Who cares?...
No-one understands!...
What's the point of living?...
My life is a mess and doesn't make any sense...!
Are these questions and thoughts new?
In looking back over history—we can say most definitely—'no'!
The same thoughts have plagued us all at one time or another.
Some find the answers and others, sadly, do not.
You see, history tells us of the real answer, the real way and the real life.
Something tried and true, tested and reliable—not just a theory or fiction.
SomeONE to know and who, more importantly, wants to know us!
SomeONE who designed and made us and has a purpose for each one of us,
who knows ALL about these thoughts and wants to walk alongside us each day
and who says "Come, walk with Me …. this is the way!"
This is what we, as Christian women, want to communicate to you …
So, come along and let us share together and encourage one another,
learning along the way—it's for young and old, whatever stage and age!
It's for you!
Debbi Bryson shares with a group of younger girls who came along to 'The Rock' in Wellington during the Summer Retreat Tour 2010
Whilst most of us accomplish a lot of things each day, we must not overlook spiritual accomplishments – an active prayer life, Christian maturity, a word of encouragement. These are the kind of things that need to take priority in our lives.
Ecclesiastes 4 v9 says that "Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labour". This of course, indicates that team work is a good thing, providing that the team is pulling in the same direction. Serving God together is what He intended, and He wants us to depend on each other to accomplish His purposes. There are a lot of benefits to serving God together – we can support each other, increase our effectiveness, and compensate for each others weaknesses. In addition, we can pray for each other, especially when we are reaching out to those around us. God expects us to be partners in sharing the Good News with others. We need to stand together, side by side, and put love into action. Together, we can show love in practical ways, and make a difference in our community. And together, we can thank God for what He has done through us.
The greatest accomplishment is salvation – the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross, and the work of God in our hearts.
Pam Marsom
He is the First and the Last, The Beginning and the End!
He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all!!
He is the Architect of the universe and the Manager of all times.
He always was, He always is and He always will be..
Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!
He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings peace!
The world cannot understand Him,
The armies cannot defeat Him.
The schools cannot explain Him,
and the leaders cannot ignore Him.
Herod could not kill Him,
The Pharisees could not confuse Him,
and the people could not hold Him!
Nero could not crush Him,
Hitler could not silence Him,
The New Age cannot replace Him
and Donahue cannot explain Him away.
He is light, love, longevity and Lord.
He is goodness, kindness, gentleness and God.
He is holy, righteous, mighty powerful and pure.
His ways are right,
His Word is eternal,
His will is unchanging,
and His mind is on me
He is my Redeemer,
He is my Saviour,
He is my guide and He is my peace!
He is my joy,
He is my comfort,
He is my Lord and He rules my life!
I serve Him because His bond is love.
His burden is light and His goal for me is abundant life.
I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise,
The power of the powerful,
The ancient of days, the ruler of rulers,
The leader of leaders, the overseer of the over comers and
The sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come.
And if that seems impressive to you try this for size.
His goal is a relationship with ME!
He will never leave me,
He will never forsake me,
Never mislead me,
Never forget me,
Never overlook me,
and never cancel my appointment in His appointment book!
When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!
When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!
When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!
When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
When I face problems, He comforts me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!
When I face death, He carries me home!
He is everything for everybody, everywhere,
Every time, and every way.
He is God, He is faithful
I am His and He is mine!
My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world.
So, if you are wondering why I feel so secure, understand this...
He said it, and that settles it.
God is in control, I am in His side,
and that means all is well with my soul.
Every day is a blessing for GOD IS!
Anonymous
Ephesians 4 v 11-12 says that God gave us gifts to equip His people to do His work, and build up the church, and that in doing so, we will become mature and full grown in the Lord.
Because we were made in the image of God, we have a built in desire to create, accomplish and make things happen. The way we carry this out is with our abilities and talents – these are the gifts that God has given us. Our goal is to discover our abilities and channel them in the right direction, so that we will accomplish things for Him. This is really what determines our quality of life. It's not so much what we accumulate, or how comfortable we are, but rather the quality of our character, and the joy that will be seen in us.
Is this a hard task? Well, it's GOD who has empowered us with these special abilities; how we use them is up to us!
A good question to ask yourself is – what is keeping me from using my abilities? The answer may lie in your own lack of discipline, or it may be due to circumstances beyond your control. Always remember though, that God wants us to reach our full potential, and as 2 Corinthians 3 v 5 says – our sufficiency is of God.
Pam Marsom
Back in March, Debbie Bryson was in the country speaking at CWCI Retreats and Conferences. Her theme, if you remember, was "Moments With the Master."
I wanted to go and hear her but wasn't able to. I'm disabled and couldn't cope with Living Springs on my own. I had two friends lined up to take me but at the last minute both pulled out for different reasons. But the Lord knew my longing. After the meetings my friend Sharyn rang and told me the highlights. How Debbie majored on the Word, our reading and studying it to get to know the Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, "spending moments with Him". Sharyn also noticed as she travelled with Debbie, that wherever they stopped Debbie would open her bag and share gospel tracts and conversation with nearly everyone she met.
I have learned two things from Debbie via Sharyn: read the Word and
witness to Him (Acts 1.8). But how to do this?
Recently I stayed in Southland. The Lochiel church, where we worshiped, introduced me to the E100 Bible Reading Challenge put out by Wycliffe, Scripture Union and the Bible Society. I am now reading their selected chapters to give me an overview of the Bible. The second thing we did was go to a Manna bookshop and buy a selection of tracts and a Gospel of John. The next day we went shopping and I was able have a conversation with a shop assistant and give her a Gospel of John. Today I had a conversation with a woman "resting by the well" (John 4) in a coffee shop and gave her a tract by Max Lucado on John 3: 16. I am looking forward to more such encounters.
Judy Fairservice
In my garden I have many forget-me-not flowers that fill lots of spaces, crowd each other out and when tired go black and stringy. Often a drink of water will enable them to survive. The following year there are even more forget-me-nots.
Often in the busyness of life, we crowd our Lord out. We fill our days with 'important-to-us' jobs and leave little time for God. Are we forgetting to spend time with God and praise Him for the benefits He bestows on us?
Psalm 103:2 says:
"Praise the Lord oh my soul and forget not all His benefits."
We are reminded in Luke 12:6 how important we are to God.
"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God; you are more important than many sparrows."
Deuteronomy 4:9 says, "Be careful and watch yourselves closely so you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live."
Perhaps you are tired of life's endless jobs and feel stretched and stringy, continually striving, but not getting anywhere. Make time today to pray and read God's Word. There you will find peace and strength to fill your thirst and renew your life. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide and teach you how to grow.
Each year are there more forget-me-nots in your garden, not doing too well because they are crowded out ?
On every page of my shopping list is a tiny memo which reads: "Don't forget Me" Is this what we are doing to Christ?
God has promised in Isaiah 49:15 "I will not forget you."
Are you forgetting Him?
Let us put Him in His rightful place.
Ruth Bloomfield
I have been working around the house and been surprised how many spider webs there are, both inside and out. They appear everywhere and those sticky webs cling to dusters like gladwrap! Spiders are very busy creatures. In the Bible we read in Proverbs that "The spider skillfully grasps with its hands and is in kings palaces." The writer was saying that these creatures are not large or powerful but are very successful at what they do because they act wisely and use their talents well. The spider weaves a beautiful, complex web using chemicals from its own body.
Spiders may not be very big, seem very smart, or look very powerful, but, their appearance is deceiving. They succeed in spite of their size and unimpressive looks!
During World War 2 a marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific Island. Alone in the jungle he could hear the enemy approaching. Scrambling for cover he found several caves. He hid in one, but realized the enemy would soon find him. As he waited he prayed," Lord please protect me if it is your will."
He listened to the approaching enemy, thinking "Well I guess the Lord isn't going to help me out of this one." Then he watched as a spider began to build a web. He watched as the spider layered strand over strand across the opening. He thought "What I need is a brick wall and God has sent me a spider's web."
As the enemy drew closer, to his amazement, they moved on. Seeing the
web over the entrance made them believe no one had entered for a very
long time.
We all face times of great trouble when we forget victories that God has worked in our lives. Believe He is with you always, trust in Him and you will see His great power and love for you. The next time you see a spider remember you may not be very powerful but you can accomplish a lot for God.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart: do not depend on your own
understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5
Ruth Bloomfield
I wonder how many switches you turned on or off this morning. There is the alarm, the light, the jug, the microwave and of course the toaster. Then the dishwasher, washing machine and if you made a cake - the mixer too. How we rely on the power of electricity in our daily lives. If this fails, our lives are turned upside down and we can be late for work, school or church. It could be a broken wire, an overheated transformer or a blown fuse that caused the disruption.
This made me think, am I continually "switched on" to the Lord? Am I connected to Him daily, receiving the currents of strength and power that only He can provide? Only by daily spending time with Him can we perform as He wants. Only by continually recharging our batteries can we have the power to go out and share His love with others. Only by trusting His power to guide and strengthen us can we be fully charged and rebooted-ready to go!
We can be connected to God's powerhouse if we continually are recharged by His power. Our mobile phones are useless if not kept charged and if emergencies arise we are unable to receive help.
"We must use the power available to us." Hebrews 7:25 says "So that being strengthened with all power… we may have great endurance and patience."
Is your battery charged today?"
In God's word we read in Ephesians 3:20: "God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us."
Ruth Bloomfield
You can tell a lot about a woman by the contents of her handbag.
Often you will find keys, purse, hankie, phone, pen, shopping lists, perfume, comb and lipstick.
However some of us carry bags which nobody sees.
Do you have a Bag of problems you carry, full of past failures - times when you have failed friends, family and failed God?
Jesus invites us to leave our burdens at the cross to find forgiveness.
In Proverbs 3:5 we read:
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."
Or have you a Bag of Busyness - huge, and ready to burst, filled with kid's toys to pick up, dinners to make, washing and ironing to do, lawns to mow. Everything screams help me, feed me, take me, clean me? The Saviour invites you to lay your burdens at His feet. He says, "Come unto me and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
Maybe you have a Bag of fears about the future- you are overloaded with tomorrow's fears- the what-ifs, beyond your grasp. Stop worrying. Jesus invites us to leave our problems to Him. He will guide you and clarify uncertainty.
Matthew 6:34 says "Do not worry about tomorrow: for tomorrow will worry about itself".
Perhaps your bag is a Bag of Holes. You are not listening to God's leading or putting God first. Your priorities are wrong, so that all you do is useless like collecting water in a sieve. God wants you to allow the Holy Spirit to guide. Joshua 24:15 says, "Choose you this day who you will serve."
Or have you a Bag of Secrets, hidden abilities and talents that could be used by God, but like the servant who buried his bag of gold, you won't take a risk and allow God to use them.
In Romans 12:1 we read, "I urge you to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God."
Ruth Bloomfield
Do you find it hard to get out of your comfort zone?
I think we all do.
While our comfort zones are tailored to our individual personality, security is a foundational need for most of us.
Peter, Andrew James and John were successful fishermen when Jesus challenged them to leave their boats and follow Him. (Matthew 4:18-22) James and John worked with their father, Zebedee. How did he feel when Jesus called them?
Peter was married (Matthew 8:14,15). How did his wife feel when he decided to follow Jesus? They were all being asked to leave their comfort zone. There was no guaranteed regular income. They accepted the call, and the results were beyond their imagining.
Some years ago I wrote Final Analysis:
They left their nets because He called
That morning, by the sea,
Yet they were skilled and careful men
Who laboured faithfully.
They did not weigh the gain or loss
Or fear what men would say,
They heard Him call, and made their choice
To follow and obey.
Perhaps the men who did not go
Grew wealthy by the sea,
But Peter, Andrew, James and John
Gained immortality.
The other men bought larger boats
And stronger nets to cast,
But what had they of lasting gain
To show when life was past?
And still today the Master calls
But there are few who hear
And walk with Him, prepared to leave
The nets we hold so dear.
And those who find a lasting wealth
Time cannot change or dim,
Are those who follow when He calls,
And leave their nets - for Him.
Are you being challenged to follow Him?
Or to let your family go?
Comfort zones can be reassuring or restricting.
It all depends on who is calling you.
Peter, Andrew, James and John never regretted their choice.
Joan Suisted
Are you ever overwhelmed by the pressures of life?
Are you a perfectionist trying to do something special for the Lord but feeling neglected?.
Martha felt like that. She invited Jesus into her home
(Luke 11:38-42) and while she was frantically trying to make a gourmet meal, her sister was sitting at Jesus' feet listening to Him. Martha finally exploded and asked Jesus to tell Mary to help. He didn't. He gently reminded Martha He wanted her to spend time with Him too, rather than fussing over dinner. It was a defining moment. Martha's focus was on the food; Mary's was on Jesus. What is our focus?
Some time later their brother Lazarus became ill. (John 11).
They asked Jesus to come. He didn't. Two days later He left for Bethany and learnt Lazarus had been dead four days. Martha rushed to meet Jesus, saying He could have healed Lazarus and possibly hoping for a miracle even then. When Jesus said He is the resurrection and the life, and those who believe in Him will never die, Martha immediately affirmed her faith. "You are the Christ, the Son of God". She called Mary who also told Jesus He could have saved Lazarus. We know the story. Jesus wept and went to the tomb. When He told them to take the stone away, Martha protested strongly. Mary said nothing. It was another defining moment. Jesus prayed, and called Lazarus, who came out of the tomb still wrapped in grave clothes. Martha believed Jesus was the Son of God but she was not prepared to obey Him. Was Mary silent because she believed and was prepared to trust Him?
Are you Martha or Mary? Or are you, like me, a little bit of both, still struggling to learn to listen, trust, and keep my focus on Him?
Joan Suisted
If you had the opportunity to meet one celebrity, who would you choose?
It would probably be a hard call, because celebrities sometimes lose their status almost overnight. Politicians are voted out of office; sports stars tarnish their reputation, prominent business people are found guilty of dishonesty and famous "stars" die and are soon forgotten.
Which historical person interests you the most?
Would you choose Alexander the Great, Captain Cook, William Shakespeare, Isaac Newton, Charles Wesley, Florence Nightingale, William Booth, Winston Churchill, or someone else. These were all famous but we would each choose differently.
What about Bible characters?
My list would include Abraham, Melchizadek, Moses, Joshua, David, Isaiah, Daniel, Nehemiah, Paul, John, Mary and many others. We can't meet any of them today. During the last week before Calvary, some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to worship at the Passover, came to Philip and said "Sir, we would like to see Jesus". (John 12:21) We are not told whether or not they did meet Him, but He may have been speaking to them and the disciples in the verses that followed.
Jesus is different because we can meet Him every day, through His Word, and prayer. We do not have to ask to be introduced to Him; we are already known and welcome. He is the Creator God, who was crucified for our sin, and the Risen Lord who triumphed over death. He sustains everything by His powerful word. He is the Author, not only of the Bible, but of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He longs to share with us, but accepts our choice. We may not have much free time, but even ten to fifteen minutes spent with Him will enrich our day and our relationship with Him. Come with open eyes, listening ears, and a mind and heart ready to share with Him and allow Him to share with you. Moments with the Master will change us, now and eternally.
Joan Suisted
Cast your burden on the LORD,
and He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit
the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 55:22