Fall Update

 

TEACHING

Our Parables study is giving us many new insights and helping me understand the present, earthly, spiritual Kingdom much better. It’s enlightening to study these passages in their context. I’m getting positive feedback from many of the 30 ladies on the impact the Word is having in their lives, including last week’s study on forgiveness. One lady shared that she felt drawn to take my class and each week God has given her specific direction and an answer she’s seeking. It’s sure encouraging to hear that!

Thank you for praying for my talk on Mary Magdalene at the Hospitality House last Friday. I felt more relaxed and managed to multitask the Power Point slides. I’m grateful for these opportunities to grow as a teacher, and I feel I’m learning much. I wanted to clarify the misperception that she was a prostitute or adulteress and focus on her healing from 7 demons and the only one named at the cross, burial and resurrection. The frequent comment afterwards was “No way! I always thought she was a prostitute!”

 

Our annual PWOC Fall Worship and Study is Nov. 18-25, expecting 450 women, and I’m leading a class on The Parable of the Talents. Your prayers are greatly appreciated that God will draw to the class those He desires, that I’ll communicate well, and that God’s Spirit will instruct and convict, and that each of us will reevaluate the “talents” we’ve been given and how we’re using them to increase His Kingdom.

 

WOMEN'S EVENTS

I had our monthly dinner and movie night last week with 7 ladies, including 2 new women. As always, it was a wonderful time of sharing and bonding. One lady said the movie was used to give her an answer to an issue, and she can see God moving in our community.

The House sponsored a women’s event so one woman could teach 15 of us how to make tortellini! She did most of the work, but we all pitched in to press and cut the dough, chose fillings, roll and cook them, and then eat them! It provided an ideal time to talk, share stories, testimonies, growth and challenges as we hovered over the table in our labors!

 

I’ve had lunch with several women, trying to get to know some of the new ladies, and I met again for my monthly visit with my German friend. We began to talk about the book Changes that Heal and the whole issue of bonding. She recounted all she’s learning from her beginning classes in counseling and how it’s impacting her abusive past.

The House had a wedding reception for my co-worker and her husband.  And this week, for 3 days, I hosted a woman who is interested in joining our Women’s Ministry team and wanted to observe my ministry.   Pray for affirmation of her desires and then orientation and support raising.  Pray for my friend who has been in my ministry 5 years, as she has surgery next week. 

 

As the holidays begin, there’ll be many ministry opportunities with so many missing home. We’ll be having a big Thanksgiving dinner at the House on the 24th, a visit to some Christmas Markets, and I may be hosting a women’s event that weekend.

Thank you, dear friends, for all your love and support. I’m blessed to have such great partners!