This season we recognise and celebrate the hard work and perseverance of Pastor Mary, one of our Precious Woman Group Leaders in Kitale, Kenya. Pastor Mary alongside her husband Apostle Adams Sabila, helps JHM Global Africa facilitate our daily Schools Feeding Project, ensuring that over 50 of JHM's sponsored children receive a hot, healthy meal before their school day begins. Her duties also include ministry to widows & monthly outreach to the women and children in the slums of Kipsongo, most of whom have escaped a life of domestic violence, rape, sexual abuse and/or sex trafficking.
Pastor Mary - we salute you! Thank you for sharing your love and compassion with those in need and giving your time to help other women and their children find their Value, Identity & Purpose!
TITLE: ''BROKEN INTO BEAUTIFUL''/AUTHOR: GWEN SMITH
God delights in transforming lives...including your own!
If you're like most women, you have things in your past you'd like to forget. The result? Guilt. Pain. Shame. You feel unworthy to move on, to be free, and to know peace. While the enemy loves to shackle you with accusations, God loves to extend grace and forgiveness.
In Broken into Beautiful, singer and songwriter and now, Author Gwen Smith invites you to hear the stories of women with shattered dreams, shameful secrets, and damaged souls...and of the loving heavenly Father who makes them beautiful again. He can restore your brokenness too.
Experience how the unconditional love of Jesus can change your life and then stand back and watch the wonder of grace at work.
He is willing to eternally forgive and forget and to transform your life from something broken into something beautiful.
TITLE: ''Can I Have & Do It All?'' /AUTHOR: Christine Caine
More than ever before, women are navigating through increasing amounts of responsibility, activity, scheduling and multi-tasking...and we need some answers about how to have and do it all in life! For years, we as women have been told we can have it all, be it all and do it all. Inevitably, we too have aggressively set out on a pursuit to achieve this utopian ''all''.
We get up one hour earlier to exercise, another hour earlier to get the kids ready and packed for school and yet another hour before that to pray. We are consummate organizers, jugglers and problem solvers as we manage husbands, children, church commitments, friendships, finances, groceries, mealtimes, child taxi service, quiet time with God and whatever else is on the agenda. Then, we go to bed one hour later to ensure the house is tidy, or another hour later to read a chapter of the latest best seller and another hour later to have time with THE husband...
It almost gets to the point where we should forego sleep altogether because the moment our head touches the pillow, it's time to rise and shine.
Sound familiar? This book is for every woman looking for answers on how you can TRULY have (and do) it all!
Alison never thought she’d end up in an abusive relationship. To those who saw her, she was the attractive, chatty blonde with lots of friends, a loving family, and a free spirit. Here she tells Cheers how she escaped domestic violence, made a new life for herself, and now spends her life giving encouragement to those looking to do the same.
Q: What was your life like before you met your boy-friend?
Alison: It was already difficult. My Dad suffered from the disease M.S. from the time I was 4 years old. He was in and out of hospital throughout my childhood, and my older brother was disabled. From the ages of 13 - 16 years old different family members began to get ill and pass way. In all, I attended five funerals in 3 years. That was hard enough, but also at 15 my parents got divorced. I felt like I’d been torn in two. I was traveling back and forth between them. My mum re-married and had a baby straight away. At 16 years old I got a full time job to support myself, after finishing my schooling. I began hanging around with bad crowds. I wanted to numb the pain from the loss, separation and rejection. The pain made me lose who I really was. I was lonely from losing those close to me, not having a stable life or constant parental care and he was there. He began spending more time with me than with his own friends, but he started to get possessive. At that time, I was working at a local nightclub and knew everybody which he didn’t like at all. He became very jealous and suspicious, angry, obsessive and wanted to be with me all the time. While I was working hard, he would get drunk with his friends and start fights. I was already broken so I went along with it all, hoping things would change.
Q:How did the violence BEGIN? What were the warning signs?
A: The violence began when we moved in together. He would go into fits of rage for no reason. There were no signs, he would just erupt. We had moved 80 miles away from all our friends and family. It was his decision. Yet after we’d moved, he wanted to go and visit them all the time, leaving me working and running the house. It didn’t seem fair to me, so I told him my feelings, but it ended up causing our first major fight. First he smashed up my entire living room with a baseball bat, only just stopping in the kitchen because I managed to wrestle the bat from him. Then he grabbed me in a head lock and spun me upside down landing me on my back. I was stunned and so angry that I fought back and busted his nose. But he managed to pick me up again, slamming me this time into the kitchen units. Later that night, he got angry again and with both hands grabbed my face, leaving two bruises down each side of my nose.
We’d had arguments before, but nothing physical like this and his attitude and aggression got worse with no friends around him to help calm him down.
There was a specific time I thought he would kill me. Again he had been out all day getting drunk with his friends and we were supposed to be doing something together. I asked him why our plans had changed and he started shouting at me and smashing the bedroom up. I was sat on the bed and he grabbed our double wardrobe and tipped it over and smashed it on top of my leg, just missing my face. Then he stabbed a knife into the door, which snapped in two, nearly severing his little finger off.
When I finally got free from the wardrobe, he was walking around my house, dripping with blood. It was all up the walls, on the floor, everywhere. So I ended up phoning my Step-Dad to take him to the hospital, even though he was the one who’d battered me.
*Q: How did you ‘rationalize’ his abusive behavior? What excuses did he give you?
A: I thought it was because he had never been away from anyone he’d grown up with or been out of his parents home before. He’d never lived out of his hometown. But the truth was that he had been smoking weed for years and he didn’t have a supplier where we moved to, so he was drinking more heavily. I thought he was bored not having a job and so I kept hoping things would settle down once he found one. He complained and was angry because he didn’t drive, and I did and I was speaking to people and meeting people and he wasn’t. But he was jealous and had a lack of drugs.
*Q: How did you family react to the violence?
A: My family would constantly try to help calm things down, but to him it was like they were interfering. My Mum didn’t know half of what went on, as I tried to protect her from it. It was only after when we moved to a house nearer to her that they (Mum and Step-Dad) saw some fights in front of them. A couple of times it got so bad that my Step-Dad had to step in. They tried to offer me support and treated him as their son-in-law, by constantly forgiving him and trying to guide him towards a better way of life. But after a period of time, everyone close to me knew they had to back off, as their attention towards me caused more arguments between us.
*Q: How did the abuse affect your daily lifestyle?
A: I started smoking weed and drinking heavily. I was working full time and work felt like the only place I could be myself and exist without arguments. But on weekday nights, when work had finished I would get high to try and numb the pain. I’d left all my friends behind, only visiting a few times and then because of all the arguments my visits caused, I eventually stopped contacting them altogether. My only other acquaintances were at work and that’s were they stayed. I began to withdraw from other family members except for my Mum and my Dad; I visited my Dad every weekend as he still needed medical care, and so did my brother. So I would travel 80 miles to get to them. I would make sure their medication was sorted out for the week that they had clean clothes, and the house was attended to and help pay bills, that sort of thing, and then make the long journey home.
Then my brother died in 1999 and my Dad later in 2004. And again, I found myself totally alone. Mentally, I tried to block everything out. I focused on each day, the work I needed to do and on running my home. I knew I had to stay strong and keep it together. I thought I could avoid admitting how bad things were by not thinking about it or dwelling on the bad stuff. I was angry at him, but trying to reason with him would make things worse, yet, when I stayed quiet, he hated it too, so I couldn’t win anyway. I would go 4 or 5 days without eating, I’d only manage handfuls of salted peanuts or a bag of potato chips. I couldn’t stomach actual food; it would make me feel worse after than not eating at all. I always looked ill, I was too thin - 5”9 and weighing only 7 stone, but though I was ill, I would always try to mask it by making sure my make-up, hair, and nails were done. I’d wear the latest clothes; try to get a tan, all so I didn’t attract undue attention. My self esteem became very low and some days I wouldn’t leave my home. Then I started to get sick of covering up and began to fall into a depression. My understanding about love was confused because all the relationships in my family and his were all broken, or separate, and distant. I was surrounded by people who were lonely themselves in all aspects of their relationships, so I wasn’t really sure what love was supposed to look like.
*Q: Despite the difficulty, what made you stay?
A: I stayed for nearly 10 years. I tried to leave several times but he would threaten my family and several times he would stalk me by sitting outside my house for hours, even in the snow. After his barrage of phone calls, constant harassment, and declarations of love, I would always give in. It became a predictable routine. When you are in it (abusive relationship) you can think that you can control things to a certain extent. You learn to handle the verbal abuse and the emotional abuse; you recognize the patterns, so you can think it’s safer sometimes to be in it, than out of it. Once you have been with somebody for so long you want them to change and keep hoping things will get better. We met when we were young and so I was waiting for him to mature and grow out of his behavior. I made excuses for him. But I began to realize that you can’t heal what’s broken without God. He said he loved me but jealousy and drugs were eating him alive and so was the possessiveness, and anger. I couldn’t help him stop feeling that way.
*Q: How did you know when ‘enough was enough’? How did you escape?
A: 6 months after my dad had passed away, I reached my breaking point. Even the day before my Dad died, I had taken so much verbal and mental and physical abuse, that physically I could not get up and go to the hospital to see him. The next day he died. I had to live with the fact that my bad relationship possibly stole what could have been the last living moments with my Dad.
The fights were gradually getting worse and I just knew that it was over. I sat on my couch and I remember hearing God say clearly to me, ‘I am going to get you out of here girl’. I went to see my Mum and whilst visiting found out about a shelter near her house. I went to the local council and told them my situation, and right away they managed to get me into a shelter miles and miles away from him in a safe area.
*Q: What gave you the courage to see through the escape plan?
A: Once God had spoken courage into me, I felt at peace and I knew that I was never going to be alone again. It had gotten to that stage where all the options had been exhausted. I knew that I needed to be stronger than ever before and I knew that whatever it took, I needed to get away. I was in the house for three hours thinking it all through before I finally left. All that time, he stood outside screaming, banging on the doors, windows, making threats. But those powerful words ‘I’m going to get you out of here girl’, kept going through my head and at that moment I knew this crazy, painful, twisted period of my life was finally over.
*Q: How hard was it to start over?
A: It wasn’t as hard starting over as it was living in all that abuse! The healing pain of rebuilding, starting over, and being renewed was easier to bear, because eventually all that hurt turns to overwhelming love, joy, strength and freedom. With God all this – and more, is possible. I learnt that only God can bring us to where we are supposed to be and after all the hurt I’ve endured, I can say it was worth it to see where I stand today.
*Q: What did you learn about yourself?
A:I have learnt to feel real love from only God, for in him alone I trust. That I deserve to be happy and that I have the power and right to stand up for myself and not accept any abuse or disrespect. I learnt that I am stronger than I even knew I could be. And I have learnt to love who I am, and how to be myself without hiding behind a mask. I’ve also learnt to live and not just survive and found my purpose in life, which I believe is to help save other women like me.
*Q: What are you doing today?
A: Today I am a missionary and part of an amazing ministry that is saving lives and doing Gods work around the world. We help women who have been broken through domestic violence. We help broken women, pregnant teenagers and the homeless. We also help prisoners and their families. Spiritually I had been longing to rebuild my relationship with God again as I hadn’t been in the church through those 10 years. Through this ministry, I received God’s healing power and am now where I should have been all along. God is using all I have come through and survived to help touch so many other peoples lives.
*Q: How would you encourage other women in these circumstances today?
A: GET OUT NOW! I encourage you to pick up the phone or in the very least let someone else do it for you! You don’t need to collect any of your material things before you leave. You will be safe; you will come through it with such peace and a transformed life. Cry out to God or to a spiritual place within yourself and know you need to get out. You have something powerful inside you that no matter the hurdles, obstacles or walls in your way; you will make it. There are a lot of places that you can go to and you will be safe again. And please know that you deserve more, far more! God will give you back more than you’ve ever imagined. God loves you and wants the life He originally gave you to live to come to pass.
If you are suffering from domestic abuse & violence please visit our HELP page for more help and resources.
Dear Precious,
These are the prayer Prescriptions Given to me by the Lord to pass on to you.
CONFESS these words of God THREE [3] Times a Day!
Father Lord, I confess and declare the following prayer prescription over my life and like Capsules, I RECEIVE IT:
CHRIST has redeemed me from the curse of the Law!
Therefore, I forbid any sickness or disease to come upon my body!
Every disease, germs, viruses, that touches this body dies instantly in the name of Jesus!
Every organ and every tissue of this body functions in the PERFECTION to which God created it to function!
And I FORBID any malfunction in my body, in the Name of Jesus!
I am an overcomer and I overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony!
[SHOUT!] Amen & that settle it!>br> [SAY!] Thank You Father, Thank You Lord,
Thank You Jesus!
>b<[End of Prayer]
SCRIPTURAL PRESCRIPTION - READ THIS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING & LAST THING BEFORE BED!
[Then Go To Sleep!]
This is an eye opener... Some probably never thought nor looked at this Psalm in this way... even though they say it over and over again.
The Lord is my Shepherd - That's Relationship!
I shall not want - That's Supply
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures - That's Rest!
He leadeth me beside the still waters - That's Refreshment!
He restoreth my soul - That's Healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness - That's Guidance!
For His name sake - That's Purpose!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death - That's Testing!
I will fear no evil - That's Protection!
For Thou art with me - That's Faithfulness
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me - That's Discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies - That's Hope!
Thou anointest my head with oil - That's Consecration!
My cup runneth over - That's Abundance!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life - That's Blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord - That's Security!
Forever - That's Eternity!
GIFT OF PRAYER UNDERSTANDING-No.2
CONSIDER GOD'S PROTECTION OVER YOU
During World War II, a US Marine was separated from his unit on a Pacific island. The fighting had been intense, and in the smoke and the crossfire, he had lost touch with his comrades.
Alone in the jungle, he could hear enemy soldiers coming in his direction. Scrambling for cover, he found his way up a high ridge to several small caves in the rock. Quickly he crawled inside one of the caves. Although safe for the moment, he realized that once the enemy soldiers looking for him swept up the ridge, they would quickly search all the caves and he would be killed.
As he waited, he prayed, "Lord, if it be your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen." After praying, he lay quietly listening to the enemy begin to draw close. He thought, "Well, I guess the Lord isn't going to help me out of this one." Then he saw a spider begin to build a web over the front of his cave.
As he watched, listening to the enemy searching for him all the while, the spider layered strand after strand of web across the opening of the cave.
"Hah, he thought. "What I need is a brick wall and what the Lord has sent me is a spider web. God does have a sense of humour."
As the enemy drew closer he watched from the darkness of his hideout and could see them searching one cave after another. As they came to his, he got ready to make his last stand. To his amazement, however, after glancing in the direction of his cave, they moved on. Suddenly, he realized that with the spider web over the entrance, his cave looked as if no one had entered for quite a while. "Lord, forgive me," prayed the young man. "I had forgotten that in you a spider's web is stronger than a brick wall."
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JUST A STORY TO INSPIRE YOU!
THE CRACKED POT
A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.
At
the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After 2 years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them.
“For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house"
Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them.
PRAYER GIFT:
RISE AND WALK!
Jesus is passing by today!
Do you want to be made well?
If you do, answer; “Lord, I want to be made well”.
Jesus said; “Rise up, take up your bed and walk!”
[See John 5v19]
All you have to do is believe!
<br) <b="">URGENT MESSAGE:
If you are in a situation that’s been troubling you for years,
God is offering you want a way out!
The man in the scripture [Matthew 5v1-9] had problems for 38 years!
But at the moment that he focus on Jesus for his healing,
He got help and was made well!
Don’t let a problem, illness or hardship cause you to lose hope!
7th grade was the first time, looking back, that I began experiencing depression. Of course I didn't know it at the time, but I would begin to develop coping mechanisms from then on out to deal with the feelings that would overcome me.
I can still, to this day, remember being voted most outgoing in the 7th grade. I hated the fact that I was known for having a personality when I hated my personality. It was the last thing in the world I wanted. I hated the thought that my personally would be ‘outgoing’ yet I felt so insecure and depressed all the rest of the time.
I can remember as young as middle school feeling like I would be the biggest disappointment.
I am sure that a lot of it stemmed from the fact that I had, have rather, an amazing family that wanted the best for me and loved me dearly. The problem that kept revolving in my head for much of middle school, all of high school, and certainly the first and a half into college, was "why would these people love me so much when I clearly don't deserve it and will certainly screw up what they want for me?"
The summer after 7th grade was the first time I smoked a cigarette, saw porn, and tasted alcohol. I would sneak things like this as often as I could. I felt a tremendous relief from the adrenaline I received from my secrets and did my best to continually have secrets like these in my life. I think a large part of me felt validated in something, validated that I was a screwed up kid on the inside, validated that I wouldn't live up to the expectations that I inferred from other people, whether or not those expectations were even real.
During high school I smoked marijuana and drank. It wouldn't be everyday until I graduated, but I took advantage whenever that opportunity would arise.
The transition from high school to college was a bumpy one for sure. The biggest reason I wanted to go there was at least I could do whatever I wanted there. On the first day of moving into the dorms, I was recognized by 3 other guys on my floor as their hook up for marijuana. During my freshmen year of college I was either depressed or high. I just kind of floated on by. Nothing really seemed to faze me. I was pretty much emotionless. When I wasn't high, I would either be randomly crying or sleeping.
My girlfriend during this time did her best to keep me alive. I will spare the details about the relationship, however to say that when she eventually dumped me, which was a good move on her part, it sent me spiraling to higher levels of addiction. That summer I lived in a house with two friends who would eventually regret letting me be their roommate. I threw a non stop party for all of my friends. Sometimes it was a party of just me, I was doing my best to not be sober.
I worked very very hard to not have to deal with my actual life.
By this point, the depression and anxiety that dominated my life literally did make me cry until I couldn't stop.
One evening in particular, I couldn't figure out why I was crying and I couldn't stop for hours. I can remember being taken to my sister’s house and just crying on her sofa for what seemed like forever, just being held like a little child. My life was so unmanageable that I couldn't even stop crying.
At the end of that summer, I couldn't go back to college because of all the bridges I had burned there with bad relationships. I moved to attend a big university and didn't really go to class. Okay let me clarify, the only class I went to once was called "Understanding Music," and if you know me at all, you may find this funny - I ended up failing "Understanding Music."
My weekends started on Thursday afternoon and lasted until Sunday night. My addictions were out of control, but again, I couldn't be sober, or else I would cry almost continuously. The shame that I felt for who I had become was unbelievable.
I couldn't remember a time when I believed in God, and I didn't even have a working relationship with anyone in my family. The people who had been the closest to me my entire life were so far pushed out of my life. I have never felt as alone as I did during this time. After one particularly hard weekend after which my nose bled on Monday, my brother called me on the following Tuesday afternoon at 4 pm on November 11th 2003.
He and my sister and my parents and the rest of my family couldn't take it any longer. What he said to me that afternoon, in between my sobbing tears, was the beginning of the biggest and best change of my life. He said to me, "Jon, are you living in hell right now?" and all I could respond with was "yes, absolutely" and he said "What would you do to change that" and I said "I would do anything."
That was the day that everything changed for me. I decided that my life would no longer be meaningless, that my life would no longer be out of control, that my life would actually mean something. I was sick of who I was, sick of what I had become, and sick of the fact that my life was just plain depressing.
The following Saturday morning I walked into my brother's living room and was greeted by my brother, sister, and two guys I knew but was clearly about to know a whole lot better. I was directed '"Jon, why don't you take a seat right here." This felt like an intervention, which in fact it was. I moved in with one of the guys who were there and his family and he introduced me to Alcoholics Anonymous. My rent for living with them would be that I had to go to at least one meeting every day.
The day after my first meeting, a Sunday, was the first time that I had attended Mars Hill in a long time. I sat in the third row and couldn't stop crying. People I hardly knew were giving me hugs, telling me I was going to be okay. For what seemed like the first time, I actually felt that something was happening to me, within me. This thing that was happening to me, I am now convinced, was that I was being saved. Literally speaking.
I was being saved from myself and my destructive life. These people cared enough for me that they were willing to lay it all down for me, to show me how to live, to remind me that I am never alone, and they gave me the greatest shot at a healthy and happy life.
The following months after that November of 2003 were both beautiful and brutal as I fought tooth and nail to get better, to be a better person. I read Philip Yancey's book ‘What’s So Amazing About Grace’ and realized that I had been living in a state of ungrace, unwilling to accept the greatest gift of all because I hadn't been loving myself. To this day, I’ll recommend that book to anyone, especially those struggling with accepting themselves.
It was during this dark, lonely time, without my coping mechanisms, that I began to know Jesus Christ as my Savior.
But it wasn't all roses. After my stint with the family that had let me live in their home, I had to move in with my parents because I had no real income to speak of and no where else to go. I planted my tail firmly between my legs and moved back home and began the journey of putting back the pieces to my life and the relationships that I had so utterly disregarded. I am so fortunate that despite my bad choices, I know that my parents have always loved me and I have always been welcome in their home.
Slowly but surely, I began to build up the confidence in myself that I could survive without drugs in my life. I was beginning to understand what it meant to "move a click forward."
Since then, I have continued to move clicks forward to the point that I have actually amazed myself. Even when thinking about this now, I am in amazement about the life I used to live. It's like I hardly even recognize my old self!
The confidence that I speak of has now given me the courage to want to help others who struggle with some of the same issues that I struggled with. Together with some friends, we have started a non profit organization called Heart Support which helps those struggling with depression, and addiction, like I struggled with, and also those struggling with self injury, suicidal thoughts, and eating disorders.These matters are really of the heart and are everywhere and what we are finding in our first couple of months is that the need is so great for people to be reminded that they are not alone.All I want to do is extend the grace and peace that was extended to me, to those suffering from the same types of issues that once dominated my life.
What is it that makes young people in one moment feel like they’re a force to reckon with, worth more than all the money in the world, indestructible and then suddenly, they’re the lowest form of human beings the next? Where does that confidence come from and where does it go? Why can they have it today and find that it’s gone tomorrow and why is it so easy for other people to break?
In fact these questions are not only true to young adults but to all of us at any age and at any time. Is it bad wiring? Have our circuit boards been messed with? Most of us have all the training, all the knowledge, all the wisdom to know when something is good and when something is terribly wrong. But we become the solider who goes out on the battle field and freezes when the gunfire begins. In fact it’s worse than that, for those in abusive relationships they don’t just freeze; passing directly through the onslaught of missiles and gunshots, they walk over to the enemy and join their camp!
So what does that mean? Are we afraid to use all that confidence and gusto when it really matters?
If you look at it closely, you realize that a lot of it has to do with value! We act upon the way we see ourselves, the way we value ourselves.
What do our parents put in us as children, what principals do they teach us and how do we display these principals when they’re called upon? The wiring we have is dependent on how well we have been instructed; put together, how good a job our parents or guardians have done in planting solid foundations. Then comes life to bash us around a bit and it’s left to us to decide whether we stand or do what’s easiest and join the enemies camp.
To join the enemies camp is to decide that whatever we are going through, whatever our circumstance, it out weighs our value and worth. Somehow we deserve what’s happening.
What foundation is more solid than knowing who you are, where you come from and what your purpose in life is? These are in fact the things in life that define us, the things that we derive our value and self-worth from. Without these things we are left an empty shell for anything and anyone to infiltrate.
If everyone worked with this knowledge perhaps they would realize that having God in our lives is more than an option, more than religion, it becomes a necessity! After all, who is more qualified to give you the answers to those questions than your creator?
The beauty in this is that it only emphasizes the reason people need to be saved. Without the awareness and knowledge of God, you will never be living a complete life. His design makes you worthwhile, makes you important, and makes you valuable. He made you in His image which means he made you perfectly no matter the vices, the problems, the defects you think you have.
He gave you those things for a reason and you are perfect to him and to be perfect to your creator is all that matters! It’s His purposes, His quests, His tasks that you are carrying out.
Your identity comes from knowing Him! Take away your I.D and you loose who you are, you loose your value, your worth.
God is really amazing! He planned this life so that no matter your trials and tribulations, no matter your status, race or culture; everything comes back to Him.
It’s easy to see that so many of our young adults today have either lost or are loosing confidence in themselves. They have no real idea of who they are and what their purpose in this life is and more importantly that this life is just the journey. No one is telling them that after sin came into the earth through Adam and Eve, this life we’re experiencing has become the road we have to take to get to our creator, but it does not define us. They don’t know that they are NOT their circumstances!
So, how can we help them with their struggle to maintain balance in their lives? How can we teach them about value if we do not know our own! How can we stop teen violence in any form?
We can only give them the knowledge we have, the wisdom that we have gained; that wisdom strengthens their foundations and secures their relationship with their creator. In that relationship is where their identity and value is birthed. Until this is exemplified in the lives of our next generation, we can be sure that examples like Chris Brown and Rihanna will continue to surface. They need to know they can turn to their mothers, maternal or not, and receive this kind of understanding. So women, I implore you!;
Go out and tell our next generations that they are not their circumstance. Let them know that their value is in their maker, that they are precious in His eyes, that in Him they have purpose, that in Him they can have a full and complete life. Tell them that they do not have to submit to the violence that stands guard on every corner, that they do not need to accept less than the best and that’s what it means to be a child of the one Most High. The loving God that created us all!
Tell them, because with this armour comes the correct confidence and zero tolerance for violence!
The recent spike of medical complaints - about hormone replacement therapy, stress, fatigue, and sleep deprivation - and their unwillingness to simply ‘pop pills’ are just a few reasons why more women than ever are turning to look for more holistic approaches to their general health care.
Herbs, like nature in general, have long been associated with feminine energy, and in cultures around the world, women used their intuition to guide them in gathering medicinal plants and developing herbal medicines for their families and communities.
With the rise of Western medicine during the 20th century, women in the west lost touch with this tradition of healing, whilst our counterparts in the developing world continued to experiment. In the past few years, however, women in the western world have begun to rediscover their heritage, finding that learning to use herbs can become a source of empowerment in the pursuit of a preventative and natural lifestyle.
Much of the folkloric wisdom about the uses of herbs is now backed by modern scientific research, particularly surrounding the herbs Black Cohosh and Evening Primrose and Vitex in recent years. Herbs have been shown to benefit women in a variety of ways, such as strengthening reproductive organs; providing nutrients of special concern, like calcium and essential fatty acids; and balancing hormones.
What follows is an overview of some herbs that have proven to be especially useful for women. Some you'll want to use when you have a particular condition, such as morning sickness. Others are ones you may want to use frequently in cooking or as a beverage tea. This is by no means a comprehensive list; there are many more herbs especially suited to women's needs.
Disclaimer: Keep in mind that even though most herbs are safe, some of the more potent ones may have side effects; before going on an herbal regimen, it's wise to consult with a health practitioner trained in the use of botanicals or to at least read about the herb in books written by practicing herbalists. For a detailed discussion of women's health conditions and herbal remedies for them, you may want to read Herbal Heading for Women, by Rosemary Gladstar (Fireside, 1993). It's a wonderful reference to both the science and art of herbal healing.
• EVENING PRIMROSE OIL DOZENS OF CLINICAL STUDIES have been done on oil from the seeds of this North American herb. It's been found to relieve PMS-related breast tenderness, hormone-induced headaches, irregular hormone production and menopause-related indigestion, hot flashes and fatigue. The component responsible for this wide range of positive effects is gama-linolenic acid, which helps the body form certain fatty acids that are anti-inflammatory and beneficial to the heart. Although borage and flax seed oils also contain gama-linolenic acid, evening primrose oil is more effective because it has a higher amount.
Herbalists recommend taking evening primrose oil in capsules, which are available at natural foods stores and some pharmacies. The recommended dosage is anywhere from 500 ma. to 1,500 ma. a day, depending on what level is effective for you; refrigerate the oil to prevent it from turning rancid. Note that heavy alcohol consumption and a diet high in saturated fat (found mainly in animal foods) may prevent the gama-linolenic acid from doing its job.
• BLACK COHOSH AT AN 1849 CONFERENCE that the American Medical Association held on Native American medicinal plants, practitioners reported the first research on black cohosh. Findings revealed that the root of the herb contains volatile oils and plant-based hormones that act as anti-inflammatories, soothing menstrual cramps and hormone-related headaches. Many women claim it is so effective against menstrual pain that they won't leave home without it.
Herbalists recommend black cohosh tincture or capsules. General dosage is 1/4 teaspoon of tincture in cup of warm water, as needed, or one capsule as needed. Pregnant women should not use black cohosh during the early trimesters, because it can cause premature contractions; herbalists often use it at the end of pregnancy though, to stimulate labour. (Do not try this yourself without consulting a health-care practitioner.)
• FENNEL SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY, Egyptian herbalists have recommended sweet, licorice-flavoured fennel seeds to safely stimulate the production of breast milk in nursing mothers. Today, midwives and herbalists throughout the world continue to recommend the practice, and a study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology (1980, vol. 2, 337-344) suggested it was beneficial. To encourage lactation, you can combine fennel with other milk-stimulating herbs to make a tea that tastes like celery. Lightly crush 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds and 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin seed and dill seed (all available at natural foods stores, Indian markets and some supermarkets). Combine with 1 cup of just-boiled water, cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and drink up to three cups a day. As a bonus, fennel seeds contain aromatic compounds that ease flatulence and colic in infants, and soothe PMS- and menopause-induced indigestion. Add them to granola, creamy spreads, roasted potato salad or tomato sauces, using 1 tablespoon of seeds for every 4 servings.
• GINGER THIS SPICY HERB has been used the world over to alleviate morning sickness. One double-blind study found that 75 percent of pregnant women who took ginger for morning sickness experienced complete relief (Lancet, March 20, 1982). The subjects ingested three capsules, or about 94 mg., of dried ginger, the equivalent of 3/4 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger; they reported that the practice was most effective when taken at the onset of nausea. Note that some scientists have expressed concern that because ginger has historically been used to promote delayed menstruation, it may cause miscarriage; however, the amount of herb Chinese doctors recommend to induce menstruation is at least 5 grams, a lot more than the amount used to relieve morning sickness. Furthermore, no one has ever reported an incident where ginger caused miscarriage.
Chinese, Japanese and Ayurvedic herbalists value ginger as a woman's herb because it has antispasmodic properties that soothe menstrual cramps, as well as PMS-or menopause-related indigestion. To make ginger tea, simmer 1 teaspoon or so of grated ginger in a cup of water for 15 minutes, covered, then strain. You also can experience the benefits of ginger by adding it to food. Try to make a Lentil Chilli: (2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger per 4 servings) or a marinade for tempeh and tofu (mix 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger with 1 clove garlic, 1 minced hot pepper, and 2 tablespoons each of lime juice and soy sauce).
• NETTLE THIS DIURETIC HERB has a long history as a general female remedy, useful for reducing PMS bloating, correcting excessive menstruation, rebuilding a new mother's energy after giving birth and increasing lactation. A typical dosage is 1/4 teaspoon of tincture one to three times daily, or one capsule one to three times a day. To make a tea from dried nettle leaves, pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 tablespoon of leaves, cover and steep for 10 minutes, then strain. A general dosage is one to two cups a day. You can also use nettle in cooking. For a rich, herbal flavour similar to parsley, add 2 tablespoons of dried nettle per 4 servings of soups, stews or casseroles. Because nettle may be hypertensive, those who are pregnant or have high blood pressure should avoid it; you can substitute parsley either in cooking or to use medicinally.
• RASPBERRY LEAF FOR CENTURIES, this herb has been valued as a uterine tonic. Today, herbalists and midwives still advise pregnant women to drink a cup of raspberry leaf tea three times daily to tone and prepare the uterus for labour, and a clinical study reported in The Lancet (2 [6149], 1-3, 1941) supported the practice, finding that raspberry leaf tea has "smooth muscle activity" that puts the uterus in a "relaxed state of health." English herbalists also recommend that non-pregnant women drink three to five cups raspberry leaf tea per week to promote general uterine health.
To make tea, look for packaged tea bags at your natural foods store. You also can steep 2 teaspoons of dried raspberry leaf in 1 cup of just-boiled water, covered, for 5 minutes. Then strain and sip. To ease anxiety related to PMS and menopause, use 1 teaspoon of raspberry leaf and 1 teaspoon of dried chamomile. The tea (with or without chamomile) tastes faintly fruity, and can be cooled and substituted for water when making lemonade or fresh raspberry sorbet.
• MUSTARD SEED PMS, CHOCOLATE CRAVINGS, menstrual cramps, and muscle aches and fatigue during menstruation and menopause have all been associated with too little magnesium in the diet. Dried mustard seeds can help remedy the problem; they contain 33 ma. Of magnesium per tablespoon. That's about one-tenth the Recommended Dietary Allowances, or more than 1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal, which nutritionists consider a good source of the mineral.
(Perhaps the most appealing way to take mustard seeds is to use it liberally in cooking. To make a delicious mustard condiment, place 1/3 cup whole black or white mustard seeds in a small saucepan. Add 4 tablespoons of maple syrup and 7 tablespoons of vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 3 to 5 minutes. This is great with baked tofu cutlets, on a seitan sandwich, and in vinaigrettes, marinades and sauces. Seitan is a chewy, meat-like, high-protein food made from boiled or baked wheat gluten.)
$AVING MONEY DURING A RECESSION: $etting Your Financial Priorities
In order to save money, you must first identify the areas where your spending is out of control, figure out what happens to the income that comes in and prioritize the order in which it goes out! During lean times and this current economic crisis’ these types of skills couldn't be more important. This is a good time to learn the basics of any money-saving plan, not just to see you through a hard season, but to form a new habit that will serve you and your loved ones long after things are looking rosy once again.
Here then, is our Top 10 list of things you should know about how to set financial priorities;
1. Narrow your objectives.
You probably won't be able to achieve every financial goal you've ever dreamed of. So identify your goals clearly and why they matter to you, and decide which are most important. By concentrating your efforts, you have a better chance of achieving what matters most.
2. Focus first on the goals that matter.
To accomplish primary goals, you will often need to put desirable but less important ones on the back burner.
3. Be prepared for conflicts.
Even worthy goals often conflict with one another. When faced with such a conflict, you should ask yourself questions like: Will one of the conflicting goals benefit more people than the other? Which goal will cause the greater harm if it is deferred?
4. Put time on your side.
The most important ally you have in reaching your goals is time. Money stashed in interest-earning savings accounts or invested in stocks and bonds grows and compounds. The more time you have, the more chance you have of success. Your age is a big factor - younger people (who have more time to build their nest egg) can invest differently than older ones. Generally, younger people can take greater risks than older people, given their longer investment horizon.
5. Choose carefully.
In drawing up your list of goals, you should look for things that will help you feel financially secure, happy or fulfilled. Some of the items that wind up on such lists include building an emergency fund, getting out of debt and paying kids' tuitions. Once you have your list together, you need to rank the items in order of importance (if you have trouble doing so, use the CNNMoney.com Prioritizer for help).
6. Include family members.
If you have a spouse or significant other, make sure that person is part of the goal-setting process. Children, too, should have some say in goals that affect them.
7. Start now.
The longer you wait to identify and begin working toward your goals, the more difficulty you'll have reaching them. And the longer you wait, the longer you postpone the advantage of compounding your money.
8. Sweat the big stuff.
Once you have prioritized your list of goals, keep your spending on course. Whenever you make a large payment for anything, ask yourself: "Is this taking me nearer to my primary goals - or leading me further away from them?" If a big expense doesn't get you closer to your goals, try to defer or reduce it. If taking a grand cruise steals money from your kids' college fund, maybe you should settle for a weekend getaway.
9. Don't sweat the small stuff.
Although this lesson encourages you to focus on big-ticket, long-range plans, most of life is lived in the here-and-now and most of what you spend will continue to be for daily expenses - including many that are simply for fun. That's OK - so long as your long-range needs are taken into consideration.
10. Be prepared for change.
Your needs and desires will change as you age, so you should probably reexamine your priorities at least every five years.
Growing up I heard it repeated by men all the time saying stuff like; “This is my castle…..Here I am the King…Yea,....the King of the castle….La-di-da...etc.” As if there is a dispute about who is king. As if there is an identity crisis.
No doubt you are the guy who brings home the bacon, pays the bills, sorts out all the usual crisis, fund the purchases, buys the grocery, pays the mortgage, covers the overdraft, pays for beauty care, pedicure, manicure, fashion cure and every other cure. But hey, isn't that what kings do?
On an a more serious note, let me just say if that is all what being a man is about, then count me out! I agree that being a king comes with some (like it or not) compulsory obligations and all the above listed ones are only just scratching the surface of it. But isn't that the measure of a real man?
Surely as a man you must know by now that stress comes with the kingdom management territory. Kings are built to handle stress, so why are you still acting surprised dear cousin?
Listen; you cannot let the frustration that comes with the Kingdom business destroy who you really are. You cannot let the strain (and don’t I know it) of the constant, never ending demand cripple you and alter your manhood. All your accomplishments become reduced to ashes when you take it out on your other half, swearing profusely, cursing everyone, every time, bullying and watching your kingdom become a mini-terror camp.
A terror camp I hear you protest?
Well, yea your majesty! Your beloved wife has become your domestic slave, unappreciated cook, laundry lady, dinner lady and a trembling woman at the sight of you or at the sound of your rough vocal commands. You have become insensitive, demanding sex at will and she must oblige you insist. You come home drunk every night and all your little bambinos are terrified of your rage and chaos. That I assure you my brother is not the measure of a real man.
You have long forgotten how to be gentle, soft spoken, tender, loving, sweet and compassionate. You have given up on having a happy home, haven’t you? Why did you marry her in the first place? Did you not swear she is like no other?
Okay cousin, let me help you this summer. Now you need to get up and make a brand new covenant. A covenant of peace! Declare a truce, call a meeting, speak gently to one another, listen deeply and collectively put a new order into play within your kingdom. And by all means stop rubbing it in.
Rubbing it in?
Yes, the part about her being useless, hopeless, careless and so on. Stop reminding her of her weaknesses, mistakes, shortfalls and short changes.
You are the king, so put on a new pair of glasses. Begin to see her good side, loving side, powerful side, charming side, her precious side….Show the lady some love.…Please!
Show her some love you ask?
Yes cousin, show her some tender, generous, intimate & uplifting kind of love. That will change the entire atmosphere of your kingdom O King.
And one more thing cousin.
What is that?
No matter how ugly, rude or disrespectful she gets, never, ever lift up your hand to hit your woman.
Never, ever?
Never!
That dear cousin, that is the measure of a real king!
I had been working as a registered nurse for 10 years when my marriage fell apart. I was left with taking care of my three kids and suddenly became a single parent with no help and no child support.
I experienced daily difficulties in paying my bills, and struggled with having no stove to cook on, not even any furniture. This was a time of great trial. I had nobody to rely on and often had to get creative, like searching for a material shop to make curtains with my own hands!
In this time God gave me wisdom I didn't know I had and suddenly I was able to do things myself like read my electric meter and gas meter and calculate how much I was to pay at the end of the quarter. Each time I experienced these tests of faith, I became stronger through them. Yes, I did get angry at times and asked, why me Lord? But with my faith in God, I was able to carry on.
As time passed and the kids got older and became teenagers, my journey through the valley became more trying.
Knowledge, wisdom and understanding were needed more. I tried to teach my kids to love and fear God, I prayed with them often and took them to church; they had a Christian up bringing.
However my eldest son at 15 and a half began to rebel. He played truant from school, and became very difficult and got involved with the wrong crowd. Before long, he was put in prison for crimes involving burglary, gang violence and drugs.
You can imagine what this did to a mother who desperately loved and cared for her kids and wanted nothing but the best for them!
My son became rebellious, rude and out of control. I didn't realise that his activity was not only harming him, but putting me in the path of great danger. But Jesus was my protector!
Then, to my disappointment, his brother (my youngest child) decided he wanted to follow in his big brothers footsteps! He needed a father figure and my son was the closest male role model he could find. Things became increasingly difficult and the atmosphere at home was tense as I struggled to keep my boys in-line and out-of-trouble.
Then one-day tragedy struck. My eldest son was murdered; shot several times by someone who owed him money. It was a sad time for all. We were devastated by this loss and I was so very broken! I didn't know how I would carry on and what type of future I could provide for my remaining two children.
I began to earnestly pray to God for direction, for wisdom, for the parenting skills I'd never had the chance to learn or be taught.
I knew that after my prayers, something would have to change and so I waited....and waited...
Some days after my sons funeral my younger son decided that this was not the right road for him and that he wanted to change his gangster lifestyle. True to his word, he went to college, then on to university and graduated with a Computer Programming degree. He now has a good job, his own home and will soon be a father. My daughter (who had also rebelled in her teens) is now a wife with 3 lovely boys in a really good, loving, supportive marriage.
I believe that without God none of these changes in my youngest son and daughter’s life would have been possible!! He answered my prayers and gave them a brighter future!
In my most difficult times of trial, these words found in Psalm 91 helped me to gain courage;
"God is my refuge and my strength, my God in Him will I trust."
And believe me I trusted God and know that only He could have delivered me and my family from these trials!!
I have also moved onto greater and better things. I found my purpose in life; this has made a great impact in my overall outlook. I knew I wanted to use my experiences to help other single mothers to learn how to cope with life’s challenging circumstances, but I didn't know how.
I prayed and prayed for God to give me direction and the Lord eventually led me to Jannet Hopewell Missions Global where I now serve.
Through this ministry (and the power of the Holy Spirit) I am able to minister to women who also escaped domestic violence and those who are grieving with the loss of their children and/or marriage. I have also begun studying towards a Pastoral Diploma in Grief Counselling.
As a missionary in the ministry, God has allowed me to take my life experiences and the new tools I've been given, to turn the bitter lessons of the past around for good and in the process, help transform the lives of others. I give God all the Praise and all the Glory because with Him all things are possible!
I am so happy now that I am out of the valley and there is so much more to live for. I never gave up hope - not even when times were hard and you shouldn't either!!
You are never too old to learn and with God's help you too, can find your way through the valley!
Our self image, how we see ourselves is very important.
The thoughts that we carry around in us contribute greatly to what we project outwardly to the world and the people around us.
During my illness and long after, I had very poor self image.
Everyone around me saw me as a cripple - and boy, did I get treated as one - by doctors and nurses with very bad beside manners. Even Church people looked down on me and acted as though healing was not for folks like me!
Since I saw myself as less than perfect, others around me saw as less than perfect. My hospital appointments were usually traumatic, although I would be sat in the same room; the doctors only spoke to my husband as if I were invisible.
I was always fearful of the reception that awaited me at the next hospital appointment. I would pray passionately asking the Lord to place angels ahead of me, at the next place of treatment.
I felt unworthy as if I didn't deserve to receive any medical assistance from the doctors, even when I was being seen at costly prices, as a private patient. I felt I was a burden to them all, and had it not been for my husband, who was always there, to speak on my behalf, I probably wouldn't have received any medical attention.
I found myself relating to the story in the Bible of Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, who also felt unworthy to be brought into the presence of King David.
He (Mephibosheth) bowed down low in great fear and said, “I am your servant” [See 2 Samuel 9:7, 8], but... David's intentions towards Mephibosheth were honourable.
David recognised that despite Mephibosheth's outer appearance and disability, he deserved to receive God's mercy. Instead of treating him unkindly like others had, he treated him with dignity and placed him in an esteemed position.
No matter who you are today; God has placed a value within you! He says in Isaiah 43: 4 '....because you're precious in my sight!'
God is offering us a reception even warmer than the one David gave to Mephibosheth! Those who receive Gods gifts through Jesus Christ, receive goodness like Mephibosheth - not because we deserve it - but because of God's promise! [See Ephesians 2:9-9]
When someone gives you a gift, you don’t say, 'That’s very nice – now how much do I owe you?' No, you don’t – the appropriate response to a gift is usually; “Thank you very much!”
The gift of your life may not always be recognised by those around you, but that doesn't stop you from learning how to respond to God from a place of gratitude and thanksgiving!
It doesn't change the fact that you have a VALUE and WORTH that is precious to Him!
We have SO MUCH to be thankful for! Especially our salvation and our faith, which are also gifts of the spirit, from God, too.
So no matter the circumstances of life you find yourself in or how you are treated by others; make it your choice to respond to everything with gratitude and joy!
2013 (C) Copyright, Precious Magazine.
WRITERS BIO:
Jannet Hopewell is the Executive Editor of Precious Magazine & Founder of JHM GLOBAL, an international women's non-profit. She is the Author of numerous books including 'Acts 3:36 Precious Miracle' & other popular titles. She is a Pastor, Mentor, Teacher, Speaker & strong advocate for women in Ministry & in Life. You may contact her at: [email protected]
