by Sharon Lundgren, Past National Council, Advisor    

  The phrase "spiritual formation" refers to the events, people, literature, and experiences that shape our spirituality.  In my life the Bible has been the most significant piece of literature in my spiritual formation.  But the two authors not from Biblical times that have most influenced me are St. Francis of Assisi and the contemporary author, Richard Foster.  The people who have influenced me the most are The Order of the Daughters of the King ®, The Glory Bound Singers, clergy and chaplains, and missionaries here and abroad.  

  On June 8, 2001 the Glory Bound Singers celebrate 20 years together!  I was at a DOK Quiet Day on June 8, 1991 led by a wonderful lady, now in heaven, Bernice Ruczko.  Her topic was "The Life of St. Francis."  That day opened a world of vision for me.  I was enthralled to learn that Francis was first a playboy son of a wealthy 12^th century Italian, and a minstrel.  Francis decided to be gallant and go to war.  The horrors of war brought him home, broken and disillusioned.  When he knelt in the broken down church San Damiano, he heard the words of Jesus say, "Francis, rebuild my church!"  He knew it was Jesus, and he began to change his life, and the lives of others as well.  He would lead his band of brothers through the village streets singing.  The songs would bring out the crowds, and then he would share the gospel with them.  You all know his famous poem, put to music:  "Make me an Instrument of Thy Peace, O Lord......".  

  At the end of the Quiet Day in 1991, the Lord gave me a prayer:  "Thank you Lord that through the gift of music, we are GLORY BOUND."  And the song the Lord gave me to sing was "Revive Us Again"!  I asked the Lord to show me who the "WE" might be.  He showed me faces of 10 DOK who had musical gifts....and that September the Glory Bound Singers led worship for the first time.  "Revive Us Again" was the first song we  sang.

  When I was Triennial Chair for the 2003 Triennial in Minneapolis, the theme I asked the council to choose was "Streams of Living Water."  John 7:38 "Out of your believing heart shall flow streams of living water."  Richard Foster had just released his book of the same name - "Streams of Living Water", and I thought it would be a great theme for the Triennial.  The council agreed, and we asked Richard Foster to come and be our guest speaker.  He came and we had a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as many have shared with me since.  His book illuminates how the Holy Spirit puts us into different streams, according to the gifts HE has given us:  Contemplative Stream, Charismatic Stream, Holiness Stream, Social Justice Stream, Evangelical Stream, and Incarnational Stream..  It showed me where the Lord had put me, and delighted me as well.  St. Francis was in the Charismatic Stream......Richard Foster in the Contemplative Stream.....do you know what stream or streams you may be in?  I offer this book for your reflection.

  My favorite testimony in the Bible is the Woman at the Well. (John 4)  We are all the Woman at the Well.....not knowing, fearful, sinful, afraid to approach God.  So God comes to us at the well, in the heat of the day.  Actually, God waits for us at the well.  Then when we do come to HIM, he tells us not only who we are, but who HE is - Living Water!

Peace and Blessings, FHS, Phyllis M. Larson, Second VP

We are pleased to announce that the Daughters have a national Facebook group.  The group was started by Anneliese Masco who is a member of the MorningStar Chapter at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Sycamore, Illinois.  We have approached Anneliese and asked her if we could make this Facebook group an official Daughters of the King group.  She has graciously agreed.  Anneliese will continue to be monitor as an off council member.  If you are not already a member, stop by and introduce yourself.  You must be a member of Facebook to access this page.  Search for "Order of the Daughters of the King" in the search box on Facebook.  You will recognize the group by the registered trademark logo.

 By Sheila Gerth, National Secretary       

  Did you ever wonder why Jesus had to go off and be alone?  Did you think that He was self sufficient and didn't need anyone or anything to help Him through His earthly life?  We are told that He went off to pray and be with the Father.  Even today we all need to have some time to go off and be alone with the Father. 

    My practice has become to plan some retreat time 2 to 3 times a year with a Spiritual Director or a small group of close Christian friends.  What is a Spiritual Director?  Someone who has been trained to listen "with the heart" and who might ask questions to help you along your spiritual journey.  A Spiritual Director is not a counselor,  he/she is a guide.  Just as you check in with your physician for a checkup, you would meet with a Spiritual Director once a month and have a spiritual checkup.  You might ask your clergy who the Spiritual Directors are in your Diocese, and then choose to contact one and plan a time for meeting.   

   What does this have to do with The Order of the Daughters of the King ®?   Whenever you make time to be alone with the Father (special prayer time) you improve the relationship with Jesus, our Lord.  When you improve the relationship with Jesus, He gives the grace needed to pray and serve for the spread of God's kingdom.  When you SERVE the Lord and PRAY for the clergy and all sorts and conditions of people, you will receive the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.   With the power of the Holy Spirit you can do all things, through Christ who gives you strength.   

  So I challenge you, especially if you are in a "dry" time of prayer and service, to set apart time for retreat so that you may be refreshed and renewed.  Summer is a season for special times of vacation, relaxation, and being renewed.   Why not give yourself a spiritual vacation?   Then you can once again be ready to advance the Kingdom of God through the Rules of Prayer, Service and Evangelism.    

By Carolyn Booker, Province III President

  The retreat was held at the Waterfront Hotel in West Virginia on June 3-5, 2011 and was hosted by the Diocese of West Virginia.  We were privileged to have as our retreat leader Neta Jackson, award-winning author of the Yada Yada prayer group series which have sold roughly 500,000 copies. She and her husband, Dave, are also an award-winning writing team, best known for the Trailblazer Books--a 40-volume series of historical fiction about great Christian heroes with 1.5 million in sales. Accompanying her was Pam Sullivan who is the head of the prayer ministry at First Church of God Christian Life Center in Evanston, Illinois, as well as involved in women's ministry. She and Neta Jackson have been co-leaders of a weekly women's home Bible study for fourteen years, and they have been speaking as "ministry partners" at women's events around the country for six years.

  The retreat began with a Yada Yada welcome which involved all the ladies marching and praising the Lord throughout the room.  Topics covered during the retreat were: Are you rooted? Are You Ready? It's Already Done.  After each session the ladies were given the opportunity to either gather in groups, have personal reflection, go on a prayer walk alone or with a group or go to the Prayer Room. 

   Joining us at the retreat was our National President who spoke on Saturday evening after dinner.  We celebrated a belated 125^th anniversary of the Order with a decorated cake with the emblem of the order, special  placemats at each place setting , and gold crowns for each person in attendance.

  Clergy present at the retreat were the The Rt. Rev. Michie Klusmeyer,  Bishop of West Virginia, The Very Rev. Larry Jackson, Chaplain of the Diocese of West Virginia and The Rev. Huett Fleming, Province III Chaplain.  On Sunday the retreat ended with Holy Eucharist celebrated by The Rev. Huett Fleming and a memorial service.  Many of those in attendance commented on the spiritual uplifting received through the retreat leaders' magnificent presentations and the healing service that was held on Saturday night. 

Daughters are advised not to bid on the Order's crosses if found on Ebay or elsewhere. Any purchases of the cross will not be reimbursed by the National Office.  You may wish to communicate with the seller, letting them know that the Order's crosses belong to the Order and, as copyrighted articles, should be returned to the National Office at Margaret J Franklin Center, 101 Weatherstone Drive Suite 870, Woodstock, Ga. 30188.