A Place in the Family

Leadership Development, Leadership Wednesday, President's Pen
Mar 022011

By Beth Mills, PWOC International President

[W]e were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.

I Thessalonians 2:8

I love it when our family is invited to dinner with new friends. Often when we arrive at their home, everything is already prepared and ready. Although I offer to help serve or clean up, the offer is usually turned down. “You’re our guest,” our friends reply. I leave feeling special and a bit pampered by their kind hospitality. But when I’m allowed in the kitchen with my hands plunged deep into soapy dish water, I know I’ve crossed that tipping point when we move from “guest” to “member of the family”. When I take part in the preparation and clean-up as well as the great dinner and conversation on the couch, I feel like I’ve been given a place in the family, and that’s a home I want to return to again and again.

It kind of reminds me of my first PWOC experience. Our president at the time was masterful at involving women in chapel ministries, helping them to feel that sense of belonging to a family. She rarely had to make a plea from the podium for volunteers. An unsuspecting newcomer in our midst often found herself right in the middle of great conversation as she and others stapled packets of paper, filled goody bags, or decorated tables for a program. Many times I found myself by our president’s side passing out bulletins for our Sunday chapel service, or helping her clean up tables after a Sunday Fellowship Dinner, laughing, talking, and learning. Although I didn’t carry the responsibilities of a “position” in PWOC at the time, I was given a “place.” And I found it was a place where I belonged.

We can make the atmosphere at PWOC a home, where our guests become a member of the family. Let’s invite women to become a part of our lives, a part of the life of the ministry at our installation. If we’ll give women the spur-of-the-moment personal invitation to join us in the task at hand, it communicates that they’re presence is important to us. We value the part they play: lowering the lights and screen for worship time, holding a squirming baby so his momma can listen to the devotion, placing a special favor on each chair prior to opening session. Involving women in chapel ministries gives them a “place” where they’ll want to return to again and again.

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Authentic Love

President's Pen
Feb 022011

Submitted by Beth Mills, PWOCI President

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5

One of my favorite books of the Bible is Song of Solomon. According to the introductory notes in my Bible, the theme of the Song is “The Quest for Authentic Love”. It seems that everyone is on this quest; we want what’s real, and we don’t want to settle for less. But what does this authentic love look like? Our entire life’s journey is about love. Jesus said the two greatest commandments were to love God and to love your neighbor. He says in John 15:12, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” All through the Bible, God shows us the way of love because He is love (1 John 4:8b).

Misty Edwards has a moving song called “Arms Wide Open”. She sings about gazing upon Jesus on the cross, weeping and dying for our sins. “Love’s Definition”, Jesus, has “arms wide open, a heart exposed”. Imbedded in the definition of authentic love is not only that we lay down our lives, but that we are vulnerable and open with God and with one another. God is jealous for our love and devotion. He wants all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. You can’t get much more authentic than that! And we know that God can be trusted with our hearts if His love has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). We can remove anything in our lives that keeps us from loving Him.

And because His love is poured into our hearts, we can rely on His Holy Spirit to help us love one another as He has loved us, with “arms wide open and hearts exposed”. With God’s love at work in us, PWOC can be a place where we can be real. When women come to our meetings, unsure of the way of love, we can be ready to greet them with the authentic love of God and let them know they’ve come to a safe place to find the Truth that sets us free. Together, we can encourage one another in this Quest for Authentic Love until the Day He returns for us!

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A Glorious New Year

President's Pen
Jan 212011

Submitted by Beth Mills, PWOCI President

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

One of my favorite things about the New Year is the opportunity to start over. We get to hit the “reset button” on our lives if needed. This is when people all over the world are giving themselves permission to have a fresh start on life. And God says that His mercies are new every morning. That means, as we begin our day with Jesus, we get a fresh start every day!

As many of us are rethinking our priorities at this time of year, I’d like to give you a fresh look at a familiar list. Perhaps your list of priorities looks a bit like mine: God, my health, my husband, my children, friendships, PWOC… I’ve often thought of these priorities in a line-up, the most important at the top of the list. I now think of the most important priority, my relationship with God, as the center around which the rest of my life revolves. Imagine throwing a rock into a pool of still water. Rings of waves that were created by the rock come out from the “plop”. As we grow in our relational knowledge of the Lord, not just knowing about God, but really getting to know His personality and His ways through worship and prayer, His glory begins to radiate out to every other sphere of our lives. As we look to the Author and Finisher of our faith, we will be transformed into His image, and we will see His Spirit touch all the other relationships and areas of our lives.

The same is true for each local PWOC. As we look to God as the center of all we do, gathering together each week to worship Him and to pray and seek His face, God will continue to radiate His glory to the chapel, the units, and the community. His glory also puts a divine draw upon people to come to Him. Isaiah 60:3 says, “And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” As we kick off this New Year, let’s worship the Lord in spirit and in truth; let’s pray and seek His face together. And together, we will radiate His glory to the nations!

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Merry Christmas!!

President's Pen, Seasonal teaching
Dec 242010

Wishing a Merry Christmas 2010 to the Women of PWOC International!

The Mills family is moving this Christmas…again. This will be our fourth move during the Christmas season; our fourth Christmas without a place to call home. When I get tempted to be whiney about it, God whispers to my spirit, “You’re not the only one, you know.” A quick look out my kitchen window and all the moving vans and cartons stacked in yards shows me that’s true. Many of us military families are on the winter rotation, facing a Christmas PCS (Permanent Change of Station) and the unknowns of what it will be like where we’re going to live next.

I went to Matthew chapter 2 and Luke chapter 2 this morning and read the story of Jesus’ arrival on the earth. And it occurred to me, Mary and Joseph were actually “PCSing” when Jesus was born! Bethlehem was Joseph’s hometown and after Jesus was born, they set up house there. That’s where the wise men came to visit and they worshiped Jesus in Mary and Joseph’s house (see Matthew 2:11).

Think about it. On their move, Mary was carrying within her womb the Greatest Gift, Jesus, the Light of the World! And if we’ve received God’s gift of salvation in Jesus, we’re carrying the Light of the World in us. It’s a mystery, but Paul tells us in Colossians 1:26-27 that the mystery has been revealed–Christ in us, the hope of glory. What an opportunity we have as we pack up our household goods to share God’s gift of love and hope with our packers and our movers. We can shine with His light and joy as we greet convenience store attendants, eat in restaurants, and visit with family and friends along the journey.

So many people in the military are looking for hope, a light in the darkness, and we—women involved with PWOC on continents around the world—carry God’s light and hope within us. I’m looking forward to seeing not only what God will do in us individually, but hearing what God does among us corporately this holy season.

Beth Mills, PWOCI President

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Our New President

President's Pen, Who are we
Dec 082010

Hello Friends!

I am so thankful to God for the opportunity to serve together with you in the ministry of PWOC International. I’m also very thankful for the loving service and amazing foundation laid by our previous presidents over the past 50 plus years. The Lord has been taking us on an incredible adventure together, revealing His treasures and His wisdom to us along the way. And He has so much more in store for us! So let’s get started by way of introductions.

My husband, Rod, and I have been married for 23 years and we’re still falling in love with each other again and again. Rod is a dynamic Army chaplain and teacher, a pilot and certified flight instructor; he enjoys encouraging and developing leaders. I’m a homeschooling mom of our five awesome kids (ages 15-21). I love to run, sing, and play guitar in my free time. My heart’s desire is to see women live in a deep, vibrant, love relationship with God and then serve out of the overflow of that relationship. Our family shares a strong passion for worship, prayer, and genuine relationships with God and people.

Now, about that adventure I mentioned….For the past few years, PWOC has been rediscovering our identity as the Bride of Christ. We’ve been learning to sit at our Redeemer’s feet, to gaze upon His beauty, to receive His overwhelming love for us. We’ve been learning to accept His favor and to rise and walk in it. It’s been a time of listening to the love song that God sings over us (see Zephaniah 3:17) and returning to our first love (see Revelation 2:4-5). We’ve responded by singing the love song back to Him. It’s now time for that love song to become the basis of our battle cry.

In the movie The Last of the Mohicans, there’s a love song (it’s called “The Kiss” for those of you who are going to look it up on You Tube) that has the same theme as the battle song (“Promontory”), during which the enemy is overtaken and destroyed. Just like the song in the movie, the love song God has been singing over His bride is now carrying the overtones of a battle rhythm. With our awakened love for God and with full confidence that comes from His favor and grace, PWOC International will rise up and advance the Kingdom by declaring God’s message of love. His love song is our battle cry!

So let’s sing His love to those who need it most. Will you pray with me for God to show us His strategy for touching the world with His love?

Love and blessing,

Beth Mills\o/

PWOC International President

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Presidents Farewell

Leadership Development, Leadership Wednesday, President's Pen
Nov 032010

Dear Beloved of God,

In my final letter to you as PWOC International president, please allow me the opportunity to express my heart to you one last time.

In this role, I have seen God’s hand move in incredible ways within PWOC.  Throughout this journey, my desire has been to help us connect deeply with the heart of God and communicate our need to return to our first love, Jesus Christ, so that we could be free to fulfill His plan for our lives.  As I have spoken with many of you through emails, Facebook and at many PWOC events, I sensed that as a group of women, we are desiring more than just a religious experience inside four walls, we are desiring a true and deeper relationship with our Lord.  Perhaps it is due to the pressure of the almost ten years our nation has been fighting the war against terrorism.  Whatever the reason, God knows the season we are in and will work it together for our good and His kingdom purposes.

Over these past four years, I have had the honor to work with two incredible international boards.  I appreciate them so much for waiting on the Lord with me, for being passionate about hearing from the Lord in His assignment for us and for their willingness to go the distance needed in order to accomplish God’s vision for His ministry.  As I have told them before, I love hanging out under their “fruit trees”.  I have learned so much from each of them.

I would like to thank the following people for blessing me with their support in this term of office:  first, our official PWOC sponsor, US Army Chief of Chaplains, Chaplain Carver for his support of PWOC. Your example of being a worship “warrior” and having a heart like King David has encouraged me and has caused me to press in deeper with our Lord; Chaplain Puchy for being our PWOCI Chaplain through the thick and thin.  Your spiritual leadership encouraged each of us.  You are a vision caster, who has a true pastor’s heart.  The PWOCI Executive Board:  Lucia, Cinky and Melinda, you three are incredible women of God!  It has been an honor to be a part of this team with each of you.  We have seen the Lord weave His message of love for all of us in such amazing ways.  You have helped connect our hearts to those who know little to nothing about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, much less the ministry of PWOC.  Thank you for your support.  I will never forget our times of prayer in seeking God’s face for the ministry and the work we did together.  “Align, Arise & Shine” was truly a God breathed vision for the work our board would do together.

To the PWOC International Board (aka the Glory Train ministry team), each of you helped put His vision for us into motion.  It has been a great adventure and I believe we have all been stretched in our gifts, relationships and callings while on this board.  But more than that, I believe we have become God’s beautiful harmonious symphony sound that I have spoken about.  You have heard His sound and are singing His song.  It’s simply beautiful!

To the PWOCI Titus II Advisors, Becky Shirey and Rhonda Mixon and our prayer coordinator, Dawn Kennedy, you three have been instrumental in helping me through the thick and thin.  You are true prayer warriors and advisors who walk in the love and wisdom of God.  Thank you for holding me accountable, teaching me so much and holding up my arms.  I loved strategizing with each of you and processing the revelation and wisdom of God for this ministry.

Thank you to our eight regional presidents and boards and Europe’s area boards who have been our feet on the ground, connecting with our beautiful local PWOC women.  You have each been instrumental in pushing out the vision of PWOC International.  I love how you each have connected with one another as well.  Keep up the great work.  I know you will be a wonderful help and blessing to our new PWOC International president this upcoming year.

A special thank you to Dutch Sheets, Lee Grady, Cheryl Wright, Chaplain Doug Castle, Chaplain (Ret.) Lou Shirey and Valerie Bixler who have personally come to help equip and teach the PWOC International Board more things about the power of prayer, our intimacy with the Lord, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the presence of God, the fundamentals of understanding forgiveness and trusting God, all of which are crucial teachings in this season we are in.   Also, thank you to Dustin Britt, Blake Howard, the team at Matchstic and Jennifer Cook for their help in providing our refreshed graphic look and helping us to communicate who we are.  I would work with all of you again any time.  Thank you again to Jennifer Cook and Jodie Brickson for your help with our PWOCI themes.  God has gifted you both with incredible creativity and talent.  I would like to thank Erin Nonaka for managing our PWOCI blog, which posts daily words of encouragement for our women.  And Shellie Kelly for the many hours she worked with us from the Army Chief of Chaplains office. And speaking of the Army Chief of Chaplains Office, everyone who worked with us, Chaplain Robinson, Chaplain Warden, Chaplain Lees, Nina Joyner and many others, we couldn’t have done all that we do without you.  All these amazing people and many more have blessed the ministry of PWOC in so many ways.  May the work of your hands produce a harvest of much fruit in years to come.

Thank you to each of my personal prayer intercessors, those I knew and those I didn’t.  Each of you served as a crucial part of my ministry team.  Thank you for praying for my family and I over these past four years.  I knew you were praying.  Any additional prayers you want to send on our behalf as I transition into my new role would be equally appreciated.

Thank you PWOC women for the many ways you bless our chaplains, our chapel communities and the many women within PWOC.  I know that this ministry will continue to take the love and good news of Jesus Christ to many more people than it does now.  It is His desire that we fulfill His great commission.

I want to thank my family for all their prayers, sacrifice and support.  I love each of you so much.  To my wonderful husband, David, who is truly my treasured gift from God, thank you!  You are the love of my life and my knight in shining armor.  Thank you for the many ways you have blessed the women of PWOC by praying with me for them. Thank you for always listening and encouraging me along the way.  I could not have done this without you.  May the Lord bless you for your great sacrifice in this season of our lives.

And to my Lord, Jesus Christ, I love you more than I ever thought humanly possible. You have given me the greatest treasure of all, a heart that is free to love You, to dance with You, to sing to You and to share that love with Your people.  Oh, how you have rend my heart for You. May your sons and daughters be open and unhindered in allowing You to do the same for them, for if they do, I know they will not be disappointed.

Thank you for the honor and blessing of being able to serve you as the PWOC International president these past four years.  May the Lord call each of you into a deeper relationship with Him.  You can never exhaust the depths of His love for you.

“…Arise My Darling, My beautiful one and come with Me”.  Song of Songs 2:10, 14 NIV

To God Alone Be All the Glory

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The Diamond: Discovering God's Treasures for the Women of PWOC Part 4

President's Pen
Oct 062010

We all come from different backgrounds, cultures and denominations into the ministry of PWOC.  God knew that about us well in advance and because of that knowledge, I believe He has entrusted us with a special assignment.

PWOC’s uniqueness and diversity is one of this ministry’s greatest gifts from the Lord.  I have often said that PWOC is like a picture of a diamond.  We have salvation through Jesus Christ on the point of the diamond, and then our many facets represent various denominations, ages, cultures, backgrounds, races, etc.

Whenever you rise above the diamond, you can see the beauty of its array of colors and brilliance, reflecting the radiant light of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  It is a beautiful picture of the bride that He is preparing for His future return.

Our 2007-2008 theme spoke to this very beautifully, “Prepare for the Bridegroom”, with its Scripture references in Matthew 25:1-13 and Ephesians 4:11-13.

In preparing for opportunities to encourage the ministry that year, I began to gain a deeper understanding our assignment as a ministry as I sifted through truths found within our theme Scriptures.  What stood out to me in particular was a gem found in the Ephesians 4:11-13 Scripture (vs. 13 NIV):

“…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

As I researched this, my NIV Bible study note stated, “mature…fullness of Christ.  Not the maturity of doctrinal conviction just mentioned, nor a personal maturity that includes the ability to relate well to other people, but the maturity of the perfectly balanced character of Christ.”

In my understanding of this, I realized that I could help explain the character of Christ represented as the various denominational “facets” on the “diamond”.  For example, some denominations focus on salvation through Christ, some His power, some His sovereignty, some His purity, some His holiness, etc., all distinct facets of Christ’s character.  By embracing our beautiful “differences” and the special assignment He has entrusted us with, we have the potential of becoming His mature, full and radiant bride, reflecting the light of our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.

To be continued…

© 2010 Brenda Marlin

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The Presidential update is published on the first Wednesday of every month. Submit comments or suggestions to: President@pwoc.org

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The Diamond: Discovering God’s Treasures for the Women of PWOC Part 3

President's Pen
Sep 212010

It was my 25th wedding anniversary to my beloved husband, David.  We held a small ceremony with family and friends where David and I recommitted our love for one another and restated our marriage vows before the assembled witnesses.

It was fascinating to me that all of this was taking place during our theme year of “Prepare for the Bridegroom”, based on Matt. 25:1-13 and Eph. 4:11-13.  I knew deep down that the Lord, in His sovereign plan had orchestrated the timing of this special occasion from the beginning of time. In my heart, I realized what was happening in the natural was symbolic of what He desired in all of us.  It prompted me to pray for the women of PWOC during our ceremony. My prayer was that:

  • Those who are married would recommit their love for their spouse
  • Each of us would recommit our love for our heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus Christ

David sealed our recommitment by giving me a beautiful solitaire diamond ring from Tiffany & Co.  Wrapped in a beautiful turquoise box with a white satin ribbon, the diamond became symbolic of many things that the Lord would reveal to me over the next few years as president of PWOC International.

To be continued…

© 2010 Brenda Marlin

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The Color Turquoise: Discovering God's Treasures for Women of PWOC Pt. 2

Leadership Development, President's Pen
Sep 142010

I arrived home and quickly went to work in prayer and research to determine what the Lord was showing us in Korea.  I called the PWOCI Executive Board to tell them of this new discovery and sent an email out to the Bible teachers on our board.  I asked them to research the color turquoise to see what they could find out.

While assessing the two different colors of sky blue and turquoise, Kim and I drew an interesting conclusion. We sensed the turquoise God had so liberally surrounded us with that day represented a season of deep transformation and abundance the Lord was ushering in. 

I had a conference call with our board’s advisors and prayer coordinator to discuss more fully what Kim and I discovered in Korea.  During this call, we noted that the turquoise stone is found in the Ephod of Aaron, the high priest as mentioned in Exodus 28:18 and in the walls of the overcoming church mentioned in Is. 54:11.

We determined some of the following characteristics of this color as it might relate to PWOC International:

  • Shift for the ministry, new wineskin
  • Presence of God
  • Freedom, transformation

Other research uncovered the following:

  • River of God
  • Sanctification
  • Healing
  • Life-giving flow of the Holy Spirit
  • Tribe of Judah

Shortly after discovering this color in Korea, it suddenly exploded as the main trending color of choice within the United States.  Everywhere we looked, the color was being confirmed. Because of its significance, we decided to go forward and use the color turquoise as a “refreshed look” for our 2008 PWOC International conference magazine.  Shortly thereafter, the 2009 PWOC International Joint Council followed suit and approved it as the official main color in the PWOC logo. Overall, we assessed that He was calling us to “refresh” the color of our logo as a physical representation of the spiritual refreshment and freedom He was bringing into women’s lives.

More treasures coming…stay tuned.

© Brenda Marlin 2010

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Submit comments or suggestions to president@pwoc.org

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The Color Turquoise: Discovering God's Treasures for the Women of PWOC Pt. 1

President's Pen
Sep 082010

As I finish out my term as president of PWOC International, I would like to share a few stories with you about what the Lord has shown me over the past four years.

I have been a treasure hunter my whole life.  I find it interesting that this trait has been within my DNA since birth.  I have always tried to figure out how things work or search for hidden things waiting to be discovered.  My mom says that my curiosity used to get me into trouble, because I would wander off trying to figure out the unknown things that I encountered along the path of life.  Little did I know that God’s plan for me would take me way beyond the curious exploration of my childhood, on into adulthood where He uses this trait for His Kingdom purposes.

Early in my first term as president, the Lord would share with me a very important Scripture, which describes the kingdom treasure finding journey that I would be on in this season of leadership.

…”No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him”—but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.”  1 Cor. 2:9-10 (NIV)

The Color Turquoise

I was invited to travel to Seoul, Korea to attend the 2007 FaithLift conference shortly after becoming president in 2006.  To my delight I learned that Kim Worrell, our immediate outgoing PWOC International president, would be attending this conference as well.  We had no idea the incredible things the Lord would show us while we were there.

After the conference was over, the conference planner arranged a tour of the largest full gospel church in the world and also the South/North Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).  As Kim and I prepared for our trip to the church, I looked at her and made a comment about her jacket, which was the same color of a jacket that I had recently purchased—it was a beautiful turquoise color.  I said, “Perhaps this could be a new color for PWOC”.  She commented that she had worn it all over the world during her term in office.

As we boarded the bus, we began our trip to the world’s largest church.  On our way there, we noticed several buildings, structures and signs all in this same color.  We looked at each other and said to each other, “wonder what this means?”

We arrived at our destination and had to weave through all the masses of people in order to enter into the seating area of the church.  As we were standing in line, I felt impressed to look at my new anniversary ring my husband had just given me for our 25th anniversary.  I thought about where my new diamond ring came from—Tiffany & Co.  Suddenly, it occurred to me the color of the beautiful little box it came in was turquoise!  My eyes began to well up with tears as I sensed that my ring was not only a gift from my precious husband, but from the Lord as well.  I knew in my heart that the Lord was telling me something very significant in regards to the color turquoise, but I didn’t quite know what He was up to.

The following day, we went on a tour to the DMZ.  Prior to going on my trip to Korea, the Lord impressed on me to take a beautiful gold key that I had been given by a speaker at my first Vision Week board meeting.  As we were getting ready to leave for the DMZ tour, I felt led to take it with me.  I knew there would be a special prayer assignment connected with this key.

Kim and I were on the bus once again, taking in all that we could see.  We approached the main entrance to the Demilitarized Zone and noticed the turquoise color once again; only this time there was another color next to it—sky blue.  As we drove forward, we began noticing that the turquoise color represented the free side of South Korea and the sky blue color represented the oppressed side.  Many times, the sky blue color was behind barbed wire fencing; evidence of those bound up, oppressed and controlled in North Korea.

I immediately used my handy PDA to see if I could locate a Biblical reference to the color turquoise.  To my delight, it was there.  Kim and I knew that the Lord was trying to show us something, but it would not be completely revealed until after we returned to the United States.

We drove onward, far into the DMZ, where the tour guide shared the history and names of each specific area.  We arrived at a location within the DMZ that was called the “Freedom House”.  I looked in the area and noticed that one of the buildings had a turquoise roof on it!  That was my cue.  Kim and I looked at each other and then got up and went to the back of the bus where we began proclaiming in prayer Isaiah 61:1-4 (NIV) for the women of PWOC:

“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.  They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”

As we prayed, I took the gold key and began unlocking the self imposed prison doors that many of women in PWOC lived in and then pulled open the pretend door and said, “come out, you are free!”

To be continued…

© 2010 Brenda Marlin

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