Growing up, I always wanted a sister.   After my third brother joined our family, I realized that wasn't to be.  But God is so good.  You know the Scripture (Ephesians 3:20) about God being able to give us more than we can ask or imagine?  Since becoming a Daughter of the King, He has given me so many sisters I can't even count them!  In addition to the 40 precious sisters in my home chapter in Hickory, NC, I have dear sisters in my Diocese and in Province IV, and 24 incredible sisters serving with me on National Council.  Not only that - I also have sweet sisters in Africa, the Caribbean Basin, South America, Europe, India, and the Middle East!  I am abundantly, exceedingly blessed beyond measure.  And so are you!  The family connections we share are very strong because we are united as sisters through prayer and service to our heavenly Father.  We are connected in the Holy Spirit through strong bonds of love.  What a gift!
     Have you, as a Daughter of the King, connected with your sisters outside your chapter and your diocesan assembly?  Have you met any of your sisters from other parts of the world?  If the answer is no, you have a great opportunity to do so this summer in Indianapolis.  Triennial will be a real celebration and we hope that many of you will be part of this joyful family reunion.  Not only will you be able to meet your sisters from all over the US, but 18 - 20 Daughters from ten countries are also planning to join us - the largest gathering of the International Sisterhood of the Daughters of the King ever!
     Attending Triennial and visiting with our sisters from around the world will be a wonderful gift you can give yourself and international Daughters.   If you would like to support international programs in other ways, here are some ideas:

• Volunteer to be a Triennial Companion - assist an international Daughter (or any Triennial First - Timer) for a day 
• Become a Prayer Partner
• Donate international crosses for new members
• Donate money or frequent flyer miles to help fund the tickets for our international guests

God bless you and may He draw us together in His love.

For His Sake,
Pam Runyon
DOK International Chair

1. Come early, stay late. Give yourself the gift of time to explore Indianapolis. Also, Sunday Eucharist is not to be missed, so don't plan to leave until mid-afternoon Sunday.
2. Dress casual. The schedule is packed. Dress to be comfortable for a long day. EXCEPT for Province Dinner on Wednesday and the Gala Banquet on Saturday, when you want to encourage your inner girl to play dress-up and "dress" for dinner.
3. Bring a sweater, jacket, or wrap. Hotel rooms vary in temperature. You may be hot one minute and an ice cube the next.
4. Bring Mad Money.  There will be vendor exhibits ready to tempt us. We will be able to shop without leaving the hotel.
5. Bring your address book. You want to keep the contact information for all your new friends in one place.
6. Bring a banner. If you are your chapter or diocesan delegate, you need to bring your chapter or diocesan banner to be a part of the "banner wall." It is one most of the most impressive sites at Triennial (and a great photo op).
7. Have curling iron, will travel, but you can leave your blow dryer and iron at home. Marriott is a full service hotel and toiletries are stocked in your room. (Check out their website.)
8. Stay in your comfort zone. The schedule is packed. Be prepared and feel free to take breaks as you need them. A five-minute walk refreshes, so bring walking shoes. If you can't sit for long periods, try to sit in the back so you can stand up as needed (although seating for delegates at the business meetings is assigned).
9. Challenge yourself. Sit at a table where you don't know anyone. As the days go by, that will become more difficult and your address book will be full. Yeah!
10. Stay centered on Jesus. We are attending this Triennial with women from all walks of life, in all different stages of our journeys. Actively seek and love Christ in each woman as we interact.  

                       Exhibitor Form         May  1 

To receive the discounted registration rate of $385.00, register by March 24th.

The registration fee March 25th and after will be $425.00.

     Truth be told, I tend to avoid change whenever possible. I guess that makes me a pretty typical Daughter of the King, even if I don't come right out and say "but we've always done it that way". It's easier to keep doing it the old way until things really get uncomfortable and force us to look at some alternatives.

     I find it interesting that the work I do, within and without the Church, requires me to maintain a mindset open to constant change. New ways of communicating are popping up all the time, making old ways ineffective and in some cases obsolete. If we can't adapt to these changes, pretty soon we'll be left with no one to talk to. Sharing the Good News, living our vows as Daughters, requires us to communicate with women of every age group, in a way that makes sense for them, not just the most comfortable method for us.

     A woman who feels called to join the Order of the Daughters of the King is a woman who is looking for change. Her life has become uncomfortable enough...things are not running as smoothly or are not as rewarding as she might want, or she may feel there is something missing...that she is ready to make what most of us tend to avoid if possible: A Change.

     How do we, as Daughters, best fulfill our vows and nurture and support these women through their discernment? By being open to new ideas and perspectives that prospective new Daughters bring with them, we become truly welcoming and appreciative of their individual gifts. As scary as it may seem to some of us, in order to attract more women to our Order we need to make effective use of new technologies and methods of communication. We need to open our hearts and minds to embrace changes that help us to live out our vows more fully and effectively in today's world.

     I think of the disciples, who were asked to make a monumental change when they decided to follow Jesus.  They were never allowed to return to their "comfort zone" of familiar ways, but were constantly required to keep alert and adapt to rapidly-changing circumstances.  In order to walk with Jesus as His Daughter, I, too, need to leave my comfort zone of the familiar, and embrace all the wonderful opportunities that change can bring.

Christine Budzowski
Province VIII President

     Beginning a Junior chapter is a very exciting time in the life of a church.  In fact, it is often the girls themselves who are the most excited.  Keep in mind that there really isn't anything out there for girls quite like the Junior Daughters of King.   A Junior chapter is often made up of girls of different ages, different schools, even different denominations, and yet they all make the same promise of prayer and service to our Lord Jesus Christ and all wear the same silver cross.  It is a very unique opportunity.   

Jen Mariano
National Junior Daughters Chair