Women's Voices | Feb., 2013
Cheer Up! On Your Feet! He's Calling You!
Cathy Messecar
02/26/2013 - Jesus left Jericho, a large crowd traveled with him on their way to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. Near the outskirts, a blind man, Bartimaeus, sat by the side of the road and begged coins from passersby. His name meant “Son of Honor.” His station in life meant shame and humiliation—his life collapsed in shambles. ... Continue Reading »


Church Girls
Amy Bost Henegar
02/24/2013 - I was ten years old when my Sunday School teacher unveiled The Learning Center, along with her elaborate new reward system. Only the fifth and sixth graders were mature enough to participate in such a sophisticated educational system. The classroom was divided into stations and every station had an activity. Each of us would work through the stations at our own pace, racking up points as we went along. The reward system was simple. The more points we got, the better the stuff we could buy from the Sunday School Store. And boy did I get some fantastic things. ... Continue Reading »


The Inverted Reflection
Jeanine Thweatt-Bates
02/20/2013 - I swore the one thing I’d never do in a church was teach Sunday School. Never, I said. Never. Just like my dad swore he’s never become a preacher. Guess what he’s doing nowadays. Guess what I’m doing, nowadays. Last Sunday I taught the 3rd, 4th and 5th graders a lesson on the Ten Commandments. We read them in their entirety from Exodus 17, and they read smoothly (mostly) all the way through the last one, the one that commands us not to covet our neighbor’s donkey, slave, or wife. ... Continue Reading »


Not On the List
Jennifer Gerhardt
02/18/2013 - At the table with my daughters I flip open my Bible to the book of Numbers. The girls fill lions and fish with primary-colored crayon strokes while I glance over a page crammed with names and, yes, numbers.

Zebulun, Pagiel, Okran, Ithamar, Libni, Mahli and Mushi.

46,500 and 59,300 and 74,600.

Moses and Aaron count God’s men. I read over and over “the men,” “the men,” “the men”… Continue Reading »


Broken in God’s Right Hand
Michelle J. Goff
02/16/2013 - Have you ever been in a place of pain where you could only take life a moment at a time, maybe an hour at a time, prayerful that you would get to a place of taking a day at a time as so many recommended? I’ve been there. Recently. Deeply and profoundly. But God is faithful and I am at a place now where I can share at least a small part of my story. ... Continue Reading »


A Culture of Duality
Deana Nall
02/14/2013 - As a young girl, I don’t know when I realized that church had different expectations of me than I encountered at home and school. At home, I had the blessing of being raised by parents who didn’t think my gender should make a difference in what I wanted to do or the kind of person I wanted to be. My toy box contained an eclectic mix of Barbies, Matchbox cars, and play food for my toy kitchen. My two most cherished possessions were my dollhouse and my Star Wars Death Star Space Station. ... Continue Reading »


John 21:25
Cindy Evans
02/12/2013 - John 21:25, NIV
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
So many more stories!
So many more testimonies!
So many more reports
that would give God glory! ... Continue Reading »


Rest
Sherry Hubright
02/10/2013 - There was a time when the prophet Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. As he journeyed in the desert Elijah came to a broom tree. He sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” Elijah looked around and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. ... Continue Reading »


Sexualization and Christianity: How Should We Respond?
Jennifer W. Shewmaker, Ph.D.
02/08/2013 - As the mother of three daughters and a professional educator who’s worked with children for many years, I am well aware of the fact that we live in a culture that consistently treats female sexuality as the primary value of girls and women. Sexualized media and marketing images surround us on every side. From billboards to television advertisements to video games, we are bombarded by a story that tells us that a female is valuable because of her ability to be physically and sexually attractive. The bodies of women and girls are used to sell everything from cars to Internet hosting sites. This commodification of human beings, this complete focus on women and girls as objects is far from the image that the Bible presents in Ephesians 2 of each of us being God’s “masterpiece” created to do good things (New Living Translation). ... Continue Reading »


Are You Trying?
Lora Chandler
02/06/2013 - It crept in and we didn't even notice. Maybe we sensed it, but we hesitated to bring it up. After all, in this postmodern world, a person can't take a stand in any issue without being labeled. Sometimes the labels are downright unkind -- things like judgmental, harsh, legalistic, ultra-conservative, insensitive, demanding, rigid, disapproving, and condemning. At the risk of being awarded one of those labels, I'm asking the question: What has happened to mind-directed and heartfelt conviction in those who claim a faithful walk with Jesus? Conviction these days has become so weak and insipid that it affects even our hymns. We praise God with fervor, but we don't commit ourselves to more than praise. ... Continue Reading »


The Changing Face of Fellowship . . . for Me
Maureen Helms Blake
02/04/2013 - Sunday afternoon. Sitting in my living room. Numb. I’ve made it home from church, but barely. I love my church. I love serving there. But how can I go back?

This was my heartcry, two years ago. That day, despite profound and persistent prayer, I found myself on the brink of collapse. All my earthly life, faith has sustained me, even though deep waters have certainly tried to swamp my trust in God. ... Continue Reading »


Dreams
Rhesa Higgins
02/02/2013 - Les Miserables frames the tragically beautiful story of Fantine, who falls victim to harsh realities of broken dreams. This masterpiece of storytelling has moved generations to reconsider what grace lives like. Fantine’s voice haunts us with, “I dreamed a dream…” Continue Reading »

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