Wow Spring 2009

www.wowmagazine.org

Spring 2009

W O M E N o f t h e W O R DM A G A Z I N E

™

WOW!

Up Closewith KristleMurden

SPRING 2009 | WOW! 3

0 INSPIREProfile of the Month.................................8Kingdom Quality Tidbits...........................9Open Heart.............................................12Ginger Smith..........................................15Ruth Wood.............................................17

ENCOURAGEChristina Dixon.......................................20 Stacey L. Owens.....................................22JoAnn Fore.............................................28

EMPOWERMoving Up Higher with Joyce Meyer.....16Carmen Schroeder.................................23WOW! Teenz............................................27 Keys to Dynamic Bible Study................29

contents

FEATURESDo You Have Real Peace?.....................15A Season of Transitions.........................17 WOW! Testimony....................................21 Cover Story: Kristle Murden..................24WOW! Mom............................................31In My Words......................................../..32Suddenly Single.....................................33Maintaining Relationships....................37

BOOKS & ENTERTAINMENTMusic with George Ward.......................19James Sanders......................................35

WOW! Books..........................................36

BEAUTY, HAIR, HEALTH & FASHIONSistah Health.........................................10

Spirit Fit..................................................14

FOOD, TRAVEL & FEATURESIn the Kitchen with WOW!....................30

Why Travel?............................................34

24 Kristle Murden

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PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEFCandie A. Price

MUSIC EDITORGeorge Ward

FASHION AND BEAUTY EDITORGenean Cross

BOOKS EDITORTyora Moody

GRAPHICS & ARTSCandie A. PriceJennifer Jennings

FIELD CORRESPONDENTDenna D’Mitri

Barbara Arnold

Mary Betner Bennett

Genean Cross

Tamara D. Davis

Denna D’Mitri

Christina Dixon

Aleathea Dupree

Edwina Findley

Jo Ann Fore

Diane H. Gordon

Chiku’ Griffin

Vaness Davis Griggs

Dolores Lee

Robin May

Joyce Meyer

Gil Michel

Tyora Moody

Sandi Morais

Stacey L. Owens

Patrice G. Parker

Valerie Hicks Powe

Dr. B. J. Relefourd

Ginger Smith

George Ward

Michael Waters

Tex West

Filoiann Wiedenhoff

Deaquelynn Williams

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS AND WRITERS


WOW! ™

WOW! Women of the Word Magazine,™Inspire, Encourage, and Empower™

WOWderful Woman™ and FLRT™ are trademarks of Joy2bhizz Creative Services™All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without express written permission is prohibited.

W O W ’ d b y H I M ™

Happy Spring! Although the weather seems to be playing tricks in most areas – being more chilly than usual, we know Spring is here! You may be like me, not particularly looking forward to Spring cleaning and the exhaustive work it seems to bring – but, nonetheless, excited about the outcome! A fresh clean house for

the spring and summer! Time to put up the old winter clothes, air out what’s been shut up during the winter months, and the awesome smell of a “Fabrezed” house! As always, I encourage you to look not just to the physical or tangible things related to Spring cleaning, but to also begin to Spring clean your Spirit! What better time than now to begin to discipline your Spirit man for an even better relationship with Christ! We get our bodies ready for summer bikini’s (at least some of us do! Smile)- we clean our house for anticipated bar-b-ques and visiting guests – we prepare for everything but our spiritual walk. So, let’s get committed to finding more ways to serve Him, to leading others to Him, and to improving our spiritual walk so that we look more like Him! Take more time in prayer, study that biblical book in its entirety as you’ve always wanted to do, get involved with a ministry in church, look to mentor or disciple someone in your neighborhood –

plan to take a mission trip this summer - do some Spirit cleaning! We thank all of our faithful readers for bearing with us as we transition to a quarterly magazine. We are gracious for the help

we have received to keep WOW! Magazine alive and thriving! Thanks to Jennifer Jennings for her contribution to this issue! It was a long hard road, but WE MADE IT!!!! We pray that you enjoy this issue’s many features and articles and that God will speak to you personally as you read what He has inspired our talented writers to write! Blessings to you as you enjoy the beautiful spring and summer months!

Until next month, be blessed, my sisters (and my brothers!) and Enjoy!

WOW’d by Him,

-Candie

A MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CANDIE A. PRICE

Happy Spring!

6 WOW! | SPRING 2009


WOW! ™

TEX WEST

Tex West has a word of encouragement for those looking for God’s grace, hope and promise in her article, “Roadside Assistance (p.12).”

CATHY HOLLOWAY HILL

Guest writer, Cathy Holloway Hill shares her wonderful testimony of finding God’s true purpose for her life (p. 32).

c o n t r i b u t o rSANDI MORAIS

In this issue Sandi Morais inter-views nationally known lawyer, Wil-lie Gary. You won’t want to miss his amazing story (p.10).

s p o t l i g h t


WOW!: We’re so grateful to honor you in WOW! this month! Tell us about yourself. Are you married or single? Name of husband or fiancée?

Leona Leonard-Married, Carlton Leonard

WOW!: Do you have children? If so, what are their names and ages?

LL: Gloria, 35; Dant’e, 29; Aaron, 22; David, 21; Issac, 17, Isaiah, 9

WOW!: Briefly how you came to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and how long you’ve been saved.

LL: Saved 26 years. Attended church after being invited by a nagging friend who had been asking me to come to Bibles study. The Word was so dynamic that I got saved that day!

WOW!: WOW! is about inspiring, encouraging and empowering other Christian women. Briefly tell us about any activities that you are involved in or something that you’ve done that lines up with the mission to Inspire, Encourage and Empower others.

LL: There was a young lady living in a half-way house who had always experienced being left alone after many promises made by people to help her through her drug addiction and her sex trafficing. I was

instrumental in convincing her that she was indeed a queen and should not continue in her current lifestyle. The young lady posed a question to me: “Are you going to be just like everyone else”. My response was no, because I’m not like everyone else. Her next question was what makes you so different? My response was it’s not me who is special but it is HE who lives in me that makes me special. That’s when I introduced her to Jesus and from that point on after four years of mentoring her through her ups and downs, she is now standing on her own and trusting Jesus.

WOW!: What would you say is your greatest challenge in your Christian walk?

LL: My greatest challenge is staying committed to the Church. I have to constantly remind myself that it is not churchfolk who saved me but The Lord Jesus Christ.

WOW!: How do you handle that challenge?

LL: Studying the Word of God for myself, making personal application and living it out daily.

WOW!: Do you have a favorite scripture or a life scripture that seems to pull you out of anything? What is it and why?

LL: Rom. 12:1-3 because it challenged me to change through the transformation of my

mind so that I could yield to the new man and live out my purpose. The process of renewing my mind has helped me think, act and relate differently and is the premise for the work that I am called to help others do.

WOW!: Out of all of the biblical characters in scripture, who would you say closely mirrors your life and why?

LL: Joseph and Moses. Joseph because he was considered to be the special child and just like him it seemed like I was always thrown in the “pit” because I was the favored and youngest child. I went from the palace (where I was raised) to the pit (the streets) and back to Christ (Pharoah’s house). Moses because his character was like mine and his fears mirrored my own. I lacked confidence in my intelligence and my abilities. Not realizing like Moses what I already had in my hand. Jesus showed me that I had all the ability necessary for what He had chosen me to do.

WOW!: Feel free to leave with our readers any contact information you’d like about you, your ministry/business/church, etc.

LL: Women of Transformation, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. 215.552.8908 womenoftransformation.org

PROFILE OF THE MONTH

Purpose Driven to Change Lives for the

Kingdom of God.

Residence: Philadelphia, Pa

Church: Sharon Baptist Church

Leona Leonard


Kingdom Quality TidBits

Spiritually High Maintenance

BY TAMARA D. DAVIS

Before I get into this month’s article, let me preface this by saying that the title of this article is not to be taken in the context of arrogance. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, pull up a chair and have a seat.

You may be asking yourself, ‘What does she mean by spiritually high maintenance?’. Eight years ago my rebellious thinking and lifestyle came to a screeching halt. During these last eight years, God has continually poured into me, chiseled me, corrected me, molded me and loved me through it all, and yes, I was resistant at first. The single most important thing He did for me was introduce me to His Word. Because He is so loving and meticulous with His plan, He guided me to one scripture in particular that started my road to freedom: Colossians 2:9-10, which says For in Him dwells all the fullness of Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality. My eyes immediately stayed locked on the word “complete.” Prior to meditating on that liberating scripture, I spent countless amounts of my time, talent and resources looking for SOME THING or SOMEONE (namely a man) to mind the broken places and fill the holes in my spirit. Some of these holes were self-inflicted and the rest were left by others.

Ladies, often get caught up looking for him to complete us instead of us being complete in Him. This means knowing who you are, being completely righteous in Him, understanding who He is to us and ALLOWING the Lord to lead our lives. When these four principles are at work our focus and decision making will line up with Him. We will stop accepting less than God’s best for us and our lives. And yes, we might loose a few folks along the way, namely those who are unfruitful. We cannot afford to be in relationships that stand in the way of our assignment. No one on this earth can complete us! No one can walk with Christ for you but YOU! And YOU cannot walk with Christ for another person! We must not allow ourselves to be parasites or hosts, nor can we permit dream killers and destiny snatchers into our lives.

Survey your life and separate yourself from the dream killers and destiny snatchers. If you’re a parasite, stop leeching off another person’s walk. If you’re a host, stop letting others bleed and suck you dry, leaving you lifeless before the Lord.

Being spiritually high maintenance means our life REQUIRES time in the Word, time in prayer, fasting, time serving the Kingdom and time in healthy fellowship with other believers. These are not optional! We are carrying a destiny and Kingdom business is at stake. The Lord has established an assignment for each of us. He has equipped us and will maintain us to do our assignment. Everything the Lord does is excellent and therefore His plan for us has determined that we be Spiritually High Maintenance.

God, I thank you for all the people reading this right now. I thank you for all who will make a change today and commit their lives to You! I thank you for those who will stop allowing others to kill their dreams. Lord, I praise you for those who will walk away from that which is not like You! I thank you, oh Lord, for those who will share this with others. God, I thank you for rising up a nation of people who are Kingdom minded and who are Spiritually High Maintenance for You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

©2009 KQ TidbitsTamara D. Davis is a single parent living in Florida. Contact Tamara at [email protected]

10 10 WOW! | SPRING 2009

Sistah Health

AttorneyWillie Gary


Jamaican born Sandi Morais has been a fitness instructor for twenty five years. [email protected].,www.sandimorais.net

BY SANDI MORAIS

I have always wanted to interview attorney Willie Gary from the first time I saw a video with excerpts from his life. What inspired me most about him was the fact that

he came from humble beginnings, and he never used his circumstances to stop him from achieving excellence. It took me six years to finally get an interview with Mr. Gary, but it was worth the wait. Mr. Gary gives credit to his parents Turner and Mary Gary for the strong spiritual foundation they instilled in him. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me.” Philippians 4:13 is his favorite bible verse.” He planted those words firmly into his heart.

Over the years Mr. Gary has had tremendous success taking on some of Americas most powerful companies and winning millions of dollars in settlement for his clients. In 1995 his half-billion dollar verdict against the Loewen Group,

a Canadian funeral home chain in Mississippi was celebrated around the world as the largest jury verdict in the history of American. The success of the verdict catapulted his legal career and created a media frenzy. He appeared on “CBS Evening News,” “ABC’s World News Tonight” with Peter Jennings, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “The Early Show” with Bryant Gumbel. He was also featured in The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, Jet magazine, Black Enterprise, Fortune and the National Law Journal. He has been listed in Forbes magazine as one of the top 50 attorneys in the United States. However, fame and fortune did not change Mr. Gary’s heart. His father once told him, “Make the money, but don’t let the money make you.”

In 1994 he and his wife Dr. Gloria Gary established The Gary Foundation to help provide scholarships for at-risk students who would like to attend college. The memory of his experience in 1967 at Shaw University left an impression on his heart and inspired him to set up the

foundation. Shaw University waved the $10.00 registration fee that he could not afford and gave him a chance to pursue a college degree, when other colleges had closed their doors. He returned the favor to the university by donating a gift of 10 million dollars to help improve their facility and provide scholarships for students. Millions of dollars have been donated through the foundation to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Mr. Gary knows first hand the importance of an education. He believes that education is power and without it he would not be where he is today. He has taken time out of his busy schedule to speak at numerous schools throughout the United States encouraging students to stay in school and get an education. On February 5, 2005, he received the first annual William H. and Camille O. Cosby Philanthropic Award for his outstanding contribution to help enrich the lives of African-Americans through education.

Another project that is close to Mr. Gary’s heart is the annual Kidz Carnival that he created in Stuart, Florida where he resides. Every Christmas for the past eight years he makes wishes come true for young

disadvantaged children by donating over 3,000 toys to the carnival. It gives him a tremendous amount of joy to see the smiles on the faces of young children. Mr. Gary believes that all children need to have strong positive role models. Because of his deep concern about the negative images that African-American children and their families are exposed to on television, he decided to create a television network. In 1999 he launched the Black Family Channel to provide wholesome programs with strong family values for the urban community. Ebony magazine listed him as one of the 100 most influential African-Americans.

Mr. Gary is famous in the legal field as the “Giant Killer,” but to the people whose lives he has touched, he is known for his “Giant Heart.” On February 19, 2009 when I interviewed Mr. Gary, he was making a dream come true for the boys and girls club of Martin County by donating six acres of land to build their new headquarters. His donation was from a piece of land that was given to him by his late father. The new

headquarters of the boys and girls club will be named in honor of his parents Turner and Mary Gary.

Mr. Gary exemplifies the true meaning of the philanthropic spirit, a quality that he has imparted to his sons Kenneth, Ali, Sekou and Kobie. His life story is currently being considered in Hollywood to be produced as a major motion picture. The movie will be an inspiration to people all over the world. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to interview a man with such a caring, compassionate and giving heart. In closing my interview, I asked Mr. Gary what was his prayer for the world, and he said, “Peace, peace, peace.”

for more information visit www.garyfoundation.com


ROADSIDEASSISTANCE


BY TEX WEST

Ms. Martha was one of my patients who had remarkable stamina and strength even though she was 104 years old. She was also fiercely independent and stubborn, at times. She had been on hospice for the last ten years and had

outlived her last three physicians. She often swore that the key to her longevity was her daily aspirin and a Coco-Cola. According to her, Cokes were the cure to all ailments-whether it was a headache, joint pain or an upset stomach. Needless to say, her daily Coco-Cola was a must. Ms. Martha owned a 1985 Buick Regal with 3,000 miles on it. She was legally blind but still had her driver’s license. She’d never admit it, but she hated to drive and only used the services of hospice for transportation to run her errands for her. One day, she called to ask if I would go to the store for her to pick up some Cokes because she was out. I told her that I was swamped that day with visits but that that I would bring Cokes to her the first thing the next morning on my scheduled visit day with her. She got upset with me and stated, “Fine! I’ll do it myself.” Because of my busy schedule, I resolved that she was just pouting and that I would call her later in the afternoon just to check on her. The entire day was filled with thunderous rainstorms and heavy winds. On my home that afternoon, I had an uneasy feeling about just calling Ms. Martha. I listened to my instinct and decided to drive by her house to check on her. The more that I thought about her last comments to me, the more I got a sinking feeling that she may have attempted to drive. The weather was so bad that many cars had pulled over to the side of the road or under bridges. I was even more determined to maneuver my way slowly to her house even though there was only a two-foot visibility on the road. As I pulled onto her highway and got closer to her street, my heart sunk and I panicked as I noticed her Buick stranded on the side of the road, on top of an embankment. Her headlights and windshield wipers were still on. I quickly pulled my car into the closest parking lot and frantically ran over to her car. I was expecting the worse as a million thoughts ran through my mind in those few seconds. I was already lambasting myself for not being more responsive to her earlier in the day. My legs felt heavy and jelly-like at the same time. I felt as if everything was going in slow motion and I could not get to her fast enough. As I got closer to the car and could make out her outline through the window, I noticed that she was still sitting up, not slumped over. ‘Oh, no-she must have died instantly with the impact.’ Now, two feet away from the driver’s window, I could finally see clearly. She was moving! She was sitting up with both hands on the steering wheel and ever so slightly turning the wheel. She had on her large green shades with blinders on each side and… wait a minute…she thinks that she is driving! I was so relieved that I started to laugh and cry at the same time. Drenched and cold but unbelievably happy to be standing there watching Ms. Martha drive, I was getting covered in mud from her tires spinning on the embankment. She hadn’t noticed me standing there so I knocked on her window. She was so startled that both of her hands went up in the air and she let out a scream. She then grabbed the steering wheel again and hit the gas as if she was trying to make a mad get away. I knocked on the window again and motioned for her to let the window down. At that point, she recognized me and slowly rolled the window down as she shouted, “How are you doing that?” I said, “What?” She replied, “Keeping up with me?” Laughing at her, I shouted back, “You’re not driving; you’re stuck in the mud on the side of the road!” At that point we both started to laugh hysterically.

After we composed ourselves, I got my friend to the safety of my car. We called a tow, I stopped at a store to pick up her Cokes and then I took her home. That afternoon, I sat down with her and shared the best Coke that I had ever had. We laughed about her not knowing that she was stranded on the side of the road or even knowing that she needed assistance. In life, we are all traveling down roads attempting to get to our destinations. We plan our journey and set certain goals for road markers on our highway. Our road of life is at times cloudy and unfamiliar. There are times when the journey becomes bumpy and uncomfortable. We encounter potholes, roadblocks and detours. Even in heavy traffic, the highways can seem lonely. Traffic can, at times, get congested with other travelers who are offensive drivers, only concerned about reaching their destination. It’s during times like this that we may find ourselves, alone… on the side of the highway. Have you ever been stranded on the side of the road? There’s usually a feeling of helplessness and even despair. Everyone around you is progressing to his or her destination and you’re stuck… not moving. You’re immediately contemplating your plight and trying to figure out how to get back on the highway.

In Mark 10, Bartmaeus was a blind beggar who was by the side of the highway. He was helpless and in despair. He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by and he began to cry out, “Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” The people around him tried to hush him and he cried out again, “Thou Son of David, Have Mercy on me.” Did you ever wonder why the first thing that he asked for was mercy? Why didn’t he first ask for the obvious, to be healed of his blindness? Instead he begged for mercy. Mercy is something that we don’t deserve. He knew that his plight was more than needing to be healed of his blindness or even to be given a mere token from begging. He was blind, begging and on the side of the road and yet he was more specific about calling Jesus, “Thou Son of David” than crying out to be healed. He knew that he needed roadside assistance; to be rescued to wholeness… he needed mercy. He called on Jesus specifically and wanted to have no mistakes about it. It was, “Jesus, Thou Son of David!” the only one who could repair him. Jesus responded to his despair and to his acknowledgement of who He was. Jesus healed him because of his faith. After his roadside assistance, he didn’t just get back on the highway; he got up and followed Jesus.

In Acts 9 Saul (soon to be Paul) was on the road to Damascus. He had mapped out his road trip and agenda. He was planning to slaughter more disciples of the Lord. Saul was spiritually blind and didn’t realize, like Ms. Martha, that he was even in the need for assistance. He had a divine intervention that blinded him on the side of the road. Full of remorse and despair, he was put by the side of the road to reconsider his travel plans. You may be at a point in your life that you are feeling left on the side of the highway. You’re probably feeling abandoned and despair is sitting in. Be encouraged! God has positioned you for repairs. You can’t see clearly right now, but that’s perfect. He loves to work with people with no sight because it requires more faith. He’s allowed this time for you to consider your plight. He wants to put you back on the highway fully equipped to finish the journey. He doesn’t just to put you back on the road for you to follow your roadmap. He wants to provide you with roadside assistance to get up… and follow Him. ©2009 Tex West resides in Grand Prairie, Texas in ministry with her husband, Minister Gerry West of West2West Ministries.

Open Heart


April marks the beginning of spring and the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. The resurrection of Christ exemplifies God’s ability to

restore life to those things or circumstances once thought dead. As God restored life to Jesus’ dead body, He also restores life to our seemingly dead circumstances. God’s restorative power is seen in nature every year, especially at springtime; as trees restore their leaves, flowers and plants bloom from dormant soil, birds migrate back to once frigid , dormant, environments to vibrant living environments, flowing with lush foliage, rich with all that’s required to meet everyday needs. Since spring is the time of renewal let’s use this time and Jesus’ example to renew and revive the dormant places of our lives.

My intention was to write about spa experiences and to provide information on spa services that renew the mind and more specifically the body. However God had another message that He felt was more important, so let us journey through what I like to call the “Spa of the Spirit,” a place where you’ll have a complete restorative, refreshing, rejuvenating experience. As you enter the spa, it is important to free your mind from negative thoughts such as worry, anxiety or depression. Settle in and relax as you gently float on a bed of comfort and peace. Nourish yourself with refreshment from the Holy Spirit. Quench your thirst by drinking in the “living water” that only Christ can provide. Bask in the presence of “The Son” to renew your energy. Finally, lie before God as He exfoliates the dry, hard surfaces from our hearts and minds while filling us with revitalizing energy, love, wisdom, compassion and peace.

As we reflect on the goodness of the Lord and all that He has done, is doing, and will continue to do, we are made free

indeed. As we journey through the spa of the spirit, God’s peace “reigns over us with the waters of forgiveness and salvation, releasing us from the traps of the enemy, while allowing us to stand in the face of any adversity.

The spa of the spirit is available everyday. Make your daily appointment with the Lord to refresh, renew and be revived with the “peace that passes all human understanding.”•

The Spa of the Spiritis available everyday

Yvonne Bennett is a life coach and personal trainer and owner of Coach Bennett Life coaching services in Buffalo Grove, IL. Yvonne has 20 years of personal training and client service experience. If you have questions or require more information you may contact Yvonne at [email protected]

Spirit Fit with Yvonne Bennett


The story you are about to read is true. I have NOT changed the names to protect the inno-cent. There is no need to. In fact, I’ve tried to keep is as exact as I could remember. It happened to a friend of ours from church. It reads like some-

thing you would get in an email that had been around the country and back. You never REALLY know if THOSE stories are really true. THIS ONE IS! This truly IS one of the most unusual, inspir-ing, and amazing stories of a wonderful saint of God…just before her “home going” (Heaven) I’ve ever heard. It may leave you with a tear or two, but it may also leave you with a smile as well. The story was told to me in this manner. Therefore, I will keep it the way she told it.

The night before Mother died there was a Hospice nurse on duty whose name is Natalie. I think she is called a “critical care” nurse and is called in when someone is close to death. At that point, Hospice had someone staying with Mother 20 hours a day, and this was the first day of that kind of care. She arrived about 6:00 p.m. and I’d spent several hours with her and was pleased with her skills as a nurse and how she was with Mother. I was well im-pressed with this young woman and felt confident leaving Mother with her about midnight.

I woke up about 5:00 a.m. and slipped back into the room. When Natalie (the critical care nurse) saw me she said, “Your mother scared me to death!” She then told me that she had checked Mother with a stethoscope and heard music inside of her chest. Not believing that to be possible, she began to try to find where the music was coming from and pressed an ear to the wall of the room, walked into the hall to see if there was music in another part of the house, and looked around the room for a radio or anything that would be playing music. Finding nothing, she then went back and put the stethoscope against Mother’s chest and heard the music again. She said she looked at Mother and said, “I don’t usually cry,

however you are making me cry for some reason.” She was crying when she told me about it. I questioned her about the music. What did it sound like? She paused, trying to find the words to explain something that had apparently moved her. She continued. “I’ve never heard anything like it. I don’t know what it was. The closest thing I can think of…is a piano.”

About 7:00 a.m. Mother’s sister, Doris, came into the room and I asked the nurse to explain to her what had happened and she repeated it almost word for word as she had the first time. From the best I could tell, this happened some time about 3:00 a.m. and Mother died about 16 hours later that same day at 7:21 p.m. De-loris, the Hospice nurse who was called in to declare Mother to be deceased, is a Christian. I told her the story and asked that she talk to Natalie and to ask her to tell the story to her. She promised to ask and also said she would be looking for an opportunity to talk to Natalie about the Lord. When this young lady said, “I don’t cry,” it made me wonder if she had been badly hurt.

I believe Heaven comes close when a saint is dying. It seems they experience heavenly things before leaving their body and this earth that we can only dream about and wait for. Most of us have heard stories of people seeing angels, hearing Heavenly music, see-ing a bright light, a deceased loved one, and YES even Jesus!

We have ALL heard the old saying, “Everbody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die.” With all of this, it leaves me wondering…why in this world do we fear death? It seems to me, the perfection and glory of where THEY are going, FAR OUT-WAYS the pain, suffering, hurt, diseases, etc. that we live with in THIS world. Maranatha…“Come Quickly, Jesus!”

©2009 Ginger Smith is the author of the book “Breath of Heaven,” which is her testimony of her miraculous healing and deliverance. She is a licensed minis-ter, conference speaker, recording artist. P.O. Box 2013, Cleveland, TN 37320, www.gingersmith.org, www.myspace.com/gingersmithministries

Ginger Smith

Music From Heaven


Moving Up Higher with Joyce Meyer

I believe there is always power available to us, but a lot of times, we live without power. It’s like sitting in the dark when you could turn the lights on. Once, I was drying my

hair and the hair dryer stopped working. I had a power outage. So the first things I did was figure out what caused me to lose power.

As Christians, when we’re frustrated, miserable, upset, don’t have any peace, don’t have any joy…it will help us if we will just get still long enough to ask, OK, what’s wrong? A lot of times it’s just something that you may need to change. It could be an attitude or a thought pattern.

So the question is: How do we avoid a power outage and live without frustration? Deuteronomy 30:19 says, I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live (The Amplified Bible). In other words God is saying, “I have set before you life and death, good and evil. Choose.”

We’re always making choices. There’s a broad path and a narrow path. There are two ways to live: in the natural or in the supernatural realm. In the natural, we try to do everything ourselves, make everything happen

ourselves, then succeed for a little bit and fail a lot…succeed for a little bit and fail a lot…and on and on and on. Or, we can live in

the supernatural realm—the realm that’s not ordinary. The word “supernatural”

makes some people think of a mystical, misty realm. But living

a supernatural life is still living an ordinary, everyday life. The thing that makes the difference is that God adds His “super” to it. It’s living with God’s help, lifted above all the “junk” of ordinary life, and living with power. Abraham is a good example of someone who lived a supernatural life. Romans 4:18,19 says, [For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So [numberless] shall your descendants be. He did not weaken in faith when he considered the [utter] impotence of his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old, or [when he considered] the barrenness of Sarah’s [deadened] womb (The Amplified Bible). We see here that although Abraham considered his circumstances, he still had enough trust in God to say, “I believe God.” You know why? Because nothing is impossible with God! There’s no person in your life that God can’t change, no pit so deep He can’t

reach down and pull you out, no person He can’t restore, no mind that can’t be renewed, no attitude that can’t be changed—nothing is impossible with God! But we’re partners with God in this. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and He gives all of us a measure of faith. Now, the only way your faith will grow is if you start using what you have. Romans 4:20,21 goes on to say, No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God, fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised (The Amplified Bible). Like Abraham, we need to make the decision to live by faith, which is trust and reliance on God, totally leaning on Him. He is omnipotent. He knows everything. He can do everything. He has the power to do everything and He’s good. And He wants to do good things. We just need to learn how to cooperate with God and live supernaturally! © 2009 Printed with permission of Joyce Meyer Ministries. www.joycemeyer.org.

Avoiding Life’s Power Outages


So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

“Forget it; why even talk about it anymore,” my husband shouted and slammed the door behind him.

I stood rooted to the bedroom floor, reeling against the tidal wave of questions sweeping my imagination. How could our marriage survive? My husband and I had been fighting more and more about issues that seemed to defy resolution, and this last argument was off the Richter Scale. I knew we were teetering on the brink of divorce. How could I start a new life with two little boys to support? I couldn’t bear to think of them shuttled between parents. All this turmoil made my throat and chest hurt so much I could scarcely breathe.

For several days I walked around aimlessly and forgot appointments, neglected my work and barely comprehended conversation. In despair and desperation, I cried out to the Lord. He brought to mind the comforting words in Isaiah 41:10, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

To combat my paralyzing fear, it seemed I needed to repeat this verse every five minutes the first few days. So I composed a simple melody to help me remember the words. Singing pried my thoughts away from circumstances and lifted me into the presence of the Lord. In this way I clung to hope and controlled my panic.

Other passages in Isaiah also encouraged me. “I have engraved you on the palms of my hands,” God says. Jesus literally fulfilled these words. His great love for me compelled him to lie down on the cross and offer his hands to the executioner’s nails. How could I and my family not be kept safe in such hands? Surely he would not abandon me in this dark place. Eventually my marriage recovered, but I learned an important lesson—regardless of the outcome of circumstances, I have a God who holds me safely in the palm of his hands.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you that I may rest in the palm of your hands. I need not struggle with my fears alone for you are with me. In you I have peace, comfort and hope. In Jesus name, Amen.

PUTTING IT INTO ACTION: Memorize Isaiah 41:10, 49:15-16; and Phil. 4:6, then meditate on these passages throughout the day. For a deeper understanding of these truths, try rewriting the verses in your own words. Then express your response to the Lord by composing a poem, painting a picture, or writing your own song based on these verses.

PALM OF HIS HAND©2004 Ruth WoodListen to this award-winning song at: http://www.indiependencemusic.net/albums.php?artistId=677

Why be afraid? The Lord is with youDon’t despair, He’s your GodYou belong to Him and He’ll help youFor He’s the Lord, the Great I Am

ChorusHe’s the only One, there is no other GodHe’s your Redeemer, He’s your RockHe’s the only One who truly understandsAnd He holds you in the palm of His hand

Why be afraid? The Lord will help youDon’t you give up, stand firm and fightGive it all to Him and He’ll lead youFor He’s the Lord, the Great I Am

Chorus… BridgeHe’s the only One, there is no other GodAnd He’s holding you in the palm of His handWhy be afraidWhy be afraidWhy be afraid…

©2007 Ruth Wood. All rights reserved. Used by permission.Ruth Wood has been married 27 years, has two grown sons and one grandcat. She is an award-winning songwriter and editor of www.Comfort-Cafe.net, an online magazine bringing hope, help and healing to women facing difficult life challenges. Con-tact her at [email protected].

Ruth Wood

18 WOW! | SPRING 2009 18 WOW! | SPRING 2009

“Spirit and Truth” John 4:23-24 In this Video Podcast Talk Show series George and Ericka will inform and en-tertain you in their laid back vibe. You will enjoy this dynamic biblically-based show out of Philly that presents a variety of musical guests, and expose you to what God’s Word says about praise and worship as well as many other interest-ing topics.. Such topics as:

Singers / Musicians Worship Forum Book of the MonthWorship Leaders Concerts Memory VersesPraise Dancers Conferences Viewer of the WeekSpoken Word Gospel Plays Viewer E-mails

Once you have seen this show you will be hooked! You will find yourself worshiping with us one moment and laughing the next. We value your

comments and questions, and will put the on air. We are available for prayer or to chat on facebook.

How To Watch Our Show:iTunes.com

Search in iTunes store “spirit and truth”Click on to Video Podcast

Scroll down spiritandtruth.podbean.com

Send Your Questions To: [email protected]

For Advertisement Opportunities:NFC Internetwork

Ray Wyatt II, Chairman & CEO267.207.5100

[email protected]

George WardFacebook

http://www.myspace.com/love2worshiphim

Ericka Facebook

http://www.myspace.com/askthemusic


Donald Lawrence has been for many years a major force in the gospel music industry. A musical ge-nius coupled with a humble demeanor has encour-aged musicians, singers, and directors everywhere. Donald is a Grammy and Stellar Award winner,

and has been awarded countless other awards and citations for his musical achievements.

Donald Lawrence & Co. has recently released his new CD en-titled; The Law of Confession Part I. that is based on a yet to be released book, “The Law of Confession” by his Pastor Bill Win-ston. Track #4 is the “Intro” where Donald explains what “The Law of Confession” means; “A law is simply a principle, based on the predictable consequence of an act.” He goes on to say, “Confession in the Greek language is homo-logeo which means to say what has been said. There is a spiritual law for confession: you just say what God has already said...Speak the Word.” When you listen to the entire project you are encouraged to do just that. “Speak the Word” over any and every situation you may encounter in your Christian life.

Let me take a moment to mention here that this is a CD that can be used in a variety of ways. It is full of the Word of God; therefore you can memorize scripture by simply singing along. The CD begins with track #1 making an awesome declaration; “The Word of the Lord is great eternal, and it shall last from age to age. The Word of the Lord is great and powerful, He honors it about His name!” “Back to Eden” reminds us that before Adam and Eve fell they were to rule and take dominion of the earth. We are encouraged to have that kingdom mind-set and “Live on top of the World” that you will find yourself singing over and over. Ev-erything that is musical and spiritual within me is satisfied when listening to the title cut, “The Law of Confession”. For most musi-cians, an anointed song is like a well written book that speaks to your soul and is constructed as only a musical genius inspired by God. We are encouraged to confess the scriptures, and say what God has said!

In all fourteen tracks are saturated with encouragement and inspiration. The rest of the tracks fall in line with the “kingdom mindset”, and reminds us again to speak the Word of God over our lives.

Donald Lawrence has done it again! I most definitely suggest that you purchase this anoint CD and perhaps a few more for friends. He has built a reputation over the years for releasing quality

and anoint-ed music. This re-minds me of when he was about to release “Go Get Your Life Back” that had the hit single, “Seasons” featuring Walter Hawkins. He travelled the country with one or two vocalists and a keyboardist to deliver the simple message contained in The Prayer of Jabez saying, “Bless Me”. He ministered at my church during that time and I was hon-ored to meet him and sing background with my group. Donald Lawrence was very humble and trusting after hearing only a few notes of “Seasons”.

There are two people I interviewed in the past couple of years who have spent a lot of time ministering with Donald and had this to say.

“Donald Lawrence is the best leader I have ever had on all levels. He has taught me the best of who I am musically. Nobody knows where to place my voice better than he does. He single handedly shaped my particular sound and for that I will be eternally grateful to him.”…Sheri Moffett.

“Donald is serious about empowering people to become what God has called them to be. He also wanted me to be patient and wait until the right time to release a solo project.”…DeWayne Woods

Because of the standard Donald Lawrence has set in his music ministry, it is no longer acceptable for a church choir to sing what is called, “Gravy Songs”, but instead of kingdom building and of substance that has eternal gain. Since ministry is what you give and not receive, it is important to strive to give the best of what was given to you by God. So, Speak the Word!

©2009 George Ward has 25 years of experience in the Music Ministry, and has served as a worship leader, teaching private voice lessons, conducting gospel workshops, and directing various choral and musical groups. George Ward Mu-sic Ministries is purposed and ordained by God to offer intense sessions to vaious churches and organizations throughout the country.

Donald Lawrence

& Company

Music with George Ward

20 WOW! | SPRING 2009 20 20

Fear of abandonment runs deep in many women. That fear is not outside of reason. Women’s anxiety about abandonment is fed by the divorce statistics, which confirm many a man’s tendency to treat his marriage like it is a disposable diaper (though by far men aren’t

the only ones doing this). The scripture even records such a case in point. As we read Esther chapter one we learn about the plight of queen Vashti. This woman suffered something wives have dreaded for centuries – exile from relationship. Her husband, King Ahasu-erus, prepared a feast for all the nobles of the Persian Empire. This feast was so grand that he instructed his servants to “give every man his desire.” This indulgence went on for 180 days. On the seventh day the king in typical male style began bragging about the beauty of his wife. To prove his point he sent his servants after her with instructions for her to return “in the crown royal” so his drunken noble guests could gaze at her.

To his dismay, Vashti refused to come. Scripture does not re-cord her reasoning but most wives would agree that to display your beauty before a group of men you know have been drink-ing and indulging themselves for seven days, is not a safe place for a beautiful female. When she stood up for herself, against the foolish request of her husband, in anger he exiled and eventually replaced her.

Often as ministers have taught from this text, the focus is placed on how a wife takes a risk when she does not do as her husband asks. Therefore, she should obey her husband. Very few have given attention to the reality that it is unreasonable to expect a wife to display herself before a bunch of drunken men.

Unfortunately, Vashti’s plight is a harsh reality. When wives’ responses cause their husbands great disappointment, many hus-bands abandon the marriage and replace their wives with someone else they believe will be more accommodating. It is this sad fact that is at the heart of many a wife’s choice to enable her husband’s sinful behavior. What if he is displeased to the point where he divorces me? What if he decides that he will have an affair behind my back? The “what-ifs” produce a Merry-Go-Round within a Merry-Go-Round.

In chapter 2, of my book, Dear God, Please Get Me Off This Merry-Go-Round and Show Me How to Respect an Irrespon-sible Man, I mentioned the need for wives to maintain personal integrity when their husbands choose to compromise or disobey God’s truth. I cannot emphasize enough how vital it is that you keep your life chaste. Do not allow yourself to be deceived. Fol-lowing your husband’s lead when he is being disobedient to the Lord will not be acceptable to God. Even when we are threatened we need to remember that, it is written that we ought to obey God rather than man (Acts 5:28-29). A believer’s first responsi-bility is to love God and as a result of that love, obey His Word. When obeying the scripture we must make certain we are looking at God’s Word in context. To say that a woman is obeying God’s Word by appeasing her husband, when he is committing obvious sin, is to take God’s command completely out of context. Though

Christina Dixon

When Fear of Abandonment Runs Deep

Vashti Syndrome:

He says, “a wife is concerned about how to please her husband,” He has also said that if your husband does not “obey the word” you may be able to “win him” by your “conversation” or manner of living (I Peter 3:1-4). That manner of living is clearly described as being chaste.

The Greek word interpreted chaste from I Peter 3:4 is the word hagnos which means innocent, clean, and pure. I am sure you agree that there is nothing chaste about lying. Remember, the Holy Spirit can use a wife’s innocent, clean, and pure behav-ior to create the kind of contrast that will draw attention to areas where her husband’s integrity is lacking. But, if you’re more afraid of your husband than God, I want to challenge you to recognize that you’re fearing the wrong one!

If you are afraid to stand up to your husband because he may leave you, prepare yourself for inner and outer struggle. As fright-ening as it may seem, place your husband on the altar of sacrifice. (NO!! I don’t mean kill him. I mean turn your concerns over to the Lord.) Ask the Lord to grant you the courage to stand firm in your convictions. This does not mean that you have to be obstinate. It simply means that you will not be unwise and suc-cumb to intimidating tactics. Choose instead to trust God with the outcome.

Heretofore you may have fumed over how much you are ex-pected to “be a saint” while your mate stubbornly acts like he ain’t. The unmet yearnings in your soul may cause you to wonder, “When is it going to be my turn!” Pain and loss also shout their cries for relief, at any cost. But, don’t let any of those things deter you. Don’t back down. Don’t give in. Stand firm in the conviction of your faith in God. After you have done all you know to do in your standing, continue, despite how bad things look, to stand in the righteousness of your faith in Christ. Understand that you are not to act like a virtuous woman. You need to be a virtuous woman.

Next issue, Will the REAL Virtuous Woman Please Stand Up!

© 2009 Christina Dixon. All rights reserved. Used by permission. To learn more about author and speaker Christina Dixon visit www.myspace.com/christinadixonauthor

SPRING 2009 | WOW! 21 21 21

The word Testimony means a test! There is a purpose and a reason for our tests. Through our test God is purposing something great. It is not going to always be sunny outside. Believe it or not, we are going to have rain in our lives. The rain is not for your destruction but when you look in the

natural the rain waters the earth and causes something to spring forth. A test also has an expiration to it...because the test is only temporary. Our Testimony: Eugene and Janice were married on Saturday, 12 October 1985. They stood innocently before the Preacher, repeated their vows, went on their honeymoon, and raised three beautiful kids together. Not realizing that twenty three years later their lives would be changed in a blink of an eye. I will never forget this day as long as I shall live!

My husband, (Eugene) was jogging down 210 Indian Head Highway in Fort Washington, MD on Tuesday, 27 November 2007 at approximately 12:30 in the afternoon. Keep in mind, he jogged on this particular path for approximately twenty years. Eugene was jogging with the traffic, he did not get a chance to see the car coming from behind nor did he hear the car due to his Ipod playing in his ears!

A cab driver jumped three lanes, hit my husband from behind and knocked his body approximately twenty feet in the air. He landed on the guardrail where he damaged his right leg, head, neck and lost a lot of blood. (Witnesses said it was like watching a horror movie). He was flown to the Shock Trauma Unit in Baltimore, MD. He died in route to the hospital and was later revived. According to the doctors, they had to do emergency surgery in order to save his life a second time. His right leg was amputated. The surgery took approximately eight hours, where they had to resuscitate him again due to complications. During surgery, they did a below the knee amputation. At that point, they could not tell his family if the ten minutes caused permanent brain damage. He had several blood transfusions, a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), he was on a (ventilator), unable to breathe on his own for approximately two weeks, he had tubes running everywhere. Eugene was swollen from his head to his toes. After surgery, the doctors gave my husband one week to live....when the doctors walk away and say there is nothing else they can do, whose report shall we believe? Or when the doctors say he/she will die, whose report shall we believe? We shall believe the report of the Lord. There were men and women on the left and right side of his room dying from the same prognosis but my God said, “Eugene shall live and not die to declare the works of the Lord!”

My daughter-in-law, husband, and I were sitting in the kitchen one week before his accident talking about “life/death.” He told us if he ever lost a limb please do not allow the doctors to save his life. Well, when the time came for me to make that decision I thought to myself, “If God brought him back who am I to pull the plug or who am I to have the final say so over his life?”

My faith was being tested everyday.......each day we got a different report from the doctors. I felt like a yo -yo for approximately six weeks. He was doing fine one day and being rushed to the emergency room for surgery the next day. His right lung collapsed, he has an abdominal wound

due to his liver and kidney failure. He was on dialysis for two weeks, eight surgeries, neck brace, an infection got in his right leg so we were forced to protect ourselves by wearing a mask, gloves and a robe. They took him into surgery a second time due to the infection in his leg, where they had to take his knee. In order to keep his fever down, the doctors kept a fan blowing in his room which caused him to have double pneumonia. Due to complications, his heart rate dropping and the fact that the infection spreaded throughout his body. They performed a third surgery where they did above knee amputation. He was on a feeding tube for two months. My husband was in a coma for six weeks and hospitalized for three months!

I told my family that I wanted to be by my husband’s side just in case the Lord decided to take him home! My sister-in-law collected money from the family to put me in a hotel room but I did not want to leave his side. For two weeks, I literally lived in the waiting room. My

brother-in-law called the waiting room my apartment. It was to the point where I looked like a bag lady. Crime rate was extremely high in Baltimore so I was forced to take my valuables/luggage from the waiting room to my husband’s room. I slept in a leather chaise lounge for approximately two weeks. There were times I felt like my husband’s guardian angel. I sat in his room morning, noon and night. I had someone to sit and guard his room whenever I needed a break, take a walk, talk on the phone or when I got something to eat. I did not allow any negativity to enter into his room, I played gospel music around the clock, I was careful/mindful who I allowed to lay hands on my husband and I had a prayer warrior team to watch as well as pray!

Visiting hours were from 12 noon - 10:00 at night. My kids brought me a change a clothes every day of the week. The Lord gave me favor by allowing the nurses to let me take a shower in the nurses locker room. There were times I did not want to bother the nurse so I had my daughter to sit outside the bathroom door until I finished washing and changing my clothes. My kids took turns sleeping in the waiting room because they did not feel comfortable leaving me alone. My two sons and daughter did not return back to work/college until their dad was out of danger. At that point, I moved to Baltimore to stay with relatives. It was hard driving two hours in the morning to get to the hospital, my family did not feel comfortable when I was behind the wheel of the car late at night; especially after being at the hospital all day and not getting my proper rest. Not to mention the fact that my body was tired of sleeping on that leather chaise lounge.

My family and I spent Christmas, New Years and Valentines Day in the hospital. Eugene went from the Shock Trauma Unit to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to Rehab. He was discharged and transported by ambulance to Kernan Hospital in Baltimore, MD. He lived there for one month. At that point, he worked intensively with a speech, physical and occupational therapist. My husband had to be retrained all over again......I guess the hardest part was learning how to walk on one leg, being trained to walk on his prosthesis, having your wife to bathe, feed, clothed and to assist you in the bathroom and I did all this without complaining. Our roles literally switched. I went from sitting in the passenger seat to driving five to seven days a week, I took over the bills, cooked, cleaned, cut the grass, maintained the maintenance on our vehicles, made decisions....I mean, major decisions concerning our household. My husband went from being a shop foreman on his job to fighting for his life and from being the Chairman of the Deacon board at church to living in a rehab. There were times, I asked, “Why God Why?” I finally got to the point where I stopped asking why and started thanking Him because through it all, we are thankful that he is alive, grateful that God gave him a second chance and appreciative that we never took each other for granted!

None of this would have been possible without our families, churches, friends, co-workers, supervisors, and our neighbors. In the midst of our storm God has given us favor....favor with Him and favor with man!

God made sure all of our needs were taken care of.....He put people in our path to bless us mentally, spiritually, financially and physically. They did these things without expecting anything in return. Through it all God has been by our side, He has been faithful and His word is true, “He will never leave you nor forsake you!” Eugene and Janice Payne, Accokeek, Maryland

WOW! Testimony


22

Stacey L. Owens

I have to admit that I had got-ten caught up in all the hype. Between the historic election of President Barack Obama, the economic crisis, celebrity

news, and the seemingly never-ending wars, I was consumed with the culture of our day. And if that was not enough to distract me, our family was dealing with unemployment, school challeng-es, health issues, and aging parents. My usually sound thinking was off-track and compromised, and my faith was tested frequently. I had begun to think only of the bad stuff, the things that overwhelmed me, the situations that confused and frustrated me. And in doing so I was stagnant and ineffec-tive, almost paralyzed. Who and what am I going to believe in a world that thrives on worshipping people and things? Where am I going to place my trust when my personal life seems to be in a constant state of flux?

You may be a lot like me, confused by life, caught up in the things that seem like they will never change, and distracted by the world around us. Thankfully, because of our relation-ship with Jesus Christ, there is a way to get out of that rut. I found that go-ing back to the basics has blessed me beyond measure. Just relishing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ has assured me of His love and concern and regener-ated some of my passion for life and for the Kingdom. The good news is that when Jesus came, He came for people like you and me. He came for those who were seeking more to life, seeking relief from life’s oppressive demands, and seeking a powerful and transforming relationship.

Life can seem empty and unfulfill-ing when our focus is not on the Cross. When we are distracted, sometimes nothing seems right in the world. My eyes were looking elsewhere and I suffered as a result. My soul was dry and I could not find satisfaction in anything, even those things which used to give me pleasure. I wanted and needed something more in my

life. Everyone else’s life looked better than mine and in my mind I was con-stantly complaining and discontent. When I re-examined what Christ did in His earthly ministry, I was remind-ed that He was the One who brought substance to my life in the first place. In John 10 Jesus told us that, unlike the things which distract us and the enemy who wants to steal, kill, and destroy, He came to give me abun-dant life. There is absolutely nothing outside of the Lord that can make us fulfilled; the “more” we seek is Him. And while we can attempt to pursue activities, relationships and belongings to feel satisfied, it will all pail in com-parison to a deeper relationship with the One who abundantly loves us.

We can also feel overwhelmed just by everyday life and its demands. Like me, many of you are family caregivers, you may work outside of the home, be in school, care for parents and still need to care for yourself. Your “to do” list can rule your life and become an oppressive reminder that you can’t do it all. Something will be sacrificed in our efforts to be superwomen, even if that something is ourselves. We can honestly start to believe that life will fall apart if we don’t accomplish cer-tain tasks throughout the day. But the Lord never intended us to have lives like this. I saw with fresh eyes that Je-sus came to give me freedom NOT to do it all, just as He came to give the Jews freedom from the law which they couldn’t possibly keep. He taught in Matthew 6:33 that the only thing that matters for us is seeking God’s King-dom. Why? Because God has all the other stuff figured out; He knows what we need and how He’s going to provide it. Am I saying that we should sit and do nothing? No, but I am say-ing that if we do it out of a sense of mere duty and not devotion to what God has given us, we have missed the mark and we need Him to free us from that bondage. He has an easy yoke and we can find rest in Him and Him alone when we are drowning in our re-

sponsibilities.In addition to experiencing numer-

ous responsibilities and empty person-al lives, we can also be disappointed with our connections to other people. Our friendships can feel draining, our marriages can be burdensome, our children can be irritating, and ministry effectiveness can elude us. When I was feeling this way I was desperately in need of a radical relationship, one that would show me what real connec-tion was. As I read again how Jesus walked with His disciples and lived life with them, I realized that is what He wanted to do with me. He doesn’t want to just sit on the bench and come in the game only when I need Him, but Jesus wants to play all four quar-ters and even act as player-coach. As I remembered to invite Him into every aspect of my life and let Him make the decisions, I saw my earthly rela-tionships change. He was constantly teaching about how we should relate to one another and He did it by ex-ample. Even as He was dying on the cross in John 19, Jesus showed the im-portance of relationships and His own deep love as He told Mary and John to take care of each other as mother and son. What a beautiful example of relationships so powerful that even life-ending circumstances could not destroy them. Only Jesus can give us the fortitude to love that way.

Maybe your life is too much to han-dle right now. I urge you to remem-ber the Good News, to walk again through the Gospels, to see Who Jesus was and is, and what He came to do. He did not just come to save us, but He came to change us and deliver us. Jesus is that Good News and He is all we need to find satisfaction, freedom and relationship.

©2009 Stacey L. Owens lives in the Ra-leigh, NC area with her husband James and daughters Naomi and Rayna. She enjoys writing and would someday like to author a book. Stacey’s column for WOW! bears her name. For comments or questions, she can be reached at [email protected].

The Good News is...


Then Miryam said, “My soul magnifies ADONAI; and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior, who has taken notice of his servant-girl in her humble position. For -- imagine it! -- from now on, all generations will call me blessed! “The Mighty One has done great things

for me! Indeed, his name is holy; and in every generation he has hesed on those who fear him. - Luke 1:46-50 (CJB)

“Mom, don’t get upset with me...but I was wondering how do we really know if Christianity is the right religion?” That was the question my 10 year old son, Caleb, had recently posed to me...with great hesitancy, mind you.

I remember wondering as a child the very same things and feel-ing guilty about having thought such. I tried to comfort him by assuring him that at one point or another, we all ask those kind of questions. I expressed to Caleb that the One True God Who loved him without condition and without end also welcomed his questions. That’s Who He is, right? He is Love Without Condi-tion and abundant in hesed (steadfast and loyal covenant-love) and emet (truth)!

Hesed is that unchanging love that envelopes and permeates His covenant. Hesed is one of the seven defining characteristics of God’s sacred Name (Exodus 34:6-7) - YHWH, a God abounding in hesed.

So, how is all of this supposed to play out in our day to day liv-ing? My counsel to Caleb was that God IS Loving-kindness and Truth whether we acknowledge it or not. This is His Holy essence. Our questions have no power to change His Person. Along this line of reason, I have also been asking ‘if His unending LOVE is not presently conforming us to His blessed image, is there any real evidence that He is still at work in our lives?’

‘The Hasidic Mother of Yeshua’ was an article that grabbed my attention in recent days having to do with just this:

“In the Bible, the word hesed is also used as an adjectival noun: hasid — a loyal, devoted, committed, and loving person. To be ha-sidic is to be loyal in love and obedient to the will of God: as it’s spelled out in the covenant. God guards his oath. And he’s the one who determines who is truly hasidic. His word is the template by which any person is defined as hasidic.”

It was in this Jewish woman’s home that the Mashiach (Mes-siah) increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52) The law of kindness (torat hesed) was on Mary’s lips and permeated her living in every aspect. (How would you like to have been Jesus’ Momma?) This Holy covenant-love is what transforms lives, covers sins and welcomes sinners. Oh, how we need more of this in our homes, Moms. At least, I do!

His hesed is abundant! His hesed does not quit when it is not returned! His hesed is practical, loyal, eternal, without end, impar-tial and surprising to all her recipients! His hesed loves people past their performances...

Imagine with me the law of kindness on our tongues at all times and all places...what a concept! How about you, feelin’ Hasidic?

Father God, may Your torat hesed grow increasingly brighter in the homes and lives of every eye reading this. By your abounding grace, may we return to You this gift of kindness by showing it to all men...beginning in our own homes - a gift that is well-pleasing to You. In this manner, make us truly hasidic that all will know that Jesus is the Way, Truth and Life . In Jesus’ Name, Amen

© 2009 Carmen Schroeder is a wife and mother to four priority blessings. Carmen is a prolific writer residing in Missouri and passionately shares God’s Wonder-filled Word with women in conferences, workshops, and her W.O.W. (Women Of the Word) teaching blog (http://jesusyourwordistruth.blogspot.com/). The LORD has given her a great love and growing passion for studying and teaching Scripture from the foundational Hebraic roots’ perspective.

The Hasidic Christ-FollowerPsalm 63:3 ךנוחבשי יתפש םייחמ ךדסח בוט יכ

WOW with Carmen Schroeder

KRISTIE MURDEN

Crystal Clear or more appropriately put Kristle Clear! This phrase has become synonymous when describ-ing the unique vocal styling of sing-er, song writer and producer Kristle Murden. For many years she has been known around the music scene for her smooth, jazzy, and distinctly clear vo-cals which have opened the door for her to do everything from Motion Pic-ture Soundtracks, Television Sitcoms and background vocals which are too numerous to list them all here. She first burst on the scene as a featured vo-calist on the “I’ll Be Thinking Of You” (Andrae Crouch) which essentially catapulted her musical recording ca-reer. In 1982 she recorded her first solo project entitled “I Can’t Let Go” which featured the hit songs “I Have Heard Of A Place” as well as the title cut. She also received a Grammy nomination for this project. Over the years Kris-tle’s exceptional vocal abilities have

been highlighted on an extensive col-lection of collaborations. Such efforts include being the featured vocalist on “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” (The Lion King Soundtrack), The Preacher’s Wife (Walt Disney Pictures), Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), Gen-eral Hospital and several other Motion Pictures and Television Shows. In ad-dition to being a premiere vocalist for Andrae Crouch, Kristle’s vocal con-tributions can be heard on recordings for artists such as Michael Jackson, Brandy, Barbara Streisand, Clay Aiken and CeCe Winans just to name a few! She is currently working on her 2nd solo project which is scheduled to be released this summer. We anxiously await it’s completion and release. Un-til then let’s take a closer look into the extraordinary life of Kristle Murden.

WOW! | SPRING 2009 24


BY DENNA D’MITRIWho were some of your influences when you were growing up? Pastor Harvey Lewis Senior of the Star of Bethlehem Church in Washington D.C., Elder Harvey Lewis Jr. (the choir director), Martin Luther King Jr., Doris Day, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughn, Nancy Wilson, Evie Tornquist, Andraé Crouch and Mozart.

How did you come to sing with Andraé Crouch? I sent a tape with some of my songs on it to Light Records, which is the label that Andraé was on at the time. Around that same time he had written “I’ll Be Thinking Of You” and was looking for a female to sing it with. He heard my voice on the tape and asked me to sing the song with him and the rest as they say is history.

Was “I’ll Be Thinking Of You” was your first professionally recorded song? I recorded with my church choir, the Star of Bethlehem Choir several years before I recorded “I’ll be thinking of You”. I believe those albums were released on Tyscot Records. I did a couple of featured solos on the choir projects.

How long has it been since your last solo project “I Can’t Let Go”? Too long!

You’ve been quite busy in the mean time. What other projects have been your favorites? I loved working on “The Lion King” soundtrack. I sang Elton John’s “Can you Feel the love Tonight” and I was also one of the background singers doing a lot of the African vocals, as well as, other vocals throughout the movie. I’m also an ordained minister, and I love teaching the Word of God. I see traveling and ministering as an ongoing project.

What led to the decision to release another solo project? I have so many songs that I have written.I want to share them with the world. I’ve been working with other artists for a long time. I have so much to say through my own music and I’m ready to say it.

How do you take care of your instrument to avoid hoarseness or laryngitis? I make sure that I’m singing from my diaphragm instead of singing from my

throat. I keep my throat and body hydrated by drinking lots of water. I don’t do any screaming. I keep my chest and neck wrapped up when I go outside after a performance.

How do you feel about the direction of today’s gospel music? Gospel music seems to be going in a lot of directions. Some I get and some I don’t. Over all I believe it’s good. I know that the younger generation is not going to be open to some of the older styles of gospel music. Therefore I believe it’s good that the music is ever evolving to stay current in order to reach the young people. I think that’s a good thing. However, I am concerned about the songs that are called gospel but don’t minister about God at all. I think the gospel music industry should remain mindful that gospel music should be about spreading the good news of Christ and his love for all of us and the salvation and help that he offers. It should be testimonies of the artist’s or writer’s personal experiences with the Lord and so on. I also see how commercialism is taking over more and more in the gospel music industry. I think it’s awesome that Christian artists want to look their best and be just as socially acceptable as the world’s artists, but I think modesty is what God asks of all of His children. I don’t think I should copy the dress code of the world to try to sell more records.

Who are some of your favorite artists out now? I don’t have any favorite artists however I do have some favorite songs. There’s a lot of talent out there.

Who would you like to collaborate with in the future? There are many artists who I would accept an invitation from to do collaboration with such as: Kirk Franklin; Michael Bublé; and Michael W. Smith to name a few.

Have you ever had a most embarrassing moment? Well of course I have, but I can’t tell everybody about it!

Gyrl WryterFULL NAME: Kristle Murden

CHILDREN: Joseph C. Edwards, II

BIRTHDAY: December 9

KRISTLE’S FAVORITE THINGS: I love to swimming and spending time at aquariums. I absolutely love seeing the ocean and the beautiful creatures that live in the sea. I also enjoy reading good material on self improvement and the study of human behavior as well as biographies of people who have accomplished great things. I can’t seem to get enough of old movie classics, especially Bette Davis films, love stories and laugh out loud comedies. Dancing is also something that enjoy doing in my spare time.

FAVORITE SCRIPTURE: 23rd Psalm

CHURCH AFFILIATION:

Restoration Church (Bishop Robert Hooks)

CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS: Save Africa’s Children (Bishop Blake)


What would you consider to be your most painful moment? My family was ripped apart when I was 14 years old. It was a terrible time of great confusion and pain. As a young child growing up in Washington D.C., I suffered a great amount of abuse, and torture as did my siblings. Because of that, the courts removed us from the home. Even though it was an answer to my prayers to be delivered from the atrocities that were taking place in the home, it was very painful. For many years I was separated from my siblings (I am the 5th child of nine children). I was also separated from my parents.

Tell us about one miracle that God has performed in your life. In 1993 I went into the hospital for surgery. The surgery was success but hours later my lungs began to fill up with blood clots. I was put on a blood thinner to help dissolve the clots. The doctors gave me 6 hours to live because it was taking so long for the blood thinner to work but God healed me completely much to the surprise of the doctors.

If you were a super hero, what would your name and special power be? My name would be Fixer X and my special powers would be finding every wounded child in the world, healing their wounds and fixing their lives.

Knowing what you now know about life, what advice would you have given to yourself as a teenager? Be bold! Be fearless! Don’t be afraid! There are a lot of good people in the earth. You are safe. You have a lot of power within you to navigate through this earth. Let your guards down. Speak up! Fight because you can win. You are not powerless. You are powerful. Believe that you are just as good as the next person!

Using WOW Magazine as your platform, what would you like to tell the world about Kristle Murden? I would like the world to know that I am a woman of God who has suffered greatly throughout my lifetime but has made great strides in life anyway. I have had to overcome great odds. Some battles I have won and some

I am still fighting but I’ve come a long way. I am an advocate for children’s rights. I know what it’s like to be abused mentally, physically and sexually. I know what it’s like to be rejected, neglected, and even tortured physically and mentally by those who are supposed to love you the most. God has brought me a long way and I am eternally grateful to him for his goodness to me.I am a counselor as well as an ordained minister. I’ve been counseling people for over twenty-five years. I get great pleasure being used by God in that manner. Next to doing music and preaching, counseling is my favorite thing to do when it comes to dealing with people. I feel their pain and I want to help everyone that I can to get through life’s challenges.

I was married for 12 years and I have a son from that marriage. He is also a singer and a songwriter.

I started writing poetry when I was 7. I began teaching myself to play the piano when I was 10 and started writing love songs at 11. I did not grow up in a Christian household. There was no Christian music in my household. There was a collection of jazz albums that I would sit and listen to as often as I could. I studied the vocal styles of jazz vocalists such as Nancy Wilson and Sarah Vaughn as well as Ella Fitzgerald and the great Barbra Streisand who has a unique style of her own. I also listened to a lot of jazz musicians. There was also a lot of classical sheet music in my home, which I taught myself to read and play. I didn’t get introduced to gospel music until my early teens. I also came to know about the plan of salvation and asked Jesus into my heart during that time. I already believed in God and communed with him often from about the age of 4 (I had been introduced to God through a short stint at a Baptist church with my grandparents on my father’s side) but had never prayed the sinner’s prayer. Around that time I also started writing songs about my relationship with God.

Since then I have been blessed to sing on many movie sound tracks, television sitcoms, pop, jazz, r&b and gospel albums. As either a soloist or a backing vocalist I

have toured the United states and many countries including several parts of Germany, England, Sweden, Switzerland, Holland, France, Israel, and Japan.

I’m about half way through writing my book but I don’t have a set release date for it yet.

I have two Grammy nominations. One is for my solo album “I Can’t Let Go” and the other is for a solo that I performed on Andraé Crouch’s “No Time To Lose” album for the song “Jesus Come Lay Your Head On Me”.

I am currently working on a new Contemporary Christian/Gospel cd called “Going On With My Life”. I like to call it “message music”. There are some fun dance tunes, a couple of ballads, a few signature Kristle songs (mid-tempo grooves) and a worship song or two on this album. I plan to release it sometime this year, and I am extremely excited about releasing these new songs that have been birthed out of my many experiences. I know that many people will be able to relate to them. People often tell me that I write songs that say what they are feeling but wouldn’t necessarily express to anyone. That makes me feel good.

“Going On With My Life” In Stores Summer 2009!!!

Ms. Murden’s Photos Provided By - Ny Brown PhotographyHair By - LaDonna Faith MacauleyMake Up By - Alfie Silas DurioFor Booking or Media Inquiries Contact:LaDonna Faith Macauley

©2009 Denna D’Mitri. Denna D’Mitri is a journalist and freelance writer. She has inter-viewed numerous renowned artists, including Marvin Winans, Tonéx, Bishop Paul Morton, Marvin Sapp, Israel, Brent Jones and Lisa McClendon, to name a few. Her work has been featured in U-Zonemagazine.com, Gospel Truth Magazine, Kay3Music.com and Gospel Artist Magazine. Denna resides in Detroit, MI and she is a member of Perfecting Church. Marvin L. Winans, Pastor.


WOW! Teenz

Do you ever feel over-whelmed and feel a need to have a personal coach to help you balance school, family, personal care and

even your relationship with God?? Some-times we can get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life that we forget the essential tools that will guarantee a better way of living overall. It’s funny that most of the things we know to do, we tend to overlook them and miss the smallest les-sons we need to get to the next level.

Here are a few essentials for everyday life that will boost your confidence and skyrocket you to the next level of living in all areas of your life. Regardless of your age, once you master these essentials you will see a difference immediately. Just remem-ber one important thing... to see results, you must be consistent.

Prayer & Bible ReadingRead the Bible every day. Read one

chapter in the morning & another chapter in the evening.

Pray throughout the day. Keep a notebook & pen handy to write

anything God reveals. Spend a few minutes a day being quiet

in the presence of the Lord. Create your own personal sanctuary by

finding a quiet, secluded place to spend

time with God.

Beauty Drink plenty of water. Take make-up off before going to bed

at night. Exfoliate face at least twice a week. Roll or wrap hair every night. Be sure to

use a satin head scarf. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

Relationships Send your friend a real email (no for-

wards) just to say, “Hello. I am thinking about you.”

Pick up the phone & call your friends. Tell your parents you love them. Help your brother or sister do some-

thing (homework, clean room, etc.) Take time to listen.

Studying Study at the same time & place every

day. Study in silence. This means - no radio

or TV! Pray & ask God to help your understand

that you are studying. Read aloud. This helps you retain the

material you read. Write down any questions you may have

& give them to your teacher for clarity.

Fasting Pray before you fast. Determine what you are fasting for &

gather Scriptures for meditation. Determine the type of fast - absolute,

partial, vegetarian, etc. While fasting, read your Bible & pray. Keep a pen & notepad with you to write

down anything the Holy Spirit reveals to you.

When you know you are going to fast, be sure to get plenty of rest before fasting (this helps you to not become fatigued).

Health & Fitness Drink plenty of water. Try to work out at least 3 times a week. Eat a healthy breakfast, lunch & dinner

with snacks in between. This helps boost your metabolism.

Take one complete vitamin daily. Do not eat too late at night. Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep at

night. So, go to bed early! Deaquelynn Williams, humanitarian, life coach, author, executive director, and owner of Quelynn, Inc., is a champion of life. Currently Deaquelynn serves as founder and executive director of God’s Star International Ministries which is the parent ministry to mPOWERd 4 LIFE Youth Develop-ment. www.mpowerd4life.org, www.myspace.com/m4lgirls, www.bebo.com/m4lgirls

WOW! Teenz


The arrival of 2009 caught me in a reflective mode. Turn-of-the-year and birthday celebrations do that for me.

Unfortunately, reflecting on this past year I got a little hung up on some things I didn’t

accomplish. I camped out with my discontent a couple days. But, the warmth of Sovereign acceptance promptly seeped in to lift the groping fog of failure.

A 17th Century French monk penetrated the mist. I learned when Brother Lawrence, an uncomplicated man who entered a Paris monastery at mid-life, failed at anything he simply confessed to God, “I shall never do otherwise, if You leave me to myself.”

It’s true. Short of God’s graceful intervention, my failures would forever outweigh my successes.

Peering forward into the coming year, I’m now feeling a bit Alice in Wonderland-esque: “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

I need wisdom.My proverbial cat, from Lewis Carroll’s whimsical story,

steps in about now and speaks up. “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”

Where do I want to get to this year? And, what am I going to have to do to get there?

Ruth Haley Barton, in her book Sacred Rhythms, contemplates the answer. She presents two simple questions: “Who do I want to be?” and “How do I want to live?” Barton suggests we ask ourselves, “How do I want to live so that I can be who I want to be?”

Then, she cinches it with a question it all boils down to: “How bad do I want it?”

How bad do I want it?My goal for 2009 is to live intentional. To arrange my life in an

intentional manner, based on the person I want to be --the person God made me to be.

A simple decision: Live life intentionally. Simple, but not easy.Each day, I’m faced with new choices--choices which impact

my quality of life. If I veer off track, I must refocus on my list of priorities for this season.

Will the seeds I plant (my investment of time) reap the harvest I desire?

Sometimes, I’m forced to reprioritize. Much like you, I imagine, I have several things I petition

God for on a regular basis. But God, in His wisdom, does a little spiritual weed control, plucking the overrun or virulent from my field. Some of my desires bloom only as another seed fails to root.

I’m currently working on a book that offers soul-wounded women practical tools to reconcile a painful past with God’s purpose for their lives. This book marries expressive writing and Biblical truths, carrying women on an interactive healing journey.

By its nature, this book required a large investment of time and emotional energy. Yet, I had another project, dear to my heart, I repeatedly petitioned God for.

The blanket of the two projects, an ongoing battle with chronic illness, my beautiful new grandchild, Lacey, and ever blooming freelance projects neutralized me. Nothing received the true attention it deserved.

I had to choose. I rearranged my life around what is important during this season. And, that required that I give up some things.

Beth Moore, in Believing God Day by Day, lays it on the line.God knows my absolute priorities--my A list of prayer

requests. Therefore, if something on my A list temporarily or even permanently (ouch!) might have to cancel out something on my B list, so be it.

I water my A list first, my heart’s desires, and I grow from there --weeding out my B list as needed.

And, with God’s graceful intervention, the next turn of the year will materialize in rays of warm sunlight..

©2009 Jo Ann Fore is a Certified Life Purpose Coach® and freelance writer. Visit Jo Ann at www.JoAnnFore.com or www.shoutlife.com/joannfore

Intentional Living J o A n n F o r e


K e y s t o D y n a m i c B i b l e S t u d y

TThe king’s cupbearer must squint to see in a murky dungeon lit up infrequently by a torch held by a jailor who daily brings days-old scraps from the king’s house. Because he is in the king’s dungeon, the cupbearer knows his food is superior to the

foul grub in jails for common criminals. But, in comparison to the lavish banquets he is used to—oh for the tasty morsels of the king’s table—this food makes him want to upchuck. He does not even know why he is here: What did I say that made the king so angry with me? Whatever the reason, his only hope is a man named Joseph, who claims to have from his god, the gift of dream interpretation.

Mud, ever present on the floors of the dungeon in the rainy season, squished over Joseph’s sandals as he stepped toward two anxious men, a cupbearer and a baker. They recently were tossed into the dungeon by an irate king. Joseph was responsible for all those incarcerated, particularly for those who had been a part of the king’s household. “I too am a prisoner,” he once confided to a fellow prisoner. “But several years ago, it became obvious to the chief jailor that my God was with me. And perhaps he believed my story, that I was accused falsely of molesting the wife of Potiphar, the king’s bodyguard. So,” Joseph explained, “I’ve been put in charge down here.” When Joseph heard, therefore, that the cupbearer and the baker were disturbed, he sought them out.

“Why are you so upset?” he said. The cupbearer pushed himself up from his squatting position

against the wall to answer. In the light of Joseph’s torch, he looked at the baker and received confirmation that he should proceed first. “We have both had dreams that have so alarmed us that we can’t sleep,” he said.

“Don’t interpretations belong to God?” Joseph asked, “Go on; tell me about it, please.”

The cupbearer gazed into the dark shadows of the prison, recalling the details of his dream. “There was a vine with three branches in front of me,” he began, his voice becoming less hesitant as he proceeded. “Buds started to bloom which became ripe grapes that I took to squeeze into Pharaoh’s cup, and then I handed the cup to him.”

As the cupbearer’s eyes turned back toward Joseph in expectation, Joseph revealed the interpretation: “The three branches are three days. At the end of three days, Pharaoh will

lift up your head to reinstate you as cupbearer, and you will put a cup of wine into his hand.” Joseph continued with a voice that grew more distressed as he pleaded, “When this happens, don’t forget to mention me to Pharaoh. I’m here because I was kidnapped from my country, and then accused of something I never did.”

Alongside the cupbearer, the baker arose, hoping for an equally promising interpretation. Disregarding Joseph’s anguish, he blurted out his dream. “Three baskets filled with an assortment of baked goods for the Pharaoh sat atop my head. Birds, however, devoured all that was in the baskets.”

“Your head will also be lifted up in three days,” Joseph said with dismay to the baker, “for the baskets symbolize the three days. But unlike the cupbearer, your head will be lifted up for hanging.”

On the third day, Joseph’s prophecy was satisfied—the cupbearer received life, the baker death. Joseph, on the other hand, remained in jail, forgotten by the cupbearer.

Something the men in the palace hall are gossiping about jiggles in the cupbearer’s mind and a memory finally surfaces. Joseph! I’ve forgotten Joseph! Hearing about the Pharaoh’s troubling dream brings back to him the circumstances from two years before. Now the Pharaoh is demanding that his own dream be interpreted. The cupbearer breaks free of the men to rush off to the king: I’ve got to go and tell the Pharaoh about Joseph. His interpretation of my dream gave me back my life.

It was the cupbearer’s testimony of what occurred on the third day that resulted in Joseph’s deliverance from prison. These third-day circumstances, scattered through the Scriptures, lead up to the dramatic third-day event of Christ’s resurrection. Thus, the meaning of Paul’s statement--that Christ was prophesied to rise on the third day--is understood in light of Old Testament narratives, like Joseph’s, which deal with extraordinary happenings on the third day.

©2009 Barbara Arnold. Barbara Arnold is a wife and a mother of four grown children. Barbara received her Bachelor of Science degree from Philadelphia Biblical University and her Master’s degree in Old Testament from Biblical Theological Seminary in Hatfield, Pa.

The Third Day Phenomenon:Joseph’s Story


In the Kitchen with WOW!

INGREDIENTS * 1 tablespoon brown sugar * 2 tablespoons honey * 1/4 cup soy sauce * 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root * 2 teaspoons chopped garlic * 2 tablespoons hot sauce * salt and pepper to taste * 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch strips * 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS 1. Mix together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and hot sauce in a small bowl. 2. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken strips. 3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken strips and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Simmer un-covered until the sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.

Used with permission: allrecipes.com

30

SWEET &SPICY CHICKEN



To be featured in WOW! Mom, contact Tamara D. Davis at [email protected]

Family Values

WOW: What is your greatest parental reward? Athelda Ensley: When our girls began to read (both by the age of three) I felt so pleased to see all of the time invested in Home School was paying off. Now that they’re young ladies(12 & 13), I am overjoyed to see them walk out their faith in Christ on a daily basis. Their commitments began with my husband and me, but are now quite intimate and personal. WOW: What is your greatest parenting challenge?AE: When the girls were younger it was a challenge juggling the roles of mother and teacher. Right now, I know I’ve had them at home longer than I will have them and that’s diffi-cult. We spend the majority of the day together and get along extremely well. I know that everything done now is in prepara-tion for the future God has in store for their lives. WOW: How do you balance church, family and home?AE: One of the greatest gifts Home Schooling has given me is that of being faithful to our schedule. It’s become a way of life. There’s a way to be a good steward of time and still enjoy life. Your schedule doesn’t have to be rigid, but it does need to exist. I plan ahead for the week, even the weekend so that everyone knows “what comes next”. For our family it works! WOW: How often do you take “me” time and what do you do in your “me” time?AE: “Me” time has been much more feasible with older chil-dren. At least once or twice a week I get away, sometimes for thirty minutes other times an hour. My favorite thing to do is to hit a Starbucks with a book(I always have one available), sit down with a warm drink, breath, and read. WOW: How does having Christ in your life change the way you parent?AE: Christ is the most important component to my life and without Him, parenting would be based on mere feelings. “Do I feel like doing this or that?” But my relationship with Jesus allows me the understanding of true sacrifice. It also gives me tangible examples of how to love the ones He’s invested to my care. We do well to remember that being a parent is a judge-

P R O F I L E :Name: ATHELDA R. ENSLEYResidence: BAYTOWN, TEXASAge: 38 MARITAL STATUS: MARRIED TO SEAN ENSLEYChildren: ALYSAH & KAILAHOccupation: MOM, HOME SCHOOL EDUCATOR & AUTHORHeroes: Christ, my husband--Sean Ensley, Jill Briscoe, Elisabeth Elliott, Cornel West, Fred Hammond, Edwina Reddick (friend suffering from cancer) & many more.Goals: To surrender all of my gifts and talents to the Lord, so that whether great or small, they bring Him ultimate glory; Encouraging all of the “secret writers” out there.

WOW!MOM

able status, by the ultimate Judge. WOW: What is best advice given to you as a mom and what is the best advice you’d pass on to other moms?AE: The best advice I’ve been given is, “Don’t sweat the small stuff ”. Children are as individual and different as adults are. Some things about them are just idiosyncratic things that make them who they are. There are things we do sometimes that irritate them, too. Get over it, and enjoy every second you have with your children. It doesn’t last forever and you’ll regret it if you don’t.

©2009 Tamara D. Davis, [email protected]


BY CATHY HOLLOWAY HILL

For 28 years, I was in Corporate America performing well as a technology professional - day in, day out, month in, month out, year in, year out. My spouse, my parents, my friends, and everyone in my life was very happy and proud of the career success I had achieved. With a B.S. degree in computer science, 15 years with IBM Corporation, and working for the corporate giant, Brown-Forman, I should have been on top of the world with a hefty 6-figure income, mega annual bonuses, and perks galore. But I wasn’t happy. I didn’t own my identity - everyone else did. I was living to please others, but not myself. And most

importantly, not my Heavenly Father! The Bible says we should have trust and faith that He will provide when we “pick up our cross and follow Him”. I was not living my divine purpose. My passion was to mentor others and help them find peace in their lives. How could I possibly incorporate this passion into my corporate career that consisted of managing technology projects??? I stayed on my knees in prayer asking God to please show me what to do. Just as clear as i’m writing these words, the answer came to me and God told me to follow my passions because “they” knew the way. I immediately began to LIVE MY LIFE on my OWN terms! I founded C. Holloway Hill Enterprises, and my mission is to provide personal and professional consulting to individuals, organizations, corporations, and whomever needs emPOWERment to follow their passions and be the best they can be! In 2008, with my Heavenly Father ordering my steps, I walked away from the mega income and the plush corporate job to focus full-time on my mission of serving others. Everyone told me I was crazy and I would regret my decision to “throw my life away” as it was stated to me. But, I haven’t looked back since! It has been a fabulous journey. Clients are coming in that I never realized I would be able to attract in such a short period of being in business for myself. And the income is more than I ever dreamed possible! I have also been recruited to host a talk radio show entitled “Living By Design”. I am living my dream! God said “He would never forsake or leave me”, and that is exactly what has happened. My work is now my passion, my purpose, my destiny!! I am truly NOW living my life by God’s design in 2009!

© Cathy Holloway Hill, Certified Technology Consultant & Life Coach, EmPOWERing You Through Self-Discovery,C. Holloway Hill Enterprises, P.O. Box 1501,Jeffersonville, IN 47131

I n M y W o r d s


BY PAULETTE HARPER

My faith in God has helped my make the transition from mar-riage to becoming sin-gle. I am an indepen-

dent, focused and purpose drive woman. However it took me some time to get to this place. Don’t miss understand me about my bold statement, do I miss being mar-ried? Yes but I’ve learned that I can survive and take care of what God has appointed me to do.

Independent and self sufficient because of Christ sufficiency, “Not that we are suffi-cient of our own selves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God” (II Corn 3:5 NKJV)

Focused because for so many years won-dering in the wilderness with out any pur-pose or plan and absolutely no idea where God was leading me. My direction in life has been revealed; I live life purposively without barriers, limits and boundaries. I live life with a cause by allowing what God has put in me to flow to those who choose to drink from this vessel.

I can go anywhere God tells me to go, do anything He tell me to do without having to give account of my comings and goings to anyone, except Him. He is my source of whom I depend on for everything. The opportunities are vast, with out restraints from the responsibilities of a relationship

and family ties. The ties that bind me now are the ties that bind me to God.

I was thrust into singlehood after a 23 year marriage failed. Thrust into a world unprepared for me and I for it. Facing loneliness, fear, doubt and anxiety awaited me every day. Was I having a bad dream or was it true that my life was headed for a 360 degree turn, a turn in which I was clueless how to maneuver because I was not in control.

One more negative thought, one more set back, one more court date, one more confrontation; I would have lost my sanity. Was I back on the block of availability?

Bombarded with question after question that would cross my mind; where would I go, what would I do, who would love me again? How will I survive?

Somehow by the grace of God, I crawled my way through the fear, doubt and anxi-ety, like the women with the issue of blood. Fighting against all odds and keeping my eyes straight ahead as Christ was beckon-ing me to come. Step by step I began to see the light shine on my darkness.

By faith I choose not to listen to the naysayers, the mockers, my haters’ voices that told me I would never make it and even the taunting of the enemy in me.

By faith I was determined to push my self even when I wanted to collapse from the pressure. I stand poised with dignity as the triumphant woman of God.

Those that thought I couldn’t well I’m hear to say I can. Those that laid a trap for me to fall and stumble, well I did fall, I fell forward. Forward to embrace, move and live the greatest life that Christ has pre-pared for me.

HolD your head up rise above your cir-cumstances and soar like the eagles. Shake off the shame, the humiliation, and the em-barrassment, wipe away the tears because your faith in God will propel you to achieve and advance beyond your wildest hopes, imagination and dreams.

The words “I made it” echo in my spirit constantly. I survived when all odds were stacked up against me and faced with in-surmountable circumstances, the God in me rose to face every challenge with deter-mination, resilience and vigor.

I encourage you by my own personal testimony that better days are ahead.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by work-ing within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! (Ephesians 3:20 Message)©2009 Paulette Harper www.bvministry.org Or reach her by phone: (925) 698-6903.

SuddenlySingle


“The Royal Connector &Travel Agent”Ms. Davis817-721-2451www.royaltravelagent.com [email protected]

To be exposed to new viewpoints and cultures. And most of all to ENJOY life! In these tough economical times many people have sacrificed “pleasures/luxuries” for basic need items. This I truly understand for I have had to look at my own spending to see what is a must or a need. But keep in mind that although many would say that travel is a want or a luxury expense; it really should be thought of more as a recommendation from doctors as a wellness preventative. I am not saying that travel will cure all, I am just stating that if you are going through illness, downsizing, divorce, depression or any other

life issues – a change of scenery can often do the body and mind good. I find just visiting family in another city or state rejuvenates my energy and thoughts.

Travel is a great escape and can often bring closeness back to a family. Your trip does not have to cost you a year’s salary to be helpful or enjoyable. There are many types of mini trips you can take close to home or if you want to venture further there are often payment plans that can be used to prevent you from going into credit debt more!

Instead of not thinking about travel in 2009 add it to your wish list and contact us for some travel ideas, we are here to help people of ANY budget enjoy travel! Make sure you get on our e-mail list so that we can keep you updated on reasonable trips throughout the year!

We at Royality Designs Travel wish you the readers a VERY happy, blessed and positive day! All things are possible –if YOU believe and keep your faith.

Why Travel?


James Sanders

What would you do if you met a man that you were sure that God placed into your life? Give him money? Love him? Break two years of celibacy?

Maybe.

Now what if you found out that the man, supposedly sent from God, was a liar or wolf in sheep’s clothing?

Kontrena Clark, 35, Voorhees, N.J. found herself in this exact situation. So what did she do?

She wrote a book, appropriately titled, “The Day I Met a Wolf.” Here the author sounds off, airing every unholy misconcep-tion about the man who she says, “knew the bible in word, but not in deed.”

Clark, who was 33 when she first starting writing the book, decided that this was go-ing to be a mission of hers after finding out that defrauding Christian women was a particular talent of the man she once loved.

Without spoiling the book, here is a brief synopsis taken right from the lips of the author, “the story talks about how I meet a man who was supposed to be a Christian, but he ends up using the word of God to defraud me out of over $55,000 dollars in cash and use of credit and over two years of celibacy.”

That’s right, she said celibacy!

So how did he do it? You’ll have to read to find out.

The real blessing comes in the story that precedes the book.

When writing the book, the author says that she wasn’t aware that the story would become what it is today.

“I was simply taking notes for myself in my diary,” said Clark.

Those notes became, “The Day I met a wolf.”

But make no mistake about it, Clark is a Christian first, everything else comes sec-ond.

“I am a woman who has always preferred Christian men over non-Christian men, so I’ve been the kind of woman that would give a Christian man the benefit of the doubt.”

And boy did she ever.

She met Greg, as he is called in the book (the author doesn’t reveal the real person’s identity) in an online Christian dating website. But the plot points of this work of nonfiction are what make the book a great read – that and Greg’s lies that capti-vated the main character, Karen (Kontrena Clark). Other characters are Stacie (Greg’s 3-year fiancée), and Tammy (another de-frauded woman).

But Kontrena’s true testimony comes from her emergence as a person of wisdom and truth.

“From a spiritual perspective, I realize that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers in high places.”

From a life perspective Clark says that she battled with having faith in God versus having faith in man.

“Overall I realized that no matter what happens, whether I have to be without a husband or not, I know I can’t live without God. There is no longer a battle.”

The Day I met a wolf,” comes with a mes-sage to never ignore red flags – but most importantly, Clark advises her readers, male and female, to know their worth and value. As she learned, not listening to the voice of God is dangerous.

An audio version of the book is being re-leased on the 25th of this month – while the film adaptation is currently in the works.

The Day I met a wolf can be purchased on Amazon.com, in addition to KontrenaC-lark.com. Clark’s first book, The Business Plan for the Believer is also available.

Clark is a certified CPA, and lives in Voor-hees, New Jersey with her son. She attends Bethany Baptist Church.

©2009 James R. Sanders is currently, a freelance writer based in the Philadelphia area. His work appears in the Philadelphia Inquirer, BustedHalo.com, Black Star News, and the Huffington Post, where he served as the Pennsylvania Election Cor-respondent for the 2008 Presidential Election. He is hard at work on his first novel, “Born in Sin.” His first book about nonfiction will be published in the summer by College Prowler.

The Day I Met A Wolf

36 WOW! | SPRING 2009 36 36

Single, Saved and Satisfied

W O W ! B o o k s

BY TYORA MOODY, BOOKS EDITOR

In a recent article by Ivy Farguheson, she writes, “Forty-two percent of black women have never been married, compared to 21 percent of white women, according to national statistics.” That’s a statistic that can really alarm a woman and in some cases tempt her to make some bad choices out of fear. I’m a believer what God has for you is for you. We have to be careful about looking at numbers and what the world presents to us. Even more importantly, we need to make sure we are seeking God’s will for our lives more so than what “we think” we want. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Being single provides a unique opportunity to really connect with God and find out his plan and purposes for you. This month, Essence Bestselling author, Sherri Lewis, joins us to talk about her new book, The List. Sherri introduces her three single female characters and also talks candidly about being a single sistah herself.

Sherri, tell us about yourself. I am in a super-crazy state of transition right now but loving every minute of it. After 15 long, hard years, I just quit my ca-reer as a family physician. I’m now free to chase my lifelong dream of being the con-summate artist. I love to write and create – I love writing stories and music and also hope to do movies and theatre one day. I also love to sing and want to get up with my favorite producer sometime soon and do a major jam session and see what we come up with. I’ve also been in ministry training for the last 19 years and am really trusting God that it’s time to be launched into the fullness of everything He’s put in me to do. My life passion is to express the reality of the Kingdom of God through the arts in-cluding music, dance, film and television, and literature; and through sound biblical teaching. My ministry thrusts include the message of the Kingdom, intimacy with God, intercessory prayer, understanding prophetic ministry, ministering emotional healing, and birthing individuals into their destiny. Do you have a favorite bible verse and or

quote you wish to share? I have quite a few favorite bible verses. I guess the one that best fits my new book is Psalm 37:4 – Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Who are your favorite authors? My absolute favorite author is Victoria Christopher Murray. Not only does she write awesome Christian fiction, she’s also an amazing mentor that gives so much to myself and other up and coming authors. She gives us her time selflessly, allows her life and experiences in the industry to be an open book and is a never ending resource of helpful information. I could spend the en-tire article talking about how amazing Vic-toria is. My other favorites include Clau-dia Mair Burney, Tia McCollors, Stacy Hawkins Adams, and soon to be released author Rhonda McKnight. Favorite books? My favorite books are anything by my fa-vorite authors. I also love to read spiritual non-fiction. I’m on a continual quest for spiritual growth. My favorite authors right now are Bill Johnson and Myles Munroe.

Tell us about your current book. The List is a novel about 3 single, success-ful, saved but still sexy black women who are tired of waiting on God to send their soulmates. Armed with their list of essen-tial must-have’s, would-be-nice’s, and total-deal-breakers, the ladies go on a hilarious adventure to “be found” by their husbands – but soon encounter issues specific to the saved woman on the dating scene. Is online dating okay for Christians? How long do you wait before you tell the hottie you just met that you’re celibate and plan to stay so until married? And of course, how do you keep things holy when he’s oh-so-sexy? It’s not long before they realize they still have to trust God to know what’s best for them and that He loves them enough to send them everything on The List.

What influenced you to write this book? I always say that writing is therapy for me. It’s much cheaper than going to a shrink and I actually get paid for it. I also get to bless other people and make them real-ize they’re not alone in whatever difficul-ties they may be facing in their lives. So The List was inspired by my experience as

a successful, single, black woman over the past 5+ years since my divorce. It has been hilarious, painful, educational and so many other things. Because I realize that almost ½ of black women are in the same state that I’m in, I thought it would be fun to share the laughs and pain. So far, the response has been great. Women have read the book and can relate completely.

Did you have a favorite character(s)? Who and why? I really enjoyed hanging out with the whole cast of the book while I was writing. Mi-chelle, the main character, of course I really liked. I loved the interactions between all the sistahcircle of friends she’s surrounded herself with. I felt like I was hanging out with a beautiful group of lifelong friends. I’d have to say my absolute favorite is Isa-iah. The great thing about being an author is that you get to create the best MEN in the world! I’m head over heels in love with him. Too bad he’s trapped within the pages of the book…

What message do you hope single women will receive from this book? Most importantly, I want them to get a good laugh. With some of the dates I’ve been on and men I’ve met in the past five years, that wasn’t hard to do. Don’t anybody email me and ask me if some of those dates really happened. I ain’t trying to get sued! It can be really painful enduring what can be a lonely season waiting for Mr. Right. It can be even more painful finding Mr. Wrong and having to deal with the heart consequences of it. So to be able to laugh about the whole thing can be very healing. Hopefully laughing will be therapy for all my single sistahs out there who find them-selves looking up at God on a Friday night


wondering why. The other take home point is that we serve a God who loves us deeply and is concerned about every detail of our lives, even our hearts and our desire to be in love. If we submit that desire to Him, He’ll grant us our hearts desire, in His timing. It’s important to be prepared for that time, and also to have the wisdom to choose well to avoid heartbreak and disaster.

What’s next for you? God Himself only knows. I really need to get somewhere and rest and detox. I spent the last 5 years of my life working in a women’s prison and it’s taken its toll on me. After I rest, I want to write, sing, dance, pray, preach and teach – just LIVE!!!

Where can visitors find you online? I can be found at www.sherrilewis.com, www.myspace.com/sherrilewis, and also on Facebook.

Excerpt from THE LIST by Sherri LewisoneTick, tock, tick, tock… There it was. The sound that had been grow-ing louder and louder in my brain – until now, it was no longer back-

ground noise. Groaning, I rolled over in bed and pulled a pillow over my face. I peeked out and cast an annoyed glance at my nightstand clock, but it was digital, so it couldn’t be blamed for the relentless ticking in my head. No, it was my own internal clock – the proverbial biological one.

And now there was an alarm to go with it. An alarm with no snooze button to make it stop. The AMA alarm. Today was my thirty-fifth birthday and I was officially AMA – advanced maternal age. The age at which my eggs, encased in my ovaries since birth, started to get old and decrepit. If by some magic I were to meet Mr. Perfect to-morrow and we fell overwhelmingly in love and got married within the next six months, then got pregnant right away, I would still be considered a high-risk pregnancy just because of my age.

I sat up on the edge of the bed and stretched my arms upward, resolving that today, I would celebrate my life with

thanksgiving, hope, and faith.

H e y , G o d . Thanks for waking me up healthy, beauti-ful and strong this morning. Thanks that I turned thirty-five today…

And then, for no apparent reason, I burst into tears. Sobs actually. I rolled onto the floor and curled into a fetal position, crying like someone had died.

I guess someone had. The thirty-five year old woman I had dreamed I would be when I was a little girl. Married to a gorgeous, black Ken look-a-alike – plastic smile and all – with two beautiful children living in a castle on the hill with two ponies in our stable and a thriving career as a firewoman or a ballerina. Okay, so I was seven. But still. I didn’t expect to be thirty-five, single and childless. I was supposed to wake up to breakfast in bed cooked by my wonderfully loving husband and two beautiful daugh-ters – all bouncy, bubbly and giggly. They were supposed to burst into the room and scream, “Happy Birthday, Mommy” and cover me with little girl kisses. My husband was supposed to kiss my cheek, say “Happy Birthday, Dear” and give me a knowing look that said as soon as the girls got off to school, he was going to really wish me Happy Birthday.

But instead, I was all alone in my king-sized bed. Well, actually on the floor next to it. I grabbed a pillow, then pulled the comforter off the bed and snuggled un-derneath it. I could see God looking down from heaven shaking His head. He’d elbow Jesus who would roll His eyes. They’d both look at the Holy Spirit as if to say, “Please, go help Our pitiful child.” I imagined the Holy Spirit swiftly coming to my rescue. He’d come and get under the comforter with me and hold me in His arms, prom-ising to love me until my earthly husband came along.

“God, for the millionth time – why can’t You take it away? Just make me completely satisfied with You and You alone. If You’re not going to fulfill it, then take away my desire for a husband and kids.” I yelled at Him from under the comforter. I imagined the Holy Spirit hugging me tighter. I ap-preciated the fact that He wasn’t moved by my angry outburst. He loved me no mat-ter what. I relaxed in His arms. Imag-ined myself snuggling into His chest and instantly felt better. “God, why can’t You send me a husband just like You? Send me You wrapped up in chocolate.” How awe-some that would be. To be married to a guy

like God. I must have fallen back asleep in His arms, because when the phone rang and I looked at the clock, it was two hours later. I wasn’t in the mood for the onslaught of phone calls from people wishing me happiness for my birthday. I should have gone out of town like I originally planned. Instead, I had let my friends talk me into a “Girls’ Day” – some big surprise they had planned. Much as I loved them, I wasn’t in the mood for surprises. All I wanted to do for my birthday was be alone with God. The phone rang again and I ignored it. I thought about getting up to do a quick half-hour Taebo tape. Maybe some kick-ing and punching would get rid of some of my frustrations. Billy Blanks had become my best friend in the year right after my divorce. There was just something about being violent and calling it exercise. I had joined a gym with a big punching bag that I pretended on a regular was my ex and his mistress. I got a reputation at the gym as the girl no one wanted to spar with and would never want to meet in a dark alley. My stupid ex. This was all his fault. My marriage should have never ended. After eleven years he decided that twenty-one was too young to have gotten married and that he needed to see what else was “out there”…Fresh tears flowed down my face. What in the world? Was I really crying over my ex? Really? My divorce was final almost three years ago. I hadn’t cried over him, or even thought much about him in the past two years. Had to check the cal-endar when I got up off the floor. This had to be my hormones. I guess it wasn’t my ex I was crying over. It was the fact that the marriage hadn’t worked. That I was thirty-five, divorced, childless, and oh yeah, hor-monal. My cell phone chimed to indicate that I had gotten a text message. I picked it up and looked at the screen.

Get up off the floor. Dry your eyes. Get dressed and get ready to be celebrated. I promise the day will get better, but you have to get up first. Happy Birthday. Please, girl – get over it. Thirty-five is not that old! Love you!!! I had to laugh. My girl, Vanes-sa. I decided to take her word for it. Maybe the day would get better if I just picked my-

self up off the floor.

©2009 TyoraMoody.com. Interested in getting your book reviewed by Tyora Moody for WOW! Magazine? Email Tyora at [email protected].


BY ATHELDA R. ENSLEY

An intimate relationship is defined as one in which the participants know or trust one another extremely well, like confidants. Women are

often described as nesters or ones who nurture. The act of nurturing comes nat-urally to most of us, almost instinctive. We don’t just treat our children or fam-ily members with care, it often extends to those around us. Many of our relation-ships with our friends mirror how we treat family members. So it is not hard for us to empathize with the loss of a relationship with a friend. I’m not talking today, about dis-agreement or a misunderstanding. What I’m referring to is a friendship where one of the participants moves away. In many respects this type of loss feels like a death has occured. It is sometimes accompanied by depression or grief-like symptoms. We work hard to gather around us our circle of friends, because they are an important part of our lives. When that circle is in-complete the relationship appears to be also. For a number of years in my life, I was the sister always moving away. My hus-band’s job with the Department of Jus-tice has taken us through the states of NC, AL, GA, and now TX. I recall the very first move as being the most diffi-cult. Nothing was familiar in my new sur-roundings and nothing seemed right. I

felt(and sounded) like the Israelites com-plaining in the desert(Exodus 16:1-3). My faith was strong but my eyesight was cer-tainly dim. It was obvious that this move was a ben-efit to our family and an encouragement to all who knew us. So why was I whin-ing? Because I missed my friends and the comfort they brought to my life. There in Alabama everything was alien, on top of which, we needed to find a church! This sad trail of emotion followed me for weeks, until the Holy Spirit put a stop to it with His awesome conviction! I was blessed and I knew, and there were new friends to make right where I was. Sometimes that’s the primary message from God, make due with what’s right un-der your nose. Be thankful for the friends and acquaintances that are in your midst. Besides, there’s no rule that says a rela-tionship can only exist when people are in physical proximity with each other. Main-taining relationships is a two-way street, done by both friends. It may take a little sacrifice and even thinking out side of the box, but it can be done(Amos 3:3). Jesus gave us the ultimate example of how to behave in a relationship, by His treatment of the disciples. We see Him always as the Giver, the one willing to be inconvenienced as often as it took. When a friend is important to us, and they’ve moved away, remember this has been just as hard on them. Speaking from experi-ence, it was a complete blessing to see each

email, card or to get a phone call from my friends. Not only does that person have to deal with a brand new environment, but struggling with being away. What are some practical ways to maintain your relationship, keeping it fresh and vital? On our most recent move(December 2005) we headed to the Houston, TX area. I found a way to overcome the blues of leaving yet an-other set of friends. Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t easy and is always a process. But after experiencing this before, I was bet-ter able to deal with the transition. God had done some maturing in me and the first thought now, was how to turn these homesick feelings into a lesson learned. As women who walk by faith we should always be looking for the next lesson. By doing so we can avoid unseen difficul-ties around the corner, or at least have a better mind-set through them. Look at Sarai for an example in Genesis 12 where we are told the story of how she followed her husband, Abram into a new land, un-known to them both. Yes, they left the land of Haran for that of Canaan. But people often overlook what took hap-pened in chapter 11. This wasn’t the first time they’d left a place of comfort, a place called home. Abram and Sarai followed Terah(Abram’s father) out of Ur and into Haran. The fact that you’ve experienced loss before doesn’t make it a piece of cake. It does, however, make it manageable because

Maintaining Relationships


God’s strength is there and available. Taking these lessons to heart I be-gan praying and looking for ways to allow this move to be an encourage-ment not only to me, but my friends as well. As I looked around, I saw the new PC and laptop my husband had generously gifted me with. Here were two tangible gifts that were tools that could be used to help me stay con-nected with my friends, and maintain our relationships. I began an e-devotion group called Mom’s Prayer Chain(MPC) after contacting two college friends whom I’d not spoken with in years. The three of us were now moms, moving with the speed of life serving our families. None of us was going to be able to flight anywhere, anytime soon. But we could connect once a week online for prayer. God had given me a fresh perspective on how to transform my relationships. I’d written for years, so preparing a weekly devotion wasn’t a problem, neither was submitting prayer re-quests and praise reports to the Lord. MPC gave us an opportunity to stay in touch, but in a way that didn’t re-quire proximity. We were using what was in our midst, in fact, right at our fingertips. It has been 2 ½ years since MPC began and God has continued to bless it and multiply us. We are now nearly 40 moms strong and representing various states, cities, and countries. Our little e-group has taught us the importance of friends, the power of prayer and that God always makes a way. Don’t put parameters or limits onto His ability to use your life to encourage another. Just as I said be-fore relationships flourish when both parties want it too. Distance doesn’t matter but a willing heart does! God’s word explains that He can use anything(even a computer) to make us more like Him, and to teach us to love as He does, without limits. ©2009 Athelda R. Ensley, wife, moth-er, Home School educator & author. Founder of Mom’s Prayer Chain. Website: http://www.freewebs.com/atheldaensley/

How could God have a purpose for me amidst this mess? Why do such bad things happen to good people? If you’ve recently asked yourself these questions, Paulette Harper’s That Was Then, This is Now has the answers. Struggling to recover from a broken marriage and disappointed dreams, Paulette Harper gropes for meaning and understanding, and through her searching, God reveals Himself to her in ways she never before imagined possible. By sharing her strug-gles with transparency, she illustrates how a heart attitude of surrender allows God to use a broken vessel for His ultimate plans of glory.

That Was Then, This is Now is a heart-wrenching account of one woman’s true story of deter-mination, loss and triumph. For more information about the Author and her book That Was Then, This is Now visit www.bvministry.org

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Wow Spring 2009