430 women gathered together in Sarajevo, BiH. This year we also had women from Austria & Hungary. As daughters of value who are full of faith and strength, we need to become women of impact; impacting families, churches, communities, work places etc. Once again we used the Word of God to teach from. This year was a very significant year for the conference, we took up and offering to sow into another nation, rather than always receiving, God is now taking us to a new level. We gave a donation to “Footprints in Africa” and with that donation a children’s feeding program was started.
220 women from nations of former Yugoslavia gathered in Vukovar, Croatia. The time they learned again through the Word of God that not only are they valued, but they can be women full of faith and strength. It was also a time of reconciliation between the different nations and ethnic groups. The conference ended with pastors’ wives from one nation asking forgiveness on behalf of their nation. It was a very powerful time; God did an amazing work
70 women from the nations of former Yugoslavia gathered together in Fuzine, Croatia. It was a precious time of showing them through the Word of God that they are of great value to Him and indeed if they have a relationship with Jesus, then they are “Daughters of the King.
While preparing for Christmas I have carols playing continually to keep me moving and inspired. I love to catch some of the phrases in my mind and focus on what the writers were expressing from their hearts. Two verses from ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” caught my attention and stirred my soul. The last two verses say, ” Then in despair I bowed my head, ‘there is no peace on earth’ I said. For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men. Then pealed the bells more loud and deep GOD IS NOT DEAD nor doth He sleep, the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, goodwill to men.”
Penned by Longfellow in 1863, its sentiments could have been written this year. Many times the events of our nations cause us to bow our heads in despair, the situations in our families cause heart break and the sin in our own lives mocks back at us that hate is strong. But God didn’t leave His creation there. In the manger was provided the “right that will prevail”. The Son of God was given who can restore nations, mend brokenness and forgive and heal from personal guilt. From that night of the nativity there is a hope that causes us to raise our heads and peal the bells loud and deep! God is not dead, nor doth He sleep! Joy to the World, our Lord has come!!!
I am one of those people who begin listening to Christmas music early in the season. Each year there seems to be one verse or phrase that catches my attention regardless of how many times I have heard or sung it. While decorating my tree Sunday night I heard “with the dawn of redeeming grace “ and literally stopped working and sat on the top of my ladder and wondered……”the dawn of redeeming grace”. I have studied grace in the past but this was a new idea!! The birth of the Christ child brought a dawning into humanity’s night. No more striving to keep the law and failing. I now rely on the grace of Christ to redeem me back to God.
Then I heard the word “dawning”. Like the sun, grace has always been there in the essence of God, even before the sun was created!! But the birth of the Son of God displayed for us the dawn of His saving grace. Light into darkness, night becomes day, amazing grace!! I hope each time you hear this phrase, this season, that you will wonder at the “dawn of redeeming grace”.
