I don't know when I'll be ready.
Okay. One, two, three.
You know, Jesus shows by example how important
women are to him. And here
in Mid-America, we really love to help women
become what they were created for.
Jesus showed us by example of how important
women are to him. Here in Mid-America, we love to
help equip women, letting them know what their purpose is,
helping them find their gifts so that they can use those gifts
in their community, in their church, and in their
home. An example of what women's ministries can do
for a church. I heard a story that came from
the Sharon Church in Omaha. And this
is such a wonderful experience. There was a woman who was
desperate. She was going through a divorce. Her daughter had
just gone to prison and she had to raise her grandchildren.
She decided that she would start going to
church. And she did a few times, but she felt like a stranger
there. But that didn't last long because of the
women's ministries group at the Sharon Church. I just want to
read to you just a little portion of what this lady has written.
She says, God used women's ministries to love me when I needed
God's love in a tangible way. I didn't understand
God's love nor how to love myself or others. Women's
ministries members prayed for me when I didn't know
how to pray. And when I didn't know what to pray for, they prayed for
me anyway. They lived out the scriptures of Matthew 25
35 through 40. They not only provided for
my spiritual needs, but also they provided for our
physical needs. I had never experienced such kindness, such
care, such love and nurturing as I did from
the members of Sharon women's ministries. Moreover,
the women watered me and washed me with the word of
God. They built me up in prayer and edified me through
scripture. I was at the brink of death when they stepped in and
they showered me with Christ's love. I learned about a way of life
that was so foreign to me. A lifestyle of godliness,
care and service. Over time, through the example
of women's ministries members, I began growing
in the things of God. They became living epistles of godliness
and Christ's love to me. Through their example, I learned how to pray
for others and to encourage others with scripture. I learned
to love my children and my grandchildren. I learned to love other
people's children. I learned how to respect them. I have learned how to love
women as I continue to grow in God's love. I learned
to love myself. I love that story and really what it tells
is what a difference women's ministries can make in a church.
I think about women's ministries and I just want to tell
you, I believe that it is so important for women to have friendships
of other women. There was a nurses study done a few years ago.
The study actually told that women are healthier,
they're happier and live longer if they have close
friendships with other women. At the College View Church, we
have women of spirit. It started 24 years ago. We had
60 ladies in attendance and today there's over 300
women. It's fun. We call it a party with a purpose and it is
a party. We have decorations, we have food, we have a devotional
and we have a special feature. The interesting thing is
probably two thirds of the women who come are from the community
and it's just a wonderful experience to see women ages
18 to 108 church women, community women
all together enjoying a program and what our
goal is is just to be sure that the ladies know
Jesus. I had a pastor one time talk to me about women's
ministries and he said, when women's ministries can show some
baptisms, then it will be a viable ministry and you know
that has haunted me forever. This is what I feel about it.
I think that women's ministries, it's a place to plant
seeds and that's what we do because our goal is
that the ladies know about Jesus and we're leaving
the harvesting up to the Lord but we want them to know
that there is a plan for our salvation and that it's
free and there's no strings attached. We have seen so many
young women becoming involved just by
being mentored by older church women and that's
what I love about women of spirit. I love the idea that
women come together and on our team we have young women,
we have middle aged women, we have older women and it's
really just so fulfilling to see women both young
and old maybe come into this and not feel like they have anything to offer
and yet getting involved, having those friendships, they realize
that I am needed. I think it's important for older
women to invite younger women to be a part of and
to listen to their ideas. We don't have all the ideas
and I am amazed at the wonderful ideas that young
women come up with today.
