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A Little Thing Called Love
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by Jennifer Fretz
About a month ago I went out for dessert with a very close friend. Our conversation immediately began with her laughingly telling me about the horrible date night that she had with her husband the night before! At first we laughed, as the conversation was mostly light-hearted. Soon, however, it became clear that my friend was actually pretty distraught over it. While one bad date doesn't seem like it should be a big deal for a couple that has been married for over 13 years, this date was something that she had been relying on to bring back some of the 'magic' to her marriage.
My dear friend continued to tell me how things just aren't the same. The young man she started dating so long ago was very different from who she is married to now. That man was adventurous and fun. He wasn't easily stressed and there was never a bad date to be had! He was up for anything way back then. The man she is married to now is the opposite from the other man and my friend was having trouble knowing what her feelings are for him. She wasn't sure that she still loved him. continue
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| Encourage Our Hispanic Sisters
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We are delighted to be able to provide a Hispanic Transformational Summit for our sisters from Spanish-speaking churches across the country. This is a tremendous opportunity for women who want to grow spiritually and minister to others but have few resources available in their own language. We are hoping that women who understand the value of such a gathering will join us to assure that no woman who has the desire to participate will miss out. If 100 women would each give $10, we could help with transportation costs and provide scholarships to the Summit for women who cannot come without help. Click here to contribute to this special project .
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| Musings for Moms |
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When My Song is Gone
 by Laura Hoffard
When had I stopped singing to my boys? How long had the song in my soul been silent? I found myself asking these questions a few weeks ago. It's a weird feeling to think your song is gone.
I'm naturally a happy person. I like to sing (the shower and the car are safest), and there has usually been a song on my heart. I love to turn on some music while I clean or grab the boys and make them dance with me. I noticed that this season in life had buried the joy that I had apparently taken for granted. Most days I longed for a break from the child chatter-some silence. The smile was pasted on my face and my big girl panties were hiked way up, but my soul was not singing. As they say: I was ready for some "blessings that aren't in disguise."
You see, my husband is in the Air Force, and deployments have come so steadily that I use them to keep track of the years, and of my kid's milestones. Nate has missed more birthdays and anniversaries and holidays then I care to count. This time the orders for a year-long deployment came while he was still deployed. The few months he was home before leaving again were a flurry of activities. We were trying to fit in all the things he would miss out on. Then came the biggest shocker: we learned we were expecting another child! (more)
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| Women's Leadership Studies - Winona Lake, IN April 25-26 |
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Equipping Others for Ministry - Winona Lake, IN
Equipping others for ministry is a part of our calling from God (Eph. 4:11-13). But how do we work with others so that we reach maturity together? This course will help you see that ministry is not just about doing the ministry yourself, but teaching others to join you in various arenas of ministry. More Information
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| PrayerWatch Partnership |
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from Sharon MacMillan 
If you were a watchman in an isolated lighthouse on the coast of Maine in dead of winter, would you let down your guard for one minute, knowing that a ship could crash onto the rocks due to your failure on the job? God's watchmen can't afford to be sluggish on their watch.
In Matt 26:41, Jesus exhorts the disciples to watch and pray lest they enter into temptation. How could they have known that their allegiance to Jesus would be tested just around the corner? We, too, have no idea what temptations are lurking in the shadows of our future and how our success or failure could affect those we serve.
Paul told Timothy to watch over his life and doctrines in I Timothy 4:16. How close are we to dangerously slipping from the truth of God's Word so that our testimony is compromised?
Peter instructs in I Peter 4:7(KJV): "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." Because Jesus' arrival is imminent, we keep on our watch.
If we are not watchful for ourselves, we will lack what others need in our testimony, teaching and prayers. Recommit to the task of watching.
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Working Women of the Bible by Susan Demickele
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Review by Karen Harper (New York Times Bestselling Author & member of the Women of Grace for Missions at Polaris Grace, Columbus, OH)
After reading books by Ann Spangler, called Women of the Bible, one a devotional study, I was attracted to a book called Working Women of the Bible: Timeless Mentors for Modern Women. The author is Susan Demickele, a mother, wife and working lawyer. As I'm a working woman (aren't we all?), I got very caught up in this different and excellent book.
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| Cambodia GO Team - November 11-24, 2014 |
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This is your chance to help our missionaries in Cambodia as part of a Women's GO team November 11-24. Preliminary plans for this team include helping with the established English classes, having a day with the Cambodia Ministry Partners' wives and their guests probably centered around a cooking theme, a little sight seeing, encouraging the CMP wives to see the value in meeting together regularly for building each other up in the faith and reaching out to others, meeting with the local church in Battambang, and last but not least, encouraging our missionaries! Just released: the cost of the trip will be $3,100 (includes estimated airfare) More info
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| Mark your calendar |
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Opportunities coming up:
Hispanic Transformational Summit, April 4-6, Atlanta, GA. More Info
WLS: Equipping Others, April 25-26, Winona Lake, IN More
Ohio Leadership Summit, October 17-19, Columbus, OH
Cambodia GO Team, November 11-24 More
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| 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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