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December 2013
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GraceTouch
Facilitating global impact
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The anticipation of the season is wonderful, but sometimes it sets us up for disappointment when our expectations aren't met. Our choices matter! May this season be one of celebrating the choices God has given you.
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The Christmas Gift
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by Janet Minnix
She was the most beautiful doll I had ever seen. She was slender with a porcelain face and perfect features, dressed in white satin with lace trim and tiny seed pearls adorning the bodice of her long gown. A lace-trimmed tulle veil crowned her wavy blonde hair. Yes, she was a bride doll, I was five years old, and I wanted her more than anything else.
It was near the end of World War II, and my father was a pastor who had to work at a nearby sugar beet factory to supplement the meager salary the small-town church could afford to pay. My mother was a skilled seamstress and made all her own clothes as well as mine and my brother's. Needless to say, there was no extra money for the doll I longed for. But still I hoped that somehow she would be in a package labeled with my name on Christmas morning.
The morning came, my father distributed the presents, and I eagerly opened the large box that was mine. continue
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| An Easy Way to Remember Us
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Paying bills, writing the tithe check to the church, donating to the missionary or charity you support - you do these things faithfully every month. Have you thought of donating to Women of Grace in the same way? Our expenses continue year-round, just like your church's do. Beginning with January 2014, why not plan to make a monthly donation to this ministry? And so you don't have to try to remember each month, you can add Women of Grace USA to the list of bills you pay online through your bank (to set up account information, email us) or donate through our web site.Thank you for your part in helping women become all God created them to be.
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| Musings for Moms |
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Christmas Choices 
by Jennifer Fretz
It's December and we are almost in full-swing Christmas mode! I say almost because there are still some boxes of decorations that have been taunting me over the past week to get put up and put away! I suppose I'll get to them eventually.
To be honest, I'm feeling like a bit of an Ebenezer Scrooge right now! I wrote a little about it last year, too. The Hap-happiest season of all is once again upon us full of its loooong to-do lists, to-buy lists, to-bake lists...I'm just really starting to not like it very much!
I love Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is a day where I truly do reflect on all that I'm thankful for and all the Lord has done for me and my family! It's generally slow-paced and we leisurely visit with family, eat a lot, and just hang out! There is no pressure to have the best decorations, the cutest picture of the kids on our Christmas cards, the tastiest baked goods, the best gifts. It's just much-needed time of thankfulness and togetherness. It's so nice until, WHAM! The next day, or even later on Thanksgiving night, we hit the ground running (sometimes literally) and the pressure is on! For the next month we all act like crazy people, do our best to impress, and we turn Christmas in to a contest that we will never, ever, win. (more)
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| Women's Leadership Studies - Long Beach, CA - January 24-25 |
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Biblical Foundations of Leadership - Long Beach, CA
Take a look at the life of Jesus to learn from Him as the Master Teacher, Leader and Discipler. Students will explore Scripture to see how leaders address heart issues in the lives of people they will serve. More Information
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| PrayerWatch Partnership |
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from Sharon MacMillan 
We have an impossible situation in our family. We have a loved one who is waiting for expensive, intricate, urgently-needed series of surgeries. We are powerless to provide the cash needed to have the doctors proceed. God alone is our only Source.
Have you been there? Are you there now? This is an opportunity to "go deeper" into relying on God for His will to be done, thanking Him for this thing.
If you feel so led, share how God has come to your rescue in your impossible situation. We will share how God answered us for ours.
If you want prayer support for your difficult circumstances send your request to here.
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Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole by Angie Smith
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Review by Christy Carmean
 Grieving the death of her baby, Angie Smith wrote I Will Carry You. In this book she shares more about her healing process. She felt God asking her to break a pitcher and then glue it back together. She reflects:
"It took a long time to finish, but it was time well spent. Every nook and cranny whispered to me, until at last it stood in its imperfection.
Here you are, Angie. You are mended. You are filled with My Spirit, and I am asking you to pour yourself out.
The image if my life as a broken pitcher was beautiful to me; but at the same time, it was hard to look at all of the cracks...I was mad at the imperfections, years wasted, gaping holes where it should be smooth. (more)
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| Share Your Story |
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How does God call women to reconciliation? Does reconciliation look different for women than it does for men? The upcoming issue of the Women's Spectrum magazine will be looking into what it means to be ministers of reconciliation.
If you have a story to tell on the topic of reconciliation, we want to hear from you! Some areas of reconciliation that you might consider sharing are:
- Becoming reconciled to others from your past
- Becoming reconciled to your past
- When reconciliation doesn't happen
- How has someone come alongside you to bring reconciliation?
- Being reconciled to God, to others, and reconciling others to God
For more suggestions and details, check our article submission guidelines. If you prefer not to write it yourself, let us know and a member of our writing team will be glad to write for you. Stories are due January 15.
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| Mark your calendar |
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Opportunities coming up:
WLS: Biblical Foundations of Leadership, January 24-25, Long Beach, CA. Info
Hispanic Transformational Summit, April 4-6, Atlanta, GA. More Info
WLS: Equipping Others, April 25-26, Winona Lake, IN
Ohio Leadership Summit, October 17-19, Columbus, OH
Cambodia GO Team, October 28-November 9 |
| What's going on? |
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with Women of Grace USA
Check our Facebook page to see some of what God's been doing among women through Women of Grace USA.
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| Help a friend |
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If you enjoy GraceTouch, why not share it with your friends? It's as easy as clicking Forward email at the bottom of this page, or forwarding it through your email program. And it's free! |
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