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GraceTouch
Facilitating global impact
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"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13). May this season of celebrating love continue throughout the year!
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A Brave Kind of Love
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By Sue Knight & Cari Serafino
Sue Knight and Cari Serafino were good friends. Their husbands were in ministry together, and they enjoyed good times as couples, even taking joint vacations.
All that changed abruptly one day. Sue's husband Dave, the associate pastor of the church, came home and told Sue that the lead pastor and the elders had just asked for his resignation. Greg, the lead pastor, is Cari's husband.
Both women were blindsided. Each felt a strong responsibility to support her husband, and was left with the question, "What do you do when a friendship is interrupted through circumstances beyond your control?"
"We never talked to each other about it," they share. "We were afraid to; we didn't know how to interact." They are thankful now that their paths didn't cross during that time. "We didn't know how much the other one knew," they observe. "It would have been very awkward." ( read more)
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| Spectrum Writers |
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 What has God taught you about standing firm? Would you be willing to share it so it can help others? The theme of the next issue of Women's Spectrum magazine is "Stand Firm." If you are not a writer, our experienced writers can interview you and write your story for you. Please hurry, though-the magazine deadline is February 28. Click to find out more.
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| Musings for Moms |
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Tracks in the Snow
by Katie Hershey
One of my favorite childhood memories is a walk I took in the snow with my father when I was about eleven or twelve years old. It was late afternoon and the snow was falling as it had all day. We lived just far enough out of town that we considered ourselves country folks. My brothers and I had explored acres of woods and fields but we were always mostly focused on scaring one another with stories about skeletons and abandoned cabins. I thought it was unusual for Dad to take a walk, as the daylight was slipping away. Nevertheless, he was going, and since he didn't object to my tagging along, I was soon bundled up and we set off.
I don't remember exactly which path we took but we were enjoying the crunch of the snow and the black outline of bare trees against the deepening red sunset. I was chattering about this and that. Dad would interrupt me only to say, "Watch where you're going, Katie" or "Be careful of that branch," or "Shh, Katie...listen..." We stopped and waited. "Whoo, whoo, whoo, who...who...who.""A great horned owl!" I said excitedly. "Shh...Katie...Listen...." My dad held a gloved finger to his mouth and motioned for me to be silent. Then came the answer a little further away and a little higher in pitch, "Whoo, whoo, whoo, who...who...who." We each had a broad grin on our faces as we continued on our way. Oh, how I still love that sound!
Dad had brought his Coleman lantern. (read more)
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| Prayer Watch |
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Global Interdependence Among FGBC Churches
"God is already there, we must go and join Him." Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God
This quote has taken on new meaning as God continues to thrust His workers out into a world that is in more turmoil than ever.
Amid the enveloping darkness, God's light is shining brighter than ever. Why? Because God has been there, sending His people to invite unreached peoples to become part of His beautiful bride, the Church. And they are coming! For example: Chadian church planters have recently reported four new church plants in the Sudan!
Thank the Lord for the leaders of our fellowship around the world who are seeking the Lord as to how this global interdependence will function as we continue to focus on Truth, Relationships, and Mission. Then go to Encompass for more information on some of what is happening in this vast fellowship of global works. Pray that every nation will have workers sharing God's message of reconciliation.
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| Facilitator Training |
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Do you have a passion to empower women to be who God has called and designed them to be? Do you have a gift for teaching? Have you been blessed by the classes in our Women's Leadership Studies program, and would you like to share that blessing with others? If so, we encourage you to consider joining us in Winona Lake, Indiana, this summer for training to potentially become a facilitator of these amazing classes under the supervision of Dr. Christy Hill. The training will take place the week of June 8-12, with additional coursework due throughout the summer.
We praise God for the growth of this ministry, and ask that you prayerfully consider this opportunity to join us in bringing these powerful classes to more women than we are currently able to teach. Find out more.
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| Awakened: Women's Ministry Weekend at Urban Hope |
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Join women from all over the country for this life-changing weekend of:
- Learning about other cultures,
- Serving women in the areas around Urban Hope
- Ministering to the Homeless
Friday, May 1, 6:00 PM to Sunday, May 3, 11:45 AM
Be awakened to the needs of under-resourced people in inner-city Philadelphia and to the everyday needs in your community.
Registration limited to first 40 women who register.
$110 (includes meals, lodging & ministry expenses), $25 down and remainder by April 1
Register at www.urbanhope.net/awakened
For more information contact Donna Yost
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| Partner with Women of Grace USA |
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Have you ever looked at the women around you and felt a desire for them to be more enthused and equipped for serving God. Here's a great opportunity to help make that happen. You are invited to Celebrate 2015
with us by committing to be one of 20 women who give $15 each month.
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| Women's Leadership Studies Classes |
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Women's Leadership Studies classes are designed to help women explore Scriptures in a way that equips them for ministry. Two classes on Women and Scripture will be offered in various regions in the next few months.
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| Mark your calendar |
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Check out our new Events Calendar on the Website for more upcoming events. Have an event in your area you'd like us to post? Send the information and request to Cindy.
WLS - Women and Scripture, March 20-21, Frederick, MD Registration
WLS - Women and Scripture, April 24-25, Cedar Rapids, IA Registration
Hispanic Summit, May 1-3, Tampa, FL
WLS - Facilitator Training, June 8-12, Winona Lake, IN
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| The Peacemaker by Ken Sande |
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(Excerpted from the Preface)
 Peacemakers are people who breathe grace. They draw continually on the goodness and power of Jesus Christ, and then they bring his love, mercy, forgiveness, strength, and wisdom to the conflicts of daily life. God delights to breathe grace through peacemakers and use them to dissipate anger, improve understanding, promote justice, and encourage repentance and reconciliation. Peacemakers Ministries president Ken Sande gives practical biblical guidance for conflict resolution that take you beyond resolving conflicts to true, life-changing reconciliation with family, coworkers, and fellow believers. ( more) |
| 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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