Isaiah » PWOC International Blog

Fourth Week of Advent

Dec 202011

Christ’s birth was foretold long before it actually occured. It is wonderful to read the prophecies in the Old Testament followed by the fulfillment in the New Testament — almost like digging into a mystery story. I am so glad we have scripture to explain scripture! I look forward to the day when the prophecies about his second coming are no longer mysterious but made clear by events. Here is one great prophecy in Isaiah:

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace

there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty

will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:2-7

Here is another:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

The fulfillment of these prophecies happened much later and they are recorded in Luke 1:26-38.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of reading this story. A virgin had a son. Barren Elizabeth had a son in her old age. With God all things are possible. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for us to be saved. “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” Matthew 19:26

Christmas is the beginning of next week!

Ode To Reading

Devotions

Jul 182011

Submitted by Judy Carlson

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.

For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

Isaiah 30:18

The four of us decided to have a fast food getaway. My handicapped daughter Liz (22), my college son Kristian (19), my husband Tim, and I climbed into the car. “I brought my Precious Moments Bible Mom,” Liz said. I smiled. I always loved to see a book in her hand.

My mind wandered back to Lizzy’s elementary school days. Going into fourth grade she could not yet read or write. Her physical challenges, in both large and small motor skills, were keeping her mind and body exceedingly busy. I was unaware at the time what a supreme effort it was to simply hold a pencil firmly or to keep a book still in her hands, not to mention focusing on the vast quantity of shapes, sizes, squiggles, and dots that we call the written word.

What I did know was that by the fourth grade, my brain injured, sweet tempered, blue-eyed blond child still could not read. In those early school years I had a recurring dream of her opening a book and reading to me. As the years went by, this particular anguish had grown to a secret panic. To me, literacy had always been one of life’s greatest gifts. What can a person who is already so challenged in other ways do without the gift of reading? Once again I pleaded with her Maker. “Oh Lord, please enable my Lizzy to learn to read. I don’t ask for more than that now.”

Lizzy was a favorite with her special education teachers. She was very stable emotionally and I was often told she helped to calm other students with her sweet ways. Still, they held out less and less hope for her learning to read. My heart was heavy the day she entered fourth grade. I ushered Lizzy into her special-ed classroom and met her new teacher, Mrs. Goldstein. The attractive, dark haired woman had a shine in her eyes and a ready smile. It gave me extra courage to express my concerns.

After introductions I said, “Could I speak with you briefly?” Stepping outside of the classroom with my heart pounding, I quickly explained to the teacher my deep desire for Lizzy, ending with these words, “Mrs. Goldstein, without the ability to read, my daughter can never follow a recipe, understand road signs, look at a menu, enjoy a magazine, or protect herself from danger in many situations. Neither can she read just for pleasure or about things that interest her.” Tears formed in my eyes. She looked at me kindly, placed her hand on my arm, and said, “Mrs. Carlson, I have never yet failed to teach a student to read. I have developed a no-fail method that is simple, slow in progress at times, but very successful. Your daughter will learn to read this year, I promise you. I can’t predict her skill level but I can assure you she will acquire the skill.” Her voice was confidant and expression cheerful. My heart lurched. Was this an angel before me? Dare I believe and hope? I took Mrs. Goldstein’s hand and choked out a thank you, unable to say more. We went back into the room and I hugged and kissed Lizzy goodbye, feeling my daughter was in safe hands.

Lizzy’s voice brought me back to the present. “Mom,” she spoke in her soft way, her speech still a bit affected, “listen”. She opened her bible to the chosen passage she had underlined with a pink marker. ”The Lord… gracious to those… wait for Him. His mercies… new every morning. Great…his faithfull…ness. He that keeps Israel…neither slumbers…sleeps.” Her hesitant voice, sometimes missing a word here or there, read on, beautiful to my ears. As usual my heart lurched. “Isn’t that good Mom?” she asked. “That is a very good passage Lizzy.” I looked with love and admiration at my daughter’s face. “Yes, it’s very good. I love to hear you read.” She smiled. ”I know Mom.”

Where is God in all This - Asia Update

regional review

May 102011

By De’Etta Goecker, Asia Region President

There are many areas of our faith life where we live with tension. Through the years theologians have wrestled, debated, and argued as to where the balance is between God’s sovereign justice and His merciful compassion.

What exactly is an “Act of God”? Are all natural disasters acts of God? There are certainly verses in Job, Proverbs, Isaiah and elsewhere which would lead us to believe God is actively involved in weather patterns. We are also told the “rain falls on the just and the unjust” and that “all of creation is groaning.” Does God actively cause these disasters, or do we live in a fallen world which groans for a redeemer? Does He simply remove His protective hedge in these situations, as He did in Job? This is an issue where I’ve experienced tension in my faith life for years. I’m content not to be dogmatic as I see Scriptures support a view much bigger than I can wrap my mind around or ANY one perspective on the issue.

I am blessed to be surrounded by some AMAZING and Godly chaplains in Misawa. I (and many others through the past weeks – remember to pray for our chaplains) sat down and discussed this with three of them shortly after the quake/ tsunami in Japan. Where is God? Yes, he created the tectonic plates and how they move. But did God reach down and create the pain and suffering Japan is currently enduring? I’m not sure. I don’t see Scripture giving the cut and dried answer I would like. I CAN rest in His character. I CAN rest in His ability to bring great good from great chaos. I can trust that He has led me to this situation which wasn’t of my choosing. I can look for ways to glorify Him in the midst of the suffering.

Are there acts of God when a disaster like this occurs? Absolutely. We see acts of God when someone shelters a child who has suddenly become a homeless orphan, when food is shared, when people donate money or goods from around the world, when neighbors and Americans use their bare hands to dig through rubble in search of the living or the dead, when military spouses shop for hours and assemble home transition kits for those who have lost everything, when prayers are lifted around the world on behalf of revival in Japan.

Yes, God is here. We’ve seen His acts. We rest in His character. My prayer for each woman in Asia region is she learns to rest in His merciful embrace, in the midst of a dance she may not have chosen. Ah…dancing with God is a topic for another month.

The Precious Blood of Christ

Prayer Points, Seasonal teaching

Apr 122011

Submitted by Jane Ahl, PWOCI Prayer Coordinator

1 Peter 1:19 says, “The precious blood of Christ.” When we stand at the foot of the cross we see the hands, feet and side of Jesus. They are dripping into crimson streams of His precious blood. It is that blood that atonement is made for the sins of Christ’s people. We are redeemed from being under the law, and we are reconciled to Him. His blood is precious due to its cleansing power. 1 John 1:7 says that it cleanses us from all sin. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” Through the blood of Jesus no spot whatsoever is left on any believer. We are without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish. The precious blood makes us clean, removing the stains of our countless sins, and permits us to stand accepted in Jesus in spite of the many ways we have rebelled against Him. The blood of Christ has preserving power, for under it, we are safe from the wiles of the devil. God sees the blood of Christ that was shed for us and remembers His promise and covenant. Christ’s blood is precious due to its sanctifying power and influence in our lives. The very same blood that justifies us by taking away our sin at salvation, continues to work, bringing life to our new nature and moving us forward in suppressing sin and helping us obey the commands of God. It also has overcoming power, Revelations 12:11 says, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb.” Whoever fights using the precious blood of Jesus uses a weapon that can never know defeat. Sin dies in its presence and death ceases to be death, because it opens the gates of heaven. Nothing in this world is as precious as the blood of Christ. May we continually “behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Father, we thank you for your son, who overcame the bondage of sin, that we can now walk free of all guilt, temptations and bondage. Because of Jesus, we will always have the victory. Amen.

I Need to Tell You Something

Marriage & Military

Feb 042011

Dancing at Zumba each week is a great antidote to my high school dance team experience. It’s actually a great antidote to many of the lies that have been hanging around my house over the years. These lies include the following:

“I’m not graceful.”

“I’m not beautiful.”

“I can’t dance.”

“I look ridiculous.”

And then there are other lies that drop by to visit. Some have been knocking on my front door for years:

“I can’t be forgiven for that.”

“If people really knew me, they wouldn’t love me.”

“I can never change.”

“I deserve what happened to me.”

During the first few years of college, I kind of did my own thing. I believed in God, but I definitely didn’t live for him. And I suffered the consequences of my choices. Eventually, I got tired of living life this way, and I decided to follow Jesus… for real. Only, it hasn’t been easy. Why? Because I continued to screw up. I still screw up – all the time.

I made a comment on the way home from Zumba recently. And it shocked the other girls in the car. After they stopped laughing at my “inappropriate” one-liner, one of them said something like, “I can’t believe you SAID that! You’re usually so proper!”

And that got me thinking: Do I come off like a goody-goody? Am I hiding behind a faade? Is my attempt to “be good” getting in the way of what God wants to do in my own heart (and in the lives of the people around me)?

These questions led me to contemplate what I’m truly passionate about. If there’s a message that I want to share, what is it?

Here it is:

As women, we need the freedom, dignity, and security that come from knowing we are beautiful, and we are loved.

I want this. I want this for myself. I want this for you. And I want it for all women around the world.

I’d like to think that we could actually bring freedom, dignity, and security to every woman in the world. Your neighborhood. My neighborhood. Places we haven’t seen yet. The far corners of the earth.

But here’s the cold, hard, uncomfortable truth. We won’t get there if we aren’t honest with one another – about our own shortfalls – about our own sins – about how we’ve been sinned against.

And after we’ve been honest with one another, we need to point one another to Jesus, our redeemer. He’s the only one who can rescue us from the pit of sin and despair. Only Jesus provides the freedom, dignity, and security we need. He is the only one who can provide true redemption and lasting hope.

In order to grab onto that hope, we’ve got to be honest with ourselves, with one another, and with Jesus.

I’ll go first.

In honor of my Zumba girls and all my other sisters out there, I’m letting it hang out today.

I listen to rock music. I like parties. I once shaved my head for no good reason (teen angst?). I never got a tattoo, but I might one day (sorry, Mom). I laugh at things that aren’t necessarily appropriate.

I know. That’s not so bad, is it? These things are actually a bit trivial, aren’t they? We’re not going to change the world if this is as real as we get with one another.

So, here goes… for real:

I’m not anywhere close to perfect. Any of my close friends or family members can tell you that. I’ve dropped the F-word before. I sometimes raise my voice in anger to the people I love, including my sweet kids (they hear me ask for their forgiveness on a regular basis).

I’ve sinned against many people. Some have sinned against me. I feel angry and sad about the people who’ve hurt me, and sometimes I struggle with feelings of bitterness toward them. Healing has not happened overnight.

I’ve made a ton of mistakes (both in the distant past and as recently as this morning). Those mistakes–both trivial and profound–don’t define me, but I do struggle against their lingering effects.

So what’s the point? Well, I’m a sinner. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. We’re all sinners. In fact, no one is good except for Jesus.

But I don’t let my sins define me. Nor do I let others’ sins against me define me. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed in the morning. However, I can get out of bed. Why? Because I’m completely loved and accepted by God. And that acceptance in no way hinges on good behavior – mine or anyone else’s. It hinges on the fact that God’s Son Jesus reached into our jacked up world and became one. . . of. . . us. . . so that we could each be made clean… made beautiful… made righteous.

Do you believe that? Do you believe that you are fully loved and fully accepted by God? Or are you weighed down by guilt, regret, or shame?

Jesus’ suffering and brutal death on our behalf won us the freedom, dignity, and security that we so desperately need. He opened heaven to us, and he also opened a road to wholeness in this life–no matter how painful our story has been.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53: 5- 6 ESV)

My prayer is that by God’s grace, we will continue to grow in our understanding of what Jesus accomplished for you and for me on the cross. And that we would walk in the dignity and freedom that is ours.

_______________

Val Sinclaire has been married for 12 years to her husband, TM. They have three young kids. You can reach Val through the Blog Manager.

The Virtual Pony Express

Leadership Development, Leadership Wednesday

Jan 262011

Submiited by Jennifer Cook, PWOCI 3VP Communications

On April 3, 1860, two horseback riders left simultaneously from Sacramento, CA and St. Joseph, MO on a trek that would change history. Eventually the Pony Express mail service would consist of eighty riders and approximately 400 horses, deliveringcommunication at amazing speed: a message which previously would have been in transit for three weeks could now cross the 2,000 mile trail in a mere ten days.

Only 150 years has passed since those horseback days, but the speed of communication delivery has increased at a whirlwind pace. The use of the telephone, television, internet, Facebook, Twitter, IM’ing, and email has decreased those ten days on horseback to almost near-real time communication between people, near or far.

As tech-savvy person, I have a great appreciation for the strides that have been made over the past century. With so many platforms to choose between, the PWOC Communications Team has an excellent opportunity to research choices and determine ways our ministry can make a memorable and life-changing impact through technology. Our first step is to seek the Lord’s will and be led by His guidance. I rely on His words in the book of Isaiah 55: 8-9:

“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.”

As work proceeds, we pray for the Lord’s direction and specifically for “His thoughts and ways” to supersede our own. Our current focus is the PWOCI website at www.pwoc.org. We are hard at work behind the scenes completely redesigning the site. The website will debut a bright, new look, improved maneuverability and will continue to provide useful resources for all levels of PWOC. We ask for your prayers for this project and for our future projects. Another of our planned projects is to develop a stronger video presence on Youtube to share encouraging messages from the International Board and content from you. Yes, you! Your testimonies, as PWOC women from around the world, will encourage, build up, and strengthen women in their daily, yet unique, military lives.

Like the Pony Express before us, PWOC Communications has the opportunity to trek across the virtual miles, quicker and more effectively than ever before. We ask for your prayers as we embark on this new trail.

Asia....A Region in Need of Prayer

regional review

Jan 042011

By De’Etta Goecker, Asia Region President

God has sent many of us to Asia to be watchmen. We dare not be asleep on the wall.

In 2009 God spoke “Watchman” to me as a focus word. “I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem (Asia); they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem (Asia) and makes her the praise of the earth.” – Isaiah 62:6-7 (emphasis totally mine)

Prayer, communication with our Father, is key to who we are and what we seek to accomplish at His call. Prayer allows us to partner with God’s kingdom purposes. It’s time to be intentionally radical in our prayers. I am NOT suggesting we neglect our focus of leading women to Jesus on our own installation, I suggest we broaden our vision to encompass our role in our host nation.

Japan needs Jesus. Pray for the breaking of spiritual bondage. I have heard a strong call to pray for the spirit of unforgiveness of past generations to be broken so that revival can rush in.

1% or less of Japan is Christian

1 Protestant church for every 16,288 people

1 missionary for every 53,285 people

Korea – Pray for the breaking of spiritual and political bondage in Korea. We need to pray for continued revival in South Korea and revival in North Korea.

In our region pray for safety for families, new PWOC’s currently being birthed, and continued implementation of a regional vision.

Asia Region (and others led by God), will you commit to help your board cover Asia in daily, intentional, radical prayer and fasting? I’m asking each installation to note the day you are assigned to especially pray and/or fast. By all means, DO pray as led. Be sure to check the soon-coming Prayer Corner on our regional blog and our regional Facebook page for updates. Feel free to post your insights during prayer on our Facebook page – let’s make the technology work for us! If our ladies pray on specific days, there will not be a day in which God’s daughters are not praying and fasting for Asia. That’s powerful!

Prayer Schedule:

Yongsan – Monday, Yokota – Tuesday, Kadena – Wednesday, Camp Zama and Osan – Thursday, Camp Casey and Misawa – Friday, Daegu – Saturday, Camp Humphreys and Yokosuka –Sunday.

“We Speak to Nations” by Israel Houghton is my personal anthem.

We speak to nations
Be open
We speak to nations
Fall on your knees
We speak to nations
The kingdom is coming near to you

The song is on YouTube; let it serve as a battle cry for Prayer! We are Asia, a region in need of prayer!

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.

_____

Submit comments or suggestions to president@pwoc.org

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 25^th 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…

Big God, Big Mission, Big Army!!

Leadership Development, Leadership Wednesday

Jul 212010

By Rhonda Mixon, PWOCI Titus II Advisor

Recently, I attended W.I.L.D. I was asked if I had any words to share with the attendees. After praying, I shared a simple directive, ‘Big God, Big Mission, Big Army!’. I have a great appreciation for all joint services, so in this context, the word ‘Army’ is referring to God’s Army. As members of PWOCI we have many joint service ‘sisters’. At God’s invitation, we have the supreme opportunity to serve on a ‘higher level’ in God’s Army. I believe our mission is going to become more critical and more strategic in the coming days.

The PWOC International Board, Regional Presidents, and Vice Presidents recently attended Vision Week at Sandy Cove Retreat in Maryland. Our speaker, Cheryl Wright impressed upon us a scripture that she believed the Lord showed to her for our military. Isaiah 58:8b states, ‘And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.’ Consider the thought; God is using the military to bring His righteousness to many; Military assignments enable us to be strategically located around the globe. Consider another thought; As members of PWOCI, we are closely connected to the military and the mission that God has for the military.

Historically, God created the military first. The U.S. Army celebrated its’ birthday in June with two hundred and thirty five years. We just celebrated two hundred and thirty four years of our Nation’s birth. The military was created to be the ‘front guard’ for our Nation and the Chaplains were created to minister to the soul of the soldier. The beauty of PWOCI is that we evolved from the Chaplain’s Ministry. As believers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are covered by His righteousness (Romans 3 and 4) and we have the opportunity to shine forth His glory wherever God’s assignment takes us. We minister the heart of God to His daughters and provide His truths. In a sense, we become ‘the rear guard’ for servicemen/women and their families. Never before in the history of our Nation, has ‘our mission in God’s Army’ become so critical with all that we are facing. Spiritual Resiliency is now being promoted by our Senior Army Leadership. Our Chaplain’s are on the ‘front line’ with our military; PWOCI remains a strategic ‘rear guard’ to bring God’s glory and truths in our communities and circle of influence. We must remember that the battle belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ for He is a man of war for His righteousness! (Isaiah 42:13). ‘Big God, Big Mission, Big Army!

Older Entries

PWOC International Blog

Fourth Week of Advent

Ode To Reading

Where is God in all This - Asia Update

The Precious Blood of Christ

I Need to Tell You Something

The Virtual Pony Express

Asia....A Region in Need of Prayer

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

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

Big God, Big Mission, Big Army!!

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