SCW March 2018 Edition

SCW

STRONG AND COURAGEOUS WOMEN MAGAZINE

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Table of contents

Life • From the Desk of the Editor_______________________________3 • A+ Your Marriage by Michelle Athens________________________5 • Raising Strong Children by Suzette Ladouceur_________________7 • You Are A Sister First by Chelsea Drinkard____________________9

Well-Being • Overcome Offenses by Esther Volmar_______________________12 • Rebel Against Toxicity by Erika Faustino_____________________15 • Purposeful Connections by Joy Morey______________________17

Leisure • Leadership Begins with Your Daily Commitment to God by Karen Gillman______________________________________________19 • 123 Style Me Linda Paige________________________________21 • Patched Wangs Book Review_____________________________24

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Our theme for this edition is “ G r o w ”

From the Desk of the Editor

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ne of the most amazing things to experience as a parent is to watch your children reach milestones and growth spurts. Some are entertaining like walking, talking, and eating. Yet, others are gut wrenching like climbing, cutting, and running. However, all of them are necessary for their growth. The same goes for us in our spiritual walk with God. For us to grow spiritually, we must attain tools that are necessary. We must read His word, worship Him, and listen to His voice. But then there are those situations that we don’t wish to experience as we grow, like going thru a desert, going thru a valley, and having the sensation that you are at the end of a cliff with a heart filled with fear not wanting to jump off.

We could just wish not to have any involvement with these as we grow.

But to grow we must understand it all, without going thru the desert we will not receive the tools that are needed for us to walk into our calling the way Moses did. When we go thru a valley and are being tempted it just means that we will come out on the other side refined like gold. Feeling that we are at the end of a cliff scared to death only means God is about to move in a mighty way in our lives and we must trust Him. If you are experiencing any of these just know you are well on your way to the next level of growth in your spiritual walk. If there is currently no activity in that area, then let me encourage you to take some audacious steps into that territory. We want you to grow and for that reason you will find some thought provoking articles that will help you do just that.

Write to us at info@strongandcourageouswomen. com and tell us in what areas are you growing this season?

I’ll be praying for you!

Find us on Facebook at Strong and Courageous Women and on Instagram at SCW Magazine.

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was having dinner one night at a local restaurant, when I noticed a couple across the way. The apathy between them that was obvious.

They barely interacted with one another. One was looking down at the phone almost the entire dinner, looking up only occasionally while the other ate mostly in silence. I was sure they actually spoke more words to the waiter than to each other. Had they just run out of things to say? Had they exhausted every topic and every humorous antidote? Were they just not interested anymore? I wondered how long they’d been together. More than that, I wondered how much of more of a future they had. Then I thought about my husband, a few nights earlier, sending me a “Hey, what’s up?” text, even though he was lying right beside me in the bed. We laughed about it then, but clearly this was his way of winning my attention over my own scrolling habit. Seeing that couple in the restaurant was a glimpse into my own marriage and suddenly, I felt nervous.

A+ Your Marriage By: Michelle Athens

Time for an emergency re-evaluation.

• Do you and your spouse set aside time to talk about what’s going on in your lives?

• Do you and your spouse encourage or complement each other regularly?

• How often do you or your spouse feel admired by one another?

Here are some basic attributes marriages that are totally acing it.

of

Attention – Let’s start by paying attention to the word attention which basically means to take notice of someone or something and regard it as interesting or important.

There are so many things vying for our 5

attention these days.

Social media, television shows, friends, employers, and the list continues. Who gets the gift of your attention is up to you and no one else. The next time your spouse talks about anything that excites them whether a sports game, a PTA or work meeting or even a new gardening technique, will you make a genuine attempt to be interested? Will you make eye contact?

Will you respond with questions to take the topic into deeper territory? Will you acknowledge their interests as worthy and relevant to you?

everything else. As in not taking our spouse for granted. We don’t have to exhaust ourselves with big extravagant moves either. No need to rent out Times Square to reach the desired effect. Save the grandiose for the movies. Small gestures speak the loudest.

I came home one day to find my husband on a work call. I knew this because he was using what I lovingly call his “business voice”. I waved him a hello, giving him full on permission to do the same, but rather than wave off a greeting to me, he actually put the call on hold. A hello kiss, an inquiry about my day. Our words were exchanged unhurriedly, his eyes fixed on me, not darting back at forth from me to the phone, silently pleading with me to hurry up. The whole thing unfolded in maybe 45 seconds, but that was all it took to send me off on my way feeling like a queen.

AdorationCouples who are doing marriage right don’t just leave it for Valentine’s Day. Showing adoration is a constant drip line into their relationships. Cherish each other. What does this even mean?

Say I love you at least once a day. Pay him at least one sincere compliment in front of others? Play with his hair. Hold your spouse’s hand. Kiss for no reason.

Create a safe place for your spouse that uplifts and enhances their personal strengths and reduces their self doubts into oblivion.

This is going to sound cliché but we tend to get what we give. We will reep what we sow. Aside from your relationship with God, this is the most important one of all and not one we can afford to fail. If we can ingrain these techniques into our marriages, it will create a happy groove that’s deep and wide enough to save us from all the perils of over familiarity and quiet boring dinners.

AweAwe. As in respect. As in holding your spouse priority above everyone and

MICHELLE ATHENS

A writer who is eternally grateful for the “perfect for her” husband God has blessed her with. Find her @ michelleathens.com 6

Raising Strong Children

by Suzette Ladouceur

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sand, but they do not last very long as the heated sand eventually burns out the root system and the weed itself withers away.

As a mother, I look at the palm tree and weeds as illustrations of the kind of children I want to bring up.

Palm trees takes time to grow into the majestic beach tree they are. Although sand is not the ideal soil to grow strong, healthy plants, this doesn’t stop the palm tree from growing big and strong.

Sometimes because of storms, the palm tree’s trunk does not grow straight. It is bent and grows crooked, yet it can still grow

ne aspect of living in Florida that I love is the going to the beach when the weather begins to warm up.

There is nothing like the sand, smell of saltwater in the air, and the view to take your breath away.

However, one thing I have noticed in all of my trips to the beach is there is only one plant which makes its home in the beach sand. It is the palm tree.

It stands there with its strong trunk and luscious green leaves in an area too brutal for other plants to thrive well.

Occasionally, you may find a weed in the 7

• Or are we just letting life happen to them, with no guidance, attention, or care?

Psalm 92:12 says, “Those who do what is right will grow like a palm tree. They will grow strong like a cedar tree in Lebanon.”

I want my children to grow as palm trees.

Strong, tall, and in a place where they can be a blessing to others, but it requires action on our part.

Be in fervent prayer for your children. Ask God, the Grower of the seeds (1 Corinthians 3:6), to help your children grow to be might men and women for His glory.

Give your children the biblical foundation they need to look at life and its ups and downs from a biblical perspective. Teach them the accounts of Job, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel and his friends, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Jesus Himself, and remind them that God allows trials to come into our lives, not to break us but to shape us into the men and women He wants us to be for His glory. Teach them that hard times will come, but our response to those times can either bend and shape us or break us.

Help your child prune away character issues that are detrimental to his or her growth. We all have character flaws. Rather than teaching our children to wear their flaws as a badge of pride, help them to see how pruning away bad attitudes and flaws will help us grow into the man or woman God has for us to become.

Mama, I pray that your little palm trees grow into mighty trees who will bless all who pass their way.

strong and proud and even become a resting place or spot of beauty along the beach.

As the palm tree begins to grow, old growth falls away to make way for new growth as the tree heightens to its maximum potential.

Because it absorbs all of the water it can from the sand it is growing in, the palm tree develops a strong trunk and beautiful green leaves and eventually becomes a shade for hot and tired beach goers.

Weeds on the other hand grow quickly where they are not wanted and require no care or attention.

• As we look at our children, ask yourself, “Am I raising palm trees or weeds?”

• Are we providing our children with the best environment for them to thrive in? And if the best environment is not possible, are we teaching them to thrive where God has put them?

• Have we given our children the foundation in Christ they need so when life storms come their way they may bend but never break? Are we helping them to grow in a way that the storms in their lives provide a shelter for others one day?

• Are we helping our children prune away the old growth in their lives to make way for the new growth God wants to give them?

• Are we teaching them to absorb all of the life-giving lessons God wants to show them where they are planted in order for them to grow strong and beautiful for His glory?

SUZETTE LADOUCEUR

Her desire is to share her experiences, life lessons, and simple tips to inspire and build up women.

Find her @ PurposefulMoms.com.

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You Are a Sister First

by Chelsea Drinkard

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llow me to explain.

Everyone around me was telling me how obvious it was he had feelings for me, but he had told me several months ago he was not ready to date.

Despite what everyone said, I decided I would not think about if there could be something more, until he would verbalize it. Basically, I

had the case of mixed signals syndrome. Have you ever been diagnosed?

Was I even interested in “something more”, you ask? I mean, isn’t tall, dark and handsome everyone’s cup of tea? (sigh). This is one of those guys whose inbox is flooded with girls messaging him because He 9

loves the Lord, honoring, genuinely cares for others and attractive. You know, your average Christian girls’ fantasy we talk about in small group. Did he have qualities of a man I am looking for?

Absolutely, but I knew what I had to do.

A married friend of mine gave me three important

have never asked the questions that revealed underlying potential issues that would have manifested in a future relationship. I asked God to close the door if it wasn’t His will and timing and He did. If I was not sensitive to His leading I would have missed His answer to my prayer. I am so thankful I was constantly praying and seeking the Lord every step of the way.

Don’t get me wrong, Chelsea a few years ago would have been livid. I would have said, “This whole thing was a waste of time.” I probably wouldn’t have reached out to my friend for advice let alone put a guy’s best interest ahead of mine.

The beautiful thing about our Father, He gives us the grace and opportunity to grow. I know I have a lot to learn but that’s why books like The Sacred Search and talking to couples who have been married for over 30 years is so important. I am so thankful I have learned, we are first brothers and sisters in Christ. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that “if I do not love, I am nothing” and love “is not self-seeking” and “it always protects”. We are not walking in love if we are putting our interests ahead of others.

Especially in our “we don’t need men” society.

If we, as sisters in Christ, choose to view men, our friends, boyfriend, fiancé or husband, as our brothers in Christ, seeing them the way God sees them, will transform our perspective and how they are treated. In turn, this will allow men to raise up and be the warriors, protectors and men of valor they have been created to be. #SCWLife

questions to ask. From the beginning of our friendship, I continued to pray, asking the Lord “if it’s not your will and timing close the door.” These three questions I had never thought about asking but when not addressed would have the potential to rip a relationship apart.

The foundation for every relationship is open communication and I knew we needed to clear the path.

Then....It finally happened, the glimmer of hope of him expressing there could be something more, but I knew I had to ask my three questions.

I was so nervous to ask him, but with God’s grace, they came out naturally in our conversation. As we spent more time talking, I was able to hear more of his heart and where he was spiritually, mentally and emotionally.

Suddenly, as he continued to share, I could feel Holy Spirit saying, “a relationship isn’t what is best for him right now.”

Instead of exploring more of a potential “us” I was able to recognize he needed a sister in Christ; speaking truth in love. I respect him so much for his transparency and honesty.

In the moment, God totally protected my heart and gave me the eyes to see Him as my brother in Christ first and foremost. If I hadn’t remained objective, setting my feelings aside (like I said, he was really good looking) with his best interest ahead of mine, I could have manipulated the situation to benefit my feelings and what I wanted.

Looking back, if I would have not sought out wisdom from a married friend of mine, I would CHELSEA DRINKARD

She believes the only One who can truly satisfy our human hearts, is the One who created us. She believes the single season is a gift to identify our design, desires and destiny and run after the Creator's heart, since He will always be original love of our life.

Chelsea is an entrepreneur, Area Director for Christians Business Connection Tampa Bay and has been featured as a national radio/ podcast guest host and public speaker in her community.

Find her @chelseadrinkard.com 10

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Overcoming Offenses

by Esther Volmar

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t’s Spring!! That means spring cleaning for most of us, giving away clothes that you no longer wear, items you and your family have outgrown and cleaning your house from top to bottom.

But have you considered spring cleaning for your heart and peace of mind? As busy women, moms and wives we have a tendency to take care of many things externally, caring for our families and our home. Many responsibilities and decisions are usually surrounding us.

Caring for our hearts and our minds sometimes can get neglected or put on the back-burner until we have TIME. Sometimes that time, unless we are intentional about it may never come. So how can we “Spring Clean” our hearts and minds?

The answer lies in Philippians 4:69, Be anxious for nothing, 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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything, worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Have you been offended? Often if we take a moment to examine our hearts, there may be offenses or hurt feelings we have not dealt with or given much thought to. We all get offended, whether someone intentionally or unintentionally hurt us we have residual feelings that need to be dealt

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with. Do you think Jesus was hurt or offended by Judas’ betrayal or Peter’s denial?

Do you think Jesus was hurt when his disciples kept falling asleep when He asked them to stay awake and pray for Him in His moment of weakness at Gethsemane? Of course, he was hurt, as scripture tells us, He was tempted in all ways...

(Hebrews 4:15). However, it is our reaction to these offenses in our lives that will protect our hearts and minds. Are you compassionate, do you handle matters with maturity and react to situations when you are hurt with a gentle tongue?

Or do you react like the vast majority, unable to hold your tongue, take to social media at every offense, put people on blast? It’s never too late to do the right thing, you can decide today to have a forgiving heart and show more compassion towards others.

But how you ask? Start with prayer (Phil 4:6), ask God for help in your offenses, healing your hurts and helping you to be honest with those who have

offended you. We have many opportunities to do the right thing, the Christ-like thing, the loving thing. We forgive because He first forgave us, and forgiving others releases it from your heart. It’s an outward expression of your heart trusting God with the hurt and pain so that you can begin to heal. No one’s journey is the same, we all experience hurt in different ways and there is no one-size-fits all remedy. But we do have a gracious heavenly Father who knows what each and every one of us needs. Let Him help you. Before my husband Greg and I got married, I had gotten word that my birth mother was looking for me. I had not seen her since the 2nd grade, I was six years old. A multitude of emotions came rushing through, at first anxiety and excitement, but then about to be married and thinking about growing my family I felt great disappointment, anger and fear. All these years I thought I had forgiven her, but the more I thought about re-uniting with her I realized

I had just been suppressing my feelings without actually dealing with the pain. With my husband’s help and praying and relying on the Lord I began my journey to forgive her. For some, forgiveness for certain situations may be quick and instantaneous and for other matters that forgiveness may be a journey you walk out with the Lord. It’s Ok, not all matters of the heart are resolved in the same manner and that’s why each of us have our own unique testimonies.

I encourage each of you this Spring to de-clutter your heart and minds by taking the first step to forgive others of their offenses towards you. Christ says the things you learn, receive, hear and see Him do, practice these things and you will experience His peace (Phil 4:9). His peace will be with you, whatever you do and wherever you go! Have an amazing Spring season and I pray His peace over your minds and hearts and that His abundance is supplied for you and your family today!

To watch the full video and inspiration for this article, please visit this link! http://bit.ly/OvercomeOffenses ESTHER VOLMAR

A devoted wife and mother who has a desire to share her heart, was inspired to create a YouTube Channel - Simply Esther where she enjoys sharing her passions and lifestyle with her global audience.

Find her @ https://www.youtube.com/c/SimplyEsther 14

Rebel Against Toxicity

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like my life toxic free in every way! This means my mind, body and soul. One of the ways that I discovered living a more natural and healthier lifestyle is reading labels!

Wow. What an insight that has been. I mean you would think as a wife and mommy I would have been doing this, al-ready right?

NO. I was failing at seeking wellness for my family.

I was using products filled with chemicals and hormone disrupters.

Say what?!

Hormone disrupters! Being a mom of two little ones that have

their whole life ahead of them, I was no longer going to expose them to products that would disrupt their hormones.

Truth is we must be our own advocate and do our own re-search to find a more natural approach to life these days.

Did you know that by the time a woman has walked out of her house in the morning she has al-ready applied and maybe even ingested 5001000 chemicals into her body? This was just not acceptable to me anymore 15

so three years ago I started a journey into wellness. It has taken ba-by steps to get to where I am today, and I have done so by using safer more natural products in my life. I was introduced to Young Living’s products for my household that are made with the very essence of essential oils.

Essential oils are aromatic, volatile liquids distilled or cold pressed from plants, shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes and seeds.

They are the life blood of the plant. Learning this was a wakeup call for me!

God had created for us,

from the beginning of time just what we needed to do everyday life, the natural way for our bodies and our homes.

Young Liv-ing are the world leaders of essential oils. This also means a lot to me because not all oils are created equal and I want the best and purest oils that I can ingest, inhale and put on topically. These products are a healthy and safe way to address wellness in our lives. Three years later my family is healthy and whole. We enjoy the health benefits that come from our Creator.

You can use this cleaner (chemical free) to clean any area of the house like your kitchen, bath-room, floors etc.

This effective, bacteria-fighting cleaner is a blend of Thieves essential oil that has in it Lemon, Clove, Eucalyptus Radiata, Cinnamon and Rosemary in addition to plant-based vegetable sur-factants.

This cleaner is strong and free from any chemicals or fumes and safe for all in the fam-ily, including pets. You will fall in love with its fresh, spicy aroma that will fill the air.

My goal is to rebel against the toxic stuff in our lives and make a difference in my life, my family and in the lives of others.

How do that is by replacing the toxic stuff with the safe products from Young Living and sharing this information with others.

Here I will share two recipes with you that were game changers for my family:

Flu Bomb: 4 drops of thieves’ essential oil 4 drops of lemon essential oil 2 drops of frankincense essential oil (baby Jesus oil y’all! Yes, please!)

2 drops of oregano essential oil

Love is in the air:

Add to a vegetable capsule, or my favorite add to HONEY and take it when feeling under the weather.

All you need is just one ingredient - Thieves household cleaner.

Find more info by contacting Erika via email at faustinobiz@att.net or her site at royoilyblessed.com

Follow group on Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/theroyoilgroup/

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Purposeful Connections

by Joy Morey

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ou are going to have a great day! Remember to meditate on Psalm 37.

Praying for you!” It was this type of text that helped get me through one of the most difficult times in my life. The Lord knew that I needed someone who had journeyed through a similar battle to help me be victorious in my own. How blessed I have been to have different women in my life who were willing to mentor me through valleys or new avenues in my journey.

Being mentored is a wonderful and authentic way to grow in our ability to navigate life successfully!

Conversely, mentoring is an opportunity to pour into the life of another needing support and growth! The Lord has opened doors for me to fulfill such a role for others craving guidance through a difficult time. This concept of purposeful connection ties together the generations and enables us to use the hard-earned knowledge 17

gained by those who have gone before us. Mentoring has been around for centuries. The Bible shows us powerful examples of mentoring.

• Joshua assisted Moses for many years before he became a leader of Israel.

(Numbers 27:22-23, Exodus 24:13, 33:11, Joshua 1) • Elisha submitted himself to Elijah before receiving double the anointing of his mentor. (II Kings 2)

• N aomi trained Ruth in the ways of Israel and their obedient hearts placed them in the lineage of Jesus. (Ruth 1-4, Matthew 1:5) • B arnabas mentored both Saul (later called Paul) and John Mark who together are responsible for 14 books of the New Testament.

One can’t help but see the blessings of submitting ourselves to those who will mentor us and help us grow. But there’s more!

When we are led to mentor, or spiritually parent someone the Lord brings into our lives, growth is a byproduct for us as well! Shouldering spiritual responsibility naturally prods us to rise above the status quo and pursue what is needed to lead effectively… the revelation and anointing of the Holy Spirit!

Imagine with me… Someone is sinking in quicksand. There are no ropes or branches around to help, but there are people. One brave soul reaches out to grab the hand of the sinking one, but they too begin to feel themselves slip. Another reaches out to grab the hand of the rescuer and so develops a human chain that rescues a lost one. This

powerful visual enables us to see the benefits of purposeful connections.

Such connections facilitate growth in a healthy, biblical way.

In 1 Corinthians 4, Paul speaks to the church about their need for spiritual fathers and how he loves them as children. He encourages them to imitate his actions as he imitates Christ. As we mature as believers, we will learn to know who Jesus is and emulate His actions. But sometimes, to get to that place, we need someone to mentor us in the process. Then, as you and I grow in our relationship with and understanding of the Lord, we will develop skills from navigating different situations and relationships, successes and failures. Others need to benefit from our life experiences! This is the heart of a mentor… allowing our experience to help others move forward and then delighting in their success. John said it like this: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in truth.” (3 John 1:4) The Lord has blessed me greatly through the mentoring process, whether I’m the recipient of a text, call, or hug or the one giving that encouragement to another

JOY MOREY

over a cup of coffee. Often, we may find ourselves in both the leading and learning roles simultaneously in this spiritual chain. If mentoring is new to you or it’s been a while, ask the Lord to guide your relationships in a direction that will strengthen you and bless others through mentorship. Be willing to step into the role the Lord impresses on your heart, whether giving or receiving the support and encouragement that is needed.

Such purposeful connections will facilitate both learning and leading in our lives. Deliberately maintaining relationships that enable us to be mentors and mentees will bring about exponential growth that brings glory to the Father and creates a spiritual human chain victoriously rescuing the struggling! What delight rises in the heart of the Father as He sees His children, the body of Christ, working in harmony to bring His Kingdom into the earthly realm! What joy rises in my heart that He uses me and enables me to grow in the process! Purposeful connections will propel both parties into their destinies… now that’s a win-win situation!

She is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, but most importantly, a Princess daughter of the King of kings! She hopes that her words will always be ones that build others up and encourage them to fulfill their destiny.

Find her @discoveringjoy.net 18

Leadership Begins with Your Daily Commitment to God

By Karen S. Gillman

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ll leadership begins with selfleadership.

God created each of us with our own unique physical appearance, spiritual giftedness AND the way

to best connect and communicate with Him. Although He is always available for us, without self-leadership we often miss the opportunity to hear and learn from the 19

Greatest Leader we could ever know.

Self-leadership begins and ends with a deep and meaningful relationship with The One who created us. If you want to grow as

a leader, you must designate and define the space in your life for when God will speak to you. And the great news is, you have complete control over creating the space you want to spend time in!

time alone with God.

Just as no two people are created the same, no two relationships are the same.

The formula that works for one person may never work for another. My husband and I have spent 18 years in relationship with one another and although we share many things in common, how we spend time with God is very different. My husband is a musician at heart. Music moves his heart and he uses his gifting in music to move others – toward a closer relationship with God. I on the other hand would have a very distant relationship with God if I had to rely on music as my primary means of communicating with Him and sharing His love with others through it.

• Prayer

• Writing • Reading • Journaling • Researching • Meditation • Exercise (walking, running, weight lifting) • Cooking • Resting Worship through Music Waking Up Early for Devotion Going to Bed Early and Relaxing with Worship Music It is imperative that daily you set a time and place or ritual where you can ‘get real’ with God. If you don’t put that relationship on your daily agenda first, you will miss hearing from the greatest leader you could ever learn from.

I enjoy my early morning devotions.

I enjoy my walks alone, meditation, instrumental music while falling asleep, my prayer time and journaling about the miracles I witness daily.

So, before you listen to your next podcast, reach for you next business book, skim your social media platforms or schedule a meeting with your counselor or mentor – take a look at your agenda and be sure you have scheduled your daily encounter with God. The outcomes of the rest of the items on your agenda depend on it!

What works for my husband could never work for me; and vice versa.

It is important that we spend alone time with God daily. There are endless activities that you can do when spending

KAREN GILLMAN

Her life work is devoted to helping others seek God and through Him realize and go after their hearts desires. Find her@charitychics.com 20

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Style Me Linda Paige

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believe that creation – the world we live in – is our reference point for every aspect of life. We have our very own colour palette everywhere we go. On the beach we see how turquoise and brown is a great combination. From the garden we learn that a bold red lipstick looks beautiful against a green summer dress. From the mountains we can see that the black, charcoal and silver night sky is beautifully offset by the stars, meaning that diamond earrings on a black dress is striking.

Style is just a skill and when you make the decision to invest your time and effort in developing this skill, you will suddenly find

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yourself playfully looking to creation for inspiration, and your confidence will grow.

I believe the Millennial will eliminate the pandemic of Fast Fashion. This generation cares about living for a cause, and they are prepared to live a different life to fix that. I believe that grey hair carries beauty, wisdom and precious insight. And I believe that fashion is a relationship builder – a beautiful, powerful tool that we can use to bridge the gap and carve new paths to true beauty, and unity.

Friend, you are in the fashion business whether you like it or not. We are called to encourage one another, honour one another, never be lacking in zeal – and God gave us the wonderful gift of fashion as a conversation starter!

Matthew Arnold said: “If ever the women of the world come together purely and simply for the greater good of mankind, it will be a force such as the world has never known.”

The problem is women all over the world are hurting.

Gentle, softly spoken women are banished to the shadows of ambitious, aggressive personalities. And those bold women themselves are often dressed up on the outside but broken on the inside.

Mothers

feel

overlooked,

unappreciated and undesired, covered as they are in baby spit, lunch stains and Play-doh.

Most teenagers are leaving all modesty behind. Grandmothers heard somewhere that it’s time to start dressing down at 60.

You might have something in common with Dana, who lost herself when she gave up her career to be a Full Time Mom. She felt dowdy, unseen, unvalued and completely overwhelmed. After deciding to get a coach, she later started investing in her personal style, and through learning to love herself back to good health, she discovered the power of fashion that helped her to get up, dress up and live up to the blessing of being a Mom to her beautiful children!

Or you may relate more to Becky, a wife and grandmother in her late 50’s who felt invisible and disappointed in how she had gained weight and lost confidence. Through learning simple style secrets, she got her ears pierced, established a health goal and started building a fresh new wardrobe. She not only reached her goal weight, she looks 10 years younger and the spark is back in her life, and in her eyes! She makes a point of complimenting other women every day.

Or maybe you have something in common with Natasha, who carries a lot of responsibility in 22

a senior corporate position but was extremely frustrated with her relationships and herself.

She too invested in business and finance coaching which led to her analysing the message she was sending through her wardrobe choices. She realised she was dressing a totally different personality than the one she had! Today she dresses up in the sharp, bold, tailored style that is much more suited to her strong personality, and she is enjoying much more success at work, at home and in her relationships.

The list goes on. The point is you and I are Ambassadors.

We represent our faith, our marriage, our family and our business. And what we wear sends out a message. Comfort and stylish are not mutually exclusive, nor are modest and beautiful. There’s nothing wrong with a T-shirt and shorts/ yoga pants at home every now and then, as long as it’s the exception and not the rule.

There is an equipping happening that is putting powerful personal tools into the hands of women all over the world. It is bringing out of the shadows and into the light those who have been in the dark too long. It is creating awareness of the value of Full Time Mom and in turn raising up a new level of leadership. It has women dressing up without

compromising their purity.

The tool is called ‘123 Style Me’ – The 10 Steps To Style Success, and it has 2 primary goals: 1. To bring women together in unity as Matthew Arnold implored, and 2. to put fashion to work for the poor by giving 90% of product & service products to charity Unlike many other charities in the world, King’s Ransom Foundation (www.

kingsransom.org) has a corporate sponsor that runs a small, tight ship and takes care of staff and business costs, so that 100% of donations actually reaches the widow, the orphan, the poor and the sick.

you. How sincere are you really about helping the helpless, fighting for the underdog? You can’t fight a powerful enemy if you can’t even face yourself in the mirror.

It comes down to how serious you are about life, friend. How badly do you want to raise confident, healthy children?

That mission starts with a confident, healthy you. How serious are you about being a powerful leader in business?

That require a trustworthy

We need you. I invite you to join us at www.lindapaige.com . It’s time to step out of the shadows and into the light, to get healing and equipping so that you can get up, dress up and be a bold light on a hill for a hurting world.

Friend, you are WORTHY. You are here to fulfill a powerful purpose - there are others who need you. So, the best style advice I can give you is this:

Woman, you are beautiful!

• show you how to recapture your man's eye • teach you why culling (clearing out) your closet is so powerful • restore the fun factor to fashion

Style is just a skill. If you are prepared to invest the time and effort, you will be shocked at just how simple it is. We just launched '123 Style Me' our first ever online course, and the results are mind blowing! 90% of the profits of your purchase goes directly to www.kingsransom.org - where else can you LOOK good and DO good to that extent???

Intro at

• teach you all about Capsule Wardrobe planning • teach you why the way you dress is what you express to the world • position you to ace that job interview or seal that promotion • turn every head as you walk into the room

https://courses.lindapaige.com

• position you in your presidential position of Mom

This online course will: • instantly boost your confidence

• show you how to use fashion as a relationship builder

• help you set a budget for your wardrobe

• put fashion to work for the poor

• save you time every day by learning how to mix & match

• and take the stressing out of dressing!

No more hiding. No more confusion. No more frustration. It's time for you to shine - because the world needs you.

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Patched Wangs Book Review

Amanda is an overcomer! A survivor! For 17

years, she battled a drug and alcohol addiction that landed her four arrests, including a felony, and some time spent in a treatment center. Because nothing else would numb the pain she felt, the last year of her addiction she was using Meth and lost everything she had worked so hard for as a result. Even her own daughter did not want to live with her. So many called her worthless and no one believed in her. After contemplating suicide, she decided to pack her car and move from Mississippi to Florida in hopes to change her life. With only $200 in her pocket, no job lined up, and no place to live she took a deep breath and left everything and everyone behind.

All odds were against her, but she kept her “Why� in her vision always to persevere.

After getting on her feet somewhat, her daughter moved back in with her and together they set out on a journey of restoration and happiness. During Amanda’s first year of sobriety she faced several obstacles that should have sent her back down that dark road, including a car repossession and homelessness. But still she persevered.

Today she is over two years clean and sober. Amanda and her daughter are building a beautiful relationship in their own home. She recently became an author of Patched Wangs: The Redneck Way to C.O.N.N.E.C.T. and Make Your Life Be Like God Intended It To Be, a student at Penn State University, and is an employee at a treatment center. She is on a mission to set folks free of addiction by sharing her story of hope and teaching the principles that got her from a broken addict, to living a healthy, vibrant life.

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Spring Reads

by Martha Brangenberg

I was not given the gift of height. In fact, as a teenager I really struggled with being short. So, when someone talks about growing I often think about my height. But there are so many other ways to grow. We can grow taller, older, wiser, fatter, or stronger – just to name a few. In our walk as Christ followers, growing spiritually should be a high priority. Many successful people claim that they never want to stop growing. What if we had that same goal in our spiritual life? One way to keep growing is to fill our mind with great teachings – from scripture and great authors that share truth from scripture.

Are you using your personal time to grow in your faith? Look at these titles and consider reading something to help you grow closer to our Savior and apply Biblical principles to other areas of your life. The Bible applies to every area of our lives: home, relationship, work, relaxation, 24/7. My desire is to allow Christ to penetrate and grow me as He sees fit.

The Bible: The Passion Translation – The New Testament with Psalms, Proverbs and Song of Songs Do you yearn to feel the heart of God? That’s the focus of this translation. Reading scripture in a language that is clear and easy to understand can lead each of us to a deeper relationship with God and better understanding of how to apply it in our lives. Dig in today and make it a part of your daily routine. You will find that you hunger and thirst for more.

Daily Devotion: Be Refreshed by Diane Paddison Working women are busy. We wear so many hats and serve others from morning to night, when do we spend time helping ourselves grow and be refreshed? The women at 4WordWomen understand this dilemma and have written an amazing devotion that can help us grow in our faith in 5 minutes. Water your heart with encouragement and challenge that is written by other working women walking in your shoes.

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Personal Growth: Before you Hit Send: Preventing headache & heartache by Emerson Eggerichs Can you recall a time where you wish you could reach into the computer and grab back the message you had just sent? True heartache can be avoided if we can learn a few lessons and ask a few questions before we hit send for an email, post, or tweet. In our personal lives and at work, who hasn’t hit send when they should have hit delete?

Emerson challenges the reader to ask these questions:

• Is it true?

• Is it kind?

• Is it necessary?

• Is it clear?

I know I’m going to take the challenge to grow in this area, take the time to ask the questions, and when I fail – which I will – learn how to recover and learn how to avoid disaster in the future.

Home: come & eat: A celebration of love and grace around the everyday table by Bri McKoy I love to eat, entertain, and cook meals for others. In this book I was challenged to look at my dining table a little differently. God means for our homes to bring life and be a gateway to knowing Him better. Whether we are serving a fancy meal or a light snack, our love and warmth can bring nourishment to the soul of those that partake. The author includes recipes, tips, prayers, and guiding questions to help your guests grow. What a beautiful example of living abundantly. I’m excited to be more intentional.

MARTHA BRANGENBERG-BOOKS

She works alongside her husband, as host on the iWork4Him radio program weekdays on WTBN AM 570 & 910 in Tampa Bay and online around the world.

Their desire is to help listeners incorporate Christ in their workplace, wherever that workplace might be. Find her @iWork4Him.com

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Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Homemade Garlic and Parsley Croutons

2 Chicken Breasts 1 Romaine Lettuce 1 French Bread ½ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil ¼ cup Fresh Parsley 2 Garlic Cloves

To Prepare Chicken

Cut chicken breasts into cubes, salt, and sauté in one tablespoon of the olive oil and set aside to cool.

To Prepare Lettuce

Chop the Romaine Lettuce and place in a bowl.

To Prepare Croutons

Cut French bread into cubes (must be at least a day old) Put them into a bowl and sprinkle pepper over them.

Finely Chop parsley and put into another bowl Take two cloves of garlic and minced and put into same bowl Then mix with Olive Oil and salt (to taste) Pour the mixture over the cut French bread and mix.

Lay out in a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 350.

Allow to Cool for 10 minutes

To Serve Salad

In the bowl where you placed chopped Romaine Lettuce put in cooked chicken topping it with cooled croutons Mix Ingredients, top with some shaved Parmesan Cheese and serve with your favorite Caesar Dressing Enjoy!

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