2010 April » PWOC International Blog

Prayer points for April 18-24

Apr 162010

Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds. He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone.

Zechariah 10: 1

In this passage, rain seems to represent a time of returning to God. The people are lost and wandering, listening to every voice of human wisdom and even consulting occult wisdom. These voices lead them off track to a place of desolation. God is angry that there is no one to lead and comfort His people, no one to care for them. He comes Himself to restore the strength of His people so they can arise again and fight. Zechariah says God passes through the sea of their distress and stikes the waves so that the water dries up.

Dear God,

We long for the rain of your Presence. We long for the rain to come, the rain of spring that brings life. The rain of returning to You. Oh, God, we often get lost and wander away, listening to voices of human wisdom and even of the enemy. These voices do not care for us. They did not pay the price for our freedom. Come to us and restore our strength, that we may rise again and fight for what is ours: our children and our inheritance. We only want to listen to your voice. Strike the waves in the sea of our distress. Dry up the waters of desolation, but send the rain (reign) of Your Spirit. We ask for rain in springtime.

We love you. In Jesus Name, Amen

Prayer points for April 11-17

Prayer Points

Apr 162010

Be patient, then, sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.

James 5:7

I love the clean, fragrant smell of spring rain in April. This time of year I often get what my family calls, “Spring Fever”. For me it is not spring cleaning I do, but an almost unstopped need to touch the earth, to dig and to plant. This year all four of our children worked beside me poking holes in the black earth, dropped impossibly small gray seeds into the holes, and then our vigil of waiting began. We daily visit the garden to watch for signs of life. Shouts of joy echo down the street when one of spots another green shoot poking up through the dirt. It is just as much a miracle to me today as it was when I was 5, planting seeds in a cut off milk container. Oh how I wish I could see the changes in the seed happening under the dirt, like time lapse photography.

What a picture of God’s dealing in our lives. (James 5:7 and following)

Dear God,

Thank you for planting Your Word deep in the soil of our hearts. We long for the day when we are with You face to face, when all of our tears are washed away and all of our questions are answered. God, strengthen our hearts. Help us not complain, not judge those around us, help us to endure. We have seen the outcome of Your dealings, that You are compassionate and merciful. Give us strength to wait for the spring rain, bringing new life to the desolate seasons. Father, grace us to pray and praise, to bless and not curse, to patiently endure. We long for the spring rain of Your Presence and Your Goodness. We love you, in Jesus Name, Amen.

Journey of Transformation, Part 18

Jesus Answers, Life Happens, Life Happens Jesus Answers, Real life stories, Testimonies

Apr 152010

A Trip of Another Kind

August 2001 arrived and my parents came to Tennessee to visit. Dad planned to see his brother, my Uncle Wayne. Mom, being a former realtor, was interested in seeing homes in the area just for kicks. We didn’t have a spare bedroom so they stayed at the Best Western. Our little rented house had just enough room for me, Steve, and Bridgette.

Steve was expected to depart for Afghanistan so I rode back to Colorado with Mom and Dad following their brief visit. My sister Judy lived with them at the time. We were stunned when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. How strange that both of us would be hit with autoimmune diseases at the same time. We distinctly remembered a conversation we’d had a year earlier. While sitting around with family in my parents’ living room we expressed sympathy over problems other people were having. We marveled, with gratitude, that our family didn’t have any major traumas up to that point.

Was there something wrong with having a grateful heart? Does gratitude breed affliction, suffering, and sorrow? It was as if our expressions of gratitude triggered some bizarre chain of events. Like we were being punished, or challenged, for being grateful. Did God perceive it as prideful? We weren’t proud. We were relieved. It felt like He couldn’t possibly let us slide by without problems – as if everyone had to endure hardship at some point. Were we not dedicated enough to Him? What in the world did we do wrong? We couldn’t figure out what was happening. The timing was strange.

Have you ever said something and wished you could take it back? That’s how I felt about my expressions of gratitude. Was it possible that in our hearts we believed we must have been doing something right in order to escape God’s chastisement? Was that so horrible? There was no judgment or condemnation toward the other people. There was no comparison. We just felt grateful. Did these afflictions even have anything to do with what we did or didn’t do? Or was it just part of God’s plan for our lives that happened to manifest itself at that particular time? Questions mounted but answers remained elusive. Clearly, I had a lot to learn about God and how He operates in our lives. Lessons would be learned as devastation increased.

One September morning I discovered a strange white spot on the ball of my left thumb. It couldn’t be squeezed like a pimple. Nothing would come out. It began to hurt. Mom, in all her wisdom, suggested that I put a poultice on it to draw out what appeared to be pus. It didn’t work. The pain increased and nothing could extinguish it. When it approached an intolerable level I announced to my dad that we better take a trip to the ER at the Air Force Academy.

What transpired that day was just the beginning of inexplicable misery to come.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES:

When you don’t know why something is happening and you feel like you’re being punished, cast your cares on Jesus. Get real. Get honest. Don’t be afraid of irreverence. He created you. He knows what’s in your heart already. Express it. He’s the only one you can safely unload your burdens on. He’s the only one who can do anything about your problem, and He has a reason for allowing it. Cry out to Him and let Him take you deeper into the realm of spiritual maturity and intimacy.

Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall. Psalm 55:22

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

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Life Happens – Jesus Answers is a weekly column addressing the challenges we face in life, coupled with the presence and grace of Jesus, our One True Source of hope and peace. The column’s author, Laura Firtko, can be reached by email here: LifeHappens@pwoc.org

Top 10 Best Things About Serving as Local PWOC President This Year

Leadership Development, Leadership Wednesday

Apr 142010

By Andrea Plotner

1. Enjoying God’s sense of humor
2. Listening for God’s voice and His corporate will
3. Seeing God’s vision unfold at Ft. Irwin
4. Watching God work in individual lives
5. Being sharpened by fellow board members
6. Being refined by circumstances
7. Enjoying a deep sense of community
8. Praying for others & being prayed for
9. Encouraging others to love God and His Word
10. Pointing to Jesus – our supreme treasure

Closing All Windows

Tech Tuesday

Apr 132010

If you’ve read this column more than a few times (both of you), you’ll know that I simply adore shortcuts. Here’s another one for my PC gals out there.

When I’m doing research on the web, I often find that I have more than a few windows open at one time. Not just windows (or tabs) in my internet browser, but separate windows for each of potentially several apps open at one time (Word, Firefox, Acrobat Reader, etc.). After a while, this can make me a bit nutty and confused. Here’s a quick shortcut to simply close everything and start fresh.

Using a Windows PC, you’ll notice tabs along the bottom margin of your screen for each app/file that you have open. Clicking each tab will bring that app/file to the front of the stack; but to select more than one tab at a time, simply hold down the Control key while you click each tab. Once you have all of your tabs selected, right-click to display the contextual menu and select ‘Close Group.’ Voila! Clean slate.

NOTE: With the release of Windows 7, I am now two OS versions behind (I ignored Vista altogether). My dinosaur of a Dell desktop will turn SEVEN years old this July and is still going strong, but it won’t be getting any OS updates and will be replaced with a Mac upon its overdue death. That said, I would love for someone out there (a bit more current) to join the Tech Tuesday Team and contribute tips for Windows 7 users. Am I speaking to you? If so, please contact me concerning your willingness to serve PWOC in this way. It’s very cool to serve God in such a practical way.

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“Tech Tuesday” is published every Tuesday. To reach Tracy with comments or questions, email her here.

Signing Up for the Race

Devotions

Apr 122010

Submitted by Kimchi Blow

There is much more to running a race than just running. It entails a lot of preparation, commitment and hard work. Making a commitment and saying “yes” to the challenge is where it all begins. About 4 months ago, I ran my first half-marathon. I learned priceless disciplines through my training, and they were profitable for my spiritual walk too.

One of the first things I did was making the commitment to run the race in the first place. Did you know only 1 % of the population will run a half- marathon? Believe me, this was a step of faith for me because I never ran more than a few miles at one time in my life. So, the thought of me running 13.1 miles was daunting just to think about. I knew there would be a lot of hard work and sweat ahead, but more importantly, I knew that it started with a “yes!” Sometimes for me, that is always the hardest challenge. Fear wants to rule and say “NO!” Somehow my faith follows through; at least that is the plan! I have learned that once faith is activated, it requires action to follow!

At any rate, I found a half- marathon that I was interested in using the internet. The one in Long Beach, California, provided the most eye-catching, and let’s say the most achievable one. The attractiveness was that it appeared to have a flat course along the coast line. Trust me; I was looking for the easiest running course I could find! Just saying! My idea was that if I had to run the 13.1 miles in the first place, then I would at least enjoy the view as I ran–anything to keep my mind off the pain.

Well, needless to say, I downloaded the registration, signed the check for the race fees and mailed it off. BAM!! I was committed and signed up! There was no turning back. My point is this: many times in our lives we are faced with challenges. Some of them are in our control and some are not. Whatever the case, we still have a choice to make. Will we commit to the challenge ahead, no matter what it takes? Walking by faith and not by sight requires you to say “yes” to God in whatever circumstance you find yourself in. You are saying “yes” to trust Him to provide the provision and the grace to see you through.

As Christians, the day we give our lives to Jesus, we literally sign up for the Christian race. The race itself is a course we have never ran before. It has a lot of uphill challenges and the miles seem endless at times. However, we must run the race with perseverance. Signing up and saying “yes” to the race can prove to be the biggest hurtle, but you can have peace in knowing that we have a pace setter running it with us the whole way—Jesus. He will be the one with you the entire course. He will make sure you have the water breaks you need and the motivation to get to the finish line. He will prove to be your biggest cheerleader in the end. As long as you keep your eyes fixed on Him, the race itself can be an exhilarating one. Better than that, the rewards prove to be eternal!

Be encouraged because Hebrew 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” What is it today that God is asking you to say “yes” to? What commitment is He asking of you today? No matter what it is, say “yes” and commit yourself to Jesus. In the end, the victory will be yours!

Journey of Transformation, Part 17

Jesus Answers, Life Happens, Life Happens Jesus Answers, Real life stories, Testimonies

Apr 082010

Spirit Message

When I discovered the bald spots on the back of my head I still had a red rash on my face, sensitivity to cold, numb fingers and toes, and swollen gums. Through the pregnancy and miscarriage none of these symptoms lifted. I merely took a detour that weakened my immune system further. The questions I posed to God about this trial wouldn’t be answered for years.

Not fully comprehending why all this was happening, I petitioned the Lord, “Father, I realize you’re allowing this trial for a reason because everything you bring into my life has purpose. I don’t know what’s in store, nor do I know how long it will last. Please let it last as long as necessary so I learn the lesson this time and don’t have to repeat it later.”

I didn’t pray that prayer expecting a response – at least not immediately. Yet I knew that in the process of walking this path the Lord would honor my request. I knew somehow I would persevere. I knew I would emerge a better person. But I was stunned to hear what the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart, “It’ll last about five years.”

Whoa. Did that really just happen? I couldn’t recall a time when I’d received such a strong, clear message from the Spirit. I stood staring at the wall in my bathroom hesitating to believe what I’d heard was real. It came so far from left field that it had to be God. I wasn’t on medication. I wasn’t making it up. The message clearly came from the Spirit.

At the time I didn’t know how great a gift this message was. How often does God clue people in to the duration of their suffering? I’ve never heard another person share anything like that. Maybe they’re afraid people would accuse them of creating a story. Why would someone make it up? What would be the point?

I never shared my blessed revelation with anyone, but that wasn’t a conscious decision, I just didn’t think about it. This precious jewel from God was intended to be kept between the two of us, hidden in the recesses of my soul. It was a gift He planted deep within designed to see me through the darkness ahead.

In the coming months my symptoms held steady but I was too weary to cook or keep house. My primary care doctor had no real answers and the rheumatologist remained clueless. In late summer 2001 Steve was informed he’d be going to Afghanistan.

Okay, now that was a place I definitely couldn’t hitch a ride to. Was it time for another road trip? Where would I end up this time?

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:3-7

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A Beautiful Picture of God's Love

Local Limelight, Testimonies

Apr 072010

Submitted by Erin Nonaka, PWOC worship leader – Fort Bragg, NC

In the planning and preparation for our final PWOC meeting before Easter and Spring break, I was praying that the Lord would give me direction for our praise and worship time. For months as I prayed, the Lord gave me a vision of our women having the opportunity to lay their burdens at the cross and to find newness and freshness in Him. What a better time to do this than when we are preparing our hearts to celebrate the sacrifice God made through the gift of His Son. What a time to start fresh; to have a visual representation of new life through the Cross. WOW!

So as the music team and I prayed for this week, we prayed that the Lord would intentionally place every song, every word, every scripture, and every person that would be a part of this time we were to share together. And that is what He did!!

As the worship began, there was a large wooden cross in the front of the room. Each woman had a piece of paper on their chair as they sat down. I shared with the women that the papers were for them to write down anything they needed or wanted to give over to God. The women could take the pieces of paper and place them on the cross at anytime during the service. The time here was for us to do some business with God, so to speak; to get our hearts right before Him, to cleanse our hearts and our minds.

As our time together continued women came up one after another to place their papers and burdens on the cross. My heart was overwhelmed with how it created such a beautiful picture of the purpose of the cross for us. It opened our hearts in a fresh way, and His Spirit filled the room with such sweetness. The way that everything was orchestrated could not have happened without the divine hand of our loving Father. To have the treasure of leading, participating and watching God’s goodness that morning was a great honor and tremendous blessing.

My prayer was then and remains to be, that women’s hearts will continue to be transformed as we draw nearer to our unconditionally loving God who desires to call us His own.

Spring to Life: Bloom and Grow

Devotions

Apr 052010

Submitted by Laura Miller, Yokoto AB, Japan

Isaiah 45:8
You heavens above, rain down righteousness;
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation spring up,
let righteousness grow with it;
I, the LORD, have created it.

Song of Solomon 2:12a
Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,

Spring to Life: Bloom and Grow was the theme of the Yokota PWOC conference held on March 19-20. The theme and decorations were planned around the season and colors of the Sakura Tree. Sakura means Japanese flowering cherry (cherry blossom) and it is a beautiful season to observe in Japan and Washington D.C. too. The Sakura tree has the appearance of a dead tree during the winter months and in late March it springs to life (blooms) with delicate white or pink blossoms. The tree branches become loaded with these lovely blossoms; but within a week, they begin to float to the ground, dropping their seeds upon the soil, and the branches are replaced with light green leaves. As the tree grows, the branches develop more leaves that take in sunlight and by summer the tree is filled with dark green leaves that reveal a mature tree with abundant life. Under the tree the roots are taking in nutrients from the soil and water that nourishes the tree and makes it flourish above.

As I reflect upon the cycle of a Sakura tree; I compare it to the life of a Christian. Do your branches appear dead? What is the condition of the soil of your heart? A fertile heart is created my allowing the Holy Spirit to plow deep into the heart to reveal sin and strongholds that leads to confession and repentance; turning away from sin. God places His seed, Jesus–the Word of God, into the soil of our hearts and causes salvation to spring up and righteousness to bloom and grow. May our hearts be fertile ground and the seeds planted through daily devotions, weekly Bible studies, monthly programs, and PWOC conferences be brought to germination by the power of the Holy Spirit. God desires to create a woman full of the Holy Spirit; a beautiful flowering tree that appears on earth that offers up a sweet fragrance unto Him. His plan is for us to drop or sow seeds of His Word and bear fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:8). Are your branches bearing fruit? Abide in Him (John 15). Are you sowing seeds of righteousness and sharing the gospel? Hearts that are cultivated and watered with prayer and the Word of God will result in transformed lives and mature women in Christ. Allow the Son to shine upon you and bask in His presence in prayer. Sink your roots deep into His Word so that you may bloom and grow and flourish; even under adversity (winter).

Adversity creates an environment that can destroy a tree, such as a wind storm or freeze. Adversity can actually make you stronger if you remain firmly planted and rooted deep in Christ and trust Him to get you through the struggle. You will not be uprooted or die and can withstand the harsh winter months and burst forth with fruit in due season of time.

This morning as I drove my children to school, I noticed the Sakura trees that line the streets of my neighborhood are laden with flower buds. Yokota AB will soon be filled with shades of pink and white. I hope as we witness the cycle of the Sakura blossom or any other flowering tree or plant this spring; from the budding of the flower, to the blossom floating down to the ground, then see the development of the leaves as they grow and multiply into a mature tree, that it will remind us that is what God wants to do within our hearts.

I would also like to remind you that it was upon a tree that Jesus died and gave His life for you and me. Spring to Life: Bloom and Grow as you celebrate the resurrection of Our Lord and Savior. By the power of the Holy Spirit, may Jesus be resurrected in you!

Acts 13:29
When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.

Acts 5:30
The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.

Digital or Analog?

Tech Tuesday

Apr 052010

I think digital. What does that mean exactly? Any question that pops up, my instinct is to turn to my computer for an answer. It occurs to me that even in the 21^st century, I’m still not the average. Some examples:

I’m baking bread and realize that rather than whole milk, I only have nonfat dry milk powder. Can I substitute? In under five minutes, I learn that I can!
In the kitchen again, I need to make a measurement conversion. Using Google, I simply type “8 tbsp to cup” and before I finish typing, Google tells me the answer is a half cup.
While working on my Bible study, I come across a word for which I know neither the meaning nor pronunciation. This time, using Dictionary.Com, I type in the word and within a moment I have not only the definition but an audio pronunciation of the word, as well.
Next up, I have an appointment across town but I’m not quit sure how to get there nor how long it will take. There are several sites that offer driving directions, MapQuest, Expedia, Rand McNally, and I’ll use each of these for different purposes. For simply ‘round-the-town’ type questions, however, I’m probably going to start with Google Maps. There are lots of really cool features here but it’s still very easy to use. Simply type in the address, including zip if you have it, and you’ll get a map of the area with your destination marked. Click the driving directions link, add in your origin address and you’ll have directions and travel time. Don’t like the route chosen for you? Simply drag the route to the road of your choice and the travel time is automatically recalculated. Have more than one stop on your journey? No sweat, just keep adding them. When you’re all set, print and go.
While I’m out, the store doesn’t have what I’m looking for. Do I drive all the way over to the other store or do I call? Using my smart phone, I enter a search for the store’s name and the city I’m in. In barely a moment, the store’s name, address and phone number appear. Tapping on the phone number causes my phone to automatically dial the number. Learning that they do, in fact, have my item, I go back and tap the address and my phone gives me a map and directions for getting there. Now that’s a smart phone!

There are folks that think I’m smart. The truth, however, is that I have tools that make me look smart. So the next time you get stumped with a question, give your computer a shot and see what it gives you. You may be surprised.

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“Tech Tuesday” is published every Tuesday. To reach Tracy with comments or questions, email her here.

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PWOC International Blog

Prayer points for April 18-24

Prayer points for April 11-17

Journey of Transformation, Part 18

A Trip of Another Kind

Top 10 Best Things About Serving as Local PWOC President This Year

Journey of Transformation, Part 17

Spirit Message

A Beautiful Picture of God's Love

Spring to Life: Bloom and Grow

Digital or Analog?

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