May 2011
Book Selection
 "Every Woman's Battle" by Shannon Ethridge Cost: $ 15.00
For more information, please contact:
Jacques McNeil at
jacques@witnessbookclub.com
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MAY MEETING DETAILS
Date: Friday, May 27, 2011
Time: 7:00pm
Location: TBA
Host: Jacques McNeil
Telephone: 310-671-8424
Menu Theme: Barbeque
Please contact us with the menu item that you will be bringing ASAP
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Will You Answer His Call?
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND
W.I.T.N.E.S.S. Book Club Ministry | Intercessory Prayer Conference Call
PRAYER WITHOUT WALLS
MONDAY, May 16, 2011
Time: 6:30 pm - 7:15 pm
Conference Dial-in Number: (605) 562-3000
Participant Access Code: 525152#
Send Prayer Requests and Praise Reports Via E-Mail: prayer@witnessbookclub.com
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If you are interested in becoming a member of W.I.T.N.E.S.S. Book Club, or supporting our ministry by sowing a seed please visit our website at www.witnessbookclub.com ---------------------------------
If you are interested in advertising your business in our newsletter, please contact Jacques McNeil at 310-671-4966
-------------------------------  You are invited to join the WBC Sisters for an early morning weekly workout session. It will be physically and spiritually invigorating. Our weekly workout details are as follows: WHEN: Every Saturday (weather permitting) WHERE: The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook ~ 6300 Hetler Rd., Culver City, CA
TIME: 7:30am - 9:00am
You can access the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook from... Jefferson Blvd, west of LaCienega. This will be an exciting workout session with our accountability partners. We'll See YOU there!
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"LET LOVE for your fellow believers continue and be a fixed practice with you [never let it fail].' ~ Hebrews 13:1 (AMP)
- Happy Birthday: Rhonda Shain, Margaret Hayes, Yumiko Norris
- Thank you for visiting, please come again: Michelle Taylor Greene, Latrice Clark, Simone Blake, R.J. Jackson, Lisa Vaughn, Deanna Thompson
- Thank you for facilitating the April discussion: Dr.Lisa Bolden
- Thank you for delivering the welcome address:Cynthia Lee
- Farewell: Kimberley Thompson, thank you for serving and we wish you much success in all of your future endeavors. Blessings to you and you will be missed.
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Whole or a Fraction
Whole or a Fraction by Jacques McNeil
John 5: 5-6 "And a certain man was there, who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity. When Jesus saw him lying, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wouldest thou be made whole?" (ASV)
Imagine being sick your entire life. What a horrible existence this must be. In John 5 there is a man who had been infirmed for 38 years. Jesus approached the man and asked if he wanted to be made whole. Jesus, being omniscient (all knowing) and fully aware of the man's condition, choose to obtain the man's permission, rather than just taking it upon Himself to heal the man. Take note, Jesus will never do anything in our lives without us first signing off on it.
It was important that He ask this question for a number of reasons. First, Jesus was aware of the fact that there are some individuals who have grown comfortable in their uncomfortable situations. So to change what has become the "norm" to them would totally take them out of their comfort zone ~ even though we're speaking of being "whole" or receiving healing, fear, quite possibly has convinced them that they can't function apart from this infirmity. So, for them, "this is as good as it gets."
Next, there may be another group of individuals who have grown accustomed to the lack of responsibility that's associated with their infirmity. They may use their sickness as a means of eliciting sympathy. Regardless of the reason, Jesus wanted to be certain that the man truly wanted to experience the new life that would come as a result of him being made whole.
When we allow the Lord to make us whole, our ability to impact the lives of others increases exponentially. But when we're infirmed, the opposite occurs. In fact, Pastor Edwin Bass, President of the COGIC Urban Initiative stated that when we are less than whole, we are a fraction. Anytime a fraction is multiplied to something it takes away from it (example: 200,000 x 1/3=66,000). When we are less than whole, we take away from all who we come in contact with.
Today, the Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent God of the universe is presenting the question to you. "Do you want to be made whole?" Are you willing to allow Jehovah Rapha, the Lord God who heals, an opportunity to bring complete healing into your life? Just as this infirmed man was healed and then challenged to take a step of faith by taking up his bed and walking, the Lord is calling you to take a step of faith so that you can walk into the destiny He has preordained for you.
It doesn't matter how long you've been infirmed, the Son of Righteousness has risen with healing in His wings to bring healing to you today. Will you receive it and be made whole?
© Jacques McNeil 2011 |
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The Beautiful Mind
 The Beautiful Mind by Dr. Lisa BoldenPsalm 42: 5-6 "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon-from Mount Mizar."
W.I.T.N.E.S.S. Book Club Sisters, thank you for the opportunity to share with you at your April book club meeting. It was a blessing and we had a great discussion about psychological issues Christian women face, and I appreciated your time and honesty.
Did you know that May is Mental Health Month? This month is a special reminder for us to take care of our emotional and psychological well-being. So often we feel ashamed to get help when we experience depression or anxiety. If you think about it, the brain is an organ. It is one of the most important organs in our body that also controls our mental health.
So many of our sisters are suffering in silence due to stigma, perceiving therapy as a luxury, busyness, or the fear that we will be viewed as "weak." The only real luxury that any of us have is good health. Sometimes we need to use the mental health resources that God has provided us. How can we help our loved ones that will not go to mental health providers? Interestingly we have a "dream team" for our medical issues; including a general practitioner, gynecologist, allergist, or other specialists. Why not include mental health professionals such as psychotherapists and psychiatrists as part of our health network?
Make a healthy commitment. You don't have to wait for another wake-up call. You can take the first step today and bounce back. We invest time in ourselves, families, careers, and ministries; why not invest in our psychological health? If you or someone you know would like to find mental health resources, contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Urban Los Angeles at (323) 294-7814 or logon to www.namiurbanla.org.
Dr. Lisa Bolden is a licensed clinical psychologist who has worked in the mental health profession for 17 years. She specializes in treating mood and eating disorders, relationship issues, health psychology, and Christian counseling. Dr. Bolden can be reached at drlisabolden@yahoo.com or www.drlisabolden.com.
© Lisa Bolden 2011
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WBC Upcoming Events
WBC Intercessory Prayer Conference Call ~ May 16, 2011
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WBC 2011 Annual Tea and Membership Drive
Event Information
Date: Saturday, June 25, 2011
Time: 11:00am ~ 2:00pm
Location: Scarlet Tea Room
18 West Green St.
Pasadena, CA 91105
626.577.0051
Theme: Seize the Moment Through Prayer
Keynote Speaker: Evangelist/Missionary Doris Douglas
Ticket Price: $40.00 per person
Includes: Special Entertainment, Party Favors, lunch and a lovely afternoon with your WBC Sisters
Attire: White Linen Afternoon Tea Attire, including your favorite Hat
To purchase tickets, please contact Jacques McNeil at 310.686.1860 or via email at jacques@witnessbookclub.com. You are also welcome to send checks/money orders to: W.B.C.-Annual Tea P.O. Box 451536 Los Angeles, CA 90045.
FINAL DEADLINE
to purchase tickets is June 15, 2011
Space is Limited, So Don't Delay ~ Purchase YOUR Ticket Today!
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Volunteers Needed
Crisis Pregnancy Clinics of Southern California is looking for mature Christian women who have a heart for women with an unplanned pregnancy and who will be advocates for their unborn children.
Vital to our ministry: Nurses, Counselors, Help-liners and/or Receptionist.
Nurses have the opportunity to use their licensed skills to help save babies lives by presenting facts of fetal development and abortion risks.
Counselors compassionately listen to the client's needs and present Biblical answers. They also share the risks of abortion and what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Counselors have the benefit of going through a nationally-recognized, 12 hour training class as well as on-the-job training.
Help-liners help answer phones after hours, when the clinics are closed. They intervene and book appointments for a client that would probably call the next number in line (Abortion Clinic). God will use these ladies to stand in the gap and rescue the innocent from abortion.
Receptionists are equally vital to our ministry as they have the first opportunity to make a young lady feel welcome when she walks into or calls the clinic. A warm, compassionate, loving smile that says "we are not going to judge you here, we want to help you" will set the tone for her entire experience at the clinic.
There are also other ways in which you can help ...such as praying, data entry/filing, and occasional cleaning are just some of the ways ladies have joined us when they do not feel called to the counselor or receptionist position.
If interested please contact: Leanne Key, Director of Client Services at 818-843-0424 Monday thru Friday 9am-5pm or via email: Leanne@avenuespc.org
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Quote of the Month
"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control." ~2 Timothy 1:7 |
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