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Just Take the Next Step

President's Pen, Real life stories, Testimonies

Sep 282011

Submitted by Beth Mills, PWOCI President

One of the greatest challenges of the military lifestyle is creating authentic friendships. Just when I feel like we’ve really got some solid friendships developing, I learn that either they have to PCS or we have to PCS. This is one reason why I’ve loved PWOC so much. As I’ve developed close friendships while serving with other ladies on a board at my local PWOC or while praying with them in our Bible study care group, I know the Lord will watch over us and keep us until we meet again. The regional and international conferences are so refreshing because old friendships are renewed and we can catch up with one another again, even if it is only for a weekend.

Some of you know my PWOC story. When we came into the Army, my tongue-in-cheek motto was “Make friends or die”. I took my kids to a homeschool PE swimming class. The other moms and I began to form a friendship and on several occasions they would talk about whatever was going on in PWOC. I usually tuned out during that portion of the conversation; I wasn’t interested in another Bible study, let alone a large group of women. One of my new friends was getting ready to move (of course!) and she said the first thing she was going to do when she got to Germany was find the local PWOC because she knew that she was guaranteed to have instant friends. At that moment, I decided I’d take the next step and go to PWOC that summer.

What my friend said is still true for me today. PWOC is where I find instant friends, but I have to take the next step if I want to create an authentic friendship and not just another acquaintance. Mixers and ice-breakers are not my favorite activities, but I’m learning that they’re a great vehicle to starting a friendship. We find out some pretty crazy stuff about one another-like who’s been a contestant on The Price is Right or who’s taken a journey by caravan in the Sahara Desert! We also find out some things we have in common with one another that we might not have known had we not participated in that mixer. When I find that touch-point where I have something in common with someone new, I take the next step in our friendship and engage her in conversation. I often find that we have even more in common. It becomes easier and easier to take the next steps after I’ve taken the first few-the next step of praying with one another in Bible study; the next step of meeting for coffee or lunch in one another’s home; the next step of asking for or extending forgiveness when it’s needed; the next step of bearing one another’s burdens and sharing one another’s joys. The next thing you know, one or both of you will have moved on to the next duty station and be separated for months or years. But there may be a time during one of the PWOC conferences when you’ll hear that familiar scream and run with arms wide open for the PWOC hug in the lobby! And that’s just a tiny taste of the amazing homecoming we’ll all experience together at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb!

Intimacy with God

President's Pen

Aug 242011

Submitted by Beth Mills, PWOCI President

About 10 years ago, I came to realize a life-changing truth about God’s love. It’s not business, it’s personal. I grew up singing, “Jesus Loves Me” and learning that “God so loved the world He gave His only Son….” I thought, “Of course Jesus loves me. He loves the world; He’s God, He’s supposed to love me.” Right? But the more I read God’s Word, the more I spend time with Him in the morning, or on walks or in those midnight “Lord-heal-my-sick-baby” prayer times, I’ve come to realize that this relationship is personal. Jesus loves me, not because He has to, but because He wants to.

In an atmosphere of intimacy, we live in authentic relationship with God. One of my favorite devotional tools for pursuing an intimate relationship with the Lord is a book called Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge. In it he says, “Isn’t it incredible that the awesome God of the universe has invited us to a breathing, growing relationship with Him!” Wow, God invites us to this very deep, personal relationship with Him that continues to grow in depth. This book unlocks some of the secrets of the Kingdom like listening to God’s voice, radical obedience, and walking in humility. It gives practical steps for spending quality time with God, journaling, and praying the Scriptures. The more I’ve gotten to know God through listening, waiting, or worship, the more I want to know Him. And He meets me every time I go looking. His Word says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)

Time to Get out of the Way

Leadership Development, Local Limelight

Jun 022011

After completing the W.I.L.D. training last year I sat in a Chapel classroom with two other board members and cried. I felt so overwhelmed and unprepared for the position I had been selected for as President of the Eielson PWOC. The weight of every woman on Eielson suddenly sat on my shoulders. I was very new to PWOC. I had been a part of our Women’s Ministry at our home church in San Antonio TX, so I was not sure where this overwhelmed feeling was coming from. I even met with our Chaplain to explain why I did not feel I was the gal for the job, leading other women in their walk when my walk was littered with junk and so many flaws. Who am I? How would I be used? Why would I be used?

We are daughters of the Lord, shortcomings, junk and flaws. We try and wear our “big girl” panties and do it our own way. Then we are surprised when we fall short. We need Christ every step of the way. I know this, I believe this, and yet time and time again I try and do it my way and consult with Him from time to time. I wonder…hum why do I feel overwhelmed? He did not intend for me to just check in, He wants to be leading the way and wants my complete submission as His plans have been laid out for each of us. Yet I compare our local installation with others and we need only 2 bible studies, we have monthly fellowship and we fit in a service project. Never feeling as though it was enough.

We need to get back to basics. God did not give His Son to save us from our sins for us to continue to do life on our own. Eielson PWOC is a small group because that is exactly what His intentions were for us this year. There is no shame or failure in being small. So, I do I feel those things…well because living in the flesh and not the Spirit messes with our life. Satan loves to do the dance when we are beating ourselves up. Because then he thinks he has a small or even a large victory! Well, I say get behind me Satan because I am a daughter of Christ and you have no place in this body! GET OUT!!

God is so patient with each of us. He waits patiently for us to get out of the way. I believe there is a reason we were so small. I believe He has been very intentional and His timing is perfect. There is a reason we do not have a selected board for next year because HE is still setting it into place. His timing is perfect and ours is not. There is a reason square pegs do not fit into round holes. I believe that it is easy for us to get caught up in meeting the expectation of others and we miss seeking His expectation for our lives and our ministry. We get caught up in the guidelines and rules and we don’t hear Him. We are….I am so worried about letting others down that I miss that I am not shining in the light of HIS glory.

As I stated earlier we do not have a board for next year. He breaks the pot, turns it back into clay and He shapes the clay. This is not an easy process but know HE is bigger. So big that He shows up at a small soccer field in Fairbanks AK to remind me that He has a plan for my life, for your life and for PWOC. There are seasons of brokenness that we go through so that He can rebuild us. It is uncomfortable and painful, however the reward is an amazing gift. He CAN make a square peg into a round peg when it is time. Are you willing? I am and He is patiently waiting for each of us.

Peace

Kim, Alaska Region

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. An the Father who knows all hearts knows that the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his won Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one – for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one -for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.”

Romans 8: 26 – 34

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!

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!

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

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

Central Region Update

regional review, Testimonies, Who are we

Aug 172010

Submitted by Kristin Hathaway, Central Region President

Remember your leaders who first taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and trust the Lord as they do. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Hebrews 13:7-8 (NLT)

When I interviewed for the position of Central Region president, I was asked who I could point to as a model of a good regional president. It was a question I had not anticipated, but I immediately thought of Ronda Sturgill, who was the West Region Coordinator several years ago. I wanted to emulate her because she was like Paul. Paul wrote lots of letters encouraging and instructing leaders in Christian living. Ronda made it a priority to contact the west region local leaders each month with a note of encouragement.

As a regional president, I have made a commitment to be intentional about communicating with the leaders in my region who serve at the local level. Intentional communication means providing timely information, as well as making myself available to answer questions or provide tools and training.

For those of you who serve locally on a board or a ministry team, or for those of you who are feeling God’s call to get more involved, remember that there are resources available to you. Your regional boards are in place to help you be successful as you minister to women on the local level.

Jesus Christ is the message we preach and it is our number one aim to lead women into a relationship with Him. Regional and International board members want women to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. As we discover new ways to reach women with the message of Jesus, the bottom line is the same: Jesus is the answer! The ways we communicate his message may look different through the years, but Jesus stays the same.

I am so thankful for leaders like Ronda and Paul that I can emulate as I minister to the women in my region. I pray my light will shine brightly so that women will glorify my Father in Heaven!

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

Arise and Fly!

President's Pen

Jun 012009

“See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” (Song of Songs 2:11-13 NIV)

I’ve seen butterflies everywhere lately. Have you seen them too? Butterflies and flowers are on clothing, shoes, scarves, advertisements, cookies, wall paper, and many other objects this season. Friends have called and emailed me with butterfly sightings on items ranging from Starbucks coffee cups to their children’s school curriculum. I was even served butterfly crackers on a recent flight to Korea! It’s as if butterflies have exploded everywhere!

I’ve noticed something else too. In my travels throughout the regions of PWOC, I’ve seen a common theme—an increased hunger for the Lord to arise—a desire for more of God. My awareness of the butterfly imagery and theobserved theme of increased hunger for Him began to merge in a message for hope for all of us.

The following Scriptures came to mind. The first one is the Song of Songs text above. It’s a beautiful description of the awakening love between Christ and His church, His belovedbride. But the Lord also reminded me of another truth:

…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (1 Corinthians 5:17 NIV)

I love how the Lord sets the stage for us to be reminded of how special we are to Him and what He wants to do for us. A butterfly symbolizes new life, butterflies new beginnings, freedom in Christ and the fulfillment of destiny and purpose. I also love how the butterfly emerges after a cold winter season. They, along with the beautiful flowers, signify that spring is here. The new has come.

I could go in a myriad of teaching directions with this beautiful imagery, and you’ll probably hear more of them in the future. But the message I want you to focus on in this moment is this encouraging truth. You have a unique purpose in life. You are His beloved. You are a beautiful creation in Him.

Loving His Spring Time,

Brenda Marlin
President, PWOC International

PWOC International Blog

Just Take the Next Step

Intimacy with God

Time to Get out of the Way

Authentic Love

Our New President

Presidents Farewell

Central Region Update

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

Arise and Fly!

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