Voice of Truth: 1st Edition, January 2021

JANUARY 2021

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Our Mission A unified, global women’s ministry empowering one another to follow Christ and to love in abundance; and cultivating women warriors in their purpose by His promise and power.

Join us!

Join our monthly meetings on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. on Facebook Live!

Daily Devotionals Enjoy our daily devotionals shared by Kimberly on our Facebook page!

Follow Along! instagram: @womenworldleaders facebook: @womenworldleaders website: www.womenworldleaders.com

Speaking Invite our Global Office Team to speak at your next women’s event or conference! Some of our areas of speaking include Empowerment with Kimberly Hobbs, Teaching with Julie Jenkins, Encouragement with Carrie Christopher, and Living On-Mission for the Great Commission with Lauren Dean.

As a team unified in His love, we will intentionally pray about the opportunity to speak at your next event.

Listen to our podcast!

Experience God’s extravagant love and your exquisite purpose through a weekly trio of podcasts that focus on teaching, inspiration, and encouragement. Our prayer is that as your intimacy with God grows, your love for one another will flourish, enabling you to live out a courageous purpose-driven life, fueled by the Word, led by the Spirit, and propelled forward into your God-given destiny through fearless faith! Join us as we gather around this trio of podcasts. From His heart to yours, we are Women World Leaders! www.womenworldleaders.com/the-podcast

Letter from the Founder SWEET WOMAN OF GOD, This is an honor and a privilege for me to share in this beautiful magazine with women of faith who have a love for their sisters and a passion for serving our Lord Jesus Christ. My name is Kimberly Hobbs, and I am so deeply humbled to serve my King in this ministry alongside of so many beautiful women who are called by faith and who share this mutual “passion” of serving others. Together it is our desire to show love and encouragement toward one another while empowering sisters of the cross into a life with significant purpose. Within Women World Leaders Magazine, we are striving for each one of us to attain a strong desire to serve others while growing together in Christ and glorifying our wonderful God and Savior in the process. Our hope is that you will feel connected with us in love as sisters united - unified in a glorious purpose and solidified into a deep personal walk with Christ.

As the founding leader, I would love to share how this journey began. In doing so, I hope that you may relate somehow and understand more of my personal passion to further this mission, our ministry, and our magazine.

I felt a calling from God on my life for many years, but never felt worthy to step up and serve in that calling because of past mistakes that continually haunted my mind. Unfortunately, I sat on my hopes and dreams of aspiring to become a leader because of my torments, which enabled me to carry excessive guilt. Many years passed me by only to steal time and allow the enemy to rob what treasures God had for me by keeping me from walking in my calling as a confident woman of God - a leader for His honor, glory, and His Kingdom.

As life moved forward and I saw the results of a stagnant lifestyle without much purpose, it saddened me. I knew there had to be more to this life. God showed me my need to rely on Him more and not on myself. It is interesting how my relationship grew in Christ and His Word when the focus was no longer on me. My repentance and understanding of God’s forgiveness are what became the “shift,” the extreme turning point for my life.

The Joy of the Lord became my inner strength. My desire to serve God became greater than the desire to please myself.

One vivid day in April 2010, God gave me a scripture verse that would become my life verse. It was a verse I had never seen before, not anywhere, but as I read it in the Bible over and over, I began to study it. I knew it was a verse of significance for

my personal life and that God had it singled out for me on that specific day for a special purpose.

It is a Scripture verse that reminds anyone who may be seeking something that our God can do the unimaginable. He can do anything through anyone who is willing to repent, surrender, and be used by Him. Ephesians 3:20 has now become the verse of power for me and for Women World Leaders. It is our ministry verse and one that we recite in most of our meetings.

“Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

Ephesians 3:20 NKJV

My new life verse became the driving force and the POWER I needed to excel forward in 2010 and on. That driving power is the Holy Spirit. He is alive and at work within me. My prayer is that you will know and grasp this astounding power we receive from the Holy Spirit when we know Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, experiencing a relationship with Him. I could never accomplish any growth within the Women World Leaders ministry in my own strength; it is the power of God continually working within me and within this army of women. God has taken me from a broken, wounded woman who felt unworthy of serving, to someone who is now free and alive in Jesus with a vision to help other women as broken as I had been, to partner together and reach the entire globe for Him. I am excited to share with you that there was significance of meaning when creating our WWL’s logo and I would love you to see it and understand it. Our logo displays the globe shadowed with pink continents, impressing the magnitude of passion we as WWL’s each possess to reach women everywhere on this planet for Christ. The tilted tiara is crooked because none of us is perfect. The story, which contains each of “our life stories,” lies within the three hearts depicted on the tiara. They represent the unconditional, unending, undeniable love and forgiveness the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have for each one of us. It was extremely important that my life verse accompany the Women World Leaders’ ministry name so everyone can know that with God ALL things are possible. All glory goes to Him, always. May serving God together become our greatest joy that we could ever ask for or imagine in this lifetime and on this planet.

As we grow together within this beautiful ministry of women, may we each embrace the diversity of women of all ages, colors, cultures, and nationalities - all for the glory of God. Together may we raise up an army of “warrior princesses” on our planet that live for Christ and impact lives to be changed for eternity, healed forever, strengthened with love, and redirected to serve our Lord and Savior.

As a visionary, seeing Women World Leaders birth and blossom into existence from day one has truly been one of the greatest blessings of my lifetime.

I could never have done it alone, though. It took many women who said, “Yes Lord, here I am. Send me.” From Isaiah 6:8.

Together, casting the vision of faith each day, watering it with tremendous prayer to our Heavenly Father, and receiving plenty of “Son-shining” blessings to promote growth, we are shown that the moment this seed of ministry was planted in the soil, it was destined for God’s favor. It was cultivated properly. To God be all the glory.

I’m beyond humbled and grateful that you are reading this magazine today, and I wish to speak on behalf of all of our women within this ministry; you have been prayed over and sought after and it is God who led you to have a copy of this first edition for His purpose and plan. It is our heart’s prayer that together, as women of purpose, God would reveal Himself in a deeper way through the scriptures, prayer and stories shared within. May you find something to help you here, whether it be some “healing joy,” worship, encouragement, inspiration, or connection; let it all be synced with love, Christ’s love, as you turn the pages of this magazine.

Possibly YOU may be “sparked” into coming alongside of us as we continue this beautiful journey of women serving God together with purpose! Find us on Facebook in our private group, listen to our Women World Leaders’ Podcast, or sign up for our emails or subscribe for your own free copy of this magazine on our website at: www.womenworldleaders.com. We are here to help you further. You are welcomed and You are loved.

Exceedingly, Abundantly, Beyond,

Kimberly Hobbs Founder, Women World Leaders kimberly@womenworldleaders.com Ephesians 3:20

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WOMEN WORLD LEADERS MINISTRY PRESENTS

“Courageous Steps of Faith”

Glean from women’s faith-filled pursuits and testimonies! The women of Courageous Steps of Faith share their incredible stories of overcoming obstacles and persevering through challenges while providing you with motivation and scripture to see that “With God All Things Are Possible.”

Order your copy now to be encouraged and propelled into your God-given purpose. https://www.womenworldleaders.com/shop/courageous-step-of-faith All proceeds will support the Women World Leader’s mission.

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Gospel Grace Our lives are intended for restored relationships with the Lord, yearning and crying out to be back home with our Father in heaven. It all started in an earth-shaking, sensory-soaring grace garden. The garden of Eden brought new life into God’s abundant, abounding creation. Creation sang and creation spoke through God’s tender care towards Adam and Eve. The garden was splashed with intelligence, flourishing with noisy, wild creatures all dressed in a magnitude of beauty, sharing God’s glory all together in sync, in step with HIM. Graces swarming on every side of the garden as it flowered directly from His glorious presence, His river of everlasting life and communion with Him. But sneaky, snarling, sin and satan made their way into the garden. The Father of lies lured Eve to taste pride in an apple! You see God gave them one rule; to not eat from the tree of good and evil; the ultimate forbidden fruit. As the Father of lies intruded, so did direct disobedience to their true Father’s voice.

Pride consumed Eve’s heart, and the snake’s voice became louder than God’s voice. At that moment, darkness overturned the garden with a grim demise, and a curse struck the once perfect garden of communion, with separation.

Satan and sin separated man and woman from His great, holy, perfect arms.

As death came upon perfection and stole the graces of God’s affection, this birthed sin, rebellion and shame.

Our unstoppable God went at length with love leading Him onward to restore what had been lost and taken by the fall. You see, years later in the Garden of Gethsemane, our very tangible, living Emmanuel, God with us, would come yet again to another wild garden. This time, Jesus would cry out in the garden, a final prayer to the Father before death. When days prior, He would He would meet and greet us with miracles, signs and wonders, with a kiss of cataclysmic grace to win back the hearts of the Father’s children.

Here in the Garden of Gethsemane is a depiction of the second garden. Jesus our Christ, our long-awaited Savior, would come to seek and save the lost. Our Jesus would come and restore our relationship, with HIM. To give us back what sin and the enemy had stolen, His very presence. His presence provides the very epitome of joy, His presence brings us His unmerited, undeserved gifts of mercy. His presence brings us power to live like He walked by the enabled, equipping of His Holy Spirit.

His presence, two gardens later, now becomes our eternal garden awaiting new birthing salvations!

This is good news, for you and for me! We each are like Adam and Eve, born from the seed of sin, and without accepting Christ’s love would be sent to eternal damnation! But there is another way out of our wayward hearts of destruction. We can come to Jesus and receive the power, to trust HIM. It’s a free gift, you do not have to be perfect. In fact, you MUST be a sinner. Your heart must be repentant enough to feel the weight of sin and shame. Come into the light, beautiful child of God, and receive HIS forgiveness for you with childlike faith. To the Christian, live daily a life of repentance! Although we’ve been washed clean and Jesus paid the price for our sins, we still desperately need the Lord to sanctify us and purge our wicked ways. Walk daily in holiness by living a life of forever confessions!

Prayer for the one who wants to know HIM:

Father God, I give you my life. I confess that I am a sinner, in need of a Savior. I can’t do this life on my own, sin has been shackling me and has caused much grief in my own life. I need you Christ to forgive me of my sins, and enter into my heart through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Help me to follow you all the days of my life. I surrender all my life to YOU. Thank YOU Father God for your love for me, thank you that it’s not by good works that I am saved, but rather YOUR perfect work of dying on the cross. It is finished, it is done, God’s grace has just begun!

Welcome to the Family of Believers.

If you’ve just received Christ’s everlasting love, please let us know so we can pray and rejoice with you.

Email us at info@womenworldleaders.com

Carrie Christopher

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“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

Ephesians 3: 20

Writings from the Global Office Kimberly Hobbs, Author and Founder Delight in Treasure As a child, I remember desperately searching for hidden or lost treasure. In my mind, the treasure resembled beautiful, shiny jewels of various colors nestled within some old rickety treasure box buried somewhere in the dirt. Maybe this treasure would be found alongside a riverbed or in the sand of the beach. In the mind of this child, I always believed I would find a treasure somewhere.

As I grew up I loved listening to fables shared by my parents and grandparents.

These stories came alive for me and my siblings as we clung to every word believing these stories of hidden treasures were real. All in fun, hidden clues were planted in my mind, leading me to the expectation of an overflowing surprise of dazzling, sparkling wonders of joy. Oh, how I longed to find treasure. These clues would lead me on endless paths, hunting for such things that never truly existed. But, in my mind these jewels were real - a treasure I painted in a mental picture of exquisite beauty that would last for a lifetime.

When we humbly bow before God, He gives us real treasures. He also allows us to carry His own treasures, which are very dear to Him. Examples of these treasures are His glory, His power, His Holy Spirit, and His message throughout His Word that we can carry to a lost and dying world. He freely gives His treasures while knowing that we could easily make mistakes, take all the credit, or completely miss the mark with these gems. God knows how imperfect and selfish we can be, but still He entrusts us with His treasures because He loves us.

God surrounds us with desirable treasure, leading us on paths of grace and mercy and providing all the supernatural help we can ever need to find it. He leads us on the pathway to eternal treasure that comes by allowing us to join Him in His Kingdom work. What an honor He bestows to those who seek Him and follow Him in obedience to His Word!

What a reward He gives us for having the faith and courage to step up and work beside Him. He makes our heart His home if we allow Him inside to live with us.

God will reveal His jewels of wisdom and love to you through refining moments just as He has done for me. I have learned this many times over and prayed for His treasure of wisdom, which He speaks of in James 1:5.

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“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5 NIV) I have found my greatest delight is in mining my treasure of Godly wisdom.

In the creative process of spiritual truths, I have learned I can encourage, strengthen, and nourish others while inspiring my audience to search for their own delights of His treasure. I have learned through God’s Word which is an overflowing treasure chest of abundant jewels just waiting to be gazed upon when opened by us.

I shudder to think of the treasure I would have missed out on if I had never searched, prayed and asked for His Godly wisdom He so generously gives; if I had not opened God’s own treasure chest given to me: the Bible.

By humbling myself to God, He poured out His treasure on me generously without finding fault, just as He said He would do. Delight yourself in God’s treasure today. He will give you the desires of your heart.

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he shall give you the desires of your heart.”

(Psalm 37:4 NKJV) Taken from the book “Fuel for Life” Abundant Living through Daily Coaching

by Kimberly Ann Hobbs.

Kimberly Hobbs

Founder and Executive Director, Women World Leaders kimberly@womenworldleaders.com

Biblical Profiles Aquila and Priscilla: Journeying for the Lord The first sixteen years of my marriage, my husband and I moved our young family from city to city as my husband built his career and we followed God’s lead. It was a time of constant new beginnings and all that came with those new beginnings: thrill and stress, loneliness and family bonding. At that time, I got a bracelet with “God charms” as a physical reminder that God was in control. One of the charms was a sailboat, reminding me that I would go wherever God would take me.

If Priscilla had had a God bracelet, she too would have had a sailboat as a charm!

We meet Aquila and Priscilla for the first time in Acts 18, but their story begins long before that.

Aquila was a native of Pontus, a region of northern Asia Minor; but he and his wife Priscilla had lived in Rome until they had to move. The Roman emperor, Claudius, had, in a show of racism, forced all the Jews out of Rome in A.D. 49, so the couple relocated to Corinth where they supported themselves by working in the tentmaking industry – probably not knowing the adventure that God had for them!

Paul met Priscilla and Aquila when he came to Ephesus on his 2nd Missionary Journey. There he found a warm welcome at both the home and the business of this godly couple. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall as the three of them worked together as missionaries and as tentmakers and lived together as roommates! Imagine the conversations as they shared stories of God’s faithfulness and saw many become followers of Jesus Christ!

It wasn’t all a time of pleasure, however, as opposition to the gospel of Jesus Christ grew. Scripture tells us that many Jews opposed Paul and became abusive toward him – and I’m sure this affected Priscilla and Aquila as well. They were a godly couple caught in the middle. In Acts 18:9-10 (NIV) it is recorded that the Lord spoke to Paul, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

The Bible, however, does not record that Priscilla and Aquilla got this blessing and assurance. It must have been a scary time!

Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.

ACTS 18:9 (NIV)

As opposition grew, after Paul had been in Corinth for about 18 months, all three of them left the city.

Priscilla and Aquilla hopped on their proverbial sailboat, and traveled to Ephesus, where God led them to establish their new home and minister to the people there. They used their home for evangelism and were mighty vessels for the gospel, even teaching Apollos, a very gifted preacher and apologist in the early church, of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul later wrote from Ephesus this sentiment to the Corinthians: “Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.” (1 Corinthians 16:19, NIV)

By A.D. 57, we know that this missionary couple had followed God’s call back to Rome after the death of Claudius. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, sent well wishes to his good friends: “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.” (Romans 16:3-4, NIV) The final mention we have of Aquila and Priscilla in the Bible is from A.D. 66 or 67, when we find out that God had led them back to Ephesus. In Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy (who was in Ephesus), he requests that Timothy “greet Priscilla and Aquila.” (2 Timothy 4:19, NIV) While we don’t know many of the specifics of Aquila and Priscilla’s life, we do see an overwhelming degree of loyalty that they exhibited to each other, to their brothers and sisters in Christ, and to God Himself. As I think back on the places I have been and the people that God has placed in my life as I have traveled on my “sailboat,” I pray that I have been a force for good and a godly example to many.

What about you? Are you willing to go where God calls you, trusting that the adventure is one you just can’t miss? Despite the danger, the discomfort, and the uncertainty, I don’t think that Aquila and Priscilla would have wanted to miss the journey!

Julie Jenkins

Teaching and Curriculum Leader julie@womenworldleaders.com

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Jesus at the Center of Our Lives When God Writes Your Story

He’s a good storyteller - He keeps us eager to turn the next page. Life with God is filled with the unexpected. Sometimes He gives us a future vision. And takes us on a winding journey, a path we could have never fathomed on our own. Sometimes He only gives us the next clue.

And little by little His intended destination is finally revealed to us.

We cannot completely understand God’s ways, but they are always better than our own. “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.

‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV As we surrender our future chapters to Him, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV He redeems the past chapters of our story to glorify Himself.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV And no matter the circumstance, He will use it for good.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 NIV Do you trust the next chapter of your life? Do you know the author of your story? Do you have a personal relationship with God? Are you obeying God’s direction for your life?

God loves us and has a special story for our life, but sin has separated us from God resulting in our pursuit of living a life God never intended for us. The Good News is Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins to reconcile our relationship with God. If we repent and believe this, if we turn from our self-directed life and towards God, we can experience God’s plan for our lives and eternal life in Heaven just as Jesus was resurrected.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’” John 14:5-7 NIV A new life, from self-centered to Christ-centered. A sinner saved by grace through faith, transformed into a saint indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

We’re not promised an easy or comfortable life free from suffering---but if we allow Christ to be the Lord of our life, we’re promised that our final chapter will be marked by an inheritance in Heaven with our King. And there is no ending more perfect than this.

The story we try to write for ourselves could never compare.

Give God the pen.

Lauren Dean

Business and Missions Director lauren@womenworldleaders.com

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Encountering God: Passion Prayers, Poems, & Promises Following Forgiveness Forgiveness moves us forward.

A trail of fearless faith following God. Forgiveness means being free from the muck and mire of your sin.

And releasing those you who you are holding captive; bound to your own wrath-filled law.

Forgiveness is extending what is clearly not ours to give.

As the gift of the ultimate forgiveness without retaliation or cost.

It comes from wavelengths of infinite surrender to God. His forgiveness indwells us, enabling us to freely extend His mercy arms.

Forgiveness births the Lord’s fortitude within us, forging through the adversary of sin.

Forgiveness leads us forward into the freedom, enabling freedom to grow wildly in the courts of His presence.

Never forsaking His love, extending grace in unfathomable rivalries of pain.

Surrenders and releases, allow the heavy chains to fall off.

The foe of unforgiveness desires to steal, kill and destroy.

While the sin of a hardened heart keeps us bound to the barriers of the past.

Fly free, child of God into the forest of forgiveness, walking through the darkness into mountains of His radical love.

Great leaps and bounds of faith and trust placed in the risen one, to provide for you during your forging into freedom lands of forgiveness.

On the mountaintops, in the riches of His glory, you will be able to experience God in intimacy.

Past illusions of God’s presence will become an ultimate reality of knowing the depths, treasures, and rivers of His all-encompassing love.

Carrie Christopher Ministry Development Leader carrie@womenworldleaders.com

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TINY BIRD written by Author Kim Meeder Those who know me well are aware of my passion for the outdoors. For the times when I must be inside, I’ve strategically stationed bird feeders to draw the beautiful activity of the wild into my view. Not long ago, I nestled into my office with a hot cup of coffee in hand and an old beloved quilt across my lap. Outside my window, I had just scattered birdseed across a downy blanket of new fallen snow.

Unable to access their usual fare through the frozen white, the birds showed their pure gratitude by gliding down into the yard in great numbers. Soon, the entire scene was filled with the delightful chatter of happy birds enjoying breakfast.

Suddenly, there was a whirring storm of wings as the panicked flock took flight. A zillion birds darted a zillion different directions as a large Cooper’s Hawk swooped through the yard. In the frenzy to escape, a small bird smashed into my office window only inches from my face. The impact knocked the bird unconscious and it fell upside down onto the woodpile below the windowsill.

Looking at it intently, I studied the tiny bird. It was a Junco, known in this region as a snowbird. The slightly muted coloration told me it was a female. She was still on her back when her tiny legs began to move. She appeared to be searching for something to grasp to right herself. Finding nothing but cold, I watched the perfect legs struggle less and less—then—not at all. She was dying.

“Lord? How can this be right? How can this be Your will? This is a meaningless death... why?”

I searched.

The little snowbird’s head was now atop her shoulders, right where it should be. Captured by this tiny miracle, I watched, completely transfixed. Held fast within the power of this transformation, it occurred to me that horses are similar in reaction when cast on their back. They’ll try to right themselves for a while, but once they BELIEVE they cannot rise, they stop trying. Left in this upside-down position, death is imminent.

“Lord? How can this be right?

How can this be Your will? This is a meaningless death... why?”

Then, in the stillness, I heard, “Look at her. Look AT her!” I did. The beautiful slender legs were slowly sliding apart as she was leaving this life. “She has been knocked out of balance... she was not created to live in THIS position... set her RIGHT.” The old quilt flew off my lap as I dashed out of my office toward the back door. When I reached the bird, a single thought crossed my mind:, “How?” What followed was more image than phrase, but the words I sensed were, “Gentle, gentle, gentle.”

Using two fingers from my left hand and the index finger on my right, I carefully lifted the bird only high enough to rotate her back onto her feet.

In doing so, I watched the tiny bird’s head slide deeply to the side. Her neck appeared broken. This rescue attempt was futile.

My “But God? This is hopeless” was crushed before I even finished the thought with, “DO IT! Don’t trust what you think you know—trust the One you know—trust ME.” In obedience, I gently propped the tiny bird against a piece of firewood and quietly made my way back into the office. Once the frayed quilt was replaced on my lap, I rotated my chair back toward the window and moved up as close as I could get.

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“JESUS!” I gasped in awe.

Soon, the snowbird’s beautiful black eyes began to blink... her thought process was returning. After several long moments, she shook once and then flew away.

“Wow, Lord! SPEAK!”

Through the quiet of dawn, I could hear deep within, “Gentle, gentle, gentle—this is what I am calling you to do for those around you.

Help them regain their balance in My love.

Some will accept being rebalanced and will immediately take flight, soaring deeper into My presence. Others will not accept being rebalanced and will choose to return to an upside-down existence of self-imposed pain and bitterness. Beloved, yours is to not make such a call for them... yours is to listen closely and simply do what I say. To secure those around you with My love... this is what I’m calling all My people to do.”

Recently, I traveled to northern California to visit some dear family friends. They were my childhood neighbors when I still lived with my parents. Katie, a woman of my mother’s age, was a new Believer when she heard the tragic news of how my distraught father had murdered my mother and then taken his own life. Left behind were three orphaned girls. In her young faith, she did what mattered most... she started to pray for the daughters.

All Katie knew was that the girls had been taken away. She prayed for them for years—decades—never knowing what happened. She just kept praying that somehow, through the pain, they would meet Jesus.

One day, her pest control man solemnly knocked on her door. Upon answering, he gave Katie a book and simply said, “I know you love kids and horses, so I know you will love this book.” Then he burst into tears, jogged back to his work truck and drove away. Puzzled, Katie thought in agreement that she indeed loved kids, but knew nothing of horses. ‘What are you up to, Lord?’ she pondered.

As she started to read the book called Hope Rising, the story took a familiar turn. “Wait a minute! I KNOW this girl!” she exclaimed to her husband Larry as she pointed to the tiny picture on the back cover.

“This is Kimmy Caldwell! She’s the youngest daughter of our neighbors from Old Shasta!”

In days, my phone rang and the voice on the line simply said, “I know you won’t remember me—but—I will never forget you. I was your neighbor in Old Shasta... and I’ve been praying for you for the last 33 years.”

With that single declaration, the electric current of the Holy Spirit arced between our hearts and they have been welded together ever since. She continued, “It doesn’t matter how old you are, every girl needs a mom... and if you choose... I would like to shoulder what’s left of your family and become that for you.” From that day forward, she’s been true to every word.

Although my visit with them was brief, it was rich in all the ways that mattered most. It was early Sunday morning and while they were getting ready for church, I was gearing up for the five-hour drive home. While helping to set out the breakfast items, I heard a little voice beckon me. It was Bella, Larry and Katie’s 6 year-old great-granddaughter. Through an intricate chain of events, she had ended up spending the night with her ‘Papa and Maunga’.

I turned just in time to see her sit on the couch and—only as a child can— grasp a foot in each hand and stretch her legs toward the ceiling. Her long brown hair was tousled around her cherubic face. Set within pink flannel pajamas, she really did look like a little sleepy angel.

It’s a fact that each life will at some point be knocked out of balance by the hardships of this world. Every life will experience the suffocating confusion of being cast upside down, locked within our grief, bitterness, anger, pride, unforgiveness or fear. In this posture, we are so disoriented that we rarely know which way to turn for help. All we really understand is... if left in this position... we will not survive.

But when we turn to Jesus, to reach for Him from our contorted position of pain, He comes. The Lord of All crushes our “But God, this is hopeless” moments with His loving presence. Jesus Christ will ‘set right’ anyone who genuinely asks Him to.

“We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done” Rom. 3:22 (NLT).

Friend, no matter what you face—right now—you can ask Jesus to remove your sin and set you right. And just like the tiny bird... your heart can be redeemed, restored and rebalanced by His gift of love... for you.

Kim Meeder Author and Speaker Founder of Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch www.crystalpeaksyouthranch.org

With that thought in mind, I turned to her and said, “Wow, Bella, you look so pretty today.” In response, she made a funny face and pulled up her pajama shirt to examine it, clearly questioning if this was what made her pretty. Once decided, she declared, “I’m not pretty because I don’t have pretty clothes on.” I smiled at her, “Honey, it’s not what you wear that makes you pretty... it’s what comes out of your heart.” Again, her eyebrows scrunched together as she pondered this concept. And again she stated, “But I’m not dressed up... so I’m not pretty.”

I considered Bella’s life. Although she was greatly loved, her young parents were divorced and individually trying to find a new balance. Suspended between their separate homes, her fragile life swayed.

I turned to fully face Bella. That’s when it occurred to me... there she was... the tiny bird who had been knocked upside down.

Prompted by the Holy Spirit, I moved over to Bella’s side and sat on the couch with her. “Baby Girl, it’s not the outside of a person that makes them beautiful, it’s what comes out of their heart—from the inside out—that’s what makes someone beautiful. It’s when Jesus lives in your heart and there’s so MUCH love inside that it just pours out! And that love—HIS love—pouring out of your heart is what makes you the most beautiful of all.”

Again, I heard the unmistakable voice of my Lord speak, “Set her right.

Help her rebalance in My love.”

The following conversation was one of the purest that I’ve ever known.

In the tender moments that followed, the ‘tiny bird’ beside me asked Jesus to come into her ‘house’, heal her hurting places and fill it with His love.

When asked to come into our heart, it is JESUS who heals our hurts, lights our darkness, floods us with His redeeming love—and—sets us right.

Kim Meeder is the cofounder/CCO of Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, a unique ministry that rescues mistreated horses and pairs them with hurting children, encouraging all toward the healing hope of Jesus Christ.

The ranch was founded in 1995 and serves thousands of kids a year, all free of charge. Kim’s first book, Hope Rising, inspired the ranch to win the national Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award and launched her inspirational speaking ministry. She remains passionate to share complete freedom and wholeness in Christ by following the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Together, Kim and her husband Troy have helped to establish over two hundred other similar ranch ministries throughout the United States, Canada, and a dozen in foreign nations. She and her husband have been married since 1981 and live in Bend, Oregon. Together they enjoy deep wilderness adventuring.

And just like that... a life was rebalanced by the love of Jesus.

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Chariots and Horses by prophetic artist, Rachel Dube

Psalm 20:7,8 (NIV) “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.”

Isaiah 31:1-3 (NIV) “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord. Yet he, too, is wise and can bring disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise up against that wicked nation, against those evildoers. But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, those who help will stumble, those who are helped will fall; all will perish together.”

What did the Israelites have to save themselves from the might of the Egyptians who ruled over them as slave masters? They had nothing in themselves. God’s people languished under Egypt’s heavy hand of oppression. They cried out to God for deliverance and freedom. Out of their nothing, God brought salvation. He not only freed them from Egypt without a battle, but led them out with the wealth of the Egyptians. He did the impossible.

He guided them miraculously through the desert to an impassable ocean at their front and a swiftly approaching army at their back. Now what did God’s people have to rescue themselves from the evil that would soon surely overtake them without struggle? They had no army or weapons, no place to hide, no horses or chariots to carry them quickly to the other side.

They had nothing in themselves. They cried out to God in great fear. Out of their nothing, God brought deliverance. He lifted the deep sea full of fish into walls of water with a dry path through the middle and held the Egyptian army back with a pillar of cloud until the Israelites could walk through to safety. He did the impossible.

The Egyptian army represented the power of a mighty, wealthy and prosperous kingdom and oppressor. Their soldiers were covered in helmets and armor; they rode in sturdy chariots pulled by powerful and swift horses of war. They carried weapons formed for victory in battle and they charged

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forward with vengeance. What did the Israelites have to survive their Red Sea crossing if the army could reach them to devour them on the opposite shore? They had nothing in themselves. Out of their nothing, even their lack of faith, God brought rescue to his people.

He allowed the Egyptians to enter the midst of the sea on dry land. He threw them into a panic and clogged their chariot wheels. He closed the sea, causing the towering walls of water to crash back into their normal course, covering “the chariots and the horsemen…not one of them remained. But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea…Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians…Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord and they believed in the Lord…”

(Exodus 14:28-31 ESV) The security and the rescue of the Israelites were dependent on God’s might alone. All the Israelites needed to do was to trust Him and to submit to His leadership (and the leadership of Moses whom God put in place).

Our security and our salvation, our rescue, is not in the strength, the power, or the prosperity of this world. It is not in the things or the people who provide a counterfeit peace to our culture. Our rescue from sin, from suffering, and from the enemy of our souls, is grounded not in our own strength, but in the trustworthiness of God. We need only to trust Him and to submit to His leadership in our lives, rather than trusting in the things of this world to give us peace and save us. God is gracious to us and gives to His children everything, even often in spite of our lack of faith.

“The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” Psalm 145:17-18 (ESV) We, as God’s children, can sing with Moses and the Israelites in Exodus 16 (ESV), “ The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him…you have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode...”

Journey with Jesus Nuggets from the Gospel of Mark written by Rev. Lisa Morrison

SURPRISES Do you like surprises? Do you like it when someone throws you a surprise birthday party?

My favorite surprise party story is one that happened to my friend. He came home from work on his birthday and no one was home, or so he thought. He took off his work clothes, and when he went downstairs in his underwear, he quickly realized a lot of ‘somebodies’ were home! He wasn’t sure who was more surprised: him or his birthday guests.

In the Gospel of Mark, we find Jesus constantly surprising the religious leaders of the day – the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees. They all have expectations of what the promised Messiah will do when He appears. The issue is that Jesus doesn’t adhere to their expectations. Instead, He surprises them with His actions raising more questions about who He is and what He is doing than answering the question they expect Him to answer. Is He their promised Messiah?

In Mark’s narrative, the story of Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, begins with the main character being where he ought not to be – among sinners being baptized by John. If He is the One who is to come, He ought to be elsewhere – in Jerusalem, the center of their Judaic religion. That He initiates His ministry outside the sacred precincts, among the unwashed, characterizes what follows in Mark’s Gospel.

We surprisingly find that Jesus is never with the “right” people – something for which He will be constantly criticized. We find Jesus among the unclean lepers who are the marginalized of society. We find Jesus among the tax collectors who are traitors to their own Jewish people. We find Jesus among the unclean tombs with a demon-possessed man.

We find Jesus among the hated Gentiles. According to the religious leaders, Jesus never seems to be among the “right” people - (the holy people).

At the heart of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus surprises us. The one who is to come appears, but in a way no one expects. In the tension between what is expected and what occurs is a central feature of the story that we are told is “good news”. Mark’s Gospel argues a case. The story is told from the perspective of one who is persuaded that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God; and it is filled with wonderful surprises for all those who are open to the Messiah’s touch, love, healing and salvific presence. Jesus may have surprised the religious leaders because He was not where they expected Him to be, but He is always exactly where He is supposed to be – among sinners, the unclean, the demon-possessed, the hated, you and me. He is the good news we all need to hear, and He lives among us so we can experience His presence for ourselves.

Contact Lisa at eaglesnsight@gmail.com.

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A Call to Explore Throughout history, humans have always displayed a fascination with the ocean. It is a wild thing that begs to be appreciated, enjoyed, and explored. Underneath its waves are unique creatures that are present in numbers beyond human comprehension. The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has given up on trying to estimate the number of different species present in the ocean’s depths. NOAA’s literature formerly estimated that possibly one million different species could be found in the world’s saltwater regions. Now, as we continue to find new species hiding in the watery recesses of the planet’s largest mountain range and deepest valleys, this statement has been revised to say that the number of ocean inhabitants cannot be estimated. We know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the ocean’s inhabitants.

The ocean is deep, mysterious, and alluring. However, the human fascination with the ocean goes much deeper than the intrigue of the unknown. Its vastness stirs in our souls a desire placed in our hearts by the God who created us – a desire to know and be known by Him. The ocean, along with all of God’s creation, offers us an avenue to become intimately engaged with our Creator.

This is because, according to the Bible, all of creation testifies of the One who created it.

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

Romans 1:20 (NKJV) While the Bible is God’s story, our natural environment offers us its illustrations. All of creation provides physical examples of spiritual concepts described in Scripture. And we find numerous examples of these illustrations in the world ocean. For example, the allure of the sea is well-described in a poem called Sea-Fever by John Masefield. In it, he writes, “I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied.” There is something about the ocean that begs us to experience it, enjoy it, and explore it.

Similarly, in Scripture, God displays a heart that greatly desires for us to get to know Him. Consider His invitation to us:

“And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV) The appeal and call of the ocean also represents the voice of our Creator, calling us to come near, explore and immerse ourselves in His depths. Just as scientists struggle to quantify the nature of the ocean, so God presents His unfathomable nature to us. His greatness is beyond human comprehension. Yet in the majestic beauty of the seas, the power of the ocean’s waves, and the sheer vastness of its reach, we are offered a small glimpse of the character of our Creator-God. Is this thought not humbling? I echo the sentiment of the Psalmist who wrote: “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:4, NKJV). Who are we that God should offer Himself to us so generously? How great is His love for us!

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SEA HIM written by Christa Jewett, Marine Biologist

A Purposed Creation written by Kerri Bridges

“We were created to give God glory.” More than two decades later, I still remember this particular sermon orated by my youth pastor, Stan Grant, in my small hometown of Gloucester, VA. He had a way of making his words memorable, but even more so, inspiring a young generation on the cusp of life and understanding our place in it.

These words, inspired by scripture, gave me purpose, a reason why God gifted me with music. Not just for my own pleasure, not for my own glory, but for His. “Everyone who is called by My Name, whom I created for my glory. I formed him-yes, I made him!” Isaiah 43:7 TLV These words shaped a foundation on which I could stand. As a young girl, starry-eyed and with dreams of where my music could take me, I now understood my purpose – to give God glory. Nothing more, and certainly nothing less. Every white and black key plunked, every vocal trill, every lyric written, was to bring glory to God and none other.

Music is the body; worship is the spirit. Music is the conduit; worship is what flows inside.

Music is prose; worship is poetry. Music is natural; worship is supernatural. Music is human; worship is divine.

Music is natural; worship is supernatural. Music is human; worship is divine.

The difference between “music” and “worship” was a revelation. One that would become clearer to me with every life experience, whether a victory or a tragedy, a failure or a triumph; whether mundane or extraordinary, insignificant or remarkable. Every experience was an opportunity for me to give God glory. The glory that is due Him. This was my purpose in life. Whether I sang before a crowded room or a mirror, given heckles or applause, given recognition or none. This. Is. My. Purpose: To give God glory. This. Is. YOUR. Purpose: To give God glory. I am a purposed creation. You are a purposed creation.

Now decades later, life has not always been what I, in my youth, had imagined it would be. Fame and fortune are not my story. Touring and roadies are not my story. Radio play and music festivals are not my story. But being a lead worshipper is my story. Guiding others into the presence of God through worship is my story. Seeing people’s hearts change at God’s wooing is my story. Giving God glory through worship is my story. It is my calling. It is my purpose. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

ABOUT KERRI I have been married to the love of my life for almost 25 years. We have six incredible children together. I have been a part of the many aspects of worship since childhood. As a pianist, singer, and songwriter, my heart is to draw others to the heart of God through worship, finding a place of refuge in His presence.

Women World Leaders is honored to have Kerri lead worship for the monthly online Facebook live teaching, prayer and worship event.

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Holy Hush written by Deborah Watson Thirty something, medium build, Rebekka, crawls out of her single person tent into the early morning dew kissed ground. She places her hand on the cold grass to balance herself as she stands. That is when she sees it. ANIMAL TRACKS.

Her husband, Aaron, forty-something, rugged mountain man and modern-day prepper, won her heart at the bar one night. His stories of adventure sounded marvelous in comparison to her insane city life and she was ready for change.

But what kind?

But this?

They were small enough, faint enough, and stayed far enough away from the tent not to concern her as much as her bladder did. She grabs her safety bag and walks towards the hole in the ground she dug the day before.

Rebekka returns to her tent to grab her forgotten journal and study book before making her way to her sacred morning perch. She cuddles up on the cold, wet rock for her first morning alone. It’s been ten years since she’s been completely alone. Ten years of a whirlwind of promises that always had excuses as to why they didn’t take place. She stopped believing him years ago, but always held on to hope that one day, maybe he would take her on the adventure of a lifetime.

Rebekka sits on her makeshift toilet and watches the sunrise as she relieves herself. But its only her bladder that has found relief. Her mind and heart still race with the decisions she knows she will have to make soon.

“Why do I have to love your crazy intuitions?” Rebekka asks herself.

She stands and pulls up her biking shorts she brought to sleep in. Not the wisest choice for early fall, but it was the only choice when given such short notice.

Rebekka covers her recent urine not to attract curious creatures. The wild was not something she was accustomed to growing up in the city.

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Rebekka opens her journal and stares at the blank page contemplating what to write. The warmth of the rising sun reminds her of her friend Felicity’s place.

“Inhale count to 4 and hold, hold, hold, for 7: 3, 2, 1, exhale for 8.” Felicity’s voice echoes in Rebekka’s mind as she exhales.

Rebekka wonders why it is so important for her to learn how to breathe.

Within seconds, as if a light goes off inside of her, she realizes that her marriage is suffocating her in the chaos of broken promises, crazy dreams, and visions that never come to fruition.

Rebekka closes her journal book and sets it aside to take time for herself and remember how to breathe. This time it would not be because someone was coaching her to do it. It would be because she wanted to do it. It was time for her to take care of herself before she goes crazy, becomes terminally sick, or gives up on living completely.

Rebekka inhales and exhales with precision three times in a row. She can hear the nature around her waking to the morning sun. She smiles. This. This is what she thought Aaron was bringing her to. She grabs her journal and pen and begins to write.

The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

“What is my life without Aaron?” Rebekka wonders as she exhales into the morning breeze.

“Let every activity of your lives and every word that comes from your lips be

Rebekka is on a journey of making a life decision of living with or without her husband Aaron. She sees the “the little things” that are circling her life that are leading her to a decision, but she is not going to rush into it. Instead, she is choosing to steal away and be alone and search the heart of God for her life.

I have been married for 30 years and our next anniversary is soon approaching.

I can’t imagine what is going on in Rebekka’s head, and heart this day. The only thing I can imagine is that it must have been something tragic, traumatic, or terribly hard to understand, for a city girl, like her, to run away to the mountains to be alone.

Because of the length of my marriage, I do understand that marriage takes work on both sides of the relationship. There are moments in life when the journey is not easy. We were never told life would be easy. The difficult times are the perfect times to enter behind the veil of a Holy Hush with the Lord and seek His will for our lives.

drenched with the beauty of our lord Jesus, the anointed one. And bring your constant praise to God the father bEcause of what Christ has done for you!”

Colossians 3:17, TPT

There are many examples of this in scripture: Job, Esther, Ruth, Abraham, Moses, Jesus.

When was a moment in your life that you found yourself in a “Holy Hush” waiting on an answer from the Lord? What were three key scriptures that helped you during those moments? If you are in the middle of one, like Rebekka, may these encourage your heart: Psalm 119:105 and 2 Cor. 4:16-18.

Next month, find out what is on Rebekka’s mind about her husband Aaron that has caused her to be on this pilgrimage.

Deborah J. Watson, Executive Director from Studio222films.com and curator of the Branson International Film Festival is a writer, producer, and director in the film industry with a heart to reach hurting people with a message of hope.

Her stories are often written as allegorical narratives based on scripture and her Christian worldview.

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Neowise Comet & Miracle in the Grand Tetons

July 15, 2020 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1, ESV) “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?

He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name.

Because of his great power and mighty strength, Not one of them is missing.” (Isaiah 40:26, NIV) The sun was still setting at 10:30 p.m. as we waited for the Neowise Comet to appear over the Grand Tetons. The temperature was dropping by the minute and had fallen down to 38 degrees Fahrenheit, not quite freezing, but cold for a Floridian. I was dressed for the occasion, but my friend was not, so I started our Jeep rental and turned on the heat. We left around 12:30 a.m. to head back to the Heart 6 Ranch, thrilled with what God shared with us that night!

The next morning, as we were leaving the ranch to continue our photo expedition, I turned the key on the Jeep to hear “click-click.” Either the battery or the starter was dead! One of the ranch hands gave us a jump start and told us to let the engine run for at least 30 minutes to re-charge the battery, which we did, and then we drove off to our next hotel in West Yellowstone. All I could think about was how God had protected us the night before. We could have been stuck in the middle of the Tetons all night, in 38 degree temps, without our emergency blankets (still in my suitcase at the ranch), improper clothing, no phone signal, no food, just cameras full of comet photos! Instead, in God’s perfect provision, our car trouble happened at the ranch, where we were safe and sound and had immediate help available!

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God is so good, all the time! Need further proof? As we drove to West Yellowstone, we made several stops and turned the vehicle off and on each time for photo opportunities. Once we unpacked at our new hotel, we decided to go take sunset photos. Once again, we got a “click-click” from the Jeep. It wouldn’t start. But we were in civilization again! Thanks be to God for His mercy and provision of safe travels!

We decided to call an auto service in the morning, and they arrived from Idaho Falls within two hours of the call. The tow truck driver diagnosed a bad starter, but was able to get the Jeep started. Because all the shops in West Yellowstone had a 5-day wait for repairs, I had to drive the vehicle immediately 125 miles to his repair shop in Idaho Falls.

On the way to Idaho Falls, I felt an ocular migraine coming on, and I instantly pulled into a rest area parking lot that “just happened” to be there. I was talking to my sister from Island Park, Idaho, on my phone headset at the time. She said it was a good thing I stopped right there because I was about to go over Ashton Pass and there would have been nowhere to pull over! Again, God protected me!

After about tem minutes, I continued my drive safely to the repair shop, had both the battery and starter replaced, made it back to my sister’s where she had prepared three nights of dinners-to-go for me, and got back to the hotel – all in the same day! The remainder of our trip was a total success, thanks to God’s total mercy, grace and provision every step of the way!

He not only calls each of the stars by name, but He knows our name as well and was our provider and protector throughout the entire trip and beyond!

Lillian Cucuzza Photographer www.HisCreationsLLC.com www.HisCreationsLLC.pixels.com

peace piece by

God’s Power for Steady Rest in Daily Steps written by Stephanie Fincher Warmest greetings to the curious who may be intrigued by the title of this month’s article that will also guide you to future ones under the same name! You may have an idea about the play on words – nonetheless, I joyfully and humbly invite you to be refreshed and encouraged alongside me in exploring the activity of God who specifically fashions our everyday lives, one piece at a time. These purpose-driven moments, both big and small and tailor-made for each of us, are designed to teach us more about Him and draw us to His incomparable peace and supreme presence so readily available in any matter we face. Take a look at this incredible promise of God…

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” (Isaiah 26:3, NLT) Notice the words keep, perfect, and fixed in this verse. To ‘keep’ is to hold on to; to be ‘perfect’ is to be flawless and complete; and to be ‘fixed’ is to be fastened to or not moving; to be still. Looking at those meanings in light of the verse is like saying, “God holds on to me and I will be complete (at peace) when I fasten my thoughts to Him and do not move them.” What a comfort! What a Savior!

So, how can we further apply such truth in evaluating the amount of real peace that we have (or don’t have)? In the fabric of every woman’s life, a story has been written or is being written from threads of experienc-

es – some that are sweet and good to reminisce about, and some that are very painful. Each one has shaped our past to some degree and may have woven certain perceptions we hold today. Right or wrong, they are there, and they influence us. Some of these attitudes also bring stress, worry, and pressure that steal the calm and contentment that God longs for His children to receive and learn to daily walk in…those out-of-reach victories, major ones and pint-sized ones that seem unattainable or unavailable to us. Where is the access and how do we retrieve it? How do we uncover this pearl of steady composure when our mind (and circumstances) shout, “Anything but that”? Good news! We do have a defense – a powerful stop sign to interrupt faulty thinking by swiftly ushering in the restorative drink of God’s Word (the Bible). Sound too simple? Too “not-thinking-for-yourself” or “not standing-on-your-own-two-feet”?

That is surely the cry we often hear today. Beloved reader, women can certainly be bold and smart, and lead with strength and favor. It is the poise and stability from the inside that we need when the pieces of chaos (or that grumpy cashier!) threaten to “undo” us. We need not live a repetitive cycle of defeat.

Maybe it’s time to consider (or return to) the supernatural way of peace given only by a mighty God who loves you intensely, unconditionally!

He is generous and good and has everything you need. Yes, everything.

Run to Him with your life’s pieces and allow Him to revive your heart with life-giving and peace-infusing truth found in the pages of His Holy Word. Make room for Him to speak to you personally and daily that He may strengthen you. It is surely a process, so hang in there. You can begin by holding this promise close today….“The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” (Psalm 29:11, NIV).

Don’t delay – He eagerly waits for you to seek His peace for your pieces.

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, NIV)

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Miraculous manna Stories of healings, miracles, salvations, delivrances, prophetic dreams and visions; all bringing glory to God. the story of carol whipkey written by carrie christopher Carol’s story begins with repentance, bolstered in tears, and finished in emboldened miracles. Carol lived her life in the comforts of outward appearance, having done some model and pageant work in the past. The pursuit of beauty gave her a false sense of control and comfort. Carol went on to a financially affluent marriage, being given everything a young wife and future mom would want. Carol’s marriage seemed to model the American dream of wealth and adventures. Two children joined Carol and her husband’s perfect story. Everything she ever hoped and dreamed was becoming a reality. But her inward desire to maintain outward perfection reared its ugly head when she found out she was pregnant with child number three. She went through great lengths to end the pregnancy, but God put many obstacles her way. The Lord who loved her, led her. Carol believed in God but hadn’t come to repentance and regeneration yet. Although she had not yet surrendered in prayer to Jesus, God gave courage to Carol to fight the inward idols of beauty, allowing her to continue the pregnancy. Clearly God’s hand was upon every part of her life, calling her forward.

Her third son arrived on Carol’s birthday; the Lord gave her a wink of His providential plans for her precious family and child.

Four years had gone by since God’s intervention. The Lord began to show Carol that although her belief in God was surely there and she was on track for salvation, she had not yet been born again. Her heart and life were not fully surrendered. It was there in that time that the Lord joined her and some others in an antique store for a Bible study. What the Lord was packaging in that store that very day was the will of God intersecting the right time and positioning a rebirth. In walked a pastor, shopping at the store. Little did the small, close-knit Bible study participants know, the true purchase that day would be Carol’s salvation - purchased in full by a payment with Jesus’ death in exchange for Carol’s life. An eternal forever home and an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. The exchange of payment for her sins was instigated by the pastor’s presentation of the plan for salvation, the gospel revealed. It was at this time that her heart desired a new birth, an abandonment of former ways, a desire to be freed from her sin and to be accepted in the heart of the beloved Son and Father.

What she received from that tarnished, old, rickety antique shop was the greatest treasure awaiting here on earth for her, a treasure waiting for years to be accepted, a truly unique story of the old becoming new.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

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Baptism of the Holy Spirit invaded Carol’s life with the one of Jesus.

Opposition soon struck after that bold encounter with God. Carol’s child, age four at the time - the one she wrestled to keep - fell ill. Illness was pouncing.

Soon her child was diagnosed and hospitalized with encephalitis, a deadly pox that invades one’s brain.

Carol described her greatest fears in the hospital as such.

“Up against a wall, my tiny helpless baby lay red with a fever in a bed way too big for him, with his hair all wet and just a diaper on his little body, he lay in a semi-coma, motionless. I cried and cried. I was so scared.”

Doctors reported a prognosis of a 50% survival rate. Carol wrestled with deep theological divides. She argued with her own self as she fought condemnation for entertaining abortion years prior. The temptations were previous to her conversion, yet were being thrown in her face as God’s punishment against her past sins. But God, being rich in mercy and omnipotent in presence and power, reached Carol with his word.

God brought her a song, “Only trust in Him, only trust in him now.”

Then He spoke to her to open His Word. Her weary eyes, tear-stained clothes and feeble heart landed on Psalm 102:28. (KJV). “The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.”

Carol knew nothing else mattered but the power of God’s love and the truth of His holy Word. She experienced the very real presence of God on that day and came face to face with suffering that the enemy had intended for evil.

God was not punishing her, this was not truth, it was a lie from the enemy. He is a God who eternally loves and forgives.

He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

Psalm 103:10 NIV The enemy desired to steal Carol’s faith and twist her thoughts with condemning accusation, but what the enemy intended for evil, God would ensure would be used for good.

When the doctors marched in with hopelessness on their tongues and doubt in their hearts, for the first time in days Carol stood up straight, postured in faith, having just experienced the presence of God. Her voice once stolen from weeping, now bold as a lion, rooted in trust and His power, succeeded in saying, “My baby will be fine, because God assured me He will be.”

The doctor got up, shook her hand, and replied, “I wish I had as much faith as you.”

What Carol experienced that day was the intimate presence of the Holy Spirit, God with us, supernaturally speaking and holding all power and controlled dominion over life’s most vicious schemes.

As she released her trust, God fed her hope and vision for the future through His Word and presence. When she came back into her son’s room, He was miraculously awake. The enemy didn’t steal his life on that day of trial. The Lord’s Word, active and alive, operated in healing.

After a spinal tap, there was no longer a trace of encephalitis. Heaven’s hope, kingdom’s joy, invaded a doctor’s doomed prognosis.

The Lord’s miracle provided Carol a mountain of faith to live in and into.

These mountaintop arrivals would launch Carol into eternally powerful magnitudes of His love working in and through them.

Carol is alive and rejoicing continuously in the Lord, she remains a faithful warrior of truth, and she has birthed some of the greatest warriors known to this day. Carol is Kimberly Hobbs’ mother, founder of this Women World Leaders ministry. Carol is a mother who modeled our mission here on earth. Carol heard God’s Holy Spirit give her a lifelong commission: the Lord said to Carol, “Now go to the world and tell your story. A story of true love, not punishment.”

You see, Women of God, Kimberly, who has built this ministry with the Lord from the ground up, has taken the baton of faith from her mother and is running this race, on this very day, speaking and spreading here good news of His unrelenting love. This is the goal of this entire magazine. And do you see where it was birthed and how God spoke this very proclamation long ago? Proclaim, Sisters, what He has done for you. Our God leads and loves you with excellence and zeal, pursuing you and your affections, yearning to give you God-given encounters and endless days of His presence. Like Carol’s story, He desires to lead you from idolatry to intimacy, from lies of punishment to miraculous blessings.

Believe in Him. Believe in miracles. And leave a legacy of hope and healing to the nations, proclaiming the Lord’s greatness and deep love for His people.

WWL Love Notes “The Lord knew exactly what I needed in bringing me to WWL. He knew I was searching for something without realizing it most of the time. I was this little ship trying to navigate finding the lighthouse, which is Him. Through all the darkness and fog, he was and always will be there. He is there to give us all we need everyday of our lives.

WWL is like another map he gave me to find His light.”

-Michelle Lieberman

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)

FAITH AND FAMILY A Life Worth Celebrating written by Donna Whartenby Life is worth celebrating! Whether celebrating new beginnings or days gone by. Birthday celebrations hold a special place in my heart. My family didn’t have much money, yet my parents made our birthday special. My mother started preparing us several days before with joyful anticipation. She asked what she could prepare as our birthday meal and queried about the cake we desired. Family and friends were invited to help honor a life worth celebrating no matter our age.

occasion. Scripture tells us to celebrate. Psalm 118:24 (ESV) explains, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Christians celebrate Jesus’ birthday at Christmas. Ecclesiastes 11:8 encourages, “So, if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all”. Jeremiah 20:14 (ESV) tells us: “The day when my mother bore me, let it not be blessed!” Get the hint? Scripture instructs us to honor, remember, and celebrate life.

My mom was a great cook who prepared culinary delights! After devouring my birthday meal of homemade favorites such as meatloaf, lasagna, or turkey, my greatest anticipation was the birthday cake. Mom’s made-from-scratch cake was a mouthwatering, confectionary delight. Years later, after discovering boxed cakes were easier to make, with a few tweaks, it tasted as delicious as scratch. My favorite cake was nothing exotic, only plain vanilla cake. The creme de la crème was her homemade whipped cream icing! A fluffy, thick whipped cream layer was spread on the top and sides forming little peaks over this baker’s delight. Finishing touches of colored Jimmies or M&M’s were delicately placed on top. Mmmmm. This pièce de resistance was made to acknowledge a life worth celebrating!

Also, society tends to focus more on the spectacular and how many gifts are received, instead of how special you are in someone’s life. Over the years, gifts received are forgotten and gone. What I remember is that gifts were wrapped with colorful trimmings and love, and purchased with hard-earned money or crafted with loving hands. I have learned the importance of tradition and remembering time spent with family and friends, the blessings of being loved, and cherishing the people who honored the life worth celebrating.

My husband’s family had a different birthday tradition. As the family gathered at the homestead table, a cherry-red ceramic plate with the words: “It’s Your Special Day” glazed in white letters on the rim identified the place setting for the birthday honoree. As with my family, dinner conversations reflected on past celebrations, family gatherings, and gratitude for time spent together. For many years, four generations sat around their table commemorating yet another life worth celebrating!

For many families today, taking time out of hectic work, sports, and extracurricular schedules to plan a special birthday is a rare

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Our Heavenly Father loves His children, even more than our earthly parents do. Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV) tells us that God created us and knitted us together in our mother’s womb. God knows us intimately as “fearfully and wonderfully made”. Luke 12:7 (NKJV) advises, God knows the number of hairs on our head and we are valuable to Him. Being a child of God, He is by your side. Your life is worth celebrating as a life loved by our Creator, Jehovah God. Jesus Christ died on the cross to save us from our sin. Believe in Him and He will change your life! If you have not done so, pray to ask God to come into your life. Ask Him to forgive your wrongdoings. Begin living the life God wants you to live, a life worth celebrating.

Broken and Beloved written by aimee taylor

I talk with a lot of women, followers of Christ, who are walking around not knowing at the core of their beings two very important pieces of their identity. We see in Jesus’ life that knowing who we are is vital to following Him and living a Holy Spirit empowered life like He did (John 13:3). Jesus knew that He belonged to the Father and never lost sight of that vision for His time on Earth. But even though we may claim to know Christ, so many of us are lost, floundering around living a half-hearted, lukewarm life before God. We need to get a handle on two things. The first is that we are deeply broken people who need to be totally, out-and-out dependent on the Lord. Absorbing this is a must: that apart from Jesus, we can do absolutely NOTHING - nothing eternal and lasting (John 15:5).

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5 (NIV) Yet we are still walking around trying to control everything, and we are still deluding ourselves that we can, through our sin-soaked flesh, contribute something to His story. But it simply is not true. In our brokenness, we end up bogged down feeling struck by our own guilt, shame, and condemnation.

And this shame, guilt and condemnation are really running our lives from deep within us. Their roots run everywhere fueling our delusions and the lies that we live our lives from. We think we can fix ourselves on our own, but we can’t. It’s like slogging around with pigs in a pit of muck, falling again and again in our own dark slop. Stuck doesn’t even begin to describe this bondage. We simply CANNOT fix it on our own! So stop trying! Instead, our brokenness must drive us into complete reliance on Jesus. Bring all of your sin and the muck you have been wading in to the foot of the Cross and leave it there with Him! We continually need to get on our faces like beggars seeking the Lord’s mercy and grace to cover our lives. We need to live each moment of our lives like we actually need God to come and run it, so that each moment of our day looks like a non-stop conversation of, “What’s next, Lord?” So start with bringing your junk to Jesus and crying out to Him, “I need you to come and make me right!” That’s what total dependence looks like, and we need to do this work all the time. Leave it with Him and let Him lead you out of your junk into freedom.

The second piece of identity we haven’t grasped is that despite all our natural feelings to the contrary, we are deeply and passionately loved by God. This astounding truth does not rest in our souls as an unending reservoir for us to draw from as it should. His passionate love for us should fill us up so fully that it spills over onto everyone we meet. Instead, we attend to our doubts and wonder how on earth it could possibly be true that God wants me. We see our own ugliness as too much for anyone, especially God, to overlook. So we keep our true selves hidden away and we refuse to see the beauty He has created in us. The truths of scripture haven’t hit us with revelation that’s specific and speaks directly to our soul. We only rotely acknowledge the truth with our mind, but having only that mental assent is not enough for anyone to rest in God’s passionate love, or to know that He sees me and wants me. Do you know that He is captivated by you? That truly He sees you as beautiful (SOS 4)?

That He longs for you to gaze into His eyes like Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus (Luke 10:39-42)? Because He does. God’s love is monumentally more profound and beyond than ours, His ways are so much higher, so much more glorious. We must learn to immerse ourselves and swim within His immense love and move even deeper into the heart of God. The questions we need to ask ourselves, then, is not only how do I capture these truths so that they become one with who I am, but also how do we hold these seemingly opposing thoughts both at the same time? How is it possible that I am so screwed up, so contrary to God, and yet I am so loved by this Holy God all at the same time? So what’s to be done? Is it even possible to know these two truths so profoundly that they actually change who I am - my very being - at a fundamental and foundational level?

Yes, yes, and YES! We CAN and MUST know them, we MUST own them down to our core! Jesus was able to live in and from the truth because it is who He is. So then the truth has to BECOME who we are. And specifically these two truths … that we in our flesh are hopelessly broken and yet somehow it’s equally true that we are wildly loved. How, how do we become these truths?

So get on your face, because this is a work of repentance and surrender to the truth that Jesus has already spoken over your life. Confess that you haven’t allowed these things to become part of who you are, repent and turn toward the Lord again and ask for what you need. This is the truth of the Cross! He broke His body and spilled out His blood to make it possible for you to be in an intimate love relationship with Him.

This is the truth of the Cross! He broke His body and spilled out His blood to make it possible for you to be in an intimate love relationship with Him. He killed your sin on the cross and when He died, He took your sin with Him into the grave. Live like your sin is now washed away and the real you is waiting to be unveiled. He wants you because of who you are, who you are made to be. The truth of that must be spoken directly to your heart - ask Him to do that - and He will! He longs for you to rest in this truth. Ask Him to make it one with who you are and He will teach and transform your innermost being these truths. We need a Savior not only to wash us clean but to walk with us everyday so we might learn what it means to die to our old self and be resurrected into our New Creation selves. This can happen even here on this version of planet Earth, we don’t have to wait for the fullness of Eternity to experience true lasting change now. Open up your hands and welcome the Holy Spirit into every place in your soul, to minister in places He has rarely been allowed to enter. Welcome the beautiful, gentle Counselor to come in and do what only He can do in you. He will teach you to know your own brokenness. He will teach you to recognize your deep, desperate need to be totally dependent on Jesus. He will call out to your heart and speak the truth of your belovedness into you. He will breathe into your soul the immense love of God. Ask Him! These are the prayers He delights to answer! Then wait with expectancy as He plants these glorious truths deep within your soul.

Aimee Taylor is a Spiritual Director, counselor, and pastor’s wife, who wants to know and love Jesus more everyday.

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Dear Sister, This is a dedication to you as you take the time to spend intimate moments with God. God is always speaking and engaging with us. He is always reminding us of the sweetness of His love and compassion towards us. A walk through Psalm 139 reveals to us God’s perfect knowledge of us. Psalm 139 is the image of the omniscient and omnipresent God that embraces every aspect of our lives.

Sisters, we don’t have to be absent of who we are, because we are the creation of a complete God. Yet life can deplete us of such completion that we, at times, can find ourselves empty. So journey with me, if you will, over the next 30 days towards a filling that only comes through basking in the overflowing rivers of God’s presence and in His word.

In this season, dear sister, God will refresh, refine and restore you.

Love,

Dr. Jia www.jiaconway.com www.atouchfromheavn.com

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College Courage EAGER EXPECTATION written by Sarah Jenkins In having the platform of speaking to you as a college student, I feel the obligation to be woefully blunt. In doing so, I’d like simply to say that 2020 has been freaking hard.

A year that held so much promise for me was suddenly thrown off course as COVID-19 made its way through the United States. I felt like I was at my peak - interning at the Florida State Capitol finally getting to make political change, running a half marathon faster than I ever thought possible and being beckoned into a beautiful new decade of life - I simply would have never guessed what could have happened next.

In March of 2020, I returned to my home in Jupiter, Florida and, unbeknownst to me at the time, would stay there until January 2021. I would watch my friends all return to school as I sat at home lamenting what I perceived to be the right choice and I would wonder if it really WAS the right choice every day. I would wonder why I felt so lonely and why the world looked so bleak. I would pray every day for a brighter tomorrow.

In those prayers, God brought me back to the verse he spoke over me at the beginning of 2020, prior to the realms of masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing. On January 1, 2020, God reminded me of the story of Esther and the words said to her by Mordecai when the Jewish people were in peril, “Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

(Esther 4:14 NIV).

When He first brought me to that verse, I saw each “for such a time as this” moment in vibrant technicolor. I saw it the moment I crossed the 13.1 mile finish line and each time I slipped my heels on after my walk to the Capitol.

These events firmly validated His plan for my year and just how beautiful it was.

As COVID-19 gripped the world though, those moments lost their light. I suddenly felt alone, anxious and always on edge. I wondered how God could take a year of such promise and turn it to hardship and constant worry. What He proved to me though, is that He’s always got something up His sleeve.

Each time I would think my “for such a time as this” year was disqualified, He would bring about something so innovative and exciting that, in the same way as before, I could have never guessed what would happen next. He brought me back to my passion for artistic creation and using my gift to impact others. He gave me leadership positions far greater than anything I could have imagined for myself, especially when I was geographically distant from my university.

He proved that my trust in Him is all that is required for miracles to happen, and He reminded me that each moment of every day is meant to be treated as a divine appointment - one for such a time as THIS.

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UNFILTERED LENS

actress

Lost and found in Tinseltown

by Tina A. Gallo, co-written with Carrie Christopher

The Lord plants dreams in our hearts at a very early age, fearfully and wonderfully creating every detail of our lives, with plans for redemption in all things, in all our ways, at all times, even if we don’t profess faith in Him just yet. These dreams are like fitted garments of clothing tailored uniquely to us, carefully spun and

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wrapped upon us, dressing us in colorful visions for the future.

The desires that the Lord birthed into my life as a young girl were promises He was planning for my future. I just didn’t know it yet.

At the early age of three years old, my whole heart’s vast dream was a one-way ticket to Hollywood. My tiny bluish green eyes were set upon acting in Hollywood movies, firmly fixed on an ambition that seemed unobtainable, yet written in my deemed destiny. Although the shifting sands of family instability made it seem like an impossibility, deeply embedded in my heart was the will of determination. My heart was screaming an epic dialogue: “I can do this.”

My mother was much younger than my dad and came from a very unstable childhood with a family of 12 brothers and sisters. Alcoholism was a vehicle of destruction that ran rampant in her family.

Basked in constant affliction, my mom and her siblings were responsible to care for one another. I have no idea if my mom knew that what ravaged her childhood would be what would ravage my own. During my mother’s child-rearing years, she carried that same generational alcoholism right into our very home. It seemed at least once a month, routinely, my mom would binge on beer until she couldn’t see straight, numbing her inner turmoil. She was running from her past into a sea of alcoholism. All the while my aching heart needed her; the cores of my childhood yearned for a mother’s love. Stolen was my mother. Her absence in my life left me with wounds that cut deep. My tiny little heart could never comprehend why my brothers and I, her children, weren’t

important enough to care for and invest in. Gnarling from the ashes of addictions, seeded lies of abandonment grew wildly into my hungry heart.

On the contrary, my dad was Italian and most of his family came from Calabria. They loved each other and were very close to one another, depicting what a stable family should look like. He did not drink alcohol except on special occasions, and only then he might take a sip as a salute of goodwill. He was a good provider, a faithful dad, and I knew that he loved me.

We were raised in a nice middle-class suburban neighborhood in a lovely home with an in-ground pool. In the 1960’s-early 70’s, divorce was an abnormality. There certainly weren’t any families that I knew of who were divorced except mine. Inwardly I longed to be cherished and nurtured the same way I saw all of the other little girls were by their moms who always seemed to adore and fuss over them. My eyes peered into the lives of my friends with desires to grasp a mother’s love such as this. The absence of my mother harbored feelings of inadequacy that had planted its deep, ugly roots deep within. The filters that I saw myself through radiated unprocessed pain, blurring the truth, as my reality now framed with lies of distorted images that were marked upon my soul.

In my teens, my dad decided to move us to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I was extremely upset because I didn’t want to go, nor did I want to leave my friends. Even though they weren’t the best crowd, I was accepted and comfortable in friendships with them.

Little did I know how that move would change my life and eventually put me on the path to fulfilling my Hollywood acting dream.

Internally, I was a lost soul and very skilled at putting on the right mask to hide behind when I needed to, or so I thought. The truth is, there was a war raging inside of me between God’s truth and the devil’s lies. The Bible teaches us that the thief (devil) comes to kill, steal, and destroy; but Jesus came that they may have life and have it in abundance (John 10:10). Daily I battled internally against the negatives that distorted my perception with an illusion of false truths. I desperately needed validation and affirmation, and mostly I was in search of simple, unconditional love.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10, NIV At 18 years of age, I took a job as a cocktail waitress at the Sunrise Musical Theater in Sunrise,FL; it just so happened that Frank Sinatra was performing there the same weekend I began. I was extremely excited about that! You see, as a child, I was always compared to Shirley Temple, probably because I was always performing and my hair was blond and curly just like hers. I loved

adorable Shirley, but Nancy Sinatra is who I wanted to be. So I’d put a towel on my head and make believe my hair was long, put on my little red shimmy dress and white go-go boots, hold a hair brush in hand as my microphone, and voilà! All jazzed up, singing, “These Boots Are Made for Walking”. I’d put on a show all day long for anyone who would endure and watch. Somehow, as a gift for my 6th birthday, my dad arranged a phone call from Nancy Sinatra to sing “Happy Birthday” to me. I was elated; it was the most special present I’ve ever received!

The new job of waiting on tables revealed a distant dream that was waiting for me. In fact, I can remember the weekend that marked the momentum of the opportunity of bright and shining lights that was coming to fruition. I was given a private table of 20 to service that evening. I did my very best as I waited on them before and after the show. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and I was astonished at how large of a tip I received from my table.

It was a great first night!

When I came back to work the next night, I was given the same table with the same exact people. I thought this was strange because who comes to the same show a second night? My manager then called me to the side to inform me that I had been waiting on Mr. Sinatra’s personal friends, and that they were so pleased with my service that they requested me as their server again. Wow! Fear and pure excitement rushed through my veins with anticipation. Later that evening Bobby Marx (Mr. Sinatra’s stepson) and Lester Lewis approached me and asked if I would like to travel on the road with the Sinatra entourage to sell his merchandise before and after his shows. Well, with no hesitation, of course, I said yes! I couldn’t wait to tell my dad. I knew I was about to embark on a big adventure and maybe this was my answer to my big dream of making it as a Hollywood star. In my mind I thought who I knew is all that it would take.

Indeed it was a fabulous two and a half years journeying on the road with some of the world’s best. I traveled all over first class and stayed in top-notch fancy hotels. Rapidly, my new life consisted of lavish events and parties, meeting and entertaining with some of the world’s finest in the entertainment industry. I even got to thank Nancy in person for that very wonderful birthday gift so many years before. Yet I wasn’t any closer to my own acting dream being fulfilled. Hungry for more, I asked Mr. Sinatra’s best friend, Jilly Rizzo, the big question: How do I become an actress?

What do I need to do? I told him I thought getting to know all these famous people would be my ticket in. His response was, “You need to go to school to study acting and find out if you have any talent, kid.” Who you know can help open doors, but only talent will sustain. At that time, I didn’t even know that there were schools that concentrated on just acting. This was all new to me.

I was excited to begin researching schools and finally decided to make my move to New York City to study with some of the best teachers in the industry. Now I had a solid plan!

Lights, Camera, Action!

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I studied in acting school for years while waiting tables at night, pounding the pavement with the workload I’d been given.

Avidly, I began to get some acting gigs, some under-five work on soap operas, and landed a few commercials. When I felt I had enough experience under my belt, I decided it was time to head to Los Angeles with my sights on getting a role on the most popular soap opera at the time, “General Hospital.” I did just that when I was offered the role of DiDi. So here I was. I’d landed in the vision of my dreams. I had arrived despite the opposition that riddled and streamed through my life!

Now I was living my dream on the mountaintop as an actress in Hollywood. I made decent money and lived in a cute little cottage right on the beach in Marina Del Rey. Can’t get better than this, right? Except the battle of unworthiness still raged inside of me, leaving an empty, gaping hole, unresolved pain still resting inwardly, and the absence of God in my life.

Nothing was ever enough! My need to seek more success only led me into a state of anxiety that was utterly discouraging and exhausting. The more I achieved, the more peace I thought I would have. Boy, was I wrong! All the glitz, glamour, wealth, and famous friends didn’t have the power to change the inward war raging in my heart.

I would find myself often in the “acting” role. Carefully putting on my Hollywood mask, giving way to another cocktail drink until I felt the uncomfortable feelings in my heart fade away, I was escaping the reality of it all. I was becoming easily swept up in the Hollywood happenings. In the 1980’s, cocaine was considered to be a glamorous drug, promising the movie industry that it would shed camera pounds and boost energy. My heart spiraled downward into the experimental claws of cocaine believing it may help me, too. Shallow promises swarmed the sets and scenes of the Hollywood industry, all buttoned up, pretty on the outside, primped and ready for the best shot, yet dying and decaying on the inside. Everything was about outward appearances in Tinseltown and my identity was all wrapped up in what I did and what I had. If it were all taken away I would have crumbled. Glamour, glitz, fashion, wealth, accolades, achievements, all were hidden in the masks we willingly wore to hide the prevailing laments internally. All those feelings of shame, guilt, fear, and unworthiness that I buried deep inside were pushing through harder and faster than ever to the surface of my soul. The lens I was seeing through was marred by all the acting, too muddled to see through anymore, filtering the lies through the beauty of the world. My days were doomed to be derailed.

Lies of constant approval and rejection flooded me continually, igniting more and more downward spirals. Encircling me, the lies spoke over and over on the movie reel that I often listened to.

“You’re only as good as your last show! You don’t have the right look for the part! You’re too heavy, too small, too short, too tall, you didn’t get the audition, we need someone with more credits,” and so on. I needed a new lens to focus through! One that wasn’t distorted by the lies that caused me to have a constant need for approval from people.

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The Lord had a better plan for my life and He does for you, too!

God tells us in His Word, “I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11, NIV. He was going to provide me with a new lens illuminated by truth and bring me out of confusion into clarity.

I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11, NIV Zooming into His Heart…

I had no knowledge that a few people were praying for me. I was raised Catholic and believed in God, but I never really had a true personal relationship with Him and honestly didn’t know that I could. There were intercessors crying out for my very life.

I can remember vividly when I was awakened to the fact that I was surrounded by Christians. Everywhere I turned, God would place another one before me. Then one day I received a card from a distant aunt who mentioned that she saw me on TV and gave me a lovely compliment. She signed the card... God Bless You, Aunt Frannie. I’ve heard those words my whole life, but this time, there was life in them. “God Bless You” jumped off the page and pierced into my heart. Those words ignited a spark of hope in me like never before. I was searching for something solid and I wanted answers. I dabbled in some New Age and read Shirley MacLaine and the power of positive thinking books, which always left me feeling just as empty and lost as I was before reading them. After all, if I’m a God with all this power in me, which is the basis of their teaching, then I’m really in trouble. The application of this teaching was draining, self-centered, and made no sense to me.

Thankfully, it didn’t bear witness to my spirit. I always knew that God was my Creator and He was so much more powerful and larger than myself.

Depression was crushing me, and I walked around with sadness wrapped inwardly, gasping for newfound freedom. The tyranny of Tinseltown left me thinking I had everything that everyone else would want: fame, fortune, acting, and outward beauty, but none of it brought true joy.

When my contract came to an end, I decided to head back home to my dad’s to take a break and process some things. One night while I was wrestling to sleep I turned on the TV. There was an actress talking on a show and sharing about her relationship with God and all that He had done in her life. There I was in the literal and spiritual dark, wrapped up in a throw blanket, intently listening to every word hanging from this woman’s testimony. I wanted what she had! When they put the number up on the screen to call for prayer I started dialing; my fingers moved before I could

even process what was happening. An hour passed and I was about to hang up the phone when a gentleman answered. His trusting, soothing, and compassionate voice led me into a prayer to accept Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Savior. I was now a born-again Christian, saved by grace by making a phone call to the 700Club.

Hallelujah! What God did that night was a miracle.

That next morning I woke up with an unexplained joy and renewed hope.

I was on fire and hungry to learn about God - His teachings and all the things that the actress was talking about the night before. I was a new creature in Christ with a passionate desire to be deeply rooted in Him. I knew I finally had the answer to what I so desperately was searching for, and I was ready for the journey.

Tina Gallo has been in the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She is an award-winning professional actress who

commands attention and brings life and vitality into each of her roles. She is a method-trained actress who studied

with the best – Lee Strasberg, Uta Hagen, Stella Adler,

Sanford Meisner and Jack Waltzer. Tina has extensive TV, Film, Commercial and Theater credits.

She is best known for her past role as DiDi on the soap opera “General Hospital.”

After years of taking a step away from the industry to raise

My dear sisters, God has a plan for each of us! He wants to prosper us and give us an abundant life. We must come out of hiding behind our own masks that we cower under, we must come forward from our own acting and pretending, to truly receive what He has for us, adjusting and repositioning our lenses to focus on Jesus and not ourselves. When we seek His plan for our lives and not ours we will find real peace and true contentment. The Lord gives us the gifts and the talents we need to fulfill our purpose in Him. We are called to serve and bring glory to Him. We learn in His Word to delight ourselves in the Lord and He will give us the desires of our hearts. (Psalm 37:4 NIV)

her children, the Lord stirred her heart by calling her to

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

You can register for online acting classes with TINA!

Psalm 37:4, NIV

return to the spotlight. Tina’s relaunched career includes a zealous appreciation for the Lord to move in power in

the acting world, and film industry and is expectant for how He will move. Tina’s passion has become a God-given purpose; she desires to orchestrate Christ-saturated media and beyond.

In between the blessing of acting, Tina teaches acting class-

es in person and online and is the founder of ‘The Nashville Studio of Method Acting’ in Nashville, TN.

Accepting all experience levels, including adults, teenagers and children.

Register at:

https://tinagallo30.wixsite.com/acting You see, through so much of my story the Lord was pursuing me and leading me even when I wasn’t following Him. He allowed me to taste the riches of success, so I can see clearly that things of this world will never satisfy my appetite. When we wholeheartedly seek the Lord and His will for our lives, He cultivates our understanding and guides the way for us to see through a lens of truth that will provide us clarity and direction, ultimately bringing us into a true life of freedom. “Whom the son sets free is free indeed!”

(John 8:36 NIV)

She also coaches on film sets and travels to other acting schools throughout the southeast region to speak and

coach acting workshops, online or in person. Contact Tina if you’re interested in inviting her to lead your next workshop, combining acting and Christian passion and purpose.

My acting days are not over or wasted or lost! I now use all the preparatory gifts, talents, and treasures for His glory! I get to act in love, in purity, and in truth in the movies for HIM now. All is redeemed and His hope carries me forward into victory. Join me in imitating Christ, the star of the show, the centerstage of our lives.

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Psalm 91 God profoundly touched my heart, my inner being, to join with Him to co-create this painting for “His children.” As two of my very dear friends were going through major health challenges, God put a burning desire in me to begin this painting, so that others could receive His pure, fatherly love.

As I started with the down-strokes of yellows and pinks, I felt this was God’s glory and healing raining down; then I began to paint the purple and realized I was painting angel wings. God said, “You are painting Psalm 91.” This scripture has been on everyone’s hearts this year, and His wrap-around comfort and love pour forth from this painting, so that each of His children may claim it as her own.

“When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai, you are hidden in the strength of God Most High.”

Psalm 91:1 (TPT) Enthroned means one seated as royalty - purple represents royalty. As you look at the angel wings, you will see that they have been painted as the underneath of the wing, as though they are about to cover, protect, and shelter. They are massive wings - shields to protect.

“His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you. You can run under his covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.”

Psalm 91:4 (TPT) Every feather has minute detail, representing the fact that the Father knows every detail about us and cares deeply.

The figure is Our Father, our refuge; He is inviting us into His loving embrace. He is in the distance, but the lower part of His robe is at the forefront - for He goes before us in every circumstance.

I am praying that as you meditate on this painting, Psalm 91 comes alive and interacts with your heart. Believe for healings. Remember my two friends for whom God had me paint this? One has received complete healing from the Lord as her tumor has completely disappeared! The other has had minor healings – and we are believing for a complete healing from our healing God, Jehovah-Rapha.

I am so passionate about prophetic art. God has had me on the most incredible art journey throughout my life. From the tender age of 4 years old, when my deep connection to art began, to my professional career in the arts, which has spanned from graphic art to teaching painting and has lasted for over 40 years, God had my destiny all mapped out. From day one He provided stepping stones that have guided me to the recognition of my true identity in the body of Christ – I was made to help others through my gift of art and creativity.

Ten years ago, I discovered I had breast cancer. The following week I gave my life to the Lord. My treatment included a harrowing experience with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation; but during that exhausting year, I found the love of God in the deepest way through my art. He infiltrated my paintings and, during chemotherapy, my art was discovered by a New York art gallery which invited me to have an exhibition in New York City. God was on the move through my art. However, because of the side effects of the chemotherapy, my arm was damaged, and I was in a lot of pain. In 2013 I visited my daughter at Bethel in Redding, California and went to the healing rooms. It was there that I was touched in the spirit by a prophetic painting. I was then prayed for, and immediately a fire went down my arm and I was instantly healed. How amazing is our God?! He gave me a profound personal healing through art.

This stirred a passion in me to learn all about prophetic art and spread the word about this sanctified gift of the arts.

For seven years I have been painting and teaching about prophetic art and have seen miracles, revelations, and salvations as people’s lives have been drastically changed through this art.

God uses the artist as His vessel to co-create with Him, and through the results, He reaches people in many ways that could never be accomplished by the artist alone. Prophetic art, co-created by God, bypasses the intellect and goes straight to the heart, and always reflects the love of Jesus. Each painting has a different impact to the viewer. I’m always amazed at the message that God shares through my paintings which is often aimed specifically at the individual in the form of a word, an encouragement, a revelation, or an insight into their destiny – miracles abound.

Prophetic art comes in many forms - drama, dance, cooking, dressmaking, magazine creation, book writing, movie producing, and more. God is the most amazing artist of all time and He uses all the arts to speak to His beloved children. Psalm 19:1 (NIV) “The heavens declare the glory of the God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

As you gaze at these paintings, let Jesus’ love flood your heart - let Him speak to you. Ask Him what is on His heart for you. God is longing to meet you where you are today!

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“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

Ephesians 3: 20 (NKJV)

Writings from the Global Office Empowering Lives with Purpose This is a significant season in your life, dear friend. The purpose of me sharing these words of hope with you, which fall under my “chosen title” of Empowering Lives with Purpose, is that I realize the battle of life is intense.

We each need assistance to fight the day-to-day struggles, which we receive in the form of love, prayer and encouragement, allowing us to move forward in unity as believers.

There is a new chapter the Lord is opening in your life today. It is not something to fear, it is something to rejoice in. I am here to empower you and encourage you to look toward our Savior. The Lord is decreeing there is a shift going on within your life. He is going to sift you. He is shifting you and moving you and you will not remain in the same place. God is changing circumstances, moving mountains, and removing roadblocks - making a way for you, dear sister. You must believe this and know that God has a divine plan for your life.

As a leader in women’s ministry, my heart’s desire is that God will show you what He is calling you to do for Him and the abundant living you can possess by following His will. There are daily challenges that I want to encourage you to process and apply where needed. My column is to help you find God’s purpose and plan for your life. May you draw closer to both His purpose and His plan over your entire life, and walk with Him while living in the abundant life that He has intended for you. Remember, He can do exceedingly, abundantly more than you can ever ask or imagine according to the power that is at work within you (Ephesians 3:20), if you allow Him to.

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FIGHT TO FOCUS: If you are anything like me, it is extremely easy to become distracted these days. Our thoughts wander from what we are going to do with our day, to what are we going to eat tonight; and then there are the constant interruptions of our ringing phones and email alerts, family duties, and endless jobs - which all add to the monotony of our life. The bottom line is that we all experience distractions; our minds are being taken off what really matters most.

What matters most to you? Take a moment to ponder that question. Try to be completely honest with yourself about this. I am encouraging you into abundant living with our King. After all, that is why this ministry was formed. I would love to guide you into what matters most to God, which is our relationship with Him. We need to fight to focus on that.

God has called you to a purpose and plan in your life, but the forces of hell are trying to distract you from that course. They want to divide your heart, separate you, and pull you in different directions. If those forces distract you from what matters most, they can succeed in causing division - discouraging your soul and disengaging your faith. The devil does not need to destroy you if he can distract you.

Diminish the distractions and fight, really fight hard, to focus. If it is people who distract you from your focus, remember to walk with the wise and you will become wise. Walk with fools and become a fool. We need to do whatever it takes. Treat distractions like temptations – and recognize that they are keeping you from growing closer to God.

Do not be fooled; bad company corrupts good morals.

1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV Fight with everything to focus on what is important. In Proverbs 4:25, Solomon says, “set your gaze on the path before you with fixed PURPOSE.” Look straight ahead. Ignore life’s distractions.

Imagine the forces of hell pushing you to sell out to what does not matter, distracting you from what does. As a leader, I encourage you to call out to God to redirect you to the things that matter. Make a conscientious effort to try this today. Examine and filter your distractions. Focus your spare time on your “important list.”

Remember, Peter began sinking in the water when he took his eyes off Jesus.

Fix your focus. (Matthew 14:22-23) Feel the joy of the Lord empowering you as you fight to focus on Him, sweet sister. Feel the happiness as you are propelled forward. Your King is your prize, and your destination is with Him. Listen to the voice of God. He is too good to waste on things that do not matter. Do not take your eyes off the prize. Your prize is your PURPOSE God has called you to. As you focus, God will speak to you through His Word, His Spirit, other people, songs, and more.

God gave you gifts, a purpose, and a beautiful way to make a difference in this world. You can leave a lasting imprint - a legacy of something POWERFUL. Put everything down and fight to focus your gaze on God as you listen for His voice, which you will hear when you really become still and focus.

His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with few things; I will put you in charge of many things.”

Matthew 25:21 NIV I am cheering you on to an abundant life, but God is calling you to it. Do not ignore the call. Fight to FOCUS!

Kimberly Hobbs

Founder and Executive Director, Women World Leaders kimberly@womenworldleaders.com

For the word of God is living and active.

Sharper than any double-edged sword.

HEBREWS 4:12 (ESV)

What to do when...

Biblical Principles for Everyday Living “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword.” Hebrews 4:12 NIV The word of God is here for us today, at our fingertips, ready to be beckoned whenever questions arise in our life. Let’s face it – as Christians, life isn’t easy, and the right path isn’t always clear. Sometimes the answer to our question of how to handle a particular situation is black and white – but more often than not, because we don’t live life in a vacuum, we have a difficult time discerning whether the answer should be a yes or a no, this way or that way. The truth written about in Hebrews 4 teaches us that the word of God is “living and active,” and because of that we can go to the Word seeking our answers for everyday living and trusting that God will meet us where we are, even though the Bible was written many years ago to people who likely lived far from where we do and in very different circumstances. The Word of God, explained to us by the Spirit of God, will always guide us in the direction our Father wants to lead us. In the Acts of the Apostles, the Bereans are commended for not just listening to and following Paul’s teaching, but taking Paul’s teaching and examining it and cross-referencing it against Scripture. (Acts 17:11) This is a complicated world, and it isn’t enough just to listen to what others have to say, no matter how completely trustworthy they are. Many will try to lead you astray, and others may lead you astray unknowingly, not understanding the full scope of your situation. But when we seek God’s solution, He promises to give us His guidance and wisdom.

In this monthly article, we will together delve into some difficult life questions with much prayer and scripture searching! As you read and pray and just go through your daily life, I want to hear what God is telling you! What dilemmas are you facing? Do you have theological questions to which you are seeking answers? Has God revealed something to you through your study of Scripture that you want to share? We want to hear! We are all on this planet seeking God’s truth together, and we at Women World Leaders certainly don’t claim to have all the answers, but we know that God does, and we are praying for His wisdom and revelation as we seek His will together by examining Scripture and applying it to life. This article is a dialogue – we are iron sharpening iron! And I’d love to hear from you! You can reach me at julie@womenworldleaders.com.

I don’t have all the answers- but God does! Let’s seek them together!

Julie Jenkins

Teaching and Curriculum Leader julie@womenworldleaders.com

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Heart of a Missionary Serving a Global God

It was a divine connection.

I had just come home from my first trip to Kenya when a sorority sister connected me with a woman she knew who had a heart for Africa. We met at a local café in South Florida, each sharing our own memories from our time in Africa and our testimonies - both amazed and in awe that we had found someone who shared our love for Africa. We didn’t know at that first meeting that this was just the beginning, but God knew. He continued to cross our paths with others who had their own connections to Africa, the way only God could.

After learning about Africa first from her father who attended university in South Africa and then her own decade of experience of mission work in Uganda, Kathie was in the process of founding a non-profit to serve children in Africa through education. It was definitely God’s timing. I was the missing puzzle piece, as they needed a committed board member in order to incorporate. We hardly knew one another, but we saw Jesus in each other, and God’s hand in bringing us together. We obeyed, and He provided for every need and knitted everything together.

I traveled back to Kenya and our bond flourished over phone calls, even amidst the challenges of frequent power outages and 8-hour time differences. Seven months later, Kathie was traveling to Uganda, so I boarded a bus from Nairobi to Jinja, making the 12-hour ride overnight. We were reunited as we ate breakfast overlooking the Nile and shared our morning devotions followed by a full day of school visits where I watched the young man whose education she has supported tenderly call her “Mom” and witnessed the embrace between her and a mother suffering from HIV/AIDS who thanked her for supporting the educational costs of her three daughters. The trip ended on a Sunday as we watched baptisms in Lake Victoria and celebrated with Jesus, still praising God for the way He took care of all the details in Uganda/Kenya as everything came together flawlessly, despite what seemed like impossible odds.

I came home for the holidays and we worked diligently as we took advantage of the time we had to spend in the same room with each other! It was bittersweet as she dropped me off at the airport to leave for Kenya again, tears in her eyes, which even caught her by surprise. Little did we know that God would call me back home less than a week later. And that there would be a global pandemic that would follow. But God knew.

This season of the pandemic has been particularly challenging as we watch our children in Africa unable to attend school, their families suffer financially, and their needs growing. Our hearts also ache due to our physical separation from the continent we love so much, as two of our trips, scheduled in May and October, were both canceled. But we look forward with hope to the day God brings us back and restores the school year that our children lost.

I’m grateful that God brought Kathie and me into each other’s lives for His purpose. We bring balance to one another and complement each other in such a way that it is undeniable that this was His plan. Kathie has been beyond a blessing in my life and in the lives of so many others. A woman who embodies living out her faith through her actions— trusting that God will use this to bring those far away close to Him. She is a visionary who sees God’s enormous plans unraveling with each small step in eager anticipation—when others would run with fear. That can only come from a woman who knows

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how powerful and mighty her God is. A woman with a successful advertising career who was completely changed after one encounter with God, and now joyfully dedicates her life out of the abundance she has received. Her unwavering dedication and boldness for the sake of the children we serve is inspiring.

Something that will far outlive our short time on this earth—and will continue to impact generations for the Glory of God. With this opportunity to access an education, children not only learn practical skills to equip them to be all that God created them to be, but they also receive exposure to the Gospel. Many face insurmountable challenges at home, but in partnering with well-established teams from their local community, I’ve had the blessing of witnessing God working in these children’s lives.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27 NIV In whatever way God may be speaking to you now to be a part of this journey with us and God, whether it be through prayer, financial support, or your skills—we’ve seen firsthand what God can do with a simple yes.

As we look back and see what God has already done and look forward to see what He has planned for the future, we encourage you to be prayerful about whether you should play a part.

For more information please visit our website at africanorphaneducation.org.

Lauren Dean

Missionary, Author, & Speaker Founding Board Member & Vice-President at African Orphan Educational Foundation Global Business & Missions Director at Women World Leaders lauren@womenworldleaders.com

Mercy Hands Great Grace

I am convinced that the greatness of the gospel soars salvation and freedom into our hearts; ushering in of God’s very real presence amongst us. The gospel - His very presence - can save any person, any marriage, any relationship, any disease, any hopeless situation. God’s greatness has been ushered in and through, basked onto us, through the power of the gospel. The pushing power of the gospel can free any man, woman, or child.

The inevitable gospel interaction of His love can bring light to any dark circumstance. The power of the gospel can free and unshackle our contempts, judgements, and fears. The gospel causes us to put down our judgment stones and give unhindered, accessible gospel-grace and forgiveness to the multitudes. The gospel door of forgiveness and freedom, that which we receive and extend, lies open to each and to all who would boldly walk through it. The gospel comes to destroy our pride-based perfection motives, filling every empty space with pure delight in what Jesus did for us, not what we can do for Him. The gospel fruit of excellence surpasses all our understanding because the power isn’t in our flesh, it’s in HIM. Power to break every chain, to refute every lie, to lay the baby of love into each dying seed, to rend the enemy powerless. To give access to the poor, the broken, the orphan, the young, the old, the slave, the free. To emerge from dust and ashes to freedom-filled glories. To encompass, embody, and unshackle any area of harbored bitterness, regret, guilt, shame, condemnation and evil. To instead harbor what is lovely, pure, commendable.

The gospel fills us with a dance of His fame and His renowned victorious abode. Not putting impossible perfect principles on mere humans.

Jesus lay upon the cross, pierced by hammered nails embedded into His hands and feet for us, so we did not have to be bound up - an incredibly beautiful picture of His great glory.

He willingly laid down his life for the intruder, the rebellious, the snared sinner. The sinner was me, and it was you - avenging and opposed to Christ. But our God, rich in mercy and abundant in love, did the impossible for us. Coming to seek and save the lost.

Abounding from the cross, Christ interceded for the lost and awakened the aroma of life abundantly through His power-filled resurrection. An offering of peace between God and man. A release of forgiveness, a feast of redemption. And the bread of His body, broken for you, was transposed to mark a victory of His death on the cross and the death of your sin. By receiving this very bread, you are given access to eternal life.

It is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in you. And the blood of Jesus Christ wins the battle between sin and satan; victory lies in the arms of our Savior.

It is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in me.

“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:40 (NIV) So you see, my friend, we waste too much time battling one another and running from the truth and weight of our sin, rather than entering the throne room of God and releasing what has clung to us. God didn’t die so you could stay stuck and hopeless. He died so you can fly free into a land of milk and honey on the wings of His presence and the gospel.

Because the gospel isn’t just a story; the gospel is found in a person. It’s found in Christ alone, the Emmanuel God with us. And God doesn’t want us to just acknowledge Him - He wants to be yours. Winning back your affections through the cross, in order to break the strongholds of sin and Satan, to enter back into a place of ultimate communion with you. Hand in hand, walking in you, through you, and with you into a garden of hope. These are His bold, ministering mercy hands reaching down to hold you. May we reach and melt into the Mercy Hands of our creator.

Carrie Christopher Ministry Development Leader carrie@womenworldleaders.com

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Florence Power Points: God at work through Women Leaders Yesterday and Today written by Leecy Barnett “I desire for a considerable time only to lead a life of obscurity and toil, for the purpose of allowing whatever I may have received of God to ripen; and turning it someday to the glory of His name.” Sixteenyear-old Florence felt she had a call from God for service. She just had no idea what this service would look like, but she was willing to wait on God to find out.

time women had ever gone to serve as combat nurses. Because of a picture and a poem depicting her as the “lady with the lamp”, Florence Nightingale became one of the most famous women in the British Empire, second only to Queen Victoria herself. But if this was her only contribution to nursing, Florence would be just a footnote in history.

Three years later, Florence begged her parents to let her study mathematics rather than “doing worsted work and practicing quadrilles”, which were the typical activities of young women of her class. Her mother, whose only aspiration for her younger daughter was to make a good match, thought it was a waste of time. But Florence was relentless and spent the next few years becoming an exceptional mathematician.

When she came home from the Crimea, she went on to establish the modern profession of nursing based on the statistical mathematical principles she had studied as a young woman. Throughout her life she pursued God’s call and “…did not disobey the vision [she] had from heaven”. (Acts 26:19, GNT) Be inspired by Florence to believe that “We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!” (Eph. 2:10 TPT) Be tenacious in seeking God to reveal your destiny. Be patient as He reveals it to you step by step.

In 1844, when she was 23, an age when young unmarried women were on the brink of spinsterhood, Florence began to think that her call might be to nursing. At that time, her parents adamantly refused her request for training because they considered nursing a very disreputable occupation practiced by the lowest classes of women. But once again Florence persisted, and at age 31, having turned down her last proposal of marriage, her parents reluctantly consented to her studying at the Keiserwerther, a German hospital where Christian nursing was being pioneered.

After returning to England, Florence took her first professional nursing position as superintendent at a London women’s hospital.

Just a few months later, war broke out between Britain and Russia in the Crimea. Florence was recruited to lead a group of nurses who would tend the wounded British troops. This was the first

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1 Boyd, N. (1982). Three Victorian Women who changed their world: Josephine Butler, Octavia Hill, Florence Nightingale. Oxford University Press, p. 173.

2 Woodham-Smith, C. (1950). Florence Nightingale. New York: Atheneum. p. 37.

As cited in Lipsey, S. (2016, February 25). Mathematical education in the life of

Florence Nightingale. Agnes Scott University. https://www.agnesscott.edu/Lriddle/ WOMEN/night_educ.htm

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Three Strands written by cindy southworth A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecc.4:12, NIV) Shortly after I accepted this invitation to write about relationships, I wrestled with how to brand this column. Immediately I thought of the verse that has been with my husband and me since we went into full-time ministry. It is Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, which reads: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

David and I married in 1999. Since we had both been previously married, and I was bringing three children into the marriage, we knew statistically we had a 30% chance of having a lasting relationship. We attended a marriage conference prior to “tying the knot,” and learned we needed to weave God into every aspect of our marriage – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. This gave “tying the knot” a new meaning for us. We could not “do marriage” alone. We included daily devotions and prayer together, joined a local church, and kept company with believers who would help us foster spiritual growth. We did not let our busy schedule deter us from acknowledging that God would lead us to build oneness in our marriage.

We came to understand that marital oneness is not “sameness,” but rather a unity of purpose. God showed us His purpose for our relationship – it began with weaving us together to become like-minded in our spiritual walk. We developed a united front as we ushered our children into adulthood. We encouraged each other to develop the gifts and talents God had given each of us, and asked God to show us how to use those for His kingdom. As our marriage matured, God led us to begin a marriage ministry to lead others to have the same God-honoring marriage He had developed in us.

I’ve met many challenges in my life - emotional and physical abuse, failed marriages, stepfamily challenges, and health issues, to name a few. Each season has taught me great spiritual lessons, helped me grow as an individual, shaped me for ministry leadership, and best of all, helped me understand just how magnificent God truly is. He promises never to leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:8); and He uses these seasons not only for our benefit, but as Gloria (my spiritual mother) taught me, for us to take others by the hand and “put their hand back in God’s hand.” I have learned there is nothing better than complete dependence on a holy God who loves us more than we could ever know, remaining with us through the euphoria that comes with victory and the frustration that accompanies struggle.

Today, nearly twenty-one years later, my husband and I have experienced the fruit of God’s labor as we have coached many couples to beat the divorce statistics and have a great marriage. There is no greater joy than seeing couples love each other, enjoy life together, and find their common purpose. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 comes alive as we realize we cannot do it alone, nor were we ever meant to. God wants to be the central theme of every relationship, whether it is marriage, parent-child, sibling, or friendship. He created us to be in relationship with one another; to spur one another on to do things that bless, glorify, and honor God; and bring out the best in each other.

Honestly, today I am a better person because I said yes and married the man God chose for me. We are better together because we both said yes to the One who has woven together this thing called marriage. A marriage of three strands: God, husband, and wife. It is the union of two souls woven together by His love and grace.

Cindy Jacob Southworth has an M.S. in Counseling Studies, is an AACC Certified Relationship Coach and John Maxwell certified coach. She and her husband David have been in full-time marriage ministry since 2005 and pioneered the Marriage 911 intensive and women’s BreakThrough retreats. They have also developed the UP Leadership program, that prepares couples for marriage ministry. Recently retired in central Florida, they devote their time now to writing and developing leaders for ministry and enjoying their nine grandchildren. You can learn more about them by watching their story at https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qaX-MBxUyE&t=11s.

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MUSINGS ON THE BOOK

of John

written by connie hecker

God Cloaked in Humanity John 1: 1-5 Who is He? The Word is one title. God and with God from the start. Not a spin off, not a portion, but the face of God Himself, the face that I, in my mortality, cannot look at and comprehend. Jesus is so much more than I can encompass in my limited state of being. John tells me in the last sentences of this book that it would not be possible to write about everything Jesus did in those three years when John walked life with Him. Yet in those years, John got to know the heart of God. The same God who encompasses such holiness and perfection that the direct site of Him would cause a human to die.

God Himself is so pure that no one can stand in His presence. But God loves me so much that He wants this fellowship with me, with us. God dresses Himself in humanity. He puts on the clothing, the costume of sinful life. Like the actor, He is not the character, but is taking on the role. Dressed in human form, the creator Himself has shown me how to live as a human. Jesus is my director and He has lived the part. He has shown me how to do it. Now I can wear the costume He has designed for me, my body, and I can live the role in the life He has placed me.

Life with God is ultimate theatre. I must live the role. He is the designer and director of my life and the entire story.

LORD, LET ME STAY IN CHARACTER ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, FOLLOWING YOUR DIRECTING.

Goal or Process John 1: 6-28 There was quite a ruckus happening north of Jerusalem, the center of Jewish culture and the heartbeat of the nation. Rumors of another possible messiah sighting had come to official ears and this had to be investigated. Someone was baptizing in the Jordan River. So, a group familiar with the law and from the party of the Pharisees (the resurrection party) was sent to find out.

They observed John, the one who was baptizing, and asked him what he was doing. They learned that it was not yet the Messiah, but He was expected soon. John did not see himself as the harbinger they were expecting but rather, as Isaiah had said, he was a voice calling them to attention. And now that attention had been drawn from Jerusalem - the very next day, Jesus was revealed. Isaiah 40:3 speaks of the return in power and might, so expectations were politically focused. The first part of the Messiah’s job was not understood.

How much of my own expectations of the work of God in my life are about the powerful end rather than the painful process? My daily walk is the place I most need the transforming power and love of Jesus. Am I too focused on His magnificent return that I am missing His presence in the midst of the crowd of my daily life?

Today, let me remember that Jesus walks with me. In Him, I too walk for His purpose as His body of flesh to be hands, feet, ears that listen, and a mouth that speak to bring honor to Him. Do I live that way? Am I speaking His words and ministering His love in my life? Do I, like John, recognize how unworthy I am to touch His feet? To untie His shoes?

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USE YOUR VOICE God gave me this beautiful vision that as mothers and daughters we all wear an apron, and we each need to be aware of what is in our apron pocket. God has given all of us tools and gifts that we store in our pocket. Is it time to wield those tools and allow them to magnify your worthy and valued voice? The gift that has been given to you and that you have the power to exhibit for others may be painting, baking, singing, speaking, writing words or music, creativity, sharing your compassion - the list goes on. Collectively as women we have so many gifts - it’s time we each use these gifts in declaration. The lion of Judah is roaring with thunder through you. He is using your voice. He gave you these gifts to use for this purpose. Put on your apron as your armor and use your gifts as your weaponry. Be courageous and don’t be afraid to be the Warrior Woman.

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A Warrior for God's Truth and Justice From Follower, to Believer, to Disciple written by Sandy Yozipovic Everyone’s journey through life may be different, but God’s mission for us all is the same.

Like many, I have lived a life of trials and tribulations which has included battling sickness and disease. For most of my life it seemed like I had been dealt a rough hand, so-to-speak. At the age of eight, I had been bitten by a tick and got Lyme Disease. At the age of 21, I had been paralyzed as a quadriplegic for a year with Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

Then, at age 39, I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and given a 20% chance of survival. That was the day I was advised to get my affairs in order.

My husband Mark and I prayed for answers, and miraculously, a friend led us to Dr. Dino Prato, a 26-year-old, naturopathic doctor who was on fire for Jesus!

In our first consultation, Dr. Prato told me, “When forgiveness happens the healing begins.” He sent me home with a forgiveness prayer and a healing prayer that I was assigned to pray out loud every morning and every night for however long it would take! Our friends, family and business associates thought we were crazy to go to an unknown clinic to heal my body naturally. Who could blame them? This doctor had no track record, no patients, and no survivors…yet God knew exactly what He was doing! He was using what the enemy meant as a setback to set me up to accomplish His greatest mission ever!

It is only by the grace of God’s miracle and the faith that He provided me with that I am still here today and have been able to overcome the strongholds of Satan’s attempts to keep me down to deter me from my

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particular calling - to expose Satan’s lies to reveal God’s truth in every area of my life. This calling is not for the meek or faint of heart, but it is exactly what I’ve been assigned.

It has now been 19 years that I have been cancer free!

Today, The Envita Medical Center, where my healing happened, has become one of the leading cancer and Lyme Disease centers in North America and is able to boast of thousands of survivors - including my father, my sistersister, and my sister-in-law. I am their first cancer survivor and their longest survivor, and have been a member of their Medical Review Board ever since.

Recently, I was asked to become a BOD member of The United States Medical Freedom Alliance Team of Doctors who have joined forces this past year in fighting for the rights for doctors to be able to pray with their patients and to have the freedom to choose Integrative Medicine. (Stay tuned – God hasn’t finished that story yet!)

Remember I said we all have the same mission? As disciples of God, that mission is to lead others to Christ and to allow them to experience God’s love. Through my illness, God brought me to Envita, and now has allowed me to reach out to others and share my story of His healing love, bringing me from being a mere follower, to being a believer, to working to accomplish His will as a disciple. God’s plan for us is so much greater than what we can imagine – and when we allow Him to work through the trials and sufferings in our lives, there is simply no way to foresee the blessings that He will accomplish in and through us!

A PHOTO COLUMN FROM

Jessica DEEPLY ROOTED I often venture out to walk the trails in our local parks. It is wonderful to take in nature, listen to the chirping birds and photograph the majestic trees that tower over me. I ponder on how long it must have taken for them to grow to that amazing height and how deeply rooted they must be. The measurement of our faith is also determined by how deeply rooted we are in the Father. To build that relationship we have to be willing to invest time in our daily devotional, worship music, Bible studies, church and digging into the Word. Consider how your time is spent and what things you can put aside. Replace unnecessary commitments with something that will bring you growth.

That rooted connection will bring you peace in times of uncertainty.

Jessica Morneault Wife and mother using photography to bring awareness to ministries and highlighting women living with purpose. www.roadmaptopurpose.org

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Wide Open Wonderment God’s Whisper written by Rachel Dube During our times of deepest trial, we know the promise in Romans 8:28, that God is always working ALL things for our good. There are so many blessings that the Father wants to work in us and give to us through the various levels of suffering we experience in this world, whether the difficulties coming to us are persecution because of our life for Christ, a result of someone else’s sin toward us, an attack from the enemy, or a consequence of our own sin. When we are called according to God’s purpose (meaning we have the salvation Jesus won for us on the cross) and we love Him, then He will work in all of these trials to bring about our spiritual blessing and make us more like Christ: to help us to bear the fruit of the spirit, to deliver us from strongholds of sin, to restore and redeem our relationships, to give us the ability to love the unlovely and forgive the undeserved, to bring us to new revelations of God’s character and His plan for us, to reveal to us the good work He has prepared for us to do… and that is just the beginning.

God’s gifts to us do not just come from Him, like money sent in the mail from a detached father, but they are always found through Him and in Him. Intimacy (honesty and closeness) with God through Christ is the source of our every good. Psalm 16:2 (NIV) says, “apart from (Him) we have no good thing.”

The inspiration for this poem comes from 1 Kings 19. Elijah is waiting to hear from the Lord and does not hear Him in the most obvious things that draw his attention. He hears Him in a whisper.

Read these scriptures also for further study in this: Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 46, Hebrews 12:18 I hope this encourages you in times when the heavy cares of this world seem to shout louder than the voice of the ever-present One who cares for us.

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Voices surround you. Bombard. What is true?

Fear creeps up like a shadow behind you.

Worry tugs and tightens in your chest.

Tossing and turning, anxious unrest.

All of creation groans.

You can see the pain and hear the moans.

You see the power of the wind as mountains break You hear the earth rumble and violently quake.

You feel the heat of the fire and sense the danger threaten You listen for God’s voice in the midst of sounds that deafen, Where is He among these sounds of power, threat, attention?

Shouldn’t His voice be loud and clear when I’m searching, filled with question?

But God’s voice is not always where you might expect it.

He is not a formula for good results or a simple answer to a question.

His voice is not in the wind, nor in the quake, nor in the fire.

He does not shout above the noise of the earth, this is not His desire.

He is not heard through ceaseless striving.

His peace is not found in answer finding.

He does not want us to figure it out or get it right.

This burden is too heavy for us and His burden is light.

Where is He when I am weighed down, heavy in my soul?

When I am afraid or anxious or am feeling less than whole?

His life-giving voice is always here.

The question is not, “Is He speaking?” but rather, “Am I quiet enough to hear?”

There is no shout. No manipulation.

No force. Only an invitation.

How does a loving father speak when His child is on his knee?

He lets the softness of His voice drown out the sounds that compete.

Wait for Him. Step back from all other things and hide away, From the sounds in and around you, from the busyness of the day.

Retreat for just a moment. Be still with Him. He is intimate. A lover. He wants to draw you in.

Every thought that comes to mind, every fear and every care, Don’t push them away, throw them fully on Him; for that is why He’s there.

See His love for you in His hands and feet.

See Him carrying your burdens on himself on the tree.

He does not want you to come trembling with fear.

For the Lion devoured His own son so you could come near.

Don’t come as an orphan, wondering how to secure your money or safety or daily bread.

Come to Him as His royal child, knowing that from His hand, all your needs will be met.

Come to Him. He is already there.

There is no hiding. He is already aware.

With power in the form of gentleness And strength that looks like meekness.

With grace and mercy for you, His child, Because His Son received His justice.

Lean your ear to the heart of your Father.

He is always present; you are never a bother.

He is not like the sounds of the world, His touch is more tender. His voice is much softer.

Don’t wander through each day and miss it altogether.

Come in close.

Closer still.

Now listen for His whisper.

A Beautiful Mess written by Jessica Prukner What in the world am I doing? This was my first initial thought seven years ago when my husband and I decided to pull our three children from private Christian school and homeschool them. I am sure many of you have had this very same thought. If not once before, maybe weekly like I do. Many families have found themselves in a position they never imagined they would be in before in the area of education. The world is a different place. There are concerns in this world today that were never even a thought a few years ago.

So, here you are! Starting out in the middle of this great adventure called homeschooling. I use the word adventure because it is exactly that! Every day there is something new to discover and learn together. Every week there is an exciting aspect of life to discern through as a family. You get to be parent, teacher, principal, cafeteria and lunch staff, recess overseer, science lab instructor, arts & crafts coordinator, computer technician; the list goes on and on.

How do we wear all these hats and do it well? I have learned that I cannot do this alone. I am a recovering OCD perfectionist! I have always had a clean house and a tight rigid schedule until we embarked on this adventure. Sure, my ability to prioritize and keep on a routine has served us well over the years, but I have had to learn to live and let go.

I call this column “A Beautiful Mess” because homeschooling is exactly that! This adventure is filled with such beautiful moments, memories and experiences that are absolutely priceless; yet at the same time, they are found in the mess of it all. The mess of doing life together, turning your kitchen into a science lab and your living room into a crafts area. This adventure is messy! Everyone in the same house all day doing the same thing — together! It is bound to get messy!

So you may be wondering, how do you do this? How do you enjoy the beautiful, embrace the mess, wear all the hats and keep your joy and sanity? It is actually impossible to do alone. I tried it and I found myself exhausted, burned out, irritated and wanting to quit. I loved my kids and tried my best, but at the end of the day I felt like a failure.

The good news is, I learned you don’t have to go on this adventure alone! I found that my strength and my ability was found in Christ. I began to make it a priority to wake up early before my kids and spend time in the Word and God’s presence. The Bible says in Psalm 16:11b, “In your presence is fullness of joy,” and Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” I began to memorize verses and pray for my day and my children, and suddenly I found myself making it through my days with more strength, joy and appreciation.

Now I am not saying this is a magic fix; what I am saying is you cannot do this without God! If you are homeschooling your children, then He has called you and predestined you for such a time as this and He will not leave you to do it alone.

All you need to do is seek Him first, invite Him into your classroom, into your home, and I promise you that He will show up and turn this all into a Beautiful Mess filled with blessings that you will look back on for a lifetime and be thankful for.

Jessica Prukner is a homeschooling mom for the past seven years. She does life with her fun-loving and adventurous three kids, Kayley, Zac and Zoey. She has built a successful business with her husband and best friend in life, Ian. Jessica enjoys speaking at parenting partnerships that strive to work together to create successful, thriving homes and businesses. She has had the blessed opportunity to co-host homeschooling bootcamps, marriage retreats and other seminars.

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Following the Son WWL Love NOtes Women world leaders has impacted my life in having the opportunity to come alongside and serve our community of women and beyond. This has allowed me to create a deeper walk with God, therefore giving me the confidence to boldly stand in my faith and share what God has done in my life allowing me to have a bigger impact on others.

-Janet Berrong

Fishers of Men

written By Michele Hughes Have you ever had a bite? I mean a good one where the line clicks, the pole jerks, and you start cranking because you know “the big one” is on the end of the hook! If you have, you know the thrill!

I remember growing up with three brothers. Many summer vacations were spent driving to Rice Lake, Canada from Ohio where we would stay in cabins. We spent days fishing and evenings frying. My grandparents often went with us. We had a pond and a cabin in Ohio where we enjoyed many fishfrys as well.

Years passed and vacations looked different. My husband and I spent vacations in Orange Beach, Alabama. My parents often joined us. My dad was always the first one down to the water with all his fishing gear. After sunrise, I would go down and hear about his morning. He had talked to everyone who walked by. He knew what was biting, where they were from, and so much more. Then he’d gather up the fishing gear and we’d walk the beach and have life talks.

Over the years, I think Dad really enjoyed fishing for men more than he enjoyed the sport. This reminds me of the story of Peter in Luke 5:5-11 NIV: Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But, because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So, they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So, they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. {Matthew 4:19 ESV} And he said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” {Mark 1:17 ESV} And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Peter was a fisherman whom God made into a fisher of men.

If you enjoy catching fish, wait till you fish for men!

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Marveling Modesty written by Carrie Christopher

Disclaimer -- This article contains some content geared towards the fashion pulls of America.

We live in a time and culture where lust and infidelity are swarming the lands of our hearts, highly trafficking the avenues of our minds. They are unavoidable. Colliding with us through the media, lustful advertisements are plaguing God’s goals for us in this generation.

The warm sunshine hits our backs, giving us great delight as we arrive at the outdoor shopping mall. The wind slips through our fingertips and we are excited, simply put, for new shoes. As we walk down the paved path, the storefronts plunge our minds into darkness. We feel the lures of lust as the disrespected human body is used as wallpaper for storefronts. The enemy entices the human population to look at women as objects, as means to an end, taking the focus away from our true purpose, to have hearts that pursue after God. The images and advertisements that hang in boldness disrupt our holy peace.

Flashing nudity shouts as it sits in the storefront displays. My heart pleads with the Lord that He would remove from my mind the tempting images that speak lies about my purpose, identity and worth. Even more importantly, my heart is alarmed in protective care over my children. The inward tears of fear well up inside my heart as my children are exposed to this lust-filled imaging.

A simple shopping trip is marred by disruptive, adulterous, sexual impurity.

Satan’s ploys and weapons against us are not in the flesh but operate in the Spirit. In this spiritual battle, the enemy curses the earth with an unadulterated disrespect and disdain for the matters of the heart, turning our focus solely to the outward appearance, leading us to believe that it is the crux of our identities.

While I know the words streamed in this column won’t fix this broken world of sin, my hope is to plant a seed of stirring in your hearts, causing questions to arise in you such as, “How do we as the Church live in purity, passion and Holy Spirit power in all ways and in all things?” and, “Where can we gain strength to resist the lures to look like the world in outward appearance?”

We, the Church, are supposed to look different. Secret seduction sneaks even into the Church, capturing many in this pattern of sin. I have seen the

lives of some of our own sisters being infiltrated by the seductive worldliness of the enemy. You see, the world promises love in revealing more skin and curves, through the use of our outward appearance.. Flaunting and flaring, screaming for attention, the hearts of mothers and daughters alike are crying out to be noticed, validated and loved by giving in to the objectification of their bodies. This should not be so inside the abode of God, the Church.

Temptations trickle down to our own brothers in Christ, evoked by the revealed bodies of their sisters within the walls of what is supposed to be a safe place for godly growth.

May I lament these sins of ours, our adornment of a decorative array of worldliness that we wear in order to look skinny and to be outwardly beautiful?

May I confess the need we often feel to cover up our own insecurities and to attempt to cure our own wounds by enticing and seductive outward beauty driven by fashion? May I challenge us, as women of God, to turn our hearts, hands, and earthly attire back to Him, desiring to fully and wholly honor Him before man, above our own selfish insecurities, above anything else? You see, sister, if we truly love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, minds and souls, then we as the Church will desire to please Him first.

May we dress for our days in earthly attire that honors Him. May we hold our temples of the Holy Spirit’s dwelling as sacred and as holy, blameless and pure.

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.”

1 Corinthians 6:18 (ESV) Christ is preparing His church, the purity of His bride. May purity and love for Him go before us as we walk in holiness and His love. May this column and the future writing thereof give us courage to live honorably and purely in our attire and in our purpose, desiring most to please Him who paid the price for our sin and loved us unto death.

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ever interceding written by Diana Echezabal, www.faithfitlife.net

Because We Prayed We are in a war. It is the most important battle of our life and prayer is the way we fight. We, in the ministry of Women World Leaders, want to pray (or intercede) for you specifically and strategically. We desire and strive to be faithful and persistent in our prayers for you, ever interceding on your behalf.

The Lord has chosen prayer as the vehicle that drives His activity in people’s lives. It is what He allows us to use to collaborate with Him in the fulfilling of His will. Prayer is the portal that brings the power of Heaven down to Earth. It is the “Kryptonite” to the enemy and to all his ploys against you. Ephesians 6:11 encourages us as God’s children to “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” (NLT) We are also instructed in Ephesians 6:18,19 to “pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (NLT) Prayer is the fuel that drives everything.

Isaiah 37 tells about a time when the enemies of God’s people in Judah both mocked God and the ruler of His people, King Hezekiah, and declared war on them. Isaiah 37:21 reveals to us that King Hezekiah saved Israel by one act. He prayed. Because he prayed, God moved on his behalf. In fact, God moved so powerfully that Hezekiah did not even have to fight the battle.

“Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!” (Isaiah 37:36, NIV) The king of Assyria was even murdered by his own sons. Imagine seeing your enemy destroyed without one hand raised in battle! God wants to act on behalf of His children if they will call on Him. One of the motives Hezekiah had in seeking God’s help was “so that all kingdoms on earth may know that You alone, O Lord, are God.” (Isaiah 37:20, NLT) This is what happened. God was glorified.

God wants to let us know that He is a living God. He can deliver us. Let us seek Him today for all things in our life. Whenever we seek God, He will surely answer. Things change because of prayer. That is why we are a ministry of prayer. We desire for you to share your prayer needs with us so that we can be interceding to our living God on your behalf. Commit yourself to prayer and let us pray for you. Then watch what the Lord will do.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for who you are and what you represent in our life. Father, help us to be people of prayer.

Because of our prayers, we know you will do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:20-21, NKJV) In the name of our precious Jesus,

Amen.

Please go to www.WomenWorldLeaders.com to share your prayer needs with us so that committed prayer warriors on the Women World Leaders team can be interceding for you!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Cor. 1:3-4 NIV

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Dim Glass Gospel Glimpses Building the Marriage House written by Rachel Dube thought were secure, have crashed around them, and are now left out helpless in the rising waters. The purpose of this house is to be an embassy of the King, as you are ambassadors of His kingdom, reflecting the purpose and character of the King himself.

In this scripture, Jesus is not calling you to pack up your moving truck and relocate to a house “over there” on the Rock that is complete and move-in ready. Instead, He gave you a blueprint for a house that is solid and sure. You build that life one piece at a time. Will you choose bitterness and revenge OR unconditional forgiveness and sacrificial love when your spouse hurts you and disregards you? If you choose love and forgiveness, it is another board nailed into the house on the Rock. Will you choose to make decisions based on fear of want or need or fear of man or fear of self-sacrifice or on God’s kingdom?

If you choose His Kingdom, yet another wall goes up in the Rock solid house.

With each decision, each action, each time you yield to God, you help build a grounded kingdom marriage that will withstand the storms of life.

When the wedding day arrives, it feels like the day all your dreams come true, the first day of the rest of your life. It is a day to celebrate, to bask in the warm glow of love, to revel in the excitement of a new journey with the man God has intended you to spend the rest of your days with. Your heart swells with all the dreams you share, your mind floods with all the possibilities… As you begin to record the first page of your lives together, what is the moral of this story of marriage? What is the purpose?

Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, says in Matthew 7:24-27 ESV, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the Rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the Rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

As Christians, our call to the beautiful covenant of marriage is not to satisfy a longing or fill an empty space; not simply to have a person to coexist or survive life with. You are committing to a much more significant task. You are building something. And not just building a family or making the four walls of your home more aesthetically pleasing or learning how to better please your spouse. It is something even more beautiful and extraordinary, of eternal value.

You are taking the gospel that you have been entrusted with and putting it on display for all eyes to see. You are building a house on a rock to stand firm in the storms of life when all the houses around you are falling. You are beginning construction of a safe haven for those to run to, whose walls, which they

Today you may look up and see clear skies. No storm on the horizon. No cloud in sight. Maybe today is your wedding day and it seems like an odd time to talk about storms and violent winds and destruction. True, your wedding day is a day to celebrate. And I hope that you enjoy many days of sun before you have to weather a storm.

But if you have been married for some time, you know that the storm will come. And what is the use of a builder constructing a beautiful and, at face value, a well-equipped house, if it will be destroyed in the first storm? A strong and secure foundation and walls cannot be built in the midst of a storm. It will be torn apart as quickly as it can be thrown together. It is built now and in the days ahead when the sun is shining, the ground is dry and there is no threat of a storm. When life is relatively easy.

It is built in the everyday choices you make - of how to set your priorities, to what you will assign value, how you spend your time, the words you choose to use (and choose not to use), in setting your mind on the things of God rather than on the things of man, in letting the fear of the Lord and His wisdom be the decider of your everyday decisions and even of your emotions, in praying without ceasing, in abiding in Christ, in meditating on His Word, in forgiving the little things, in loving your wife as Christ loves the church and in submitting to your husband as you submit to Christ…

Decide both of you on your own and together, in every circumstance of life, in every option you are presented with, where you will go together and on who you will depend.

Psalm 127:1 ESV “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it in labor in vain.”

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16 ESV

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God is brewing a partnership!

What would it look like if Women World Leaders partnered with a local coffee shop in Sanford, Florida to empower lives with purpose? For starters, it would look like a bag of freshly roasted, washed Costa Rican beans and natural Ethiopian beans blended to perfection sitting on your kitchen counter. With notes of honey, vanilla, milk chocolate, and cocoa, you can’t go wrong.

We rejoice in God merging our missions together, partnering to serve Him; from empowering women and rescuing many from the plights of human trafficking. You can join our hearts and hands by purchasing a bag of coffee. All the proceeds will be shared between Women World Leaders & Love Missions.

Palate Coffee Brewery is blessed to have won taste quality awards; always roasted in His love, to perfection.

ORDER NOW

and support both missions with your purchase! https://sanfordcoffee.com/WWL

love missions women world leaders AND

Palate Coffee Brewery opened its doors five years ago when Carl & Tina Kadolph, along with their daughter and son-in-law, Katrina and Charles Lemmon, decided to open a coffee shop with a vision bigger than just coffee. A coffee shop focused on one of their greatest passions: fighting human trafficking. As a human trafficking survivor, co-owner Tina Kadolph understands the needs survivors face and is uniquely qualified to meet those needs through mentoring, education, job training, and personal care bags. She is able to come alongside survivors and walk with them on their journey from pain to living their God-given purpose.

Understanding that education is key, she brings awareness to the reality of human trafficking through Love Missions, the nonprofit organization that the Kadolphs started to fight human trafficking. By empowering survivors and educating the community, their goal is to eradicate this crime against humanity.

How are these large endeavors funded? Coffee.

The Kadolph/Lemmon family have gone to great lengths to make sure the coffee they serve is nothing short of the best. Their coffee shop has won awards for best coffee, voted on by the public, beating out large chains. Co-owner Charles Lemmon took roasting classes to perfect his skill, and now they have opened up their own private roastery right around the corner from their coffee shop. This is to ensure that every bag of beans and every cup of coffee is freshly roasted to perfection.

Women World Leaders is a unified global women’s ministry that empowers others to follow Christ and to love in abundance as we cultivate women warriors in purpose by the promises and power of God. Our ministry aims to anchor hearts in God as we strive to be united in service - empowering, edifying and supporting one another in faith and love while developing passionate leaders with purpose. As part of our call to service, we support and come alongside the work of churches and ministries aimed at equipping women to find their identity in Christ alone.

We, at WWL, are truly honored to partner with Love Missions and Palate Coffee Brewery as they stand in the gap for oppressed women. Jesus is the only way to freedom and only through Him can we receive complete healing and grace! Through our partnership, we believe we will see God’s hand of justice and mighty love as He provides freedom for those who are stuck in the vicious cycles of human trafficking - and we are excited for you to join us in this cause.

Kimberly Hobbs Founder & Executive Director kimberly@womenworldleaders.com

Now, when you buy a bag of Palate Blend, you will be supporting the visionary work of Women World Leaders and helping Love Missions combat human trafficking, both locally and around the world. Enjoying a cup of coffee from the comfort of your kitchen table can now have a global reach.

Tina Kadolph, Founder and President, Love Missions Global Co Owner, Palate Coffee Brewery tina@lovemissions.net

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Coffee Chats

with Tina Kadolph from love missions & palate coffee brewery Hello Girlfriends, Let’s grab a cup of coffee, tea, or your favorite drink to sip while chatting with your friends. I believe coffee is community. I have seen our coffee shop bring people together, lead people to Christ, and we have even had coffee dates that turned into weddings!

My hope is that our time together will be like a coffee date. That we will laugh together, cry together, and share stories that will ignite us towards a passion for Jesus. You will learn more about our coffee shop, Palate Coffee Brewery, and our life changing coffee, as well as our partnership with Women World Leaders. This is a God inspired connection.For now I’m going to share about my ministry and a little of my story, so get comfortable.

I’ve got my Palate coffee in hand, so let’s chat.

I can’t say enough about how excited I am to be a part of Voice of Truth magazine. There is nothing better than working with women who love God and love to empower women. This opportunity is an answer to my prayers as God has been guiding me to write for a few years.

Let me give you a quick synopsis of my story. I’m a survivor of human trafficking and was sold by my mom for sex at the age of 4 years old.

If you’d like to hear more about my story go to the Women World Leaders’ podcast episode 58. https://www.womenworldleaders.com/the-podcast In 2003 we started Love Missions Global. Because of my history and after I accepted Christ as my Savior, I had a fervent desire to serve God. I learned where my hope came from and I wanted to lead others to Jesus, the One who rescued and healed me. We traveled around the world supplying basic needs like food and clothing. This opened doors and gave us an opportunity to supply spiritual needs as well. It has been beautiful to share the Gospel to those who feel they have lost all hope. It is such a joyful moment to come alongside others and experience the moment they realize that Jesus is our only hope. Love Missions Global has served on the mission field for many years now, leading teams to different destinations around the world. We have seen thousands come to Christ in some of the hardest to reach areas.

In 2008 while on a mission trip, I met a young girl who shared her story with me. She had been sold to a 50-year-old man at the age of 7 for $25 US dollars. When I met her she was 13 and didn’t know how to read or write because she wasn’t allowed to go to school. She felt unwanted, unloved, and desperate. She wanted to end her life. The man she was sold to had died and she couldn’t see a future for herself. She had been given freedom by his death, but was still bound in the chains of her past, her pain.

Living in a culture where marriage is very important, she worried that no one would marry her because she felt she was damaged. I was able to pray with her and share my story. I knew exactly how she felt because I had been in a very similar place. We connected with each other in a way that only those who have experienced the same pain can understand. This is how God uses our unique testimonies to connect us so we can minister in a way no one else can. When we follow God’s lead and minister to others, God gets all the glory.

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That moment with this precious girl as I shared my testimony, it not only changed her life, but it also changed mine. We were able to help this sweet girl. We mentored, empowered, and got her an education. She accepted Christ and was transformed. Through Christ she found out what true freedom is.

She is now married and is a successful business owner. That is just one story of God’s redemptive power. There are so many others.

When I returned home from that trip, I knew I had to do more. God showed me through that sweet young girl that it was time for me to share my story. My story was no longer mine, but it was His story of what He had done in me and through me.

God had let me see how my past had empowered this beautiful child and given her purpose. He would use my pain to help others. And he has done that over and over again.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28 NASB Since that moment in time, we have increased our focus on the fight against trafficking. This is where God had been leading me all along. But it was in His timing. It was when He determined I was ready to fight for others. Before then I was still fighting for myself. I had to fully give Jesus control.

God has used my story in so many ways to encourage and empower others and I have witnessed God’s miracles firsthand in my life. My life itself is a miracle. As I made my way through my childhood, I didn’t believe there was any possibility that I would live into adulthood. But here I am. With God’s miraculous guidance, I created a 501c3 non-profit called Love Missions Global where I sit as the Founder and President. Through the Love Missions organization God has provided a safehouse in South America for little girls brought out of the sex trade. God has also allowed me to be co-owner of Palate Coffee Brewery where profits go to Love Missions to fight human trafficking. I am also co-owner of Palate Bubs and Ice Cream. In the back of this ice cream shop there is a commercial kitchen we are using to teach survivors and those at risk, culinary skills, baking and cake decorating.

God has led us to open a life center to teach life skills, job skills, art therapies, counseling, entrepreneurship, survivor to survivor mentorship, and survivor lead groups. Survivors will learn where their value comes from and become independent, successful, empowered, thriving women. Within the life center there is even a boutique used to provide clothing, supplies, and space to sell the art they create.

From an abused little girl who had lost hope and thought she would not grow to be an adult, God has restored, redeemed, changed, made me a new creation, and given me a purpose and a passion that I have given my life to. 2 Corinthians 5:17-“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

I want to guide others to the same hope I found. The greatest healing we could ever receive is Christ’s love. January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. I don’t feel like this partnership with Voice of Truth Magazine and Women World Leaders is by accident. This has been ordained by God for this perfect time.Women and children are in desperate need of Jesus’ love. I believe through this partnership lives are going to be changed and women and children are going to be rescued, physically and for eternity. My hope is that you are encouraged, strengthened, and realize that with Christ anything is possible. If it can happen for me, it can happen for you.

My life verse is Isaiah 61:1 – I know that God has called me.

“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion -- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.”

Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV We have all been called. What a beautiful display of His beauty each of us are.Happy 2021! I look forward to all God has in store for each of us. How exciting to wait in expectation as we see His Glory unfold.

God bless you, sweet ladies! Thank you for hanging out with me in our coffee chats. It is going to be fun drinking coffee and getting to know each other better. See you next month.

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Courage in Action It Takes Courage!

“It… Takes… Courage!” We shout that phrase during our international conferences when dedicated teachers, pastors, and government leaders join us to learn how to respond to difficult issues such as sex trafficking or HIV/AIDS in their communities.

Other days we take a deep breath, exhale and say it to ourselves, “It…Takes…Courage!” as we step into the unfamiliar to care for fearful orphans and weary grannies in Africa. We say it when we are in hazardous situations and mumble it alone into our tear-stained pillows when we aren’t sure we have the strength for another day. It’s not a cheer to get psyched; it’s a heartfelt reminder to be faithful, whatever that means, wherever we need to go. Those words remind us of our identities as daughters of Almighty God, and He loves this world with a passion. If there is one thing we’ve learned – loving like God requires courage.

The Lord chose us, two single women, professors in universities on two different coasts in America, to organize and lead a ministry to reach millions of people with life-saving messages. We wrote curricula and training programs and set up a community development project in a South African township, targeting orphaned and vulnerable children. We empower the leaders of some of the largest Christian ministries, elevating their impact as they respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis in developing nations.

The choice to be a missionary always begins with hours of prayer and soul searching. And, just like God spoke to Joshua in the Old Testament before he went out, God’s response to every missionary always includes a command to be strong and courageous and a sincere reminder that He will always be present.

These commands are a declaration that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are trustworthy, and we have found that to be true every single time.

“Kerus” is a Greek word that means to do something with all your heart and passion.

When we founded Kerus Global Education in 2000, we knew God was taking us out of our universities to expand our understand-

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ing of what it means to be marginalized, powerless, invisible, hungry, vulnerable, and unwanted. The work has required looking into fear-filled faces of raped or abused children or holding the weary hand of elderly or disabled grannies overwhelmed with the worry of feeding the children in their care. We stand in hospitals to encourage the dying, and we listen to the sounds of dirt shoveled on the coffins of young adults whose valiant struggle to live with AIDS is over. Our ministry with Kerus requires the courage to let our hearts break and the courage to trust God for the right words or loving actions that will bring peace, comfort, and much-needed change.

We often weep and question God. We get tired of saying early goodbyes and gazing into eyes with deep pools of gut-wrenching pain. Touching the worst of humanity’s realities feels like an emotional tsunami washing over our tender hearts time and again. But we also laugh a lot, experience creative worship, go on amazing adventures, and enjoy deep and meaningful cross-cultural relationships. We are witnesses, cheering our Father as He turns hopelessness to trusting expectation and tears to smiles. We see Him provide ways to help the children we love to go to bed without hunger pains anymore. The sick become well, and we are blessed to hear the stories firsthand. But, our greatest joy is to participate in one of the most incredible conversations of all, praying with a person who realizes for the first time how much God loves him or her and desires to follow Him! We will share our personal and ministry journeys through these articles and introduce you to amazing friends and ministry projects designed to tackle some of the world’s most significant problems affecting today’s children. We invite you to visit our website and learn more about Kerus and how you can become involved if you so desire. May you be inspired to join the Kerus Family in this prayer, “Dear Jesus, make us courageous, loving, passionate and yes, dangerous women that will storm through the darkness of injustice and abuse and change this world through your power and love. Amen!”

Jennie and Marcia To learn more or to donate to Kerus, visit: www.kerusglobal.org

1 CARING FOR AND PROTECTING VULNERABLE ORPHANS 2 PROMOTING HIV/AIDS & SEX TRAFFICKING PREVENTION 3 DEVELOPING COURAGEOUS LEADERS DONATE

ONLINE / TEXT / CHECK Find details of how to donate at kerusglobal.org

FOLLOW US KERUS GLOBAL EDUCATION KERUSGLOBAL

“It takes courage...”

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE KERUS STORY AT: WWW.KERUSGLOBAL .ORG 51

Prayers for the

Sons of The King Pray with us as we intercede for our fathers, our husbands, our sons, and our brothers!

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Romans 12:6-8 (NIV) God, thank you for every good and perfect gift with which you have equipped your sons.

Thank you for strengthening them in their gifts, talents, and abilities for the building of your kingdom. We know that you have called them to greatness because you are the divine source of gifts. Empower them to lean on the strength of the Holy Spirit for the use of their spiritual gifts. Encourage them in their kingdom assignments that they may not grow weary in well-doing, but that they will remember that the vision is for an appointed time and will manifest in due season if they faint not.

Father God, hold up the arms of your sons as they pursue the work of the kingdom in all of its glory. Continue to show them the gifts that you have placed on the inside of them and how you want to use these gifts to serve you and your people. Grace your sons as you did David, call them out as you did Jeremiah, and raise them up as you did the Apostle Paul to lead and guide others towards your truth and righteousness in Jesus Name.

Amen.

Dr. Jia Conway www.jiaconway.com

www.atouchfromheavn.com

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YOU HAVE THE VICTORY I painted all the colors of the rainbow: His promises, as though being released, coming down like sheets of rain. As I was painting the sky, I felt there was a spiritual battle - a swirl of the angelic fighting our battle. The distant mountain is what we see in this world, but we need to step into what is happening in the spiritual realm. God has our situation in His hands. The warrior has fought his battle and he is standing strong. He has

won his victory. The warrior’s sword is grounded in the Word - the blue representing the Word of God. The circular land is the earth we have overcome. The red cape is the covering of the Blood of Jesus. (Romans 8:37 TPT) Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph, for God has made us to be more than conquerors; and His demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything!

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Hand to Heart Life Surprises in 2020 written by Diane Cheveldayoff 2020 started off like a normal year, until it quickly hit with many surprises. For most of us, these were not the fun and happy surprises we tend to enjoy. My surprise was my business I owned for over 22 years was shut down due to Covid-19. Since travel came to a halt, so did my business of working with companies handling group events and meetings. My income for 2020 was basically eliminated, as well as most for 2021, since I book a year in advance. Earlier, I had another surprise when my business lost a large account, but the lockdown brought new meaning to the term loss. I spent most of 2020 cancelling groups without a salary to show for my time, but what made matters worse was my husband did not have a steady income either.

The fear of lost finances that had been developing within me the past few years was now brought front and center.

How does one go from being financially independent to being totally financially dependent on one’s spouse? How does one trust their spouse will provide when he’s not had that primary role in the past? Obvious changes had been happening as business declined, and my financial role shifted. We had been discussing and planning for this change of responsibility, but the process was to be gradual. Then, the 2020 surprise occurred. We went from a gradual shift to total annihilation.

I’m sure you have had situations come upon you suddenly that take you by surprise.

When this happens, many questions start evolving and can surface suddenly. We questioned, is this caused as a result of our country’s shutdown or is it a way God took the situation totally out of my control? Did He have to take drastic measures eliminating choices to get my attention? Our current financial situation may be different than yours, but we all need the reminder not to keep our focus on money or our situations, but instead hold onto the reassurance He will not leave us. The author of Hebrews writes, “Don’t love money, be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I win never abandon you.’” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT) We realized our situation could be due to unrelated circumstances that forced our issue, but we can’t help but wonder about these situations in our life. It’s easy to question our daily choices and life lessons, but what attitude do we have when we question God? Are we trying to fix our situations or are we trying to understand how to surrender control to Him? No matter the answer, it all comes down to: Do we trust Him? Do we recognize God is not surprised by this or any other situation we face? He has a plan for us, and even if we choose a different path, He can still turn it to good, despite ourselves. The prophet Jeremiah tell us, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT) We need to have faith that IF it is His lesson or IF it’s completely unrelated, we must still trust Him. We need to believe He will never leave us or forget us. Moses encourages the Israelites as they are about to enter the Promised Land, “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT) Our faith brings hope, which helps us to know God has good planned for our future and we want to remember He is not taken by surprise. Ultimately, we can know God’s plan is 150% better than ours will ever be, even when we can’t see it.

Your challenge may not be the same as mine, but we all have challenges. Regardless of what they are, may we continually remind ourselves that when we can’t see His Hand, we must trust His Heart.

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Looking Back and Looking Ahead A guest column written by Lois Pasinella

I have spent the last so many months to weeks of this past year looking back on how terribly I have failed God my whole life. Like scenes of a movie, my sins and shortcomings have passed before my eyes day after day, leaving me broken in tears and confession of the countless times I have broken God’s heart by my selfish choices.

On, January 1, 2021, I was reading about the Passover celebration in the book of Exodus chapter 12, what that celebration would mean perpetually to God’s people, and how they were to “remember” by keeping the festival. God delivered Israel out of slavery in Egypt with the promise that they would be His people, He would be their God, and, as hope for their future to look forward to, He would give them the land He had promised to Abraham centuries before.

The Passover also marked the beginning of a “new year” for the Israelites on the Hebrew calendar (Exodus 12:1). A new year indeed! No longer living as oppressed slaves in a foreign land, the Israelites were brought out of Egypt to be brought into fellowship with their Faithful Creator God. How was all this accomplished? By the substitutionary death of a carefully selected animal “without spot or blemish”, and by the Israelites obeying God’s Word to put some of the blood of the slain animal on the top and sides of the doorframes of their homes. When God saw the blood, He would “pass over” the Israelites and the Destroyer would not enter their dwellings. (Exodus 12, specifically v. 23). It was God’s way of “salvation”. He saw the blood and was satisfied. The Passover feast, instituted by God, was also a way to keep that memory alive for the generations to come as one generation retold the story of God’s great deliverance of Israel to the next generation.

As Christians, we have been given the Divine privilege of holding in our hands this great book, the Bible, which tells the whole history of God’s dealings with His people and working out His plan to save humanity. We can turn the pages of our Bibles and look back on the story of God, learn about Him, what is important to Him, and how all the substories point to one Person -- the Lord Jesus Christ.

What the Passover foreshadowed, Jesus accomplished on the Cross.

The Cross is the hinge of history!

Sin is the problem. Death is the result. Jesus the Christ is the cure.

The Bible teaches us that we are sinners. Adam and Eve sinned in the perfect Garden of Eden, and because sin was perpetuated in human flesh forever, God cast them out of the Garden. But before He did that, the “proto-evanglium” was preached in Genesis 3:14-15. Below is an excerpt taken from Ligonier’s Tabletalk Magazine regarding this truth: “Verse 15 is known as the proto-evangelium — the first Gospel. It proclaims that God’s people will finally triumph over the serpent (see 1 John 3:12).

The “seed of the woman” is a collective noun, indicating corporate victory.

However, if left to ourselves, we cannot win this war. No, it took Jesus, Eve’s seed par excellence, to deliver the crushing blow (Col. 2:15), and if we are in Him, we share in and extend His victory (Matt. 28:19; Rev. 20:4).”

Following this, Genesis 3:21 states, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them”. My understanding of this verse is that something had to die and shed its blood to cover their shame. And thus we see the first sacrifice, which all of the family line of Jesus commemorated until this scene in the Passover enlarged upon the deliverance of God, yet not fully at that point. The fullness of God’s justice, mercy, forgiveness and deliverance from His wrath against sin came with Jesus dying on the Cross.

Jesus instituted a new ceremony. It is the celebration of communion, or the Lord’s table. In the book of Luke in the New Testament, Jesus says these words to his disciples prior to his death: “When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And He said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer….

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.’” (Luke 22:14-15, 19-20, NIV) What Jesus accomplished on the Cross for our forgiveness of sins and salvation is SO complete that even our sins are not remembered in heaven (for commentary on this thought, please see “The Message of Exodus”, J.A. Motyer, pp. 149): “But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time ONE sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God… For by ONE sacrifice He has made PERFECT FOREVER those who are being made holy (this is the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in the life of every believer)…”

Then the Holy Spirit adds: ‘Their sins and lawless acts I will remember NO MORE.’ And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.”

(Hebrews 10:12a, 14, 17, 18, NIV) Jesus Christ’s sacrifice of Himself secures our salvation and the Holy Spirit seals us for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). We have forgiveness with God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross, and that blood speaks perpetually into all eternity, so holy is His blood. Christ’s perfection recommends us to God in such a way that, in Him, we are brought back into a right relationship with God that frees us from the penalty of His just wrath against our sin. This is deliverance indeed! As Ephesians 3:12 states in the Living Bible, “Now we can come fearlessly right into God’s presence, assured of His glad welcome when we come with Christ and trust in Him.” I believe what the Lord is showing me through these Scriptures is that, yes, it is important to look back. But what we look back on matters. That is, we are no longer to look back with regret. Regret is a snare. The enemy accuses God’s people and makes them feel condemned. Yes, the Holy Spirit will continue to convict us of our sins, and the Christian life is one of daily repentance (1 John 1:9). Our God covers and forgivesI our sins. “There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). But the enemy will also try to accuse God to us. We need to remember His mercy as it is displayed throughout the Scriptures, culminating in the death of Christ on the Cross.

God also continues to encourage us to HOPE as we look forward to the coming full and final redemption of all things when all of His creation will be brought back into harmonious obedience to the perfect will of our Creator God in a promised land “where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). We have been given an “eternal hope” and promises from God that He will never go back on, to encourage our souls until that day when we are brought into His kingdom with everlasting joy!

No matter what comes, we have a Faithful God Who continues to work out His redemptive plan and WILL complete the work He so graciously started in His people! To Him be the glory forever and ever!

Happy 2021!

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Women World Leaders Connections Taste and see what the Lord is doing in Women World Leaders. By the hand of His Holy Spirit He's connecting us with beautiful daughters of His love from across the globe, all mobilized by His presence! Revel in these ‘only God could do’ encounters!

“Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving; present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV Have you ever felt anxious about taking a leap of faith – unsure of the outcome but knowing that it was time to jump? Everyone’s leap is different, whether that be starting a business, changing careers, removing yourself from an ungodly relationship, or writing that script/song. I found myself in that position for several years, knowing I needed to make a change but unsure when or how. In January 2020, God gave me the final nudge needed to take my leap. It was neither easy nor comfortable, but I knew I had to be obedient to God’s calling.

Transitioning from an almost fifteen-year career in engineering to the film industry was exciting, yet daunting. I entered the engineering industry by accepting a paid internship with an engineering firm while completing my undergraduate degree in business. It took over a decade to gain expertise in my craft and now I was starting from scratch in an opposite arena. I was out of my comfort zone, to say the least.

A door opened immediately upon my arrival to Los Angeles, further confirming my decision, which was a position with a faith-based production and postproduction studio by the name of Kappa Studios. I was not even aware that there was a faith-based studio in Hollywood, let alone one of such high caliber. Come to find out Kappa Studios is a 30+ year old, 15,000 sq ft. facility in Burbank, CA alongside Disney, Warner Bros. & Universal. Several years ago, after much prayer, Kappa made the difficult decision not to service secular studio projects and only serve the faith and

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family community. Initially, the business took a dramatic decrease, but in God’s perfect timing, Kappa has become the post studio behind The Chosen (Dallas Jenkins), Unplanned and God's Not Dead (Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman), Run The Race (Chris Dowling), and production of Selfie Dad (Brad Silverman). My heart is super passionate and zealous towards family friendly, God saturating pure media content.

A few months ago, while working at Kappa Studios, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me to send a potential film for Kimberly Hobbs to view called Selfie Dad. With awe and wonder, I revel at how God connected me with Women World Leaders, tying a relationship knot from one end of the US to the other: California to Florida. With rapid respect and affections, Kimberly and I know that the Lord brought me here to this ministry for a specific purpose (Thank You Lord and to a mutual friend for connecting me)! Without the Holy Spirit's guidance, this far off connection never would've been made. Although I am still walking through the process of seeing, tasting and hearing what my role is in this ministry, I am thankful that I listened to the Holy Spirit’s prompting on that very day working in the Christian film industry. My desire to serve in the film industry, connected the holy God moment dots to Women World Leaders. Without each step of obedience, I would have never learned about this magazine, and the beauty of this ministry set apart to edify and empower women. I am praying that we all rejoice in the intimate, God possible connections He is making to this ministry!

They are all displays of His power, and we are expecting God to do more than we could ever possibly imagine.

I am so grateful to meet you all in these pages of the “Voice of Truth Magazine” and be part of such a beautiful magazine of encouragement. To encourage one another that we are not alone, God is with us and for us, and we as sisters are here for each other to cheer each other on from across the globe. I pray that if you have picked up this magazine, or a friend bestowed it upon you, that you will know you are not alone, and an Unconditionally Loving God loves you.

Love Continually,

Ashley Claire

Praying for you, Daughter of Zion Lifting you up, sister, before the Lord of Hosts. Asking the Lord to bless you in all of your ways. To humble your heart, to receive the everflowing, love and mercy of Jesus. Praying His sacrificial care towards you would stir you on to do good works.

That His tenderness towards you would allow your full reverent commitment to Him. Asking for repentance tears, to increase your trust in Him, receiving every ounce of soul-satisfying grace that He has to pour upon you. Praying living waters would well up in you richly, providing all of your needs with His abounding presence. Asking our Father God to carry you, to the fountain of life. Praying you will run this race with His merciful heart, carrying His truth. May His Word fill you in abundance.

In the powerful name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Our Pure Devotion As a ministry we hereby dedicate this magazine unto the Lord almighty. He is our rock, our provider, our Savior, and the love of our life. This magazine thanks the Lord for providing all of the women, the finances, and the strength to complete a task such as this. All glory, dominion, and power praise His holy name. We bow down in complete reverence and love to Our King of kings.

A heartfelt thank you-To our sister & friend, Kayla Follin. She has spent numerous hours laboring in love for our Savior to graphically design this magazine! Her heart of passion, creativity and love exude in everything she does! Thank you Kayla for the beauty you’ve made come alive through these pages! Much love to you!

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Globally infusing and unifying the nations through writing and the arts with the love of Jesus, proclaiming the Word of God, and heralding testimonies of His goodness.

The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng.

PSALM 68:11 (NIV)

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The Voice of Truth publication inspires women through reflections of God’s activity and grace, while existing to glorify God by proclaiming encouraging and relevant Biblical truth to women from all walks of life within today’s culture. By connecting inspirational writings, creative arts, sound Biblical teachings and thought-provoking articles, we seek to mobilize women across the globe to answer God’s specific call to use the gifts and skills He has entrusted to every believer. We aim to support and serve those desiring to be an influence of godly leadership within their given domain, whether in the home, the community, or the workplace. Our desire is that every woman would experience the joy of discovering God’s unique role for her in fulfilling The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

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