain Isabella Green Wrangell, AK Corps – Alaska Division
Based on the song “Pieces” by Steffany Gretzinger
The summer I turned 18, I started dating a guy I was convinced would be the one. He was a Christian, he loved children and wanted a family, our life goals lined up, and we shared the same calling. He on paper, was everything I was looking for.
But the summer ended, and our relationship turned into a long-distance one. I would write him letters every day. Pouring my heart into them. Drawing little pictures and sharing all that I had going on. I never got letters back. I would call him often, eager to hear his voice and share about my day. I would wait in my room, counting the phone rings as I waited for him to answer. I left a lot of voicemails sitting in that room.
As the months passed, I heard from him less and less. The phone calls that did get answered became shorter and shorter, and the texts less and less. Finally, around Christmas time we were reunited. My family drove 6 hours in Alaskan winter to meet him, spending a weekend near where he was staying so that we could have time together.
I was so eager, so excited to see him. And when we met up, my heart soared. The months of hurt and being ignored got tucked away and ignored. He was here, and everything was going to be okay. But I would grab his hand, and he would let mine go. I would wrap my arm through his, and he pulled away. I would smile at him, and he would look down. The pieces of my heart crumbled a little more each time.
The weekend ended, and we went our separate ways again. I did not hear anything from him the day I left. Nor the day after, nor the day after that. A week later, his name lit up my phone screen as he called me. The call was short, and simply informed me that he felt he had been leading me on for months now, that his feelings were no longer there, and that it would be best if we broke it off. His name never showed up on my phone again, and the pieces he left me in were scattered on the floor.
He left me in pieces, after only ever offering me pieces of himself. Pieces of his attention, pieces of his affection, pieces of his care. Just enough to string me on, to keep me looking for more, but never enough to truly make me feel loved.
It was in the season of picking up my pieces, that I learned Gods love never comes in pieces. As I stumbled into the goodness of God, heartbroken and hopes for the future shattered, I found myself enveloped in a love so strong and so deep, that it covered me in totality.
God picked up the pieces and put me back together again. Patching me up in a beautiful new design. Still me, but stronger. Still me, but with an understanding of what it truly means to be loved. God loves in totality. He loves unconditionally. He loves without care of if others have deemed you unlovable.
Romans 5:8 tells us that, “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
His love for us is so deep, so true, that before we even knew Him, He died for us. Before we could ever choose Him, He chose us. When humanity was separated from Him, He sent His son to destroy the divide. And in His death the divide was shattered, left in pieces, allowing us to be truly whole in Him.
God does not love in pieces. He does not give us only part of himself. He gives us His all. He loves in totality and pours into us from a cup that never runs empty. His love is true, pure, and unconditional. It is given, without care of if we are worthy of it or not. It is there for us in the darkest valleys of our lives. And it is there for us when everything is going right.
God’s love for us is always there, even when we are not seeking it out. And at just the right moment, it will come crashing down in a mighty wave, overwhelming and washing out everything else. Every sense of doubt, of anger, of hurt, gone in the great wave that is His love. In His fullness, He will sweep the pieces up, and patch them back together again. Stitched up by His love and left new, ever more beautiful than before.
His fully given, unrestrained, and unconditional love, will leave us overflowing with a love so pure and true, that we simply must share it. His love is never given in pieces and will never leave us in pieces.
As we prepare for the holiday season, consider adding a homemade decoration that also helps you focus on the Reason for the Season! Do you ever think to yourself, “Man, I have a lot of people to pray for lately”? Do you need a reminder to pray for those people you said you would lift up in prayer but actually forget to pray for? Or perhaps you want to spend some significant amount of time in prayer but are easily distracted. This craft may just help you. Using fabric and or ribbon, tie a knot around Christmas lights for a beautiful fabric garland.Check-out the details of how to make the Lighted Garland Craft.
Prayer Focus Options:
As you tie knots you can:
Designate each color for a different prayer focus.
Designate each set of knots to a prayer focus.
Designate each light to a different prayer focus.
As you tie the knots pray for the person you plan to give the garland to as a gift.
Color Example:
Red – Pray for the Salvation of those who don’t know Jesus.
Green – Pray for the spiritual growth of those who do know Him.
Gold – Pray for the corps.
White – Holiness within yourself, Your walk with God.
Patterned – Pray for your community.
Each time you look at the garland throughout the season, you will be reminded to say a quick prayer for those who you covered in prayer as you made the garland.
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.
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:
I was sixteen years old when I held my firstborn child. I was a child myself. And I remember looking at that little face and being completely in love. I knew, even then, that I would do absolutely anything for that child. My instincts to protect and care for him immediately kicked in and all I wanted to do was make sure that this little boy always knew that he was loved and wanted. He was my precious child.
When I was nineteen, I married a man who loved my son as I did. Though they did not share a biological connection or a last name, my husband raised that little boy as his own. He cared for him and provided for him as he grew up. He showed up to school plays, football games, and graduation ceremonies. He was there for every heartbreak and every celebration. As far as my husband was concerned, that boy was his precious son.
When my son turned nineteen, he found himself planning his own wedding. The now young man said to my husband, “As my wedding day approaches, and as I imagine what my life will look like starting a family of my own, I cannot imagine not having my dad’s last name. That’s the name I want my wife and my children to have. That’s the name I want.” He then asked my husband if he would adopt him and give him his last name. My husband’s response was that he had always been his son and with great joy, he adopted him just weeks before the wedding.
Friends, we have been given the opportunity to be adopted by God, to become His children. God’s Word tells us in John 1:12-13, “Yet to all who receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
We are all created by God. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 139:13, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” God sees us and loves us simply because we are His creation. And while it is true that we are all created by God, we must be adopted by Him to be called His children.
John reminds us of three truths in verse 13. The first truth is that being a child of God has nothing to do with our natural birth. Other biblical translations read “not of blood” meaning that this spiritual adoption has nothing to do with a physical blood relationship.
The second truth is that being a child of God does not depend on human will. Many of us have loved ones who are believers and who pray for us, but simply knowing someone who knows the Lord, and prays that we would know Him too, does not make us a child of God.
The third truth is that being a child of God is not dependent on human decision, meaning that we are not the source of this adoption. We cannot simply decide that we are His child and then live however we want to live. This adoption is only possible through God. His word tells us that He makes us His children only when we receive His Son, Jesus Christ, and believe in His name.
But once we make that choice, we bear a new name: His precious child. John 3:16 tells us, “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.”
From the moment you and I choose to believe and accept Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives, God sees us through the lens of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and we are accepted and adopted. With our new name, we also receive the inheritance of our Heavenly Father – eternal life. God wants to make sure that you and I know that we are loved and wanted. We are His precious children.
The chorus of Hillsong Worship’s song, “Who You Say I Am” says this:
“Who the son sets free, oh is free indeed; I’m a child of God, yes I am. In my Father’s house, there’s a place for me; I’m a child of God, yes I am.”
My son wanted my husband’s last name because it said to the world that he was his son. As he lives his life and grows his family, it’s my husband’s name that will live on in generations to come. When we come to Jesus and we are adopted into God’s family, we are given God’s name. Our daily lives tell the world that we belong to Him, that we are His children. As we live in the full understanding that we have the inheritance of eternal life, we can love people into the Kingdom who are still looking to be loved and wanted. As more choose to receive Jesus and believe in Him, they are adopted into the family of God and the name of the Lord will live on for generations to come. What a blessing it is to be His precious children!
By Captain Irene Castro Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Del Oro Division
Some people of faith might not want to admit it, but most can probably remember a time when reciting a daily prayer or two was not exactly a part of their everyday routine. For many, daily prayer is something they turn to when life becomes stressful, difficult, or saddening. It can be easy to forget about the habit when life is busy or when everything is going well. But having a daily habit of healing through prayer is a great way to stay grounded in your faith on a day-to-day basis and prioritize reflective time between you and God. Reading a prayer for today will not only help you feel closer to God but can also relieve daily stress and anxiety. But if it’s been a while since you read Bible scripture, finding a place to start can feel overwhelming. That’s why it’s helpful to have some short go-to Bible verses and prayers that can provide guidance and strength through every season of your life, whether you pray every day, week, month, or barely at all. The most important thing to remember, though, is that no matter how often you pray, God is always ready to listen. Here are some helpful tips on how to get started.
Prayer 1: Prayer for Mornings Good morning, Lord! Today’s a new day, a chance for a new start. Yesterday is gone and with it all regrets, mistakes, or failures I may have experienced. It’s a good day to be glad and give thanks, and I do, Lord. Thank you for today, a new opportunity to love, give, and be all that you want me to be. Amen. — Rebecca Barlow Jordan
Prayer 2: Prayer for Strength Father in heaven, I stand before You today in Your omnipotent presence to ask that You grant me strength. I want You to give me the strength to power through all of the tasks today — whether little or big. It is by Your will that I live oh Lord. And I know it is also by Your will I will not go weak today. I will not go lazy nor I will fail to do all things set before me because You strengthen me. Thank You for Your everlasting presence, Lord and in Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer 3: Prayer for Strength to Endure Lord, I am weary and don’t know when this “race” will end in my life. I feel like I’ve been running forever, trying to outrun this trial. Help me to stop trying to outrun my pain but rather run with endurance the race you have set before me. I know that because of you I am ultimately a victor over the trials in my life. I know that nothing in this world can separate me from your steadfast love. Please give me a measure of your love today; give me the strength to endure this trial. Thank you for your love for me that never ends! And thank you for the crown of joy that awaits me forever in your Kingdom! — Adrian Rogers
Prayer 4: Prayer for Peace Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, forgive; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. — The Prayer of St. Francis
Prayer 5: Prayer for Forgiveness Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. — The Lord’s Prayer
Prayer 6: Prayer for Comfort The LORD is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He lets me rest in grassy meadows; he leads me to restful waters; he keeps me alive. He guides me in proper paths for the sake of his good name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger because you are with me. Your rod and your staff — they protect me. You set a table for me right in front of my enemies. You bathe my head in oil; my cup is so full it spills over! Yes, goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the LORD’s house as long as I live. — Psalms 23: 1-6
Prayer 7: Prayer for Gratitude Lord, thank you for your abundant, abounding grace. Thank you that we don’t have to earn a drop of the mighty river of grace that flows freely for us today. Thank you for the unexpected, unmerited favor you’ve showered on my life. Help me put myself in the path of your love and grace. Help me not neglect the disciplines I need to meet with you regularly and to drink from the water of life. Thank you for your rich love. Amen.— David Mathis
Prayer 8: Prayer for Serenity God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen. — The Serenity Prayer, Reinhold Niebuhr
Prayer 9: Prayer for Counsel My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone. — Lead Me, Thomas Merton
Prayer 10: Stand Strong in You Dear Lord, I don’t know who or what will cross my path today. But I do know that You are my Rock and my Fortress. You are my Shield and my Strong Tower. Help me to anchor myself to You today. Teach me how to stand strong in You and choose only Your way today. Help me walk by Your truth and not my feelings. Help me to embrace anything that comes my way as an opportunity to see You at work and as an opportunity to point others to You. Thank You that You love me, and nothing can ever take that away from me! Even if I fail today and fall short, you whisper Your unconditional love deep into my soul and remind me that Your mercies are new every morning. That truly amazes me, Lord. Thank You for meeting with me today. Would You wake me again tomorrow with the same sweet whisper of Your love? I can’t wait to meet with You again. In Jesus’ name, Amen. — Wendy Blight
Prayer 11: A Powerful Prayer Today is a new day and it’s filled with different possibilities. I pray that You oh Lord in above perform miracles in the life of “insert name.” He/she shall not lack, and any mountain set before him/her today shall be reduced to a steppingstone. As today ends, let songs of praises be sung in Your Holy Name. Miracles, blessings, and divine protection will “name” have in each and every one of his/her days. I exalt You Lord and I thank You for the grace. Amen.
https://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ben-white-08swtCO0Syg-unsplash-scaled.jpg17092560Beth Desplanckehttps://usw-womensministries.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uswLogo-300x75-300x75.pngBeth Desplancke2024-08-13 10:49:112024-08-13 10:49:25September 2024 Devotional: 11 Powerful Daily Prayers to Help You Start Your Morning Off Right
By Captain Jan Pemberton Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Cascade Division
When we look at the word meditation, we think of someone on a yoga mat with their legs crossed in the lotus position chanting or something similar to that type of scenario. That is not the case when we look at meditating on the word of God. When we look at ways to take the time to meditate on the word of the Lord, we can set ourselves up for success in reading scripture. This time is also be seen as a time of contemplation. Some of us look to steal away to a quiet retreat, such as our offices with the door closed, some of us thrive and flourish in our alone time in a bustling coffee shop, and some of us like to listen to instrumental Christian or Classical music in our headphones to drown out the world around us. No matter how you recharge your spiritual batteries and meditate on the word of God, that moment in time is sacred and special.
When we are in Christian meditation, we can take our time reading the scripture God laid on our hearts at that moment or one our daily devotions have suggested. We can take the time to pray and meditate upon God’s word in a way that gives us time alone with the Holy Spirit to guide us into a deeper relationship with Christ. When we are in the midst of our meditative time with God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, we are taking the time to think deeply, to prepare our hearts and our minds for the time we are about to have with the blessed Trinity and to prepare ourselves for how they will speak into our lives through our prayer time.
God’s Holy Spirit is there to help us when we are looking for guidance to learn more about Christ and His word and how He lived His life here on earth. There are many Scriptures that invoke meditative rest while in the presence of the Lord. A few are
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm19:14
“Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.” Psalms 48:9-10
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
When we take the time to ponder the word and take the time to listen to what the Holy Spirit wants us to learn from scripture, we cannot rush this precious time. Take time to practice deep, slow breaths, and this will cause your body and mind to become calm and focused on what God wants to learn from your studies. This is a time of quiet, receptive prayer without words, and during this time, we can experience and enjoy the presence of God.
When we take the time to meditate on the Lord and His word, we not only can experience true peace, but through the Holy Spirit, we can experience perfect peace! When we have times of anxiety, frustration, and depression, there is nothing that can match the perfect peace we can receive from God’s word.
As we prepare to take the time to meditate on God’s word and rest in His presence and perfect peace while waiting for an answer in his time, this is a time when we can ask ourselves some questions to seek God’s answer.
When we look at meditating on God’s word, we must also look at the verses that speak into our lives and keep those scriptures close to us and have them written on our hearts. This is where memorization comes into our time with God. When we pray to the Lord, the Holy Spirit is there to bring those verses that have impacted our lives in times of great stress, worry, doubt, and great joy. This is why reading our Bible is essential and goes hand in hand with a productive prayer life. This act of memorization of scripture is not to stress us out more it is a time to reflect on passages that spoke into our lives.
Prayer Father God, I pray that I take the time for the rest, renewal, and refreshment that I need for my soul. Lord, when I can take time to myself to seek comfort in your word, let me do so with an intentional heart. Allow me the time of refreshment and time with you to comfort me while I am comforting others. As I pour into others, let me take the time to allow you to pour into me. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
We can ask ourselves the following questions as we prepare for our time with God.
How can I prepare and focus my heart and mind to be fully committed to this time of contemplation with God?
Is my space conducive to making this time with God intentional?
How has God spoken to me through events in my life?
What scriptures has God placed on my heart that I know by memory? How can I use them in my life and in my ministry to others?
Below are some tips for author Adele Ahlberg Calhoun’s book “Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us” (page 194) on memorization, and we can use these tips to kick start our time of meditating on God’s word and writing those words on our hearts.
MEMORIZATION DESIRE: To always carry the life-shaping words of God in me and in all places.
DEFINITION: Memorization is the process of continually remembering the words, truths, and images God uses to shape us. Memorization provides us with a store of learning, which can be accessed anywhere and anytime.
SCRIPTURE:
“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.” Psalm 119:97
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11
“Then they remembered his words.” (Luke 24:8) “I think it is right to refresh your memory. . . . And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.” 2 Peter 1:13, 15
PRACTICE INCLUDES: Memorizing Scripture, hymns, poems, quotes, etc., rereading portions of Scripture until they are committed to memory, memorizing Scripture verses that clearly reveal God’s plan of salvation, memorizing the books of the Bible, particular dates and times as well as where various verses are found learning by heart portions of Scripture that encourage you when you are tempted.
GOD-GIVEN FRUIT: Keeping company with Jesus by hiding his Word in your heart, recollecting God-given encouragement and exhortation, developing a habit of remembering that anchors your life in biblical truth, committing to memory Scripture, hymns, poems, and quotes that God is using in your life, knowing where well-loved portions of Scripture are located.
By Major Tina Bottjen Mat-Su Valley, AK Corps – Alaska Division
Growing up, I had always viewed hospitality as throwing elegant parties with the best foods that took all day to prepare. Hospitality, in my understanding, took valuable time, money, and effort. It was a gift for those that were extroverts that had lots of time and money on their hands. However, in the summer of 2005, my understanding of hospitality would be forever changed in a wonderful and powerful way.
Any officer in The Salvation Army can tell you, we move…. sometimes a lot, and almost always in the summer. In our officership here in the USA Western Territory, many of our moves have always happened around my youngest daughter’s birthday (Mid July). The timing of these moves often made it, so her birthdays were often a “family only” affair with no friends or even children her age there to celebrate with her.
We had just experienced such a move, one that took us from New Mexico to Alaska (thousands of miles away). Soon after moving, I was working alongside a volunteer, sorting items for the little thrift store attached to the back of the corps building. I shared how bad I felt for my daughter that so often her birthday was a small, family only event. She promptly told me, “Get me some invitations, I’ll give them out to some of the families I know with children her age. I can’t promise that anyone will show up, but I can promise to give out the invitations.” I went home and put the invitations together and gave them to her. I honestly didn’t expect anything to come from it though, who would want to come to a birthday party for someone they didn’t even know?
The day of my daughter’s birthday arrived, and we told her it was going to be a family birthday party (again, not much hope that anyone would show up.) We decorated for her party, as we always did. Just in case people did show up, I had hidden games, prizes, and goodie bags in my room. We took it slow that morning, wasting time with poor excuses for delaying the opening of gifts and eating goodies until the time I had put on the invitations arrived. It would be an understatement to say she was a little frustrated thinking we were just being ornery by making her wait.
As the time drew near, a car pulled up our driveway and out jumped a couple of girls her age, then another car pulled up, more kids, and then another! That day, 12 young girls came to celebrate the birthday of a young girl they had never met. As I took out the hidden games (including a piñata!), gift bags, and prizes, there were happy tears, laughter, and joy. They played games, ate too much food, and they gave her birthday gifts! We met several parents that day, people we would soon call friends. This gift of hospitality was so amazing, and soon we would call this place our hometown.
Scripture makes it very clear that hospitality is not only a gift and an expectation, but it is a requirement for believers. Romans 12:10-13 (NIV) tells us, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines hospitality as, “generous and friendly treatment of visitors and guests or hospitable treatment.” Hospitality is a way of living, a way of interacting with and sharing our life and time with those around us, all the time. Hospitality is letting people know they belong, not only in our homes, but also in our lives, and our community.
That day, my whole family felt welcomed and included in a community that we all still call home. Our lives were changed, because one woman shared her gift of hospitality by passing out birthday invitations, bringing twelve young girls and their families into our lives to celebrate our child and to welcome a new family to town.
By Major Gaylene Yardley Divisional Women’s Ministries Secretary – Southwest Division
Note: This devotional coordinates with this month’s craft,Soap Carving, and this month’s Bible Study.
Can you say that you have not sinned today? Listen to this prayer.
Dear Lord, So far I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped, haven’t lost my temper, haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent. I’m really glad about that.
But in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get out of bed. And from then on, I’m going to need a lot more help.
I feel this way many times. I’m doing great God and then…My dinner burns, I drop the milk on the floor, someone almost hit me at the left turn, my boss told me I am getting extra work for my plate, my kids played hide and seek in the clean laundry, and on and on.
When things like this happen, I get mad, I say things in my head that I can’t say out loud, I resent people for their actions that I have no power over. Life happens and we must realize that we do sin daily in our actions or in our thoughts.
1 John 1:8 tells us, “If we say we have not sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” The passage goes on to say (v. 9), “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The soap we will use in our craft is a great reminder of this verse. We can be cleansed from our sins only through Jesus Christ, but we have to confess those sins to Him. Sometimes it is hard to admit our wrongs, our mistakes, our actions that we have done. I don’t like to admit when I am wrong. I want it just to all go away, but it doesn’t until I confess it to the Lord. Then it is all gone. What a great promise to us that he is faithful in forgiveness. I pray that you are grateful that Jesus loves you enough to wash your sins away and to do it anytime and anyplace you come to Him with your sins. It can be while you are working, vacuuming, eating dinner, going to bed, Jesus meets you where you are.
Maybe someone has been unkind to you. Maybe you have been hurt by someone close to you. Maybe you feel you can’t forgive them. C. S. Lewis said this, “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.” It’s a great concept until it’s you who must forgive someone you do not feel deserves it. In Matthew 18:21 and 22 we read some very difficult information. “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times”? Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” NIV
So, do you deserve forgiveness? Perhaps you might think a bit differently after reading this verse. None of us deserve the forgiveness we have in Christ Jesus, but it is a gift from Him for the sins of the world that He took upon Himself. Jesus extended this forgiveness to you, so why don’t you extend it to another person who has wronged you? Remember Ephesians 4:32 NLT says, “Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God through Christ Jesus has forgiven you. “
The plan for our lives as followers of Jesus is to ask for forgiveness and to extend that to others as well.
May our prayer be:
Thank you Lord for helping me through the day and forgiving me for my sins and for helping me to forgive those who wronged or hurt me today. I am glad to receive your forgiveness and to extend it to others. Amen
