GPS 3rd Quarter 2018

GPS

July. August. September 2018 Edition

Generosity.Passion.Strength.

Radical 4 Love

It’s In the Sound 18

IPHC Women’s Publication

Project Kid 28

4

12

20

Radical Love

The Power of His Words

Our Little Women

8

14

22

Squeeze for Health

Your Second Wind is Coming

Brave Vulnerability

Dig Up the Stump

18

It’s in the Sound

26

10

Designers: Meredith Light & Lindsey Snider Photo Credits: Unsplash.com, Fotolia.com

All Generations Abiding Together - GPS 2 -

A letter from the editor Summer has officially begun here in Oklahoma! For us, summer represents cookouts, family reunions, fireworks, and road trips. Kids are out of school and parents are cherishing the time together, while also secretly wondering if they will make it until August without anything breaking. The sizzle and smell of the grill is a constant, and the fans are on 24/7. The days are long and the time flies by as we cram in as many pool days, car rides, bucket lists, and to do’s as we possibly can!

What do you have planned for this summer? As we want to spend as much time together as we can, your Heavenly Father is also craving to spend time with you! When we make time to read His word, and listen for the Holy Spirit’s direction, He refreshes our souls and refills our spiritual reservoirs. Our God is so good, so giving, and so loving, and He deserves our time even more than our family, friends, and churches!

This quarter’s GPS has encouragement for listening to God with our whole hearts, obeying His words, and sharing His message with those who need it most. We hope this issue of GPS refreshes and encourages you!

May the warmth of the summer days inspire you to grow!

Women’s Ministries Team

Connect with Us! IPHCWM

IPHCWOMEN

IPHC.ORG/WOMEN

IPHC WOMEN’S MINISTRIES EMAIL: women@iphc.org PHONE: 405-792-7132 www.facebook.com/iphcwomen ADDRESS: P.O. Box 12609 Oklahoma City, OK 73157 www.twitter.com/iphcwm www.pinterest.com/iphcwm

- GPS 3 -

Radical Love W

hat is this love? This love leaves the 99 to go after

who she was when she spent a few moments with Him. He is

the one. This love does not let sin be a wall to

radical love. This one conversation with a seemingly very lost

separate it from coming in and liberating someone

person, caused a city to recognize a savior.

from its grasp. It is the catalyst for revelation. Jesus, by example,

Our everyday lives have the potential for these

left the 99 to get the one who has gone astray. He talked to

conversations to occur. We have places where radical love

the woman by the well, who had multiple lovers. He did not

can be shown in just a few words and a life can be changed.

run from potential negative association, but spoke life to

How do we do this? How do we live radically? With radical

her by revealing who she was and by His love revealing the

love. Radical love is undeserving. It is not because someone

potential she could become. She was not designed to be lost,

is nice to us. It is completely because He first loved us. He

but in life’s journey she went down the path that led her to a

loves each one of His creations. We are each so beautiful to

heap of mistakes that one conversation set her free. Radical

Him. We may have been tossed around by life and damaged.

love calls out and says you are meant for more. She realized

This does not discount the very fact that He loves us. His love

- GPS 4 -

is unconditional. It can be difficult to wrap our heads around

Another scripture talking about the largeness of God and

a love that has no boundaries. That pierces through walls of

informing us that He is in the details of our lives is Psalms

shame and guilt. It brings light and revelation setting the

36:5-6 Message. God’s love is meteoric, His loyalty astronomic,

captives free. Again, how do we live and love radically? To be

His purpose titanic, His verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness

able to do this we should first know we are loved. Jesus came

nothing gets lost; not a man, not a mouse, slips through the

from that place. He was the son of God. We are children of God,

cracks. God is in the details of our lives. Not thinking anything is

loved beyond measure. His love is truly overwhelming washing

too little to pay attention to. We do not exhaust Him. We are His

away our sins and causing us to come boldly before His throne

beloved. We are loved radically.

of grace. He created us and designed our every intricacy loving us completely. He doesn’t look at us and say, “If only this one thing were different, I could love you more.” He loves without reservation. He wants us to be free in Him. To realize this freedom, we must realize his radical love for us.

May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. May you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high His love really is and experience this love for yourselves.

Though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so, at last you will be filled up with

To top it off, He has plans for us. In Jeremiah 29:11 we hear about those plans, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Radical love - when we understand it for ourselves we can give it to others from the unlimited reservoir that He provides to us each and every day.

Our demand cannot exceed His supply as it is given freely to us.

When we receive it by faith, it comes to us exponentially and overwhelms us. His radical love fills you up so much that you cannot help but impact the world around you with it.

God. (Ephesians 17b-19 Living Bible) We cannot exhaust His love for us. It is so deep that we will never see the end of it. It continues through our lives and into eternity. Nothing can separate us from it. (Romans 8:38-39) Then let’s hear how much He is paying attention to and valuing us. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. The Message says, and he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head!

Radical love - when we understand it for ourselves we can give it to others from the unlimited reservoir that He provides to us each and every day.

There are 7.6 billion people on earth and each person has approximately 100,000 strands of hair on their head. God knows when one drops, because He knows the exact count every moment. Have you looked at your brush lately and seen the hair in that brush? We lose about 100 strands a day. He cares so intimately about you, that when those strands come out, He has a new count. Now to do the math on this for the world’s population, a standard calculator cannot even perform the function as it is too great in number to calculate. After the realization of this, He admonishes us to not be afraid. Have any of us felt afraid? Has the monster of fear come knocking on our door saying all sorts of nonsense to try to get us to believe the lies? He doesn’t want us to be afraid and lets us know just how much he is paying attention to us and our lives.

SAMANTHA SNIPES

Samantha Snipes has announced her resignation after three and a half years as the General Director of IPHC Women’s Ministries. In December 2014, Samantha Snipes began serving the IPHC as the General Director of Women’s Ministries. Previously, Samantha served her local church in St. Augustine, Florida as the Women’s Ministries and Missions Director before moving to Oklahoma. She and her husband, Todd, have owned businesses and worked in ministry together since 1994. Samantha was director of operations for a design firm and worked with ministries all over the world on their marketing. She has a passion to activate and mobilize people in their faith, to see them realize their mission in life, experience the great commission, and connect the passion and love of Jesus to the world. She loves having fun and traveling with her husband and their two sons Cole and Skyler.

- GPS 5 -

Squeeze for Health!

- GPS 6 -

P

salm 37:7, “Be still before the Lord and wait

out of our lives! Time spent with God revitalizes our thought

patiently for Him…” You may remember the

processes with empowerment for productive ministry. The

TV show “I Love Lucy.” In one episode, she was

song says, “My soul found peace when I rested in the Lord. I

doing a commercial for a health tonic by the name of

drank from the fountain, where living waters poured.” A healthy

“Vitameatavegamin.” In this episode, Lucy ask the questions,

servant, full of energy, accomplishes all that God called and

“Do you feel tired, listless? Do you poop out (stop functioning)

purposed for us! As we wrap our hand around a lemon to

at parties?” Lucy told the audience that Vitameatavegamin

squeeze out the juice for our physical health, God will wrap His

(fictitious of course), works something like lemon juice and

arms of love and mercy around us and squeeze, embrace us

baking soda. It combats disease and increases your energy.

with reassurance, emotional stability, and spiritual health!

At night, put one glass of water in a jar that can hold a liter, add one tablespoon of baking soda, and the juice of one lemon, then fill the rest of the jar with pure water and leave overnight. Each morning drink one glass of the mixture. This habit will help maintain your body in a healthy state as well as maintaining your energy levels.

In ministry and life, it sometimes feels we have crammed a whole week into a 24-hour period. By the time we fulfill our daily responsibilities, leave the office, make dinner, wash the dishes, pay the bills, fold the laundry, and collapse on the couch to watch “I Love Lucy,” or read a magazine, it’s time to go to bed and start the cycle all over again. I know that often I find myself fighting to avoid fatigue because I’m too busy. Yet, I love having commitments and responsibilities, so I say “Yes” to most opportunities that come my way, and at times wonder why I added another commitment to my agenda. The secret is to combat the fatigue as we fulfill our ministries.

The needs in ministry are so great that God’s servants can easily become consumed by them. Leading them to the

Time spent with God revitalizes our thought processes with empowerment for productive ministry.

neglect of their own health and needs. But sick and weak servants cannot complete the tasks at hand. The Bible directs us in finding rest and strength that is more effective than a health tonic. When we are fatigued, we need to be aware of our own limitations. Part of living wisely is recognizing our human weaknesses and compensating for them so they do not control us. Still, fatigue hits all of us at times, which is one reason the Bible speaks so much about resting in the Lord. Examples include Psalm 62, Deuteronomy 5:13-14, and Matthew 11:2829, but there are many others.

Let’s face it, in our busy world, rest does not always come easily. We must teach ourselves to rest in body, in mind, and in spirit. Taking action to rest and revitalize our physical bodies, protecting them from fatigue by methods similar to drinking “Vitameatavegamin” or lemon juice and baking soda water, will always prove beneficial. Learning to rest our souls keeps

BRENDA GRASTY Rev. Dr. Brenda Grasty is serving as the Assistant Director on the IPHC Women’s Ministries Board. She is the Cornerstone Conference Women’s Ministries Director, Director of Deborah’s Daughters for Women’s Ministries, and Missions Director for the Cornerstone Conference. She also serves on the Falcon Children’s Home Board. She is an IPHC Ordained Minister with a Doctorate of Theology degree who teaches, preaches, and sings for conferences, revivals, and other events. Brenda and her husband, Rick, have four children and three grandchildren.

us spiritually, mentally, and ministry healthy, and keeps fatigue

- GPS 7 -

Dig Up the Stump

- GPS 10 -

I

recently heard a television actor say, “Life is simpler

enslaved the Jews. However, the stumps were not cut out of

when you plow around the stumps.” Since then that

his life. This resulted in him going from strength to weakness.

phrase has reverberated in my mind. As I pondered the

During a period of punishment, humility, and blindness, I

thought, I realized that for a farmer, every stump that is plowed

believe he could see God; and those stumps were rooted out. In

around and not uprooted results in less productivity and less

the end, he still proved to be useful to God by overcoming the

fruit.

enemy and rescuing Israel from Philistine oppression. Judges

I am certainly guilty of approaching some issues in life by plowing around the stump instead of cutting it out of my life to produce more fruit. It could be something simple such

16:30 declares, “So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.”

Years ago, farmers used dynamite to blast stumps out of the

as running to close the closet door every time you hear the

ground. What we need today is the dynamic power of the Holy

doorbell ring to hide the clutter rather than taking the time

Spirit to reveal our stumbling blocks and remove them by the

to clean it out. It could be as serious as avoiding the person to

roots. Let us examine ourselves and make it our purpose to

whom you owe an apology or are experiencing a disagreement

quickly root out any stump that we may have been plowing

with rather than seeking them out and reconciling the broken

around. Remember, the longer we wait, the deeper the roots

relationship. For some, it could be an unfavorable habit or

will grow; the more ground we clear, the more fruitful. All hope

unforgiveness for a hurt from the past. For others, it could be

is not gone. Regardless of our past, when the hindrances are

compulsive shopping, a spirit of control, jealousy, revenge, low

removed we can still be used powerfully by God to overcome

self-esteem, or a fear of failure.

the enemy and help lead His children out of oppression.

Plowing around stumps has been happening since the

DIG UP THE STUMP AND PLOW ON!

beginning of time. In the Garden of Eden, instead of uprooting “temptation” and refusing Eve’s offer, Adam just plowed around the stump and partook of the fruit when he knew God had forbidden him to do so. As a result, they both lost daily walks with the Savior and the territory God had provided for them. Samson had the stumps of an unrestrained passion for pagan women, a stubborn will, and a violent temper that needed to be uprooted, cut out of his life.

Between the days of Joshua and Saul was identified as the period of judges when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges were not political leaders; they did not rule the nation. They were not appointed or elected by man; nor did they inherit their position or move up in the ranks. God chose them as warriors to protect, preserve, deliver, or rescue the

Remember, the longer we wait, the deeper the roots will grow; the more ground we clear, the more fruitful.

children of Israel from their enemies. Their ultimate goal was to keep the Jews from being wiped out. God had made a promise to preserve His nation and, through that nation, bring the seed who would be the Messiah.

Israel fell into sin by making alliances with pagans. Seven times in the book of Judges, they followed the same pattern of rebellion, punishment during which they cried out to God, then God would raise up a deliverer, and finally they would renew their relationship with Him. When the judge died, they would return to their rebellion and start the cycle again.

During one of those cycles Samson was chosen, raised up and empowered by God to defeat the Philistines who had

JANICE MARSHBURN

Janice Marshburn is an IPHC Ordained Minister in Jacksonville, NC, were she serves as the Women’s Ministries Director for the IPHC Good News Ministries. She preaches God’s word nationally and internationally.

She serves as the North Carolina Conference, Women’s Ministries Director, Director of Deborah’s Daughters, and serves on the IPHC Women’s Ministries Board. Janice has a heart for God’s power to heal bruised and battered women, and those who are merely existing to walk out of their spiritual grave and experience new life in Jesus.

- GPS 11 -

The Power of His Words

- GPS 12 -

G

od, your words amaze me! When I read the Bible,

manager walked out of the office and thanked everyone else

the meaning of your words can pierce my soul with

for coming. He said the position has been filled. The other

light and love. It has the power to open my eyes to

applicants became upset and explained that they had not

the wellspring of my own soul where rivers of living waters pour

received a chance to turn in their applications. The manager

forth and are evident in the tears filling my eyes. Your words

explained that everyone had been given the same opportunity.

bring salvation, healing, love, forgiveness, light in the darkness,

If they would have only drowned out the noise, they too could

and hope to the hopeless. One of the things I love the most

have interpreted the Morse Code.

about your words is that they have the power to open my eyes.

It is hard to admit but as Christians we are all given the same

The eyes of the one who’s eyes you open understand revelation

opportunity to hear His voice. He loves us, created us, and longs

in their heart.

to spend time with us! However, we allow the distractions of this

Revelation means to disclose the truth. Truth contains the

world to deafen His voice. My prayer for you is that you not only

power of freedom. How we need to be free! The very nature of

hear but answer the voice of your Heavenly Father. As His voice

revelation is that it is truth that is hidden. So, what uncovers

resonates in your soul, you will experience the power of His

it? We receive revelation when the sound of God’s voice is all we

words. You will receive revelation!

hear. So many times, we allow the sounds around us to deafen His voice. Often His words come as gifts that need unwrapped.

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3

When we are willing to take the time to unwrap the gift of God’s words, we receive revelation. It contains light wrapped in love and brings change to the one who receives it.

My mind recalls a story which impacted my life. It adequately displays the benefits of drowning out all the sounds around you, so you can focus on and hear what’s most important. There was a young man that saw a job in the newspaper for a telegraph operator. He knew Morse Code and was excited to apply for the position. Jobs were hard to find during this time in history, so he found the office filled with many other applicants and a lot of noise. He was given a job application to fill out while he waited.

As his eyes surveyed the room he saw the shuffling of papers and nervous movement. His mind was racing trying to take it all in because it was very noisy. Of all the voices in the room, the one that seemed to speak the loudest was his own inner voice. It kept telling him that due to his age, he was not

When we are willing to take the time to unwrap the gift of God’s words, we receive revelation. It contains light wrapped in love and brings change to the one who receives it.

the most qualified person in the room. He paused, quieted himself during all the confusion, and prayed silently.

Suddenly, he began to hear a distant tapping coming from the other room. He realized that he was hearing Morse Code and his ears strained to listen. As he listened, he realized that the sound had been there the whole time. The telegraph operator in the other room was tapping out, “If you can understand this message, come through the door, the job is yours.” He got up and opened the door to the office, uninvited! The manager was waiting patiently in the office to see who would respond to the message. As he entered the office, the manger said, “May I help you?” The young man explained that he was following the directions given in Morse Code. Much to his surprise, the

DEBI ADAMS

Debi Adams lives in Greensburg, PA and serves on the River of Life Conference Women’s Ministries Board, where her husband serves as Bishop. Debi serves on the IPHC Women’s Ministries Board. She is the Assistant Director of the Treasured Women’s Conference at LifeSpring Christian Church, where she and her husband are pastors. She is passionate about her ministry as an Ordained IPHC Minister, and she works as a Board-Certified Chaplain at a State Psychiatric Hospital. Her passions include deploying to disaster areas as a Rapid Response Chaplain, and helping people in crisis.

- GPS 13 -

Your Second Wind is Coming!

R

ecently Mark and I took a trip to Costa Rica. It was the adventure of a lifetime with some of our best friends that are total adrenaline junkies. We got some much-

needed rest for the night at a beautiful plantation, and the next morning our guide drove us to the Pacuare River. When we arrived, we loaded basic essentials into a dry bag and sent the rest of our belongings with someone else. After gearing up and receiving a safety course (we would be facing level 4 plus rapids and falls). We swam across the river and hiked thru the jungle up to a waterfall. It was a tough climb but we made it. Did I mention I AM NOT ATHLETIC AT ALL? We jumped about 10 feet into the river and headed back to the rafts and began the trek

down the river.

After rowing the rapids for several miles, we stopped on the side of the river and the guide instructed us to grab what we could carry up the hill to where we’d be sleeping. Not knowing how far we were going, I grabbed a couple of bags weighing about 25-30 lbs. each and slung them over my shoulders.

I stopped a half a dozen times during the climb, near tears as my arms felt as if they were about to fall off. My knees were buckling and my legs shook with every step. My much thinner and more physically fit friend, Jennifer, kept asking, “You ok, girl?” “You coming, Nicole?” Each time she asked, it encouraged me to keep going.

- GPS 14 -

I thought I couldn’t take another step, and I cried out, “I can

with rain falling and birds serenading me to sleep, I considered

do all things through Christ who strengthens me, so please

the second wind that came upon me. (Oh, and thank God it did

help me Jesus!” Then Jennifer said, “Come on, Nicole, just

because the next day we rowed 16 miles down the river!)

one more corner; you’re almost to the top and it’s amazing!” I pushed onward and upward, thanking the Lord and eventually made it to the top.

In any other situation, my spaghetti arms would have fallen to my sides and my knees would have collapsed to the ground.

Yet, when I took the final step up the arduous climb, I lifted my eyes to the beauty before me. I was in awe at the sight and sounds before me.

I looked across the property and saw Jennifer dropping her

Sister, I don’t know what you are going through, but what I do know is that we all go through things. Me telling you that I also struggle may not encourage you—knowing my friend struggled up the hill didn’t encourage me. But, knowing there was a reward did.

It’s my hope, as you trust in and wait on God during the climb, that you know you’re nearing the summit. I hope knowing your reward is coming, ignites a fire within you and motivates you to keep going. I pray the wind of the Holy Spirit

load under a hut. The lodge owner motioned me over to where

breathes new life in you and thrusts you forward even now. I

they were standing. Somehow, I got a second wind and yelled

declare that God will take you higher, and He will lift your

down to encourage Mark and Darin, who were struggling up

eyes and your head. In this difficulty, because of your obe-

the mountain, carrying well over 100 lbs. each. I almost ran to

dience to finish what you started, God will reward you and

where Jennifer was and finally dropped my load.

elevate you.

Isaiah 40:31 says “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew

It’s my hope, as you trust in and wait on God during the climb, that you know you’re nearing the summit.

My muscles were so tired I could faint, but I looked over the property. I can’t even begin to describe to you the scenery my eyes were beholding. If Crayola traveled somewhere to find every shade of green known to mankind to make their crayons, this was the location—The Pacuare Lodge. The most brilliantly colored plants lined the walkways and the rain forest was lusher than any scene in Jurassic Park. There were monkeys, sloths, lightening bugs, and even bats. The air was so clean and smelled so good. The choir of the many birds flying overhead was more beautiful than any sound I’d ever heard. And there

their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Your second wind is coming, so shout out your praise and don’t you quit!

NICOLE HAMMOND Nicole Hammond currently serves as the Pacific Western Network Women’s Ministries Director and serves on the IPHC Women’s Ministries Board. She loves to help women discover their purpose, participate in ministry, pursue their passions, and live boldly for Jesus as they go about their daily lives! She and her husband, Mark, are partners in life, ministry, and business. They enjoy life with their four children and two granddaughters, who all reside in Modesto, CA.

were bananas growing everywhere!

As I laid in my bed that night, in a screen-walled bungalow

- GPS 15 -

- GPS 16 -

- Leader’s GPS 17 -

It’s In The Sound

DEBBIE BURPO Debbie Burpo is an Ordained Minister with the IPHC and a graduate of Southwestern Christian University. She lives in Kingfisher, OK and serves as Senior Pastor of Frontline Ministries which is a community outreach church that she and husband, Tim, planted in 2008. Debbie and Tim have been married for 45 years and have five daughters and eight grandchildren. Debbie proudly serves as Treasurer on the Kingfisher Ministerial Alliance Board. She also serves on the Executive Council of the IPHC Heartland Conference. Prior to pastoring, Debbie served as the Women’s Ministries Director of the Heartland Conference for 10 years.

She is passionate about her Pentecostal roots and the denomination she serves She also believes the Church must speak beyond the four walls of a building. Her goal in ministering is to love unconditionally, help people step beyond the boundaries of hopelessness and rejection, and lead them into a place of real hope, real love and their Christ-led destiny in life. She transparently ministers to others from a heart of experience in life’s difficult situations and proclaims, “It is never too late to follow God’s plan for your life.”

- GPS 18 -

I

t’s Oklahoma…where the wind comes sweeping down the plains. Recently, while finalizing notes for an upcoming conference, sounds of the wind were louder than normal.

I could hear things bouncing around in my yard and suddenly something crashed into the side of my house. I quickly got up to go see what happened. To my relief, it was only a lawn chair and nothing was damaged. At that point, I knew God was giving me an object lesson to confirm the word I had been preparing for weeks. He spoke to my heart, “See, it was the sound that moved you – it’s in the sound.”

There is a sound needed to “move” the body of Christ today.

A sound that moves us back to the roots of being “unashamedly

What if today’s Church were to rekindle the sound of His Presence?

Pentecostal.” It is the Sound of His Presence, and it brings with it power from on high. Acts 2 clearly tells us what came with the

Something heavenly happened on the day of Pentecost. It

sound on the Day of Pentecost. While believers were together,

not only created a significant sound; the sound of His Presence;

praying, expecting something yet unknown to them, there

it not only revealed the sound of His Purpose; it created a

came a sound from heaven. A sound unlike what they had heard

movement – the sound of His people. It set the church in

before; a sound like a rushing mighty wind. This sound came

motion to fulfill the Great Commission. Those experiencing the

from heaven and was powerful enough to fill the whole house.

manifestations that came with the sound of the rushing mighty

It came with fire which sat upon each one present. Immediately,

wind were forever changed. They walked out filled with power,

all were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to make a SOUND!

speaking in tongues, anointed, and ready to do whatever

This rushing mighty wind came as the immediate sound and

necessary to spread the good news of the gospel. The Word tells

brought forth a power-filled sound from those present.

us that Peter and John, moved by the sound, once declared,

If ever there has been a time for the Church to share the sound of His Presence, it is now. Some of you reading this article have been quiet for so long, you wonder if a sound is even

“For us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Today’s Church cannot afford to disregard this sound from

possible. Some may be thinking, “I don’t know if that’s relevant

heaven any longer. The world needs to hear the sound shut up

now or I think we should be quiet and orderly, not to upset

inside of you. We must remember, the sound of His Presence

anyone.” I say, if you want to grab the attention of the world

doesn’t rest on a program, a man’s platform, through a

around you – a world lost in the sounds of deception and

building, or specific worship style. It blows upon a people

despair – you are going to have to make some noise. There is

set apart, determined to speak the truth in love, and carry the

freedom in the sound of His Presence!

gospel message into the uttermost parts of the world.

There is also purpose in the sound of His presence. The

Are you listening? Are you speaking? Is His sound alive and

sound of Pentecost came to catch the attention and empower

active in your life today? If not, I challenge you to go back to

those praying that day. They were waiting for a purpose to

your prayer closet and seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Ask

be revealed, a gift Jesus promised. Unaware of how this “gift

God to blow fresh wind in your life. A wind carrying a sound that

the Father promised” would manifest, they trusted it would

overcomes the sounds of deception and despair in this world.

come. So, they waited as Jesus had instructed. When it came,

A sound which will move you to become a world changer. It’s in

it shook them out of their mindsets of wondering “what now,”

the sound!

to understanding, “what next.” The purpose was released and they were moved to “go and tell.” What if today’s Church were to rekindle the sound of His Presence? What if a sound of Pentecost overtook our churches today? Would we, like those coming out of the Upper Room, turn our world upside for Jesus? I believe so and I declare it is coming to this generation of believers!

- GPS 19 -

Our Little Women - GPS 20 -

I

have always loved Louisa May Alcott’s story of Little

was shattered by divorce. These are just a two examples of

Women. It’s on my top 10 list of movies to watch each

women who allowed God to use them to help shape me into the

year at Christmas (along with White Christmas, Charlie

person I am today.

Brown, It’s a Wonderful Life and others). I love the way Marmee

To have our girls transition into the leaders of tomorrow,

gently guides her girls through their struggles, offering her

we need courageous and strong ladies who are willing to

wisdom in shaping their morals. There are even lessons learned

share with the next generation. Ministry to girls is an integral

by the temperamental Aunt March. She exhibits a judgmental

part of the future of Women’s Ministries, these ministries need

character on the outside but has a heart of gold on the inside.

each other. Psalm 78:4 says, “We will tell the next generation

Alcott’s story reminds me of the important role that women play

about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his

in the lives of girls.

mighty wonders.”

This year, our IPHC emphasis is the value we place on

We need the wisdom of all generations to carry out the

all generations. The connection between Women’s and Girls’

mandate set before us in God’s Word. So, start today by making

Ministries is a great place to put this value into practice. The

an intentional decision to influence the lives of “our little

need to connect these ministries was clear to our Women’s

women.”

Ministries founders, within a year of organizing their own ministry, began a ministry to girls in 1946. The Titus 2:4 principle reminds us that, “The older women must train the younger women.”

The challenges and struggles that young ladies face today can be so overwhelming. Girls can see the world right in their hands with just a swipe of the finger. The world bombards them with stories glamorizing single motherhood, casual sexual hookups, and even phone apps with make-up tips to help them look like someone they are not. The girls of this culture need Godly women to mentor and influence their lives to counteract the barrage of things thrown at them on a daily basis.

My daughter was tragically killed in a car crash at 12 years of age. She gave her heart to Christ at an early age and I am confident she is in heaven with the Lord today. Although she was brought up in a Christian home, I am forever grateful for the

Valuable life experiences that are uniquely yours can become life lessons taught in the classroom or in a mentoring and sharing environment.

handful of Godly women who took the time to influence and help guide her life. They are in part responsible for her making it to her heavenly home and will share in the reward when we are reunited in heaven someday.

There are many passages in the book of Deuteronomy

META RUSSO

that command us to, “…pass on God’s word and works to your

Meta Russo serves on the IPHC

children and grandchildren” (Deut 4:9-10, 6:5-9, 11:19). We need

Girls’ Ministries Board. She brings

women to step forward and pass on the knowledge that they

a wealth of knowledge about the

have to our girls. Valuable life experiences that are uniquely

importance of both Women’s and

yours can become life lessons taught in the classroom or in a

Girls’ Ministries. She has served her

mentoring and sharing environment. I can distinctly remember

conference, Spirit Life Ministries

God-fearing ladies in my own childhood who directly influenced

(formerly Upper South Carolina), as both the Girls’ and Women’s

my life. One taught me tools and tricks for memorizing Biblical

Ministries directors. Meta and her husband, Bob, pastor a

truths like the Ten Commandments and the days of creation.

church where she leads the Friends group (middle school girls).

Another became a close friend and confidant when my family

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- Leader’s GPS 23 -

Brave Vulnerability - GPS 24 -

I

had a conversation with a woman, very dear to me, who has walked through incredible emotional hardship. Over the course of her life, she has experienced rejection from

thing—the fundamental opposite of weakness.

So, let’s resist the enemy who tells us we should shut all our hurts, pain, and mistakes behind closed doors. Let’s expose

her father initially, then from within her family, others, and

his lies by boasting in our weaknesses, knowing that is

finally from her own husband—the last of which is most painful

when we offer Jesus the surest platform upon which He can

for her. Despite her brokenness, this woman is stronger than

display His power through us. As one of my favorite writers,

she realizes. Of course, some days challenge her so much that

Ann Voskamp, says, “The world has enough people who live a

she’d rather just give up, but somehow, she finds the strength

masked insecurity. It needs more who live a brave vulnerability.”

to carry on as she awaits a miracle of restoration in her family

So, again I say, let’s resist. Instead of hiding, let’s choose, as

and in her marriage.

Recently, she was asked to share her story at a women’s event. But for many reasons felt unworthy of such an

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:10, to “delight in our weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when we are weak, then we are strong.”

opportunity. When she told me how she was feeling, it hurt me that she’d believe this about herself. In my eyes, she’s the exact type of woman who should be sharing her story—someone who’s walked through the fire again and again but still chooses to call on God. The enemy, however, would like nothing better than to convince her that she has nothing valuable to share. He’d prefer to hold her imperfections and flaws over her head and keep her quiet. Knowing the lie she was believing, I encouraged her to seize this moment and share exactly what God has done in her life.

This moment was so crucial because God uses women with vulnerable hearts to help set other broken hearts free.

Vulnerability is key in God’s inner transforming work; it forces us to grapple with our limits, feel the gravity of our mistakes,

Vulnerability is key in God’s inner transforming work; it forces us to grapple with our limits, feel the gravity of our mistakes, and in complete reliance turn to our only true source of hope: our Father in heaven.

and in complete reliance turn to our only true source of hope: our Father in heaven. In our culture, however, vulnerability is portrayed as weakness. As such, we’re trained to hide it from others. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Jesus tells Paul in the moment of his greatest vulnerability, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Upon hearing this, Paul responded by telling the Corinthian church, “Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

When we overcome the world’s false perspective of weakness and see things through the lens of Christ’s Kingdom, we realize that it is to our benefit and to the benefit of those around us to own our vulnerability. When we do—and especially when we share it as part of our testimony—God uses the hard circumstances of our lives for His glory. Places that have wounded, broken, disappointed, and rejected us can become places where Jesus stands on our behalf and magnifies His name, while simultaneously restoring us.

Thus, learning to be vulnerable is a beautiful, necessary, brave

ERICA CAMPBELL Erica Campbell graduated from Emmanuel College in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in the School of Christian Ministries.

She works as an Administrative Assistant at LifePoint Ministries overseeing Communications and Event Planning. She also serves as the Girls’ Ministries Director and is the Advisor of Revive Dance Team at Emmanuel College.

She is presently serving as secretary on the IPHC Women’s Ministries Board. She and her husband, Jon, live at Emmanuel where he serves as the Assistant Director for Residence Life and the Residence Director for Wellons Hall. Erica’s passion is to encourage women of all ages to reflect the heart of Christ, to embrace her world by serving the Kingdom of God in every season, and to constantly be in pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ – the true purpose of every disciple.

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MOSAIC A Beautiful Blend of All Generations W e are well into the year where the IPHC is

those leaders come from a variety of ages. Just as we learn

focusing on the core value of all generations.

that we must draw from the different food groups to create

Our goal each year has been to build our

a well-balanced meal, we must draw from the generations to

theme for Girls’ Ministries Week around the current core value.

assure balanced spiritual nourishment. That is how you provide

The ministry to girls is a natural place for a blending of all

a smorgasbord of personalities, life experiences, giftings, and

generations to occur. The younger generation is ready to

talent.

soak up the knowledge and love from the women who represent older generations. It is our task to make sure that

While searching scriptures and thinking about blending the different generations in the church, the word mosaic kept

- GPS 26 -

coming to the forefront. The definition of a mosaic is a picture

known as Park Güell was commissioned to design a part for

or pattern that is created by combining a variety of pieces of

the aristocrats. It is filled with bright and beautiful mosaic

tiles, stone, or other objects to become its own unique work of

statues, buildings, and benches. Gaudi’s mosaic designs were so

art. Sometimes those pieces are new, and sometimes they are

appealing that I could have sat there and basked in the beauty

old or recycled. Regardless of the pieces used, they are held

all day. He truly had a gift for creating beautiful works of art.

together by a common bonding agent.

I see the church as a beautiful blend of all generations.

Over the years, I have also been fascinated by one of the bridges that spans the inland waterway on our way to the coast

We are held together by Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:16 says it

of Daytona Beach for Youth Quest. I have always admired the

clearly. “Christ holds it together and makes all of its parts work

blend of colors and the small tiles used to create such a large-

perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love.”

scale piece of art. It is really hard to appreciate the full scope of

(CEV). The children, youth, young adults, adults, and senior

the art when you are driving over the bridge in a car. One day,

adults are all better served when they serve each other. No

I hope to have enough time to view it up close enough to view

generation should be left out of the mosaic. When you read this

the individual pieces that make up the whole. Each one has a

verse, it is easy to understand that Jesus Christ is our common

unique color value and each one is very important to the final

bonding agent. He knows where each of us fits to give our best

outcome. However, it is when the pieces come together that

and to create the overall picture and.

you get a large-scale masterpiece.

The history of mosaics goes back to the third century where

The church as a mosaic is far more than just a piece of art

the earliest examples were found in a temple in Mesopotamia.

that looks nice. Each person has so much to offer to each other

The early mosaics were used to decorate walls. By 600 BC,

and to the body of each local church. The older generation

Greeks had begun using the art form to create intricate

offers the mosaic a wealth of knowledge and experience while

and durable floors. With the rise of Christianity, the use of

the younger generation brings energy and technology skills

mosaics exploded when Christians began using the art form

that can enhance the mosaic. The middle generations bring

on walls and ceilings to inspire their worshippers and share

stability and can even help bridge the gap between the older

the stories. Mosaics can still be found in huge cathedrals and

and younger generations.

small churches all over Europe. The Vatican Museum is filled

Just as the stones and tiles used in mosaics come in all

with gigantic mosaics that at first glance look like paintings.

shapes, sizes, and colors, every person in your church has

They create such a cohesive visual that you almost miss the

a unique gift and a unique perspective to offer. God gifted

thousands of pieces that create the whole. I stood in awe

each of us with a wide range of gifts, abilities, and insights.

recently at these works of art that have survived hundreds of

However, He never intended for us to function alone. Instead,

years.

He envisioned His body of believers as a masterpiece made up

The children, youth, young adults, adults, and senior adults are all better served when they serve each other.

On another trip with my daughter to Spain several years ago, we visited the city of Barcelona where Antonio Gaudi lived and became an amazing artist and designer. A city park

of individuals from every generation. As we come together and give ourselves completely, we create a mosaic that is not only pleasing to Him, but one that sends a visual message of beauty and unity to the world.

IRVINA PARKER

Irvina Parker serves as the director of IPHC Girls’ Ministries. Prior to accepting this position, she worked for IPHC World Missions Ministries.

Irvina is a third generation IPHC member. She has served the IPHC from the Global Ministry Center for more than 43 years. Irvina and her husband David live in Oklahoma City and attend River of Life where they serve as directors of the River Reach World Missions team. Irvina loves writing, scrapbooking, snow skiing, going on missions trips, and spending time with the grandchildren.

- GPS 27 -

TOOLS for the FAMILY HomeFront Magazine

>>PROJECT KID >>QUESTION

“America has experienced great tragedy within the school systems due to shootings. As a parent, how do I talk to my child about God’s protection when I struggle sending them to school because of my own fears?” >>ANSWER by Children’s Ministries Consultant, Dr. Ellen Moore

The school shootings are tragic. They certainly make us think and pray more, which is vital. We need the Lord’s presence and protection every day. It would be even more tragic, however, if these events make us stop...stop going, stop doing, and stop being the God’s light reflected on this earth. Fear is one of our enemy’s favorite tools. He loves to try to paralyze us with fear of the unknown and the “what ifs.” But Jesus told us to “Go into the world” and to “let our light shine before men.” I think that’s how we encourage our kids. That’s our mission as friends and followers of Jesus - to go and to shine. That’s how we experience the abundant life God wants for us and that we want for our kids. So, as we pray for our kids, we can also encourage and equip them to love, to show kindness, to think of others more than themselves, to notice and befriend the lonely, to use our words to build up others, to talk to someone who is different than them. When we focus on what we can do, we fuel our faith rather than our fear. There is no better, or safer, place to be than where God has placed us!

Send your questions to kids@iphc.org!

IPHC Discipleship Ministries is excited to partner with Homefront Magazine, a digital and/or printed magazine full of articles, ideas, and encouragement for parents, grandparents, and anyone with opportunities for influencing kids.

Each magazine is divided into two sections: Family Time and Inspire, Equip, Support.

Family Time articles are created to equip parents to engage with their children on a weekly basis.

Inspire, Equip, and Support articles are parenting stories, devotions, and ideas to encourage parents as they take on the role of the spiritual leader of their children’s faith.

This is a FREE RESOURCE for the entire IPHC church family.

To download this free resource, go to iphc.org/ homefront

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