Christian Woman Magazine Winter 2011

WINTER 2011 Volume 58 Number 3

www.christianwoman.com.au www.christianwoman.co.nz Australia/ New Zealand FREE

DR PAT FRANCIS God wants to use women in extraordinary ways

WALKING THROUGH

alcohol, violence, drugs, homosexuality & into the arms of mental health

WHAT

IS THE

MYSTERY OF MARRIAGE

IN CHRIST?

Plus

• An African woman’s journey from hate to love • Education for women • What is happening to our younger generation?

Vision Resource Centre

CW contents:

A Vision Resource Centre is a “Local Church Bible College” or

“Ministry Training Centre”, run by your local church and its

ministry team using the resources of Vision Christian College.

Our purpose is to assist in the task of “Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the Body of Christ”

Profiles (Ephesians 4:12).

22 Set free – my acquaintance 11 Women influencing the When you become a Resource Centre students in your program with drug addiction world also become distance education students of Vision. They study Dr Pat Francis is one inspiring Living life with a drug addict lady who encourages women husband was not the life she under your local supervision, using the dynamic curriculum developed would have chosen but Vivian be an influence in their

by Vision. to Biancardi lived like that world and to be all God

has called them to be...Lynn Goldsmith

mental health…Kerrie Gleeson

because God was present

26 Fancy That details on how to set up a Vision Resource Centre in your church A long road to love for an ntact: African girl who once hated all 16 Silver Light men but now loves her One woman’s story02 of 9603 hope 3277 Phone: 02 9603 2077 Fax: Heavenly Father... Elissa – from alcohol, violence, Email: contact@visioncolleges.net drugs, homosexuality to Christ Webster and Caroline Web: www.visioncolleges.net Atuhwere. and then into the arms of

26 When I looked into her eyes Louise Hirsch recently went on a mission trip to Russia and connected with Messianic Jews, including one very special lady 32 The night of 23 March, 1983 Healing and restoration from a life of self-destruction – this is the life Alison Buttenshaw now aspires to through Christ

Distance Bible College Education Be Prepared: for ministry with Vision Colleges Study from your place at your pace Enroll Today: with an Accredited Bible College program preparing you for your ministry

4 Christian Woman Winter 2011

EDUCATION & HUMANITIES

SOCIAL S SCIENCES

BUSINESS

MINISTRIES

Considering Considering study study options options for for 2011?

2011?

Gain Gain a degree degree & strengthen strengthen your your Christian Christian worldview. worldview.

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Contents.

Special Interest

46

14

Leprosy in East Timor - Reaching

eliminating levels the disease is far from being eradicated in the country, according to one Australian mission worker...Susan Masima

20

Bringing restoration to your body Anita Narayan talks about the need for health and fitness for our bodies and minds

36

The Mystery of Marriage in Christ The relationship between husband and wife and the church… Gerard Calilhanna

40

Age of Understanding What is happening to our younger generation? We have a responsibility to teach them about God...Graham McDonald

the abandoned rescued www.orphans aid international.org

We save kids that don’t have any family, and we need your help to do it.

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They’ve been abandoned – but with your help we can rescue them from the streets they will freeze to death in, or the cots they will die in.

These kids need love, therapy, a home, shelter, hope and prayer – they need you.

Please visit our website www.orphansaid international.org to help.

I WILL HELP! CLICK HERE

6 Christian Woman Winter 2011

FO

RM

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ALPHACRUCIS.EDU.AU futurestudents@alphacrucis.edu.au | 02 9645 9000

LY

girl talk.

EDITOR’S LETTER if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. - Romans 12:8

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8 Christian Woman Winter 2011

study?

Lynn Goldsmith

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Ch e c k o u

W

ell, winter has finally struck and some people are relieved to have a break from the heat. I don’t mind the cold as I feel more motivated. I have joined a gym, so I am inspired to be healthier and to accomplish all that God has called me to do and to be.

Having said this, yes, we do have an article in this edition of Christian Woman on health and nutrition as most women are seeking to improve their lifestyle and live a fulfilled life. It’s never too late to get fit and healthy – I like the quote that says, ‘A healthy body creates a healthy mind’ and a healthy mind also enables us to make good and wise choices.

Events in the world are becoming more interesting, particularly in the Middle East! One article that should interest many women is the story of Dr Pat Francis from Canada. She is one of the most inspiring women I have met and motivates women to be more influential in this world for God, particularly in the areas of business, politics, finance, the media and the arts. And Dr Pat does mix with Sheiks and Princes in the Middle East.

There are a number of stories in Christian Woman that will encourage you to overcome whatever situation you may be struggling with. No-one goes through life ‘untouched’. We all have trials to endure and they are part of our journey. Read about how these women have been able to eventually overcome their adversities with the help of the Lord and they do acknowledge that it is only with his help.

I pray that you will all be blessed as you read our winter issue of Christian Woman. We are made in the image of God and he loves us and he wants us to ‘Live life to the full’.

to suit your needs

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Business.

10 Christian Woman Winter 2011

Business.

Women INFLUENCING

THE World

Women should make a stand in influencing our world for Christ.

They need to be in strategic positions to allow God to use them in extraordinary ways as they come to fully know thir inheritance and royal power that is within them, according to Dr Pat Francis.....

Lynn Goldsmith

W

hen I was asked if I wanted to interview Dr Pat I immediately said, “Yes” – but also there was something stirring in my spirit that this would not be an ordinary meeting, but an extraordinary one. I was privileged to meet this dynamic woman from Canada who is one of the most inspiring women I have had the pleasure to meet – and we ‘clicked’. We spoke together on a number of topics and it quickly became obvious that her passion is to empower believers, and particularly women, to understand who they are in Christ and the inheritance God has bestowed upon them. She loves to talk about business and finance and encourages women to grab hold of a greater understanding of this.

Dr Pat made it clear, and I definitely agreed, that we, as God’s representatives here on earth, need to have a greater influence on nations’ policies, government decisions, the delegation of funds to poor nations, business acumen, and to have more power in the world of the media, in arts and sports. In fact, in every facet of life, we need to exert more authority and

power – the royal power that Jesus has given us. This is what Dr Pat travels the world proclaiming, and she is most emphatic that women take up the banner in these areas of high level organisations.

Dr Pat is very eloquent in conveying the Word of God particularly in relation to business and finance. She runs Business Forums and heads up a Humanitarian organisation, which runs under a company – www. elomax.com. This is a for-profit company with a vision to create wealth and provide solutions for the poor, help orphans and provide medical centres.

Dr. Pat was appointed to the United Nations through a NonGovernment Organization [NGO] with influence as a Transformational Activist in 2008.

Born of Jamaican parents and now residing in Toronto Canada, Dr Pat is also Pastor of a growing church and heads up Kindom Covenant Ministries.

She has a pretty impressive work and ministry history and she is very zealous about what she undertakes.

I asked Dr Pat about her

business dealings and why many Christians seem to be struggling, particularly in the area of finances.

This situation is putting a huge stress on individuals, relationships and on family life because of the lack of finances. With a humble spirit she seeks to empower Christians and draws them to believe in the transforming power of Christ.

“One of the things I have found with Christians is they are not sure of the Word of God – not sure of the will of God and if God wants us rich.” Dr Pat explains. “Is poverty of the Devil, or is richness of the Devil? Some Christians believe that money is of the Devil. Many Christians believe that prosperity is a word that is connected with evil and greed. So, in the past we have had the ‘prosperity teaching’ which was unbalanced and because it was unbalanced Christians have rejected it completely – they have thrown the baby out with the bathwater. I believe that what God is doing now is reviving everything back to the original intent that he has planned from Adam, and even in spite of what has happened after Adam, with Noah and the Covenant and after Noah he brought it back

www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 11

Business.

DON’T TRUST IN YOUR CURRENCIES OR COMMODITIES OR ANY INVESTMENTS – THERE ARE SO MANY INSECURITIES IN THIS WORLD AND THIS SHOULD DRIVE PEOPLE TO THEIR KNEES TO CRY OUT UNTO THE LORD.” with Abraham again. Throughout this generation it seems God is refreshing the original purpose.

“When we started our church in Toronto in Canada, many of our people were poor - and as a Pastor I wasn’t trained in a Bible College – but I just read in the Bible that Deuteronomy 15:4 said there should be no poor among you. I began to ask God, “Is that really true? Do you really mean that there should not be one poor unbeliever, that that is your ultimate?”

He said, “That’s what my Word says.” Believe the Word potentially that’s God’s will. God says, “I’ll take you out of slavery and I’ll put you into the land of the Hittites. He described the land of milk and honey and opportunities.

So, his whole thing was to take you out of slavery into a good land, a spacious land, into prosperity – to take you out of slavery, no more being subdued to a land where you can be established and prosper.

“After centuries of slavery the Jews ‘got it’. They eventually began to create their own world of prosperity – through David and Abraham. We saw it continue and their children were blessed.”

Dr Pat says we are to know our enemy’s strategies and to know our weapons and how to use them.

We need to keep the faith alive and don’t stop trying to find new

12 Christian Woman Winter 2011

possibilities and to build good and important relationships.

The affairs of the earth are winding down accoding to Dr Pat. It appears God is getting ready for a massive revival, delivering the poor and the abused. He is looking for godly men and women to put in key positions in the world.

“The Kingdom suffers violence and nature is revolting,” she explains.

“But God is greater. Don’t trust in your currencies or commodities

or any investments – there are so many insecurities in this world and this should drive people to their knees to cry out unto the Lord.”

It is no surprise to any of us that there is becoming more of a distinction between people of the world and the believers. “God is getting ready to do a supernatural thing – that is the transfer of wealth to the believers,” Dr Pat says, “It is vitally important that we position ourselves, wherever we are –

Business.

Kingdom Leadership Network is the vision of Dr Pat Francis from Toronto Canada and itʼs vision is to connect leaders and networks for global imapact.

KLN provides an environment for governments, businesses and church leaders to develop relationships in a cross societal forum for greater influence, accomplishments, social development and national transformation.

KLN creates and develops relationships, (for peer coaching and networking) which are built as a key component for business and governmental opportunities, giving the possibilities for partnerships in business, sponsorship and investment opportunities.

We are now in a borderless society with easy access to people of all cultures, products, expertise, inventions, innovations and solutions. For business you need a product, a process or solution. In this information age with just one idea you can prosper with the right team of expertise, sponsorship and believers. whether it be in business, politics, in government, in the arts. We need solutions for the world’s problems.

We need a solution anointing to be upon us so we can influence this world for Christ.” – Lynn Goldsmith Editor-in-Chief Christian Woman

KLN’s mission is growth and knowledge and therefore to create an environment for networking, KLN holds quarterly business forum breakfasts in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

God told us in his word ‘he will give us the ability to create wealth and that his plan for us is to prosper’ so as he downloads the plans and we connect together we will find investment tools and opportunities as we share

ideas, grow together and pray together for his Kingdom purpose and Kingdom vision.

As philanthropy is encouraged, we as a KLN network, believe we are responsible for the human family and as we come together with the philosophy that the powerful help the powerless together our tools will provide solutions for people tormented by poverty and children at risk.

Together we will lead the world Our council of advisors comprise of a team of leaders in the World Bank, the United Nations, government and apostolic networks and it means we can forge relationships through KLN for unlimited possibilities.

Please contact: Amanda Wells at klnbusinessforum@gmail.com www. klnbusinessforum.com for further information of a business forum near you. www.klnonline.org/networkglobally

www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 13

my story.

14 Christian Woman Winter 2011

my story.

Leprosy in East Timor Reaching eliminating levels The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that it has eliminated leprosy as a public health threat in East Timor but the disease is far from being eradicated in the country, according to one Australian mission worker...Susan Masima

N

atalie Smith, interim country leader of The Leprosy Mission in Dili, said there were pockets of a high number of leprosy cases around the country and a strong need still existed to educate health workers and the community at large in leprosy awareness to ensure early diagnosis and treatment.

“Community education to correct the myths and stigma towards the disease was also needed to prevent people from feeling shame, hiding their condition and failing to seek medical treatment such as Multi Drug Therapy for leprosy,” she said.

Ms Smith, an occupational therapist and project manager, made her comments in response to the recent news that leprosy has been eliminated as a major public health threat, with less than one case per 10,000 being recorded.

“Announcing that leprosy has been eliminated as a public health problem in East Timor will not mean that leprosy is gone, it is still there, it just means that leprosy is below one case per 10,000,’’ she said.

“East Timor as a whole has reached that elimination level but there are still pockets of high leprosy cases. In the isolated enclave of Oecussi, the level is still seven leprosy cases per 10,000, which means it is still a big problem in that area. . . . there are also people in the country who still hide their skin condition because of stigma, so the

problem is not solved.’’

Ms Smith oversees TLM’s Timore Leste capacity building and community rehabilitation projects in conjunction with the Timor Leste Ministry of Health. The capacity building project provides training and support to government health workers in leprosy detection and treatment. So far the project has assisted more than 300 health workers from district community health centres to be trained in leprosy awareness.

The community rehabilitation project has initiated self-help support groups for people affected by leprosy in Oecussi and provided them with small micro-credit business loans to encourage their independence.

“The Leprosy Mission projects have played a significant part in the country reaching elimination levels, ’’ Ms Smith said. “We have pretty much helped to provide all the training of health workers to detect leprosy – it is a big achievement. With leprosy, it is all about raising awareness and getting the knowledge out there in the community, that leprosy can be cured with Multi Drug Therapy.

It is ignorance about leprosy that prevents people from getting well.

“We are planning to do more work in 2011 in community education so that family members know how to detect leprosy, not just health workers.”

Ms Smith said educating family members that leprosy was a

disease caused from an airborne bacteria and not a curse caused by eating forbidden foods or the wrongdoing of a parent was also vital.

She said parents who had children with general or leprosyspecific disabilities, often kept their children hidden.

“We have found that parents will be ashamed to bring their disabled children out, they will keep them hidden in back rooms, they won’t let them go to school or play with other children,’’ Ms Smith explained.

“They don’t think anybody can help them so the children are often neglected. We want to correct these attitudes.

“Training government health workers in rural regions was also important in helping the 70 per cent of the country’s population who lived in mountainous terrain and could not afford public transport to Dili,” she said.

Out of 30 TLM international projects world-wide, Ms Smith is only one of three program leaders who are foreigners. She is preparing to train a Timorese health worker to perform her role in 2011 and mentor them for 12 months.

Susan Masima The Leprosy Mission Australia For more information about the work of TLM, visit www.leprosymission.org.au

www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 15

My new mission statement: LIVE. LAUGH. LOVE. LEARN. LEAVE A LEGACY. From childhood abuse to a life of glitz and stardom and then emptiness to finding Christ. The story of Kerrie Gleeson is one of great courage, determination and great inspiration. It is a story of hope…Kerrie Gleeson The wings of a dove are covered with silver. (Psalm 68:13) Faith is a bird that feels the dawn breaking and sings while it is still dark.

She is colourful.

But the greatest miracle of colour is her transportation from dark to light.

Today she stands. She is colourful.

All the colours of the rainbow!

I ask her, “Do you believe in miracles? I don’t believe in miracles.

I am one.”

A

lcohol is a thief, it comes to rob, steal and destroy. Alcohol is a disease. I was daddy’s girl, daddy’s princess.

Mother loved me but her affection toward me was often fueled by the smell of grog and sloppiness of speech. I found it difficult to relate to the words of love and the discomfort of the effects of alcohol.

There was always food. Mother did her best. Daddy was my hero. Oh through the eyes of a child! It was once said to me that daddy was not

16 Christian Woman Winter 2011

a good man, he was a drunk, an adulterer and he beat my mother. I never saw him like that. Oh through the eyes of a child!

Our early days were in Cabramatta in Sydney that later became known as Vietnamatta and due to that being politically incorrect it was changed to Doesntmatta.

Not liking my childhood I swore at an early age to escape. I had been running away from home for as long as I could remember. I believe I was running away in my mind before I could even walk. I went to a Catholic school. I would return home to the stench of alcohol and screams of violence. How confusing to go to school, to learn all about God, about love, about family, then go home to my environment and try to reconcile the lessons I had been taught with the conditions of my life at home.

I went to a ladies Convent college. The nuns were a rule unto themselves. I was put in a uniform.

I knelt down whilst the nuns measured my skirt, in line with my knees. I stood up, took a staple

gun and hitched my uniform up as high as I could. Did I mention I was rebellious? I was constantly in trouble and constantly caned till my hands were bruised and swollen.

Did I mention I rejected religion?

My mission statement: ‘I will not do alcohol, I will not do drugs, I will not do family, I will not do religion’.

I threw myself into a career of hairdressing. I worked hard. Every time there was a hair convention on, I was there. Every time I saw a new, more progressive salon open I applied for a job. I entered into competitions and won many awards. My life changed and I had become a baby star. I had offers from revered greats in the hairdressing world.

I quickly transported myself from the western suburbs of Sydney where I had been living, to the inner city. I love the night life, I love to boogie, oh the disco life, yeah! This new life was oh so alluring. It had my name written on it. This catapulted me into a world of sex, drugs and (rock and roll was beneath me) disco! Disco queen.

love:live:learn

Paddington. Hair by day, Kings Cross, champagne and cocaine by night. Les girls, les girls, les girls! I was getting sick.

Relationships! Boys were with boys, therefore, as an alternative (since I was seeking alternatives) girls were with girls. I am a girl.

I drove a sports car, lived in a castle in Trumper Park (with the beautiful people). Had a dog with matching hair colour and pierced ears (matching earrings). I worked

hard all day, partied hard all night.

A woman would drive me home in my car as I was incapable of driving myself. I was getting sick.

At one stage I said to two Christians who I had met, that if I won two competitions I would come to church. Guess what, I won! So I then had to go to church. How could I get to church Sunday morning - I didn’t leave The Cross till four in the morning?

When I finally went to church the

preacher called for the opportunity to be born again. So, I was onto it, straight there, standing there, wondering why the whole church didn’t join me. All I had wanted for so many years was the opportunity to be born again, to start again. I was now ready for a new life.

I had a new beginning.

I walked with the Lord, I went from KINGS CROSS to the CROSS OF CHRIST. I never touched drugs again from the day we met. My thorn

www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 17

Wellbeing.

“Life will test you but don’t let it steal your song” in the flesh, alcohol, remained. We have had quite a journey together.

I went to Bible College, became a missionary (for a minute) ‘cause a girl’s gotta find her calling.’

I was a worshipper, front line.

Into my church walked a Rogue Christian man. Next time I did coffee (I don’t do coffee, I do tea!) on the coffee line, I said to this man, “What are you doing for the rest of your life?” I was married within six weeks. I did not know I had married into religion and mental health.

Mental health is a world of its own.

Darling, was a darling. He tried to explain his condition. I could not know it until I walked it. He came from a family with mental health problems.

I had walked through alcohol, violence, drugs, homosexuality and into the arms of mental health. With God on our side, we will make it.

I was full of faith. Others thought I was just full of it! Friends were concerned for me. Again, I hold fast to my belief, “They did the best they could with what they had at the time.” I am no man’s judge.

The way forward for me is always Forgiveness, Love and Mercy.

We decided to go to Queensland and live, but within 45 minutes of leaving Hervey Bay, in the small country town of Tiaro we were involved in a fatality. Darling was clinically dead, four times and continually resuscitated, a baby was killed, the mother of the baby critically injured and I was left fighting for my life. We were transported by aerial ambulances to several hospitals and our dog was impounded. I incurred: a minor brain injury, (note I said minor girls).

18 Christian Woman Winter 2011

I am also a blonde! Seven broken ribs, broken right leg, broken left hip, two shattered knees, left foot drop and three breaks in my right wrist and arm. I have been rebuilt.

LADY METALICA! (And yes, I do sometimes ‘go off’ at airports.)

The next ten years were a journey through grief, after grief. I CALL IT ‘A DIFFICULT DECADE.’ I held God’s hand. Many watched my life. They watched to see how long I would last as the task ahead was enormous. Many wanted me to put Darling in a home but he had gone from being my husband to being my baby. I had never had a child.

Some marveled at my faith in God, some wanted that I ‘curse God and die’, some stood back and waited for me to hit the wall, to fall, or to just lose the faith. I did fall, I did hit the wall, but I never lost the faith.

I lost my Darling after six long years of pouring myself into him. He was tragically taken from me. I lost my only sibling, my baby brother to an accidental overdose of drugs and alcohol. I lost my father to an alcohol-induced car crash, a head on collision. Somewhere in the fog of ‘here’ I lost myself, I lost my mother to her battle with the big C. I lost my precious Angel, my dog, when she could no longer find enough breath to stay around and look after me. She closed her eyes after 18 years of service and went to be with the Lord. I lost every one I loved over a decade.

‘A DIFFICULT DECADE’. I hardly had time to catch my breath and another one literally ‘bites the dust.’

I was not the type of Christian

gal who praised the Lord in all the tragedy. I was not the type of girl who gave thanks for suffering because it made me grow. (Don’t like the growing pains.) I am the type of girl who knows nothing but to put my hand in the hand of the man who stills the water and wait for my ‘peace be still ‘ to come upon my emotions and my heart, to search out the wisdom of God for the way forward and to keep moving forward. I also believe that the same determination, resilience and endurance that propelled me from the meager beginnings on a pursuit of ‘what’s it all about, Alfie?

And ‘there must be more to life than this’!

I kept going. Life will test you but don’t let it steal your song.

On my journey I held God’s hand, I held close to the dream makers, not dream breakers. I surrounded myself with GWOGs (Gorgeous Women Of God). Soul sisters: Hey sister, go sister, go sister, go! (Blast from the past, disco queen) I kept FOCUSED on the Lord. I studied to show myself approved (as the Bible says).

My new mission statement: LIVE. LAUGH. LOVE. LEARN. LEAVE A LEGACY. Kerrie Gleeson Life Coach kerigleeson@bigpond.com

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www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 19

Health and Fitness.

Bringing Restoration to Your Body Christians know the need for health and fitness in a spiritual sense but we also need this for our physical bodies. “A healthy body will always give you a healthy mind” - Anita Narayan

M

y journey started in 1998 when I was trying on some dresses in a dress shop for a party that I was invited to. In my mind I thought I was size 12 after I gave birth to my second son and was so surprised to see that I was really size 20. It surprised and alarmed me at the same time as to how I had let myself get that big. Three words came out of my mouth – ‘ignorance, laziness and careless’.

This depressed me so much that I made an appointment with a local doctor to help me. He directed me to a dietician and advised me to exercise. I then joined a gym. I learned everything I could on how to improve my health and get fit and lean. I studied health books, health magazines, tried all the different diets on this planet and then took supplements which eventually took me down to the dress size 8.

Women need to start looking after their bodies, keeping them clean and healthy by eating right nutrition and exercising regularly, particularly with resistance training.

Weight training gives you that lean healthy looking muscle and glowing skin and eating right nutrition helps prevent against chronic disease.

So, what can you do to keep your cells healthy – which is vital to maintaining your body? A wellbalanced diet, high in fruits and vegies (avoiding high calories with 20 Christian Woman Winter 2011

low nutrition, over-processed fast foods with high sugar and salt meals) is necessary. My advice; in today’s busy lifestyle, is that it is necessary to fortify our diets with high quality nutritional supplements to replenish our missing nutrients and to heal our cells. This fights some of the major chronic sickness and Degenerative diseases.

You have 100 trillion cells in your body. The cells are there for a reason. Each cell has a job to do and they work together for the sole purpose of giving you life.

Some cells are leaders of particular regions or organs and they manage and direct all working cells in their region. All cells must work as a team 24 hours a day, seven days a week for their entire life. Their purpose is to maintain the life and health of your body.

To add to that you also need to exercise.

For women, resistance training is very important, particularly as you get older.

I think it is one of the most important and crucial things a woman should be doing – because as we get older we lose a lot of bone density. I would say for myself, that weight training keeps me younger – it helps my posture, it keeps my muscles lean and strong.

I find that in the industry I work in, women always have a concern that if they do weight training they will look like men with big muscles.

The truth is men naturally produce a lot more testosterone in the body than women. This is how they get their muscles to grow so big. Women don’t have that extra natural testosterone within them, so they WON’T grow as much as men do; when participating in weight training.

You will look stronger, healthier, leaner and younger.

Weight training means you are doing some resistance training.

My advice for today’s woman is to join your local gym and if possible, take advice from a professional personal trainer who will help you with your goal.

Sisters if you are over 30 years old don’t worry about getting older and the problems with hormones, wrinkles, grey hair, dry skin, and belly fat. Instead start looking for ways to improve your health.

Health is a matter of choice, heal your body and it will bless you with a longer healthier life and will add five to 15 healthy years to your life. Eating well and exercising regularly will enable you to enjoy life so much more…START RIGHT NOW! Thank you Jesus for taking me on this journey so I can help others.

Anita Narayan is a qualified Personal Trainer.

Email: anita.narayan@bigpond.com

Health and Fitness.

HEALTH IS A MATTER OF CHOICE, HEAL YOUR BODY AND IT WILL BLESS YOU WITH A LONGER HEALTHIER LIFE AND WILL ADD FIVE TO 15 HEALTHY YEARS TO YOUR LIFE

www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 21

Addiction.

Set Free

My acquaintance with drug addiction

22 Christian Woman Winter 2011

Living life with a drug addict husband was not the life she would have chosen but Vivian Biancardi lived like that because God was present.

F

rank and I married and started a family while we were both still teenagers, aged16 and 17. My husband would smoke small amounts of cannabis once in a while for recreation and also to relieve the stress of the responsibilities of being a young parent and husband. Very quickly he became addicted and graduated from one drug to another more powerful drug.

At the age of 24 we had been married seven years and had two children, Waylon age 7 and Daniel age 3. Frank had also developed a three year heroin addiction. Life was difficult and tumultuous to say the least. During this period I had tried everything within my resources to help my husband and family. Nothing worked! Eventually I was at my wits end and wanted to leave because I did not want our two sons to have this type of upbringing and there was the very real danger that they could be the ones to find their father dead one day. It was also very painful for me to watch someone I love slowly disappear emotionally and physically. I could not understand Frank’s addiction and viewed his habits as a voluntary death by instalments.

I had a Bible that was given to us for a wedding gift and was just starting to read it. One day while having a conversation with a Christian neighbour, she happened to mention that if I had any problems in my life I should pray the ‘blood of

“Frank begged God to help him for the sake of his children as he did not want them to live with the shameful fact that their father had died a junkie” the lamb’ over it and Jesus could resolve any issues I may have.

I thought this was the strangest thing I had ever heard and yet I was energised by an amazing dose of hope.

I went home and thought about what my neighbour had said, trying to recall the strange story she told me about the blood and for a moment I couldn’t remember the ‘farm animal’ that she had mentioned ( I obviously had no understanding that Christ was the lamb of God who took away the sin of the world ) but I knew she meant Jesus and I suddenly recalled that it was the ‘blood of the lamb’ and at that very moment I began to talk to Jesus for the first time in my adult life, telling him that I believed that if he wanted me he would want my husband as well and I said to Jesus, “ I apply your blood over my husband’s drug addiction.”

The very next day Frank overdosed in a friend’s house. The friends carried him to a couch and while he lay there paralysed he heard his friend and his wife talk about where they would dump his body. Frank recalled that he was

in great fear and totally conscious of slipping away. He called out to God inwardly because he could not move or talk. Frank begged God to help him for the sake of his children as he did not want them to live with the shameful fact that their father had died a junkie. At that very moment he regained movement in his body and was able to stumble to his car and by the grace of God he drove home safely. (To this day I cannot fathom how Frank managed to drive himself home).

When Frank arrived at the front door, he was soaking wet as it had been a thunderous rainy night and he fell in the hallway crawling to the kitchen; I managed to drag him onto the bed and took all his wet clothes off him.

I wasn’t alarmed by Frank’s state but I was alarmed at the knowledge that I had tapped into a source that had not only the power and authority to deliver but also had the desire and will to come into a life such as ours.

From that night Frank, myself and our children were free from the grip of heroin after a three year nightmare.

www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 23 Evelyn Duprai with James Morrison

Addictions.

Vivian Biancardi God’s Power You were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1v17- 19).

God’s Desire God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him ( John 3v16).

The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but I (Jesus) have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly - ( John 10 v 10 ).

While God can and does at times heal people miraculously and instantly - this normally does not occur. I do not claim to even know why, however, I can attest to God’s desire and power to bring healing in whatever way he chooses.

Frank was instantly delivered from the grip of heroin but did not immediately fall into the Lord’s arms. I, however realised that the kingdom of God was suddenly upon us and I began to attend the church of the neighbour who had told me about the blood of Jesus.

God’s promise to me was that if I believed, my household would

24 Christian Woman Winter 2011

also be saved. God did not tell me how long this would take. If he had told me that I would have to wait another 11 years before my husband accepted the Lordship of Christ I may have not stayed in my marriage.

Over the next 11 years God brought me closer to Himself.

Frank however continued smoking marijuana and I could not understand his addiction to drugs but believed that God would set him free. These years were turbulent and people often ask me how on earth did you live like that ? My answer is that I lived like that because God was present.

As I renewed my mind and Christ increased, Frank’s drug related temperament would often meet with Christ in me who became my shield. God also taught me how to raise my children - how to have courage in the face of fear and to believe in his Word even if my circumstances told me otherwise.

My biggest revelation was that I was building an Ark for the saving of my family.

Frank finally came to the Lord through his own calling out to God and God did deliver him from the addiction to marijuana. For the past 10 years Frank has been

renewing his mind with the Word of God and is growing daily in Christ.

My sons are now 28 and 24. I have a beautiful daughter in law and four grandsons. Everyone in my family follows the Lord.

I also have had the privilege of graduating in 2008 as a professional Counsellor with the Australian Institute of Family Counselling www.aifc.com.au which is a Christian based government accredited course.

I have been further set free by the balanced teaching of Psychology, Theology and Spirituality that AIFC offer and this has helped me understand Addictions, Co-dependency and Mental health issues. I am currently completing a postgraduate qualification with AIFC (Vocational Graduate Certificate) and I have come to understand that while God brings instant deliverance in some instances there are other occasions in our lives where the Lord brings healing through a process.

I have certainly learned to embrace processes and continue to pray for miracles.

My Christian counselling qualification has enabled me to reach out in a better way to those I came in touch with during my work as a school Chaplain, working with traumatised women in refuges, as a social worker and even now working in the National Office of the Australian Institute of Family Counselling in Canberra.

Hebrews 12:13 Now stand up straight! Stop your knees from shaking and mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

This is how God has set me free Vivian Biancardi www.integritycounselling.com/

While seeking truth and justice, two people scarred by the past need to find forgiveness and real love to have any hope of a future together.

JUSTICE AT BARAGULA concludes the 3 book “Baragula” series and tells of Bradley Hunter who has now fufilled his ambition to be the policeman stationed at Baragula. Years before, Brad risked his relationship with his teenage sweetheart, Madeline Honeysuckle, to leave the area for his essential training and experience. Now he realises she has changed so drastically from the happy girl she had been, his hopes of reviving their relationship seems hopeless.

Not long after Brad insisted he had to leave without her, Maddie’s life had collapsed around her. Her mother’s death was only another catalyst that forced her to believe she was unlovable. Even God no longer answered her prayers because of the woman she has become. Danger from the past begins to stalk and traumatise Madeline again. She is forced to turn to Brad the policeman for protection and his expertise to bring to justice the criminal who again threatens her and those she loves.

Can two young people with scars from their past discover a way back to love, not only for each other but for God whose ways may sometimes be hard to understand, but does exercise His justice, truth and love when and how He wills?

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www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 25

Life Skills.

Fancy That Today, 22-year-old Fancy is a woman in love—with her man, with her Heavenly Father, and with life itself. But it was a long road to love for a girl who once hated all men—her earthly father most of all ... Elissa Webster and Caroline Atuhwere.

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he exam was hard, and Fancy and her six step-brothers and -sisters had been surviving on nothing but a bulk box of biscuits and a two kilogram bag of sugar for the entire four month term at boarding school. But her father was furious when Fancy’s sister scored 95th in the class of 105. He tied her to her bed with ropes and gave her 95 strokes. For each stroke, he made her count down to zero.

That was the day Fancy started hating her father.

But he was not the first on her list. Fancy grew up in Kampala, Uganda. She never really knew her mother because her parents had separated. By the time she was a preschooler, she was washing her own clothes and was often left alone with her brothers and sisters. But the real misery began when Fancy and her sister were sent to live with their aunt so they could go to school.

Living with their aunt’s fierce and violent temper was terrifying. Fancy couldn’t eat porridge with milk; every time she ate it, it made her vomit. Her aunt was angry every time Fancy vomited, and beat her each time she was sick. Because the cheap porridge was the poverty-stricken family’s daily breakfast, the beatings became a daily occurrence.

But vomit wasn’t the only thing that triggered her aunt’s temper. One day, Fancy’s sister accidently got her leg caught on the pedal of the motorcycle they hired to get to school. She was hurt and their aunt had to take her to the hospital to have the

26 Christian Woman Winter 2011

Life Skills. injury treated. Their aunt was irate.

She beat Fancy’s sister for causing the trouble and expense, and told the girls they could no longer hire the motorcycle and would now have to walk the eight kilometres to school instead.

“I just didn’t understand why my aunt treated us like that,” remembers Fancy. “It planted pain and real anger in my heart.”

Fancy

A painful past After one term of staying with their aunt, Fancy and her sister were sent to the boarding school where their five other brothers and sisters lived. School life was better than their aunt’s house, but term time was marked by hunger and loneliness, and holidays at home by violence and neglect.

During one school break, food went missing from the family’s limited store, and Fancy’s father decided her brother had taken it.

That day, instead of buying food for the children, he bought a packet of candles. He tied the boy under the bed, leaving only his hands exposed. He lit the candles one by one and burnt him with the wax.

“Although I was so little, I developed a deep well of anger within me,” says Fancy. “I felt unloved and useless and I hated all men—I thought they were all like my father. I had been given so many beatings, and seen my siblings and step-mother take so many, that I became hard and determined to protect myself at any cost.”

One day, Fancy’s mother came to visit with a half-brother, who her father refused to accept was his.

Her brother said something that upset her, so she hit him. He went running to their mother, and she scolded Fancy and slapped her.

Fancy, furious, slapped her back then ran out of the house.

“I didn’t feel guilty about what I had done,” she remembers. “All I knew was that I had to protect myself from everyone who wanted

www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 27

Life Skills.

“There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children” to hurt me. I felt like it was my right to protect myself.

“After I ran away, I went and sat in a tucked away corner alone. I stared at a wound I had on my knee.

In my anger, I tore it open. When blood oozed out, I was relieved. I did not feel pain because my pain was in my heart.”

The experience triggered another revolution on Fancy’s downward spiral. She began meting out the violence she had experienced from those around her, desperate to take control of her life however she could.

“One day, I fought with my sister and grabbed her by the neck. I tore the skin at the back of her neck with my nails. When blood started oozing out of her skin, I felt like I had achieved something great. The sight of blood made me feel better,” Fancy explains.

The road to restoration Just as Fancy’s course seemed set to replicate the brutal example she had been shown, the Lord revealed his plan for her life. When Fancy was nine years old, her step-mother heard about the help being offered at the Compassion child development centre run in partnership with their local church and registered Fancy with the Child Sponsorship Program. For the first time, Fancy heard that she was precious and beautiful to her Father. For the first time, she made friends. One year later, Fancy received Jesus as her personal saviour.

After meeting Jesus, Fancy began the long, hard road to restoration. Bit by bit, she worked to overcome her anger and

28 Christian Woman Winter 2011

forgiveness. While the Child Sponsorship Program helped meet Fancy’s physical needs, it also gave her hope and helped her see herself the way God sees her through the love and care of the local church and her Australian sponsors.

“If I could choose two people to meet, it would be my sponsors Rev. Paul and Gaylene Ridgewell,” Fancy smiles.

“They have sponsored me since I was a child all the way through to university.

They love me so much; every time they write they tell me that they love me and that they are praying for me. I love them too. Whenever I receive a letter from them, I get so excited.

“I have experienced so much love and acceptance through the local church too. Even if the people were late for a meeting, they would apologise for being late. When you did something small for them, they would say ‘thank you.’ That was not something I was used to while growing up.

“It made me realise I needed to change my attitude towards my family. I learnt to love them how they are. Now, I can honestly say that I have forgiven my father.”

The adventure ahead Fancy still bears the scars of her past, but her future is now set on a completely different trajectory.

In 1998, she was one of a select group of students accepted into Compassion’s Leadership Development Program, sponsored to receive a university education as well as Christian leadership training and mentoring. Now 22, Fancy is currently studying a Social

Sciences degree at Makerere University. At the same time, she works part-time at a local television station where she hosts a program for university students called Campus Flavour; the money she earns pays for one of her brothers to get an education.

So what does the future hold?

Fancy is passionate about helping people who are vulnerable. She hopes to one day pursue a Masters degree in Mass Communication and specialise in radio, then host a talk show teaching people life skills for survival. She also hopes to open up a school for music and drama for children who cannot manage formal education.

Though she has come so far, Fancy still has many challenges to overcome. Her siblings now number 14; her father has brought home several half-brothers and -sisters over the years, the youngest of who is four years old. Fancy still battles with anger and her feelings toward men, but she has found love with a young man at her church. The future looks bright.

Behind Fancy’s beautiful face is a less than beautiful past. But it is her past that has taught her to truly love like Christ, and overcome her circumstances to cultivate the “unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” (1 Peter 3:4).

Elissa Webster and Caroline Atuhwere Compassion Australia

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO CHILDREN Child abuse and domestic violence are growing issues in much of the developing world.

Financial poverty, social disempowerment, regional conflict and displacement, gender inequality, and a lack of child protection infrastructure are all contributing factors.

• Of the world’s 2.2 billion children, 1.1 billion are living in poverty.

• One in four of the world’s children are underweight.

• Globally, the two biggest killers of children under age five are pneumonia and diarrhoeal diseases— both entirely preventable.

• 100 million primary school children around the world do not attend school.

• 215 million children—one in 10—are involved in child labour.

• An estimated 980,000 children are trafficked each year, many for sexual exploitation or cheap labour.

Because every single child is fearfully and wonderfully made

by God—known before they were formed in the womb—it’s clear that physical, emotional and spiritual poverty is not a condition that he created for his children to live in.

Pray for the world to see children as Jesus sees them.

Pray for justice for children, wherever they live. And pray for the courage and commitment to act on their behalf.

There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they can grow up in peace. —Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General For more information on Compassion’s ministry, visit www.compassion.com.au Sources: UNICEF, IPEC, US State Department, Millennium Development Goals Report 2010.

BOOK 3 IN THE HELÉNA TRILOGY Doctor Susan Curtis faces the birth of her f i r s t c h i l d a l o n e , b i t t e r a t b e i n g re j e c t e d b y h e r f i a n c é a n d f a m i l y. S h e b e g i n s h e r o w n re l u c t a n t j o u r n e y t o w a rd s G o d , b u t it is not until she comes to know Heléna Hajek and to trust her that she is able e v e n t o c o n s i d e r f o rg i v i n g t h o s e w h o l e t h e r d o w n . H e l é n a d e s i re s t o m a k e a re a l d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e l i v e s o f S u s a n ’s w h o l e family as well as that of her good friends Ben and Marie. But how can she best help t h e m ? A n d W H AT L A S T I N G L E G A C Y C A N S H E L E AV E B E H I N D F O R E A C H OF THEM?

JO-ANNE BERTHELSEN

Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt, weiß, was ich leide! Allein und abgetrennt von aller Freude Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt, weiß, was ich leide!

Allein und abgetrennt von aller Freude Nur wer die Sehnsucht kennt, weiß, was ich leide! Allein und abgetrennt von aller Freude Nur wer

Heléna’s

Available in all good Christian bookstores or visit www.arkhousepress.com

www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 29

Jewish.

When I looked into Her Eyes Louise Hirsch recently went on a mission trip to Russia and connected with Jewish people who had met the Messiah

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he looked at me with tears flowing from her eyes and said, “I am that lost sheep and I need the Messiah.”

When I looked into her eyes, she reminded me of my husband’s bubbe (grandmother) whom I had grown to love at the age of 15.

Even though there was a language barrier, our eyes met and it was an instant connection. Her name was Clara and she was in her 80’s. Through an interpreter I learnt that she had come to the Jewish Autonomous Region with her parents as a little girl in 1938.

This was the ‘homeland’ that Stalin had promised the Jewish people so they could start a new life for themselves. Little did they realise that it was a mosquito invested swampland, Stalin’s version of Zion, his solution to the ‘Jewish Problem’. The Jewish Autonomous Region was established in April 1928, twenty years before the existence of the modern State of Israel.

Being as productive as the Jewish people are, they built a wonderful shtetl for themselves in the main town called Birobidzhan.

Jewish life was thriving with Yiddish schools, newspapers and street names. Clara recalls the wonderful singing and dancing in the streets

30 Christian Woman Winter 2011

as a child. She is the first of four generations of her family living in Birobidzhan.

Surely the connection we felt to each other was nothing other than Yeshua because this dear lady is one of the new believers in Messiah who have come to know him through the work that we had started a couple of years earlier.

I met many other elderly folk with similar stories to Clara and am still amazed at how the Lord opened the door for us to minister in the Far East of Russia and Siberia.

It all started in 2004 when our team embarked on a journey that would increase our sphere of ministry in a way we could never have imagined. When we heard that there were Jewish people still living in the Far East of Russia we just had to go and see for ourselves.

Birobidzhan is situated just North of the Chinese border, further East than Siberia and Mongolia with the river Bira running through the town.

Since the fall of communism in the early 1990s many Jewish people began to leave Birobidzhan and make ‘aliyah’ and return to Israel. Yet there are still a large number of Jewish people living in Birobidzhan and other scattered towns and cities around the region like Khabarovsk and the port city of Vladivostok. It is to this remnant that we felt the call of God tugging

at our hearts.

Travelling to the Far East of Russia from Australia is quite an arduous trip although closer than the Western side of Russia. Flying from Melbourne to Hong Kong then onto Korea and Vladivostok, and then by train to Birobidzhan. When one arrives at the station you are greeted by the name of the town in Russia and in Yiddish and many of the streets signs are in Yiddish and Russian. The town square has a massive Menorah in the centre of a fountain and a statue of Tevya from Fiddler on the Roof fame. It is surely a surreal feeling and one wonders if you are in Russia or perhaps Israel.

During one of our visits we had the opportunity to speak to a large group of people, both Jews and Gentiles. We really wanted to share with them deeply about God’s love in Yeshua the Messiah. We needed a way to relate to their suffering and hardships living in such a harsh place. God put on my heart to share our testimony about our severely disabled child Sarah who was only meant to live three days and who is now 20 years old. I shared our journey and how God has used Sarah to change us and to touch the lives of many others. Little did I realise that our daughter’s life would speak so clearly across cultural and language barriers. Amazing

Jewish.

Louise Hirsch and her family

Louise Hirsch and Clara

Louise Hirsch and Clara

since Sarah has never spoken a word herself yet God had used her in a very special way. Her story touched their hearts and when I had finished there wasn’t a dry eye in the meeting. Immediately after speaking, I was surrounded by so many women hugging me and wanting to share their stories.

One woman told me that because of the love that we have shown our daughter, she was going to have more love in her heart from then on. What a privilege it was to share the Message of the Messiah with them.

Our workers in Birobidzhan, Valeria and Andre, typify the story of God’s saving power in Russia. Andre was born into a Jewish family in Birobidzhan, his stepfather used to beat him up so at the age of 15 he chose a life on the streets. Soon he was involved in petty crime and then found himself spending the next 27 years of his life in a Soviet prison.

It was in prison that Andre came to faith in Yeshua as the Messiah through reading a book called Son of Man by Alexandra Men. While reading the book he had a vision of the Lord who showed him his black heart. He started praying the Lord’s Prayer and the more he prayed the more he saw his heart being healed and change colour to a healthy red heart. He recalls he prayed that prayer about 40 times in anguish and tears before finally accepting forgiveness and surrendering his life to Yeshua.

Later he met Valeria who was working for an organisation helping Russian Jews return to Israel.

They married and began working with us in reaching the Jews of Birobidzhan. In a most astounding turn of events, even though they are well known in town as Messianic Jewish believers, Andre is now serving in a prominent role in a small orthodox synagogue in Birobidzhan. They have become

known for their commitment to the Jews of Birobidzhan through their love and benevolent care.

To finish I want to share one more incredible story: We were in the town of Magadan in the far north of Far East Russia. This town is infamous for Stalin’s gulags in the region. While we were there we contacted the local Jewish community and offered to bring them food and share a Shabbat dinner with them. We introduced ourselves to them and shared our faith in Messiah. Surprisingly they were very open. After our Shabbat dinner, one lady came up to talk to me and I told her the story of the Good Shepherd who had left the 99 sheep to find the one lost sheep of the house of Israel. She looked at me with tears flowing from her eyes and said, “I am that lost sheep and I need the Messiah.” We held hands and we prayed together.

Luke 15:4-7 (NIV) “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

4

Louise Hirsch Celebrate Messiah Australia Inc. www.celebratemessiah.com.au

www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 31

Restoration.

Reflection.

The night of 23 March, 1983 Healing and restoration from a life lived out of great pain – this is the life Alison Buttenshaw now aspires to through Christ

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creaming.

Terrified screaming. 11 year old Alison made her way down the stairs towards the source of the noise and was gripped with waves of fear and panic. What she saw would haunt her for years to come. Blood covered the walls and trailed along the floor. Shocked and horrified, she continued on towards the study and, there, time literally stood still.

Standing in front of her in the midst of a frenzied knife attack on her mother and father stood her eldest brother. How does an eleven year old child cope with such a scene? She joined her father in begging her brother to stop but he took her upstairs to her bedroom and tied her up. Managing to break free, Alison ran downstairs and together with her other brother, they tried to get help.

Outside, she found her father; his life ebbing away from multiple stab wounds. Time was running out.

Little Alison, with tears streaming down her face, knelt beside her dad, told him she loved him and kissed his cheek; her final ‘goodbye’. The dark night echoed with a cry that came from the depths of her soul.

And so began the rest of her life.

A life abruptly robbed of her beloved father, a life where extended family was torn apart by bitterness and

32 Christian Woman Winter 2011

sorrow, a childhood which had seemed picture-perfect but now lay in tatters. In the months after the attacks, the focus was on Alison’s mother to get well and for the family of three to try and resume a ‘normal’ life.

Added to this trauma, were overwhelming emotions of confusion and shame arising from incidents of sexual abuse that started happening when Alison was eight years old. The next 20 years were spent living with this secret, one which shattered and distorted her view of the world.

Over the following months and years, Alison shut down emotionally in response to the trauma she had witnessed, struggling to express her real feelings and bottling up emotions until they burst forth in volcanic eruptions of anger.

Growing more and more restless and frustrated with herself and her circumstances, Alison lived a double life. With family and friends she hid behind a bright, outgoing and carefree personality, but when alone she was fearful and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Alison’s mother had forgiven her son, but rifts developed between the relatives who could not forgive their nephew for his actions. Not only had Alison lost her father, but the relatives she loved as well.

Spiraling out of control, Alison turned to binge drinking, drugs and developed an eating disorder, reasoning that if she couldn’t get rid of the pain she could at least be desensitised to it. Many a time in those dark and desperate years she woke in a gutter or at a friend’s house, wondering how she’d got there. Self-destructive, careless and reckless, she wondered how she would ever climb out of the pit into which she found herself sinking deeper and deeper.

By the end of high school, she finally formed some friendships,

Restoration.

It will require determination, courage, willingness and an attitude that says, “whatever it takes”, but, believe me, you will never regret it,”

feeling a genuine connection with a small group of teenagers. One day one of her friends announced he was going to church. Alison couldn’t believe it. In spite of her critical remarks and negativity the friend invited her to church every week and every week Alison refused. “Who was God anyway?

He never did me any favours. Never answered any of my prayers,” said Alison.

Persistence paid off and after months of invitations, Alison finally accepted. Her friend had been praying for her, aware of all the

wrong choices Alison had been making in her life, and knowing that God had a greater purpose for her. The first time Alison attended church was to watch another friend’s baptism. It seemed to Alison that suddenly more of her friends were becoming interested in God and she was intrigued to see the changes taking place in their lives. Walking into the church she was hesitant and sceptical. By the time she left she felt a sense of peace and belonging, feelings not experienced for a very long time.

Alison became a regular attender at church, realising she had finally come to the end of her tether. For the first time she became aware of the need to surrender her life to God and allow him to take control.

Then, on 5 May, 1991, Alison decided to become a Christian and was baptized.

“To this day it remains one of the most amazing days of my life . . . because of what took place in my heart. After living in pain and confusion for most of my life, for the first time since the attacks, there was hope. Hope that my future could be full of promise and potential. Hope that I would no longer live like someone lost in the shadows. Hope that the pain and sorrow would somehow be replaced with peace and happiness,” says Alison.

“For the first time in years I felt like a massive weight had been lifted from me and that I no longer had to carry around the burden of unhappiness. I woke each morning

with an expectation that something good was going to happen instead of something bad – and I loved it,” she says.

Soon enough Ali met Ross Buttenshaw who was to become her best friend and her husband.

He showed her how to live life with integrity and with the courage of deep convictions. Ross was like a rock for Alison. Every new marriage faces its challenges, but Ross and Alison’s early marriage was like a roller coaster ride.

Alison’s unresolved emotions would sometimes get the better of her and she would explode violently.

“Thankfully, with time, I learned to identify the triggers, take time out . . . and discuss the problem calmly . . . now we often laugh at those days and are in awe of how far we have come . . . ultimately with God’s wisdom and guidance we have managed to overcome every obstacle and hurdle. Whether it is dealing with issues from my past or dealing with the pressures of today, God has equipped us to rise above every situation and circumstance,” says Alison.

“I will be eternally grateful for what God has done in my life. I’m grateful that he knew how to reach me in my time of desperation and he knew what I needed to be liberated and set free from my past,” she said.

Now in her thirties, Alison is passionate about seeing people set free and restored to wholeness, just as she has been. She now has the privilege of working at Christians Against Poverty (CAP), a charity that is helping families walk in freedom from the oppressive burden of debt and poverty. Alison uses her past experiences to help people today.

“Our experiences in life aren’t too dissimilar to pieces of a jigsaw puzzle,” she says.

“Everything you’ve been through represents a piece of your ‘puzzle’. It doesn’t matter how challenging or difficult

www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 33

Restoration.

Alison’s book, Out Of The Shadows, was published in 2007 and can be purchased from Koorong and Word bookstores. Alison enjoys speaking at churches and seminars and can be contacted at ali@alisonbuttenshaw. com See www.alisonbuttenshaw.com.

Adapted from Out of the shadows by Alison Buttenshaw.

Some of Alison’s favourite verses and quotes:

Alison’s brothers, her Mum, and Alison on the far right

things might appear to be – if you have patience and determination and allow God to position and use each piece of the puzzle – restoration will come and your life will be complete. Yes, there will be challenging times ahead. It will require determination, courage, willingness and an attitude that says, “whatever it takes”, but, believe me, you will never regret it,” says Alison.

Alison sees this attitude of ‘whatever it takes’ through her work with many CAP clients. As a national debt counselling charity working through a network of centres based in local churches and aiming to show God’s love and compassion to those in financial difficulties, CAP provides sustainable poverty relief through free debt advice, practical help and financial education. CAP helps to lift people ‘out of the pit’, giving them back their dignity and hope for the future. Besides seeing people become debt free, CAP’s desire is to bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

Alison’s life overflows with the abundant blessings of God. Happily, he has enabled the restoration of the relationship between Alison and her brother. Alison is dedicated to helping people overcome adversity and attain freedom, knowing God and able to embrace all he has in store for them. A joyful, bubbly, positive and caring person, she and husband, Ross, have two children.

Alison Buttenshaw

34 Christian Woman Winter 2011

God’s truth will bring freedom John 8:31, “If you hold to my teaching you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Proverbs 3: 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” Forgiveness “Forgiveness is almost a selfish act because of the immense benefits to the one who forgives.” – Lawana Blackwell Colossians 3:13, “Bear with oneanother and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Alison sees this attitude of “whatever it takes” through her work with many CAP clients. CAP is a national debt management charity working through a network of centres based in local churches. Aiming to show God’s love and compassion to those in financial difficulties, CAP provides sustainable poverty relief through free debt advice, practical help and financial education. CAP helps to lift people ‘out of the pit’, giving them back their dignity and hope for the future.

Besides seeing people become debt free, CAP’s desire is to bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus. For more information about Christians Against Poverty visit www.capaust.org

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www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 35

Marriage.

THE MYS MARR

36 Christian Woman Winter 2011

STERY OF RIAGE IN CHRIST The relationship between husband and wife intertwines with the marital imagery of Christ’s relationship with his church…

Gerard Calilhanna “These,” says St. Augustine, “are all the blessings of matrimony on account of which matrimony itself is a blessing; offspring, conjugal faith and the sacrament.”

(De bono coniugali, cap. 24, n.

32. in Pius XI Casti Conubii #10) The Divine Origin of Marriage Marriage originates in God. The Old Testament, at the culmination of creation, opens with the marriage of Adam and Eve and God gives their marriage direction and purpose.

After creating them he blesses them before both directing and instructing them to “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it.” (Gen 1:28 RSV, Catholic edition). At the origin of marriage, therefore, is the purpose of generating new life, and the establishment of the bond of unity between a man and woman.

At the culmination of creation, of which marriage forms a part, God “saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Gen 1:31) In the second account of creation, after the creation of man, God says, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” (Gen 2:18) After removing a rib and creating woman for man, the man, yet unnamed, exclaims:

“This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

(Gen 2:23-24) This form, or order, of marriage became foundational across human cultures and societies throughout history, despite aberrations that occurred such as polygamy.

Christ Elevates Marriage In the New Covenant, Christ elevates marriage, as expressed

by St Paul in Ephesians 5: 21-32, higher in meaning and purpose.

After re-quoting Genesis 2:24, as above, St Paul adds, “This mystery (or sacrament) is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” (Eph 5:32) The relationship between husband and wife intertwines with the marital imagery of Christ’s relationship with his church. All God established in the Creation of man and woman remains, but now it develops deeper significance.

Additionally, the relationship between husband and wife reveals

the marital nature of the relationship between the bridegroom Christ and the bride his church. (Eph 5:21-33) In St John’s Gospel, Christ performs his first public miracle, “the first of his signs” at a marriage in Cana. (Joh 2:1-11) During the festivities following the ceremony, to prevent the humiliation of the newlyweds he performs a great miracle. At the request of his Mother, Mary, who conveys to him that there is no more wine, he acts to prevent a great social embarrassment.

He upholds the honour of the newlyweds by creating a higher quality wine from water than the first of the meal. His action was so unpretentious that the steward of the feast speaks to the bridegroom thinking that having the best wine last was by the latter’s design. (Joh 2:9-10) By his presence and actions, he further exalts the significance of marriage.

At the end of the last book of the Bible, Revelation, both the Spirit and the Bride, the Bride being the church, invite those who desire the return of Christ to say “Come.”

(Rev 22:17) The Bible closes with marital imagery linked to Christ’s return. Thus, marriage features at the beginning of the Bible, at its end, throughout Christ’s public ministry, thus ratifying its significance to God and for us.

www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 37

Marriage.

Christ Teaches About Marriage God places a very high value on marriage. In his teaching about divorce we learn that in marriage God joins husband and wife through the mutual exchange of their vows and that it is both illicit and impossible to break: “What God has joined, let no man put asunder.” (Mat 19:6, Mar 10:9) Thus, marriage is also a covenant, as the vows establish an exchange of persons, not a mere contractual agreement.

A Christian marriage begins in Christ and lives in Christ.

Christ prohibits divorce, and turns the minds of the Pharisees and his other hearers to the statements in Genesis about the two becoming one flesh and that there was no divorce mandated “in the beginning.” (Mat 19:8) God does not require of us more than is possible and his support is available to us. Recall that he says to St Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Cor 12:9) Therefore, his teaching comes with his own guarantee of support as expressed in his act of joining husband and wife in marriage. Some Christian churches therefore identify marriage as a sacrament, because it is an efficacious sign of God’s transmission of grace.

The ‘Mystery’ of the Marital Intimacy Marital sexual relations renew the vows of marriage, the point at which “God has joined” and the “two become one flesh.” This evokes the bridal imagery of Christ and his church, as referred to in Ephesians 5. The nature of this union further deepens with husbands being identified with Christ, who are to “Love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (Eph 5: 25) In other words, marriage calls husbands to total and utter self-giving to the

38 Christian Woman Winter 2011

point of death for their wives. The great mystery is the unification of the marital imagery with Christ’s relationship with his church, which is united to Christ’s own Passion and death.

On the particulars of marital intimacy Christ is silent. His prudence is in sharp contrast to the confronting nature of popular and social culture today. The mystery of the marital union and Christ’s relationship with the church is that it is fruitful – it brings forth life – human life and the life of grace.

Life-Giving Love Life-giving love is at the heart of marriage. Christ responds to the Sadducees who question him about the woman who had seven husbands in her lifetime and asking specifically whose wife would the woman be in the resurrection.

However, note that the Sadducees did not believe in resurrection. (Luk 20:27-32) In reply, Christ states: “Those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. (Luk 20:35-36) In other words, marriage exits due to our mortality. There will be no purpose in marriage as death has no part to play.

It also points to the utter mockery of marriage that is the push for socalled homosexual ‘marriage’ in civil law, which is diametrically and fundamentally contradictory to the natural purpose of marriage. A central characteristic of this push

is to sever the connection between marriage and children, between marriage and fruitfulness. The former President of the Australian Medical Association, Kerryn Phelps, is shameless in promoting the separation of marriage from the transmission of life. She says, “Similarly, there needs to be a separation of procreation from marriage.”

This kills marriage.

(See: http://www.malcolmturnbull. com.au/homepage-aroundwentworth/same-sex-marriagesurvey-results-2/ (accessed 13 May 2011)).

Marriage in Christ is the fulfilment of what God intends for marriage.

Marriage has a widely recognised purpose in all societies; that of childbearing and raising families and governments have a clear role and duty to protect and foster the institution. However, Christ raises it higher, and uses it to confer grace on the spouses, aiding them to conform to his precepts. Ultimately, it is a means of sanctification, a path to holiness, and whereby, with St Paul, we “work out… (our) own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phi 2:12) Gerard Calilhanna Gerard Calilhanna is a Catholic layman, a Coordinator of the National Marriage Coalition, as well as a member of the Australian Family Association and the National Civic Council. At present, he is completing a Master of Arts (Theological Studies) at the university of Notre Dame, Sydney.

He lives and works in Sydney, with his wife Andrea and their two children.

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www.christianwoman.co.nz | www.christianwoman.com.au 39

Youth.

Age of Understanding What is happening to our younger generation? We have a responsibility to teach them about God and what he has done for humanity...Graham McDonald

R

esearch shows from 0-5 years of age is the greatest learning time in our life. During this time we learn language, culture, about relationships and what is right (acceptable) and wrong (non-acceptable) behaviour.

It is a time of vulnerability but also of opportunity to have a positive or negative input into the learning process.

Let us explore what those in the world do with this information.

In her book What’s Happening to our Girls, Maggie Hamilton reveals some very interesting facts.

The advertisers and marketeers understand about this early learning process. They have realised that by the age of six months children are able to recognise brand logos.

Therefore there are trade mark characters on baby clothes, toys and their environment which translates into sales from when the child is two years old and upwards.

Children are being groomed to be consumers.

To see how this then impacts preteens, especially in the area of sexuality, one should read Melinda Tankard-Reist’s book Getting Real.

The question is, how does the church respond to this research?

What strategies are in place that will ensure children will receive right Biblical teaching?

40 Christian Woman Winter 2011

We have a current generation who know either little or nothing about God

Youth.

What strategies are in place to advise and help parents to counteract the secular influence on their children?

Are any of the above on the church agenda?

The Scriptures indicate that the primary place for a child to learn about God, Jesus and the Bible would be in the home. The instructions in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 are very plain and simple.

Verse four is a reminder of the first commandment that there is only one God. Then we have the greatest commandment to love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and strength. I would suggest that our children would need to see us live that out in our own life, before them, so they may understand, comprehend and embrace what we are teaching them.

The instructions become more explicit when we read that these commandments are to be in our heart - not just in our head - as a life style. Talk about the things of the Lord, to your children, when you sit at home, walking along, when you lie down and get up. This should be an integral and normal part of our every-day living.

This lifestyle will help and encourage our children to become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Children need to see their parents live out the Christian walk before their eyes and to engage in ‘spiritual’ discussions with them daily. They need Godly role models to learn from.

Verses eight and nine refer to the images we have around the home, and here I would include books and magazines, children would have access to. Other considerations would be television and computer games and so forth.

The portion of Scripture we have looked at is recited three times a day by devout Jews and is considered

as the most important part of the book of Deuteronomy. It is referred to as the ‘Shema’ (pronounced she – mar) and is highly esteemed in the Jewish faith.

Let us examine the consequences of ignoring God’s instruction.

The consequences of the Jews not following God’s instruction to impart their faith to the children is recorded in Judges 2:8 & 10. The period of time from the giving of the instructions to Moses to the record in Judges could be as little as 100 – 150 years.

Joshua and his generation pass away and those who were left behind with a prosperous and secure future lose it all. The reason for the loss is stated in verse ten. A ‘new generation’ with all their wealth and home comforts, grew up but did not know the Lord or what he had done in Israel.

Because of their lack of knowledge about God and what he had done for Israel the children did evil in the sight of God. They got involved in idol worship and ignored the teachings of their forefathers.

A similar situation exists in Australia today. We have a current generation who know either little or nothing about God. This is painfully evident by the fact that 93% of children have no church connections.

They have no understanding of what God has done in this nation.

Very few Christians, let alone their children, are aware of the incredible contribution Christians have made to the development of this country.

Work with indigenous Australians, schools, education, welfare, trade unions and the Labor Party were all started by Christians.

The young Jews went off, and followed the gods of the people

around them. They worshipped the Baals, the Ashtoreths and this provoked the Lord to anger. Their easy life style was threatened by raiders and plunderers and there was no more security.

Our young people have embraced a materialistic, humanistic and hedonistic life style which are the gods of today’s culture. They exist without any thought of God and his teachings.

The result is an increase in violence, substance abuse, sexual promiscuity and lack of respect for others.

What are some strategies that could be adopted to overcome this problem?

• Clergy preach on Deuteronomy 6: 4-9.

• Seek out ministries that specialise in Children and the Family.

• Have them train the people on how to minister to their children.

• Encourage parents to purchase the Story of Jesus for Children DVD and watch it with their children.

• Encourage parents to have ‘spiritual’ conversations with their children.

Graham McDonald National Team Leader Children of the World - a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ Australia graham.mcdonald@ccca.org.au

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